Sure Is Quiet Here!

A little over a week ago we took Gregory, Kim, and Nathanael to the airport, sending them off to begin their lives in Vienna, Austria.  We sent them with lots of hugs and prayers and blessings, but we sure miss all three of them - and especially our little Nathanael.  We feel so much richer for having been able to be a close part of his first two years, and we look forward to Skypes and phone calls and letters and visits to Austria in the future.  I think the Amish have something pretty special going in their families by having multigenerational homes and homesteads!

We spent a long weekend in Erie all together as a family at the end of March, and we had such a good time - laughing and remembering and playing on the floor with trucks and tractors and toys!  Just continuing to make more memories! 

So we send the Kings off to Austria with not only an excitement and anticipation with how they will settle there and be used but also with a sadness because this chapter in our lives has ended.  Now we just need to start planning for a Gimple Family Christmas in Vienna, right Girls?!

Now, on a totally different topic:  I planted a salad mix in my garden this year, and it has a mix of a couple of "normal" types of lettuce - leafy green and red leafy - and also 3-4 more unusual kinds.  Every time I pick this (or eat it), I remember being at Ron and Sandy's wedding reception dinner.  Each guest had a wonderful little salad of mixed greens with some of the unusual types.  We were sitting with Bob and Ann, and I'll never forget Bob's comment when I said how much I liked the salad greens.  "What!  That's just like eating a bunch of weeds!"  Such a Kansas farmer comment!  I loved it then, and I still love it now every time I pick my salad greens from my garden.  Ah, good memories!