They're gone

Sophie was in her most playful, charming mood this morning. First she had some Mommy-tickle time,

then some Daddy hugging time,

then her regular bowl of Maple and Brown Sugar oatmeal,

then play-with-Memaw time. She preferred the small keyboard over the piano this time. When I was down in early June I taught her to sing the song, Do, a Deer. She can sing it word-perfect. When I played along with her on the piano she was so tickled with herself!

Over and over again she would "hide" behind the vertical blind. I would say that she's missing, George and I would talk about where she might have gone, and then...

...suddenly she would pop out from behind the blind. Seriously, she has a VERY high tolerance for repetition!! Games like that can go on and on and on and on..... and it's still funny to her every time!

All too soon George and Lisa were ready to go. We let Sophie go in to wake up sleepy-head Destiny before they left. This was their good-bye hug!

And there they go.

Parts of today were cloudy and it perfectly matched my mood. I have allowed myself a day for tears and not much ambition. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have motivation to get necessary things done.

Stauffer Camp Out, 2008

Another great weekend camping with Dick's family is history. As always, it was a GREAT time of fun and bonding. Sitting around the camp fire with other family members any time of the day or night is one of the best things of all.

There were four great granddaughters present this weekend: Destiny, Sophie, our niece Krista's little girl Natalia (age 2), and our nephew Joe's daughter Morgan who is just a month older than Sophie. It was fun to see the little girls get acquainted with each other. Joe's one-year-old son Avery was also along, but somehow I did not get any picture of him, except in his high chair at the table.

Below, Natalia gives Destiny a hug.

Morgan and Sophie meet each other for the first time.

Unbelievably, there was another very major event taking place this Saturday that I could not miss. There was a reunion being held at my school gym. It was a reunion of my dad and his siblings, their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. This family has not had a reunion since 1997. I simply could not miss it. So late Saturday morning I left the fun taking place at Camp Hebron and did the hour-and-fifteen-minute drive to the Witmer Reunion. There were about 175 people there. There was a pot-luck meal, then we sang together, this having always been a very musical family.

The best part of the day was when my dad and his five remaining siblings (four have already died) sat at tables with microphones to tell stories from their childhood. They were SO FUNNY!!

Here is a view of the family listening to the stories. Everyone was enjoying them. This is a very diverse family - many are very conservative Mennonites, others are very liberal in their dress and theology, but there was a very common bond in wanting to hear and preserve the memories of those who have gone before us.

Getting reacquainted with cousins we seldom see was so good. Here is my sister Doris with our cousin Sharon.

While I was gone Saturday afternoon, the rest of our family was having a great time at Camp Hebron doing all kinds of activities -

hiking,

peddle-boating,

kayaking,

and swimming.

Of course, a major activity is eating together - a lot of work goes in to it, but oh, so much fun!

And what did we eat all those times we sat together at that big, long table?

Well, Saturday morning there was Jim's scrambled eggs and ham.

Saturday evening there were Steve's chicken breast sandwiches.

Sunday morning there were Fred's pancakes and sausage.

And Sunday lunch was the Mexican Pile-up. At Stauffer camp out, all the food is made over the wood fire with the exception of my rice. Dick's dad kindly brings his gas burner along so I can cook my rice over a well regulated heat.

And of course, no camp out is complete without the hot dogs roasted over the fire, which we had Friday evening, and the smores, which we had Saturday evening. Yummy!! Those evening snacks were provided by the younger generation - we're breaking them in gradually, ha,ha!!

Here they are piling up the Mexican Pile-up!

After my meal - the last one of the weekend - was the big clean up operation. But everyone pitched in, and by 2:00 every food item, every dish, every pot and pan, every tent, chair, and tarp were packed up and out of sight. Are we good, or what?? After that, some left for home, others headed for the pool.

On the drive home I was again amazed by the beauty of the mountains and the sky.

This evening, after unloading and putting away all our "stuff", we went to a graduation party for my sister Doris's daughter Greta. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from her high school class a few weeks ago.

Greta and her friends played volley ball outside, but we ladies stayed inside and enjoyed Doris's precious grandchildren. Here's Paityn, having the greatest time with the balloons.

Look at that little 3-week-old Aiden, looking right up at his grandma Doris!

We came home from the party and have been enjoying our last evening with Lisa and George. Tomorrow morning they'll leave for the Philly airport and return home to Florida. Man, am I ever going to miss them.