Second Stop - Florida

Our second stop on our 10-day trip in September 2012 was Florida 

to visit Rob's father and stepmother, Jim and Sandi. 

We left South Carolina on Saturday afternoon, September 15th around 1:30 p.m. and we arrived in the town where Rob's father and stepmother live around 8:30 p.m.  After checking into the hotel that was one block away from the beach and only a 5 minute drive from Jim's house, we went over for a visit with my children's grandfather.  Since it was already pretty late, we didn't stay long that first night but I did get this one photo.

  

After breakfast the next morning, we decided to go to the beach trying to beat the rain that was supposed to start late that morning.  We did actually make it to the beach before it rained but as soon as we got to the place where we were going to set our belongings down, the rain started and everyone else packed up and left.  We stayed a while anyway.  

In our family, we've never let a little rain stop us!  

On the way back into the hotel room to have lunch, the rain actually stopped so we took advantage of the hotel pool and hot tub.

We then went to Jim and Sandi's house for the rest of the day.  

The boys swam and helped clean Paw Paw's pool

while Anna read.

And, of course, I had them pose for a few photos.

We video chatted with Bryan (Rob's brother) and his family.  They took us on a virtual tour of their new house.  That's Jenny on the screen.  

Sandi cooked a great meal for us.

Here's a table full of Sheltons.  You can even see a reflection of me taking the photo in the sliding glass door if you look closely.  

It was a great visit with Rob's dad and my children's grandfather...

...but, in all honesty, it was very difficult to be there without the one 

who connected me to this man to begin with.  It made me miss Rob even more that day.