3/20217....Went to the Marine Corp Museum in Quantico, VA. It was amazing and emotional walking through it and having Bill share with me about things ex used, rode on, and experienced

We were happy when we got here and saw this sign

Bill in front of the Museum

This is the kind of plane Bill flew in when he was in the service

Bill in front of the Devil Dog Diner!   Devil Dog was a motivational name for a Marine

We had a burger and fries.  It was cute because Bill wanted to hold up the tray with The United States Marine Corp on it.

Bill told me this is what he wore only he only had one canteen

These are pictures of Chaplains ministering and  people getting baptized

I never knew the North Vietnamese used all of these things (bear traps, spikes in holes in the ground,  etc. to hurt our guys.  The square thing by Bills right arm is what they strapped to themselves to blow up people.  

We walked through this fake replica helicopter.  They had it sounding realistic.  There were all sorts of wires on the walls inside.  That's what the enemy would try to shoot them down.  

Center of the Museum

Looking up in the center.  Sure is high

They had planes hanging in lots of places

Bill 

We climbed up 3 flights of stairs and took pictures along the way

Flight 93 National Memorial

Bill

It was a long building

The wreath placement spot.  People still put wreaths and flowers there

Some nice snow piles.

This is where you enter the museum.  It was closed so we just walked along this long wall and looked in the windows

There is a wall inside with all of the pictures of those who died there on it (not the terrorists of course)

These are some of the belongings of the victims

My Billy

Sign explaining where things are

If you look straight out from the white bridge rails, you can see a boulder.  That is the spot where the crash was.

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Love this etching in the glass overlooking the crash site.  It says, A common field one day.  A field of Honor forever! 

After we walked along the wall by the museum, we came out through the opening in this picture.  They had strips on this walkway marking the other hijacking plane crashes

This was the First World Trade Center

This is the Second World TradeCenter

This is the Pentagon

This is a model of the museum and displays

This is the drive out.  When we came in there were deer jumping out in front of us.
They were all over the place.  I never seen so many

Happy to see we had the pool all to ourselves.  It was so warm and nice.  Good to get exercise

Bill in the pool

Me in the pool

We got up and had a great breakfast at the Hotel.  Had scrambled eggs, sausage, fried potatoes, fruit, bagels.  Bill had a waffle too.  It was great!  The dining room was packed so a couple asked if they could sit with us.  (I had thought about asking them to sit with us when I saw them come in, but figured they might not want to so didn't)  Well, they asked us if they could sit with us.  She said she was seeing double for some reason.  We got to pray for them as soon as they sat down which was nice.They were so nice and the guy was in Vietnam when Bill was.  They live in Virginia right close to the Marine Corp. Museum, so gave us good tips and good directions and places to stay.  Her name was Ann and his was Grant.  He had just been diagnosed with Parkinson's.  He wasn't shaky but moved slower than he used to she said.  We talked a lot and then we shared about all the miracles God has done in our family.  They were very touched! We went to our room and then got ready to take off.  It was a nice and sunny day and a great drive.  After we had gone 100 miles, I realized that we had left our nice cooler Vikki and family had gotten me.  It was my favorite.  I forgot to empty the refrigerator.  Bill rolled the luggage cart in front of it and I didn't even think of it.  We always double check too since we forgot a favorite blanket when the kids were little.  I was bummed!!!  We got to the Museum and took lots of pictures.  It was so moving to go through this with Bill and hear all of his comments and stories.  They even had a bus like he rode on and the yellow footprints that led to the barber chair for their first haircut.  They even played the voices commanding them what to do when getting off the bus. We enjoyed ourselves so much even though it was emotional.  I learned much!  We got to Richmond, Va at 6:30 and went to our Hotel.  I called and booked it on our way so we would be sure to have a room.  We went to Applebees and I had an oriental salad and Bill had steak, potato and green beans.  He said they had something on them but tasted ok.  He told me I could have the rest, so I ate them and they had Parmesian Cheese on them.  He really does like cheese!!! that, we went through Pennsylvania and then got on the Ohio turnpike.I looked and there was one  flashing line for gas...4 miles is what it said we had left we could go.  We drove a couple of miles and saw a sign saying 3 miles to a town so we got off the turnpike.  Bill went through the Express Pay lane, but we didn't have anything to use to pay there and there wasn't anyone in the booth.  He had to back up and go in the next lane where someone was in the booth, but he had to wait for several semi's to go through it first.  We finally got through and got to a gas station without running out.  The car took 9.8 gallons and it is a 10 gallon tank.  I told Bill I didn't want to ride like that again and take a chance of running out but I kept my cool and didn't get upset with him.  I sure was praying though.

3/19/17....We ate breakfast with a really nice couple, then drove the rest of the day to Richmond, VA

We stopped at a rest area when we drove through Virginia and saw this cute sign so we took our pictures by it.

Bill, the Love of my Life

Me, the love of Bill's life

Love this picture because my sweetie Peyton is in it with my rough behind her that the mouse chewed last month in my garage.  I am throwing it out when I get home

Kenzie always loves lemons....Too sour for me

We drove through Georgia today and were happy when we got into Virginia.  We loved the LOVE sign when we got to a Virginia Rest Area so we took each others picture.  Bill did most of the driving, but I did drive about 80 miles while he rested.  We were near Virginia Beach and it was getting later, so I called and made reservations at a Country Inn in Kingsman.  We got there and they were remodeling it.  Our room was nice and already remodeled, and the dining area was all done.  We were pretty tired, so just relaxed and then went to sleep.  

3/18/17....Fun Birthday today at Roy and Marie's and then Daytona Beach. Sure missing my family though. I love my family!

We loved our visit with Roy and Marie in Haines City, Florida today

Roy, Marie and me

Loved this picture Janet sent me of my class.  They didn't an amazing job on their  Happy Birthday signs for me.  It was so sweet of Janet to have them do this and send me the picture.  Love that I have 3 grandkids in my class this year.  Love all of these beautiful and sweet kiddos!

Daytona International Speedway

Huge ferriswheel that was taller than these apartments

When we got by Disney World, there were lots of cool things we passed

Yay we are at Daytona Beach

Lots of Bikers

Lots of signs on this bridge welcoming the bikers

My Biker Bill (Sure did thank the Lord he was a CMA biker)
Wouldn't want him to be like some of the hard core bikers we saw today.  I felt peach whenever I would see a Christian Motorcycle Patch on a vest

This bike was cool.  It is the Lord's Supper on the and he was giving out free tracts and Bibles.  Below is the side view

Tons of Bikes and people

I was so happy when Bill stopped at Daytona Beach and we spent some time there.  Loved hearing the salt water sizzle.  We took this selfie

On the other side of the state at the Gulf of Mexico, the sand is white.  Here on the Atlantic it is red!  Both are beautiful!

The water washed one lane of the road away....Don't know what they will do if this road gets washed away.  Lots of houses on the edge of it.  Under that sand is the other road

We went to Longhorn Steakhouse to eat my Birthday Dinner and celebrate.  Our hotel gave us a card for a free ($8.99) appetizer.  We got chips and spinach dip.  YUM!  Our steak was the best ever and our salad and potatoes were delicious.  Yummy Bread too!  The servers all came and sang Happy Birthday to me and brought me a huge hot fudge sundae which I shared with Bill.

We got up at 7 and went to Turner's Donuts and picked up donuts to go.  Wes, Gayla and Joel did too.  We said our goodbyes again and they headed home and we headed to Roy and Marie's on our way to Daytona Beach.  We ate one of our donuts.  On our way, after we had driven quite a while, I had Bill stop at a McDonald's and I got one egg mcmuffin.  He didn't get anything.  We made it to Marie and Roy's and visited in their 5th wheel.  She served us delicious coffee cake.  Visited for about 1 1/2 hours and then left to head to Daytona.  It was a nice country ride most of the way, and we passed lots of orange groves with tons of oranges.  Beautiful to see!  We ate our other donut before we got to Daytona Beach.  It was heavy traffic when we got there and so many motorcycles. It was something to see.  We drove around looking for a parking spot but found none, so we paid to park.  Once sign said $5 for motorcycle parking and $100 for cars.  FUNNY!  We didn't park their.  We paid to park in a church parking area.  $20...Wowsville!  I found a nickel so it was only 19.95 actually.  We walked down one side of town and up the other. Browsed some of the vendors, but many had lots of the same stuff.  We decided not to eat there, but to find a nice restaurant somewhere.  We stopped at Daytona Beach once we got where there weren't a lot of people.  We walked out to the water and it was absolutely beautiful.  Love the ocean waves sound.  We took some pictures and talked to a CMA couple we saw from Canada for a little while, then left.  Ate our other donut on the way.  Got to Kingsman, just across the GA line and went to a Fairfield Inn to get a room, because we love the breakfast there.  There was no vacancy.  Next we tried the Hampton Inn.  No vacancy there either, but they told us the Country Inn had rooms still.  We went there and they only had 3 rooms left.  We took the kingsize bed one.  We had the nicest room with 2 televisions, a little living room, then a hall with a sink and across from it the bathroom with another sink in it.  Then there was a door to our bedroom which was beautiful.  We got our stuff in and then went to the Longhorn Roadhouse for my Birthday dinner.  Such a fun day, but I sure missed my family.  So thankful I can talk to them.  They are the best and I sure do love each of them.  Cell phones are great for that!  

3/17/17.. Celebrated my birthday today since we will be traveling tomorrow.

Breakfast at Peaches.  It was delicious!

A nice lady next to us offered to take a picture of all of us.  

It was beautiful when Bill and I went for our morning walk

There's a dolphin out there. Two of them were swimming together.

Lots of good shells today.  With all the wind, the tide was lots higher.  This row of shells  was so close to the water.  Usually the shell line is at least 10 feet away from the water when we walk.

Bill took a picture of me on the beach with the sunrise behind

Our selfie

Bill with the beautiful sky behind him

Spent time with Joel by the pool while Gayla did her laundry and packed some of their things

Bill in the pool

Selfie...waiting for my laundry to be finished

This is the way to wait for laundry to dry.  Sure will miss this when I do my laundry at home!

My phone timer is set as I relax

Ronnie came and paid us a surprise visit and brought us each cokes.  God is sure working on his heart!

Wes, Bill, Joel and Ron

Joel

Wes and Gayla bought us dinner at the Oyster Bay Restaurant for my Birthday.  I had grilled Salmon.  It was delicious.  Everyone else had fish.  The restaurant was so busy!  There was one little oyster in my rice that I thought was a mushroom.  I politely put it in my napkin. YUK!

Bill told the waitress it was my birthday so the whole group of servers came and clapped and sang Happy Birthday and brought me a huge piece of delicious Key Lime pie with a lit candle in it.

Embarrassing but worth it!

This was when we were waiting for our beeper to go off at the restaurant.

Wes took this goofy picture.  He never lets you know when he's taking one.

He tok this one too and Bill told us to look

This is how Wes usually looks when I take a picture.  He doesn't like his picture taken

Me and my super hero!

Silly super hero too!

Skinny little onion rings that were delicious

I loved their tables with all the neat shells in a couple of areas on each table.  

My yummy meal!

It was a very  nice birthday celebration.  Great day with friends and Bill treating me like royalty and then I really loved getting to face time the girls and families and opening my birthday presents from them and all the cards were just beautiful and precious.  Bill videoed, but no one took pictures.  Love all my stuff.....beautiful new designer mug from Kimmy and family which I can't wait to get home and use.  Collapsible clothes basket, huge sheet quick dry towel and cute little fan that plugs into my phone and works great.  Can't wait to use this stuff camping and at BayShore.  What a sweet family I am blessed with.  Loved seeing them and talking to them.  Miss them all so much.  Took Kimmy and the boys on a tour around our place and down to the ocean. I had already done this for Vikki and the kids and Melissa and the kids.   I love my family!!!