A Family Album~ Part 1

Of course, the most wonderful part of our trip was simply being with our families. Here are captured moments that are now treasured memories.... ~Mountain Man's siblings, David, Sheila, and Terri, with his Mom in the middle. ~Most of the grandchildren~most of the grandchildren looking quite funny! ~Reaches Up eating an apple.....that tastes better when shared with his cousin, Lindsey~Mountain Man's sister, Terri with precious Peep
~Our sweet nieces, Pili and Adie, daughters of Mountain Man's sister, Terri , and her husband Bryan ~Bryan, also known as "man-with-a-lot-of-patience," helps brave Little Bit conquer the slide~the Poff and Meckes children, after hiking up to the Roanoke Star

~the "Rock" kept the children busy for a long time....and Little Bit scaled it as bravely as the rest! ~Sweet Mom (Grandma) with her babies~one of the cutest little houses ever...this is Queen Mom's sister's (Sister Bev) house and our "hotel" for the week we were in Norfolk

~Boo enjoys the company of Sister C's (Queen Mom's sister) dog, Brandy~Queen Mom's dear Mama holding Peep ~The "Twins".....Queen Mom's Mama and her sister, aka "the greatest Auntie in the world," Marian~Queen Mom with her favorite Aunt ~Queen Mom's family...Bev, Catherine, David, Mom, and Dad ~Queen Mom with her lovable brother, David~Uncle David and the Poff girls ~the Littles enjoy lovin' on their Aunt Bev~Peep with her very handsome cousin, Dustin, Aunt Bev's son

But Does It Have A Pool?

Some children might ask "Are we there, yet?" while traveling. But in the Poff Clan, the most often heard question when approaching the day's destination is, "Does the hotel have a pool?" Who cares about a bed....just give 'em a pool, and they'll say it's the best hotel ever. (Unless is was the one we stayed in at Lake Eufala a few years ago in which dead bugs and frogs came free with our room) . We were also blessed to have enjoyed a pool party at my brother's house while visiting. Even little Peep enjoyed the cool, blue stuff!

Sand + Water = FUN, FUN, FUN

"At The Sea-Side"

Robert Louis Stevenson

When I was down beside the sea

A wooden spade they gave to me

To dig the sandy shore.

My holes were empty like a cup.

In every hole the sea came up,

Till it could come no more.

****

God graciously blessed us with beautiful weather while in Norfolk, so the children eagerly enjoyed the delights of the sand and the water for the first time!

Where The Grass Is Greener

Whenever we travel back to Virginia, the children are amazed at the number of trees and the green, green grass. We arrived at Ben's parents' home early on a Monday morning, and the children soon abandoned their shoes to feel the grass beneath their feet, running everywhere without fear of stickers or rocks (but steering clear of the poison ivy!). This simple activity captured their attention that entire first day.

Home Again, Home Again

~Mountain Man's family

It's hard to believe that almost a month ago we were quickly packing up to go to Virginia to be with Mountain Man's Dad. Everything happened so quickly...the hospitalization, the preparation for the trip, and sadly, Ralph's death. We were about nine hours away when we got the call that ended any hope that we would see him one last time.

We returned home last Friday after three weeks with our families, and now the goal is to return to life as we know it, while we grieve, contemplate, and reflect on God's goodness and mercy. This was such a heartbreaking trip to make, and yet, in the midst of such sadness, God blessed us so abundantly each moment of the way.

~We managed to pull everything together for this trip in less than 2 days--that's quite a feat when packing for 9! We were also blessed to have friends who were eager to help take care of our home and our pets while we were away.

~After getting the news that PawPaw had died, we were told that Mountain Man's sister and her son were not far behind us (they live in Memphis), and we were able to meet up with them and travel those last hours together! Isn't God's timing perfect? What a precious gift that was.

~God blessed this trip with opportunities to renew relationships that had become distant in the past years and to bring healing to other relationships . There were many moments to say "I love you" over and over again to our family members.

~Mountain Man had the honor of giving the eulogy at his father's funeral, and Scribe was privileged to be a pall bearer.

~God kept us safe through many, many hours on the road...no flat tires, no car trouble.

~The children experienced the beach for the first time. They've been there before in the winter, but this was the first time they've enjoyed the water and the sand. They were simply delighted.

~We were able to celebrate two birthdays with family. Little Big Man turned 12, and Boo turned 4.

~God blessed us through the generosity of others. Family members abundantly met our needs while we were there, and we are so grateful beyond words.

~Mountain Man's employer was very gracious about giving him the time off, and we were able to take the time we needed.

~Though we did come home to a leaking roof, we are thankful it wasn't worse. And, God kept those nasty critters called mice away.

~God blessed us with the prayers of many friends while we were away.

I'll be posting many pictures of our trip, and while it is very good to be home, events like this move us to ponder where home should be now. We thank God that He'll show us His will in the days and months ahead.

Love,

Queen Mom