{sigh!}

sunshine; nice cool breezes; birds singing; boats on the lake; families laughing and enjoying time together

{sigh!}


Yes, we are once again camping!  For the next little while we are stationed at a campground in the beautiful mountains of northern Georgia, and this time Mama is with us for a few days.  She is looking forward to much time sitting on the banks of the lake fishing for 'the big one'!

Mama

Why now?  Why this week?  Well, there are several answers to that, but the biggie is easy.  One year ago today, my sweet Daddy was struggling to take his last breath, and about 9:00 pm one year ago, he went home to be in heaven.  No more suffering, no more struggling, no more worries - just well deserved rest and peace!

Hubby - doing what he does best!

We decided this would be a good time to get Mama out of the house and let her fish and enjoy some time away.  So here we are!  And we are very fortunate that a cool front came through last night, so there was rain on the roof while we slept, and about mid-morning the sun burned away the fog and it is a beautiful day!

The girls, enjoying the sunshine!

We are so relaxed this morning it isn't even funny, and that is a wonderful thing!  It's been a busy last few weeks, and hubby's job more stressful than usual, so it is a good time for a break.

My Craft 'Stuff'!

I brought more craft stuff than usual because we are only a couple of hours from home, and we brought both vehicles.  Hubby pulled the camper here and I went by and picked up Mama and all her stuff and we came right behind him.  I even brought my sewing machine, and I may pull it out in a little while - I'm in a sewing mood!

Breakfast Station

We set up a table just next to the camper and that's where the coffee pot stays, along with the toaster oven and such.  It sure takes a lot of morning activity out of the camper and into the more open spaces.

Our canoe 'Red' is sitting by, waiting for her first cruise of this trip.

We look forward to several outings in our canoe called, for obvious reasons, Red.  There is an island around the bend that we want to check out, but we'll probably do that early in the morning before boat traffic gets too heavy.  It's so nice to be out on the water, with nothing but the sound of the water lapping on the side of the canoe, and paddles dipping into the water.  (Another {sigh} here, please!)

Our home away from home!

The View

So here we are, chillin' and relaxing and enjoying some time away from the normal - whatever that is!  And the underlying theme for me is 'joy'!  Yes, today is not a day to be mourning or grieving!  Daddy lived an amazing life, and he fought to live to the very end.  But the last few years were horrible for him!  Pain, weakness, declining health that he didn't understand and inability to do the things he loved was not living!  And now he is in heaven, and he is happy and whole and walking upright (something he hadn't done in a long time) and living like never before.  In fact, he's doing MUCH better than we are here on earth!  So this is a day for rejoicing, and remembering the good memories and how much we loved him and he loved us.

And what better way to do that than be out in the open outdoors that he loved, and enjoying being together.  He's here, too.  I truly believe that he is watching from above and knows we are doing well.  He is probably sitting around chewing the fat with his trucking buddies, or maybe walking the streets of gold with HIS daddy!  And it's all good!  I'll see him again some day, and then we'll never be apart again.  What a blessed promise!

Have a wonderful week, friends!  Becky