The Return Home From Friendly Town Virginia

Our sightseeing trip to NYC was a result of chaperoning a group of children to their home in NYC for the Fresh Air Fund. They each stayed with a volunteer family from somewhere in the Shenandoah Valley for up to two weeks. It's fun to ride back home with these children, as we get to know them for the few hours we are all traveling. I've always looked at Fresh Air from my perspective, how it affects my life, and my family's. Riding the bus gives me the bigger picture, I see how it affects the life of the children.

My wonderful husband visiting with a group of kids on the bus, they so loved talking to him!

This little girl was visibly saddened at the prospect of going home. She cried on and off for hours. She stayed with one of the Mennonite families in our area. You would have thought she experienced a great deal of culture-shock, and yet - she apparently was more impacted by good old-fashioned unconditional love she had not experienced before.






This little guy had a neat album of photos of his trip. "This is me getting candy at the parade", "this is me playing with the water hose", etc, etc. What a nice memory for him to share with his family and friends at home.























These two girls chatted on and acted as if they had been best friends forever. NOT! They never met before Friendly Town...but the same couple invited both of them (they had no young children of their own!) and now they are great friends! (there goes another excuse!)








This young lady taught me everything I know about french manicure. She made it seem so easy! You should have seen her nails! She's going to be a pro one day!






This little six-year-old wore all three adults out before he finally wore himself out a few hours later! What a doll!

If you've ever considered Fresh Air, and you live in an area within a day's drive of NYC, find out more about it. Pursue it. If you think there's a reason you can't, then you probably don't understand the program. Believe that you can. You will make a difference for the children.

The Game

While we were waiting today for our "divine appointment", Jonathan played with this squirrel. They chased each other around and around the tree for a good while. Apparently this little guy didn't particularly like this tree and was looking for his opportunity to escape on the ground. He did finally make it!

THE COBBLER's CHILDREN

Have no shoes.

I've had several questions about the treehouse. It is still the same. Except for the addition of a 180 ft long "zip-line" (just high enough to be fun, and yet safe.)

I don't want to push it, as Daddy's had a lot on him, and his health hasn't been 100%. And it's been fun to listen to the kids dream. Everyone has their ideas and opinions as to how it should be finished. This will definitely be a memory. And a lesson in patience!

Random Moments

I heard a teaching today, conveniently downloaded to my iPod and accessible through my otherwise antiquated cassette player in the car. It was about perfectionism, and while I don't think that I am a perfectionist, I still am subject to many of the similar thought cycles. "I need to do better", " I've got to get this done" can overwhelm me and rob me of precious "moments" in my children's short time at home.

My mother was saying today, that she saw moms and children(mostly the little ones crawling up on laps) at church this weekend and wondered how moms who work do it...Work for 8 hours, sleep 8, leaving 8 to get everything else done. Her question was, "How much time do they actually get to spend (snuggling, loving, holding)..their children?" I have no idea, but I don't work at a job away from home, and I know that there have been many a Sunday in which I reflected during this "quiet hour" how few times I had touched my children that week just because.

The speaker today said that we pride ourselves as women on our ability to multi-task...but are sometimes robbing ourselves and our children of MOMENTS.

Like I Corinthians 13 explains (JVLParaphrase)..I have nothing if I get it all done but didn't do it in love.
With love.
Soaking up love.
Showering love.
Snuggling love.
Smothering love.
I want Moments my children will remember. Most don't come from careful planning, but on their own schedule. I don't want to be so busy doing multiple things, that I miss it.
I think I'm going to go give some kisses goodnight.

History Island

While in NYC, we visited Ellis and Liberty Islands.
My first trip to NYC was in 1985 when the Statue of Liberty was completely shrouded by scaffolding, being prepared for the centennial.

Ellis Island was beginning its restoration process after nearly 30 years of neglect. (People were just beginning to think that it might be useful as a landmark/museum)But we did go to the top of the WTC. My next visit was five years ago, and too soon after 9/11 for the parks to be re-opened. So this was the year to do it. I would have to say that Ellis Island was the highlight of my trip. I would love to go again and spend all day there. This place represents so much of what our country has always been about. People of the world desiring freedom, and willing to give up everything they have for the chance at it.

Hopes. Dreams. Disappointment.

Exerpts from letters and quotes from people who came...one Russian immigrant said that his mother told him it (saying goodbye) was like looking at him in his coffin. He never saw her again. This quote photographed is from a letter to a brother in the homeland..stating "come...and I have no intention of going to our country, because in our country I experienced only misery and poverty, and now I live better than a lord in our country."

We were on a tight schedule, but I stopped at this display, which had problems with glare from the skylight in the hallway, (so excuse the photos). Families of those who passed through Ellis Island had donated items that were brought to America from the homeland.

If you were going on a long trip, possibly never to return, and had limited storage space...what would you take???

Your wedding dress??

Your christening gown???

What else would define your existence? Give you hope?

Your Bible??

Religious icons that help you feel at home?