I decided to write this blog for my friends and family to be able to follow our adventures ...if you are reading this, you are officially a STALKER! HA! Welcome stalkers....
On Thursday, January 14, 2021, Charles Arlen Braud died peacefully in Covington, Louisiana at the age of 82.
Arlen was born on August 22, 1938 in Norco, Louisiana to Robert and Marguerite Braud. Arlen was a graduate of Destrehan High School. He joined the Marines where he served as a reservist while attending Southeastern Louisiana University. Arlen enjoyed a successful career in the grain industry before retiring from the Port of Houston Authority as a Bulk Plant Manager. Arlen was charismatic and made friends wherever he went. “Big Dad,” as his grandchildren lovingly referred to him, was known for his amazing ability to spin a tale. We will miss his stories, his wisdom, his wit and his honor.
Arlen is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Gilbert. He is survived by his sister Maycel Joseph of Norco, La., Clark and his wife Vicki of Madisonville, La, and his six children: Lynne Macko and her husband Rob of Salado, Tx., Arlen Braud,II of Covington, La, Suzette Hindle and her husband Lee of Stockport, England, Binky Watkins and her husband John of Crosby, TX., Brandon Braud and his wife Kelli of Birmingham, AL, Deanna Gillis and her husband Will of Mandeville, La, and the mother of his six children, Karen Braud of Mandeville, La.. He is also survived by his seventeen grandchildren, four great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
A private memorial service for friends and family was held.
Hello World! It has been TWO long years since I last updated the blog! What a two years we have had! Weddings, babies, pandemics....OH MY!
Last time I blogged we were about to head back to Saudi with a ten day stop in Budapest, Prague, and Vienna for my 50th birthday. It was a lovely ten days of exploring with my amazing husband. It was freezing and snowy and magical. We didn't spend much time in Vienna, but it was lovely. We spent the bulk of our time in Prague and Budapest. We hooked up with Mike the chauffeur again in Prague and he took us to all the same sights that he took Madeline and me to in 2017. It was simply lovely. It was my second time there and I could go another 20 times. The absolute highlight of the trip was soaking outdoors in the Szechenyi Baths in Budapest. It snowed while we were soaking in the pools and it was just surreal. Needless to say, it was a successful 50th celebration trip and will be hard to top for future birthdays.
The rest of the year was spent planning bridal showers and a destination wedding. The BEST part of 2019 was Jane and Kirk's wedding in New Orleans at Thanksgiving. It was a small wedding, but it was incredibly fun! Our friends and family that made the trip to New Orleans made the wedding all the more special. We rented a house on Camp St. in the Garden District to stay in and for the rehearsal dinner. We got Jane and Kirk's favorite poboys from Mothers PoBoys and had an intimate rehearsal dinner in the courtyard of the house. It was just lovely and so much fun. The wedding was at the House of Broel in the Garden District and it was perfect. The venue was old New Orleans with food and drink to match. My brother-in-law, Will, performed the ceremony. They were surrounded by friends and family and love. After the wedding our family rented a party bus to drop and pick us up from the French Quarter. It was just so much fun. We all met at Pat O's and the fun went late into the evening....for some. Hehe. The next day we all met at the Ruby Slipper for brunch. It did NOT disappoint. The weekend was a whirlwind, but will go down in history as one of the most fun weddings I've ever attended.
The other highlight of 2019 was finding out that Alison was pregnant with our first grandchild. We had no idea what was coming our way....
That brings us to 2020. *Insert ominous music here* John and I were in Saudi until March of this year. We were both planning to come home in March for Alison's two baby showers. We got home in time for the first one which was at the beginning of the COVID panic. We rescheduled the couples shower several times before we ended up just canceling it. Even though we weren't able to properly celebrate Luke and Alison, people showered them in spite of the lockdowns. There were presents and diapers dropped at the doorstep and sent through the mail and it was so appreciated.
The borders to Saudi closed just a day or so after John got back to the United States. He began working from home in April. We had no idea that John would be stuck here for the rest of the year. We were only planning on being in the U.S. for two weeks, so all of our belongings were still in Saudi. We made the best of the situation for the first few months. Alison and Luke were on baby watch, but also, we found out in April that their house had some termites and some termite damage that needed to be taken care of. That gave us something to do while on baby watch.
Baby watch 2020 lasted until May 25th when J.D. finally made his debut. John and I got the call early that morning and hopped in the car and drove from College Station to Crosby. We couldn't go to the hospital because of the stupid COVID, but we were able to go and take care of the dogs, tidy up, put together the last few baby items like the swing and the wall decal.
Our original plan was that I would be commuting to and from College Station to Crosby until the end of the year keeping the baby when Alison had to return to work. The pandemic changed our plans...and praise God that it did. God went before us over the next several months and prepared a way for what was going to be our new normal.
We decided that we were going to sell our house in College Station and move to Crosby to be closer to the baby and to the airport. Jane and Kirk were planning on buying a new house as well so it worked out to be perfect timing. Madeline had moved home from NYC/Miami at the end of May so our College Station house was no longer adequate for FIVE adults. We began looking for a new house in Crosby in July. We had the BEST realtor in Houston (thanks Beth Buford...HMU if you need a five star realtor) and we found the perfect house. We closed on the new house in August and put our College Station house on the market shortly thereafter. It sold in FOUR days...God is so good.
Jane and kirk bought the cutest house on some land out in Snook, Tx. Lucy loves her new digs and we couldn't be prouder of them. We love the house and the land they have.
We moved to our new house in August. Alison had to go back to work at the beginning of August, so I was keeping the baby during the day time. John basically packed up the house and got it ready for the movers with only Madeline and Jane's help. They were awesome and I am grateful for them.
Shortly after we moved here Alison and Luke sold their house and bought a new house off the same street as us. It is such a pretty house. They needed more room and they found the perfect home. They sold their house in less than a week for almost full asking price. Alison bought that house in 2017, before she was even engaged. She made an amazing investment. Praising God for the perfect buyer at the right time for the perfect price.
During the pandemic most of the world knows that NYC became ground zero for the virus. After Madeline had the virus in mid-March and the city was beginning to shut down, she decided to put all of her belongings in a storage building and move to Miami. She stayed in Miami for several months until she moved home. With no job opportunities (Broadway is shutdown for the foreseeable future and restaurants are shut down) in NYC or basically ANY city, Madeline decided she needed a plan B. She had been teaching herself Spanish and found a great opportunity to teach English in Madrid. We are so proud of her tenacity. She worked tirelessly to get her Spanish visa and all her ducks in a row and was preparing to fly out on September 20th. On September 18th, John wasn't feeling right and so Madeline called 9-1-1. He had had a TIA earlier in the year sometime so were weren't comfortable waiting to see if it would pass. The paramedics were amazing. They were there within 5 minutes and brought him to the exact place he was supposed to go. Again, further evidence that God is so good.
It turns out that John had a very small stroke. He spent the next two weeks in the hospital in Kingwood learning how to walk again. It was a long two weeks. I spent my days looking after JD, and my afternoons in the hospital visiting and helping John. He made huge strides very fast. I am so grateful to God that He went before us and just paved the way....from the new house near a GREAT stroke unit and rehab facility to our house selling in College Station to his visa being expired so he couldn't go back to Saudi when expected. It was a long 12 weeks of driving him to PT and OT at TIRR in the Heights while juggling a baby, feedings, naps, etc. He has lost 40 pounds, takes care of himself, stays away from wheat and sugar and alcohol. I am so incredibly proud of him. He has some more work to do, but he has just killed his therapy.
John is back in Saudi as of December 18th. It wasn't the ideal timing, but we have trusted God through this whole ordeal and we aren't going to stop now. He is still under quarantine until Sunday. I miss him terribly, but I have John David to keep me busy every day.
This year has brought us the BEST of life in J.D. and the worst of life in John's stroke. I was able to be home for J.D.s birth and the loss of my best friend's husband. While this year has been challenging, it is easy to see God's mercies in every single thing.
Just as trying as it has been, it has also been an amazing year of firsts for JD and us)...first day without mom home, first day in our new house, first Halloween, first Thanksgiving, first Christmas, first tooth, first solid foods... and the list goes on.
John is in Saudi until January 2023...as far as we know...if I've learned anything from this year it's that we never know what is next. I am in Crosby for the foreseeable future. We will go where He sends us and when He sends us. I am enjoying every minute of keeping J.D. ...I keep expecting it to get old, but it never does. I adore him. He is my world. He is all of our worlds.
I pray for those who have lost their loved ones. I pray for those that have lost their livelihoods. I pray that God's plan is revealed in all our lives. I pray for a better 2021. But most of all I pray that we can see God's grace and mercies daily in everything.
What a year! It's been a while since I updated the blog, so I thought I'd update it and this can serve as our Christmas card/letter. It's been a very busy year and I'm sorry to see it end, but I can't wait to see what 2019 has in store for us!
The year started with Alison and Luke's wedding...it was amazing. We are so thankful that so many of our friends and family made it to Houston to celebrate Big Al and Luke. We could not have asked for anything more. From the rehearsal dinner to their honeymoon in Mexico, it all exceeded our expectations. Alison continues to teach at Crosby High School where she is team leader of 9th grade English and UIL coordinator. Her job is super stressful, but I think she is very good at it. Luke works for the same company as John only at the Kingwood Tech Center. We just love him. We are so proud of them. They recently added another puppy, Bo, to their little family. He is a mini Aussie with lots of energy. Tucker wasn't thrilled, but he is warming up to him.
Madeline graduated from college in April and turned 21 in July, so we (the Watkins clan plus Kirk, Sarah and her boyfriend, Ian) all met in Las Vegas for a long weekend to celebrate. It was nice having everyone together, but logistically challenging. We saw shows, relaxed poolside in the lazy river, and saw the Grand Canyon. Several bucket list items checked.
August was a bit stressful as John had to get back to Saudi, so I was the lucky parent that got to fly to Pittsburgh and pack Madeline up and drive her and her belongings to NYC. What a fun and slightly exhausting trip. Fortunately, I am good at the game Tetris, and got all her worldly possessions in the back of our rented Subaru SUV. After a very very stressful week of driving in NYC (I made the mistake of getting the hotel in Times Square) we finally moved her into her first sublet in Washington Heights. She has since moved to her long term rental in Harlem and loves it. She works at a great restaurant on the Upper West Side, is auditioning a lot, and just living the life! She was in a musical in October, an O'Douls commercial in November, and did a shoot to be a super hero in an upcoming comic book. I spent an amazingly fun week with her in November as a stop over on my way to Texas from Saudi. Alison and Luke spent a long weekend with her in NYC the second weekend of December, and Jane and Kirk have a trip planned to visit her the second week of January. We all love NYC especially during Christmas, so she gets to see us all often. Lol.
December brought us another (and final) graduation. Janie finished up her Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies at Texas A&M University. She may have taken the scenic route, but she is finished. We could not be prouder of her! She worked so hard and finished with a 3.0 GPA overall. We had her graduation party the weekend before Christmas where her boyfriend, Kirk, proposed to her. It was so sweet as both kirk and Janie's family and friends were there. It was an eventful weekend. We are excited for them. Kirk got a new job in August and is just doing so well. We are so so proud of them both. Janie got a job at an elementary school in Bryan, so she will start teaching 2nd grade in January!
Soooo it looks as though we will be having another wedding at the end of 2019...this time in New Orleans. She picked out the venue when we were in New Orleans for the Braud family Christmas. They wanted a small destination wedding and this was a great choice for them.
John and I are still in Saudi Arabia and will be for the foreseeable future. We are grateful for the job, for the travel opportunities it affords us, and the amazing extended family we have there. I started tutoring two young Saudi girls 5 days a week this fall and that brought with it a new challenge along with a wonderful experience. I love them and I love the family. It comes with some cultural and language challenges, but I have decided that the reward far outweighs the challenge. As the CPChem project winds down it is getting harder and harder to see friends move on, but again, we are so thankful for the job.
As the year comes to a close and we reflect back on what amazing blessings, opportunities, and challenges 2018 brought and we are just completely humbled and grateful. John and I are headed back to Saudi mid-January after a short vacation in Europe to celebrate my upcoming 50th Birthday. My girls planned a lovely surprise 50th right before Christmas and I was truly surprised. I am thankful for those that took time out of what is already a very busy time of year to come and help me celebrate. Luke's parents were awesome for cooking and helping secure a location. As much as I enjoyed spending time with my friends, I am so looking forward to ten days of trains and castles and food and drink and churches and whatever we can find walking the streets of Budapest, Vienna, and Prague.
We will hopefully see more of you when we come back for a friend's wedding and Mardi Gras at the end of February/beginning of March!
March 2017, Madeline and I met in Prague, Czech Republic for her spring break. John was supposed to go with us, but he had to cancel because of work. Fortunately, Madeline and I did NOT have to cancel. It was the most amazing trip. The weather was better than I could have asked for because I LOVE cold weather. It was chilly, but not miserable. Many days we actually saw the sun. Because John wasn't with us, we got to Uber around the country instead of walking and taking public transportation. Don't get me wrong, we did PLENTY of walking, but when it was difficult to find we called Uber. John really enjoys meandering and mastering the public transportation system in every country we visit, but I do NOT.
Our hotel couldn't have been in a better location. It was within walking distance to the Old Town Square, the malls, and many other attractions.
We explored Prague Castle (after not being able to find it the first try, we uber'd the next day and found it quite easily...I mean, it's a huge castle and YET we couldn't find it), Charles Bridge, John Lennon Wall, the Astronomical Clock, Cesky Krumlov, Kutna Hora (the Bone Church), Terezin Concentration Camp, the Ruckl Crystal Factory, and the Pilsner Urquell Factory. We also
saw the AMAZING Salvador Dali exhibit and loved it. Our favorite tour was the Prague Foodie Tour. It was amazing. While Madeline didn't like the food because it wasn't bar food, she LOVED the tour. She DID eat steak tartare and loved it, but almost vomited eating beetroot puree....go figure. Anyway, the foodie tour was given by a native that had been an exchange student in Houston around the time of the fall of Communism in Prague. He had the most interesting stories and history lessons. It was an amazing tour that I recommend to EVERYONE that visits Prague. We also had an amazing driver the ENTIRE week that took us to all the far away places. He was amazing. We got his name from a friend who had used him previously and we were not disappointed. You can find him on Trip Advisor under Mike Chauffer. So very reasonable and worth every penny.
A week wasn't long enough with my girl, but I'll take it any day. She is the perfect travel companion and we enjoyed eating, drinking, and exploring all that Prague had to offer.
Wow...it has been three years since I last updated the blog. It has been a big year for the Watkins Fam. So far, we have had a wedding, a college graduation, and we have another college graduation in December. I guess you can say we sort of see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Alison got married March 10th. It was a very fun, happy, drama-free wedding. Many of my friends from Saudi Arabia came to help celebrate and I couldn't have been more excited. I was so thankful for my Saudi Sistas that showed up early in the week to help me get ready. They were invaluable as were my two sisters! It was an amazing week of reunions!
Alison and Luke said it was exactly what they wanted for their wedding and that makes me happy. It seemed to have gone off without a hitch (or at least any fatal ones anyhow). I loved catching up as much as I could with everyone. It was such a whirlwind that I can barely remember it all. Now I know why some cultures make their wedding last DAYS. My advice to anyone getting ready to have a wedding....take it all in. Stop and enjoy. Hire someone else to put out fires so that you can enjoy yourself. We had an AMAZING "day of" coordinator provided by the venue, but there were still some issues that she couldn't solve.
I was missing two of my siblings and my dad. If they been there that would have made it all the more perfect. So many friends and family drove so far to help us celebrate and for that, we are so grateful!
After the wedding, Luke and Alison spent a week in Cancun while John and I spent our last week in the United States babysitting their dog, Tucker. Poor Tucker missed his parents. The night before we left we spent the night at Alison and Luke's house with Janie and her dog. In the middle of the night Janie woke up to find Tucker lying on the bathroom floor crying. It was so sad.
In April, Madeline graduated from college, so John and I flew from Saudi to Pittsburgh to be there to see her walk across the stage. It was freezing in Pittsburgh and we were totally unprepared for that weather. We flew in and got spend 5 glorious days with Madeline...and her besties. It was amazing and she is so much fun to be around. We could not be prouder of her. She finished school in three years without having one hour of college credit when she started. She worked so hard, trained so hard, and played so hard in her three years. In keeping with Madeline's personality, she had no idea that she graduated with honors. I asked her several times and she said that she was not graduating with honors...
Notice the closed captioning in the picture....yeahhhh. She graduated cum laude. No chords. No fanfare. She just gave us a shoulder shrug. God love that girl.
Madeline will be working in Pittsburgh this summer and is planning to move to New York City in September to continue her acting career.
So next up is Janie. She totally rocked Texas A&M this semester! She got a 3.6 this semester!! We are so proud of her. She has student teaching this fall semester and then she graduates in December! Like I said before...Big year for the Watkins Family!
I seriously am so in love with these three girls. They are so amazing and I miss being with them every day. I will be leaving for Texas at the end of May and will be in the States until August. I am going to try and visit with as many people as I possibly can this summer.
John and I will be living in Saudi Arabia for the foreseeable future. Our tentative repatriation date is June 2022, but one never knows...
