Florida...eight months later.....

Birmingham airport....headed to Florida after a fun ten days.

Christina, Shell and George

Oona holding Lily Ryann

The Petersons: Shell, Genavive, Taylor, Hannah, Lily Ryann, Ryan, Nicole and Me.


Cathie and Joyce came to dinner!

I planned the dates for Shell to bring Genavive up and then I would take her home, so it would work out that I was in Florida for July 19, the anniversary of Marina's death. I wanted to be with George and Christina for that day. I felt like Christina needed me as much as I needed her. She is a big part of my life and I surely feel like she is family. Shell and I had one of the best days we have had in a long time, just relaxing ( in the pool) and talking our heads off all day. Christina told us her " life story" and a story it is....being in the war in Germany, losing her Mother and Grandmother for over a year, being drafted into the army and how awful things were during the " air lift". You sure learn more "history" by having someone tell you what they experienced, than reading a history book. My mom used to tell me stories that she went through during the war, while my Dad was over in Germany, fighting and to hear the " other side of the story"....it gives you something to think about. Growing up, Marina and I never realized that our fathers fought against each other and if they would have come across each other, one of them would have probably been killed. A scary thought. I had heard these stories from Christina, when I was growing up but I am so glad that Shell got to hear them all from Oma.

I was only in Florida for four days....not enough time to see everyone that I had wanted but I did fill every minute that I was there. The most important person I wanted to see was little " Lily Ryann", my five month old grand daughter. Nicole and Ryan have been sending us lots of pictures of her but I couldn't wait to hold her in my arms. What a sweetie. It was fun seeing the other girls....wow have they grown! They were cute...they put on a concert for us after dinner. It felt good to be able to hug Ryan after all this time too.

I spent two nights with Christina and George, one night with my good friend Sandy and the last night with Elaine. It just happened that I was there for my birthday, since Marina died three days before it. Elaine picked me up Thurs morning and we shopped before we went out to lunch. Then, we headed to her house to get ready for a big "family dinner". Shell had also invited two really dear friends of mine, Joyce and Cathie. I'm so glad they came to Elaine's. Everyone gave me such nice presents. So many of them, that I had to use one of Elaine's duffel bags , to get them home. When it came time for everyone to leave that night, Genavive wasn't handling leaving Oona very well. There were lots of tears so Auntie Elaine whispered in her ear...."would you like to spend the night with Oona and we will take you home in the morning?"....and of course the answer was " YES". So, we had one more night together. Thank you Auntie Elaine! There were tears the next morning too, but we worked through them. We will be planning the " next time" Genavive gets to come up to see Oona, Papa, Annabelle, Marmie and " the girls". Elaine and Erin dropped me off at the airport and I couldn't wait to get home. Southwest Airlines must have known how badly because we were 20 minutes early landing in Birmingham! Thank you Southwest. There is nothing like " Sweet Home Alabama".