North Carolina News

We decided to make a trip to North Carolina before school starts to visit my parents on their mission. Jalen was very upset that we weren't flying to get there. I, on the other hand, was thrilled not to have to worry about  flying standby.

While at the church to practice a song that David was going to sing in sacrament meeting, Mom and Dad threw on their Team Bayles shirts for a photo op. They aren't allowed to wear them normally since they have to dress like missionaries.

Surrounding the church are tobacco fields. I had never seen tobacco growing before. The plants were very tall and the leaves were huge. Each tobacco plant used to be planted by hand. Now they have a machine that plants it, but each plant still has to be placed individually in the machine. As the plant grows, they harvest the leaves from the bottom. The leaves are huge. When blossoms start to appear, they must be cut off or the plant goes to seed. People used to tend and harvest with great care, but now it is done by machine and is not so precise.

Cotton was more popular in South Carolina and Georgia, but tobacco was more popular further north. From Wikipedia: "Unlike cotton or rice, cultivating tobacco was seen as an art form, and buyers understood that behind every crop of “good” tobacco was a meticulous planter with exceptional skills." Of course both cotton and tobacco were worked by slaves.

Members of the church own the land and lease it to the tobacco companies. There are tobacco fields everywhere.

After the church, we went to visit some ward members who had these awesome swings. According to David, they were the best swings he had ever sat on.

Next we went to North Carolina's Conservators' Center. It is a rescue organization that provides a home to animals that are in need due to being adopted by people who cannot care for them or similar situations. I have never seen so many lions and tigers in one place, not to mention all the other animals they have. It was an amazing place and I was impressed with how it is set up and how they care for the animals.

Here is Jalen in front of a serval, the most common wild cat that people try to adopt as pets.

Baylie was not very comfortable having the big bad wolf sneaking up behind her.

I got lucky as the white tiger raised his head just as I walked by. The rest of the group had already moved on.

After a much-needed nap, we headed to Danville, Virginia. It's a beautiful, historical town, once a thriving capital of the tobacco industry.

I was the birthplace of Lady Langhorne Astor (Viscountess Astor), the first woman to serve in the British House of Commons.

It is also the birthplace of her sister, Irene Langhorne Gibson, inspiration for the Gibson Girl depictions.

The historic homes are beautiful. This one is called the II George's Inn and is a bed and breakfast.

Danville is also home to the last Confederate capitol.

 

From Wikipedia: "Millionaire's Row is the most impressive area in Danville. It has many fine homes built in the 19th century and early 20th century by descendants of American planters. They are beautiful mansions adorned by trees lining the streets and peppered about the yards of these beautiful homes."

The Tobacco Warehouse District was also fascinating. It's nice to see that there are many efforts being made to reinvigorate this area.

This wheelbarrow was used to transport tobacco.

We were surprised to find this painting of Monument Valley on the side of a warehouse. It made us feel a little closer to home.

Bright Leaf tobacco was discovered in Caswell County (where my parents live). It was discovered by accident by a slave and became a highly sought after commodity. Read more here about tobacco in Caswell.

Cobblestones.

Notice the Camel sign.

To finish the day in Danville, we caught a Danville Braves minor league baseball game. It was a fun park and who doesn't love a baseball game?

This morning we got up for church. It was the only morning we needed to get up early and the only morning the kids decided to sleep in. Even so, we made it to the church on time.

Mom and Dad let the kids wear their missionary name tags.

Jalen ADORES his granddad. He runs past the rest of us to get to granddad.

He was excited to be a missionary.

So was Baylie.

We love visiting the Caswell Ward. They are such incredibly friendly people and have whole-heartedly accepted Mom and Dad. David sang beautifully in sacrament meeting, and the sister who played for him went above and beyond the norm in order to be prepared. We were very grateful for her efforts and willingness to play for him.

After church, one of the members invited us to his home for dinner. After we ate, we each took a walking stick and headed to his pond to feed the fish.

This spider is doomed to become fish food.

This bell was used to call workers in from the fields.

The kids had fun playing with the member's chair that hangs you upside down to stretch out your back.

The kids favorite part of the trip was just being with Grammy and Grandad. We feel so lucky to be able to see them while they're here. We know the rest of the family misses them terribly.

My favorite part of the trip has been seeing how much my parents love one another. I know they always have, but I think this mission has done amazing things for their relationship. I've been riding in one car with my mom and the kids while David rides in another car with my dad (we can't all fit in the same car). My mom has told me that she and my dad have fallen in love all over again and my dad has told David that they have learned how to be patient with one another. I can tell by the way they speak to one another and interact together that they are communicating better than ever before.

I love my parents and am so grateful for their sacrifice and example. We'll be sad to go home tomorrow, but we know we'll see them again soon.