Hurray, a week's visit to Granddad and Nonna's house in Wheaton! Hard to believe it had been nearly two years (since Christmas 2014, when Mattias was two months old) since we had been able to visit. We had a great, easy flight from Asheville to Chicago (last time for Mattias to be considered "infant in arms", ha!) - and felt a bit of culture shock when we pulled into the neighborhood with its beautiful, green, open yards and homes and long, flat blocks with sidewalks. Not at all like our life now in hilly Sylva. But then the familiarity hit and we felt so happy to be there once again, together with family and able to wander around town and Wheaton's campus.
On our first morning, Jim took the boys for a quick visit to Uncle Dick and Kaye-Kaye, and seeing cousins Susie and Wendy's "Lucy Blue" woolens studio (in Uncle Dick's basement). What a joy to walk to the house next door and spend time hanging out with extended family!!
Then we had lunch with long-time friends Tad and Amber, and all five of their children (who Amber homeschools). Their two girls "practiced" their babysitting skills so we adults could sit and have a good talk. Of course it's always so good for the heart to connect with these friends... and sad, too, to be so brief.
Thankfully, Jim and I were both able to fit in appointments with Dr Gieser to have a full eye exam!! (Which we hadn't had for 3 years.) We got the all-clear - and a daunting impression of the busy, full lives of ophthalmologists.
Yes, yes, that's cousin David Brink, which means the Brink family is here! They drove up for four days from St Louis so we could all be together. Timo and David are only two months apart, and really
did enjoy each other, comparing Matchbox cars and building tunnels and forts in the basement (with the help of Elsie and the younger two, too).
 |
| Millie and Mattias in the beloved play house/tree house |
Fall would not be complete without a visit to Sonny Acres (so I'm told by the Gieser siblings, whose childhoods are linked with such memories)! The kids really
did enjoy it (and were succesfully distracted from realizing that we weren't spending money on any of the mini-amusement park rides).
 |
| Notice David and Timo holding hands, and Elsie holding Mattias's arm |
 |
| The regular scene at the house for the five cousins |
 |
| Don't they clean up nicely?! |
 |
| And our casual attempt at a family shot, oh well. |
One morning we walked around campus, through the Beamer student center, and to see the mastodon skeleton and geology exhibits. Wow, Wheaton sure is a lovely campus! Ah to be a carefree college student again, burdened by the worries of studies and how to spend one's free time. I guess this is what most of the other grads back for Homecoming were thinking, too... (And, "Wheaton sure is a lot nicer than when
we were here!")
Jim and Dad and Noah all went to the football game on Homecoming Saturday, and afterwards Jim and I and Timo went to the Homecoming women's soccer game. Forgot to take any photos except for this one at halftime, when Timo happily ran onto the field and down to the goal to be the keeper for some boys taking shots. Pretty cool that they let kids onto the field like that.
Nonna worked so hard to have the house all ready for us, with our beds and bedrooms and toys, and beautiful fall decorations throughout - not to mention figuring out meals for all of us and all our preferences! Thank you, Mom!
One last hug and kiss from Granddad before bedtime, and our
early morning flight the following day.
Look at these photogenic, wonderful parents! We love you!
