Photos from Providence

Photo of the front of the Stevens new home.
Brett in his First Class Scout uniform withChris.
My requested photo of Kelly showing me her softball trophies.
Inside the Gilbert Stuart birthplace.
Brett with his pal, their kitty Evie.

(See how I'm improving by blog expertise!!) Love to all from Mom

Visit to Providence

Dad and I had a very pleasant visit to the Stevens home in Providence last weekend. The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed it very much. Thanks Chris, Herb, Kelly, Brett!

I think I'm going to need some help downloading photos - they are my nemesis, though I try.

Dad had fun golfing with Herb and Brett on Saturday. Chris, Kelly and I went to the birthplace of Gilbert Stuart, the Colonial portrait artist, and enjoyed a tour there. Then we checked out Kelly's girl scout troop, who were camping and canoeing nearby at one of the local scout camps. Next we went to Wickford, local very nice tourist-type town, and had a late lunch on a restaurant patio.

On Sunday Chris and I drove Brett to a meeting of his boy scout jamboree troop. They are planning a trip to a national jamboree in Virginia next summer. Kelly was working at her part-time job at Dave's Market, and there were 2 losing football games on the TV for Dad and Herb! We managed to find a yard sale in the neighborhood somehow and couldn't pass up a few good buys!

So those were most of the highlights. Our first visit to their new homestead. Love to all from Mom

Hanna in Syria

Greetings, all -

Hanna has started a blog to post pictures and stuff about her time in Syria. Here is the URL:



There's not much posted yet, but I'm sure she'll have more soon.

Mary asked on my Facebook account - what is she doing there! The logical answer is that Hanna wants to make a career in foreign affairs, and she has been finding that spending time overseas is pretty essential to the resume. She had a start from her university time in Israel in the Middle East, and Damascus, Syria was recommended by a colleague she met while on her internship at the Carter Center in Atlanta, a girl from San Diego who is Syrian and spent most summers there with family.

The answer lurking in the background is that she just wants to travel and see more things, and it seems the more exotic the better!

So she is going to live there for at least 4 months, and study Arabic, and possibly teach English or find another job if that possibility comes up, although for now her visa is strictly student status.

I've talked to her via email or cell phone every day, and she is doing well, although with a huge case of apparent jet lag. She left on September 2nd - how long will that last!?!?

Dallas Visit

Sue and I visited Ashley,Luke, and the adorable Miss Lily, down in Big D last weekend and thought you all might enjoy some pics from our trip. We had not seen Lily since her baptism in April! Of course the baby of our memory was not the baby we beheld! She has grown so much!
She is such a sweet and personable baby. She loves to interact with people, and really enjoyed Nana and Papa's visit. Ashley caught a severe cold and unfortunately passed it along to Lily, who even though she was not feeling well,was for the most part a very cheerful little girl despite her affliction.
Luke and Ashley treated us to a wonderful dinner at their favorite Mexican restaurant, Joe T. Garcias in Fort Worth. Margaritas...Muy Bueno!!! If any of you visit Dallas I highly recommend!!