A Wonderful Visit in St. George Island

We had such a great time visiting family and new friends in SGI. We were only able to stay for a couple of days, but it was a fun time all around. My cousin Becky and her daughter Emily and SIL Ryan rented a 4 bedroom, 4 bath house on the beach for a week. We stayed in our motor home in Eastpoint, but visited the family during the day.

The house was really nice with a big great room and kitchen in the middle and the bedrooms split on opposite sides of the house. There was lots of food and friends all around. Becky and her other daughter Elise shared one bedroom, Emily and her family (Ryan and daughters Graysen, 4 and Katherine, 2) shared another, Ryan's parents (our new friends) Millie and Allen shared another and two new friends, Dina and Gaby arrived from Guatemala and shared the 4th bedroom. Also,Kathy and Alan Windham, Becky's in laws were staying at a local hotel. Lots of people, lots of fun.

Graysen and Katherine had a wonderful time on the deck feeding the birds.

It was a perfect beach vacation spot with lots of room for family and friends.It was also a perfect place to share memories and honor the life of Mike Windham, Becky's husband and Emily and Elise's father and Alan's brother. Mike passed away in September and this beach and the fishing here was one of his favorite places and things to do. It was only fitting that friends and family gathered here to remember him and enjoy each other. Mike would probably never approve of us even mentioning him in any way. He was always the one to stand in the background and observe and let everyone else take the spotlight. He had a great sense of humor You often could not tell if he was serious in making a remark or not, which would catch you a little off guard. He had a tremendous work ethic and energy and always loved and supported his family and friends in every way no matter what.

My first visit to Chattanooga was because of Mike Windham. When he and Becky were newly married, Mike was in the National Guard and would leave for camp training. I would come and spend time with Becky while he was away in whatever small town they lived in . Once when Mike came home from NG and they lived in Trion, Ga he said "let's take a ride to Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain". So we rode up to Lookout for the day. I remembered that day fondly and when I received a job offer in Chattanooga that memory popped in my head. So, in a way Mike was responsible for my love of Chattanooga and my moving here. You just never know in how many ways a person can change your life.

Here is a rare picture of Mike, probably giving me some sage advice at Ryan and Najla's wedding.I think about Mike a lot. He has left a massive imprint in the lives of everyone he has known and is greatly missed.