Encounter at Walmart

I feel that there is an angel inside me whom I am constantly shocking. ~Jean Cocteau

I am no saint by any stretch of the imagination. But, I do believe in angels. And, some times I think we, the ordinary people, can be an angel to someone else. And, some times, we get much more than we give.

We were in dire need of groceries after being out of town all weekend. So, I went to Walmart to load up on some essentials. Plus, I needed to pick up socks. Rachel and Anna's school requested each student to bring in a pair of white socks. These would be donated to local nursing homes. While looking at the socks at Walmart, a woman approached me. Honestly, she startled me somewhat as I was really focusing on the socks at that particular moment. She tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a card which had a short note written in broken English. In summary, the card stated that she was a refugee and in need of money for food for her family which included four children. Now, I've been approached by others with similar sad tales. But, this was a bit different. There was something about this woman that made me pause. She looked like an immigrant and appeared to be in her early 40s. She didn't speak to me so I assumed she didn't speak much, if any, English. Not the typical panhandler....she didn't wreak of alchohol. There was something about her; her expression was one of a woman desperately in need. I decided to give her some money but I couldn't remember if I had any cash. I opened my wallet and found a single $20 bill. I took the money out and gave it to her. She touched me again on my shoulder and then turned and walked away. I was watching her as she walked away; partly because I wanted to see where she would go and partly because I wondered what she would do next. She was walking slowly, almost as if she was tired. And, she was in my direct line of sight. I looked down only momentarily to find my wallet zipper to ensure it was closed. I could not have looked down more than a second. When I looked back up, she was gone. There was no way she could've disappeared that quickly. I even left my shopping cart and walked around the area where she approached me up to the front of the store and there was no sign of her. It was almost as if she vanished into thin air right in front of me. It simply defied reason.

I'm not a crazy person....despite what some people may think. And, I'm not a regular on the nightly news reporting U.F.O. sightings or being kidnapped by aliens either. OK....so I did live in an RV for a period of time but that doesn't mean I've completely lost my sense of reason. I'm telling you....there was no way she could've physically walked away that quickly and disappeared like that. She was right in front of me....couldn't have been no more than five feet away when I briefly looked down. And, then she just vanished.

Later, I asked the cashier while checking out if they had a problem with panhandling and she said, "no." Or, at least, there had been no regular or recent complaints.

So, I'm left to ponder what transpired in Walmart tonight. Did God test me tonight? If so, why in Walmart of all places? Was that woman real? If so, was she really in need of the money for her family or was she just another crook on the take? And, how did she disappear so quickly? Things that make you go hmmmmmmmm.

In the end, I was glad I gave her the money. Not because I may have passed a good Samaritan test. But, because I didn't need it. And, apparently she did. I may have given away money but in return I was reminded of how blessed I am. I have a roof over my head. My family has more food than they can eat. We have jobs. And, we live in a country where we are free. And, last but certainly not least....we have our health. This woman reminded me of how blessed my family is. And, I thanked God that I'm not a refugee that has to approach a stranger in Walmart begging so that my family may eat tonight.

Little Ocmulgee State Park, GA

If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. ~~Anne Bradstreet

We camped out at Little Ocmulgee State Park this past weekend. Our niece, Mary Grace, went on this trip with us. We arrived on Friday evening as it was getting close to dark. Like many state parks, sites are first come first serve. And, many of the nicer sites were already occupied. We chose a site for the night although the slope of the site had too much incline. Since it was dark, we decided to stay here for the night. We enjoyed a nice campfire, home made hot chocolate and s'mores.

On Saturday morning, we decided to move to another site that was more level and it was much more pleasant. The downside though was that it only provided 30 AMPs for electrical needs. The park is very nice though. It has a beautiful golf course, cottages located right on the lake, pool, beach and a lodge with a nice restaurant.

Jefferson Davis Historic Site

If the Confederacy falls, there should be written on its tombstone: Died of a Theory~~Jefferson Davis

We drove to the Jefferson Davis Historic Site in Irwinville, GA, on Saturday. It was a little over an hour from the campground but we wanted to visit it as they were having a reenactment. The problem was that there was a 90% chance of rain through most of the state for Saturday. We called the site and they said they would have the reenactment rain or shine so we made the trip hoping the rain would abate some while driving there. Shortly after arrival we watched a short film and walked around the museum. A little information on this historic site follows:

When Confederate President Jefferson Davis and a few remaining staff members crossed the Savannah River into Georgia on May 3, 1865, they were headed for the Western theater of war where Davis planned to unite rebel forces and continue fighting for the "lost cause." On May 9, 1865, they camped in this pine forest, not knowing that pursuit was so close behind. At dawn, they were surrounded by two independent groups of Union cavalry who were unaware of each other's presence. Gunfire ensued until the federal forces realized they had been shooting at one another. Two Union cavalrymen died during the skirmish. Davis was taken prisoner and held in Virginia for two years until released. Today, a monument marks the spot where he was arrested.

Shortly after arriving, it was steadily raining but it wasn't unbearable. We decided we'd walk a short distance down the trail and we spotted a couple of men dressed as Confederate soldiers sitting at a camp fire in the rain. These guys were dedicated! We wish could've stayed longer to talk with them but it was at that time that the rain started coming down even harder and we had to retreat back to the museum. They had an interesting take on history though. They said they didn't think the Union soldiers mistakenly shot at one another. He believed one regimen was trying to take out the other because they wanted to lay claim to capturing Jefferson Davis and claim any gold he may have had in his possession. But, you won't find that theory in the history books.

You can't tell how hard it was raining just from looking at this picture but if you focus on the glare from our wet coats and the rain splatter on our pants, you'll get an idea.

We were then ready for lunch and we grabbed a bite in a restaurant in Fitzgerald, GA, before going back to our camper.

We enjoyed a lesson on mammals with the park ranger on Saturday evening back at Little Ocmulgee State Park. The girls learned about all types of mammals in the park and the ranger had some previously injured animals that she rehabilitated for the girls to pet.

Sunday was much nicer although still quite cold outside. We made an appointment at a privately owned ranch on Sunday morning in Vidalia, GA. Before driving to Vidalia, we made a brief stop in McRae, GA, to see the miniature replica of the Statue of Liberty and the Liberty Bell. One day we'll make it to Philadelphia and Ellis Island to see the real ones.

Buckhorn Creek Ranch

Osama Bin Llama

An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language. ~Martin Buber

Buckhorn Creek Ranch is about 30 minutes from the state park where we were camping. I found their website while searching for things to do around the park. The girls had an awesome time. You do have to call ahead and make an appointment. We were the only customers so we had the undivided attention. It was $6 per person. This included a hay ride and food for the animals. They had all kinds of animals; chickens, deer, elk, bison, wild hogs, camels, horses, llamas, etc. I think our favorite was the camel. Although the best name given by the owners goes to the llama named "Osama bin Llama." The owners were very nice people and I highly recommend this for families, church and educational groups.

Hiking at Little Ocmulgee State Park

We spent Sunday afternoon enjoying Ocmulgee State Park. We logged about three miles of hiking. We bribed them with icecream if they made the hike. What can I say? Even in 40 degree weather, kids love ice cream! The temperature outside was still cold but very manageable with coats and gloves. We didn't have any snow but it didn't stop Anna from making a "sand" angel while hiking.

On Sunday evening, Jeff built a warm campfire and we enjoyed dinner at the RV. One of the nearby campers had a movie on extremely loud. Anna, never being one to be shy said, "People, turn that down!" She is the one who says things the rest of us think but won't say. Not that the people with the loud speakers heard her.

We ate breakfast at the restaurant at the park lodge on Monday morning before heading home. It is a very nice restaurant with a rustic appeal. They also serve lunch and dinner.

It was quite cold on Monday morning--freezing to be exact. Below is a picture of a water faucet at the campground. And, yes, that is ice, not flowing water.

The trip back home was uneventful. I did forget to mention that this trip was Simba's maiden voyage. And, he did extremely well. You'd never know it was our cat's first road trip. Here he is kicked back with Rachel and Mary Grace watching a movie on the way back home.

Rachel and Anna Meet Sophia

Rachel and Anna had not met Sophia yet so I called Long on Saturday morning to ask to drop by and visit. Rachel and Anna could not believe how tiny Sophia was. Now, when I hold my daughters, it is even hard for me to remember them being so small once upon a time. It's hard to believe that was Rachel's size six years ago. My how time flies.

And, they learned how to say "hello" in Vietnamese from Long and his family.


Birthday Party


We attended Alicia's birthday party at a local business that has inflatable slides, etc. The girls had a blast and were completely wore out by the time that we left. I wouldn't mind going back on a less busy day some time.

Happy Birthday Alicia! And, thank you for sharing your special day with us.

On The Road Again

We are finally taking our RV back on the road this coming weekend to a state park in Georgia that we haven't tried yet. Our niece, Mary Grace, is also going with us. It'll be nice to travel again....it's been over a month. I do enjoy being home but we are long overdue for another trip. It might be a bit cool but I think we'll survive. That's what is great about living in the southeastern United States. You can go camping just about year round. Although, we've found it to be most enjoyable in the spring and fall as the temperatures are the most pleasant then.

This and that...

From the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Will Turner: That's not true. I am not obsessed with treasure.
Jack Sparrow: Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.

In preparation for the Disney Pirate & Princess Party in February, we gave them the option of picking either a pirate or princess costume to wear. They both chose pirates....even my girly girl Rachel. The Disney Store on line had a great sale on this past weekend and I was able to order Elizabeth Swann (female character from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies) pirate costumes at a great price for each of them....much cheaper than what we would've paid if we waited to get them in Orlando. We got their costumes in the mail today and they tried them on. Their picture is shown above.

School Update

I had a Parent-Teacher Conference with Anna's teacher yesterday. It was the first scheduled feedback session with the parents for the year. And, Anna received a glowing report. And, we received Rachel's second report card yesterday with accolades. We feel so blessed that they are excelling at school. Anna's teacher was very complimentary to us as well. She said she could see how much she has learned from the time we spend with her. I do think our many trips in the RV have contributed a lot to her knowledge base. Our children are so blessed that they have been able to experience so much so early in life. I don't think Jeff and I combined traveled as much before the age of 20 as they have in their first few years of life.

Parenting Moments

• Yesterday evening, I decided it had been a while since I discussed body parts with Rachel and Anna--you know, just an educational opportunity. They know the major parts: legs, arms, eyes, ears, etc. This time I thought I'd focus on the muscle groups and other areas such as thigh, heal, tricep, bicep, etc. I pointed to my calf and asked them what it was. Their answer was, "fat." Gotta love the brutal honesty of a child. I'm glad I didn't point to my fanny. I cringe at what they might've said about that. And, no comments from the peanut gallery reading this post either. :-)
• Yesterday morning, Rachel was again discussing her desire to be a veterinarian when she grows up. She asked me if she would get paid for working as a vet and I told her, "yes." She said, "Well, I hope I can find a job working for someone." And, I replied, "You don't have to work for someone else. You can always start your own vet practice." Her immediate concern jumped to the fact that she didn't know how to construct a building for her business. And, Anna, didn't miss a beat when she replied, "Just use Lincoln Logs."

Disney Reservations

We've now got tickets for the Pirate & Princess Party in February. It will be our first time to attend one of these. It's going to be an early birthday gift for Anna. We gave her the choice of going to Orlando or having a party with friends at home. She chose Disney (smart kid!). We could not get reservations at Fort Wilderness in February at all. Everything was booked for RV camp sites. So, we made reservations at the Shades of Green resort. We have stayed there before when we couldn't get reservations at Fort Wilderness. It is a beautiful resort on the Disney campus. This resort is only for military (retired, active duty and reserve) and federal civil service employees. It is located across the highway from the Polynesian Resort so it's very convenient to the monorail or you can always catch a bus. You can drive too but I think the monorail is the most convenient way to go although there is a .5 mile walk to get to the Polynesian from Shades of Green.

If you've never gone for one of these special party events at Disney, I highly recommend it. So far, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is my personal favorite. And, we already have reservations in October at Fort Wilderness for that. We can't wait!

We have reservations after Christmas this year but we have heard too many horror stories about the overcrowding in Orlando and at the theme parks at this time of the year that we are considering canceling those. Jeff is still on the fence about it. I'm ready to cancel. I have no desire to jump into such an overcrowded situation if I can avoid it. That's why I love the special party events...very minimal crowds.