Enrichment Activity

Tonight our ward is having an enrichment activity at our bishop's home. All the women are bringing a brown paper bag with five things in it that describe themselves. We are supposed to exchange with someone else and have their things to take home. Hopefully this activity will help us get to know each other and our interests better, and we may also get new ideas and motivation for new things to do. I love the women of the Church with all their talents and desires to build better homes and families. Thanks to everyone who is willing to share their lives with others. The scriptures say "we find ourselves, when we lose ourselves," (in service) Does anyone know just where that is found? If I don't hear back, I will just have to look it up in the topical guide.

Grandma's 85th birthday

Grandma Witbeck serving cake at her party

Terry and me standing in front of the beautiful roses

We met Dan and Elaine Duree and her parents at the zoo

Terry and I had a great week-end in St. Louis for Grandma's 85th birthday. We spent the night with Kydon and Shanna on Thursday, then left Friday morning for the 10 hr. drive to St. Louis. It is always a good one...beautiful scenery thru northern Georgia and Tenn. We arrived in good time on Friday night and enjoyed visiting and working a little in the yard with Georgia and Linda. Saturday morning we took Grandma to the zoo. Met Dan and Elaine Duree and the kids (plus her folks Dale and Margo) who were visiting from Utah. Saturday was a fun fajita dinner at Marty and Cindy's and Sunday we did church and another family celebration for Grandma at the park. Uncle John was outstanding at the grill with steaks and potatoes, and we all feasted on lots of salads and cake to make it a real celebration! Monday was the long drive home, with just one stop for a hike at Stone Fort State Park in Tennessee. Very interesting to see the historic mounds made by Indians years ago and the waterfall was spectactular. We enjoyed the trip and look forward to the next time we can visit family in st. Louis.

Wedding Details continued

Here's a few pictures to share about our wedding weekend in Houston:
Top: Camille, Kirsten and Cecilee had fun on board the Texan ll doing some fishing. It's been a while since all three have been together.
Bottom: The groomsmen and bridesmaids were looking very sharp in their khaki suits and navy blue accents. We loved getting to know the girls. Dane and Laura have some wonderful friends. Very supportive...many flew in from far away places just to share this special time
with all of us.

Wedding Weekend

We had a wonderful weekend at Dane and Laura's wedding in Houston, Texas. We rented a beach house on Galveston and enjoyed having many of our family together to share this special time. Terry and I left Columbus after work on Tuesday and went as far as Mobile Alabama to spend the night with our friend Lisa Diane Owen. She has her own nice little home that we loved to see with all her unique and interesting furnishings that represent her experiences in the military as well as her love of the gospel. Thanks Lisa Diane! We hope to visit you again.
We were on the road again at 5 AM Wed morning headed for Houston. At 6 we got a call from Kydon and Shanna. They had driven all night since the kids were asleep and just arrived at Galveston and were looking for the beach house. Not easy to see when the sun isn't quite up yet, and no numbers visible on the homes. They figured it out though, and found the lockbox with the keys to get in. Kydon went right to bed but the kids were up and excited for the day so Shanna got things unloaded and went to the beach first thing. We arrived later that afternoon and we all went to Sam's to get grocieries and supplies for our fun time together at the wedding. It was hot and humid and very breezy out on Galveston island, but still wonderful to be at the beach.
Thursday Kydon and Shanna met a friend for lunch in Houston and Terry and I picked up Kirsten at the airport. Since it was way north we had the chance to visit our friends Maxine and John Pew who moved from Columbus last year. They have a lovely home in Conroe now and it was great to see them and their boys Chris, Scott and Tyler who are home from school for the summer. We got Kirsten and headed back to the beach house. She was excited to be there and we heard all her news along the way. She is giving some thought to buying a house in Phoenix since there is a possibility of one she likes. It was fun to discuss all the features of homes and to try and decide if this might be the right time for her to buy. Made us want to let ours go and get something new too! Anyway, we loved seeing her and being with her again. At the house we all enjoyed time on the beach and fixing dinner, eating, talking and playing with the kids. Jack, Aidan, and Abigail are so cute and fun. They loved swimming in the ocean and will go right under water with no fear of getting swept away. We got them to bed and then went to WalMart to get things we missed at Sam's. Everyone was pretty tired but we still stayed up late since who wants to go to bed when we are together...besides, we were expecting the others and we wanted to be upto greet them, Cecilee and Camille had gotten in about 8:30 and waited another 45 minutes or so for Scott's flight from Washington DC so they could come together from Houston International Airport. Cecilee rented her own car since the airport was so far away from us and she needed to leave out early on Sunday. They arrived around 8:30 and Erik and Rachel shortly after from Houston Hobby airport. Both got to the beach house around midnight and we had a joyful time hugging and greeting each other. Preston, Bryce and Makayla had stayed at Grandma and Grandpa Bell's and this was their first time to be away from their kids and off with each other in seven years of marriage! Brian had kept Jenna and Lauren so Cecilee could enjoy some time to herself also. It was so fun to see them and catch up pn the news. It was close to 1:00 when we all got to bed and much to everyone's creit we were up early the next morning to be on board for the deep sea fishing experience. We reminded ourselves that we were doing this to be with Dane and Laura and there was no turning back since we all had made the commitment. We were the first ones there and on time at the boat dock (7:30) We found out later they were to leave at 8:30, but that's OK, it's just as well to be early since otherwise, you just push the limits and wait until the last minute. Early is better in most all cases...this is something we all continue to learn. We did enjoy the boat; just being out on the water with the waves and the wake going out behind, and having the chance to cast out and reel in fish, even if most were the flat head catfish that has poisonous gills and has to be tossed back, it was all fun and something different that we had never done. Most everyone caught something at least once, and we talked a fellow out of his large gass fish so we could have it for our fish fry. Someone caught a pretty good sized shark too, but were very unwilling to part with it, so we just bought tilapia, there on the waterfront so we would have plenty of fish for the fish fry. We headed back around 1:00, tired and sunburned but happy from spending time with Dane and Laura and each other on a deep sea fishing trip. Most went on to a good mexican restaurant for lunch now, but Terry and I had things to do. We stopped at Wal-mart for fresh fruit and a few other miscellaneous items. Then hurried back to be first in the showers and start getting ready for our guests that were coming after the ring ceremony rehearsal.
This is getting long...but I must continue for the sake of posterity. One day Dane and Laura's family will want to hear all this. I should include more about them at this point.
The ring ceremony was to be outside the Country Club, on the lawn, and with the lake as a backdrop. it was a beautiful setting. Laura paired up the bridesmaids with the groomsmen and we walked through the whole thing. It was our first chance to meet the Schroeder's and we enjoyed it very much. The bridesmaids were darling young women, friends from high school days and former students at Georgia Tech.