July 4th!

My week began as usual with flowers! These were some of the "red, white, and blue" bouquets. 

I took the rest of the week "off" of my art business work and focused on house projects and more time for resting. I was so excited to finally finish of my back closet which has been a several-month long project. It's all rearranged, sorted, and reorganized! (In case you are wondering, that is fabric, not my clothing!)

I took one morning to paint my hollyhocks with oils -- oils are new to me and there's a big learning curve! Laura decided she wanted to join me with acrylics.

Michael's dad has been gone for more than two years now but we wanted to celebrate his life on his birthday. We had Michaels' mom over for a special dinner: the kind of meal one would get at a steak house, complete with iceberg wedges with bacon and blue cheese. Yum!

Michael's siblings all called in on zoom and we sang. One of Michael's brothers had even driven up to Dad's gravesite which was extra special for everyone to be able to see what it is looking like right now.

All this 90+ degree weather isn't putting us off the outside socializing! Where there's a will there's a way! Laura and her friend followed a painting tutorial all by themselves!

I made it back to the art museum gardens with a friend (in the heat! iced drinks in tow). I guess the cheery rudbeckia and the creeping jenny below them were my favorite finds of the day.

On July 4th we had cousin Olivia and my sister, Emily, over to enjoy some time in our local creek and then lunch under the front tree. It proceeded to rain and the kids loved it.

 In the evening our two moms came over for a back patio barbecue. I made some delicious salads and grilled hamburgers and hotdogs.

We all sat around and enjoyed chatting.

And we even made s'mores for dessert!

One special part of my week was sorting photos from my January England trip. It brought a lot joy and good memories for which I was thankful.

And now we are into another HOT week!

A Parting Gift -- Part Three

“In friendship...we think we have chosen our peers.

In reality a few years' difference in the dates of our births, 

a few more miles between certain houses, 

the choice of one university instead of another...

the accident of a topic being raised or not raised at a first meeting--

any of these chances might have kept us apart. 

But, for a Christian, there are, strictly speaking no chances. 

A secret master of ceremonies has been at work. 

Christ, who said to the disciples, 

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you," 

can truly say to every group of Christian friends, 

"Ye have not chosen one another 

but I have chosen you for one another." 

The friendship is not a reward for our discriminating 

and good taste in finding one another out. 

It is the instrument by which God 

reveals to each of us the beauties of others.” 

-- C. S. Lewis

The third part of the unexpected gift that came of my friend's death was the reunion of so many friends from long ago. I really don't think there is any other way that all of us would have ever met again in Vermont at the same time.

Here are our two families so many years ago:

It was a special treat to be able to worship Sunday morning in this church that holds so many memories from over the years and in which Amanda grew up (her dad was the pastor back then). There is a new church plant now meeting in this otherwise vacant building. 

The church was a backdrop in so many of our childhood pictures and it was the place I mentioned in  Christmas in Vermont.

There were many new faces in the pews but several familiar ones too. One of the best things about traveling is participating in worship with other congregations and being reminded that I am part of a family that is world-wide. The Gospel joins people in every place, every language, every culture, to the culture and language of heaven.

The stained glass is lovely!

And I had to go back to the kitchen since I have strong memories of its coffee scent and the old ladies who would be preparing for coffee hour.

Just across the churchyard is Amanda's childhood home where we spent countless hours together:

Some of our classic pictures in front of the lilac bush when we came back into town.

Looking out beyond the church and house to the Boyden farm in the distance (the same farm in my painting in the last post).

Amanda's memorial service was held in the early afternoon and was followed by a special time of fellowship. Here is "the old gang" all grown up now. Twenty-five years ago we sat in this very same room having Bible studies as teenagers!

Another friend: Courtney. Our friendship is also as old as we are.

And there is still plenty to laugh and talk about:

Amanda loved Vermont. And she loved maple syrup. It was decided that having a proper sugar-on-snow element to the evening would be a fitting way to honor Amanda's memory. This was yet another gift. I pine for maple syrup. I'm sure syrup runs in my blood, as it does in most people born in Vermont. :) But it's been since I was a preschooler that I've had a proper sugar-on-snow experience complete with pickles and donuts on offer.

Just look at that delicious, golden candy being poured out on that snow!

This is Ben, Amanda's brother, and his wife, Ilse. Ben was my very first friend (before Amanda was born). It was a very special treat to be able to visit with these two, meet their two girls, and catch up a bit.

Here I am with Kristen and Jason -- two of "the group" that actually married each other! How fun is that?! We were whipping up the extra maple syrup into maple cream.

Here are Kristen and I when we were very little.

And Erica, yet another friend! It's amazing to meet people 25 years after you've last seen them and still feel a close bond. 

I have all these friends because our mothers got together weekly for Bible study when we were babies and toddlers! Our mothers laugh at us because apparently, forty years ago, they were all into raw milk, recycling, and eating healthy too! ha ha ha!

 

Mention must be made of the gluten-free maple scones that were on the dessert table. They were so amazing and what a treat to have something we could eat!!!! (Note to self: be sure to make maple scones in the future!)

And here are Amanda's dear parents who invested so much of themselves in our lives over the years. How we pray for God's comfort to be with them in the days and years ahead.

Friendships are a great blessing. Hearing many of these friends share their memories of Amanda brings to the forefront just how important and far-reaching a friendship can be, and how important it is to invest in relationships.

I will always be thankful for Amanda's investment in our relationship and for the friends that God chose to bring into my life beginning at my birth to the present.

"Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."

-- Author Unknown

A Parting Gift -- Part One

When my lifelong friend passed away in January I didn't realize at the time that with her death she was giving me one more gift -- the gift of returning home to the land of my birth to celebrate her life with the rest of our childhood friends, of returning home to see many of my own relatives, of returning home to the specific scenery that first spoke beauty to my infant soul.

Just two weeks ago my mom, sister, and I travelled back to Vermont to celebrate Amanda's life.

 

It had been fifteen years since I had driven these roads and seen all the familiar sites: the "Farm Between", the crumbling brick houses (now so beautifully restored) that lay between my house and my cousins, the meandering Lamoille River, my Grandmother's house, and the house I first lived in.

The weather could not have been more wonderful: the largest snowfall in several years just preceding our arrival, sunny skies just about every day -- the best of Vermont winter!

There were even snow flurries one day:

I've had a life-long affinity to farms, barns, cows. It's no wonder -- this is what Vermont is made of. I even managed to catch a whiff of that all-too-familiar scent from my childhood that told me the cows were out to pasture.

The covered bridge near my old home:

The old gristmill nearby:

And the birch trees! I think this was the first tree I learned to recognize and I've always loved its stark whiteness and the bark that can be magically written on.

What is Vermont without maple syrup?! It seemed providential that we arrived at the beginning of the sap run! While most sap is no longer collected in metal buckets, it was fun to spy these bucket-laden trees by the roadside.

Mt. Mansfield -- the highest mountain in Vermont and a sort of sleeping giant that can be clearly seen from all around. The shape of the mountain is seared into my brain -- its recognition awakens a deep sense of belonging.

And the farm of another childhood friend: the scene of so many playdates and outdoor adventures.

I'm quite sure I shall never fall out of love with barns.

This is something of the beauty that was given me in this parting gift.

Losing a Friend

This past week I lost a friend to colon cancer -- a friend of whom I don't remember a time when she was not a part of my life. We spent our earliest years together in rural Vermont, doing all the things that little kids do -- having picnics, taking walks, playing with toys, making memories. When we moved away from Vermont Amanda's friendship remained and was renewed each time we went back to visit or she and her family came to visit us.

When I lived in Uganda as a teenager, Amanda declared that she had decided to write me a letter every single week that we were there (over two years) and she faithfully wrote, gifting me with companionship in a land and time in life where I had few social peers. I've never gotten over that generous gift.

As we grew older we saw each other less and less but thanks to the internet and Christmas cards we always knew where the other lived and if anything momentous was happening. Amanda was talented and she was blessed with many opportunities to use her gifts, especially in the area of journalism, working on the editorial staff of places like National Geographic and the Smithsonian and I was always so proud to look inside the cover of those magazines and find the name of my kid-friend from Vermont!

It was always fun to hear about Amanda's latest travels! She even made it to Uganda (after I had left). Best of all, she made it to Scotland (along with another good friend, Courtney) to visit us when we lived there. In fact, that trip, 15 years ago, was the last time we got to see each other in person. Here she is with Rachel, the joy of life showing on Amanda's face:

Amanda leaves behind a wonderful husband and their precious, three-year-old daughter. As heartbreaking as it is to lose a friend, the greatest heartbreak is wishing that precious daughter could know her mom for more than these few short years. 

Amanda's faith in Christ has been so evident through her struggle with cancer and the patience and perseverance with which she endured this final battle has been an incredible witness to all of us. She ran her race well, faithful to the end, and freely gave the gift of friendship and kindness to so many. She touched my life in many, many ways -- mostly in the very ordinary moments of life year after year that over time added up to become a lasting legacy. 

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

2 Timothy 4:7-8

(The collage at the top is the wedding gift Amanda made for me to remind me of our childhood memories together.)

Fall Break Part Two

Towards the end of fall break our family went in two directions. Michael and Rachel headed to Pittsburgh where Michael had meetings and Rachel had plans for her first two college visits (!!!).

The rest of us headed up north to Michigan to see our dear friends who moved away two years ago.

It was so good to visit in person and to see the wonderful home in the country the Lord provided for these friends. Chickens were one of the main attractions of our visit! Check them out!!!

Here is Zeus, king of the roost.

And here are the lady chickens. I love how they sit on their perch -- all night long!!!

 Isn't this the best expression!!!!

A few of the hens checking me out:

 The kids had such a great time running around outside, fighting with their swords, and otherwise occupying themselves. Laura hung out with the big kids the whole time.

 Tracy and I had to enjoy tea in her new teacups from Italy!

And I did have to take more pictures of the chickens whenever I could. Zeus is pretty handsome!

The leaves were gorgeous in Michigan! The tree in the center of the picture is a Sassafras. It turns such a lovely, glowing color.

Our friends live on a beautiful dirt road. We enjoyed being able to walk around the area they live in.

My friend's chickens are actually quite tame! On purpose! Zeus will let you pick him up!!!

We walked in the woods and admired the rows of pine.

As well as some white berries we found.

We were very excited to find some stick bugs!

One afternoon we toured their town -- Lowell, MI.

Rachel was glad to have a big sister while Rachel was away.

We went into the coolest "Variety Store" which reminded me of stores in Vermont when I was a kid. Check out the Contact Paper for sale! That certainly takes me back!

The store seemed to have a little bit of everything!

No need to drive to Walmart! You can get what you want in downtown Lowell!

 After walking around downtown, and stopping in to see their local library (of course we checked the book sale area and I found a book to buy!!) we headed out of town on a wild goose chase to find a barn sale we saw a sign for.

Fortunately the chase eventually led somewhere -- this beautiful home and farm!

We headed out to the barn to see what they had:

I found a beautiful brown and cream Ironstone pitcher and a few other minor things.

 Next stop was an apple orchard for some ice-cream! And I walked away with 3 bushels of apples too -- they were selling "deer apples" for $8/bushel. The apples were gorgeous and I couldn't resist.

When we got home we found presents waiting for us!

One evening the kids made a fire to roast hotdogs.


My pictures won't move today.....so onto the Grand Rapids public library which we went to visit on our second day. (Libraries and books are important to us.....) The Grand Rapids library is a very beautiful building. Check out the floor:

This is the permanent book sale area so of course we spent a good deal of time here:

Looking at some of the architecture of the building:

Isn't the red beautiful? And there was a very distinct marble used:

We drove around downtown Grand Rapids a bit, just to get the feel for the city:

Here's the outside of the library building -- very ornate! You won't believe it but we returned to the library the next day for their annual Friends of the Library Book Sale! Yes, we are a little "cuckoo" for books. :)

Now back to the fire....It was very restful to just sit by the fire for hours and visit!

Laura enjoyed her hotdogs. This girl can put away food!

Not many can resist playing with fire! It was fun to be in the country and do country things!

 One day we stopped at "Heidi's" to have a look around.

More beautiful apples:

And fresh, homemade donuts -- which the kids had to sample.

 Each day we took a walk!

Michigan reminded me so much of Vermont -- just no mountains. I can see how it would be easy to live in such a beautiful place (we'll just forget about all the snow in the winter).

Here is my favorite picture from the trip:

L played her saxophones for us. It was great to see the kids enjoying each other so much.

Here we are by a sassafras tree -- all bundled up because it is colder in Michigan.

We headed home Saturday afternoon and the next day we celebrated our congregation's 10th anniversary! Exciting times for a church plant!

Several ladies organized adorable table decorations:

And everyone brought lots of food!!!! (Which these boys were happy to eat)

It was a great time of fellowship!!!

And then fall break was over! I was very thankful to feel able to return to homeschooling afterward. The holidays are ahead and I need to keep my equilibrium!!!

A few more pictures of Michigan to leave you with.......

The country roads were just beautiful, and so peaceful.

It did seem a little like Anne of Green Gables country:

 And now here, at the very beginning of November, we are amazed and delighted to be enjoying weather in the 60's and 70's and flowers still coming in from the garden! The trees are at their peak right now (a bit late and a bit more muted than usual) and this is when we all say "fall is the best time of the year"!