for all who wanted to see Collier in his new eyes, here he is! sooo handsome and big!

we made it to the top...

a thought occurred to me as i was pushing the stroller with aisy in it to the top of a mountain. it was this. "can i make it to the top?"
i was hearing the passersby persecute us for having attempted to bring up the stroller and a baby as we passed on pushing and pushing up toward the top. willie would put his hand on my back to lend support and try to help push me from behind. i would also hear passersby talk loudly "your almost there!" even when we obviously weren't. these two opposite meaning outbursts to me sent a very useable teaching moment for myself. could i make it to the top? or should i turn back. the view was undoubtedly the best around, and i really wanted to see it. but my strength was draining as i was getting a bad cold. the more and more i heard of the persecuters the more i wanted to believe it. i was getting weaker as the seconds rolled by. but as soon as i heard the positive cheerleaders cry "your almost there", i could feel my strength grow just a bit. i would feel the desire to go on and try to make it no matter what. i made up my mind. i'd go at my own pace, stopping when i needed to. i would though, without fail, reach the top.

and i did!!! the veiw was outstanding. i felt a sense of pride and self appriciation for having had the courage, strength and belief in myself to reach the top of that mountain.
would something terrible have happened to me if i turned around and gone back? most likely no. but i did feel happy and proud and i felt i got a darn good workout. :)

thanks to the cheerleaders, i may have turned around if i hadn't heard your cheers and encouraging cries.

may we try to be eachothers cheerleaders as we all climb these mountains called trials and life. we need to hear it....and OFTEN.

to meema, thank you for sharing that day with us. we all agreed it was too short of a visit. we miss you already and want you to come back soon. we thought it was a much needed day of fun. thanks for the memories, laughs and love. your the greatest!!! love...us

just wanted to show you all the clingman's dome. that's what we climbed the frickin mountain to get to. we were dead even with the mountain ranges!!! it was awesome. view was worth the climb.

a royal welcome. first things first according to aislynne. meema MUST read a book to her. then... mcdonalds!!!

the top of the cake. mcdonalds!!!! that was the main reason for aisy to get up in the morning. she knew meema would take her to mc d's. it was the perfect end to the perfect day. thanks meema for the memories. we love you. please come again soon.

a visit to the past. an old farming house. so cute. was neat to see how they lived. it reminded me of hocus pocus (the beginning)