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Worlds
Apart
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July 27,
2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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Plans had been made, long before we knew there
would be a reunion, for Martha to travel half way around the world to be
with Koleta, her other daughter, as she prepared to give birth to not our
second grandchild, but now our eighth grandchild. Now that Martha and Sheryl had finally
met, they would find themselves on the opposite sides of the world.
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Koleta elected to leave North Africa and go to Dubai in the UAE to
have her baby. Martha had arranged to stay with Koleta and 2 ½ year old
Abby until Andy, Koleta’s husband, could arrive later in August. Martha was
excited to see Koleta and Abby, but she was disappointed she would have to
leave before the baby was born.
 
Koleta
with Abby, Koleta pregnant.
Sheryl and Koleta will not get a chance to meet
until Christmas. Most people tell us Koleta and Sheryl look alike. What do you think?
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Dubai, UAE
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August, 2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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Martha had a great time visiting with Abby and
Koleta.
They
watched people ski when the outside temperature was over 115.
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They got
to see the tallest building in the world being built.
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And they
played on the walking bears in the mall.
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Texas
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Saturday August 8
- 10, 2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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Meanwhile, back in the United States, Sheryl and
Warren decided that Martha shouldn’t have all the fun. So they had their own party in Texas without
Martha. Sheryl, J.B., Skylar, Brady
and Peyton made a weekend trip to Texas.
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It
didn’t take long for the party to get a little wild at Fossil Rim. We had a
great time feeding the animals.
Zebra checking out Peyton
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Skylar, Brady, Sheryl and Peyton
Warren, Brady and J.B.
At the
Fossil Rim overlook.
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They tried to go back in time…checked out a few
dinosaur tracks.
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They
even let Skylar feed them, from a safe distance, of course.
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Raider
Fan
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As we got to know Sheryl we noticed a few subtle
clues indicating she was a huge Texas
Tech Raider fan--like the license plates on her car, the ringtone on her
phone, etc.
A wall in Sheryl’s home.
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Welcome
Nathan
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Saturday August
18, 2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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Andy arrived in Dubai, overlapping Martha for 2
nights. Martha returned home tired
and disappointed that the new grandson didn’t want to make an early
appearance. As soon a Sheryl and Martha were within cell phone range, they
picked right up from where they left off three weeks before.
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Monday August 25,
2008[Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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On this day in Dubai, UAE Nathan Andrew Hatfield made
his appearance giving Abby a baby brother, Martha a new grandson, and
Sheryl a new nephew.
Nathan
is a major cutie, but where could he have possibly gotten that hat?
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Panhandle Trip
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Saturday August
30, 2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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For Martha and Warren it was very important
Sheryl’s family bless the new relationship they were building with Sheryl.
Over the Labor Day weekend we agreed to go to the Panhandle and see where
Sheryl grew up and, hopefully, meet her dad if he was physically up to it
as well as other friends and cousins.
Not only did Sheryl grow up in the Panhandle, but Martha’s mother
grew up there, providing Sheryl an opportunity to meet some new cousins,
too.
We agreed to meet in Canyon, Texas.
Sheryl, J.B., Ashley, T.J. and Peyton made the trip. Martha and Warren drove in and we met
Mary Kaye Robertson (Martha’s lifelong friend and one of the few other
people that knew about Sheryl before this summer).
Just before noon, everyone met up in Canyon. All
eight of us climbed into the Trail Blazer with our luggage for another test
to see if we could get along.
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We ate lunch in Canyon, and Mary Kaye’s family and
grandkids joined us.
Sheryl, Martha and Mary Kaye
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At
lunch, Sheryl surprised Martha with a mother’s ring, birthstones for
Sheryl, Koleta and Luke.
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THE GAME
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Saturday August
30, 2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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Would it damage our relationship with Sheryl if we
brought her to the Panhandle on a night Texas Tech had a home game and then not
go to the game? This relationship is
still too young to test that theory, so we started learning the Raiders
fight song.
Tech won
the game 49 to 24
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Sheryl, Peyton,
JB, Ashley, TJ Sheryl,
Martha
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Lubbock TX
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Martha’s
cousin Jackie and her husband Donnie were nice enough to meet us at the
game and then let us spend the night at their house.
Donnie, Erin’s
daughter Jordan , Jackie, Lauren
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Donnie
even let the Nicholson’s play with his Texas Tech Toy.
Ashley, Peyton, Sheryl, JB, TJ
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Sunday Morning
August 31, 2008 [Posted:
Sep 6, 2008]
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Martha’s cousin James and his wife Peggy met us at
the game and then again for breakfast Sunday morning. Martha’s cousin
Johnny also joined us for breakfast along with his wife Cela.
 
James, Peggy Johnny, Cela
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Dimmitt, TX
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Sunday Afternoon
August 31, 2008 [Posted:
Sep 6, 2008]
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After Breakfast we headed for Dimmitt. Sheryl told us Dimmitt was way out, but
we didn’t realize how far out it was.
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We arrived in Dimmitt and drove by Sheryl’s
Elementary, Middle and High School.
We checked out the high school hang outs and had a great time
listening to Sheryl reminisce while T.J. and Ashley listened very carefully
for possible character flaws they might possibly exploit in the future.
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Richard
Sheryl’s cousin and his wife Sissie welcomed us into their beautiful
home.
Richard,
Sheryl, Peyton, Ashley, Sarah
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We also
got to meet Sheryl’s friends
Cindi and Sheryl
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The
Dairy
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Sheryl and her brother grew up on a dairy farm
between Dimmitt and Hereford. We stopped to see the house Sheryl grew
up in and walk around what still remains of the ‘Simpson Brothers Dairy’
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Simpson
Brothers Dairy Silo’s
You can
still read the names
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Mom,
It’s this way to the top.
Sheryl,
Peyton
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Just
down the road is the house Sheryl & Scott grew up in.
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Sheryl’s
Dad
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Sunday Afternoon
August 31, 2008 [Posted:
Sep 6, 2008]
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One of the goals for the trip was to meet Sheryl’s
dad. Family members had told us their recent visits had gone very well with
him. When we arrived at the nursing home he was setting outside in the
Gazebo with some other family members.
Sheryl and family went out to visit with him while Warren and Martha
waited inside to see if the visit might be to much for him. He had already been told we were in town
and he was ready to meet Martha.
Sheryl reminded him that he had always said her birth mother was
probably a tow headed blond. He said “And so she is.”
Peyton,
Sheryl and Sheryl’s Dad [Bob Simpson]
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Bob invited us into his room to go through his
photo albums. We got a glimpse of Sheryl’s early life. We didn’t want
Sheryl’s dad to miss supper so while we were looking for the dining room he
said he thought we were going to take him out to eat. He said he liked to
eat at K-Bob’s but he knew it was closed on Sunday. The nursing home said
it would be OK for us to take him out so we had the pleasure to take him to
another steakhouse in Hereford.
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Warren, Sheryl, Bob
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Sheryl’s
Mom
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Sunday Evening
August 31, 2008 [Posted:
Sep 6, 2008]
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We also wanted to honor Sheryl’s mom who raised a
beautiful daughter, but died before she had a chance to see what a
wonderful teacher and mother Sheryl would become. It was an emotional time for all of us,
but we were pleased we could put a few flowers on Celia’s grave.
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Sheryl,
Martha
Ashley, Sheryl, Martha, TJ
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We returned to
Canyon, TX for the night.
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Amarillo, TX
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Monday September
1, 2008 [Posted: Sep 6, 2008]
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Monday morning we drove to Amarillo and had breakfast with Martha’s
Auntie Lois [Martha’s mom’s sister] and cousin Janis.
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After breakfast we went to the park and visited
for a while longer. Mary Kaye’s
daughter Becki then invited us to her house so the kids could ride one of
the horses she trains.
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Peyton
and Emery (Mary Kay’s granddaughter)
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Ashley
showing Peyton how it is done.
Ashley, Peyton, Becky
Frito (horse)
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Future Red Raider in training
Peyton
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Kansas
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Saturday - Sunday
September 27-28, 2008 [Posted:
Apr 19, 2009]
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Martha and Warren made a quick trip to visit
Sheryl and family.
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Saturday we traveled to Independence,
Kansas to watch the Independence Pirates play football.
 
Tiffany
cheered while Peyton and Martha had fun.
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We
watched T.J. play baseball for the Angels
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Enjoyed
spending more time with Ashley and Tiffany.
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T.J.,
J.B, Seth(Tiffany’s boyfriend), Tiffany, Peyton, Sheryl, Ashley, Martha and
Warren. We missed seeing Skylar and Brady.
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Chapter 3
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Return to Chapter 1
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