OUR TWO WEEKS OF FUN

Hibiscus in the back yard

We started this week by George taking Scott and his family to the Provo Airport for their trip to Disneyland.

We had a Regional Stake Conference by broadcast.  Elder Russell M Nelson and Elder Richard G Scott were the main speakers.  It was so good.  All of the speakers were so touched by the Spirit.  It made us excited for General Conference in a few weeks.  We need to bring our journals from now on to record the feelings we had.

We picked 3 bushels of peaches and hope the girls will use them while we’re gone. We pealed and froze 3 bushel.  
Tiffani and her family came while we were gone to so to the BYU ball game.  They picked the garden and took some produce home.  BYU won.  YaHoo!

We packed and Erik and Shanelle took us to the airport at 8:30.  Our flight wasn’t until 12:55 AM but we didn’t want them to have to drive at that time.  Scott’s car is in our garage and our car is now at Erik’s so all is well.  Our flight took all night.  We paid for more leg room and were very happy to have it.

We landed in Columbia at 9:30 AM Tuesday.  Kristin and Jalen met us and then we went to lunch with Baylie at her school.  Kristin made yummy spaghetti for dinner.  It was so good to be with the Batchelors and just played games and enjoyed the visit.

Thursday Baylie had an early out so we went to the Congree National forest.  It is a real swamp and the first we had ever been in.  It was so interesting in that it was so different from anything we had ever seen.  

Usually the water is to the boardwalk.

We saw so many new and different forms of vegetation, snakes, deer, squirrels etc.  We thoroughly enjoyed our time with turtles and a huge snapping turtle.  Kristin locked her keys in the car so David had to bring his and give them to the visitors’ center so we could get them after our 2 and a half mile hike.  It was so interesting and enjoyable.  We stopped for pizza on the way home because we were so tired.

Friday we got Baylie out of school early, rented our car and headed for Atlanta and Stone Mountain.  This is a place where the largest carving has been done in the largest granite rock in the world.  It is larger than one and a half football fields.  The carving is the largest in the world.  The horsemen are Robert E Lee, Jefferson Davis and Andrew Jackson.  We rode a tram to the top of the rock and back.  It was so huge and beautiful. 

(Copied from Kristin's blog)The largest bas relief sculpture in the world, the Confederate Memorial Carving depicts three Confederate leaders of the Civil War, President Jefferson Davis and Generals Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson (and their favorite horses, "Blackjack", "Traveller", and "Little Sorrel", respectively). The entire carved surface measures 3 acres, about the size of two and a quarter football fields. The carving of the three men towers 400 feet above the ground, measures 90 by 190 feet, and is recessed 42 feet into the mountain. The deepest point of the carving is at Lee's elbow, which is 12 feet to the mountain's surface.

By the time we got back to the bottom I needed to use the restroom, shocker.  I was in a bit of a hurry and when I got in the restroom I wondered why the woman was standing against the wall.  As I noticed the urinals the man turned and looked at me.  I was so embarrassed. I guess I saw more than most visitors.  At 5:00 we headed for the Marriott Perimeter Hotel, dinner and the kids swimming.

Before we knew it the Fradys showed up.  It was so good to see them.  They are a wonderful couple.  We went out to an Italian restaurant and it was like we had not missed a day together.  They are indeed,family.  We were to be at the temple at 10:30 so we didn’t stay out too late.

The next day was so incredible and filled with such a strong Spirit.  It was special from the first thing to the last minute of the day.  The session was filled with members from the Murphy Branch.  They were all people we love so much.  Dad was Jeff’s escort and I got to sit right next to Cori.  Everything was perfect.  Jeff took everything in with such humility.  We could feel the sweetness.

There were so many people for the 11:00 session that they had to squeeze in an extra session, so we had to wait one and a half hours for the sealing.  How wonderful it is to wait in the House of the Lord.  It was a peaceful time.  We did worry about Kristin waiting in the chapel for us and David tending kids outside.  All was well.

The officiator for the sealing was so good.  We did not feel rushed at all and he was just perfect in what he had to say to Jeff and Cori.  We just can’t describe how wonderful everything was.  The Spirit was so tangible and tenderness was felt.  There were many tears of joy, especially from Cori.  What a sacred experience.  We feel so blessed to have been there.

After we took pictures we took the couple and Kristin’s to dinner at a yummy place called Roasters.  Jalen fell asleep before he even got his food.  Because they had been swimming all morning they were both asleep before they left the parking lot.

We followed Jeff and Cori to Murphy and the kids went back to Columbia.  Jeff took us a beautiful way getting to Murrays’ at 9:30.  We visited until 10:30 and then crashed.  What a great day.

The Murrays’ were so nice to have us stay with them for two nights.  We got up all ready for church when Dad realized he had left our computer bag in the hotel room.  Irene called the hotel and they had them in lost and found.  Whew!  After church we headed back to Atlanta, got the bag and then headed back to Murphy.  On the way we were able to meet up with Robyn and Rylynn at Mineral Bluffs and have a short visit.  It was so good to see them.  We just wish they would go to church.  We missed visiting with people for a longer time but we got to spend the evening with the Fradys which was so enjoyable.  We sure do wish NC was closer to Utah.  We got to the Murrays’ with Irene sky high in paper work.  We had no idea how much was involved with construction. 

Sunday was also David’s birthday.  He is now an old man of 34. 

He is almost finished with his doctorate and everyone is so happy.  He has worked hard and is such a good husband for Kristin and a good father to Baylie and Jalen.  They love the songs and stories he makes up for them.  He is a man who honors his priesthood and does his church callings to the max.  We are so glad he found Kristin and that they could have Baylie and Jalen.  What a great family.  We love them.

Monday morning we hated to leave.  It was just so good to be with our friends.  We love North Carolina and the friends we have made there.

Jeff gave us great directions to go to Caswell.  We headed for Cherokee going through the Nantahala Gorge, which is one of our favorite places.  At Cherokee we turned for the Smokey Mountain National Park.

We went on to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  They are both tourist traps but so fun.  Both sides of the street are filled with all kind of shops and eating places.  The highway went for miles.  It took us 20-30 minutes to get through Pigeon Forge.  There were amazing things the whole way down the street.

gorilla on building

See if you can read the writing.

 rake woman

We ended the night in Wythville enjoying a beautiful ride all the way.  We asked for a good place to eat and they sent us to The Log House.  What a great meal and the house was amazing.  We ate the best steak ever.  We took pictures it was so real and old.

a little history on the house

 gift shops

 rabbit hutch

Got up and took other pictures of some of the homes in the city.

 home across from Log House used to be 2 houses  The carriages went between the 2 to the back  It is a front entry now.

 interior door

 living room

 row of cute old housess

After leaving there we went to Mt. Airy. the place Dad had wanted to go during our mission for a pork chop sandwich, at Snappy Lunch.  It is the cafe used in the Andy Griffin show about Mayberry.  The town is like Mayberry and the birthplace of Andy.   While we were eating a man interviewed Dad for a NC magazine about sandwiches.  He couldn’t believe we had traveled all the way from Utah for a pork chop sandwich.  Who knows if it ever gets printed?

We got to Yanceyville at 4:15 to watch Nora compete in tennis.  The Pages were there watching their grandchild so we got some good visiting in.  During a break we went to wish Christine a Happy Birthday and give her a scarecrow for her yard.  We spent the night with Lindsay and Myra for dinner and a needed nights rest.  The visit was as if we had never left.  It was so good to be in their home again.  We ate there many times while on our mission gaining much weight with her great cooking.  We love them like family.

We met Jesse and Margaret for lunch at the Italian restaurant for some great memories of past lunches.  

Christine came too.  We ate and ate.  It was so good to be with them again.  Jesse took us to Yoders for ice cream which we certainly didn't need but was so good.  There was a picture frame made of pallets on the wall.  

 Margaret has been very ill so we tried not to stay too long.  Jesse is still winning ribbons for his jerkey and canning.  

We sure do love the people of Caswell and every place we served.

After that we went to visit Karen and her mother.  We visited them often while in Caswell.  They were always so happy to see us.  They were very easy to love.  It was a good visit.

We met Angela at 3:30 to see the additions they had made to their home.  It was quite a project but so beautiful.  They also added a huge, huge shop-garage with an apartment to finish in the future.  They did the work themselves which is very hard to imagine the hours they put in.  They also fed us many meals while on our mission.  No wonder we gained so much weight.

 2 homes we like in Yanceyville

On our way to the church we stopped to visit with Leona who also fed us many meals.  We taught the sweet nurse who takes care of her.  After a wonderful meal at the Pages and a great visit we went to the church to visit with people we didn’t get to see.  Some of the people we visited with were the Oakleys, Sister Massingil, Ouzts, Millers, Yeates, Sister Batten, Brother Fowler, Sister Ward, Hermans, and more.  It was so good to see everyone. We headed for Outer Banks at 8:30 but stopped to see the Loftus family in that he had a tree cutting accident in march and is still not able to put weight on his leg.  He ha really had a hard time. He is such a good man.  We love him.

We arrived in Raleigh at 11:30 and stayed overnight so we could see Duke and UNC.
Duke is like a place out of a movie.  It ha so much history and tradition.  What a beautiful campus and atmosphere.  We loved it.

 chapel and inside

 This gym smelled so good.

After Duke we went to UNC, another great school.

 clock tower and football field

I set the GPS wrong for the temple so it took us in a completely different direction.  We  were lost an hour but it was worth it to see that temple.  It was closed because they only do sessions by appointment.  

It was very small but the Spirit was large.  It is always a sacred place when you are on temple grounds.  We were so pleased that we were able to finally get there and see a temple we had never seen.
We were so og in the Raleigh area that we were behind schedule for Kitty Hawk.  We called the Marriott for a reservation but they just don't have one on the Outer Banks.  The closest one was at Elizabeth City so we decided to go there.  There really are no hotels on the Bank.  You need to rent a condo or a home.  There were some restaurants just a walk away so Dad chose a Mexican one.  Wow!  What a fun place it was.  They had a live Mariachi band and the place was electric.  The best thing was that the food was delicious.  The next morning we headed for the Banks and Kitty Hawk.

 We climbed up there where the gliders were started

 The strip where the first flight was flown.  It was started on level ground so people couldn't say it was just a glider.

 Wright Bros living quarters at Kitty Hawk

 Monument on top of hill

We learned that the only way to get off the Outer Banks was to go to cape Hatteras and take an hour ferry to Ocracoke, Island.  You cannot see the water the entire length of the Banks because of trees and sand hills.  It's crazy.  At one brief time we were able to see some wind surfers.

It was breath taking to all of a sudden see that light house.  It was much bigger than I thought and so beautiful.  We decided against the 200+ steps to the top.  We can just look from the bottom and imagine the steps and view.  It is the tallest lighthouse in North America.

Selfie

 

We left the lighthouse to take the ferry to Ocracoke.  It was not a long wait and the ride only lasted about an hour. At one time a wave went over the side and into our car.  We got to Ocracoke at 5 to find it was freezing cold which was unusual for that time of year.  Actually the whole Outer Banks was chilly.  We got there only to find the next ferry wasn’t until 9:00 PM.  The hotels were not our favorites so we decided to have a fish dinner and wait for the ferry.  

 Blackened tuna steak

We could buy tickets for it at 7:30, and then wait in the car.  We tried sleeping, which I did but Dad couldn’t.  

It was pitch dark when we drove onto the ferry and the entire voyage more than 200 white birds flew close to the light of the ferry.  They made a beautiful chirping sound and seemed as if they were iridescent.  They were fascinating.  Proof that they were there.

We did sleep a bit on this ferry but the birds were so fun to watch we just took naps.  

The ferry landed at Cedar Island at 11:30 where we thought we would just get a room at the first hotel but there was not one until Moore Head City which was an hour down the road.  Twenty minutes after we started out we ran into a highway where every home and pole had a lighted Christmas tree.  It was very weird and yet pretty.  

We couldn’t find a Marriott so we checked in at a Hampton Inn.  It was very nice and had a view of the water which we couldn’t see.  It was after 1 o’clock so we really didn’t care.  The next morning we were so pleased.  The view was breath taking.  

We had a lovely breakfast and waked along the shore. 

We headed for a city just before Wilmington because we figured that would be easier that the big city.  Never in the whole ride from Kitty Hawk or Wilmington could we see the ocean.  There are just too many trees of sand hills in the way.  It seemed strange to us and we hated to miss the beauty but that’s how it was.  We had a good time anyway.
We had passed so many cotton fields  and finally stopped to take pictures and pick some.

Just before we got to Hampstead we stopped to get gas and asked about a beach.  They sent us back 20 miles to Surf City Beach.  It was so worth the time.  We stopped at a market and bought sandwiches, chips and drinks.  The beach was just what we wanted.  We ate our sandwiches and collected shells.  The homes that lined the beach were huge and beautiful.  

It refreshed our souls and we headed on to Columbia, missing Wilmington.  We got to Kristin’s at 5.  Kristin had a yummy meal all ready for us.  It was fun to be with family again and we thoroughly enjoyed Baylie and Jalen.

Dad suddenly remembered he had left both of his white shirts on the bed at the Hampton so he and David went to Belks and bought $75 shirts that were on sale for $10.  They are shirts that men try on in the store but don’t buy and so they can’t sell them in a wrapper for the regular price.  They got ties for $11.  Dad needed a white shirt so he could go to church.

Irmo Ward had testimony meeting because of conference.  It was a wonderful meeting and day.  YaHoo!  We had pop corn for dinner.  It is so good to be with this far away family.

Monday we went back to Belk to get more shirts for the boys and other shopping.  David got home right after we did so we all went to Texas Road House for dinner in that the kids had gift certificates for reading that gave them a free meal.

   Tuesday we prepared to go home.  We were in no hurry.  It was so wonderful to be in the temple with such treasured friends, be with Kristin and her family, see the wonderful NC people we grew so fond of for 18 months and continue to love; it was hard to leave once again.   Our loved friends of North Carolina will always be deep in our hearts.  It was hard to leave family also.  We hated that Baylie had to be in school when we left.  We love that little family.  We just pray with all our hearts that David can finish his doctorate and find a good job.  It's so hard in music composition.

Kristi and Jalen took us to the airport but Jalen was asleep before we even got on the freeway,  having played so hard with his Granddad.

When we went through security, Dad dropped his drivers' license on the floor and went on. I got it.  When we got up to board the plane, Dad left his license on the seat.  I got it.  We are just plain scary.  Our flights were good but we were worn out by the time we landed in Salt Lake City.  Erik and Shanelle came to get us.  We got home at 11:00 PM very tired but happy to be home again.

The restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and we are so grateful that families are forever when sealed in the Temple of our God.  We love ya'll.
Jeff and Cori, this whole trip was because of you, our mountain kin.