Never say NEVER....

      One of my first dates with Mark was to the Georgia/Clemson game.  I can remember the outfit I wore, parking in O'Malleys parking lot, and tailgating with friends all day.  Our seats were in the endzone with all Clemson fans.  There was one other Georgia fan in the crowd with me... he was the custodian for the area. 
     Georgia won that night... I was excited... rubbed it in a little to that South Carolina boy I was dating... and glowed when I could brag that no matter what he did... I would NEVER wear orange and pull for the Tigers.
     Four years later the week of  the Georgia/Clemson game, I noticed Mark was acting weird.  He was nervous, he was fidgety, and he was asking me to sit in the car and talk to him while 90210 was coming on television... nothing could stop me from watching 90210.  Little did I know that Friday I would come home from the Lincolnton ballgame and get to fill in a questionnaire with Check Yes or No  will you marry me!  The next day we headed to Clemson.  Georgia won again and I was so excited... I glowed... I was getting married... and I still had bragging rights. 
     After moving to Greenville, we spent many weekends driving to Clemson to tailgate.  We had fun... we enjoyed every minute of it... and we smiled even if Clemson didn't win.  Some of my best memories are with the friends we tailgated with during those years...

These four right here are sure to make anyone laugh... even if one is a traitor moving on to Carolina ball...and one is a "wildcat" from Kentucky!  If I were stuck in a desert with no water or food... I could call any of them and they would come and get me!  Now they would pick on me, but they would come get me! 

A few years later, we would have babies and those babies would begin their trips to Tiger Town... I have so many pictures of them in their Clemson attire...

Ben was more worried about the cooler than anything else at this game...

 Mark insisted on rubbing up against this girl...

 Yes, we took our baby... in a bar... with a pipi and a tag... but he loved it... he fell asleep in my arms! 

 Last year at the game!

 Ben with the tiger.

 Michelle getting her some TIGER  loving too!

 These three will be there again Saturday with me!

 Tiger Dancer for a Day!  KB, Brandtley, and Katie, Molly Grayson, and Miranda!

Touching the Rock! 

     There is a ballgame this weekend that is going to make me eat my words... It's no longer called the Georgia/Clemson game in my mind... it is now Clemson/Georgia game.... I am eating my words...

These five are sure to keep us entertained... I hope they all graduate from Clemson one day!  They love it, they breathe it, and they feel it in their hearts!  They spell C L E M S O N with pride!  They don't care that they all live in Georgia now... They don't care that everyone in their school is pulling for Georgia... They don't care Clemson hasn't won the last five times they have played Georgia... They still love their team. 

These two make me love to eat my words too!  These two can't sleep for worrying about Saturday... they eat, breathe, and live Clemson football!  Even if they don't have these smiling faces Saturday night after the game... I will do what I never said I would... I will be chanting as loud as them... 1,2,3,4     1,2,3,4     C L E M S O N T I G E RRRR SSSSS FIGHT TIGERS FIGHT TIGERS FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT! 

Thank you God for giving me this Clemson man, for letting me have two precious children who are devoted to their team, and most of all.... for making me realize that orange is my color!  I'm sure my family is disappointed in my choice, but I can't help it.... there is too much orange in this house to pull for any other team! 

Go Tigers! 

 

PS... the last Clemson/Georgia game I went to I got an engagement ring the night before... I'm thinking I should get at least another small piece of jewelry since I am admitting to converting to orange! 

The heart of a Devil~

     We moved back to Lincolnton when I was in the second grade.  My favorite memories of growing up include attending football games for the Red Devils and watching the cheerleaders on the sidelines.  For the first time in six years, I focused more on the team tonight than the girls. 
     Jim was in the ninth grade when we moved back to Lincolnton and all he wanted to do was be a part of the team.  I can remember seeing him on the sidelines and hoping that he could get into the ballgame.  His heart for the Devils was strong... a lot stronger than his body.  I remember Coach Campbell being at our house one weekend after Jim graduated.  Jim had filled out and grown inches... he said it had a lot to do with extracurricular activites at night in college... anyway... Coach Campbell said he wished Mama and Daddy had held him back a year.  I was too little to realize the devotion my oldest brother had to the team and his love for the sport. 
     A few years later, weighing in at 85 pounds soaking wet, Guille became a part of the team.  He was so little, but he was so mean and fiesty.  He worked hard and sweated harder.  He was on the sidelines eagerly waiting to go in the ballgame.  When Guille played, I was in the band.  My best friend at the time, Connie, and I would watch the game and cheer harder than any of the cheerleaders.  I can't remember who we were playing, but I almost fainted when I saw Guille running on the field.  I was so nervous I couldn't watch!  I turned around and looked up in the sky and Connie would give me a play by play.  The entire stadium was worried that Guille was going to be hurt.  "Coarch" Campbell, as Boo-Ma said, would have never lived it down if the baby had been hurt.  Luckily, he never was. 
     Tonight, as I sat in the stands watching the game... I saw the heart of a Devil arise again.  Baby Thom was on the sideline wearing his daddy's number 10 and eagerly waiting to get into the game.  As we kept scoring, I knew that time was coming.  I saw him run out on the field and my stomach immediately went back to when Guille was out there.  Secretly, I wish that Ben could just stand on the sidelines and never go in... I don't want him to get hurt!  I thought the same thing about Thomas... please don't let them hurt him.  While the one play he ran wasn't something we want to put in the record books.... he can only get better from here.  He reminded me of my feelings for Jim and Guille... my heart is filled with joy that he is getting to experience this.  I am so proud that he is representing our family on that field.  I know Boo-Ma and Har were glad that "Coarch" put him in and gave him a shot. 
     I snapped this picture of him on the sidelines... he looks so much like Guille that it is scary.  For the next several years I am sure that when I say "Go BIG RED".... the voice of all those before me that would be so proud of him will be heard.  Way to go Baby Thom!  I can't believe you are big enough to be doing this!

I stole from the church....

But... I asked for forgiveness before I did it. 

     Many years ago the pastor of our church told anyone who was participating in The Lord's Supper for the first time to take the communion cup home with them.  It should be a reminder and something to keep forever.   I'm not sure that this pastor feels the same way, but I am glad that we have this. 
     I'm sad to say that I don't remember the first time I participated and I sure don't have the cup I used.  When I was growing up, we used real glasses... we use plastic now.  If you look closely, you can see that Ben's is already cracked.  I kind of think of our lives as that communion cup.  We know better, but we still do wrong.  No matter what though... God will watch over us, take care of us, and love us.  Even though this cup is cracked, Ben can still use it to drink out of if he holds it just the right way.  He will have to be careful of what he puts in it...if it drips on him... it might stain... he can't put hot things in it or it will melt... and he can only put small amounts at a time or it will spill... Our lives are like that... be careful what we put in them... don't do things that will stain us forever... and try not melt in situations where bad decisions were made. 
     I learned so much this morning.  I learned about the forgiving of sins and the confessing of sins.  I watched as Ben listened to the preacher... I watched his eyes grow with curiousity...and I watched his little hands grab the bread, eat the bread, hold the tiny cup, and drink the juice... What a great memory of him that is etched in my head forever.  I hope he remembers this day like I do.  May his excitement for this special time in church continue forever.  I'm pretty sure I'll remember this day and watching him participate every time we have The Lord's Supper from now on. 

Weekend with the Mitchells~

 Friday we left for a quick last weekend before full week of school starts trip to the beach!  Mike and Kathryn go every year and we have never been able to go because of football and cheerleading... we jumped on the opportunity to spend some time with our toes in the water!  Ellie greeted us as soon as we got there and we headed to the pool! 

 Savannah got the same illness that my children got around eleven Friday morning and had to be checked out of school... The doctor ordered all the children needed was a little sunshine, some pizza dip, and a good night's rest! 

 I'm not sure what these two are doing here, but obviously something...it's the same thing!

 Aren't they precious?  These two little ones have been friends since before we moved back to LC! 

 Kathryn and Katherine.... It was a lot easier naming Katie Britt Katherine after being around this Kathryn... she is such a loyal friend!  She also waits on us hand and foot while we visit! 

 Caught them smiling!  They act like they are too cool for the camera... but they do smile!

 I'd hold on for dear life too, Ellie! 

 I'm so glad I took my camera... this next series of pictures is a game of "monkey in the middle"... I don't like games, I don't like to play in the pool... a camera is good excuse to stay away!

 Kathryn bought this hat at the Masters this year... KB thought it was awful, but I loved it!  Can't believe I forgot to bring my hat! 

 For those of you who know the hippo story... it makes me smile every time KB sees one and says, "Mommy.... it's a hippo!"  And here is the first of Mark's corny smiles...photo bombs... mess up my family pictures picture....

 This little boy was tired after going to school, riding to HHI, and swimming in the pool...

 We grazed at supper time... Let's see... chicken salad, pimento cheese, boiled shrimp, pizza dip, spinach dip, crackers... and a delicious dessert... The best part... we didn't have to get dressed... and we were able to sit and visit! 

 We got up bright and early to enjoy a day at the beach!  Ben played all morning on the boogie board with Mike and Kathryn... and KB, Savannah, and I tried to get as much sun as possible. 

 They didn't play golf on a course, but they brought their clubs to the beach...

 Drip sand castles, instagram, and texting... ALL DAY LONG! (and a few cheer moves and jumps)

 She reminds me so much of Amberly right here...

 Always representing a little LC.... wherever we go! 

 a little pre-dinner golfing....

 We know the The Crazy Crab is a "tourist trap", but we always go here after the Heritage and walk around Harbor Town... We wanted the children to see where we call from every year!  When we walked in the door a few of our friends from our Greenville neighborhood were there!  Their children have grown as much as ours! 

 The young ones and the daddies walking around looking at yachts....

 These next pictures are my life... I take 100 and get maybe one that works... You will notice there are lots of bad ones... and a few good ones... I deleted the worst... these are the best of the worst... KB and Savannah could be models... they smile... I snap... the picture is good... not so for the rest of our family... Ben and Mark look like howdy doody in most pictures with their corny smile...

 Love this picture of them! 

 She loves her mama! 

 Check out Ben and Mark's smile....

 and their eyes...

 and Mark's smile

 and he is still fake smiling... the problem is he can't stop talking in the middle of the picture...

 even far off... you can still see his fake smile...

 and here....

 notice that Ben and Mark are the same... bless his heart... and his wife... and their children...

 We took a little break and went back to some good posers! 

 These two only need a phone... and they are happy!

 Taking a ball out of the 18th hole! 

 More pictures... the Mitchells were great! 

 Love their bare feet! 

 The eyes...

 the slumped over shoulders

 the sitting up straight and opening the eyes wide....

 the fake smile....

 the closed eyes...

 back to the beauties...

 so sweet!

 and then they fight...

 he's sooooo tired....

 let me get my hair right....don't touch me....

 the closed eyes....

 be quiet sis....

 trying to do better...

 still trying....

 can we gooooooooo

 it's getting darker by the minute...

 and then there is MIKE.... this picture has to be photocropped...to make his eyes open.... I didn't add the part of the story that he got stung by a jellyfish... and then he broke a chair on the beach... and there was a girl playing dead in the water and he thought she was really drowning... he makes me laugh until I cry!  WE all laughed on the way home today about him... so glad he is a part of our life! 

 the real Mitchells.....

My favorite picture!  Thanks for a great weekend!  We had fun!