My Dad

My Dad is Florida-bound; his dream is finally coming true. I think we started watching informational videos on The Villages about 15 years ago, but at the time none of us were sure if we were humoring my Dad or if he was serious. Now we know. My Dad is retiring this week. He is moving to The Villages. Even though I have known this move has been coming for months (years actually), it still took my breath when the time came.

My Dad...my maker of chicken pie...the one who is always on my side and thinks I am hilarious, the one who thinks I am great even when I am wrong and is always proud of me...how can he be leaving? Who will tell me how to make dressing or give me directions on random SC roads (yes, he will have a phone in Florida; I am being dramatic, but I am overly emotional and that is how I respond to things).

So I spent a lot time thinking-searching my heart for why I felt pain. I have gone back to so many summer memories. My dad would always be out in the yard cleaning the pool, piddling with plants, and messing in the garden in the lot next door. Saying that I helped would be untrue, I basically walked along "over-seeing" his work and talking incessantly. I learned to play cards and shag and learned the lyrics to just about every beach song that came on the radio. I did gymnastics in the front yard and back flips off the diving board (sorry for the gray hairs that caused). It really does not seem like very long ago.

So I think I put my finger on it. The moving away doesn't hurt nearly as bad as the aging does. It's just unbelievable to me that my Dad is old enough to retire and move to a retirement community. Life really is just a vapor.

My dad started watching videos years ago and knew what he wanted to do. He planned and he achieved his goal! Now I am the proud one!
For 50 years my Dad has been working.
I do not remember him taking a sick day.
I don't even remember him sleeping late.
Now he gets to spend his days filled with golf, messing around in the yard, and socializing with friends...all the things he loves.

I want him to know how much I love him and how HAPPY I am that he gets to have his days in the Florida sun.
Now I'm going to go out and plant my garden...and I'll call for directions on how deep to bury the plants! Like my Dad, I have over-seers who will be happy to talk my ear off while I do all the work.

What Do I See?

Hey, who's that cutie wearing glasses? ANDY!

Our first stop after getting the glasses was the Zoo Lights. When we got there Andy said, "whoa, I can see so many things at one time!"

I am so thankful that we discovered that our little bear needed glasses before he started school. The only cuter than his glasses is his smile!!

Digits

The background of this post is that the big boys are learning their address and phone number in preschool this year.

Yesterday on the way to church we had the following conversation:
Me: "Boys, y'all have to remind me to call Rachel's Mom tonight to RSVP to her birthday party."
JD: "Why don't you call her now, Mama? Their number is 808.---- (but he said the numbers)"

I verified with Ms. Ashley that he had the number right!

Apparently John is learning his phone number, as well as everyone else's in the class too!

Still holding hands

Sweet John...he's the caregiver of the bunch. He always wants to make sure that his brothers are ok. And he loves to hold hands...

Go Green Cobras!

This year we introduced the boys to the world of organized sports. Thankfully my friend Kimmy was kind enough to give me the low down on signing up for soccer. She is my go-to person for all things Lexington sports related. So she sent me the link weeks in advance, told me how to request a specific team (Andy and John wanted to be on their friend Cole's team) and then left the rest to me.

Of course that meant that I spent my lunch hour (and then some) getting copies of the boys' birth certificates from DHEC on the last possible day to register, then the better part of the afternoon tracking down the email address of the League President so that I could email him scanned copies since I could not mail them in by the deadline...(Ashley if you are reading this right now, I know you are shaking your head!)...but alas(!) we made it in by the deadline; praise God for technology.

And so our first season of sports began! Team Mexico AKA "The Green Cobras" have had quite a season. We have won several games. (They might not keep official score, but when you are a competitive person, you know)! John and Andrew have enjoyed it immensely and Ashley and I have enjoyed getting to know the other parents on our team as well. Thanks to our parents, The Gilfillan Duo has had a cheering section every game! It's amazing how far these two have already come in life. We are so lucky that they are out on that field running and kicking.

This Sunday we play our last game of the season and then plan to celebrate with an "End of the Season" party to include TROPHIES!! I am so excited for the boys. They will be beside themselves over getting trophies.

Next up on the sports agenda....t-ball!!? (I think...you see, this is where Kimmy comes in).

Andrew and John were in the game together- both on the right.

Halloween

This was our first Halloween in our new house, so we decided to go trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. It's amazing how fast our Spiderman, Batman and Diego could walk in the beginning of the night but as the night wore on, Ashley and I did most of the work. Our neighborhood is big, so we brought the wagon along thinking Wyatt could ride home in that. As it turned out, Andy and John rode home in the wagon and Ashley and I took turns carrying Wyatt. We left a note at home for trick-or-treaters asking them to take a few pieces of candy.

(The next day I decided that the definition of lame is being sore from trick-or-treating.)

The boys had such a good time, but Ashley and I had just as much fun as they did just watching their excitement.

I can remember going trick-or-treating with my brother as a young child; I have no idea what either of us dressed up as, but I will never forget how excited I was to walk around the neighborhood with him. It was so awesome to see that bond between Andrew and John as they settled on who would ring the doorbell at each house.

When we got home and I was rocking Wyatt before bed he said, "Mama, this was the best Halloween EVER!" I agree.

SC State Fair

John on the motorcycles
Andrew and Wyatt riding together Getting ready to feed the animals
Cotton candy!!
Andy on the race cars!!
The fair was a huge hit this year...we all had a blast! John and Andrew are not afraid to ride anything. Wyatt would not be either, if only he were tall enough. This is how we kicked off fall! What a wonderful start to the season.