Just what I needed

Hughes got out of the tub last night after a particularly hard day, kissed me, and whispered,

"best mom ever".

It soothed my heart to hear those spontaneous words from him.

Conversations

When I'm crying and Banks sees me, he always asks if I'm crying because of PopPop. I always tell him that I'm crying because I miss him. Here's our conversation one day:

Banks: Mom, are you crying because you miss PopPop?

Me: yes

Banks: PopPop is in heaven.

Me: you're right and we need to make sure that we're always doing our best so that PopPop can see us and be proud of us

Banks: PopPop is in heaven with God?

Me: yes with God and Jesus

Banks: and Santa Claus?

Me: yeah, him too!

Apparently, St. Nick just got bumped up a few notches on the chain of importance.

***************************************************************

I was in St. Matthews with Mom when David called me on the phone. Hughes and Banks were with David in Charleston. Hughes wanted to talk to BecBec.

Hughes: Hi, BecBec. I miss PopPop.

BecBec: I know you do. So do I. But you can still come to St. Matthews and we'll have such a good time.

Hughes: BecBec, next time I come to St. Matthews I'm going to find you a new Dad.

BecBec: Well, I don't need a new Dad but still come to St. Matthews and we'll have a good time.

Hughes is so tender-hearted and caring. I want to wrap his heart in bubble wrap.

PopPop

* Disclaimer *

There are going to be lots of posts about Dad mainly because I want my boys to know what kind of maternal grandfather they had and I like to have it written down so I'll never forget.

Brief History of PopPop

Your PopPop's full name was William Richard Turberville and his parents (your great-grandparents) were William George Turberville and Blanche Sowell Turberville. Your great-grandmother died when PopPop was in college. Your great-grandfather was a pharmacist and your great-great-grandfather owned the Turberville Clinic in Century, Florida which I understand to have been a hospital. PopPop grew up in Century, Florida which is right in the panhandle and on the Florida/Alabama line. Your great-grandmother was from Flomaton, Alabama which was right on the state line across from Century. PopPop was an only child and his parents spoiled him rotten. I've been told that he had a Harley Davidson, a private swimming pool and tennis courts at his house, and multiple cars and boats. His cousins have said "that if there were a person with a reason to be selfish then it was your PopPop". But the crazy thing is that PopPop was far from selfish. Again, his cousins have said that PopPop always shared whatever he had with all of his friends no matter what.

He was a generous and selfless man.

PopPop's Colt league in baseball won the World Series in 1959 and he was also on Auburn's 1963 SEC Championship team in baseball, too. PopPop was a good baseball player. He loved all sports but especially Auburn's. He graduated from Auburn in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. While at Auburn, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity (so are your Uncle Bull and Kentos) and his nickname was The Wheel. He got this nickname from his red, convertible Corvette that he drove. If there were ever a place PopPop would have moved it would have been Auburn. His love ran deep.

He was an athletic and smart man.

After graduation he became a naval aviator in the Vietnam War. He flew P3s looking for enemy submarines. That is when he met BecBec. She was teaching for the Department of Defense in Okinawa and that is where he was stationed. They met, fell in love, he broke off his engagement back home, and married BecBec on March 15, 1969.

He was a man full of love and support.

After he got out of the Navy, he flew for Eastern Airlines. In 1981 he was highjacked to Cuba when a group of terrorists got on the plane and doused themselves with gasoline threatening to light themselves and a flight attendant on fire if they didn't get flown to Cuba. PopPop was the 2nd Officer and was the communicator between the terrorists and captain of the plane. They landed in Cuba and the terrorists were arrested. He stayed with Eastern until 1989 when the airline went bankrupt. I remember walking the picket line with him in Columbia.

He was a man of conviction and truth.

After Eastern, he flew for Kiwi which is an airline that a bunch of ex-Eastern airline pilots started. PopPop was in that group of owners. All during this time, though, he kept up his pharmacy license and was filling in at pharmacies. After fully retiring from flying, he worked as a pharmacist filling in for other pharmacists around the area.

He was a man of hard work and dependability.

This is where his love of the RV started. PopPop bought a RV and off BecBec and PopPop went. They took it to all of the Auburn home football games, to the mountains, the beaches, out west, basically any where. I think he went through three of them. All the grandchildren referred to it as PopPop's bus. Just this past year, we went to the beach for a week with PopPop and BecBec and to Disney World. PopPop was always up for an adventure with BecBec.

He was a man who had many great adventures.

But most importantly, PopPop was full of God's love. He lived his life in His footsteps. He was a great example of a Godly man. He was not one to be evangelical but he stood strong and firm in his faith.

He was a faithful servant.

Dad

There is no denying it - my Dad was a great man. He loved us unconditionally, he always had a listening ear, wanted to make sure everyone was doing their best, treated my Mom with the utmost respect and love, and thought his grandchildren hung the moon. I'm so sad for a million reasons but one of the reasons is because my boys won't remember how great he was besides stories that I tell them. Even at age 6, Hughes will only remember a few things.

The last time I saw Dad alive was when I was having lunch with him and Mom on the Thursday before he died. He was wearing his normal Auburn attire. Dad and I agreed that Mom is always running late and how it drives us both nuts. Dad talked about how proud he was of David and how excited he was for our move to DC. Before he left, he got right down on eye-level with Banks and said "PopPop loves you" while pointing to him. He always left the boys like this. I gave him a kiss and then they were off to the creekhouse to drop off some things. That was it.

What I am thankful for is the relationship that I had with him. It was a great one. Sure, every time I called home and he answered he immediately said "here's your mama". He wasn't one to chat on the phone. Even his voicemail on his cell phone says "leave a message". I can understand why the majority of my high school friends were scared to death of him. He had a gruff voice, said few words, and had a dry sense of humor. Not until later in life did they realize what a softie my Dad really was.

He was a great shag partner and we knew each other's moves. He made the best collards and loved to grill. He was one of the hardest working men I have ever known and truly enjoyed it. Do you know any other retired airline pilots who also practice pharmacy in their spare time?

He was the most comfortable in an old Auburn t-shirt and khaki shorts. He saw no need in trying to impress people. He did get dressed-up but only if Mom told him he needed to. He wore his hats too high on his head and would often push his glasses halfway up his forehead. And he always had on his Auburn belt.

Hughes and PopPop

BecBec and PopPop with the grandkids before Collins was born

In Hilton Head at the beach last summer. We spent a week with PopPop and BecBec just relaxing and enjoying the pool and beach.

Collins and PopPop napping on the porch at the creekhouse.

At Disney World, starting the Buzz Lightyear ride. I think PopPop had the most fun. We also spent a week with them down in Orlando this past November.

At Disney before the stunt car show.

I think this is at Disney, too.

Last family photo at the Wimberly Dinner during Christmas.

I've been told that one day the pain won't be as painful and the emptiness won't feel so empty. Right now, I feel like I am only a shell. One day the sun will shine again and I will find my smile but for now I'm taking it hour by hour, day by day.

My Dad was a great man.

Introvert vs. Extrovert

Email from David:

I read this article in Time magazine while getting the car serviced this morning. I don't think you will be able to access it without a subscription, but it was really good and made me think of Hughes. It was all about introverts and how they are the thinkers - cautious and calculated. Society tends to lean towards the extroverted kids who are all personallity and outgoing, etc. But the introverts are the ones who tend to become the writers, scientists, musicians, and deep thinkers of the world. Notable extroverts were Bill Clinton, George Bush, etc., while introverts were the likes of Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Ghandi, etc. The article even mentioned that introverts may be better CEOs because they listen more than they talk, which can result in more empowered employees = better business efficiency. Go Hughes!

The other article in the same issue was more health/parenting related. It desribed an interesting study that tested various simuli on babies (popping balloons, other loud noises or distractions, etc.). Some babies reacted loudly (crying), some reacted as slightly interested. Those same babies were later assessed as children and the loud reaction babies were the introverts whereas the calm unaffected babies were the extroverts (and of course there was a group of intermediates too). Anyway, it was totally all about Hughes since he was so sensitive as a baby to loud noises and strangers getting in his face and is clearly more of an introverted personality (i.e., building Legos rather than all day basketball marathon with his friends down the street).

So big picture - Hughes will grow up to become a billionaire investor or software designer and Banks will grow up to be president, hahaha. Collins...hmmmm...maybe a billionaire president?

Do you know the Muffin Man?

On the way home from Banks' preschool today:

Banks: Mom, do you know the Muffin Man?

Mom: um, well, I know the song

(I start singing the song)

Banks: Can the Muffin Man come to our house?

Mom: I don't know.

Banks: He lives on Drury Lane.

Mom: yes, yes he does

Conversation Lately

Dad: Hughes, who are you going to marry when you get older?

Hughes: um, probably Miller

Dad: oh, really. She's pretty. Banks, who are you going to marry?

Banks: nobody

Hughes: Banks, you're going to be a big man and be all alone and live by yourself. That's not fun.

Today, while riding in the car with me.

Mom: Hughes, what are you going to be when you grow up?

Hughes: a paleontologist

Mom: oh, who are you going to marry?

Hughes: Miller

Mom: Banks, what are you going to be when you grow up?

Banks: basketball player

Mom: Who are you going to marry?

Banks: no one, I'm going to live with you and Dad

Guess, I can't be surprised when I have our 35 year old living with us. He warned us early.

January

The month of January has flown by. We've been busy but not a lot of pictures were taken. The house is on the market and we've had one showing. I cleaned like the devil only for the boys to mess it up immediately upon coming home after school.

David only has a late class once a week so he's home after 8 most nights. I still think the Kindle we got as a Christmas surprise from David's parents is the best thing ever invented. I've read about 10 books since Christmas which is crazy. Reading at night = less Real Housewives watching. Probably for the best. I'll probably be expected to talk politics later this year in DC and not be asked what the housewives of Beverly Hills are doing.

The weather has been beautiful. Is there a way to take these 70 degree winter days to DC with me next year? We've been looking online and we've narrowed the potential areas to Arlington, Alexandria and Falls Church.

Banks playing Wii. No, Collins is not playing. He just likes to hold the other steering wheel. He thinks he's big stuff now that he can crawl up onto the couch.

Hughes, Hudson and Banks

The boys have been into basketball. Suzie made them these basketball jerseys. Hughes (obviously) still has trouble with some numbers going the correct way. They think these are awesome! I bought them some basketball shorts at Target and now they think they are the real deal. We practice with the recycling bin in the driveway as our goal. I've been trying to teach them about how practicing makes you better. David has been teaching them how to talk smack. Now, Banks and Hughes say "booyah" when they make a shot and "get that junk out of here" or "this is my house" when they block someone's shot. It is quite hysterical to hear Hughes talk trash because he doesn't quite have the voice inflection correct. It's more monotone. So, there you go. Two different parenting styles. Let's just hope they don't start smack talking their teachers!

Collins' favorite toy. He loves it. In and out. In and out. He thinks he's pretty big.

I love this smile. Such enthusiasm.

This turkey is almost 16 months old. He's been taking a few steps but doesn't feel the need to really walk yet. He prefers crawling and I haven't pushed it too hard. He's got about 6 teeth trying to pop through at the moment so he's been a bear to be with unless he's on my hip while I'm standing up.

He likes to swing high. I think he'll be my dare devil and roller coaster kid.

And, lastly, Hughes had a 100 Days of School project due today. We did 100 fingers. We traced our handprints twice, cut them out, and then labeled them by 5's up to 100. These are the boys' handprints. I love them. I think I'm going to do some kind of art project with them but make them in black.

So, there is January. Nothing too exciting. Just good family time.

House for Sale!

We have painted, we have stained, we have de-cluttered, we have Goodwilled, and we have taken pictures. The house is officially on the market! Any takers?

Like my picture? Like the green grass? Well, it pays to take pictures of your house when the yard is in bloom and it is summer. I took this picture two years ago and have several of the backyard with all of the flowers in bloom.

As far as the painting goes, not as easily done as said. On Friday, I touched up all over the house with our main interior color. I've done this before but it had been a while. Well, I did the entire house. I mean every mark, ding, and scratch was painted over leaving nothing but beautiful mark-free walls. Right? Wrong! Last year we had an unfortunate upstairs leak that came through the downstairs' ceiling. It resulted in a lot of dry wall being replaced, new floors being put in, and freshly painted walls. Apparently, the guy who painted the interior of our house 4 years ago and the painters from last year used two different shades of pony tail. So, while I happily touched up our walls ALL over our house on Friday I was really ruining every wall I painted.

Fast forward several hours when I realize that this paint that I have used is a slight shade darker than our wall color. I wanted to scream, to cry, to drink myself silly. It took me a while to figure out what had happened because, like I said above, I had done this so many times before. Apparently the painters from last year only touched up the two walls affected which is why when I touched up those walls they looked perfectly fine. So, needless to say, Saturday night was a painting party at the house. We haven't even approached upstairs and I'm trying to convince David to just hire someone to do the upstairs.

Besides that minor catastrophe, everything else went as planned. The boys came back on Sunday and we were glad to have the MLK holiday to relax and prepare for the week ahead.

So, yes, our house is on the market and our upstairs needs to be repainted quickly. I need a drink.

On your mark, Get set,

GO!

2012 feels just like that so far. We have started the year off being very busy. We have lots of changes coming this year and we're excited!

1. We are getting ready to put our house on the market which means we are in the trenches of cleaning, painting, decluttering, goodwilling, etc. I'm embarrassed by the amount of stuff in our house that I had no problem giving away. We are also doing For Sale By Owner which adds an entire stress level to the situation.

2. David starts his last semester of law school tonight. Can I get a hallelujah? So, we then have law school graduation, the Bar to study/take, and then a job. On the bright side, I'm use to David being gone from 8am to 10pm during his school year so even if he does have to work until 8pm at the office it is still better than night school.

If I ever get the house ready (hopefully in about 2 weeks) then I'll post pictures. If you know of anyone wanting to move to Charleston (Johns Island) and want to buy a house please let me know!

Guess Who Is Taking Steps?

He's not full-out walking yet but he will take three steps and then fall on his bottom. We clap, he claps, and then he crawls away. He also loves to open doors and go through them only to return 5 seconds later. This game can entertain him for a long time.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas Eve, the boys were in St. Michaels' Christmas Pageant as a sheep and cow. I believe they were the most talented sheep and cow up there!

Wimberly was the narrator and is an excellent babysitter.

Banks on stage with his mask off. He did a great job sitting up there and behaving himself.

There were 110 participants in the Christmas Pageant.

Cutest Sheep Ever!

After the pageant, we went to the Rectory to have Christmas Eve dinner with the family and open family presents.

Hudson opening his superhero gift.

Jacob showing off his Papertoy Monsters book that we gave him.

Lucius being cute.

Uncle Rick with an aura around him.

Collins loving his diapers and crayola set. Or, is that Dad loving it?

We had a great dinner and then we headed home to prepare for Christmas morning.

Christmas Morning

I'm pretty sure Santa brought the boys their fill. They each got email videos sent to them by Santa that said they were on the good list so they were pretty stoked about Christmas morning.

Hughes' loot. The favorites were the geodes and the robot dinosaur. He asked for a pterodactyl but had to settle for a robot t-rex.

Banks' side. His favorites were the scooter and bey blade arena.

Collins' chair. He loves the phone.

Dad taking video before the boys broke through the paper.

Sitting on the steps waiting to get permission to break through.

The boys breaking through to see what Santa left.

Cars 2 school pack.

Checking out his red scooter.

Geodes!

Christmas morning ended nice and relaxing with BecBec and PopPop coming for lunch and bringing more gifts. We relaxed all afternoon while the boys played with everything.

Christmas in York

On the 26th, we headed up to York to visit with David's family. Unfortunately, Uncle Bo and Jackie had to leave that afternoon and Aunt Nancy had already headed back to New Orleans, but we did get to see most everybody else. Of course, the boys were beside themselves ready to open gifts. We had a quick lunch and then got ready to open. The boys ripped through everything in about 2 seconds flat and left the parents shuffling through the wrapping paper looking for tags and forgotten gifts.

Collins got a book, a Mickey Mouse car, some clothes, a Batman car, and other assorted gifts.

Uncle Bo and Hughes checking out Hughes' new book - The Human Body.

Banks modeling his new Optimus Prime costume. This kid loves to dress up!

G-Daddy with his grandsons. Excuse Banks' face, he was eating chocolate.

GiGi with her great-grandchildren.

We spent a couple of days in York lounging and playing on our new I-Pad and Kindle Touch. I've read three books since I got the Kindle and am totally in love with it. David was completely surprised to get his "Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday, Happy Graduation" I-Pad. It was a nice relaxing visit with wonderful food and family time.

The Wimberly Dinner

Every year around Christmas time we have the Wimberly Dinner. The dinner was started by the four Wimberly brothers who wanted to get all of their families together - one who happened to be my grandfather, Ken Wimberly. Well, time has passed and the family has grown tremendously. Interestingly, of the four Wimberly brothers, children, grandchildren and now great-grandchildren there is only one boy to carry on the family name.

BecBec and PopPop's grandchildren

Banks and Lucius

Eliza Frezil & Edward Wimberly & Amanda McNulty

We were missing Lil and Conrad.

Wimberly, MaeMae, Al, Rick, Rebecca, Adelaide, Elizabeth, Tony, Christian, Amelia, Hudson & Jacob - MaeMae's entire family

The Wimberlys from Sumter

Gary, Wilkes, Heathie, Wimberly, Scott, Boo, MiMi, Greir, Sister & Uncle Bob

We were missing Robbie, Collins & Cassidy.

Aunt Carolyn & Uncle Marvin's family

Mullin, Wimberly, Aunt Carolyn, Uncle Marvin, Wallace, Lee, Catharine, Mary Wallace & Wilds

We were missing Anna and Michael.

Collins was wonderful and cuddled on everybody. I think every person might have held him throughout the night but his PopPop can always get him to go to sleep.

BecBec & PopPop's family

David, me, Michele, Bill, Kent, Trina, Banks, Hughes, Lucius, Emma, Anna Banks, Bryce, PopPop, BecBec, and Collins

It was a quick trip to Sumter but always great to see everyone.