dad

Lonnie E.

Smith, a

hippie at

heart

Some of your elders..the bunch on the right looks kind of tough.

It is okay Dad, I don’t know them either…

Just smile and nod…pretend you know them..

HEY, this bunch you know..Your dad and his siblings

Meanwhile, the love of your life was born….Joetta Sue

She was quite the little doll…

..

…the important thing was that she actually liked to mow the yard….that sure comes in handy now that you live on a billion acres of grass.

The little doll grew into a beautiful stylish young lady…

…and you fell head over heels for her

Wedding Bells

Then your little angel was born. I was an absolute joy; I was no trouble at all….

I then found my own angel…BRAD

..and he is a KEEPER

Brad Jr.

Grandpa Smith and Grandma Jo with Brad Jr.

Grandma Smith with Brad Jr.

..then the world was never the same….along came Derrick 19 months

later.

I turned around, I had Zach, and all my boys were

teens…took me by

surprise. Where does the t ime go?

Zach, the bee farmer?

One of the boys making SURE he doesn’t miss a fishing trip with Grandpa and John….nothing like eating

hashbrowns and singing, “All My Ex’s Live in Texas.”

Zach gave up being a bee farmer to milk pretend cows.

A game of Uno…does Zach know you cheat?

You said that you didn’t care what you got for Christmas as

long as it wasn’t a doll…that was a challenge, right?

You seem quite at home holding that doll….hmmmmm

Mom and Brad Jr taking a short walk on a long pier…better than a long walk on a short pier.

Together for a graduation…

I wonder what you just said..

I inherited my love of cruising from you.

Who is that CEO and his trophy

wife?? Oh wait, that is my

parents.

Wow, the look on Brad Jr’s face is priceless.

The porta johns in the background really add to the picture.

Beautiful…looks like she is about to put you in a head lock though, Dad.

You sure know how to garden.

Some people as they get older revert back to their childhood…

Lonnie’s snowman

The Mid-Life Crisis…vroom, vroom..

2 Fine Looking Young Men

Your grandson and his new wife, Malinda

At Derrick’s wedding

Malinda and Mom

Not only did Derrick bring us his beautiful bride to the family, we

also got CHARLIE!!!

Charlie is fun.

Man can’t live by bread alone…he has to

have Mexican food every now and then too.

Uncle Loyd, Uncle Ralph, Aunt Pearl, Auntie Wilma, Aunt Ruth, Uncle Lee, Uncle Boyd (I think he is almost smiling—probably just gas pains), Aunt Cheryl, Aunt Glenda hiding

in the back and Summer.

Hope Uncle Boyd isn’t seeing this.

Maggie Jean’s 29th birthday party.

Good food, good times…

Our Lizzy and the wonderful Jason.

Derrick tagging along on your cruise…

Your Don Johnson, Miami Vice look

Watch out world, it is Aunt Pearl, Aunt Wilma, Aunt Glenda, and Aunt

Ruth…

Cruising, the best vacation EVER

Alaska

You begged like a dog wanting bacon, but they just wouldn’t let you

steer the ship

I really want to know what was said…or maybe I don’t.

Dad and Brad

The worst part of cruising, layovers at the airport.

Lonnie and Derrick

…and waiting…..

Lonnie and the masked man, Zach

and waiting….

Derrick, Lonnie, and Brad Jr.

If you have a good name, if you are right more often than you are wrong, if your children respect you, if your grandchildren are glad to

see you, if your friends can count on you and you can count on them in time of trouble, if you can face your God and say "I have done my

best," then you are a success.- Ann Landers

THE END