More about my trip...

Okay, now that I'm a bit more rested.

I had a nice time in Abbeville. I got to see my great-niece Kinley for the first time. She will be a year old in September and I had yet to be able to make a trip up there to see her. She is such a beautiful baby. I held her every time I got the chance, although she is at the age where she wants to get down and crawl around all the time. I nearly splurged and bought a digital camera while I was up there, but decided I'd better not take a chance on putting myself in a financial bind seeing as how with gas prices and what not it costs nearly two-hundred dollars just for the trip alone. My niece Stacey and her husband Spencer are wonderful parents. I am so proud of both of them when I watch them with their baby. At first I wasn't really thrilled about the idea of Stacey getting married so young. I was hoping that she would go to college, but such is life in a small southern town. I also realized that I may have been trying to live vicariously through my sibling's children.

My nephew Brian is becoming quite the high school athlete. He'll be a sophmore this coming school year and is active on the football team as well as the wrestling team. He tells me he plans to try out for the school baseball team as well. Go Abbeville Panters!! Haha, again I'm living through my siblings children. I guess it's because I'm excited to see them do the things I never took the time to do at that age.

My other sister Susan's girls are all about grown now as well. Holly just got married, Melody is almost twenty, and the twins Amy & Ashley are fifteen. They have all grown into beautiful young ladies. I saw Ashley with her boyfriend and started to feel a bit old. It doesn't seem like that long ago that I was helping look after these girls when they were babies. Time does fly.

I stayed with my brother-in-law Keith while I was up there. It is very unnerving for me to see Tracey and Keith staying in separate houses. I did what I could to help, said my peace and left it at that. I hope and pray they are able to work things out.

So I headed home reluctantly and as always, I left my heart in South Carolina.

Steve was really excited to see me when I got home. Terence was taking care of him for me.

No I cannot forget where it is that I come from.
I cannot forget the people who love me.
Yeah I can be myself here in this small town.
And people let me be just who I wanna be.
-John Mellencamp

-S