Joey-Natalie-Slade-Naomi

JULES IS HERE! Sunday afternoon I got a call from one of my best friends and she said she was coming to Raleigh, TONIGHT! So we picked her up, had a sleepover, spent the next day boating and they took her back to the airport. (She's a flight attendent). It was so much fun to see her!

3 comments:

Suzette Baird said...: Ohm wow!!!! nice addition to the fam... I was thinking "cool they probably got a dog or a cat" but not a freaking BOAT!!!! ohm so what dates are good for us to come out? next week? tomorrow? ha ha! I am so so so jealous, who has a freaking boat at our age? I love it!!!!; July 15, 2008 at 2:24 PM
Nichole said...: :( I am sad that I am not there to teach you and joey how to do superman tricks...haha! I miss you guys! Looks like N.C. is pretty sweet and I am working on a way to come out and visit. Love you both!

Nic; July 15, 2008 at 2:52 PM
EmmaLeigh said...: Oh I am so jealous I wish I could be there with you guys. Looks like you are taking good advantage of the summer.; July 16, 2008 at 10:19 AM

"Beautiful Like the Darkness Between Fireflies"

Every evening on Richmond's boulevard, our front yard, between the hours of 7:oopm & 8:30pm, the sidewalks are filled with the magical glow of fireflies. There are so many that it is almost as if walking in a fairy-tale. Joey and I try to go on a walk every night at this time and we just watch and enjoy the glow. It is fascinating. I feel like a child again. Last night we were sitting on the couch and Joey caught my eyes following a flying bug. Joey assured me it was just a moth, when suddenly it lit up and glowed! It was a firefly in our house! It must be good luck.

WHALES!

I love whales. Why? Christmas 2006 we woke up to sunshine and glassy water on the west side of Maui. I don't even remember opening presents that morning. We were out on the boat as a family and ready for a Christmas packed with tropical adventure. I was wakeboarding when I noticed that everyone on the boat had become disinterested in me and were anxiously looking to my left. They signaled that they were going to drop me. I thought I was left for the sharks and was less than calm until finally they turned to pick me up. It was a family of whales they had spotted. We watched as they sun bathed on the surface, a mother, a calf, and an escort. I think it was my dad who jumped in the water first. Then several of my siblings followed with their snorkles and soon the adrenaline was pumping as we were swimming with the whales! We were screaming and scared and so excited. I have never experienced anything more thrilling. The calf kept trying to swim closer to us, and he was easily bigger than a car! At one point the escort was about 30 feet under us and we starred him in the eye. You could see every detail. Breathless is the only word to describe it.