In all kinds of weather. . .

"It was daddy's favorite day," my brother, Lester, noted.  He was talking about FL/GA.

I had asked my mother what her favorite FL/GA experience was and she said the year Lester brought his friends home for the game.

Our parents' home was always one that was very welcoming to our friends.  Lester's college experience is a wonderful example of that.  And both mother and daddy thoroughly enjoyed that time in their lives.  They loved going to games and seeing Lester and his friends and were very pleased when he brought them home.

We are not sure where they put all those friends that year.

Kind of like we are not sure where daddy always found enough money to take care of all of us. But he did.  You know that old saying about robbing Peter to pay Paul.  Earl Huffingham was the master at that.

And Iva Huffingham was a master at serving.


This photo was taken in 1980.  That was the year of the famous Buck Belue to Lindsay Scott pass and run that won the game for Georgia. It is obvious that it's a "before the game" shot.  They did all come back to our home for spaghetti that was prepared by daddy's friend, Mr. Nick.

Sometimes people ask us why we are such ardent Florida fans.  From the first game our daddy went to at what was then called Florida Field, he became a Gator.  I think I was maybe two years old and I know no time in my life when the Gators were not important to daddy.  He loved the sport, but he loved the tradition.

In the summer, he counted the days until "We are the Boys".

Which brings me to why it's important - "In all kinds of weather, we all stick together".

That would be one of the mantra's that covers our family.  Four children, three "in-laws", 11 grandchildren (8 are married), Five step-grandchildren (two are married) and 17 greats plus 2 step greats.  That's more than 50 individuals.

And all of us would say that we so highly value the love of the Gators that Earl instilled in us (even the ones who grew up to be Seminoles).

But of course, it's more than a college team that we appreciate.  What we appreciate is the passion that they had - for God and each other.  And the way they taught us to share that.

So this year's FL/GA didn't turn out the way we wanted.

The other thing our daddy taught us -- Wait until next year!

He was a very patient man.