Winds of Change in Waycross

To tell you the truth, one of the main reasons we came to Waycross was because of my own childhood memories of this place. I remember it fondly.

I remember touring the swamp on a boat with my family, riding the train through the swamp, and staying in a motel here in Waycross. I don't know how accurate the memories are, of course, but I remember them as happy times.

I specifically remember someone sleeping on a rollaway bed. It is brought back to mind afresh even now as my oldest daughter sleeps on one at my feet right now.

Someone once said, "you can't go home again." You also can't go anywhere and expect it to be the same.

That boat ride now cost $125 for my family - we had planned to forgo it.  The hotel that I remember had once been a Howard Johnson's.  By the time we stayed there Hwy 1 had already been by-passed as a major thoroughfare, and the franchise had been long lost. It was then called Johnson's Motor Lodge (that way all they had to do was paint over Howard on the sign).

All these years later I was surprised to find part of the building still standing.

Today it is offices for the Georgia Department of Corrections and the Georgia Highway Patrol. The front building was the office and the resturant. Regular guest rooms were the offices in the background.

Nothing is the same, and you wouldn't want it to be. The winds of change are, by and large, a healthy thing. My memories are what they are whether the buildings and traditions remain in tact or not.

We want the things we don't like to change and the things we do like to hold fast.  Alas, change doesn't come that way - it must all change. The most productive among us then set out to make the changes positive.

Consider this.  Just before I took this photo our family ate at Chick-fil-a. I saw an exchange between an old white gentleman and the young black gentleman who had waited on us just moments before.  They engaged in short conversation and they laughed out loud.  The older man slapped the young man on the back - obviously longtime friends. When the motel in the picture was build it would have been very unlikely that such a public scene would have ever taken place or that any black person would have been welcome in such an establishment at all.

It took change - and painful change - against the strong will of many, to bring us from the way it was to the way it is.

Now I realize that not all change is good. Some of it should be opposed and we should fight it with all we have, sometimes even to the death.  As for me though, I often oppose it all - and so do you. I hope that we can learn to embrace the lion share of change that comes our way; for if we cannot we are well on our way to becoming bitter old people.

A Half-back Reverse in the Land of Trembling Earth

The plan for today was to move our clan to Waycross, Georgia where we could go to the Okefenokee Swamp (Indian for trembling earth).

On the away we experienced Georgia. A fountain in Hinesville, Georgia:

Some Fourth of July decor along the way:

The fountain at the Waycross Mall:

We got to the Okefenokee Swamp about the same time as a thunderstorm.

Sometimes that's just the way it goes.  They, being non-profit, do not really know how to make a profit, so they shut down at the first sign of clouds.

We may try them in the morning but, although they open early enough, they do not begin activities until noon.

The girls did get to see an alligator, press a penny in the gift shop, and saw an authentic swamp house - maybe that will be it for this trip.

My dad use to coach midget football (the equivalent of little league football). Truthfully, I don't remember much about those days; not even the year I "played" for him. I do remember one thing about it though - he had one play that seemed to be good for at least one touchdown per game. It was the half-back reverse. As I remember things, it seemed like it worked every time.

Our day was a bust, where our plans are concerned. So, what would we do for the rest of the day? Well, we had to call an audible - our equivalent of the halfback reverse. A play that works for us every single time. An activity that works no matter what else goes wrong. Something that makes feel like all is right with our world - to the pool!

Nothing much went according to plans today and yet it was a great day!

Love the Ones You're With

This morning the first thing on the agenda was breakfast with good friends. We had a great time with Jennifer Kolb and her boyfriend, Matt.

They're both recent graduates and just starting out in life. They were fun to be around. 

Jennifer grew up as part of the children's ministry at temple when I was the Pastor of Education and Children. Her mom was in was in fact my assistant. She remains one of our girls favorite babysitters of all time. It was great having the opportunity to reconnect.

Charlston is a beautiful city. It is full of history everywhere you turn. Surly you have heard all about it, Rainbow Row, Fort Sumter, numerous historical sites.

There is even the H.L. Hunley. The first submarine to be successfully used in battle. It sank in its first use in Charleston Harbor and was actually found in recent years and is now on display for all to see.

Well, we didn't see any of that. We went here:

And here:

So that's how it is. It turns out my girls are not much interested in any of those other things. One day they will be, but not today. We will not go through our vacation hoping for another day - we will embrace today. I will love the ones I'm with. Today I'm with four beautiful girls: the love of my life, and three darling little girls; three years old, seven years old, and nearly nine years old. 

I love them with all my heart, and I want to do what they want to do. One day they will want to see historical things and I do look forward to that. But today they want to play in the fountain.  So, the fountains it is.

We came back to, you guessed it, the hotel pool.

This evening we met up with another old friend Barb Rabon. We met her and her girls and went to a Charleston Riverdogs game with them and some of their family and friends. 

As usual the game was okay. The girls liked it okay. But the fireworks were what it was all about.

A great day in Charleston.  

Long on Flexability

Well, as you know we began our trip heading into a hurricane. We met some rain and a little wind but not so much.  The girls were real troopers.

We stopped for dinner in Pawley's Island. When we got back on the road we were greeted with the promise of better weather. We saw only the sun and beautiful sunset for the rest of the day.

It really was a pretty good trip and the girls did very well.

What happened next was truly strange.  We had reservations at the Raddison in Charleston. When we got there, their power had just been restored.  We waited while they reset their server.  They took an hour or so and still could not get it together. We stored our stuff in an office and went downtown to let the girls run and sightsee. We returned at little after 10 PM.  They still could not process any guest. 

Even though we had prepaid the room through Groupon - and we do not know how that money will be refunded - I write this blog in the Residence Inn at 11:30 PM with nary-a child asleep.

Still, Charleston at night was beautiful and there is no such thing as a bad day on vacation.

 I love my family but I think I will love them better after a good night's sleep.  Looking forward to a great day in Charleston tomorrow.

The First Snafu

Life is an adventure.  Vacation is the same.  So we are planning to leave today at noon.  We will be driving into this.  It is OK.  We know that we will be past it by late afternoon - or at least we hope so.

We are planning to go to Charleston, SC tonight and spend the day there tomorrow.  The storm should be long gone by tomorrow but we are planning to drive down highway 17 today.  We will start that way and if it gets rough we will go west to 95 and then south.

Sounds exciting doesn't it?

Packing Up!

 

 

If you have been around our family long at all - you have probably already heard, but Megan Davis is the best.  Going on vacation with children is hard, but it is worth it.  Megan has single handedly shouldered the responsibility of getting our family packed for these two weeks.  No small job. On Monday I came home to this.  All of our bags were packed and organized.

 

 

 

 

On Wednesday I came home to this.  Our car completely packed. Anyone who has ever done it knows that this is no small feat.  In addition to what you see there is strategic room in this car for five (count 'em - five people).  It is a big production but it is going to be a blast.  I can't wait!

 

 

 

 

 

All of these things and much more serve to remind me that I married way above what I deserve.  Megan is a blessing from God.  She speaks love, encouragement, and strength into me every day.  She makes me better than I am.  I am glad she is my wife and mother of my children.

 

 

This life is crazy.  But I am thrilled that I get to share it with Megan and these wonderful girls, Olivia, Addison, and Emily Grace. Hang on.  Its going to be quite a ride!

NC Zoo on Spring Break

This is the Zoo Gang. It is our family (Joe not pictured) - Jamison, Johnson,  Jackson, and Michelle Sheaffer - Dawn (Olivia's 2nd grade teacher) and Quinton Jones - Nikki and Jamie Brandonburg.

We met the rest of them there after I picked Megan up in Raleigh after a day in Raleigh with Aunt Angie and Uncle Jerry.

It was a great day for the zoo - not too hot - not too cold.

Right away we start to track our prey.

Fun in the playground.

Buffalo or Bison? Not quite sure.

Ole Faithful

The girls show how dung beetles do their work

More Dung Beetles

Turns out that someone from the North Carolina Zoo went to Animal Kingdom and figured out a lot of ways to make yet more money.  That is on top of the public dole.