Monday, July 10, 2017

It's over... and I'm sad... really sad....

 Ben got a cast net to catch critters with in the ocean.  I'm sure all the mothers out there loved that he was pulling in fish right around their feet.  James was showing off his buff body in this picture!
 I'm not sure about Ben here... he must be practicing!
 Mark finally got to rest after setting up the tent, making a golf game to play, and getting us drinks and food!
 KB kept her nose in a book and Matt entertained Ben and James...
 Mama took lots of naps....
 Ben found a fish!

 KB made me take this picture of the lady... not Ben... it's an inside joke and we got a good laugh about it! Emmie... we are always reminded of you at the beach!


 KB loves her Gilligan hat.... with our skin... we need a full body hat.




 And she touches fish... ugh... she isn't my child!

 Riding home from the beach, we decided we would stop by the store and pick up a few items...
 I think James just wanted to get home to the Playstation.
 Redneck boys don't wear shirts...
 Ben was responsible for our supper... he cooked our low country boil except for shucking the corn!
 It was delicious....
 While they were eating, Ben found the holy sausage...
 He had to defer to the person on his left.... and James won the prize...
 It took him a minute, but James finally figured out that he got to take three of his friends fishing!
 They were so excited!
 This is Gregg Russell who Guille needed a video of...
 Besides missing Mama and Daddy, Ben would be quick to say the thing he misses most about Lincolnton is Mama's nightly milkshakes... but he got one at the beach and was so excited!  I had to have a few sips too!
 James wasn't as excited because he gets them all the time!
 These two thought it was great!
 And sometimes... when you have been given dramamine for riding on a boat... and you are tired... and you are waiting on supper... you have to take a nap!
 I tried to get this picture of James and Mama... I missed her face... but it reminded me so much of Daddy... Ben and James loved sitting in his lap all the time...
 And these two boys have missed each other!
 Redneck girls ride in the back of trucks and hold hands while their grandmother is sitting back there too... and rednecks also let little boys (see their butts) ride on tailgates too!  I have told KB and Matt that I want them to have  a Duggar relationship... they don't need to touch each other!  :)
 We were so sad the last day on the beach... we didn't want to go home... we stayed out there until almost 7.



 And look... Rusty left his shoes on this man's bike!
 On the Dramamine induced coma that KB was put in for the ride, Ben decided to have some fun on snapchat with her face... isn't that what little brothers are supposed to do?  I mean... we are a perfect family that has sibling fights... slapping... sarcastic... and silly!








Matt and Ben got up early and went fishing one more time!  







 Mark worked out on the beach and got this beautiful view... I was checking my eyelids... in a bed!


 On the fishing day, they caught Red Fish, shark, and a cable!
























 We also had to play a little putt putt... and then we went to a new restaurant for lunch... it was delicious and the added touch was all the yard games!










 Three generations... of hard-headed girls who know what they want... go after it... and make lemons out of lemonade.... Thank you God for a wonderful vacation... I'm so sad it's over... I'm sad Daddy didn't get to go, but I know he would have been miserable... things work out like they should... Today marks one month.... I tear up every time I take Ben to the golf course... I have to get off by myself sometimes... I laugh sometimes at what he said... I cry sometimes... but I am so thankful for so many memories...

Tonight as I type this, I'm a little anxious because I start a new job tomorrow... I know when I'm driving home tomorrow that I will reach for my phone like I have so many times this past month to call and check on Daddy... it hurts so much to miss someone every day... the world didn't stop the day Daddy died... I have to keep going too ... I have to keep living... and I have to help my children keep memories of that man they loved so much! They make me smile each day... they give me hope that there are so many more good times ahead.  I can't believe that KB will be starting her senior year in five weeks... I'm so excited for her.  I'm so proud of her... This is a big year for Ben too... he will be playing on middle school teams and hanging out with the "big boys"...

And my final thought for the night... people see many things that remind them of their loved ones who are no longer here... I have to say we are not a normal family, and this next thought is proof... Right now... the things that remind me of Daddy the most are ambulances... when I was first driving we always called home to tell Mama and Daddy we were okay when we saw an ambulance in town... I even did it when I went to college 2 hours away... and today... I hear an ambulance and think about Daddy... Mama and I followed one to HHI for about 10 miles... I giggled and told her that was Daddy!  I'm also really upset that Daddy didn't get to watch LIVE PD because he would have loved it... I have my entire family hooked on it.... who knows... maybe there is television in heaven, but I doubt it~  :)  

Sis and Boo- I hope you never tire of our family vacations... I hope you always love the beach as much as your mama... and I hope you will always want us with you!  Sis... I'm so excited you want us on your senior trip next year... I've prayed for years that you would let me go... and I didn't even have to ask!!!  Now... where to that has baby elephants, clear beaches, no airplanes, and great food?


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