10th Birthday Week, ACC Williamsburg, too!

Click here to open in a browser so that videos will appear.

Again this year, the extended family met in Kingsmill for the cousins of three generations to eat, play, and watch basketball.  While the basketball did not turn out how most would have hoped, the play among all ages was priceless.  We have little to document the adults, but we were nearly 20 strong, missing the 8+ that couldn't make it.  The miracle of the weekend was that Dad made it, seeing as he had spent almost the entire month prior in the hospital.  But he did great!

Spring break, again, but we found some buildings open so that they could envision what college class is like.

So very much of campus has changed in the last 18 years, but not the authentic interior of the history building!

The Wren Building is SO far away from this end of the Sunken Gardens.  
I need to take them when all is in bloom!

Gazing at the football field from the UC.

There was definitely not a basement playroom in the UC in the late '90's!

They affectionately call Crim Dell "The Kissing Bridge".

Climbing Sir Christopher Wren

A cold and cloudy day, but Jamestown ships are still intriguing.  It's amazing the quarters in which they lived at sea, and for such as incredibly long time.

...plus 1 darling Lucy.

...plus Cisco and Stella!

Our March 12 boys!  11 & 10 this time around.

And to think there 6-7 kids missing from this picture!
Watch out when Matthew, Charlie and Cisco all come your way!!!

Into one fine young man this child has grown. 
James 1:17. God made us parents 10 years ago with this precious gift. Andrew is an eager learner of anything, clever and funny, but, most notably, compassionate. I never expected to learn so much FROM my children, but thank God I do.

Rocky Top Climbing with the nicest, most well-mannered group of boys:-)

With Daddy's help on only one practice climb, Little Man was soon off and up with the big kids!  Shocking, I know. 

Wrapping up the week with March Madness picks could not make this boy ANY more excited. There are something like 13 brackets strewn across the table and he's vigorously tracking them ALL!  He also may have left Mom sticky notes all over the house, "DON'T FORGET TO FILL OUT YOUR BRACKETS BY NOON TUESDAY!!!!"

I envy how efficiently Matthew makes his selections.  If I could do so as quickly, I wouldn't procrastinate so!  

 

A Night to Remember!

Click here to open in a browser so that videos will appear.

Dad got home from the hospital tonight, hopefully for the last time.  With the except of 4 days, he's been in the hospital for a month---4 weeks is a very, very long time!  Complications from his second (and third unexpected) post-colostomy surgeries have grounded him this winter.  And, as luck would have it, this was the year Mom and Dad had the family Duke-UNC tickets in Cameron.  

Last week when I was there with them, Mom said they had decided since they couldn't use the tickets, they'd like Andrew and me to go for his 10th birthday present.   I shuddered at the thought. A game in Cameron is a bucket list experience for any basketball fan.  The CAROLINA game in Cameron, when both teams are ranked in the top 10, is priceless....figuratively and literally!  I graciously accepted without even glancing at my calendar:-) 

I wanted Andrew to hear from Dad, so had him call from his bed.  On speaker phone, Andrew gasped, followed by a long pause.  I could envision the look on Andrew's face so easily.  "Wait, really?!?  Oh my goodness, Granddaddy.  Thank you so much!!!  I, I, I just can't believe it!" 

When I was back home, Andrew jumped at me, "Mom! Mom!  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!!!!!"  Yes, Andrew, yes!  Yes it is!  

We arrived early on a gorgeous spring day to take in the scene.

Krzyzewskiville was quite the tailgate---not sure if the smell of beer or body paint was more overwhelming.  Didn't realize there was no open container law....nice police officer explained that it was private property so the University could make the rules and that they were just there to babysit---to take care of folks once they could no longer take care of themselves.  Honest truth right there! 

FAQ Answers: 

1.  Yes, since Friday, January 12th.

2. 12 people total - ten at night, two during the day.

3. It's kind of like waiting in line.  We have line monitors that blow a siren at random times during the day and night to check in.

4. Until the UNC game March 3.

5. YES!  We still go to class!

He always wants to swing by the Duke Chapel---and why wouldn't anyone??

Relatively new are depictions of the 14 Stations of the Cross, Jesus' traditional Procession to Calvary.

We enjoyed a perfect bar dinner where we were only unsuccessful catching the end of #1 UVA's victory and then back to Cameron!

 Finally in!

Andrew requested that we spend longer in the Hall of Fame this year.  It was new to us on our last visit, so we hadn't arrived with enough time to fully enjoy it.  It is one impressive museum honoring hundreds of athletes across all sports.  Very well done.  My only complaint is that they now serve alcohol just in the Hall of Fame, so it's too crowded:-(

"Grant Hill, Baby!  There he is!"

 Lots of interactive displays and plenty to read kept him busy for an hour.

 "The Shot"

Andrew leaned over, "Something tells me it's going 

to be an exciting end to the game!"

"Oh, what a night!"  A tale of two halves....down by TEN at the half in large part due to Duke's horrendous free throw shooting (4-12) and inability to make sufficient key plays offensively or defensively, another team showed up after half-time.  Don't know what K said in the locker room, but he proved his worth yet again.  Duke battled back, chipped away at Carolina's lead, and ultimately soared to a sweet, sweet 10-point victory.  Andrew couldn't stop jumping the last 10 minutes of the game.  Such memories - once in a lifetime:-)