Our Year in Mount Pleasant, SC

One year ago, this weekend, our family moved from Lexington to Mount Pleasant, SC. It had been a difficult couple of years for us and the move, for me, was a gift. Rob had accepted a job, earlier that summer, with a company who needed him to cover the North and South Carolina territory. Although he was in the process of applying to dental schools, this job was a blessing and we needed to take it.

Last May, before Rob was actually offered the job, we were visiting Zach in Charlotte and decided to take a detour to Charleston on the way home. We had heard there was a dental school there and thought we'd just get a feel for the place. We got into town very late on Saturday evening and looked up directions for a chapel in the area to attend church the next morning. The first one that came up was for the Mount Pleasant Ward so that's where we went. Bishop Morrow greeted us as we sat down...he was about my age, tall and seemed both physically and spiritually strong. We had originally planned to attend just sacrament meeting so we could drive around the town and see a few things since we had to leave first thing Monday morning to get back to Lexington, but half-way through Sacrament meeting, I leaned down the row and told the boys we were staying for the whole thing. I didn't want to leave.


It wasn't until I was in Relief Society that I met the Bishop's wife. Sister McDaniel, our Relief Society President, (and THE BEST cookie and muffin maker in the entire world) taught the lesson and I loved the feeling of that group of women. Towards the end of the meeting, a beautiful woman scooted in next to me and whispered, "I just wanted to meet you....I have five sons, too, and it's not every day you meet someone with 5 boys!" She then stood up and bore her testimony...... She thanked the sisters for their prayers and support during this difficult time as her husband, David (Bishop Morrow) was recovering from surgery for brain cancer and had just finished his rounds of chemo and radiation. I was very moved by her testimony and the grace with which she seemed to be handling her situation. It never occurred to me that the man I had met earlier had even suffered a cold recently, much less brain cancer.

We did sell our house and found a cute place to live there....It was 10 minutes from our door to the sand on Isle of Palms beach. We were a few hundred yards from a crab dock and the tidal river, had alligators in our neighborhood ponds (our family likes this kind of thing), great schools and we enjoyed very delicious, fattening, southern foods. My favorite were the Just Chill Grill's Sweet Potatoe Fries with melted honey butter. Eventually, I had to buy some "buffet" pants. My jeans got too tight.

Our first Sunday, I noticed a guy who looked very familiar to me....I told Rob I knew him from somewhere...probably from my BYU days or something. Anyway, come to find out, he and his wife, Debbie, were at BYU the same time I was and Debbie and I lived in Helaman halls together our freshman year. The Smiths became our friends and shared their home, their family, and their freshly caught shrimp and oysters.

I didn't think I'd be able to leave this place...but we found out in March that we would be going back to Lexington for sure for Rob to go to school. I guess I felt so fortunate that we were even given the opportunity for Rob to do this that my focus turned to preparing our home and finances for the next four years. We were hesitant to tell the boys but we found out they couldn't be happier to be back in Lexington and our friends here could not have been more helpful in finding us a house in a safe place with good schools. The transition has been a very happy and positive one for all of us.

Here are some pictures of our "almost" year in Mount Pleasant.....I know this is a long post, but I loved this place, our time there and the people I had the priviledge of getting to know and I wanted to make sure it all got a place in our book.

In March, Jett received the Aaronic Priesthood. Rob's parents, Pam and Bob and his brother's family came to celebrate and be a part of the ordination.

Carter, Berkeley, Jett, Weston and Miller (front)

Rob, Me, MeMe, baby Marlee, Pops, Aunt Kristen and Uncle Adam

Weston graduates from Charles Pinckney Elementary School.

The Fergusons had us over for dinner our last night in Mount Pleasant. Bill was a great help to us on moving day.

Tessa, Sullivan, Natascha, Bill and Rob

Miller and Weston took First Place and Grand Champion at the annual Pinewood Derby Race!

This was an alligator in one of the ponds in our neighborhood. People didn't just leave their smaller dogs or cats outside unattended.

This little "fella" liked to sun on the banks of another neighborhood pond.

They boys got to fish a lot.....

and learn to ride four-wheelers....

Rob got to go deep sea fishing with his good buddy, Brent. They were out about 10-15 miles from the harbour when this photo was taken....smooth as glass.. He says he caught something (a Bonito) but I do not have documentation of this.

This is where we lived in Mount Pleasant...See Rob standing in front of our unit.

We had the neatest neighbors....Dave and Carolyn lived next to us on the right. They had the cutest dog named Daisy who was the boss of everyone.

Our neighbors across the street, the Bosleys, own Landmark Pictures. This is the company that makes the signs like the "Whitten" one we have on our living room wall. Marilyn and Scott were wonderful friends to us and we miss seeing them everyday and doing fun things with Maggie, Max and Miles.

My friend, Faith, took a few of us out on her boat before I left...it was a beautiful, warm day. She's a lovely!

The boys' first catch from the crab dock...He was delicious.

View of the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston.

The boys at the USS Yorktown in Charleston Harbour.

Halloween 2007

Jack, Goul and Darth aka Miller, West and Jett

We met up with the Smiths and Baileys for trick or treating.

Evan and Bobby (Nacho Libre...)

I need to add a little note here....

Unfortunately, a few weeks after we moved back to Lexington, Sister McDaniel called to tell us that our loving Bishop, David Morrow, lost his battle with cancer and passed away. His beautiful wife, Stephanie, is fortunately surrounded by 5 loving, valiant sons, two sisters and their wonderful families, and an amazing ward family. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Stephanie and her beautiful boys.