DAY 82 - ON THE ROAD AGAIN! (PHOTOS and VIDEOS!!)

I came across the above motivational statement on Google+ and REALLY liked it. I thought, "That is SO true! No matter WHAT happens in this life, success comes in WHO we are, NOT what our circumstances dictate!"

So I've not posted in FIVE days - OMG! I have wanted to SO badly, but I didn't have internet access to be able to post, so I will now. We left on Thursday from West Palm Beach to Auburn to visit our sweet Charlie.  A few hours into our ride, Larry Wayne and I began getting restless...and so of course...things got silly with some AC/DC "Back in Black"! haha!

We stopped over in Gainesville, FL for the night and then began the last leg arriving in Auburn, AL (aka - God's country!), around noon Friday and couldn't get to Charlie fast enough! 

The very first thing I began doing was taking pictures and video clips to give Charlie a blow by blow of our approach.

Things got rather comical once we arrived to Auburn University because it had changed a LOT since Larry Wayne was last there. What he found was that there were no longer roads that allowed driving up to the dorms in the way he had remembered. To say he got frustrated would be putting it mildly! Ha!

Right about the time he thought he had it figured out...he got frustrated again! bahahahahaha!!!!

Finally though, we DID make it and it was just great! Charlie came out and we loaded up and headed to Mama Goldberg's for a delicious lunch. 

It was my first time at Mama Goldberg's and there was a REALLY big selection of what ALL looked like delicious food choices. Ultimately I went with the Reuben and I have to say that it was AWESOME!

 From there we went to Walmart to get Charlie set up with enough supplies that it will hopefully hold her for a couple weeks or more to come. It was SO MUCH fun just being able to be there and do that with her. We took her back to her dorm and then headed to see our friends Dick and Pat Cobb who graciously offered to open their home to us while we were in town. We had a delicious Chicken Casserole for dinner that hit the spot.
Oh! I don't want to forget to mention here, the other member of the Cobb household that was SUCH an entertainer and a big ole baby - PETE! He REALLY is just pitiful when he wants the good love from mama Pat! 

The next day we met up with Charlie  and went walking ALL over campus looking at buildings that were being updated, the places that Larry Wayne went when he was in school at Auburn and places where Charlie goes to regularly. 

One really cool moment was when Larry and Charlie realized that she was taking a History class in the VERY classroom that her daddy took accounting in 22 years ago when the building had FIRST opened! So I got them to each hold a handle to the doors that opened into that classroom.

From there we proceeded on to take some funny pictures -- this is a MUST when Balko's do ANYTHING, if I get to have my way at all! hahaha!

Larry Wayne and his photo bombs - haha! 

After all that walking we got hungry and had lunch at the Mellow Mushroom...

...and of course a funny picture together. Charlie is so sweet to go along with me! haha!

My in-laws arrived from Louisiana and we all went to walk a bit more around campus and get some pictures together by the stadium.

 From there we all loaded up and headed back to the Cobb's home for an UNBELIEVABLE dinner of chicken, beef roast, green beans, squash and more! Oh my goodness it was good! I will also say that we had apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream...I'm going to rationalize my shortcoming with the walking! 
Charlie and I spent time playing with Pete who REALLY had fun with her!

On the other hand...I liked getting Pete riled up just a little, so that he would be a bit more vocal!

We got photos while everyone was together. In the one below you will see Pat and Dick Cobb (far left and far right); Larry Wayne and Charlie (center left); Bob and Laura Balko (center right)

Another mention here is that Larry's daddy, (who we all call Pops), just turned 87 and is just an amazing man, who is STILL working full time running a painting business with well over SIXTY years of experience! 

After all was said and done we took Charlie back to her dorm and watched as she walked away...let me just say here that it is a view I will NEVER be able to have without a tear. We are just so incredibly proud of her and the amazing young woman she is.

So this brings us to today. We awoke and had a lovely breakfast and good time visiting with the Cobb's and OF COURSE with baby Pete! We said our goodbyes, loaded the car and went to meet Charlie for lunch. After that we drove back to her dorm and said our final goodbyes for this trip. For anyone that is a parent, I'm sure I don't have to tell you about the feeling this causes, when you know you won't be with them again for a time. We watched her leave, then said our goodbyes to Larry's parents and hit the road once again. It has been a lovely couple of days and God blessed us in making them feel much longer. I will be posting again tomorrow with an update of our trip home and my "Getting back on course" plan - though I will say that although I wouldn't call this a healthy few days...it wasn't to to bad. 

WAR EAGLE!!!