Hi Friends!
Don’t you just love when a story that began days or weeks or even years in the past reappears – and turns into an even better story?
Here’s what I mean:
In 2013 one of my readers, Lori Kittinger – who lives with her family in Michigan – contacted me about helping out with her daughter’s (Brittany) Senior pictures. She had the photographer all lined up, but Brittany had dreamed of the pictures being taken on Mackinac Island. My assignment was to scout out locations and maybe use a few “connections” to go beyond the normal touristy places. I immediately signed up, thinking what a fun way to spend a day . . . and it was perfect!

We covered that island like the dew that day. I don’t even want to think about how many times we climbed “the hill”, but photos like this one of beautiful Brittany on Grand Hotel’s porch . . .

. . . . and this one on Maryanke Alexander’s gorgeous Friesian Regina made all the effort worthwhile.
Brittany’s Godmother, Lisa, a professional photographer, got beautiful images of Brittany at Anne’s Tablet, at the Somewhere in Time gazebo, at the Grand Stable (where we just happened to catch Ben leaving with a vintage buggy – one wish we thought we’d miss), and at Grand Hotel. It was a wonderful day!
Lori, Brittany and I have remained Facebook friends ever since, and that’s how I knew Brittany, who is now a Junior in Education at Spring Arbor University in Arbor MI, was arriving in St. Augustine with a group of fellow students for a month of diversity training, visiting elementary and middle schools across this section of Florida.
I immediately contacted Lori and asked her to give Brittany my cell number in case she needed something a “mom” would normally handle. I was only 30 minutes from where they’d be in St. Augustine, and Lori was almost 1300 miles away. I could get to her at lot faster!
That was almost a month ago.
Brittany and I texted several times over her first weeks in Florida (it was also her very first time visiting the Sunshine State, and she loves it). And we finally worked out a time we could meet for a short visit.

Last Thursday these six students (Brittany is on the top row, far left) and two others not pictured arrived at the Fort Matanzas Visitors Center to meet Ted (as a former educator, he became part of their diversity training) and me.

While two of the group took off at a very fast pace to fulfill the requirements of becoming Master Junior Rangers, the rest of the group saw the fort (from a distance – still no ferry) and hiked the nature trail.
Now here’s where it gets downright crazy!
This amazing group of young women (and one man) are standing in the Visitors Center talking to Ted and me, and Ted notices that one girl (Melanie) is wearing a Coopersville Athletic Department t-shirt. He says, “I just recently discovered my birth mother’s family, and some of my cousins live in Coopersville.”
“What are their names?” she asked.
“Bennink,” says Ted.
“No way! I live next door to Steve Bennink!”
Who just happens to be one of Ted’s newly-found cousins!
Can you believe it!?
The entire group left yesterday for the trip back to college, and Florida is a little less sunny today since they took back all their smiles.
I just love young people!!
A FEW MACKINAC PHOTOS

The U.S. Coastguard heavy ice breaker Mackinaw sails through the fog one morning last week. (Photo: Tom Chambers)
MISCELLANEOUS

—A magical image of our neighborhood, with the moon reflected in both the ocean and our inlet. (Photo: Neighbor Bob Hewit – from his drone)

Same drone – taken from the A1A side of the neighborhood. You can even see the intracoastal back there in this one.
Everyone have a great week! Love and hugs, and God bless.