A Very Exciting Month
Well, it's hard to summarize a five week trip- don't worry I won't bore you with a day by day accounting!! Let me just share a few pictures and highlights and say that it's so awesome how God knows what we need. I feel so blessed by the time with our families and incredibly happy that I got to share the joy of my sisters on their wedding days! And we owe Him a lot of praise and thanks for safe flights and travel while I was in the States. It feels so good to be home and back together as a family!!
We spent our first week and a half in Delaware. Some highlights of our time with Tom's family......a trip to the boardwalk and Grottoes pizza and Funland rides, playing with the baby chicks that Grandpa ordered, riding Uncle Fred's old skateboard, playing with the cousins and carrying Owen around, a day at the beach, building a fort of old doors with Grandpa, a birthday BBQ at the pool for Grandma, and lots of shopping! It was wonderful to see Claire enjoying her cousins and grandparents and to have fun running outdoors.
In Virginia, the theme was weddings, weddings, weddings! We loved being there for all the preparation and excitement and are so happy for our two sisters who have found such great guys. Highlights.....Claire catching two trout on her fishing trip with Grandaddy, camping as a whole family in WVa, making monkey bread with Grandmom, playing with baby goats, more shopping, three wedding showers, arranging flowers for Rebekah's wedding, and an "international meal" prepared by us world travelers for the rest of the family.
On the camping trip we had fun talking around the fire, playing bocci ball, playing with cousins, boating on the lake, and lots of yummy camping food.
A giant mushroom the girls found by our campsite.
Dietrich and I preparing Spanish tapas and Thai Cashew Chicken for our family meal. Anita also made Isreali food and Carmen a beautiful couscous with vegetables.
And the weddings....
Two eager flower girls practice their part at the rehearsal.
Claire said that Aunt Rebekah looked "like a princess- more beautiful than all the other ladies at the wedding." :) Just how it should be!
The wedding party consisted of three sisters, three brothers, and two nieces.
And two days later....another!
After weeks of sunny weather, Anita's wedding day was a dreary, rainy one, threatening plans for an outdoor wedding. She and David decided to rent a tent and we were all glad for it later as the rains continued! The wedding was different and fun with a potluck picnic and a worshipful ceremony under the tent.
Philip practices for his singing role (he sang during the meal, along with Deitrich).
Claire is prepared for the rain! She enjoyed her job of handing out programs before the ceremony.
The big moment! Walking down the aisle to David.
Well, that's the best I can do narrowing down five weeks and 474 pictures into a nutshell!
I am so thankful for the time I was able to spend in the States and also for a safe return back to the rest of my family!
Candice