Ella Meets the FAMILY!

When Alston and I found out we were pregnant we both said it was going to be really important to have our babies meet our family (especially our grandparents before something happens to them).  So when we planned our trip to Charleston for the 4th, we decided we would make a quick trip up to Greenville/Spartanburg and introduce Ella to everyone!  We are both blessed to still have one set of living grandparents each (we dearly miss the ones that are not still with us, but I know they are looking down on us and have already seen Ella and have met Jack!)  We flew into Charleston on Friday night and then drove up to Greenville on Sunday.  The cool thing is we were able to see Alston's family and mine all in one trip!  Most of his family lives in Greenville and mine in Spartanburg.

The first stop was Ella's great-grandparents Meme and Papa's house (this is Alston's grandparents on his Dad's side).  Alston's Uncle Tim and Aunt Andrea were also there.

Meme and Ella

Papa and Ella

Andrea and Ella

4 Generations! Papa, Alston, John and Ella

Meme, Tim and Ella

Meme's sign welcoming Ella! 

The next stop on our Greenville/Spartanburg tour was Terry's house (Debbie's sister and she lives in the house where Debbie and her 15 brothers and sisters lived growing up).  There were lots of visitors over there!  Ella got to meet a lot of Debbie's family at this stop:

• Ella's Great-Great Aunt Lucille (this is Alston's grandmothers sister)
• Ella's Great Aunt Patricia (this is Debbie's oldest sister) and her daughter Laney
• Ella's Great Aunt Francis (Debbie's older sister)
• Ella's Great Aunt Shirley (Debbie's older sister)
• Ella's Great Aunt Laurie (Debbie's younger sister)
• Ella's Great Aunt and Uncle Terry and Tommy (they are twins), Tommy's wife, Donna, daughter Jill and mother-in-law
• Ella's Great Aunt Trina and her 2 daughters Jamin and Britney (Debbie's sister and 2 nieces)
• Ella's Great Aunt Linda and her husband Jerry (Debbie's sister and brother-in-law)
• Ella's Great Uncle Gar (this is Debbie's sister Adrien's husband)

It was so hot in Greenville that day (note Ella's rosy red cheeks)!

Terry and Ella

Jamin and Ella

Some of the sisters and Ella

The sisters and Ella

Lucille and Ella

Gar and Ella

Debbie and Ella

The last stop on the first day of our Greenville/Spartanburg tour was my Aunt Pat and J's house.  Ella got to meet them, my cousins Jake, Katie and Emily and my grandparents Mama and Papa.  DeeDee came in for a visit as well so she could be a part of Ella meeting her parents!  

Mama feeding Ella a bottle :)

Mama and Papa

Jake and Ella

Katie, Jake, Ella and I, Mama and Emily

Emily, Ella and I and Katie

The clan (minus J and Alston)

After we spent the night in Spartanburg, we got up on Monday and went over to Mama and Papa's to visit a little more with them.  Pat and Emily came over and Mama's sister Laylous.

Laylous, Mama and Pat

Emily and Pat with Ella

Emily and Ella

Laylous and Ella

Pat and Ella

4 Generations! Me, Mama, Ella and DeeDee

Me, Mama, Ella and Alston

I have to say after the world wind was over, it was amazing to look back at all the people that Ella got to meet!  Such a special trip!  She did amazing being passed to a million of people and getting in and out of the hot car and sleeping in a hotel with us!  We couldn't have asked for a better trip!