July 8, 2010 7:03 AM
My life - the Shrine and Saturday's Sweethearts Dinner
This has been a productive week for me as the boys - Jonny, Jesse, Daniel and Justin - have been at Easter Seals Camp. They've been going there for five years and LOVE IT! And it gives the rest of the family a chance to do some things that are easier to do in smaller numbers.
Last Saturday was an unforgettable day. Tripp, Zach, Sophia, Maddy, Josh H (Sophia's sweetie, who was visiting for the weekend) and I went to the National Shrine in Washington DC. The trip there was almost twice as long as it should have been - it seemed like everyone in DC was out and about. But my kids travel well and all it takes is a Zune-radio shuffle and a camera to amuse them.
They must have taken a hundred pictures in the car alone, but these will give you some idea of the general mood:
When we got there, I propped my camera on a ledge, hit the timer and ran to be in the picture (I'm sure this will be one of the ways I am remembered by my kids):
I am just going to put a few pictures of the Basilica here - if anyone would like, I'll make a Picasa album of them later. Suffice it to say that the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is one of the most extraordinary places I've ever seen. You could spend a few days there absorbing the beauty and the spiritual depth:
I've been there twice before (once when Maddy cantored for the Mass for Shut-Ins), but this time was most satisfying as we really had a lot of time to spend. When we came out, we all felt completely refreshed:
Because it just so happened that the three kids at home all have sweethearts and the three sweethearts were all available, I had planned a Sweetheart Dinner. Tripp barbecued while I ran around with the camera:
Josh and Sophia (hilarity and personality):
Zach and Dana (these two are hard to capture as they're always in motion - often dancing, which they are exquisitely matched for):
Maddy and Eddie (contentment):
Mom's Obligatory Timer Picture:
We sat down to eat outdoors as the rosy evening glow was beginning. I never thought about my camera again until after it was dark. It's hard to take pictures when you can't see what you're taking:
We watched Casablanca. If you haven't watched it, it is a classic and you are sure to see how George Lucas paid tribute to it in Star Wars - especially the bar scene:
btw, among the sweethearts already married from our family I have a daughter-in-law - Ben's anna - who is a Doppelganger for Ingrid Bergman, so enjoy Casablanca even more.
But my goodness, they're all so beautiful. Tripp and I are constantly amazed at what God has done....
Comments
you have a blessed family. your children are beautiful! the girls take after Momma and the boy after his Dad.
thanks for sharing. :)
Posted by: tereza crump AKA MyTreasuredCreations | July 8, 2010 10:23 AM
Great pics of the family Barb!
Posted by: Eileen | July 8, 2010 10:56 AM
Thank you for this glimpse at the other end of parenthood -- enjoying adult children. For me, in the trenches of parenting young children, this was a real treat, Barbara.
Posted by: Bridget | July 8, 2010 4:34 PM
what a beautiful family! I had to laugh a bit- you and I are the 'shorties' in the family. My husband is a whole head taller than me and the running joke is when the kids finally grow taller than mom "I'm bigger than Mom now!" and I say "that's not saying much, everyone is bigger than I am..."
Posted by: Mary Eckstein | July 9, 2010 5:35 AM
