Layna's Sweet Sixteen

A few weeks ago, when Carla and Nathan were home, we helped celebrate Layna's (April's daughter) sixteenth birthday. The evening started with appetizers at John and April's house, including crab dip, artichoke dip, salsa cheese dip, and fried cheese. John and April had planned a limo ride to GameWorks in Ybor City for Layna and her friends. The limo was late arriving (of course), so we hung out at the house for a while.

What a great picture of April, John, and Carla!

Nathan loves for us to watch him play his DS.

The limo finally arrived.

April looking like Aunt Sharon.

Of course it rained for the occasion.

Layna got a new phone for her birthday.

Nathan begging to play games.

The ultimate competitor.

The kids had pizza at GameWorks, but we had . . .

. . . at . . .

YUM!

Back at GameWorks, April and I wait for the bells and whistles to stop.

Hailey and Nathan called it a night on the way home.

2008 Spring Picture

Here is the 2008 school picture of Nathan and me. It has been a tradition since Nathan was a baby for us to take our spring picture together at school. This year spring pictures happened to be taken the morning Carla and Nathan were flying back to Jamaica, so we were able to squeeze it in. To see the older pictures, visit Carla's blog by clicking here.

Happy 50th, Bishop!

Jim and me, Easter 1977

Today my longtime friend turns 50! Bishop Jim Swilley, or Jimearl to all of his college friends, and I met on the first day of college when we were assigned to be roommates at Southeastern College in Lakeland, Florida, way back in 1976. Jim was 18 and I was 17. We have remained friends ever since. We stay in touch from time to time, and we (almost) always give each other a call on our birthdays. It's easy to remember because our birthdays are exactly six months apart. His birthday is April 3, and my birthday is October 3, so he will always be older than me. He met the half century mark today, so guess what that means for me! Bishop Swilley pastors Church in the Now in Conyers, Georgia, with his lovely wife Debye.

Happy Birthday, Jim!