Seth's Graduation!!!!

I can't believe my little guy is now a High School Graduate. So many of my co-workers have commented, "Oh my goodness! I remember when he was just a tiny thing and would hang out in your classroom!" Those days are in the past, and I do miss them from time to time; but, I am so excited for what the future holds for this sweet guy. I know he has a lifetime of new and exciting things ahead of him. His next endeavor will be to complete the welding certification course at Central Texas College. The family gave him various gift certificates to help cover the cost of books, equipment, etc. Plus, he was awarded a scholarship that will cover the tuition for the course.

The family supported Seth by attending his graduation in Gatesville. The ceremony was held on the high school football field. We had been worried about the weather because it has been an unusually wet spring. If the ceremony had to move indoors, attendance would have been limited to 4 guests per family. That would have disappointed several family members.

The ceremony was simple and respectful, focusing on the relationships the students have forged over the years.  It was representative of what it is like to live in a small town with a family atmosphere.

Here are a few highlights of the evening. For some reason, the pictures didn't load in the order I intended. They aren't in order and it is too much of a hassle to rearrange them, so they are staying this way.

The superintendent addressed the crowd prior to the ceremony,
instructing us to refrain from using noise makers, such as air horns. 

proud mom Rebecca and Uncle Scott

The silly twins

Our official Team Seth ID badges; compliments of
Aunt Jamie

the honor guard

Seth in the processional

I loved how they put the graduates' year on
the score board.

These 4 love any chance to get together.

After graduation, everyone in town seemed to
swarm the football field!

Poppy and Mimi with their favorite grandson.

The girls love their big cousin.

Ryan's family.

The uncles with Seth.

Some of Seth's friends...

and more friends...

Proud Mom and her boy

The chair was placed on the field as a memorial
to a fellow classmate who had passed away.

Each student placed a flower in the tub beside the
chair as they approached the stand.

Seth head up for his diploma.

Gerson, Leslie, and Jamie

Unfortunately, Ed wasn't at graduation. Our family is still trying to understand the reason for his mental health decline over the past two years We love him and worry about him. He had gong to New Jersey to stay with his dad; and, hopefully get the help he needs. We had expected him to come down for graduation; but, for some reason, he decided to take off. We still do not know where he is; but, the police have located him and assured us he is well. We continue to pray for him and will support Seth as much as we can as he transition from childhood to adulthood.

Our First 5th Wheel Trip: Maysville, Kentucky Flood Walls and Greenup County Veterans Memorial

There are several towns along the Ohio River that have had murals painted on their flood walls.  We have visited the ones in Portsmouth; but, wanted to see some in other towns.  I had read about a small town on the Kentucky side of the river that had murals which told the history of the town. One afternoon, after visiting Ron's mother, we drove down to the town of Maysville, Kentucky.

One of the first murals has images of Rosemary Clooney on it. Evidently,
she started her career performing at a theater in Maysville.

The rest of the murals told the history of the area beginning with the time it was
a hunting ground for Native Americans. 

The town grew once it westward expansion began. One of the first ferries across the Ohio River was located at Maysville. 

As a result of the ferry, the town grew and many notable historic people traveled through the area.

The town eventually grew into a shipping port, to allow movement of goods. 

Eventually river boats began to transport people up and down the river, stopping in Maysville.

 Not only did the town have flood wall murals, they had several large quilt blocks mounted on the sides of buildings in town. The town itself was quaintly beautiful and very well cared for. Luckily, we were there on a Sunday afternoon and most of the business were closed. What a novelty!! As a result, there were very few people out and about; mostly people walking their dogs or enjoying the beautiful weather. We couldn't have picked a better day to visit.

There was a cute little park near the flood walls. There were people taking senior pictures there so we didn't have a chance to walk around in it. 

We did attempt a selfie beside the park. I'm not good at this type of photography.

One of the best examples of preserving the history of the town, was this building. It was originally a high school; which was turned into condominium style apartments. 

Most of the homes are built side by side, with alleys running behind them. The town was amazingly well cared for. 

This is one of the older homes in the town. I just loved the mosaic on the sides of the home.

The largest buildings in town were the churches! I neglected to take notes about which denominations they were, but they were all beautiful.

The is the theater shown in the mural. It is currently under renovation and the only performances being held at this time are for fund raising. 

This is a picture of the down town area where most businesses are located. 

 Another quick stop we made was at a memorial located outside the town of Greenup Kentucky. It is in an odd location; along the side of a state highway at the bottom of a hill facing the Ohio River. There is absolutely nothing else in the area so it just seems strange that this memorial is just sort of stuck in the middle of nowhere. Don't get me wrong; it is a really nice little memorial and well maintained. When we stopped, there was a family visiting and they happened to notice that Ron had his retired Army hat on. They graciously thanked him for his service, and politely listened as he told them, "I used to work on a tank just like this one."

The last picture is of a Veteran's Cemetery that was right next to our campground. I hold a special place in my heart for these; especially since Mom and Dad are buried at the one in Killeen, Texas. It is heartwarming to know that our nation appreciates the service of our armed forces.

Our First 5th Wheel Road Trip: Part 3 New River Gorge Bridge National River

Growing up in Ohio, we were accustomed to steel bridges that crossed the Ohio River and other smaller rivers in the area.  It seemed like most country roads had bridges of one size or another at one point.  In the 1970's, my parents started taking our family on Sunday road trips. We drove through state forests and small towns, climbing fire towers and crossing bridges that seemed ancient. Eventually, I got married and stopped going with them each week.  One of the trips they took after I got married was to a bridge over the New River Gorge in West Virginia.  Their experience didn't really mean much to me at the time; but, moving to Texas and seeing what they call rivers and bridges in this state, gave me a new appreciation for the vast power of rivers in the Appalachian area, and the efforts of engineering put into crossing them.

When we planned this trip, I noticed how close our campsite was to the New River Gorge. I figured we had the time and were in the area, so why not plan a day trip. It would only be about a 2 hour drive from Argillite; and it would give us a chance to mark off another National Park/Monument/Site.

I don't have nearly as many pictures as I would have liked. Ron isn't able to see very well; and, having never been the family photographer, he doesn't even think about taking pictures. Since I'm doing all of the driving, by the time I ask him to take a picture of something we see, the site is already passed. Hopefully, he'll be driving again some day.

That being said, here is what I managed to get at roadside stops through the gorge.

The first place we stopped was Kanawha Falls, at a local fishing area. The river flows along US 60 in West Virginia. The falls spread across the width of the river. They are only 15 ft. high, but still quite impressive. 

One of the prettiest towns we drove through was Gauley. I looked up information about the town when we got back to camp and discovered it is known for white water rafting. It is located at the convergence of the Gauley and New River, which forms the mouth of the Kanawha River. 

We drove across the lower section of the New River. In this area, it is still relative narrow and slow moving; with a few rocky area that also provide great white water rafting trips.

As we drove through the gorge, we passed several waterfalls. I hadn't realized there were so many in this area. I read about them at the visitor's center and have tried to remember their names. I believe this one is Laurel Creek Falls. It's a seasonal waterfall and depending upon rainfall amount, it can be between 10 and 25 feet high.

The visitor's center is really small but had nice displays. I actually took several pictures, but
when I looked at them, I realized I had a huge scratch on my camera lens!! Many of my pictures had hazy distortions right in the middle of them and I couldn't use them. The visitor's center told the history of the  gorge, the impact of the coal industry on the surrounding area, and about
how tourism has increased with the interest in white water rafting and rock climbing.

This is a picture of the bridge that spans New River Gorge. Before the bridge was built in 1977, it took people 40 minutes to drive down one side of the gorge, cross the river, and then drive up the other side. After the bridge was built, it only took 1 minute to drive across. The original roads still are used but we decided our truck was just too long and huge to be driving a road with so many switchbacks 

The visitor's center has large, enclosed seating areas that look out over the river. We were there in the spring, so the trees weren't completely leafed out. I don't imagine the view will be as unobstructed once they do. But, there is a walking path that goes out to a hillside deck with excellent observations points to see the actual bridge. 

Coming back down the mountain, into the lower portion of the gorge, gave us a chance to see another waterfall. This one is called Cathedral Falls and is one of the highest and most scenic in West Virginia. It is estimated to be 60 feet tall most of the year. Once again, the size of the fall is dependent upon rainfall and snow melt. There is a parking area and a path that lead back to the falls. It was a relatively easy walk, less than 5 minutes.  Ron was waiting for me at the parking lot so I didn't stay long. It was really peaceful, with the sound of the fall and the birds in the trees. I would have loved to stay longer. 

Another view of Cathedral Falls, from the walking path. 

When we got back to Texas, I told Scott that he really needs to get his fire fighter friends together and take a trip to the area. They would absolutely love the outdoor activities.