Sunday, November 29th

Tim and I holed-up here... we left Jax just before 3:00 for our seven-hour (450 mile) drive home... six hours later, we had travelled 160 miles and just endured a seemingly-interminable stretch between the last exit in Georgia and the first in South Carolina... plans are to get five or six hours of sleep and hit the road around 3:00 AM, hoping that will give us enough time for me to make it back for work @8:30...

On a much more positive note:
Tim and I got to go to church and lunch with Grace and Will after a thoroughly enjoyable Thanksgiving weekend!

Saturday, November 28th

Gators took care of business against their in-state rival Florida State today... the highlight of the 37-10 victory for Grace and me was the fact that the CBS commentators looked up and read the Scripture verses Tim Tebow had on his eye-black to all the viewing audience!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Fort Lauderdale

Mom fixed us turkey and ham croquettes this morning (a family favorite way to recycle the main-course Thanksgiving left-overs)... they did not disappoint!
We're headed down to spend a little time with Grace's newlywed-daughter Bonnie and her husband Drew at their place in Pompano Beach... I'm really looking forward... haven't seen her since her summer of 2002 visit to Managua, and it will be my first chance to meet Drew!



Snapped this picture this evening during a rousing game of "One Versus One-Hundred"...

Fun times!

Thanksgiving Day in Orlando

Some of today's fare at the Rah's... Jay and Susie always do a first-class job hosting.

Everyone had a great time meeting Grace, and she them... so much to be thankful for!(L2R) GK, Grace, Jason (Susie's son), "G-Mom", Nicholas (Mike's son), TK, Kailey, Mike (my youngest sibling), Suzanne (his wife), Susie (my sis), Jay (her husband/chef supremo)

Thanksgiving in Gainesville

We had a great time at Lana's mom's... early Thanksgiving... as always, she treated us to a feast! Other highlights: "catching up", piano concert by Laurie, including Grace in the festivities...(L2R) Mitch (Lana's only sibling); Heather (his wife); Katie (Mitch's daughter/Tim's cousin); Laurie (Lana's mom's husband); Mary (Lana's mom); TK, Grace, GK

Tuesday, November 24th

Tim and I had a full day starting with a campus visit and meeting with the three coaches at UNCA, who seem very interested in the prospect of having Tim "sign" to play with them in the fall... and ending with our 11PM arrival in Jacksonville to begin our Florida Thanksgiving. I'm posting this picture of Kara and Bonnie (taken in Nicaragua at the end of their sophomore year)... they are the only ones of our kids not with us now. We are scheduled to spend Friday in Fort Lauderdale with Bonnie and her husband, Drew... Unfortunately, there will be no quick-trip to Australia to see Kara :(

Monday, November 23rd

Hanging with Tim is fun!... that is not to say I don't miss my daughter...

I think she wasn't more than a week old when she took her first trip to the beach (Longboat Key); that's where she was in this first picture with her grandma (Lana's mom), who incidentally is hosting us (Tim, Grace and me) for an early Thanksgiving dinner this Wednesday!

A couple of years later with her dad...
At her graduation from Sonshine Day Preschool...With her new friend "Billy"...With classmates at the first wedding performed at our school in Nicaragua...Backstage at the Franklin Graham Crusade in Managua with Jaci Velazquez (February 2000)...At Joanelle's (Lana's favorite beauty parlor in Managua) getting ready for the graduation of the NCA Class of 2002... Incidentally, that's Bonnie (Grace's daughter) in the white blouse next to Kara (she came to visit us in Nicaragua at the end of her sophomore year)... Tim and I will be headed to Florida tomorrow to spend time with Grace and our families... figuring to put about 2000 miles on the car (Jacksonville-Gainesville-Orlando-Fort Lauderdale)!