For the Record...

THE TOP "100" ATTORNEYS IN GEORGIA

...bottom left-Croft, Terrence Lee,
King and Croft, Atlanta

The only way a lawyer can be listed in Super Lawyers magazine is through this Selection Process:

1. Creation of the Candidate Pool
2. Evaluation of Candidates
3. Peer Evaluation by Practice Area
4. Final Selection

No doubt Terrence is a Super Lawyer, and has been in that selection since 2006, but I was pleasantly surprised at his being selected in the top 100 lawyers in all of Georgia!! Way to go Sweetheart, you have worked hard to achieve that goal, I've witnessed it and I am so proud to be your wife. Thank you for never failing to mention your wife, children and grandchildren in your ever growing list of accomplishments.

Winter bleakness has its moments!

As usual, when I drive north on Highway 515, nearing the town of Ellijay, headed towards the solitude of Northcroft, my awarness starts to sharpen as I look up to check out the seasonal changes of the mountains. I always find something to smile about, and I softly whisper words of thanks under my breath. Coming in yesterday was no exception. As I sat in the car, the sun was bright behind my left shoulder and the moon, full and beautiful, in front of my right. I almost lost the moment while I fumbled for my camera in my purse. Another breathtaking moment...I wonder how many we miss just because we aren't looking.

As I drove into the valley and got my first glimpse of the cabin, I was struck by the winter bleakness. The wind was blowing and it was getting cold with the setting of the sun. Nonetheless, I was excited about the prospect of getting into the house and settling into a couple of days clean mountain air.

I stayed up much of the night, cleaning up the ladybugs and dust off of the floor and furniture, watching American Idol, and answering email. Morning found me back at the computer with a cup of coffee. Outside the big window across the great-room, from my desk, I could see the first promise of a beautiful day. Little chickadees were frolicking in the hemlock tree, hanging upside down, picking the seeds from the tree's tiny little pine cones. I decided it had warmed up enough to join them outside.

I walked the dirt road toward my nearest neighbor, one mile away. On the side of the road, animals holes look more vulnerable with the lack of plant cover hidding their entrance. Late winter always looks to me as if the trees are so dead that nothing could bring them back to life again. If it weren't for the pines, the mountain laurel and the drooping rhododendron, there would be no color at all...I take that back...

the rolling hillsides are bare enough to see their curves and steepness; also visible, as far as the arm can throw, is brightly colored plastic - beer cans and amber-colored bottles. They seem to scream, "get me out of here, before I get covered up by the spring green again!" I wished that I had thought to bring a garbage bag. It made me grateful for my trash collecting lawyer/husband who has so faithfully picked up other people's mess on Cashes Valley Road for 17 years!

Then I saw in the distance a freshly plowed field where I used to garden. Mrs. Oliver has already had someone plow it up for her in anticipation of Spring. In hope that, from her wheelchair, she will soon be snapping green beans and canning tomatoes once again. Wow, what an affirmation of life!

Tonight I came full circle, and no words that I have can describe its magnificence. In my excitement I called some of you so you wouldn't miss it, but you just had to be here in the darkness of the country to see what I saw. (Maybe my brother Hugh and his Natali saw it as I did from their farm.) Hard as I tried, my camera couldn't see it either! Let's just say that, just for me, God Himself put on a surreal eclipse of that same moon that greeted me upon my arrival. For that period of time, the skies were clear and the stars were only surpassed in beauty by the eerie orange light of the lunar event.

It was simply awesome. To think, I might have missed it altogether had the trees had leaves on them! I have been blessed to be here this winter for two cosmic phenomenons. How did I get so lucky? I think it was by invitation.

.

The Sabonis-Chafees do it again!

Wills turns 4!

A magical birthday party was given Sunday afternoon to celebrate the occasion of William's fourth birthday. With family, and parents and siblings of William's little guests, the house was filled with people enjoying the festivities. Delicious goodies to eat, magic hats (filled with rabbits, magic cards, and William's own personal logo printed tee-shirts), Grab bags to win, top-hat cakes to decorate, a terrific magic show staring Will's own Andrew and Emily, gifts to open, and more; no detail was left out of this delightful celebration!

Will was a gracious host, thanking everyone many times for gifts and always hugging hello and goodbye.



We left him delightfully full of chocolate and enjoying his new blending pens at the kitchen table.










Happy Birthday William!!!

greetings from Mimi's house!!

Mimi is teaching me all this cool stuff on the computer. Isn't it the younger generation that's supposed to be teaching the older generation all this technology stuff? (Shannon thinks I'm going to get in trouble with Mimi referring to her as the older generation.) Mimi is a computer geek which is a great thing so we know what's going on with one another. Mimi made an awesome dinner (Kate--the green beans with the pecans were especially good!). I'm going to go hang out with Kristin now. so fun to see her for at least a little while (glad to hear that Keegan is into Obama and that Aidan is into Pokemon). hope everyone is having a fun Friday night! Love, Molly (p.s. since the parents get to brag Ford made the first cut for the Woodward baseball team. 80 kids tried out and they cut it to 38. Morgan also was asked to compete for the first time in rock climbing a week from tomorrow so she is psyched about that. bye for now.) Love to all, Molly (the newly anointed blogger aka "Bloggin' Molly" or do you like "Bloggin' Moo" instead?) p.s. #2 Kate -- Very cute. Your dad is wearing the tie that you made for him when you were 10. how cute is that?!? Maybe we will forgive him for not being an Obama lover. Although we have several months to work on him . . . it isn't like he's one of the top 100 lawyers in the state of Georgia or anything . . . what is he thinking?? OK, I really will stop now. i'm addicted to BLOGGIN'!! :-)

Mike's home!

Just in time for Valentine's Day; Mike made it home, safe and sound, from his exciting ski trip in Colorado. He is looking forward to the spring when he takes the whole family on another ski vacation. I can't wait to get pictures from that! Maybe with Mary along, and not just the guys, more pictures will be taken.

^-<- Is this the Bunny Slope? Where is the lift?

Happy Valentine's Day 2008!

If music be the food of love, play on.- Shakespeare

Happy Valentine's Day Family!

With love,

Merry/Mom/Mimi

High School Musical Continues...

Just thought I would give you a follow-up on Emily's High School Musical birthday party.
Today I got the sweetest thank you card from Emily. Grandad and I gave her money for her birthday, she knew that Issy had also been given money for her birthday and that Morgan will probably get the same in April. So, she drew a picture of the four of us going shopping together, taking their birthday treasure and buying wonderful things...I said I would buy lunch.

Now, this little outing will be MY birthday present. Can't think of anything I would like better than to have an afternoon with the sweetest little girls in the world. I'm telling you, they are the best of the best!!


Emily also sent me a very special birthday favor; a picture of herself and the male lead of High School Musical! Proving that she was indeed the STAR of the party!

Isabelle, Morgan...did you get to kiss Zac Efron too?

Special People in the Family News...

Happy Belated Birthday to the latest promised member of our family. Jeremy turned 22 years old yesterday, and last night was given a special birthday dinner by his betrothed, Kate. I understand that fresh homemade pizza was made and that Kate out did herself with, not one, but two beautiful multi layered birthday cakes. All that, coupled with good friends and many games of Balderdash, made for a delightful evening of celebration in Brooklyn. Again, Happy Birthday Jeremy!

We are looking forwarded to an afternoon of fun this Sunday at a birthday party for William. The theme is Magic and we are in for a treat as Andrew performs a Magic Show with his beautiful assistant, Emily. I'm sure Tom will make one of his famous birthday cakes and that alone will make William a happy birthday boy. He sure has blessed us with his four precious years of life!

*************************************************

Note: More good news; Kristin will be in town for an overnight the 15th as well as the 22nd! The S. Croft will be joining us for dinner Friday night, to spend some time with her, anyone else who doesn't already have week end plans at this short notice, please feel free to come.

**************************************************

Mike is on an annual ski trip in Colorado. Keep him in your prayers that no bones get broken while jumping moguls down the steepest runs, and be sure to keep Mary in your thoughts as she holds down the fort alone while Mike is gone.

**************************************************

Isabelle played her last basketball game of the season, this weekend. I understand she improved tremendously with each game played. Way to go Issy!!

The gift of love

Kim and Tom, who are famous for their at-home birthday parties, outdid themselves this year for Emily’s 9th birthday. While Andrew was quarantined to his bedroom with a terrible case of the flu, the High School Musical themed party went on and was a great success! We tried helping Andrew with a movie, room decorations, food, drink and sympathy but nothing but sleep brought him any relief. So before starting this blog I want to report that, although weak, he is on the mend today and is hoping not to miss any more days of school. The way he still sounded tonight, I’m afraid another day might be needed to ensure a good recovery. Hope you feel better, Andrew.

Another bit of important information, before I tell you about Em’s party, is that today is Keegan’s special day! He, like Emily on the 5th, is turning NINE years old today! Happy Birthday Keegan! I’m sure you and your friends are having a great time doing something sports related. ;) I hope to hear all about it soon!

Anyway, back to the HSM2 Party...

When I arrived, a Soda Fountain was being set up in the kitchen, menus were posted on the bar where the girls could order dinner and partake of the four large candy jars on the counter. Hot dogs and french fries, nachos with cheese for dipping, pizza bites, hot pretzels, coke floats and juice boxes were among the favorite menu items. As the girls paraded in, dressed as one of the characters from High School Musical, some went upstairs where the movie was being shown in the large master bedroom, to watch and eat popcorn and await their turn to have their hair and makeup done by a professional hairdresser and her assistant! Others came in to the same movie being played near the "Diner" and ordered dinner from the menu.

After about two hours of hair, makeup and dinner, the music began. Each girl performed a favorite HSM song and dance with a Karaoke CD. They finished the show off with a group number, and as a special treat, a duet prepared and performed by Sharpay and Sharpay's Mom (Emily and Kim)! So much good engery went into that song, they were both stars!!

Bracelets were then given to each girl for best performance, hair, makeup, song, atittude, dance, etc. Cute, cute, cute.

A Tom S-C-designed and baked birthday cake came next, then the traditional opening of gifts. This was such a lovely group of girls; they all sat in a circle, passed their gifts around the circle until someone shouted STOP and that was the gift that was to be opened next. Everybody enjoyed it as much as Em did! Well, except William and it was hard for him to wait until the 18th of this month to get birthday gifts of his own.

For me...I got to stroke Andrew and bring him flowers, occupy William when some special attention was needed, take lots pictures, make icecream floats and help work in the soda fountain kitchen with Tom...but most of all, I got to watch as Tom and Kim gave their best to Emily; everything they did was filled with so much love. I see this a lot coming from my grandchildren's parents and I know it is the greatest gift of all. If I could think that I had anything to do with that, then my life has been worth living....

Last, but not least, I got to be with my three most favorite little girls in the world, and see them looking so beautiful when they came down from the beauty shop, bravely getting up to perform their song and being so very gracious to everyone around them. I was grandmother proud, I tell you, I was grandmother proud.

Mimi