Great fun and two big events...

Two important events have taken place in our lives in just a few days. My Aunt Anna Lee celebrated her 90th birthday and we happily made the trip to Georgia to surprise her and she was indeed!  We were so happy to have a part in her wonderful birthday party and hundreds of friends (literally) came by to say best wishes.  Her daughter, Ann, did a wonderful job in planning and conducting this gathering, along with the help of her friends.  Our thanks for a wonderful afternoon of fellowship with old and dear friends and family.

Upon our return to Texas, our grandson, Steven Alan Brown graduated from Crenshaw Middle School on the Bolivar Peninsula. We have come to call his class "the come back kids" because all of them have struggled in one way or another to come back to school and to the Peninsula following Hurricane Ike.  It was a special evening in their honor.

Steven was presented the Presidential Award for English and Language Arts and we are so very proud of him and his accomplishments this year. He is off to high school next year — where did these years go?

A favorite writing of mine seems to fit both occasions because Aunt Anna has always been important in my life and I appreciate her unconditional love, guidance, spiritual character, and kindness given so freely to me. Ted and I hope to offer Steven the same qualities and remain important to his young life.

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove; however, the world will be different because I was important in the life of a child."

Until the next page turns,

Brenda

(First photo is Steven and Kevin, a classmate, awaiting their turn to receive the all-important diploma and second is Steven and friends at the graduation party following the actual ceremony. The third is Steven in bright red cap and gown, fourth is processional, fifth is PaPa Ted, Steven, and Brenda and sixth is Brenda, Cousin Ann, and Aunt Anna at 90th birthday celebration in the Atlanta, Georgia area).

Safe back in the Country of Texas...

Ted and I had a wonderful trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and remembered again why we like the area since the beaches and communities were quite beautiful.  The beach was clean and as white as sugar sand and the water a gorgeous blue/green. We enjoyed fresh seafood and ate in some of our favorite haunts while there including The Shrimp Basket and Lambert's Throwed Rolls. Did a little shopping and made our way on to the busy Atlanta area.

Our trip took us on to the beautiful home of my lifetime friend, Millie Jones Pincus, in Lawrenceville, where we have our own floor in her great house.  My other "best friend" since third grade of school, Ginger Bragg Doster, came over and joined us at Millie's where we had fun and enjoyed being together again after all these years. We always have so much to remember and talk about and it takes a while to get caught up on all current events in our lives. The weekend flew by way too fast to suit any of us.  

We three also spent time on planning the 50th Class Reunion for the Clarkston High School Class of 1960.  Where has this time gone? We were able to make contact with more than a baker's dozen of our classmates to get the big ball rolling.  My, how we miss our old friend, John (Tommy) Barnes when we start on a new gathering.

We are meeting on October 1, 2, and 3 of 2010 in the Atlanta area and are excited about seeing all of our old friends. Please help us get this word out to our friends and classmates.

The reason for our trip to Atlanta was to share in the wonderful surprise celebration of my precious Aunt Anna Lee's 90th birthday.  She was overwhelmed with hundreds of dear friends and family members who came by to say Happy Birthday to her and to share in her wonderfully kind life.  Aunt Anna's daughter, Ann Lee, had done a great job of inviting and planning the event. Aunt Anna will never forget it and neither will we! 

Aunt Anna still lived at home at my Mama Cole's house when I was born and she has also been "my other mother."  Ann, my cousin, has never been able to figure out why I was able to be in her mom and dad's wedding pictures when she wasn't.  Not sure that she has ever forgiven me for that...

We thank the Lord for traveling mercy and for seeing that we arrived back home in Texas safely.  So good to share time with old friends and family.

Until the next page turns,

Brenda