Another B-day!

Jim celebrated his birthday on Sunday and we had a very large party- the whole church was invited! We had a potluck dinner at church and then a sundae bar (because Jim loves ice cream!) for dessert. It was a fun time for all of us.

But the best part of the celebration was later! Even though we celebrated Jim, the real focus of attention was this little boy! He kept us entertained all afternoon.

This is the latest use for birthday card envelopes!

Jayden's first taste of watermelon...he loved it, and refused to share his piece with anyone!

J loves the piano...

so intelligent, he's already learning how to read music!!!
Happy Birthday Grandpa!

A Pair o' Docs

After traveling all day on Thursday, we arrived in Iowa City. As we drove through that area of the state, we could still see evidence of last year's devastating flood. Many of the businesses have been rebuilt, but there are still piles of debris visible. After we were settled in our hotel room, we met Mark and Gina for supper.

This medical fraternity house has been home for Mark the past four years. It was interesting for us to see the changes in the building since we had last seen it.

After supper, M&G took us on a walk thru one of their favorite walking parks.

We enjoyed the pleasant spring evening with the newlyweds.

Friday was a rainy day. But it was an exciting day!

After four grueling years of school, these two were graduating!The families waited patiently for the graduates to enter the auditorium.In a nearby room, the graduates waited excitedly for the ceremony to start.

Imagine our joy when we discovered that the seats we had chosen (way up front) were just behind our kids! This was taken just after the graduates walked in-the Mr & Mrs.And here are the proud parents after the ceremony, with their doctor children!
A pair of docs- Dr & Dr! Well done and congrats, Mark and Gina! (It is so hard to believe that this all happened only a week ago!!!) After the ceremony, the extended family enjoyed a meal together in celebration of the graduates. Then, we bid the kids farewell and God's blessing as they left on their honeymoon and we went back to our hotel room to pack our bags for our trip back home.The next morning we drove to Des Moines where we had brunch with Marilyn's aunt and uncle. After the meal, they took us to a nearby lake where they had often camped the past several years. The sunshine felt good, but it was a windy day.

It was fun to see these fishermen out on the lake. Our visit was short, but very enjoyable. Thanks Harriet and Bill for a wonderful visit and a short tour of some of your favorite, beautiful places.

Travelin'

We were blessed to have several days with Marilyn's family following the wedding. On Tuesday evening, Marilyn's youngest sister Margaret and husband Dave hosted the family for an evening "get-together" at their house. (on their Wedding Anniversary!)

First, we did some shopping, then we stopped by brother Rayn's new home.

Next we visited with Dave while we waited for the rest of the family to arrive.

Becky came with Kylie so her great Aunt Margaret could hold her once again...

and Great Gramma...
and Great Aunt Glenda...

and Laura. So many people to love on her!

Rick and Sarah came later...

and brought their dogs. Great Grampa immediately provided a lap for this one! Thanks Dave and Margaret, for giving us a fun evening together as family! On Wednesday morning, we left my parents' home and headed south. It was refreshing once again to see the wide-open countryside.
Because the winter snows continued late this year, and the weather has been cold and rainy, very few fields had been planted yet. But all the farmers are getting anxious to start.
Our next stop was in the city that we used to live. Both of us spent a couple of hours together with our former colleagues catching up on the latest news. Marilyn worked for five years with these gals and enjoyed spending time with them.It was exciting to see the progress on the new Cancer Center building.The work is ahead of schedule and opening is slated for next year.
I even spent a few minutes relaxing in the "Butterfly Park," remembering the many times that I would eat my lunch there and enjoy listening to the birds singing in the nearby trees.
Next stop was Minneapolis- the Mall of America!
The interior part of the mall is a theme park complete with plenty of rides!

We knew we were back in Viking-Packer rivalry territory!

We had supper together with our friends Steve and Margie (on left) and Jim's sister Margarethe and husband Doug. After enjoying a wonderful evening at Doug and Margarethe's house, we drove further south.
We stopped for a delicious brunch at our friends Jim and Karen. It was great to see the latest pictures of their children and grandchildren and also to catch up on their latest news. We love reminiscing about our days together in Africa!
But soon it was time to move on again. We enjoyed the lush green grasslands of Iowa...
and seeing the family farms. We were engrossed in reading a book while we traveled, (Jim drives and Marilyn reads) when suddenly we saw a sign pointing to a tourist attraction.
The Little Brown Church in the Vale
We heard from the pastor and his wife the history of this famous church and also the song that was written by a man who envisioned this building.
Although the congregation is small, they continue to meet every Sunday. And each year, on the first Sunday of August, the church hosts a Wedding Reunion. Thousands of people have been married in this church, and the annual event is a time to recommitment to their wedding vows.
Most of the original fixtures remain in the church.
This carving stands in front of the church to the left.

This peaceful, rustic setting was a nice place to stop.