Special house guests!

I'm starting this post with a picture I took yesterday.  My marigolds are loving the fall weather!  They are just showing off with all their might!

Yesterday I wrote about Grandma Mary's funeral day.  I'll start this post with with what we did after the funeral and picnic lunch.  First of all we stopped at Lititz Springs Park, a most favorite spot that holds so many memories for us.  But our purpose for stopping was so Dick could take a nap!  Besides, we were dressed up and didn't really have time to stroll through the lovely park.  

From there we went to pick up some very special passengers.  Destiny and Elizer were coming home with us for a few days!  It worked out great that we were in the Lebanon/Lancaster County area that day (Thursday) for Grandma Mary's funeral and would be returning on Sunday for Grandpa Stauffer's memorial gathering.  Alex had to work, and they would be staying in touch via FaceTime.  Elizer already knows his daddy's voice and face on the phone! 

Elizer slept the whole way to State College!  We had so much fun getting better acquainted with him when we got home that evening.   

Destiny couldn't wait to pick out a movie from our old, familiar stash.  Her pick that night was The Book Thief, one we have watched together before.  I was sure I would not be staying up to watch the whole thing, since my day had begun extremely early, but guess what?  I watched the whole thing.  It is such a profoundly beautiful and tragic story from the Holocaust.  

Friday was our 49th anniversary!  But for this year it was a regular work day for him and a regular cooking day for me, surrounded by enough other special events and COVID restrictions that we did not do any special celebrating.  Just remembering!  Top right:  our parents who were each celebrating their wedding anniversaries on our wedding day!  Bottom left:  the Witmer family.  Bottom right: our bridal party, most of whom were family. 

How fun having a baby in the house!   For a long time he sat in his bouncer as I made a beef stirfry for Anthony and Lori, but after a while he got bored and fell asleep.  

Destiny is a really good mommy.  She is breastfeeding him and he's really growing.  He's already three pounds over his birth weight.  I must admit, I had forgotten how much babies spit up, pass gas, poop, and how quickly a baby boy can pee during a diaper change, lol!!  Never a dull moment!  

GBRV was having a take-out only spaghetti supper on Friday.  I went to pick ours up and took Destiny and Elizer along.  We went inside so I could show off Elizer to the spaghetti crew.  Then we went to Walmart for a few things before coming home to eat our spaghetti and meatballs.   Destiny watched Little Mermaid that evening.  I love how she reverts to her childhood pleasures when she's here. 

Saturday was the first day of archery season, and Dick was out of the house and over at Stauffer Acres long before dawn.  He already had success at 7:10 am!  He was a happy guy!  I'm sorry if this picture is offensive to any reader.  It's hard for me too, but we really do eat and like venison.  

I went to the bank that morning and got these gorgeous pictures of the bright orange foliage.  My absolutely favorite color.  (Take a look at the dresses in my bridal party above!)

We had a lazy afternoon at home.  After Dick took the deer to the butcher, he had time for a nap and some baby holding.  Destiny and I (and Elizer in the carrier) took a walk around the neighborhood in the early evening.   Elizer got a "sink bath" and was not impressed!  She said he loves being in his little tub at home, but we hadn't brought it along.  

That evening Destiny found a case of her childhood CDs in our guest room. I didn't even know they were still there!  One of them is especially meaningful to us.  It's called Nature Sounds, and is beautiful instrumental music with nature sounds in the background.  When she was with us I would put that CD on in her bedroom for her to fall asleep to.  Often I lay beside her till she was sleeping, so I listened to it countless times too.  We both LOVE it and feel so sentimental about it.  I was thrilled to discover that we could get it on iTunes!!  I used one of the songs as the background music on the slideshow of Grandma Mary.  

Sunday morning was our first indoor service at GBRV.  We had fifteen Sundays in a row outdoors.  Just one time we had a little bit of rain.  Another Sunday it was really cold (in the 40's), but sunny.  But this Sunday it was in the 40's and raining!  We were so thankful that we were already planning to be indoors!   

Many precautions were in place, and people who did not feel comfortable being indoors were able to join via Google Hangouts.  Of course Dick, as always,  videoed the service.  I was so happy to play a real piano!!!  

When the service was over we hurried home to help pack everything and everybody up.   We were heading back to Lancaster County for a memorial gathering.  Again, Elizer was such a good little traveler!  

I'll write about the memorial gathering in my next post.