Blessings of Family Life

This past weekend was glorious. Eight of my nine children were close by and we were able to visit for a while---swim together, eat and play games. It was really fun. My oldest was celebrating her 7th anniversary with her husband so there was a reason she could not make it.

It is great to visit with each other and really get to know one another as adults and just have fun. One of my New Jersey friends, Lani said it best:

We never know what we will become as adults and where we will go. It is a joy to have known some of you for just a moment in our youth and allow us to share your journeys as we reconnect in our mature years. I delight in your amazing, talented and productive lives. Family is forever and beauty is all around when love abides at home! I couldn't have said it better myself.
The cycle is starting all over again with children choosing spouses and having children. It is amazing.

Preserving Our History--Editorial

Baldwin County has been officially settled since 1809 and there is a lot of history in all the towns of Baldwin County. I’m partial to the Loxley and Central Baldwin areas since I have lived here for the past 18 years, but every town has its fascinating stories which happened so long ago, I’m enthralled to read about them. After all, if we know what we came from, then we know where we are going.

There are very few old hotels in the county that are still standing. I’ve been doing a little digging into the history especially to learn the story behind the buildings we drive by every day. One building in particular has caught my attention since I have lived in Loxley and that is the Old Loxley Hotel which most people don’t know about. It sits on the corner of Baldwin and First Street in Loxley and begs to be lived in.

It was first built around 1920 right in front of the railroad which ran from Bay Minette to Foley. Wary travelers would stop to rest there. Sometimes they would stay, and sometimes they would get back on the train to make the full trip to Foley. There are remnants of railroad still around but this old relic of a building speaks volumes when you hear the stories of what went on during that time.
I’ve talked with a few residents around town when they remembered the trains running and how the potato sheds were filled up along the way to Foley from the box cars delivering food.

The problem we have with some of these old structures is that they are forgotten. Residents and owners leave or pass away and history is forgotten. Old buildings sit for so long, they become dilapidated and unsightly. Towns see it as an eye sore and unless someone saves it from destruction, it is thrown down and the property is used to build a newer building. But what have we lost in that building? Our history. Out of sight, out of mind, no one will ever be curious about what went on or the building’s significance. There aren’t that many buildings left from long ago and thankfully many of those buildings have been preserved with history intact. They are monuments to the people of the past.

With the popular interest of remodeling old homes in television shows, there has been a renewed interest in preserving the history of the older structures that have been built many years ago all over our nation. Preserving our historic buildings give us a link to our past. We learn from what happens in the past and make a better future. Preserving our history is well worth the time and effort for our children.

Old Loxley Hotel

I finally got to see the inside of the hotel. It needs a lot of work but it is a great building. Has some great history there and it is definately a great home for my family and business. This picture is of the hallway looking through the front door. A great place to restore. Very excited to get started.

New Political Party

This little essay came from a homeschool friend of mine and it is a much needed message around the country. Everyone is so tired of the trash we are getting from our national leaders---we, as a people, have the power to do something. Vote out incumbents!!!!! You don't have to do a lot of studying---just find out who is in office and vote him out!!! Read on......

New Political Party!!!!
Not Democrat!, Not Republican!, Not Independent!

*It's called the "PISSED OFF PARTY" (or POP).*

*This party is dedicated to vote every incumbent out of office in the next elections.*

*If you're Democrat, vote Democrat. Just don't vote for the incumbent.*

*If you're Republican, vote Republican. Just don't vote for the incumbent.*

*We need to send a message to all politicians, that we're tired of their B.S.*

*If the country votes out all the incumbents, the new incoming politicians will get the message.*

*It's pretty simple. Nobody needs to change parties and let’s face it, there's plenty of blame to spread around.*

*A few good politicians will lose their job but they probably have better retirement and insurance then 95% of the American public.*

*You've had to struggle for the last 5 years. Some of you have lost your job and may be working in some other sector just to feed your family.*

*I guarantee you, none of them will suffer like this country has.*

*If you like what’s going on and think this is a bad idea, delete this.*

*But if you're fed up and think this is a good idea, then pass this E-mail on.*

*If you really think this has legs, then a website and a blog could help get the word out.*

*To ALL 535 voting members of the Congress; it is now official you are ALL corrupt!*

*a. The U.S. Post Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.*

*b. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.*

*c. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.*

*d. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more.*

*e. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.*

*f. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.*

*g. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.*

*You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.*

*AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM?*

*IT'S NOT ABOUT THE NEED FOR GOOD HEALTH CARE, IT'S ABOUT TRUSTING THE GOVERNMENT TO RUN IT!*

So get out there and vote in November and tell those traitors to their Constitution and country that they are not wanted.