I have been trying so hard to get caught up with all the blogging that I missed while we were in Texas. I finally resorted to making a list of everything that needs to go on the blog. I think I counted 17 titles that will make it onto the blog in the near future. That is not including the day to day stuff that is currently happening! Yikes! I guess I have my work cut out for me!
Hmm...I seem to get on tangents quite frequently and the above paragraph is just that!
Jeremy, Ava, and I left for Texas on Saturday, July 23rd, at 4am. We wanted to leave early so that Ava would sleep most of the way. We thought that if we transferred her from her bed to her carrier, she would just sleep until 9:30am (her normal waking time) We were WRONG!!! Not only did she stay awake, she was chipper! She cooed and laughed at me and expected me to do the same! I hated that she woke up so early, but at least she was in a good mood. About an hour and a half into our drive, she got a little grouchy and finally went to sleep. We stopped every two hours to get her out and stretch. She enjoyed the little excursions and hated to be put back into her car seat. After about 11 hours, we arrived at my parents house.
Papaw was waiting in the driveway for his grand-daughter (totally out of character for him; he has his favorite chair in the house and is usually reading a book) Brendon ran out to the car and said, "Where is my niece? Where is my niece?" Gigi and Brittany came out as well to see Ava. Jeremy and I did get hugs from everyone, but it was clear that Ava was the star of the show! :) We didn't mind, though, we had been forewarned by everyone with children that you cease to matter when grandkids are born! :) (I hope my mom knows I am completely kidding!) We had a great time getting to visit with my family.
We visited the Westhill Church of Christ the next morning for worship. Westhill holds a very special place in our hearts because it is where Jeremy began his career, where I was baptized, where we met, and where we were married. Westhill is where we formed relationships with people who have remained our very best friends to this day. We love going back to visit all of our friends and their blossoming families. I always cry when I walk through the doors of Westhill because our friends are there to greet us with bear hugs and tears of their own. I cannot explain what it feels like to be a part of something that special. You have to experience it to know it.
I think the neatest thing was seeing all the grown up "kids" that Jeremy ministered to when we were there. Kyle Hand and Anna Calhoun were just little kids when we were at Westhill. They were too far apart in age to care anything about liking one another, and now 4 years later, they are getting married! (Kyle and Anna are actually getting married tomorrow) :) Keith White came up by my side and said, "Hi, Miss Brooke." I looked over at him and exclaimed, "Keith, Oh My Goodness! You're A Man!" He is about 6 feet tall and will be attending Texas A&M in the Fall!
Then there was Corey Newton. I will cry as I type this because Corey and I have a very special bond. Corey was in about 7th grade when we met. He came to some activities, but not all. It wasn't until VBS that I really got to know Corey and all his complexity. He helped me get some of the decorations ready and when I made a dry remark, he laughed at me. :) I think all the other kids liked me, but they did not know how to really take me. Corey understood me because he is the male version of me. He is obsessive, organized, stressed to the limit, and emotional. Through the years at Westhill, we were able to help each other improve in those areas of life. We also loved anything to do with Harry Potter and Wicked. I can remember lock-ins when I was supposed to be chaperoning and I would be sitting at a table with Corey arguing over the next Harry Potter book. The big question back then was, "Is it possible that Harry Potter is actually a horcrux?" (I am proud to say that I was right and Corey was wrong! ;) ) Sorry, Corey. I guess I kind of threw you under the bus just now! :) We would have an audience of about 15-20 other kids just watching us go back and forth. What great memories! When Jeremy and I decided to move to Northport, in 2007, Corey took us to see Wicked the musical. He paid for our meal and our tickets. It was a wonderful going away present. Corey is now in his Senior year at The University of Texas. He is a Sports Medicine major.
During our week in Texas, we enjoyed getting to go to dinner with many other families. The night before we left, we had dinner with Billy and Tina Roughton and their kids: Austin, Emily, and Ericka; and Rusty and Lee Owens and their two kids: Brody and Kori. It was such a relaxing dinner with some of our closest friends. We laughed and talked and picked up where we left off. That is the beauty of the church: you never meet a stranger, and never lose friends even though you are hundreds of miles apart.
My mom and Ava
Aunt Britt and Ava
Ava and me in the pasture
Mom and Ava on a walk
Mandie and Corey
Keith and Elise
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