Allie's Way

As I toasted 2013 in I thought of all the changes that would really take place this year for my family.  As your children grow it is hard sometimes to really prepare for “big changes” that take place in their lives and how that makes it “big changes” for your life.  I am excited about their new adventures and excited about Derwin and I starting new adventures but the changes are just sometimes emotional and tears well up in my eyes.  As I counted down the seconds last night I kept telling Jesse this is the last 40 secs, 25 secs, 15 secs that you are a high school student.  She will graduate in June and begin her adventure in Tampa, Fl.  I am excited for her but wow that is so far away from home.  I am thankful everyday that Uncle Richard and Aunt Beverly, Kelly and Paul, and Kyle and Christie live so close to her.  I am not sure I could really let her go without so many family members so close to her.  This move will leave Derwin and I empty nesters.  We are really excited about this and making our To Do list of things we want to do together without having any children to really worry about.  Entering this new phase is really exciting for us.  Hannah does not want to be left out this coming year as she will move into her own apartment in April and stay in Chapel Hill this summer to work and go to summer school with plans to graduate December 2013 from Carolina.  We are so proud of her.  She is a double major in English and History.  Her plans are to work the spring of 2014 and enter graduate school by the fall of 2014.  I can’t believe she will be really on her own and living alone.  She is excited about this new adventure in her life.  I guess I can not mention Hannah without mentioning Aldo.  They are still very serious and making big plans for their future.  We shall see how their futures work out together.  I know they are very committed to each other.  The question is left what will this year bring Derwin and I?  The answer remains to be revealed.  

 

The Christmas break has been busy but fun.  The girls from work all gathered the last day to send Cindy off on a new career direction.  We will miss her but we get to keep Susie!  Here is her arrival at the gathering 

 

Although Susie is one who will always keep up smiling the girls will all miss Cindy.  Here is the gang picture minus Brenda of our Lunch Bunch.  I Love these girls!

I will close this post with just a quick Christmas Day memory like all the ones in the past.  The girls on the couch with their “stuff” and Jesus’s Birthday Cake a long tradition that the girls never let us go without even at their ages of 18 and 21.

May God bless everyone this coming year and may we find him in our lives in everything we do.  I am blessed and look forward to what God has in store for my family and I this coming year.  Happy New Year!

 

  I really enjoy Thanksgiving and one reason these days is that the entire family is together.  It is always great having Hannah home for a few days and really getting to catch up and visit with her.  It is nice to just be lazy and watch movies together as a family.  To feel like you are in the loop of their lives.  Sometimes I do not even realize how little about Hannah’s life I do not know these days and having these opportunities to catch up and visit are priceless.  I know that next Thanksgiving will be so different as we all try to catch up with each other with Jesse now going all the way to Tampa to school.  I would have never thought Jesse would go so far away, but she seems to have firmly made this decision to attend the University of Tampa and play golf.  It is very exciting! yet worrisome for a Mom.  It is both exciting and sad for Derwin and I as we become empty nesters and see both our girls off to college next year.  We have so many things we want to do, but it is still hard to let this phase of our life go and watch both girls be out on their own.  As ready as I am I know it will still be hard as the time gets closer and closer.  I am so thankful that God has given me such beautiful girls and a loving husband to share my life with.  As they venture out into the world on their own, I just pray that God stays close to them, protects them, and blesses them, and that Derwin and I will enjoy the next phase of our lives have adult children in our lives.  Now we all move toward Christmas which is another great time for us all to be together for several weeks and enjoy the company of each other during this special Christmas time!  May God bless each of us at Christmas and all the year through…

I wish we could say that things went better, but Sandy made sure we suffered with the weather and overall it was just not great for Jesse or Abby.  That is golf sometimes it is just not your day.  I know Jesse and Abby  were both disappointed that their bad days came on this stage, but we are all so proud that they made it to this point.  As their coaches kept telling them some people are home right now and they were competing! Sandy made sure they played in the cold, wind, and rain which were not ideal golf conditions and Jesse struggled just learning how to play and make decisions in these conditions, but she can probably say she learned so much.  How I wish the sun would have shined just so we could enjoy a trip to Pinehurst seems like every time we are their to play golf it is cold!  Here is Jesse’s last putt of the state tournament and as a Mooresville High School Blue Devil.  After two long days the best news is it was for par.  Abby ended her play with par on the same hole.  Congrats girls to 4 great years!

No matter what you have to record such a great opportunity so here is a picture of Abby and Jesse in front of the hedges at Pinehurst Village Hotel & Spa.  established in 1895.  This is an area rich in golf history.

 

The  month of October has just flown by for us as Derwin and I spend our last high school season watching Jesse play golf.  The most exciting parts are her reaching so many of her goals as she progresses in a game she loves so much.  She shot a 36 this season and finished second in the conference.  I know she really wanted first but many of her goals were met even finishing second.  The biggest Dream come true was qualifying for States yesterday.  I can not even explain how relieved I am to have this day behind me.  I know she was so nervous and even upset by some of her play but the bottom line at the end of the day she made it!  Sadly her team missed going by 4 strokes.  In the game of golf you can pick 4 strokes to death.  Where one of our girls had a bad day another girl had the day of her life and Jesse knows how that can feel as well. The ups and downs of golf.  It seemed for a while that so much down would never bring the ups she wanted so badly but here we are today making reservations to play at Pinehurst, NC.  The best part it will just be Senior fun for her!  She Made It!!!

Above we are standing near the board where she learned she made the cut at Brushy Mtn. Golf Course in Taylorsville.

Below picture of her team although one will not travel with us next week, Jesse and Abby made the cut!

Here is a picture of some friends made along the way.  Golf is a great sport and it is so hard to pull against other girls sometimes.  Haley is from East Gaston and Elizabeth is from TC Roberson.  All Four girls are headed to States next week.

The final score card for Mooresville

Finally just this past Friday night at the Mooresville Football Game Senior Night was celebrated for not just football but all sports where seniors can not be recognized at a game.  We proudly escorted Jesse out after a great high school career in Women’s Golf

Go Blue Devils!

Hopefully soon we will know which team we will be pulling for next.

Derwin and I sat sail on the Carnival Valor last Sunday to be a part of the wedding of Jeff and Michelle Imobersteg.  We were very excited to both be there for them on this special day and take our first cruise.  Here are some highlights from our week.

Sunday:  We flew into Miami and boarded the boat.  We did not have that much time to view leaving Miami as we had a Happy Hour to attend with our Wedding group and dinner to follow.  Here is a peak at the ship leaving Miami.

Monday:  Today is Wedding Day.  So most of my pics will be of the wedding couple but I have a few to share of Key West, Florida.  We sailed into port and docked by 8am.

After getting ready for the wedding we headed out to see a few views on Duval St. and meet the trolley that would take us to Smathers Beach for the wedding.

Above is a picture of the boys hanging out at Hogsbreath Saloon before meeting the trolley.  Then off to beach where rain did fall but not the spirits of the Bride and Groom.

There are so many more pics so check them out on Facebook.  After hitting Duval St. again we headed back to the boat for a reception and dinner!  We all went down early after a long exciting day!  Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Imobersteg.

Tuesday:  We were a sea all day heading towards Grand Cayman.  It was a rainy dreary day but we still enjoyed each other and some good laughs together.

Wednesday: GRAND CAYMAN!!! This is where the picture at the top was taken look how beautiful the water is.  Derwin and I really wanted to snorkel here so we heading off down the road and found a great spot and actually swan with a shark!  Wish I had an underwater camera.  It was weird for sure.  The water is so clear we could see like 80 feet deep.  It was 2 hours of wonderful!

Thursday:  We docked in Montiego Bay, Jamaica although we were not near Montiego Bay (walking distance anyway).  The scenery was awesome.  After a brief shopping adventure we just enjoyed a lazy empty day on the ship taking in the beautiful surroundings.  Here are the pics.

Friday:  At sea day again with lots of sun but a nice breeze all day.  It was nice to have a down day to prepare to leave the ship the next morning.  Here are some final shots of fun on the boat.

Towel art by our Room Attendant Jerry.

  Jaya from Bali who served   our dinner each night in the dining room.

 Final Night in the Lindy Hop Piano Bar.

Final Cheers to Jeff and Michelle and fun-filled Wedding Cruise

A Weekend of Truths…. Many people started to call it that as the opening night began with John 8:32 “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  Roger began by sharing his story the first night as we all arrived and joined together for a great dinner and worship time.  The next morning worship with Tina who shared her story and did a fabulous job.  She was really nervous about sharing in front of the church group but her story was touching.  Then we divided up for the Family Scavenger Hunt.  In groups of three families we set off our team “Tew Smart Tew Long”  and yes there is a squirrel in that tree.

After lunch we set off with the youth on a hiking adventure that only Northcross could create!  Here are some pics from

Hebron Colony Falls

After some great times climbing the rocks, we climb back out of the falls to hear diesel trucks rumbling.  I cracked a joke that our cars were probably being towed.  Just at that time others noticed the flashing lights of a tow truck and blue lights so we took off running.  Yep, they had already towed Rogers and Mark’s was hooked to the truck.  After negotiating a price, and my husband’s procrastination. Mark got his off the truck and Derwin got off without towing or ticket.  We all pitched in to help Roger get his out of “hock”.  After such an exciting afternoon who would have thought it could get better.  The first annual Talent Show rolled around.  I wish I had pics and details of  Juan (our MC), Roger, Wolf, Jimmy & Whitney, William & “Angela”, The arm wrestling, the theme game, and the newlywed game which Derwin and I won.   All I can say is I laughed so hard my ribs hurt today.  Many thanks to Megan and Mark for sharing their stories.  We headed home in the rain but with some great memories!  Here are a few cute pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So if you came this far….

 

What a busy weekend!!!  We headed out in my red convertible mustang to the beach on Friday afternoon.  Derwin and I had a great ride down.  We hit the beach Saturday (and me on Sunday).  We ate some great food, and spend time with some good friends.  Sunday and Monday Jesse played at The Pearl at Sunset Beach, NC.  Might I add it was HOT!!! Just ask Derwin!  Both pictures below is of Derwin before the HOT Caddying job began for the weekend.  

 

 

 

We are really proud of Jesse she had a great time this weekend, although we are all exhausted and trying to recover from the heat.  I keep trying to remember that this is Jesse’s last year of high school and I need to enjoy it all heat and all.