Party, Wedding, Beach, Friends

Beautiful, full weekend:
Friday evening party with friends celebrating graduation.  We were able to have the first part on the lawn, then a crazy gray and yellow cloud swept in with rain.  Everyone ran dishes inside and we finished by visiting by candlelight and lamplight on the porch and in the living room.  Delicious times.
Saturday Soren, Philip and I drove to Delaware to Ashley's wedding.  (She was on my beloved South Africa team and was marrying Lawrence).  We stayed Saturday night with Queena and Ethan Mast and their children.  They were a great blessing to us.
Sunday, after breakfast with the Masts, we drove to the beach for a bit, touched the cold water, walked a little of the boardwalk and ate boardwalk fries.  Home was a welcome space after a long drive back to Harrisonburg.  But we won't soon forget our joyous interactions with dear friends this weekend.


Party:

Lemon Blueberry Cake

Todd's bread, of course!

lovin'

 Wedding:

Ethan and Queena

Elisha

Mr and Mrs Lawrence and Ash Ash (awesome: Mrs Ash Ash)

Andrew

Melody, Andrew, Ash, Elisha with me and baby

Ethan and Queena's James

Beach:

loving it!

CAN'T WAIT to get back to the beach!

boardwalk fries

M.A.

Well, here we are.  Three years after I began a two hour commute to George Mason U. to study linguistics, two years after Soren came to us, by God's faithfulness and grace, I have graduated with a MA in English with a concentration in Linguistics and a Certificate in TESL.  ! 
We made the commute one last time so I could walk across a stage in the middle of a bunch of people I didn't know.  And have the resolution of being finished!  It feels good.

Baby, you were there!

The lady with the gold sash on one side of me is over 60, completing her MA Linguistics and the dark haired girl on the other side of me is from Saudi, going on for a PhD.  There were four of us who graduated with the concentration in Linguistics this spring.

next to last

hurrying off stage:)

fans

four

Thank you, dear family, for supporting me many times and in various ways over the past three years.  I was able because of you all.  Love.

That glorious season!

Spring is really here!  Spring rains, hikes, cookouts, garden produce... loving it!

Fridley's Gap hike with Rhodes and Wettigs.

Could have played in the woods for hours!

O the drama of sharing!

Cookout!

Cousin love.

Garden time.