Friday Fotos...

 

This won't be short, but I want to get my trip documented.  Here goes...

I had lovely weather for my trip north to Brunswick, Georgia.  My son, Joey, was waiting for me at home and so were their dogs, Brooke and Zoe...

After I got settled, we went over to the "ranch" (New Paths Horse Sanctuary NPHS).  My daughter-in-law, Darlene was still there.  She works nearly 24/7 for those animals and their well-being.  This is Joey with one of the horses.  They have 17 horses, eight donkeys, two mini horses, one mini donkey, and five goats.

Me with two of the donkeys.

Darlene is in the white shirt to the right.  The other three ladies are employees.

Joey and I were up early the next morning (Friday) to start the 10-hour trek to Maryland...

The leaves hadn't changed much but they were still pretty.

We arrived at my nephew Lou's house.  He and his wife, Peggy, put us both up.  This is Scout.  He is really their daughter, Jackie's dog but he is spoiled by all.

The reunion was held at my nephew Jim's house.  He and his wife, Mary, had a tent, tables, chairs, and even a bounce house for the kids.  The food spread was set up in the garage.  

Nephew Lou, his daughter Nikki, his granddaughter, Maya, and me.  Maya is my great-great niece and she is also my penpal!!

Son Joe(y)...  (Bless him for driving two 10-hour days, nearly back-to-back!!)

Joey, me, great-niece Nikki (Maya's mom), and her dad, my nephew, Lou

My great-niece, Jackie (Nikki's sister) and my sweet Maya...

In the garage (where the food was being organized)...

Jackie, her mom Peggy, Nikki with Maya, great niece Emily, niece Lisa, Nikki's hubby, Demitri, and great-nephew Anthony...

Nephew Jim's house, where we gathered.  His wife is Mary and his kids are Anthony & Emily.

On the left is Corey (nephew Peter's husband), and Peter is on the right.

Back turned on the left is Lou, and next is his wife Peggy. 

Great-niece (GN) Alaina (working on her Ph.D. in Theology at Georgetown); 

GN Nikki, Niece Lisa,

Corey, Peter, GN Emily (studying to be an oncology nurse), and niece Linda. 

(Linda & Lisa are sisters)

Son Jeff's girlfriend, Kali, next to son Joey...

Nephew Julian (Nick (Joe's younger brother) & Debbie's son - we lost them both to cancer) with his two boys Domenic and Declan.  The other two guys belong to Brad & Bekka and are Kyle and 'can't remember his name').  Just FYI, Julian's wife Rachel 

wasn't there because she is right in the middle of fighting breast cancer.  Please pray for her!!

Joey, my grandson Tristan, Julian, Anthony, and Bekka...

Beautiful ladies!!  Nieces Dawn, Lisa, and niece-in-law Peggy

This is Peggy and Mary.  They are sisters and are married to brothers Lou & Jim.  Kinda fun that the sisters are married to the brothers.  They have two more sisters, Julie & Kelly, who both call me Aunt Terri too. 

Food, food, and more food.  You can't even see it all...

You still can't see it all...

Brothers Nick (youngest), Lou (oldest) Joe (middle)

We lost Nick to cancer in 2020, Joe to covid in 2021, and Lou to natural causes in 2022.

Lou's kids are Linda, Lou, Jim, and Lisa

Nick's kids are Dawn, Peter, Brad, Julian, Nikki, Carly, and Haley

Carly & Haley couldn't be at the reunion.

Joe's kids are Joey and Jeff

And here is the legacy of Joe and his two brothers.

Not everyone could make it but this was great attendance (31).

It was so good for my soul.  Cathartic for sure.   Hugs were free and plentiful.

When we left Jim & Mary's, we went by Peggy's sister's house (where Maya and her mom & dad were staying).  Kelly has a lovely home and had all kinds of snacks and drinks for us.   

This is my pen pal, Maya.  She is just the cutest 4-year old ever!!

Not a great photo, but you can see Maya's dad, Demitri eating on the left, then my grandson Tristan, with his dad, Joey and that's a sliver of Kali on the right.

Tristan, Kali, Joey, my son Jeff, and me... (Joey and I look as tired as we felt.)

Sunday morning, we headed south at 7:00 a.m., and by 7:00 p.m. this beautiful sunset greeted us as we got closer to Brunswick.  I had a safe trip back to Lakeland on Monday.

Thanks for the prayers for travel mercies!!

Darlene, Joey and I went out to breakfast Monday morning before I headed south. She couldn't get away to go to the reunion so it was nice having meal times with her.

This is not a whirlwind trip I would advise anyone to take and I hope I don't have to do it again BUT it was so worth it.  Some of the kids didn't know I would be there and it made me feel so good to have them shout out AUNT TERRI and give me the biggest hugs.  I am so very blessed by family!!

Shifting gears, my extra hours at work have been worked and I am back to my normal 9-1 schedule.  The Mas Verde 'gang' ate at Cheddar's last night.  There were only seven of us, but the food was great. Next week we are going to Fish City Grill.

Thanks if you made it this far!! The genealogy isn't easy to follow!
It's all about the love, though!

Peace & Hugs!

Proverbs 17:6 

Children's children are a crown to the aged, and 

parents are the pride of their children.