This summer has been wet and buggy, but it’s coming to an end. For the past week or two, the mornings and evenings have been delightfully cool, the school buses have been running, and I’m ready for a new season.
I didn’t have any big adventures this summer, but I thought I’d write a newsy, circle-letter like blogpost about the past month.
On August 3, my niece, Angie, was baptized in Mill Creek at Lancaster Mennonite School, along with three other young people from Crossway Mennonite Church. I love seeing my nieces and nephews growing up and committing to follow Jesus.
Two days later, my mother, Irene, turned seventy. Mom didn’t want a big party, so we respected her wishes, and celebrated in other ways.
I took her out for lunch at the Ma Patisserie Cafe, a French-themed coffee shop in Reading. My brothers and their wives gave her cards and gifts, and my sisters and I went to Longwood Gardens with her.
Yesterday my nephew Austin got married! He and Emilyn tied the knot at Millwood Church, followed by a reception at the bride’s home farm in Paradise.
The reception was held in a tent next to a pond. Near the end of the evening, I saw the groomsmen motion to each other. They grabbed Austin and sure enough, there was soon a big splash.
Traditionally, Mennonite grooms get tossed over the fence, but I guess with the pond so close by, the temptation was too great.
Austin and Emilyn left soon after that, as the guests waved sparklers. Someone (probably those groomsmen) had rigged his truck so that an ooga horn blew whenever Austin pressed on the brakes or switched on his turn signals.
It was great fun to attend a wedding like this. When people close to my age get married, everyone is too lazy to pull such ambitious pranks.
Fun August events I don’t have photos of include hearing my niece Hannah sing in the Reflections Choir and a contributors’ day hosted at Shady Maple for everyone who contributes to PCBE, the magazine that I write monthly freelance articles for. And there were the monthly meetings with my Writers’ Group and Philosophy Club. Someday I’ll have to write a blogpost about each of those.
Enjoy the last days of summer!
That’s real class, taking your Mom out to a nice place like that for her birthday. It’s more about people and experiences as we get older. Of course the younger set will be talking about those wedding day pranks for a long time too.
Yes, I was really pleased with the coffee shop! Thanks for commenting.
Love the cafe ! Looks like a perfect birthday celebration for a 70th . It’s been a great summer !
Yup, especially for your family: the baptism, your trip, the wedding… it’s been a summer to remember!
My question is on your baptism. Earl grew up in a Mennonite church where they sprinkled in the church. I see you are in the water. Do you do once backwards or 3 times forward was the way I was baptized.
My niece was baptized three times forward. Different Mennonite churches have different customs; this was the first baptism I’ve seen in a creek/river.