Girls just wanna...

**try new recipes!  I came home from Georgia with a taste for homemade peach cobbler and sweet tea!  Alisa and I both enjoyed fresh out of the oven peach cobbler over vanilla ice cream for dessert.

**help each other handle the hard stuff!  It was past time to go get salt for the softener, and momma couldn't do it herself!  Those bags are heavy!  Alisa is a great helper!

**get ready for the new month!  And the excitement builds as we get moving toward spring weather!

**eat at crazy times of the day because no one is around to judge your poor decisions and timing.

**keep cozy and warm in the winter nights at home!

**stay in bed on a Saturday morning as long as possible and these two wake up ready to go out at 7:20am.

**make a mess and leave it all over the floor!

**wash, dry, and fold laundry with an audience.  The look on her face was funny to me...judgey?!

 

Tomorrow...Wednesday 2/23/22...is the day!

Teddy packed his car today!  I heard him vacuuming his room.  The dryer is humming with his last load of clean clothes.  He will leave for Tennessee tomorrow.  We have prepared him for this day...but now that it is here...I don't know that I am ready for it!  I know he won't appreciate the tears, oh...but my heart!

Fresh baked cookies for my boy!

That empty feeling...

"What are you going to make for my last supper at home?"  How about sliders?!  Every. single. day. the question was asked what was for supper!  Some days my answers brought a big smile...other days a grimace...and still there were days that I had supper for him and he wasn't there.  I would like to think I still got credit for those days too!

All packed up Tuesday night...and Wednesday morning as I got in my vehicle to leave for school...Teddy was warming up his car to leave for a warmer state amid snowflakes flying here!  Praying for this transition!

Thankful for this update!  To hear about a safe trip and getting settled in with a big smile on his face...my momma heart needed this...and I'm thankful he thought it worth his time to do!

 

"Don't cry because it is over..."

Ted took off on Monday too!  He had to deal with some work things, but it was fine!  I could still see him and talk to him!  We had a leisurely morning again and then found another local place for lunch.  To Ted's chagrin, the diner was closed on Mondays!

We had home cooked Georgia favorites!  Chicken fried steak and fixins with lots of sweet tea...and warm peach cobbler for dessert.

Making some trades by the warmth of the fire listening to the rain fall.
We left for Atlanta about 3:15 due to rain and not sure how traffic would be!  It was quite heavy...even with NINE lanes for all the cars!  It took two hours to get to the airport...with a little bathroom detour for the girl who drank ALL her sweet tea.  We saw the traffic headed the other way and knew Ted would hit it on his way back north!

I found my way through the Atlanta airport again!  It is always fun experience.  I had plenty of time and when we boarded I had a front row seat!  1B in first class...saw into the cockpit and watched all the goings on as they readied the flight.  I watched the movie Cruella...and it finished as we taxied to our gate.  Alisa...and I should say Ashlynn via FaceTime call with her sister while waiting for me...picked me up!  We all talked the whole way home.

And of course...I had some excited puppies waiting for me!  I'm thankful to be home safely...but I left my heart in Georgia with a man who holds it so carefully and lovingly. He knows it will be hard for me and we talked about being content in what God has for us right now.  I am full of thankfulness and feel refreshed from our time together.  And this next block of time looks to be only a month long...because spring break is coming!

 

Sunday in the South!

This is what I came out of the bedroom to see this morning...Ted reviewing the SS lesson that he had already studied earlier in the week...I know this because I saw his notes in the book.  I am so blessed to have a husband who seeks God's wisdom on a daily basis and shares it with others.

Sunday drive to church...included daffodils and mountains!

Level Grove Baptist Church in Corneilia, Georgia

Quite pleased with his choice for Sunday dinner..."I like these prices!"

Wolf Creek BBQ in Clarksville, Georgia

Variety of smoked meats for Ted and smoked turkey for me...with deep-fried pickles too!  And sweet tea in styrofoam cups...the only way to drink it! Stays colder longer...ice doesn't melt as fast!

Sunday relaxing

Then we got up and went for a drive exploring!

Blue Ridge mountains....roads in and around and through the little towns.

The type of car that was used for running moonshine back in the day!  My car guy knows some interesting car history!  He might have drooled...not sure.

Sunday night supper...leftover meats from lunch for open face toasted sandwiches!  MMMM!

Oh wait...how can I take a picture like this with no double chins.  Uff da!  "You and your pictures!"

Oh yes...I will take them...so I can remember every little detail of this sweet time together!
 

A slowed down Saturday

Catching the sunrise!  Ted was up before I was...but I got up at 7:30...I didn't want to miss time hanging out with him by sleeping.  He had coffee and was working early so he spend time away from the plant and we could go explore.

The sun's rays, fireplace's warmth, and a cup of coffee!

Our eyes still look tired!  

Waiting for the train to go by...and we weren't on edge about it!  What a change to be off a normal schedule and just be able to chill out about life and schedules!  The thought hit us both.

We've always been told we "have to try the Waffle House"!  We were impressed with the cooks and atmosphere.  The food...not astounded by it at all!

But we checked it off our bucket list and headed south so Ted could show me where he has been spending these last two months!

Buford, Georgia

Then we headed north again to Helen, Georgia.

A German inspired town that reminded us of Frankenmuth, Michigan.  It was crazy busy!  We saw a sign about the same time we saw uniquely dressed people.  Celebrating the Fasching...which we looked up...it is the German version of Mardi Gras before Lent.

It was a beautiful day!  54 and sunny!  We walked some of the shops.  We got a coffee and saw and watched people.  We laughed that a German town celebrating a German holiday played country music!

FLOWERS!!!!!!

We bought a pretzel as big as our face to share and fresh caramel corn and headed back through the traffic jam to the house.

A fun coffee shop we saw called The Jumping Goat!  We will have to try it next time.

Ted said someone told him the daffodils grow wild all over in this area!  I was so excited to see the happy little flowers!

The place that Ted has been for the last month...

The drive in is on a narrow road...only one way for in and another one way for leaving.

The house...we are in the basement that is down and around and has three sets of French doors to the backyard.

You can rent the little camper too for a "clamping experience".

The French doors lead to a beautiful covered deck with rocking chairs, swing, and table.

We stayed out here till the sun was gone and I was cold!

Ted made sure I was comfy!

I was glad to see him crash!  He slept off and on and we just enjoyed this beautiful space together!

This has not been easy for us!  I saw just how hard it has been on Ted.  He carries a lot of weight on him each day and the load is constantly shifting and being added to from multiple directions.  God has gifted him to be a help to the people that run the plant as well as those who lead the company.  I pray daily for him...but it helps me to see and hear in person...and I am grateful for the time we have had...but also for the time Ted had to step away from the plant.  He needed to do that!