Merry Christmas: From Our House To Yours

(Taken with my new Nikon D80 SLR, a Christmas present from Gordon.)

TOGETHER AT THANKSGIVING

The Year 2007

For some, a picture may not be worth a thousand words, so here’s the scoop on The Rhodens.

This marks my 14th year at UGA. I would never have dreamed that I would stay on a secular campus this long, but I’ve become accustomed to the paycheck and can’t seem to divorce myself from it, even though I would much rather be writing or doing any number of things on the computer. I buy books that I never read and have an arsenal of crafts that may dry rot before I retire. I think I would spend the rest of my life photographing anything that would stand still long enough for my digital to capture it. I love looking through the camera lens and immortalizing, in frame, the things that strike my fancy…”and I say to myself, what a wonderful world.”

We have started traveling internationally and have found ourselves in Aruba, Switzerland, Mexico, Chile and most recently China. Next year we visit Austria and the Dalmatian Coast. Gordon promises soon to take me to Prince Edward Island so I can pretend to be Anne of Green Gables. In addition, last year we visited Pasadena, Tucson, Portofino Island and New York City at Christmas (which happened to coincide with the Party at Pansy’s house last year.)

Our most recent North American travel has taken us to the frozen north of Chicago, where Joy and Bobby absconded with two of my grandchildren, Nicholas (10) and Anelise (8). I grieved for a year before they moved, but have since resolved in my mind that I should share them with the natives of Illinois.

Bobby was chosen for a high powered Associate VP position with CN (Canadian National) Railway as Chief of Security. He’s in Miami this week hobnobbing with executives. He just returned from a trip to Detroit during the United Auto Worker’s strike. Joy can now enjoy being a stay-at-home-mom and spend more time emailing pictures of my adorable grandchildren, shopping and exercising her entrepreneurial spirit.

Joy continues to be the spark at any party and is the electricity that surges through any environment in which she finds herself. (Chicago is lucky that we were willing to share her!) I miss them all terribly, but we’re flying up, again, for Nicholas’s birthday next week. (Don’t tell. It’s a surprise!) We were just there in September for Anelise’s birthday. I don’t think that’s obsessive, do you?

Nicholas is an avid golfer and regularly beats both his dad and his Papa. He is also a terrific football and baseball player and played in the playoffs for his team in Naperville. He played on a team of 12 year olds (and my resident statistician reminded me that he got two interceptions in the same game).

Anelise is currently taking ice skating lessons, but her favorite sport is shopping. Though Anelise is not an avid reader, the book she recently purchased was a copy of “How To Become A Princess”. We thought she “wrote” the book on that subject, but apparently not. She continues to charm and intrigue us on a regular basis.

Jill decided to stretch her wings and exchange her job at UGA for a position at the Gwinnett University Center, kidnapped my remaining grandson, Jarrod (12) and moved to Lawrenceville. They’re only an hour away, but it feels like a journey.
Jill continues to exercise her talents of patience and perserverance as she raises a pre-teen and explores the world of hip-hop, MySpace and yes, girls. She continues to grow as the mother of a son who is hearing impaired. Jill is a professional encourager and excels at friendship. She is the only person I know who can become a best friend standing in line with a stranger at the supermarket. You think I’m kidding. Jill excels in encouraging everyone with whom she speaks and has a habit of giving what she needs to receive to the people who need to receive it more.

Jarrod has excelled even more than any of the professionals ever thought he could. Of course, we knew that he was exceptional, and all lobbied for him from the time we learned of his disability when he was two. Jarrod is a talented artist and loves sports. If asked, football is his favorite and Auburn is his pick in the SEC. We think he may have been switched at birth, and Aunt Jeannine has threatened to disown him until he repents.

Jeannine moved back to Georgia after having been in Jacksonville and a production assistant for PGA Tour Productions. She secured a position with The DeMoss Group, a Christian Public Relations firm in Duluth, and has recently moved to Buckhead, where she enjoys the life of a yuppie. The roof of her condo sports an observation binocular that allows you to see Stone Mountain, Kennesaw Mountain and a killer view of the ATL skyline. Jeannine has dated more guys than most girls will ever meet. On her cell phone, rather than saying leave a message, it says “take a number”. Without exception, Jeannine can outdo the average male in the realm of sports trivia. She’s the only girl at a fall wedding who spends the majority of the reception in her car listening to a UGA ballgame (that is, if she even went to the wedding instead of going to the game). She’s the boy we never had with a flair for the feminine. Try that one on for size.

Gordon continues to reinvent himself and has built a business from, well, “scratch”. His success has afforded us the opportunity to travel and to prepare for retirement, during which time we plan to enjoy the fruits of his labor. It has been fascinating to watch the re-formation of this man who never ceases to amaze me. He dabbles at golf, gives it up, takes it up again…then swears off of it for good. He is currently on the golf course, giving up the game.

All in all, we’re pretty good for the shape we’re in, and we’re blessed beyond measure with the things that matter most: family, health and a “future that is as bright as the promises of God". (11/4/07)

Anelise Get A Surprise Visit and A Makeover

ANELISE GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE SURPRISE VISIT FROM NANA AND PAPA, AND GOT TO HAVE A LIBBY LU MAKEOVER WHILE THE BOYS PLAYED GOLF. HERE IS HOW THE STORY BEGINS...>

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Nicholas's Surprise Visit From Nana and Papa

WE FLEW TO CHICAGO FOR NICK'S 10TH BIRTHDAY, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW WE WERE COMING. HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED.>

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The Wedding of Brian Stone and Valerie Frey

GORDON OFFICIATED IN THE WEDDING OF THE SON OF HIS DOUBLE FIRST COUSIN.

Where In The World Are The Rhodens?

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Trip to Shanghai

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Friends in Shanghai

On our recent trip to Shanghai we spent time in the Fanghua Pearl Shop at Pearl City. We were charmed by the warmth and kindness of the ladies who worked there. By the end of the shopping, we were friends and vowed to exchange emails. I've already received an email from Sunny, the girl on the left in the video. The video is a hello to Anelise, Nicholas and Jarrod, whose pictures we showed to the girls.



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Overcoming the Odds: Oklahoma State Football

Martel Van Zant is a cornerback for Oklahoma State University. He's deaf.

Deaf Football Player Gets Video From Jarrod

Martel Van Zant is a cornerback for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. Oklahoma played UGA on Saturday. Martel is deaf. He has been deaf from birth. After seeing a video of Martel, Jarrod sent the following response:

"Hi Martel I wish to go in oklahoma see you and how do you play football and do you excited for play to geogria and I happy because I wish to see you in athen. you play football good and you are very fast." Jarrod

Baby Shower

We had a delightful time at Michelle's Baby Shower. Austin James should be coming soon. It was good to be with family and to see just how lovely an expectant mom can look. (You are adorable, Michelle!)

LORI, MICHELLE and JULIE

Happy Mother's Day, Mother!

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ANELISE WALKER, DIVA EXTRAORDINAIRE

ANELISE WALKER

Anelise took her time breaking into the verbal milieu of our family. I thought she would never talk. With a formidable hurdle of a long line of fast talkers, it must have seemed incongruous to think that this fledgling female addition to the garden of household conversation could compete with this consummate, never-ending dialog. She didn’t hold a chance in Hades.

For the first four years of her life, Anelise observed, taking it all in, every word, expression, inflection and nuance. Very much aware, she harnessed the energy of every moment and every word. In silence and stark contrast to her surroundings, she was forming her own individual perception of life and living. She acquiesced to a family fraught with ideas, stories, opinions and all manner of verbal escapades. Anelise watched.

Then one day, out of the blue, Anelise metamorphosed from her camouflage and made her decision. “It’s my turn.” Whoa Nellie! Life has not been the same since. The forward thrust of this enlightened mindset is carving an indelible mark on our family and every person with whom she comes in contact. She either likes you or she doesn’t. Don’t try to manipulate her. She’s on to you. Don’t kid yourself. Everything is black and white. There is no gray in her color palette. She sized it all up during her vow of silence from birth until her categorical decision. Life is either glorious or tragic, depending upon her mood. And if you think that you might have to guess which mood she’s in, guess again. Like clouds that bring a thunderstorm (complete with lightening and thunder) or the sunshine that invites the flowers to bloom, the signs are unmistakable, as is the aftermath.