A Little Southern Comfort

I grew up in the South.  Warm weather melted into even warmer weather, and as kids we spent long, sweaty days running barefoot and riding bikes, arriving exhausted at the dinner table greeted by fried chicken and iced tea.  You know that Southern drawl you hear in movies that almost sounds like it can't possibly be a real thing?  Yup, we were surrounded by it.  Until recently, my kids didn't know this world existed.  But a trip to Georgia to visit Grandma Sally and Grandpa Mac gave them a little taste of what I once knew, and it was lovely to see them fit right in.

And Grandma and Grandpa did something that guarantees our kids will be begging to return to Georgia every summer: they built a pool.  Well played, my friends, well played.

One of the difficult things about choosing to move away from where you grew up, is that you often give up the comfort and ease that comes with having family nearby: cousins that are built-in playmates; grandparents, aunts and uncles that stop by unannounced to love you just because they can.  There are days I'm a little sad that my kids won't have that all the time.  But it does my heart good when they do.

She met her distant cousins for the first time.  Instant friends.

Aunt Shirley gives good snuggles.

Grandpa tells good stories.

Lila finds Uncle Tom sweet, but a little confusing.

Cousin Bob thought this Oreo was going to be hysterical.  He was pretty disappointed when she didn't smoosh more of it in her hair.

Grandma put her to work.

Cousins again.  So sweet.

One of our last adventures on our tour of the South was Savannah.  For those who have never been there, its the epicenter of Southern charm.  Full of history and character, it takes you back in time to an era when the word "genteel" must surely have been invented.  We took a little tour via a brunch cruise down the river. 

If it involves food, Little Sister is happy.

It was fabulous. 

Grandma and Grandpa, thank you so much for a wonderful vacation.  We miss you.