Family History

Found these little gems in a bunch of things Curt's Grandma gave him. I also found a letter that Curt's Mom had written his Grandma Beulah when he was 6 weeks old. It said he was 10lbs 4 oz at his 6 week checkup (which was Lucas' birth weight) and that he was so handsome that she could tell already that he would have lots of girlfriends.

Curt's Parents Andrea & Robert (Bob)

Andrea pregnant with Curtis?

Samantha, Curtis, and Angela in 1988

31st

Happy Birthday Curtis!

In Honor of Banned Book Week

During my senior year at Windsor Forest High School, a parent tried to ban books that were part of our summer reading for my AP English Class. The parent wanted books and movies pulled from classes from both Advanced and AP Junior and Senior classes. He didn't read any of the books himself but flipped through them and saw they had bad words in them. After an article appeared in "Creative Loafing" railing against my teachers I wrote a letter to the editor saying that they should talk to the kids and teachers involved. A reporter at Savannah Morning News saw my letter and called me and interviewed me for a story about the banning. When the community caught wind of the story there were school board meetings and the community united against the banning and the books were added back into our curriculum. The news articles are still available online (except for Creative Loafing)

A War Over Words November 16,1999

Community Protests Censorship November 18, 1999

Book Ban Lifted at Windsor Forest High School November 19, 1999

Reading Between the Lines of the Book Ban December 5, 1999

AASU hosts Sebastian Dangerfield talk on Irish literature March 9, 2000

A few months after the book ban was over we were invited to attend a lecture at AASU. When it was publicized that the book ban would be spoofed at the lecture the field trip was canceled. A few of us decided to still go and so we signed out of school for various reasons and attended anyway (with permission from our parents.) Before the lecture, we got our picture snapped with a fake protester for our teachers who were not allowed to be there.

Guess He Has Always Been Super

September 2007

Father and Son

Candi & Johnny

This past weekend I left Curt and Lucas at home and went to Vermont to see my friend Candi get married. We've known each other since 6th grade and we've kept in touch through the years. She lives in California now and I actually got to see her last month when we were there so she's gotten to meet Lucas a few times. She actually went with us on his very first trip to the beachright before he turned one. The wedding was at a ski resort and the ceremony was actually held at the top of a mountain so we had to take a ski lift to the top. The view was amazing and I was so glad that I was able to be there.

Us in Middle School

Together in California in April 2010

Hanging out he night before her wedding

Our Annual Playgroup Halloween Party

2006

2007

2008

2009

Then and Now

This past Friday, we picked Lucas up from school early and headed to Helen, GA for our annual trip. This was Lucas' 5th trip there. It is really cool that we're able to take him somewhere that I've been going since I was a kid. I thought it would be fun to compare pictures of Lucas on our trips to Helen.

Then: October 2005- Barely 2 Months Old. Lucas had just started to sleep in his Bassinet and instantly became attached to him lovey that got nicknamed "Baby"

Now: His still sleeps with his "baby"

Then: October 2006- Content to sit still and be quiet

Now: Nothing quiet or still about him now

Then: October 2007- He had a lot of fun hanging out with his Aunt Lori

Now: Aunt Lori has her own little one to entertain

Then: October 2008 - Still has a bit of that cute baby look in his face

Now: He looks so grown up

Vintage Family Pictures

Lucas has his first school project due on Friday. We have to help him make a family tree, so I've been spending the evening going through family pictures. I am feeling a little bit sad that my Grandpa never got to meet Curtis or Lucas and that we never got to meet Curt's Grandpa either.

Happy 24th Birthday Lori

"How do people make it through life without a sister?" ~Sara Corpening

Remembering Dawn Nelson

Wednesday afternoon I got a message from a friend Dawn Y. from High School asking if I knew how to get in touch with our other friend Dawn N. because their 10 year High School Reunion is creeping up and she wanted to make sure Dawn knew about it. I told Dawn Y. that it should be no problem since I knew that Dawn N. was on facebook and I would just send her a message. No big deal.

The only problem was when I went to Dawn N’s facebook page the first thing I saw was an announcement for her memorial service on Jan 10th. I thought that Dawn must know ANOTHER Dawn, that it must be a mistake. I searched for more info and saw comments from Dawn’s other friends how much she would be missed. My heart just broke right there. I searched around a little more and found a link to Dawn’s website. Turns out last march she had been diagnosed with Leukemia and less than a year later she had passed away.

As everything sank it I couldn’t stop crying. I had already been to one memorial service this week for a friend’s mother that had passed away Saturday and two reminders in one week of truly how short life can be is almost too much to take.

I am feeling so guilty right now that I lost touch with Dawn after I got married. She was such an amazing person. We met at Church when we were teenagers. Her Dad was one of the chaplains at the Chapel where my family went and we clicked almost right away. We hung out at youth group and at school. I can’t even count the number of movies we went to see together or all the fun we had on the youth group trips. Right before her senior year her family moved to Arizona where her Dad was stationed, and it didn’t stop our friendship at all. That summer I flew out there and had a blast while Dawn showed me around Tombstone where she worked sometimes. She also introduced me to pizza sandwiches and she made the BEST chocolate covered strawberries.

I went home and started my senior year of high school and she went off to college. She and a group of friends came through Savannah for St.Patrick’s Day on their way to Florida for spring break and we all headed down to River Street. It was so packed downtown that we ended up parking at the Gwinnett Street Kroger and walking to River Street. I don’t know why but I remember us singing “I Try” by Macy Gray all the way there because we kept tripping on the cracks in the sidewalk trying to walk in the dark. After we had our fill of downtown we all headed back to my house. The next day around lunch Dawn and her friends left for Florida, and that was the last time I saw her in person. We kept in touch for a while through emails and instant messages but lost touch over time.

I was so excited when we found each other on Facebook. It was fun to see pictures of what she was doing now. I was also excited that she was living in Charleston, SC. She was so close that I knew we would end up getting together and catching up but I never got around to telling her that a meet up was long over due. That is why the second Dawn Y. asked me to contact Dawn N. I went to do it immediately. I was going to tell her about her High School reunion and then mention that when she came to town we just had to get together… but I was too late, and I can’t stop crying. I haven’t seen Dawn in almost ten years but knowing that she is no longer alive just hurts so much.

After finding out about Dawn’s passing, my friend Priscilla told me to come over for a cup of coffee because she knew I was so upset. Priscilla let me talk about Dawn for a bit and then changed the subject just when I needed too so that I was laughing. I couldn’t stay at Priscilla’s house all night though so I eventually headed home after I knew Curt and Lucas would be in bed.

On the way home I started crying again. In my head I was thinking all the standard “God, why her?” and how she is just a year older than I am and all the things she will never get to do. I’m sure it is basic stuff to think about and feel bad about when someone dies. I ended up turning on the radio and pressing scan and letting it randomly land on a station. The very first lyrics I heard on the radio were “I’m already dancing on the streets of gold can’t stop celebrating in my soul” I turned up the radio as loud as it could go and just let the music wash over me. Ever single song that came on the radio while I was driving home was about heaven.

When I got home I grabbed my ipod and crawled up on the couch and just listened to music and cried and thought about Dawn. I was still awake when Curt got up for work the next morning. After he left I took a long hot shower and made some breakfast. I ended up sitting down and reading ever post on Dawn's Blog that she started when she found out last March that she had leukemia and continues until she passed away on January 8th. I know she is in a better place.

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Please consider registering to become a bone marrow donor and/or a blood donor. Also you can pledge a donation to help support Dawn's friend who is running a half marathon in her honor while raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The Summer 8 Years Ago

The summer after I graduated high school I went to Jacksonville, FL to visit Katie. She thought it would be hilarious to have my picture taken next to one of Jax's finest. This was also back before I stopped dying my hair. Now when I run into anyone from high school they think I dye my hair brown. They don't believe my that my hair now is my natural color.

Old Friends

I had completely forgotten about these pictures of Lucas from his first Disney trip in January 2007. He thinks it is pretty cool that he got to"meet Buzz and Woody" when he "was little."

Just Babies

Our 7th Wedding Anniversary is Sunday. Looking back it seems like we were just babies when we got married. I was 19 and Curt was 21.