A BIG SURPRISE! .......................................................

During our year in Mali, you, Mark and Katy, were living in our house while your new home was being built.  It was fun for us to know that our little home was available to accommodate your family during that year.  When we arrived back in Toccoa, your house was not finished, but it was no problem for us as friends in our church gave us a nice three room apartment to live in for as long as we needed it.  We spent time with you in our house, but had a place to go back to at night and it worked out fine.  But we were surprised - and pleased with the idea! - when you asked us to come back and stay with you.  So we did that and had a great time living together for those few weeks until your family could move to Flowery Branch.

All this time, you kids were all planning a special party for us for our 50th Anniversary, and we hadn't a clue about it!  What a celebration that week was.  All of you kids were involved in the planning and execution of that Big Day.  People were arriving from out of town.  When we got to the party, we could not believe how many of our family were there - Albrights, Kennedys and Pierces.  Plus so many other guests.

The food was spectacular. The comments we heard afterwards was that they had never seen such a spread ever in the church.  Having two chefs and so many good cooks in the family produced those amazing results!  Again - thank you to all of you. It meant so much to us that all of our children could be present.  The decorations were also great and Jennie added her talent to produce those.  I well remember Elizabeth's solo - it was so beautiful!  I do not remember her singing a solo before or after that event.  Hope she cultivates her musical talents more in the future.  While the parents worked at the Family Life Center, the kids played games and entertained each other - we have pictures of all those preparations that helped us to see what was going on behind the scenes to make that surprise celebration such a success! 

We have so many good photos of that day.  But what we loved and still do is the beautiful album Katy put together for us.  I just read it through again recently and realized once again how much work went into it. It is so beautifully put together! I have it in our living room and often people will look through it and admire your handiwork, Katy!   We marvel at the wonderfully talented children and spouses and grandchildren we have - coming from two just ordinary parents!!  You are the best!

After all the excitement was over, we had to settle down again to life in Toccoa. It was fun having the Mark Pierce family here for that special time, and before we knew it, their brand new house was ready to be occupied.  It must have seemed like an enormous mansion to them after having been crammed into our small three bedroom for a whole year!  Moving day was a big day as we loaded up everything that had been in storage and all drove down to Flowery Branch.  The house needed to be swept and dusted and floors washed, windows washed, etc.  But we all worked together on that. And soon the Mark Pierce's were at home in Flowery Branch in their beautifully planned home!  Mark, you did a great job with the planning.  We have so many happy memories of being with you there in that home over a period of years.  The same with John and Jennie's home in Buford.  We had those good years after we retired and were happy we had settled in the South.

In spite of everyone's moving away to the north, we are still settled and happy where we are.  We look forward to every time we can see you-all, but we have also built a life for ourselves in the church and community in this little burg of Toccoa.  What is it the Scriptures tell us?  Godliness with contentment is great gain!  We are content with our life and how God has led us each step of the way.