May 2, 2025
Susan Hoover
Dear family and friends,
Greetings of love on this beautiful summery day in Pennsylvania! The clouds are white and puffy in a blue sky. A breeze stirs the leaves of the apple trees across the street. The apple trees and cherry trees have finished blooming, but there are still plenty of beautiful blooms around. Some dogwoods are still blooming, and many bushes and flowering plants which are a feast for the eyes. Some people have their sloping banks beside the road covered with creeping phlox in bright pinks and purples, which are eye-catching and breath-taking in loveliness! One thing is sure -- God likes colour! He made so many colourful things for our enjoyment. It sure calls one to worship and adoration!
We have just had almost a solid week of visitors. What a joy and blessing! Last Friday, our son Christopher and Maria and their family arrived around 5:00. What a happy reunion it was! We had not seen each other for a couple of years. After supper, we took a little walk around the neighbourhood here. The children were able to run off some of their excess energy. They pretty well drove straight through from Minnesota to here.
On Saturday Christopher and
the boys, and Peter, cleaned up that tree that fell in our back
yard. It is nice to have the yard cleared again, and they did a
nice neat job of it. They even cleaned up the flowerbeds and
porch a bit while they were at it.
Saturday happened to be Cedric's 11th birthday, so we went to a Chinese buffet to celebrate it. We also went to Renfrew Park and walked back to the mill. Lots of space there for running around! Lots of fun, with the creek and the bridge, etc. Had Ramen noodle soup for supper, for the children. Some of us weren't hungry yet and preferred to do without!
Sunday morning we all went to City Light for the morning service. Naps in the afternoon, then around 5:00 we went to PenMar park for a picnic supper -- Christopher's family and us with John and Velina, Lamar and Lori, Leon and Lynette and their families. The children had a fun evening on the play structures at the park, and we older folks had a good visit.
On Monday, Christopher and
his four oldest children, plus Peter, and Lamar went to tour
Philadelphia. It sounds like they all had a grand time. Maria
and I had a nice quiet, peaceful day here at home with just the
two youngest boys. We actually went back to PenMar park to look
for a jacket that was left behind on Sunday evening, belonging
to 4-year-old Raylen. And, we found it! Still on the play
structure where he had left it. So that was worth the trip back,
to get it again. We stayed at the park for awhile and let the
little boys play. They had so much fun. When we came home they
were very tired, and even though it was noon Maria decided that
naps came first! So we had lunch after they had naps and were in
a better mood again.
Peter, Chris and the
children came home around 9:30 and we all soon turned in for the
night. Tuesday morning Chris and Maria went to see Lamar's
business as well as Leon's, and came back in time for lunch.
Wednesday morning Chris set
up my electric skillet on the back porch, and fried bacon for
breakfast! We fried the eggs indoors, using the fresh bacon fat.
Maria had brought lots of sourdough bread along, and we toasted
that for breakfast. So delicious. In fact, we ate sourdough
bread every day that they were here -- what a treat. There is
still some left, and Maria even gave some away while she was
here.
They brought other food
along too, including some turkey cutlets!! Yum.
And so, they got all their
luggage packed up and into the vehicle again, and good-byes were
said, and we watched them drive away, around 10:15 on Wednesday
forenoon. Good-byes are never easy! But we know, as Christians,
we have hopes of meeting again, to part no more ... We have many
warm memories of these five wonderful days that they spent here
with us. So much love. It was wonderful to have the house lively
with children all day long, and have them settle down here at
night too. The two youngest are at such a darling stage, talking
a lot, saying cute things, and making observations about
things.
That very same day, at 4:30
in the afternoon, my brother Peter and his wife Dorothy from
Ontario, arrived. Our time with them was also very precious --
sharing, fellowship, and singing. Just enjoying one another.
This was the first time we were together after my mother's
passing, nearly two years ago. Peter and Dorothy have had many
experiences, much the same as ours. It was special to be able to
share together. After supper that evening we sang as Peter Krahn
played his guitar. The next morning after breakfast we went to
High Rock, and took a little tour around the countryside as
well. Stopped in at Paul's Market and we could hardly get done
in the greenhouse part -- so many gorgeous flowers! So many
lovely things to look at and admire.
Came home and had lunch.
Dorothy had done laundry here so after it was dried and folded,
they got ready to move on again. They were going to her nephew's
house in Mt Airy, Maryland.
I'm so thankful for all the things they were able to take with them! Since we are leaving soon and not able to take much with us, I let both Maria and Dorothy choose things that they thought they could use, and take them along home. It was nice to be able to bless them in this way.
We fly from Nashville, Tennessee on the 6th of May. We drive to Kentucky on Sunday, spend the evening and night "with friends of friends" :-), then travel on to Dennis Millers also in Kentucky, on Monday morning. We'll spend the rest of the day Monday with them, as well as the night. Then on Tuesday morning brother Dennis will take us to Nashville. Our flight leaves at 12:30 pm. Stops in Atlanta, GA and Lima, Peru, then lands in Asuncion, Paraguay at something like 6:10 on Wednesday morning.
Chris and Maria are still in PA till tomorrow morning, visiting friends and relatives on Maria's side in the Lancaster area.
May God watch over and bless each one! These will be the last Waynesboro scribbles .....
In the love of Jesus,
Susan for the Hoovers