A Special Celebration Part 2

Well, by now, diligent traveling companions have faithfully recorded for interested family and friend our adventures on the road trip to North Carolina. So I will just post a few more pictures, especially in honor of my Aunt Mary Lee, the honoree of our trip!

I remember Aunt Mary Lee when she lived in the Atlanta area with her first husband and her son. I vividly remember going to visit just after her husband had passed away, leaving her a grieving young widow. Even in those circumstances, she was a picture of peace and trust in the Lord.

Later, she married Uncle Clarence, who became a favorite of ours when we visited the family home town. He was a character, and into "rasslin' ". He didn't want to miss his rasslin' shows! He brought Aunt Mary Lee companionship for her older years.

When my little sister, Ginger, passed away at age 19, Aunt Mary Lee expressed her grief through poetry, "Sweet Little Ginger Girl". If I can get a copy of that sweet poem, I will post it. She inspired me that I, too, could use poetic verse to express what the Lord had placed in my heart. Some day, I will post some home-grown poetry.

When my father passed away a year and a half ago, Aunt Mary Lee broke down in sadness for her "little brother". I had not ever thought of my father in that way. To me, he was always a powerful and forceful man of God, but to her he was her little brother. I loved her even more that day.


I am so glad we were able to take the trip to honor her and to bring my mother there for a good reunion. It was a special time, seeing these generations of my family together. Thank you, Lord, for your faithfulness to our generations.

Aunt Mary Lee, on her special day. I think she is more spry than I am!

Aunt Mary Lee had one request -- that I play "Indian Love Call" for her. Well, I couldn't find sheet music for it, so I had to resort to "YouTube", listening over and over to Jeanette MacDonald singing it in the old black and white movie, "Rose Marie". She said that many, many (well over 60) years ago, for her first wedding, she had wanted someone to sing or play it and could find no one who could in the backwoods of Georgia.

It was not an easy task, but we did it! Abigail played the echo on her pennywhistle, and Margaret Anne and Callie did the "ooohing". It was beautiful -- at least to her! She was in tears and asked us to do it again, so we did! (But I won't be sad if I don't hear it again for a long, long time!)

Kitty and Markie with another of my father's sisters, their great-great Aunt Benita.

Callie and Margaret Anne give Uncle Bob a great big hug.

My sweetie on the right, and my oldest cousin, Theron Teagle, who is close to my father's age. Daddy was 10 out of 12 children, and Ted's mother, Aunt Evelyn, was oldest, so Ted and Daddy were like brothers. We love to hear him tell stories!

Every family has an eccentric (actually, our family seems to have more than our share!), and this is our long-time friend, Bob, who lives in Charlotte. We had not seen him in decades! I guess, as a child, I got the impression he was an eccentric because he lived a very different life. He was (I suppose still is) a great artist and musician and has a doctorate degree in French. He told us he reads the Bible in French and prays in French. It is almost like his first language. He has lived in Paris and traveled much abroad. Hey, maybe he thinks I'm the eccentric! It was good to see him.

On the way home, we stopped in the lovely city of Charleston, SC, and the girls and Danny did a tour of downtown. Mother and I stayed in the RV, feeding the parking meter kitty! Here they are in front of one of the memorial stones of the Confederacy.

Night falls on the road, and next day . . . home! Thank you, Lord, for these journeys of remembrance. Thank you for your faithfulness to Your plan for families. Thank you for your mercy on our family!

For a more detailed travelogue and young'n point of view, visit these sweet blogs:

http://www.thedischerfamily.blogspot.com/

http://www.thestricklenfamily.blogspot.com/