After the CMA Thanksgiving Feast, we headed east for a week in Atlanta with my parents. It was a really great week and a lot happened. I'll try to recap the high points.
The night before we left, Zoe started running a fever. Just out of the blue she began to show a little cold. Jennifer and Zoe were up all night, and we left around 5:00 AM. On the trip we decided to stop and get Zoe some medicine and we also ate at a Logan's Roadhouse in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. From there we hurried on to Mableton, Georgia, where we arrived at my parents house around supper time. A favorite Barbeque restaurant of ours was our first meal in Atlanta. We all crashed pretty early that night, but not before we watched Finding Nemo...again.
It was really a pleasure to be with Mom and Dad, and Sunday morning we were happy to attend with them at Smyrna Assembly of God, my old church when I was a teenager. The service that morning was especially good, and the worship music was great. After service, we all ate at Olive Garden.
A few weeks earlier, Ezekiel, an NFL fan and even more avid Tennessee Titans fan, realized that the Titans would be playing the Atlanta Falcons in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta while we were in town. That realization began a two week search for a decent deal on some tickets, and culminated with Zeke, Joby and I taking the MARTA down to the Dome and taking in their first NFL game. We had a blast. They enjoyed riding what they called 'the subway' and it was so exciting to go trpsing around the Georgia Dome with all the fans, the marching bands, and the scalpers. They were completely wide-eyed as they saw the players come on the field! They had the binoculars pressed against their faces nearly the entire game. When the Falcons went up 21-0 in the first quarter, I thought Zeke was going to cry, but as the Titans started to come back, so did his spirits! That night was a great time and we will always remember it.
The next morning, Zoe was still sick with a little cold and fever, but we decided to all go to Fernbank Museum of Natural History. On the way there, we took a route though downtown Atlanta and drove by many of the places where my parents had grown up. It was interesting to hear of the differences in the way of life that they experienced growing up. They walked lots of places and went to parks that were actually in their neighborhood. Dad told one story about a time when he walked a number of blocks to see Jayne Mansfield at the grand opening of the first K-Mart in Atlanta. We saw the schools and where the schools had been. We saw the ice cream shops and where the dime store used to be. We also saw where both of the old churches were, both buildings were still there. I was struck at the similarities and the differences between Jen and I as parents and my Dad's parents. They loved and lived for God and their children knew it, I want to make certain ours know the same thing about their parents. Yet, in our crazy time, I can't imagine letting our young children walk blocks through the city to the ice cream shop alone. I know that much of the problems that we face are as old as the world, but in some respects, man, how times have changed.
I had been many times before on field trips to the old Fernbank Science Center when I was young, but everything has grown and has been vastly improved. We saw some incredible exhibits and had a blast. The loved the dinosaurs and the hands-on exhibits. It was just a very cool day. Later on that afternoon we were able to visit with my Grandma and Grandpa. Grandpa had found some Steve McNair cards for Ezekiel and that completely made his day.
We hung out on Tuesday and Wednesday; ate a Philly Connection philly cheesesteak sandwich, a personal favorite of ours, and played alot of video games. It also seemed to be the week for hero movies. The Hulk and the Daredevil were joined by Kim Possible and the obligatory Lord of the Rings. Tuesday, I got some new glasses, which was great because now I can see at night when I am driving. (Jennifer is very pleased.) The glasses have been described with a wide range of adjectives from 'cool' and 'hip' to 'silly', 'funky', 'nerdy' and 'Buddy Holly-looking'. All descriptions are accurate.
Wednesday, Jennifer, Zoe and I had a great lunch at one of our favorite little authentic Mexican restaurants near my parent's house. Later on that evening we cooked pasta for the family. We, of course, played more video games.
Thanksgiving morning we had a great brunch, and watched some of the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. My Dad and I went to the airport to pick up my brother and his family. It had been too long since we had seen Joel and Melanie and the kids. I really enjoyed the ride with Joel, we talked and laughed and for a few minutes it reminded me of riding in a car together when we were still living at home. I was really excited to hear of the good things that are happening in their lives and in their church. Everyone had already arrived when we got to the Monroe Thanksgiving Meal at my cousin Mendi Pittards neighborhood clubhouse. We were ready to eat, but before we did we snapped this picture. It was great to be with everyone there. We laughed and ate and got reacquainted. I can really say that I miss everyone and would certainly enjoyed our brief get together.
Friday was also a good time as we hung out with my brother Joel and Melanie and their children. It is so weird to think that my parents home moved from two children (my brother and I) to eight as fast as you can turn around. At any rate it was an 'alive' house for a few hours. Later that evening my grandparents and my cousin, Jeremy and his son, Josiah came over. Jeremy is one of those people who really love Jesus and has the compassionate heart to prove it. I like being around him; it makes me remember college and even earlier, the B band.
(By the way, B Band memorabilia is currently experiencing a surge in value. People are willing to pay top dollar for any authentic B Band stuff. Pictures, Instruments, and recordings are especially hot. Recently a collector in New Jersey bought the Waffle House Napkin that the original lyrics to "My Keeper" were jotted on for 250,000 dollars. )
The whole trip to Atlanta was a great time, and we are looking forward to the next time that we get to see everyone. Here are a few other pics that we taken on the trip. First, Abby with her pigtails, Dad with the girls, and the Monroe Family.
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