4 years ~ 2/29/2020 ~ 2/29/2024 ~ leap year

Hey Bubba,

You left me 4 years ago today.

You went to be with Jesus on a Saturday afternoon.

It was Leap Year.

It's Leap Year again today.

Hey Bubba,

 You've missed a lot down here in the world we live in

but I know it doesn't compare with the glories of heaven where you are now.

Even though I have so much to share with you

 I wouldn't ask you to come back here.

You are seeing by sight.

I see only with my eyes of faith.

Hey Bubba,

I turned 76 a couple of weeks ago.

You didn't quite make it that far.

I think you would be proud of how I've handled my life since you left me.

I bought a new car.

A Honda CRV.

I am no longer driving the Tank you left me.

Hey Bubba,

I took our family on a cruise.

We celebrated together...

 the twelve of us.

You were remembered in so many ways as we sailed upon the ocean.

Four years ago you took us all on a cruise.

Two weeks later you went to be with our Lord,

suddenly and without warning.

I still have moments when it hurts so bad I cannot breathe.

We were quite a team...

blessed in our marriage and the family God gave us.

Hey Bubba,

You wouldn't believe our grandchildren.

Lucy and Jake are seniors graduating from high school this year.

Harry is a phenom runner.

Eli has his own podcast on U Tube.

Gus is a handsome 13-year-old who is killing 7th grade.

Arch loves cars and can fix anything.

Walter is almost nine. 

 He spends a lot of his time making sure I don't forget my keys and lock my doors.

Hey Bubba,

I get really lonely sometimes.

I wish I had someone to travel with.

I've got a passport now.

We could go to Italy.

I just miss having a warm body in my bed at night.

Having a fix it man.

Having someone to bring in my groceries.

Hey Bubba,

God's mercies are new every morning.

I have learned so much in your absence.

He teaches me as I stay in His word and seek him in prayer every day.

He knows what is best for me and He provides everything I need.

To Him, I am thankful and grateful.

God knows best.

He is very near.

Hey Bubba, 

I love you!

See you soon!

Cathy

💗

 

tropical rain storm

 

When we realized that the storm had set in for a while,

we decided to make our way back to the ship.

Little did we know how hard that would be.

This photo was taken right before the heavy rain started.

We were still taking pictures and doing touristy things.

The clouds were heavy with moisture and headed straight for us.

The ship seemed close.

Early in the morning we disembarked from the ship and made our way

to this little cluster of shops and restaurants that you see above.

This is where we all made a mad dash to get back to when the deluge came.

Somehow Amanda and I ended up separated from the boys.

We ideled in a gift shop waiting for the rain to subside.

It never did.

Somehow, thankfully,

 I ended up with the fourth poncho that Mark had purchased.

Side Note...

Grammy and her seven grandchildren.

Make note of my beautiful, new, white, Hoka tennis shoes bought just for the cruise.

At some point, we decided to make a mad dash for the Escape.

A mad dash for me is a fairly fast walk.

The boat wasn't that far.

By the time we got near the gangplank, 

we were completely drenched.

My new white tennis shoes were filled with water.

They were so heavy I could barely lift my feet.

The saving grace was the big blue beach towels the crew were handing out to all of the wet rats who were so thrilled to be back on the boat.

Seeing hearts,

even on a rainy day.

Tropical rain storms are the best!

💗

rainy days and cruises never get me down

Early morning arrival.

Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Cloudy.

No blue skies.

No bright, shining sun.

But it was glorious to be there no matter the weather.

The sign...

always have to get a picture of the sign.

The palm trees, they are everywhere.

The ponchos.

It started to rain as soon as we walked about half a mile into Tortola.

Mark had the foresight to purchase rain gear before we left the ship.

The Hollingsworth family was well covered.

The rest of us were caught in the downpour.

We spent a lot of time standing under overhangs waiting for the rain to diminish.

Still,

 there is something wonderful about being caught in real tropical rain.

Oh no!

When I turned a corner

 and saw this sign and the dark cloud forming behind the mountain,

I had a bad feeling.

Are TSUNAMIS a regular thing here in Tortola?

What does that arrow mean?

Is that which way we should run?

Is that the direction that the TSUNAMI is approaching?

So many questions.

No real answers.

More from the British Virgin Islands later.

Wearing this today!

 

deck 8 ~ the promenade...

A great place to gather.

A super place to sit and people-watch.

A delicious place to purchase a really fancy cupcake 

or to delight in a gelato like Harry and I did one day.

A  place to check your social media.

We all had little to no minutes.

A conveinient place to stand by the ship's rail and take pictures of faraway places.

A good place to look through a handy telescope.

🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢🚢

The promenade was where the old-time ship patrons 

strutted around in their fancy clothes breathing in the fresh sea air.

For us modern travelers,

it was the place where we met to make plans and to "take a turn" around the ship.

There is nothing like cruising!

Always a delight!

💗

 

a really long way from home eating delicious food

Our trip took us to St. Thomas and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands.

We were somewhere in the circle...

way down further than we had ventured before.

Notice our route back as evidenced by the red line.

That's when the boat started rocking violently .

One of our specialty dinners was held at Teppanyaki.

We felt honored to get reservations as it is very popular.

The food is cooked on a griddle at the table.

The boys were slack-jawed as the chef put on quite the show while he cooked our food.

The food was so delicious.

I got jumbo shrimp and succulent scallops.

Seeing hearts!

💗

A picture of the fried rice our chef made for us.

Dress-up night.

Gram and Eli.

The view from my cabin at the back of the ship.

 

the sail away party ~ Norwegian Escape

At 4:00 pm everyone gathers on the pool deck for a massive and loud party.

Not us.

We all clamor to get right in the front of the ship which has the best view.

The whole cruise is up ahead.

Leaving the port and going out into the ocean is exhilarating.

I love the mural painted on the side of our ship.

Following another cruise ship out of Port Canaveral and into a week of fun.

The weather was mild and sunny.

Random shots of us taking pictures of the sail away.

David with Harry and Arch.

Don't ask me why I wore black

The last time we sailed away in February it was freezing.

Also, I should have worn sunglasses.

😎

Really cute of Amanda and Erika and Harry though.

Amanda, always the life of the party!

🎉🥳

It was so good to crawl into bed on that first night.

The gentle rocking is so familiar and soothing.

I sleep like a baby on cruises.

The rocking turned a little violent later in the week.

(another whole story)

🚢💗

 

family cruise ~2024

Two weeks ago today we left our homes to start our adventure.

We met up with the Hollingsworth family in lovely Melbourn, Florida.

We fellowshipped around the table at the local Mexican restaurant.

We were giddy with excitement to start our journey.

The picture above shows us lined up the next morning waiting to get on the Shuttle to our ship.

Twelve people.

More than 12 suitcases.

(I took two)

The level of joy at this point was palatal.

The process of getting on the boat is never fun,

but my passport made things much easier.

I was so proud to present it.

The afternoon consisted of grabbing lunch 

and then waiting for our cabins to be ready and our baggage to arrive.

Then it was time to sail away.

(more about that later)

As I posted before, my cabin was on the back of the boat.

(I'll have more to say about that later as well)

This was the view I had as we left the United States of America behind.

Overwhelming.

Breathtaking.

Joy unbounded.

Thankfulness that God had this for us.

I had been praying about this trip for months.

It was ALL it possibly could have been.

💗🚢

 

my birthday celebration

We went to Bella's Italian Restaurant to celebrate my birthday.

Bella's is my favorite Italian restaurant in Savannah.

I got Shrimp Scampi,

Always delicious!

🦐

Harry had to work and Gus had a basketball game.

It was pouring down rain.

We were just home from our fabulous cruise,

but we mustered for another celebration.

My birthday roses!

Pink roses are my favorites.

I also got a basket of goodies of things I need for my new car.

Lu and Gus chose Christmas tree ornaments from the British Virgin Islands.

Walter gave me a red heart,

(he knows that I look for hearts)

to put my soap on.

Arch went to Fresh Market and got my favorite

Chocolate Chip Marshmallows.

These people know everything I love!

Here is a closeup of the ornament that Lu gave me.

A starfish inset with the colors of the ocean down in the Caribbean.

Gus chose these dolphins etched in a piece of sea glass.

He said it was me and him swimming side by side in the sea.

So beautiful...

the ornament and the sentiment.

This little notebook was tucked away in my new car basket.

I am always thinking of "Big Ideas" when I'm driving.

Now I can write them down so I don't forget.

Perfect!

I'm working on editing my cruise pictures.🚢

 

Happy Valentines Day

💕

 

on turning...

76

I was young and now I am old.

God knows the number of my years.

He is abundantly gracious in His mercy to me

to allow me to live to this ripe old age.

I wouldn't have another breath

unless He gave it to me.

Merciful, kind, loving God,

I am yours.

You have a plan and purpose for my life.

Thank You!

Last week...

 Top deck of the Norwegian Escape.

Soaking up the sun and the love of my family.

Blessings are too numerous to count.

💗

 

family cruise ~ 2024

Just back home from paradise.

We had the best time ever.

Pictures to follow.

🚢

 

hello February

I love these verses.

I pray them most every day for myself and the people I love.

"And this I pray, 

that your love may abound still more and more

 in real knowledge and all discernment,

 so that you may approve the things that are excellent,

 in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 

having been filled with the fruit of righteousness

 which comes through Jesus Christ 

to the glory and praise of God." 

Philippians 2: 9 ~ 11

💗