... but it was sooooo worth it. But first I have to brag a bit about some flowers. Our blue hydrangea put on a beautiful show this year and for quite some time. Made me happy anytime I saw it.
Inside my porcelain plant also did well.
We had to deal with quite a lot of things but with summer finally here we decided one day that we needed to treat ourselves to a blizzard. Why not?
And this was fun. James called me one day when he was sitting on the back patio to show me this! So I had to take a photo. Can you see it?
It was on the floor in the previous photo. Then it hoped onto a chair leg. A Hyla, or Gray Tree Frog.
But this is what I referred to in the headline. Friday June 20 we left the house early to drive to Nashville. We leave without breakfast, just have a cup of tea in the car and stop after about 2 and a half hours in Troutville. Got to walk a little every once in a while.
We were at Helen's place in good time. She and William carried this rug up to the third floor. It is a berber with a long family history. James had it in his bachelor appartment when we met. It made it to America with some other pieces of furniture from him and me when it was clear that the company wanted him to stay longer in America then the 18 innitual months. It came to our first house in St Louis and all other following houses. But there was no place in Richmond since we had "downsized". This is the place where Helen teaches and it takes the echo away in the room.
We got a lot accomplished on Saturday. Because our car is quite large and easier to transport things in we accompanied Helen to search for furniture. We found a great desk/shelf unit for William but even our car was not right for it. But we helped moving William's bed to a different wall in his room in anticipation for the addition. His father will help with that.
And Sunday morning we had to leave early because we were driving to Kentucky. St Matthew by the Lake Lutheran Church was celebrating its 40th Anniversary. James, Helen, Sarah and I are charter members and of course were invited. The service was at 9:30 am. Of course a lot has changed since then. The building is of course a lot bigger and better.
But we were a young family and it was an important time in our lives. First it was a part of a larger church in Paducah and Sunday service took place in a church building we rented for that hour. When we were a large enough group and were able to stand on our own, the building was actually built mostly with labor from everybody. Oh, the memories.
Here is the framed Charter in the Narthex.
Of course there were more things on display. We found ourselves in quite a number of "old" photos.
After the service upstairs was a delicious lunch meal and social time. It is always bittersweet ... so many of our friends back then are gone but surprisingly there were still a wonderful number still living in the area or have come like we did. Lots of surprise-screams and hugs. Needless to say that we had a great time and were happy that we had made the effort.
Lots of photos were taken but I decided that this blog is not the place for it. Just a few to remember the moment.
The bishop was taking selfies!
Pastor Will telling the story of the beginning.
A group photo of the charter members present.
I was highly pregnant when the members (including of course James) "swang the hammers" to physically build the church building. My efforts to sew the first paraments (for the altar, lecturn and pulpit) starting with a green one. Lori took me to the room were all is kept but the only thing we could find was one of the blue pieces (used in Advent). It's ok. Time has gone on.
When it was time to head back to Nashville again we took a quick look at the house we had built all those years ago. We lived 9 years at Kentucky Lake. Lots of memories there too. Well, we did have to show William but it looked quite different now. Even the address had changed from Rural Route 1.
Helen fixed an impromptu meal in the evening ....
... and Monday morning James and I were on the road again to drive home. Everything had gone very well and relatively easy, except to leave Helen and William again.
Tuesday morning we had a leisurly breakfast with soft-boiled eggs from William's hen's eggs.
Of course I had to take the photos to text to him. His answer: did you trick Papa?
Yes, the story lives on, ha-ha.
* * * * *
Sorry, just found some photos which came late and I think I would like to include them:
Peace!
Most of the Pastors/Interims which have served here except two who have died.
The first: Pastor Will. I will never forget him. He held the first Passover Seder Meal I attended and gave me the tools to organize one two years ago. It gave me great understanding.
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