Trip to Pearl River

June 19-23, 2020

Friday, June 19

Brenda and Rod headed out for Pearl River by our I20/I59 route via Birmingham, and Mark headed out via I85/I10 through Montgomery and Monroe. We met up at the Wyndham Microtel in Pearl River and then went to visit with Jeff and family.

Elyse and Jordan were at home to meet us, and were glad to see Uncle Mark. Brenda joined them and we enjoyed a time of conversation with them. We hadn't seen Jordan since Christmas, and Elyse we last saw in February.

Elyse continues to dance and march with the dance team at Pearl River High School. Grandma Brenda talked with her about the events she has participated in, and the plans for events in the fall. This is her new dance outfit for football and soccer games and parades.

Saturday, June 20

Mark has gotten into knife-throwing in his time of confinement, and brought along his knives and a couple of targets sawed from the fallen maple tree in our yard. The girls really got into it, so it was a good fun activity.

This knife-throwing passion is sort of contagious. Now Elyse and Jeff join in.

The gang's all here, throwing knives!

It was a bit difficult to get the knives to stick in the hard maple targets, so Mark ran off to Lowe's to get some soft fence wood. He and Jeff are in the process of building a larger target.

Ah! That's better! The soft wood allows the knife to stick if you get the point forward.

After Mark and Jeff construct a larger target frame, Ashleigh draws a body target on it.

Ashleigh's Graduation celebration at the Moyle's

The family gathered at Jeff and Leslie Moyle's to celebrate Ashleigh's graduation from Tulane. Part of that celebration centered around this station for making ice cream sundaes.

The family gathered for this celebration of Ashleigh's graduation several weeks after the actual graduation. The time of Covid has made everything very different. She did her last several weeks of class online, had a virtual graduation online, a "drive-by" celebration by family and friends with a poster and balloons in the front yard.

The girls had seemed to enjoy the knife throwing so much that we took the target and knives with us to the gathering. Our first gathering point was on the very nice back patio, so we visited there while the knife throwers took turns. Above, Brenda, Judy, Jessica and Robby gathered around the table. Below, Jordan, Jessica, Jonathan, Caleb, Elyse, Debbie and Josiah chat behind the knife throwers.

It was surprising that the knife-throwing setup that Mark created had provided a focus point that encouraged everyone to just relax and enjoy conversations with each other.

The Moyle's big TV room was decorated to celebrate Ashleigh's graduation. Above is the poster that was displayed in Jeff and Darla's yard at the time of the "drive-by" celebration a week or so ago.

We gathered in this celebration room for ice cream sundaes, and then the younger ones hit the pool.

It was a good opportunity to get photos of the graduate Ashleigh with family members. We were please to get this one with Uncle Mark.

Ashleigh with one set of grandparents, Brenda and Rod.

Ashleigh with both grandmothers, Grammy Judy Moyle and Grandmothr Brenda Nave.

After the meal, we all gathered in the den for Ashleigh's gift opening. It was clear that this family enjoyed being together. It was great fun.

The laughter and joking was the kind you can't fake. It was a joy to be a part of the family celebration.

After the gifts, they organized a game of Scattergories, and game playing is something they enjoy as a family. It was fun to hear the laughter and joking. It was a good way to finish a remarkable family celebration of Ashleigh's graduation.