Back In Northern Virginia

We drove from PA to the Lake Fairfax Campground in Northern VA because we had family and friends to see in Fairfax County, and the daily round trip commute from our Front Royal membership park would have been 130 miles. The campground is lovely, but there is no water at the individual campsites. Therefore, we had to park with a full tank and be diligent regarding water conservation.

While we were in PA, Josh, Courtney (our youngest) and Althea had arrived for a fundraiser for their school in San Marcos, Guatemala. The event was sponsored by Josh's creative parents. Allen, a man of influence, really knows how raise money as the result of his long experience as a youth pastor. Suzanne is a master puppeteer, and her show was the highlight of the successful event. While we had just returned from Guatemala in March (see previous Blog posts), it was great seeing Courtney's family again. They and Robin's family met us one night at P.F. Changs for dinner (see photos). Samuel and Althea were able to catch up with their school events. Handley and Millie, dear Airstream friends, treated us to a delightful evening of fellowship and food. They have a lovely apartment in Green Spring Village in Springfield. We also enjoyed a delightful dinner one evening at the home of Lloyd and Elaine, along with other Airstreamers, Norma and Eric. As well, the first Christian friends we met in Northern Virginia 32 years ago, Bob and JoAnn, came to Lake Fairfax to spend an evening with us before our departure.

Having left Lake Fairfax, we are now back at Skyline Ranch in Front Royal awaiting our early departure for the International Airstream Rally in Bozeman, MT. We will stop for a few days in Ohio for some needed Airstream repairs and visit Gloria's sister's family. Our entire trip to Bozeman will be well over 2000 miles.

A Few Days With Andrea and Holden

As most of you know, our 12 year old grandson, Holden, who lives in Salem, MA has suffered from seizures since he was six months old. His parents believe it was the result of a childhood DPT shot, and there is some evidence to substantiate that theory. Holden has always impressed us with his unique sense of humor, mental alertness, attention to detail, and his quest for knowledge regarding any subject that interests him. Lately, he has learned about seizure alert dogs, and has expressed an interest in having one. One leading trainer and owner of such dogs is a lady named Joanie, who resides on a beautiful farm near Unionville, PA.

We have prayed for Holden more than for any human being we know. Yet, God has, for His own reasons, withheld the healing. We would do anything to have this handsome young man achieve wellness and be able to lead a normal life. Therefore, we agreed to accompany Holden and his mother, Andrea, our second oldest daughter, to Joanie's farm in PA. We parked our Airstream at a KOA campground and met daugher and grandson at the Amtrak station in Wilmington, DE.

Regrettably, Holden has suffered many seizures each week since conducting his research on alert dogs. During the interview with Joanie, he was not particularly enthused about the dogs that were lying in his midst. His total affect was dull during our few days together, and he was not his usual talkative self. Whether the damage we observed is permanent or temporary, we cannot know. One thing is certain: The dog must be Holden's in order to provide the kind of help our grandson needs. This means that Holden must care for the dog personally. With all of the pressures on David and Andrea, the last thing they need is a dog to care for if Holden us unable to do his part. Now they will wait and see how resilient Holden can be.

We did have fun staying in the Airstream. Andrea, Holden and Grandpa took a canoe ride at the park. It was determined that Jerry, being the most experienced, should be in the stern position. He dutifully took his seat, as Andrea and Holden gave the canoe a mighty shove. Over went the canoe in the river, and Grandpa was drenched to the applause of those observing. However, he remained undaunted and completed the trip in wet, cold clothing. The campfire that night felt especially good. The one thing that did spark Holden's interest was cooking dinner on a gas grill.

If you are a person of faith, please join us in praying for this dear little boy and his parents.

Feels Like Home

For the past nine days we have been back in Northern Virginia. We parked our Airstream at our membership camp, Skyline Ranch Resort, near Front Royal, not far from the Shenandoah River. We also stayed with Robin and her family a few nights in their Fairfax home located 65 miles from Skyline Ranch. Mothers Day was spent at Robin's; she and Alejandro prepared a sumptuous dinner. On another day, we were treated to lunch by our good friends, Bo and Lillian. Getting to attend worship and Sunday school at Columbia Bapist and fellowshipping with old friends was a special treat.

The family photo is of Robin, Alejandro, and Samuel. The white furniture truck was observed at a service station in Front Royal. Can you identify something peculiar about the message on the side of the cargo compartment?

Kingsport, TN With Our Son's Family

We have spent the last four days at Warrior's Path State Park in Kingsport. We enjoyed touring Abingdon, VA, a quaint city with lots of history just north of Kingsport with Mark, Christy and Ethan. Next time you are traveling on I-81 near the VA-TN border, it will be worth your time to stop for lunch or an overnight in Abingdon. Consider staying at the famous old Martha Washington Inn, the most beautiful building in the city.

The weather was perfect during our entire stay in Kingsport, and Warrior's Path Campground was as lovely as ever. It has many shaded sites, a gorgeous lake, high quality roads, 50 amp service, nostalgic train sounds in the distance, and the state offers a generous military discount. The dogwoods were in full bloom. The first night in town, Christy prepared a delicious dinner at home. It was fun seeing several pieces of our former Virginia furniture utilized in such creative ways in their house. Five-year old Ethan stayed with us two nights at the park; he has always loved the Airstream. He even helped fold laundry and carried trash to the dumpster. We got to see one of his T-ball practices, and we taught him how to play bocce ball. In the evenings Mark and Christy joined us for campfire yarns, hotdogs and smores.