Christmas 2013

Well, it was another wonderful Christmas break down at Pop Pop and Mimi's compound.   A place I will always call, HOME!  

Here are the amazing memories in a nutshell...

Avocado soup

Gotta love pool time in December

Pop Pop and the twins

Christmas Eve…Mel's adorable gang

We are missing a couple

Thanks Gram, Auntie Nette, and Taylor for a great Christmas Eve celebration!

Christmas morning

The Cousins…#13 on his way home soon!!!!

Opening presents 

Christmas morning breakfast at Gram's

Anyone want a tattoo?  First up, Pop Pop!

Hanging on the compound…King and Allie became best of buds!

Playing in the puddles…lots of rain this winter!

Trips to Knaus Berry Farm

Hunting camp was so much fun!

What a champ!

Cutting coconuts, hiking at the hammock, swinging on the new swing

Precious memory…opening our gifts from Grandma Jerri.

The "Miami Detectives."  A new favorite!

A trip to the Miami Metro Zoo

Happy New Year!!

Visiting Grandaddy and Louise

"Boys Club"

Beautiful girls

Congratulations Mare…Hall County Teacher of the Year!

Pop Pops bonfires

Uncle Matt, Aunt Erica…cousins are the best!

Emma came to be with us for a week and we loved every minute of it.  Your cousins already miss you Emma!  Come to Chicago please:)

Allie Grace…My GIRL!

GRANDMA JERRI

Over the Christmas holiday, our wonderful and very special Grandma Jerri lost her battle with cancer.  The weekend before Christmas my mom called and told me that my Grandma had taken a turn for the worse and encouraged us to come down to Florida as soon as we could.  Gram was diagnosed with lung cancer this past June and fought it for six months until it started to spread.  When we got to Florida, she was hardly coherent and her body was beginning to shut down.  We got home that Sunday night and my Mom and Uncle woke me at 3 in the morning.  Her mind was going rapidly and they wanted me to be able to see her before she was completely incoherent.   I heard her say my name for the last time!  I smiled at her, cried on her chest and was able to communicate with her through the look in her eyes before I felt like she faded away.  She didn't know this but her cancer had spread to her brain and you could see it quickly take over.  For the next week, we were at her bedside as we watched her body continue to shut down.  We read scripture to her, sang to her, talked to her, and prayed for her.  She loved Jesus and everyone who knew her, knew that about her.  She wasn't afraid to share with others how Good her God was!  I praise God for those last days with her.  Our Grandma was a special woman!  I feel blessed that I was with her when she took her last breath.  Melissa had her hand on Gram's heart as she entered into eternity.  God is so good! We are so thankful that Gram is now in the arms of her Savior and is CANCER FREE.  

Gram, you were an incredible example of the love of Christ.  I will miss you terribly but know you are rejoicing in heaven.

I love you!