There is such a lot more to write about that would add volumes to yesterday’s post – Hope in Rural America. But we are in a South Carolina Hotel with the three Orlando grandchildren after driving several hours in one of the heaviest and longest I-95 thunderstorms ever, and then the four-year old absolutely refused to settle down for the night.

So I am going to hold the balance of my “Hope in Rural America” thoughts for another day and, this morning, simply say how cool it is to have such amazing grandchildren, and to see them all this summer. Mr. T. at the end of June and now David, Beks and Geoffrey for the next eleven days.

We made the switch in Jacksonville over lunch, at Jesse and Heather’s home just south of the city (Jesse is Rebekah’s youngest sibling). Naomi drove her three up from Orlando then they all piled into the Rav-4 and off we went.

At one point the rain was so heavy I wasn’t sure if I was driving on an interstate or along a river and into a waterfall. That’s when I pulled off into the emergency lane and waited twenty minutes for things to shift from the unnerving “Niagara Falls” level torrent to a mere deluge of biblical proportions.

So it is back to Tarboro this evening and then a string of adventures designed to make more memories.

My favorite memory so far? It’s when Geoffrey happily told his mother, “This year I get to go with Grandaddy too!”

We will see, of course, how long his initial enthusiasm lasts!

– DEREK (a.k.a. “Grandaddy”)