Welcome Home, Girls!

Dear Mom,

I am back in my little nest and woke up at 5:30. Guess Miss Betty is still with me in spirit!!

This weekend was bittersweet, but mostly sweet, as we LOVE your buyers, Debra and Becky. They are hilarious and wanted to meet us just as badly as we wanted to meet them.

Cookie and Matt came over to help us finish packing on Saturday morning and to see if they could find any treasures in what we were not taking.

You would have been tickled listening to them divide up the kitchen stuff. Mattie got the red pots and pans I sent you with my Bank of America "spirit points." They both loved Grandmama's spoon collection, so it worked out just right that there was one for each of them! 

Over the past few months, we had a wonderful time letting friends take a look at the furniture. It was truly a "God thing," as almost no one wanted the same pieces. I should do a separate post about it, but the bottom line was it was really special and would have made you so happy.

Mattie got your dresser, and Cookie got the big entertainment center and Uncle Howard's handmade coffee table bench. You should have seen the movers carrying that ginormous entertainment center down the steps. Yowzers! Leigh Ann thinks I have jacked up the pay scale in Gadsden County with the NYC rates I insisted we should pay them, but I think they earned every nickel. (And remember when Eddie moved that piece from north Alabama for me? What a doll he is!)

We picked up the truck at what may be the most unattractive Uhaul franchise in the U.S. While Leigh Ann found her way to the office, I amused myself outside...

The man was really sweet, and when we saw all of his used appliances, we told him to mosey on over on Monday and help himself to that second fridge out of the laundry room. Somehow it just stopped working in February. Maybe he can use it for spare parts.

It was around 11 when "the girls" came by. We were tickled that it seemed they were equally eager to meet us. I think they're going to be a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. They are sweet and delightful. Becky cracked us up. She said Deb will handle all the decorating, but she does need a place to put her Batman collection! We suggested the downstairs "outhouse." It will be fun to see what they do with the place. Seeing this as a new chapter for them was a big help in feeling less sad about our loss. Just feels like the universe is at work healing and making things new.

Their families said that since they will have double ovens, maybe they should host Thanksgiving this year! They told us to stop by any time and check in. 

It is funny how we've all called them "the girls" even though they are in their 40s. I love the fact that's the way people in Quincy still refer to us. Mr. Billy said we will always be "the girls," no matter how old we get! 

He and Mr. Phillip really saved the day for us when a tree fell last week before we got there...they chopped it up and repaired the fence. So sweet and so special. Just unbelievable, really. Only in the Q.

We had the truck loaded by about 3 p.m., and it really wasn't as bad as we expected. So, we had time to shower and walk over to Hillcrest with Miss Betty, where we checked on Grandmama and Paw Paw, and we did the first of six ash sprinkling ceremonies. Miss Betty made it really special with something she had saved to read.



I still think one of the neatest things about Quincy is the fact the cemetery functions sorta like a park.

Saturday night, we went out to dinner with the Smith family. Aunt Tillie was in town and treated everyone to Bonefish Grill.

Since Saturday was our "Martha day," Sunday was our "Mary day." We went to Centenary, where it was United Methodist Women's Sunday. They had a special speaker from Birmingham, Paulette West. Her husband went to college with Dick Reddick, and she runs United Methodist Volunteers in Mission for the Southeast. Leigh Ann and I played the name game with her and came up with lots of mutual connections via our work leading mission teams in Brazil, Costa Rica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

Miss Patsy made us a salad plate for lunch, which was just perfect, as we'd eaten Hardee's twice in 24 hours the day before. ("You might be in Quincy if...")

We made a few drop-in visits, and then the Subers hosted a little open house for us to get our hugs in. It was just perfect. The Colombos came over from Tallahassee, and it was adorable to watch Julia play with Maxwell and Page.

Jeff and Ainsley dropped by with a hilarious gift for us. Right after we had our dinner conversation about Sheryl Sandberg's effort to "ban bossy," they saw these tote bags at the Girl Scout headquarters! (Anyone who doesn't know about this campaign can read more about it here.)

Ainsley asked if we could take a "silly picture" too...

Mr. Bill earned both the "best dressed" and "best belly laugh" awards.

Monday morning, we had one last errand to run with our angel Cookie Girl.

Then, MaBet and Grandpa sent us off, and we hit the road in our sweet ride.

Remember when you gave extra credit for Uhaul spotting with the state trivia? What are the chances we would have gotten one with our destination right on it?! (Hmm, one in 50, I guess?!)

We signed the closing papers at the attorney's office in Tallahassee and headed north. Outside of Thomasville, an SUV with 30-A and Sewannee stickers passed us. Leigh Ann said, "That was Mr. Mark!!"

We took a different route, which I loved, as it went through a lot of small towns. We stopped in Eatonville at the Uncle Remus museum, and I bought a book for Barb to read Maggie and J.B., as she'd mentioned those books are hard to find these days.

We can report Nina has gone into the fashion and beauty supply business, but we did not have time to stop and check out her weaves. Leigh Ann was on conference calls for half of the afternoon. It was delightful!

Miss Betty sent us a photo of Mr. Billy enjoying his little birthday cheesecake from Carnegie Deli... 

On Tuesday morning, the movers came and unloaded the truck. They got everything into the attic except your iron bed frame, which was too tall and had to go outside. Yes, we kept that! I know it would make you happy.

I went to see Daddy Dave and Barbara, and then I met Anne, Darcy and Bridget for lunch at Flying Biscuit. Darcy was such a good girl, Anne "treated" her to a hair cut at the coolest kids' salon ever! She was hilarious and such a love bug. Her favorite foods are hot dogs and proscuitto rolls. Yep, she's Anne's!

I spent the afternoon going through photo albums and organizing some of the stuff I'd left in LA's attic when I moved three years ago. When I'm back over Easter, there will be some runs to Goodwill! Need to do a separate blog post on some of the stuff in your wedding scrapbook...

On Sunday, the sermon was about the Body of Christ -- the way we all contribute something unique to the building of God's kingdom. That could have been sad, as you were a big part of that body for me -- and for many other people. But I think Christ's body is one of magical and mystical regeneration, constantly growing new parts to replace those that die and fall away. I knew I was on the right track when Miss Kay read this benediction:

New every morning is your love, great God of light.

All day long you work for good in the world.

Stir up in us desire to serve you,

to live peacefully with our neighbors,

to devote each day to your Son,

for each day you make things New for us.

Through our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord.  AMEN.

Welcome home, Debbie and Becky! May your years at 415 Highland Avenue be as rich in laughter and friendship as ours were. 

Saudade,

Lynsley