Lorraine turns 17-Eldon is ready to leave for College

We enjoyed a nice party for Lorraine and Eldon last week The Grillmaster, Kevin Enjoying some Basketball Street hockey with the younger kids Stephen, Vicki and the boys (Hannah is usually being held by someone :)) Doreen and Hannah Donovan enjoying the rope to the tree house Lorraine Eldon The youngest guests enjoying dessert My Sweetheart

A Final Farewell for the Young People

With the Matthia family going on furlough at the beginning of September and the college kids leaving before then, a special day was planned together at Heide Park, a very nice amusement park about 2 hours north of here.

Sommer Sensation I 2009

I did not have my camera while the kids were gone to camp, so I have no picures from our days here during that time. The camp ones I am posting are from Dalene and Danae. Trip to Spain: Devon with little cousin, Evan Most of the cousins at camp wore their family reunion shirts one night. Sisters: Danae and Doreen Danae was a team leader of the blue team! :) Doreen and two of the youngest campers :) Sunrise at the Mediteranian Sea: Dalene and Doreen Song Service Danae on duty in the kitchen. :) Bradley during a service Dalene working with pictures on a laptop Pont du Gard (France) on the way home

The Week before Camp

We enjoyed the visit of Daniel and Jennifer during this week. One afternoon Danielle and Caleb busied themselves with cleaning our trampoline. :) Danae and Dalene--doing up my kitchen Danika--she loves that scarf: Derek gave it to her A very special treat after the nursing home service: Subway Subs! Donia did the painting on the mascots for camp this year. Here the yak! :)

Derek flew to the States on July 10th 2009

Derek and my parents flew to Greenville on July 10th 2009. We miss him a lot! He took this last one of us right before he stepped through the last passport control.

Derek's Graduation-Going-Away Party

Mentoren (Counselor)Training July 4th 2009 at Camp Impact

This was the first time back for Bradley since he was on furlough. A lot has changed. This was his room. This end room is still being worked on, but it served well as the meeting room for the counselors. Gottfried, a new counselor this year. In a meeting

Home again, home again

What a delightful welcome home: three fully loaded cherry trees! Beautiful roses in front of the house Decorating the street with chalk

Our Very Special Matthia Family Reunion 2009

I started putting up pictures last week some time and lost them all. Today I am working on laundry again while Bradley and the 6 oldest (minus Derek who is at Bob Jones working) are down at camp in Spain. So I am going to try again. :) We have had two other family reunions, one in 2000 and one in 2004. This time the family reunion coincided with a very special occasion: my parents' 50th wedding anniversary on June 26th. Very graciously the four families in the States came over to celebrate this special week in a vacation house in the Bavarian Forrest which my parents generously rented for all of us (39 in all) to enjoy together. Helping hands for the unloading at the house Trying out the pool table Last minute work on the memory album Our very nice room The view out our window the first morning