Little Kiddos, Little Heathens, Then and Now

When our children were young, my Grandmother Mae lived in Linville, LA.  We had to travel through Haile, LA to get there.  This was an absolute thrill to my four little heathens.  From the backseat Ken and I would here, "Do you think we're in 'Haile' yet?  'Cause this sure feels like 'Haile.'"  This was always followed by multiple giggles, snickers and rebukes from Daddy.  But it got better.  The little darlings could not wait to get to church the next morning and tell the deacons, "Hey we went to see our grandmother and Great-grandmother yesterday.  But we had to go through 'Haile' to get there."  They giggled, the snaffuued, the deacons shook their heads at the preacher's kids. 

Joe, Tafta, Ben and Jonathan
Our first inflatable canoe trip!

My third child, Benjamin, called me yesterday.  It had hailed big marbles of ice at his house.  He called all the children to watch the hail with him through their big windows.  Bethany Cate, his third lil darling, was standing there sweet and innocent and very thoughtful.  He thought she might be afraid.  But she was not.  She had something else on her mind.  Finally she turned to him and asked, "Daddy, why is it ok for you to say, 'Come watch the hail.' And it's not ok for me to say, 'What in the hell?' "  The journey is full circle...

Bethany Cate is WONDERFUL!!!
Peggy, Ashley's Mom, says she can't wait to see Ben when BC is 16!