Trip Musings 3

Of course the best part of the trip was the people. From parents and siblings and nieces to reams of relatives on both the Yoder and Miller sides.

On our first evening in Iowa Rebecca and I went out to eat with three cousins that we hadn't seen in years. Well, actually they're first cousins once removed, thanks to their grandma, our Aunt Edna, one of the older siblings, getting married at 17 and our dad getting married at 37. We girls used to have slumber parties in Henry Bontragers' loft above the garage. Our evening out with these girls was one of those unexpectedly blessed times that you take as a gift from God. We talked and laughed until Olive Garden closed, and they nearly had to toss us out. And then a few of us profusely thanked the young man by the front door for being so patient with us, and then realized he wasn't even an employee, one of many many good memories of the evening.

Laverta, Rebecca, Marilyn, me, Loretta

Edna used to serve those orange circus peanut candies to all the children who came to her house, so Rebecca brought some along and we feasted for old times' sake.



My dear uncle Mahlon perked up and recognized us when we visited him and reminded him of how he used to take us both onto his lap and give us whisker rubs. He grinned and said, "You liked it, too." Everyone at Pleasantview Home just loves him, they say. I do too.

Here's Mahlon and my mom, obviously siblings.

Here we are having a Miller-family supper at Vina's house. On the left in the white blouse is Vina talking to her cousin Leona (Mom's Uncle Noah's daughter). Next to Vina is Dad, then Mom, then Leora and Lavern, who is telling me about his trip to the Shetland Islands.

Partly cut off there on the left is Mom's cousin Sarah (her Uncle Levi's daughter) who ran a famous quilt/fabric shop for years and travelled all over the place to lecture on Amish quilts. She's talking to Rebecca, who is next to John who is the pastor at Sunnyside church, next to his wife/my cousin Anna Fern, who is next to her dad, Uncle Mahlon. And then we are back to Leona. My cousin Merlin took the pictures. If you live in the Kalona area, or are related to us, you probably got talked about that evening. In a good way of course. And in Dutch.

Quote of the Day:
"It couldn't have happened to a nicer person."
--John, when Lavern told what happened when they asked him to take off his belt at the airport security and his hands were full and his cargo pockets were overloaded with insulin and needles and stuff.