Time for Family

Making time for family is so vitally important in spite of food and gas prices.  Our son Darren, his wife Melanie, and their children, Caleb and Noelle, live 45 miles from us in Front Royal, VA, about an hour away.  Our daughter Deb and her husband Keith, and their two daughters, Alissa and Nicole, live in Centreville, VA, about 7 miles and 20-25 minutes from us.  The distance for them is not so great, but traffic is much heavier.  Our oldest son Doug co-owns our house here in Manassas and lives in the lower level.

Doug decorated his home in contemporary style,while Dave's and my upper level is more Victorian/traditional.  Deb's home is decorated in what I would call craftsman/traditional style, and Darren's home has two themes: the lower level media room is definitely contemporary but he and Melanie also have country/traditional style decor upstairs. 

We have widely-varied interests in our family too:  Dave and Darren love deer hunting  and guns, while our son Doug wouldn't want to kill a fly.  Keith's interests are hiking, photography, mapping, family geneologies, civil war and Anabaptist history.  Deb loves baking, hiking, gardening and reading and is good at relationships; I call her my little joy-bell. :o)  Melanie enjoys exercising, hiking, getting a sun tan, Facebook, keeping her house, and is starting a new chapter in her life by going into a home-based business.  I love to read, write and take walks outside (and have my family over!). 

Two weeks ago on a Sunday we met for lunch here and had a "build your own hoagie" theme with each family contributing fixin's and accompaniments for the meal.  Afterwards we were outside because it was such a beautiful day, even though the air had a slight chill. 

Melanie and daughter blowing bubbles by our front walk.

Caleb, Deb, Alissa, Dave, Keith, Darren and Doug coming back from taking Darren's black Pitt Bull dog for a long walk.  Melanie, Noelle, Nicole and I also walked, but didn't finish the whole loop with them.

Ladies chillin' out on a blanket after the walk.  I've since bought a cheap quilt at WalMart for this purpose because the grass clippings in the yard stuck to the blanket and were too hard to get off.

All the guys (Keith on glider, Doug at right front by step, Dave behind Doug, and Darren leaning against house siding), on the porch with Fiona, Darren's Pitt Bull he rescued from the pound.  Darren used to say he'd never, ever, own a Pitt Bull because of their "bad reputation" as vicious and dangerous.  But she is a real sweetheart -- gentle and loving, even after being abused.  The pound said they found her wandering, skin and bones, right ear torn up, and other wounds on her body, on a road near Farmville, VA.  I had to change my opinion of Pitts as well.  She's a great dog and very well mannered.  Our son Darren is a great "pack leader", putting into practice the things he learned from watching "The Dog Whisperer", Caesar Milan on TV.  She obeys immediately.

Noelle and I doing a small puzzle on our front porch.

These are memories woven into the fabric of our family.  I pray a blessing on each of your families!

Copyright © 2012 Elaine Beachy