Florida.... take three

The summer of 2002 Greg had a business conference to attend in California so we decided to plan our vacation around it and did not go to Florida. Instead we visited family in Vegas and then drove to California to see Disney Land and Universal Studios.

We DID however go back to Florida in 2003. We had friends who happened to be in Daytona Beach the same week we were there. We have been great friends with the Seitter family for years. Linda, Greg and I go way back to the days of attending a Disciple class at a methodist church together. Linda and I were searching for a new church when she stumbled upon Southbrook Christian Church and the rest is history. Our kids were babies when we met and our friendship has meant the world to me.

We were also blessed to have the Minnix family there too. Dan is a wonderful photographer and he volunteered to photograph Leslie's baptism for us. (see further down post)

The condo we stayed at a couple years ago was no longer available so we had to find a new place to stay. We were a little bummed but once we saw our new condo we were excited. We found a two bedroom/ two bath condo about 10 miles south of where we used to stay for the same price and we were thrilled. We were able to stay on the same beach with all the familiar surroundings.

We visited Daytona a lot more than we usually did in years past since we had friends in town. We played on their beach and at their pool......

We played a lot!!!..... :)

We played miniature golf at Congo River Falls.

We played at our beach too.....

Our cabana...

We played with all the little creatures we had met along the way.

This trip was special in many ways..... one because we had some fun in the sun with very dear friends, and two because Leslie was baptized and our friends were there to witness it. The weather had been somewhat over cast and the water was choppy and chilly a day or two prior to Leslie's baptism. The morning of her baptism we all walked out to the beach to find the water as calm as it could be and it felt like bath water. Leslie had asked her daddy if he would baptize her and the two of them stepped out into the water.

Greg proceeded to ask Leslie if she believed Jesus died on the cross for her sins. She said "Yes", and Greg ask her if she would proclaim with her mouth that Jesus is Lord. She said "Yes, Jesus is Lord". (I cried a little bit) and then he said (as he took her into the water) "Leslie I now baptize you in the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Ghost".

She came up out of the water with an eruption of applause from everyone and two dolphins jumped out of the water behind them. It was a very special day.

On our way home from Florida we stopped at the Ripley's Believe it or Not Aquarium ( in case you didn't know, Nick is fascinated with Ripley's; if we are driving past something of Ripley's we always try to stop)




This was yet another home run vacation for Florida..... and our 4th trip to Florida gets even better. :)