More to celebrate

Sunday July 24th. The newlyweds are back. James picked them up from the airport on Saturday evening, Sarah's birthday. They had a great time ... honeymoon in Jamaica.

So we celebrated Sarah's birthday one day late.

Helen took care of her sister. She got the cake and the candle thing for her. Well done, Helen!

I must explain that it is a one-time-use thing. When the music started to annoy us, I brought it out to the trash can in the garage. A day later it still greeted us with music when we put trash away. You get a lot of mileage out of it, haha.

The newlyweds went home. We had to bring the English to the airport to fly home. Helen, William, Eva and Arno were left. So we went for a nice walk through the neighborhood ... William's request. 

Monday!
James took Eva and Arno to play golf at 7 am. Helen wanted to see Williamsburg.

William likes it. 

Bruton Parish Church door from the inside. Too cool not to take a photo.

William helps grandpa read the newspaper.

William has changed so much since he arrived, as small children do. It is so fun to watch that I am afraid to miss something when I don't see him. The following two videos were taken July 7 and 8 when he still crawled army-style. So cute.

The next two videos were taken July 19 when we were at the house in the mountains. Now we find him standing in his crib when he wakes up.

Tuesday Helen had to pack. So I took Eva and Arno to Jamestown and Williamsburg. They can't leave without getting some of our history.

They are duly impressed with the three ships on which the first people arrived in this area 1607.

Even the biggest is so small that you vow never to complain about a trip on a plane again.

This lady shows off the apothecary. Sarah would be interested in this.

Jamestown Indian village.

Williamsburg nursery.

Tuesday evening Eva prepares Thüringer Rostbrätel and Gruene Kloesse. Helen will be jealous when she reads this. I was home from Williamsburg in time to go with James to bring her and William to the airport. But I got Eva's recipe for the kloesse. I promise, Helen, I think I can do it.

Yes, we were celebrating again. It is Eva and Arno's 20th wedding anniversary.

Wishing you many more happy years!

Chocolates which Inge had brought from Germany and homemade strawberry ice-cream. 

This is for my lacemaking friends:
Before leaving Eva had to model the knitted dress she had wanted to wear at the wedding ... but decided it was just too hot.

Good job, though!













And then on Wednesday James had to bring them to the train station down the road to catch the 7 am train to Newark airport. Our last wedding guests.

The house is so quiet. As you have noticed ... I spent the next days blogging. It is a great way to re-live everything. An emotional month has passed. Again, the Lord has been good to us. Everything was good at the end. THANKS to everybody who has helped with the events, who has come to celebrate with us, from near and far.

The Week after

... in the mountains.

Way, way back when we started planning the wedding, we thought that in July it probably would be too hot in Richmond for our guests from overseas. We didn't even know then that it would be record heat. James thought that it would be a good idea to rent a house in the Shenandoah Valley for all who would be still visiting ... and they thought it would be a good idea too.

And that is what we did!

Monday July 18 we packed up. James and I, Helen with William, my sister Ute and her daughter Maren, James's sisters Jane, Kate and husband David, their son Jimmo, my cousin Eva and husband Arno ... 12 altogether. In 3 cars off we went. Bless the age of the cell phone (except when we were at the cabin there wasn't really a good reception).

It looks small but it is huge inside. There were living room areas which we never used. 

The view to the Shenandoah River from the balcony.

Everybody took turns cooking. On the first morning we all got a real cooked English breakfast.

Yummm!

Yum, yum!

On the last day we marveled. We had sat down in this order for the first meal and never changed.

William receives some gifts from England.

The rules for the week:
everybody can do what he/she wants.

Some liked to read in the shade.

Some liked the sun on deck.

Christa wonders whether this is the bear which almost ate Jimmo in the Smokey Mountains? I had to fix his tongue. 

11 people to play with William. Oh my ..

His mother is still the best though.

View to the back of the house from the river. Tiny?

Down at the river.

Very low water.

Swimming not really possible.

But the view was gorgeous. 

Ute was successfully relaxing. Helen had to study for her class. At least she had babysitters.

Very willing babysitters.

Really a great place to relax. Unfortunately even here in the mountains it was still VERY hot. Most went one day in rented canoes for 8 miles down the river. They came back quite exhausted with worn muscles but had a good time. 

Helen had prepared a project for all who wanted to participate. We tie-dyed t-shirts.

Had to take turns with the dye.

Jimmo and Kate are waiting.

David doing a good job.

So does Jimmo.

Bonding time between the countries.

Arno likes it too.

We only colored a little bit of gravel.

Enjoying the very early morning sun.

The river looked lovely.

And then there was Jimmo's birthday on Friday. 

(of course it is also his twin sister Bec's but she was in England)

Soft-boiled eggs for breakfast this morning. James uses his yoghurt cup as egg cup.

The dyed t-shirts had to 'season' for 24 hours. Now they can be washed and dried.

Maren cooling in the river.

Looking at the results of the effort.

James taking the photo.

The birthday cake. I think somebody knew that Jimmo likes football (soccer).

Hip, hip, hip, hurray!

Did we all eat standing?

Jimmo eating the football.

And then there was the snooker tournament (pool? billiard?) For most of the Germans it was the first time ever.

William and I watched from the steps (when it wasn't my turn).

Ute did great!

David was the winner this time.

And he has other talents too.

Last morning on the deck. Sigh.











Saturday. We had to pack up again. Everybody agreed that it had been wonderfully relaxing and a fun time. The 3 cars were packed again. Helen driving one and James the other took the scenic route along Skyline Drive. I drove straight home with Ute and Maren. They had to repack their luggage and get ready to go to the airport. Oh how fast the time had gone.