Haralsons go Southern!-Part 3 -Georgia

We left at 8:00am and drove through Alabama. We heard a good Christian talk radio show about parenting that we enjoyed. Other than that David was fed up with the music. As we got closer to his hometown of Columbus, Georgia he was flipping through stations remembering the terrible selection when he had lived there. He said there were like 5 rap stations tonz of old country, and one crappy rock station. We were traveling through the woods then we went over the Chatahutchi river which up until  this point I thought it was called the chattacucci river (David had a good laugh on that one), and then all of a sudden there was Columbus! David’s hometown!  I had such a cool feeling come over me. This is where David grew up! I could just picture a cute little David walking down these streets with his baseball mitt on his hand.

We needed to get some groceries for the next couple of days so we went to a Publix grocery store. David new that his old best friend was working at a Publix in Columbus as the pharmacist. but he didn’t know which one. We walked by the pharmacy and didn’t see Marshall. Then we were looking for food and David said with disbelief “that’s Marshall”. We got in the line and David asked to see Marshall. Marshall looked up and said “no way” The talked and David introduced me and the Children to him. We got a picture and then let him get back to work. It was super cool and felt like a miracle. They haven’t seen each other in 13 years or so. WOW! I don’t know what was wrong with me but I felt a little emotional about it.

 We had lunch at David’s elementary; Gention.

Then we drove through his neighborhood, and his old home.

 He showed us where he first learned to ride a bike and the huge hill where he would rollerblade down and almost crash. Next he showed us what Asher has been looking forward to a lot; the creek that he would find frogs in. We got down into the creek and it was super creepy. We stepped in a fire ant nest, saw huge snake hole, and a huge two inch spider.

David saw some frogs but I was too distracted by the scary stuff to look. It was a beautiful creek though. The boys all fell asleep in the car as we drove a short dive to the Cemetery. David stayed in the car while I searched for grandpa Walter Haralson’s grave. I had the map print out of where it was but I was having a hard time and wondering if I was in the wrong spot then all of a sunned I saw Haralson. It was very special to find it, and I wish that David had been the one to find it. I did a grave rubbing with crayon and paper for my family history record. Then David got out of the car really quick and I took some pictures of him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Everyone in David family told us to try “the very best donuts” So we did.

 Then we drove to Kathleen to visit Grandma Haralson. She had such fun collections that the boys loved looking at. She really loved seeing all of the boys and though they were so cute.

 She showed us family pictures around the house, and told us stories.  We stayed the night and then said goodbye in the morning. 

 

 

 

 

This was a cute picture of David that was up at Grandmas house. I can see so much of Asher Bridger and Titus in him.

For breakfast we went to Lane packing company. It is a huge peach and pecan orchard. We got peach ice cream and peach cobbler, a happy welcome to “peach county”!  It was such a cute southern store.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we drove up to Atlanta and went to the coca-cola museum. This was David’s favorite place in Atlanta when we would visit growing up. 

 We got a picture with the polar bear, Bridger was screaming and crying, he was so scared.

 

 At the end of the museum we got to try all of the coke product from around the world. Asher was happy at the North America station with the root beer.  There were some tasty ones from Latin America. The ones from Africa were a little different, but the one that had the most interesting flavor was from Italy. WE all got a bottle of coca cola on our way out. We don’t usually drink caffeine but we did for this.

 

 Atlanta was a beautiful city and I wish we had had more time there, but we needed to get on the rode for our 11 hr drive back to Texas. David drove the whole way, and we only made two stops. We got in at Lindsey’s house at 4:25 in the morning, and went straight to bed. We went to church and got to watch Lindsey teach sharing time. She is the secretary in primary. She is an excellent teacher. At home she had a BBQ chicken sandwich meal for us, which was so nice after eating meals in the car the day before. Then we said goodbye and drove to the airport, turned in the rental car and flew home. It is good to be home, but we will always treasure our memories and pictures from our family vacation to visit Texas, Florida and David’s home roots.