We went home after the race Sunday morning, took a nap and went over to Keith and Elysse's that evening to continue celebrating Hal's birthday. We got a little of Anna time before she went down for the night.
She goes from a sitting position to straight up standing and she is so proud of herself. She is so close to taking that first step.
She is Grandpa's girl for sure.
While we were there, Blake called to wish Hal happy birthday. Can't remember what country is was in, whether it was Singapore or S. Korea.
We got to read a nite nite book. She knows the routine by now. This was probably more special for me than her.
Another successful birthday celebration with many memories....no gifts!
Hal's birthday was April 18th and I just couldn't think of a thing to give him. A week or so prior to his birthday he read an article about three things to make a happier life. The only one I remember is "to make more memories instead of buying more things." Yea.....perfect birthday gift. I can plan an event better than buy a thing. I don't have any vacation left for the year, even though it's only April so we needed a Staca. I planned the surprise weekend, of which I had a blast and this is what we did.
We stayed at the Omni hotel, downtown Fort Worth. We were welcomed with this tray of sweets and a bottle of champagne.
We had a lovely dinner at a wine bar, Zambrano. It was nice cozy and quiet.
FW was having their Main Street Festival with music all day long on three different stages, arts and crafts, food everywhere and tons of people watching.
We found a table with a couple of chairs and umbrella and stayed there from noon until 9:00 pm.
Craig Chaquico is a jazz artist that we love. He would come out into the crowd and play. On one occasion, I jumped up and Hal took a picture of us.
Craig then took my hat that was in my chair, put it on and stood in my chair and played for a bit.
It was up close and personal for sure.
We ate, drank and were merry for 48 hours.
Sunday morning we ran in the “The Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation” 5K race on the KATY trail here in Dallas. We did this in honor of my stepmother, Elizabeth Sweeny, who is battling the disease and in memory of one of Hal's high school classmates, Bobby LaCroix, who passed away from lung cancer in 2003. It was a beautiful day in Dallas and it was a somewhat small race by the big event standards, but they had 600 participants. We took my dad and Elizabeth and they seemed to have a grand time. We met her doctor who was the co-chair of the event. Hal and I both improved our times and came in 1st in our age catagory. Sometimes it's good to be older.
Easter is always such a special time of year. We didn't participate as much as usual in all the church activities but we had our very own special moments. Anna's not quite old enough for hunting eggs so we got her a little basket of goodies. She was curious enough to take everything out of the basket.
Yeah....that's over with and now I can play with my toys!
Mom and dad were going to Taylor and Kacy's rehearsal dinner party so they were all dressed up so cute.
Now it's our turn. Mom and dad are gone for the evening.
Anna loves flowers and all the colors they bring. Of course she wants to taste them.
After worship Sunday, John and Susan invite those of us who did not have family in town to their home for a lovely brunch. It was quite the feast.
Recently we have had the joy of Anna spending the night with us. If you talk with our friends they would tell you how much we look forward to our special time with her. She gets to stay up later than normal, eat treats when ever she wants to, cry and we come running and look at us, smile and watch us melt to the floor. You get to see all the various sides of the grand kids when you are around them for an extended period of time that you miss when you just have them for a few hours. Anna's best time of day is in the morning. She is rested and feed and ready to play. My favorite is when she wakes up and you are changing her diaper, she reaches far above her head and reaches and stretches. So cute!
Anna's basket of toys are kept under the coffee table. She has already learned where they are kept and makes a bee line from the front door straight to her toys. She decided it would be easier to just get in the basket with her toys.
She is soooo close to letting go and taking off walking. If won't be long now mom and dad!
I just love it when she crawls up in my lap.
She found the out doors on this visit. Hand prints and a little slobber who cares!
We bought this little play area when Pierce was about the same age and had a sleep over.
I just love the look on Pierce's face.
This is Pierce today at 5 years of age. Still as cute and sweet as ever!
We sooo miss putting our arms around him.
Our kids will never know, until later, how much this special time with our grand kids means to us.
At the beginning of March, Hal received an email from Blake telling him there were two shipments headed our way. One from Singapore that was a couple of boxes and one from Brazil that was a brown envelope. They were meant to be together so he was instructed to wait before opening one or the other.
On March 9th we received notice from FedEx that they attempted to deliver an envelope that required signature. So Saturday the 10th we went to FedEx and picked up the envelope. It was the brown envelope from Brazil.
On March 17th an envelope arrived from Singapore. It was addressed to me! I opened it and it was the sweetest gift a grandma could get. Candy, card and sweet drawings from Pierce for my birthday.
But we are a little confused now because was this one of the envelopes/shipments/boxes or not?
The email correspondence begins between Singapore, Brazil and Dallas.
March 16th Blake knows we have received the brown envelope and wants to know about the boxes.
March 18th Camille reports it showed delivered on March 3rd.
March 19th Camille says she will check w/Speedpost Singapore.
March 24th Camille has spent 3 days on the phone w/Speedpost and demands proof of delivery
March 27th Camille reports there is an "official investigation" started regarding the delivery
March 27th Camille reports she sent the package to Keith & Elysse's address
March 28th Camille reports that Keith & Elysse did receive a box on March 3 and put it in the closet
March 29th Elysse wraps the 2 boxes and delivers them to us.....and here it is!
But wait....did you hear Hal read there are four boxes? Where are the other two? Happy to report that the other two of the automated drill ships are in Singapore to be delivered at a later date. Well worth the wait for Hal to receive such a special gift from Blake. They are crystals of the two deep water drilling platforms that Blake led the electrical design and the construction of in Singapore: The Noble Danny Adkins and Noble Jim Day. We are so very proud of Blake's accomplishments and sad in a way that we aren't closer to them to be able to celebrate in person with Blake, Camille and Pierce.
BTW as I write this, Blake is in the air on his way home to Singapore after being in Brazil six weeks commissioning one of the recently completed drill ships. I know he can't wait to get home!
We had such a fun weekend filled with all sorts of activities.
Friday night we celebrated Susan and Kathy's birthdays. We tried a new Thai restaurant near the house and I thought it was very good. We will have to see what the others think. Afterwards we came to the house to open gifts, have dessert and drink wine. It was like a mini Christmas for the two of them.
Me, Kathy, Susan, Liz and Betty (Hal's sister from Tennessee)
Saturday Betty Merrill and I had the best time. We ran an errand, went shopping for Mother of the Groom dress and then massage and facial! What a day!
Later that evening Keith and Elysse brought Anna over so we could play while they went to a shower for Kacy and Taylor. The shower was being held just around the corner from us so they walked over to the shower. We stayed outside for the longest time. It was an incredible evening. And let me know if you can tell the difference from here on out in the quality of the pictures....Hal gave me an early Mother's Day gift, a Nikon camera. I'm so loving it!
Betty Merrill is pretty relaxed after that massage and a glass of wine.
Just testing the camera. I became a real pain to them by the end of the evening.
Love it....Love you....Thank you!
This is pretty much what Anna does all the time. New teeth are one their way.
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