Special Visitors

Family is so important.  For me, I feel an extra special need to give my babies a chance to be near to family who hopefully will love them and help them become loving and caring men.  Family is something that I didn't always have a lot of.  I was adopted along with my brother at the age of eight when my brother was fifteen.  We had been through a lot already including living with our single mother who suffered from severe depression-related mental illnesses, living with other family members, and living in foster care and a children's home.  We met our adopted parents at that children's home.  Even before those parents decided to adopt us forever, we met both of their parents who would come to visit all of us at the home.  Our mom's mother was a precious and sweet lady who would later live near us here in North Carolina and always be a constant and necessary part of our lives.  She lived a very full and active life until she went to be with the Lord at the age of 90 nearly five years ago.  Our dad's mother was a lively, vibrant, and fun lady who lived in California.  She would come out to visit us almost every summer, and I have so many fond memories of our walks and talks together while my parents were both at work and we had the house to ourselves.  Neither of these grandparents ever treated me like I wasn't really their grandchild.  With my NC Granny, I enjoyed helping her work in her yard, going to eat breakfast with her on Saturday mornings, yard saling, and just hanging out at her house and eating all the wonderful homemade food she made me.  Seeing my California Grandma was a special treat because she lived so far away.  She was so funny and entertaining.  I was so touched by the fact that when I got married over nine years ago, she and my Aunt Louise, cousins Terri and Stephanie (beautiful ladies), and my "favorite" Aunt Lorraine came out to join us.  It really made the day feel so special, and I know I was so blessed to have been given this family.  A couple of years ago, we got to take our son, Evan, out to meet his Great-Grandma and the rest of the Cali family for Grandma's 85th birthday celebration.  We really didn't expect that Grandma would make the trek out to see us on the east coast again because the traveling is really hard on her now.  But that dear lady just surprised us again.  She and my wonderful Uncle Floyd headed out here.  They flew in to Cincinnati to see my Aunt Lorraine who lives in Indiana and then they all drove down from there.  Poor Grandma had a pretty miserable car ride because they took a little detour through the mountains.  I get really car sick when I drive through the mountains so I can definitely sympathize with her.  Regardless, we all got to spend a wonderful evening enjoying one another's company and introducing the kids.  The pictures are priceless for sure!

A priceless picture of Great-Grandma with her Smith kids and grandkids.

Me and my Grandma (beautiful lady at 87)

Brody meets his cool Aunt Raine.  He was being a little stinker because he didn't take a long enough nap. 

I love this shot of my Uncle Floyd with baby Brody.

Siblings:  Uncle Floyd, Aunt Raine & my dad

Cousin Reade and Aunt Jessica with Great-Grandma

Great-Grandma meets sweet baby Brody.  He was a handful for her with her recently broken wrist, but she still held him!

Awww, Baby Cate meets her Great-Grandma.

Aunt Raine and Princess Cate

Now this one is the sweetest.  That Uncle Floyd is so good with the babies!

Aunt Raine and Brody - her baby boy Ryan is my age

Great-Grandma with three of the Smith kiddos:  Emma, Lanny & Reade

The Reeses with Uncle Floyd and Great-Grandma

Awww, me and my favorite Aunt!

Sweet baby face.  Just enjoying the new camera a little!

Sweet little princess.

Trying to get a picture of the babies playing together. 

Cutie pie!