Christmas in Dixie-Part 2

Before Marc and I left Alabama for Christmas with the Smith Family, we were able to meet the Byrnes for lunch who were passing through town. This is Nate, and it was such a treat to see him. He has grown so much! I've known his mommy, Melody, since our days in Auburn. We spent most of our "single years" together hanging out...shopping, movies, dinners, and even a few mission trips. I love Melody's heart for the Lord, and I'm proud to call her my friend. Nate is precious...and keeps his parents busy. I think the phrase "all boy" was used several times at lunch. :) That's OK...it will be fun to watch him play at Jordan-Hare one day! Right Scott?


The Byrne Family--Scott, Melody, and Nate. Scott really is a great guy...just ignore the shirt. :) Seriously, I miss this sweet family. Lunch just wasn't enough time--but I was thankful for it.



Here's a snapshot of our very first "House Divided" sporting event. Marc discover that Florida State was playing Auburn in the new Auburn Arena. We drove to the Loveliest Village to enjoy dinner at Amsterdam Cafe (can't beat the Turkey Wrap!) and the game. We actually won 2 free tickets by calling the Sports Talk radio show! I never win anything, so that was definitely a fun surprise. Auburn just makes my heart smile. But here's the truth: Auburn Men's Basketball team struggles--to put it mildly. FSU was clearly favored. Clearly. Apparently a new, multi-million dollar basketball arena doesn't improve your game--but it was cool to look around. But lo' and behold--AUBURN WON! I had a great time watching my "underdog" Tigers pull out a huge win! And Marc--well--he was a good sport--as always. :)



How does the Smith Family say "Merry Christmas"? By booking a cruise instead of buying gifts for Christmas--a great idea! So--we boarded a Royal Caribbean cruise and headed to the Bahamas. I haven't been on a cruise since I graduated high school (yes--it's been awhile), and Marc had never been on a cruise. We enjoyed spending time with everybody--we were able to hang out, eat, play cards, eat, play ping pong, eat, sit by the pool, eat, walk through the straw market, eat, watch the evening show, eat, walk on the beach, eat, read, eat, visit Atlantis in Nassau, and eat. So--here are a couple of pictures of our time on the open sea.

Our formal dinner---a nice looking bunch. We miss them and want them to come visit!! Hint. Hint. The cruise staff gets crafty every night. Here is one of our favorite.
Riding the water taxi to the Atlantis resort...
The Atlantis--fancy shmancy. The "bridge" between the two buildings is actually a huge suite. I believe the going rate is $5,000 a night with a minimum of 7 nights. Many famous people have stayed there...Marc told me not to get my hopes up. :) The resort has a marina...yachts are docked all around. They were huge--huge. What do these people do for a living? And is it legal?
Hanging out in CocoCay...proof that we were in the Caribbean...beautiful beaches and clear,blue water.

So---there you have it...in a nut shell...our month at home. Of course, we ended our trip with a BCS National Championship in Glendale. Couldn't have been better.

We were "loved up good" while we were home. Thanks to everyone who made it possible for us to be there. We miss each of you very much. And even though we miss you...there really isn't anything better than sleeping in your own bed! :)