Place: Lake Anna State Park

Dates: September 27-29, 2024

Who was able to attend: Carrie, Kyle, Rowan and Sorelle, Parish, Anna, Valentina, Drake, Louise (Anna’s mom), Victoria, Spencer, Huxley, Spencer Jr., and Adelaide, Linda, John, Kirstin and Kayla, Little Lori, Grandma Lorrie, Jax, Bella, and Levin. (Vivian and her family and Addison had to work.)

Parish and I arrived on Thursday evening around 8:00 p.m. and then went to the grocery store about 15 minutes away (Food Lion). We stopped at an Italian Restaurant (Vitos) hoping to get a meal, but the only open restaurant was a lounge with Karaoke and a late-night menu. We had subs, sang the duet, “You are the One that I Want,” from Grease, and ran into a friend of mine from the old days of VTSS, Susie Clare!

We fell into bed around 12:30 a.m. and looked forward to cooking the next day.

On Friday, we woke up to a beautiful morning and the sun rising over the lake. We started a fire, lit a candle, and enjoyed a yummy breakfast of eggs and bacon. The beautiful smell of breakfast, a fire, and nature was exhilarating and warm. We spent the day cooking Huli Huli Chicken. While the chicken was brining, we went to visit the visitor center, find a good Wi-Fi location for me to teach on Saturday, and look through the EnChroma View Finders.

Folks started arriving around 3:15. We went on walks, had pizza, and baked cookies for dinner. The children brought their scooters and bikes. Our loop was paved, and it was a great circle to walk and ride bikes.

Parish and I stayed in cabin 7, and the Lambs were in cabin 6, right next to each other. The kids could walk back and forth to visit. I loved that my mom could relax and enjoy the sun.

This year’s theme was a Hawaiin Luau, along with a surprise party for Parish’s 60th birthday!

Birthday Blessing Video

Saturday’s Lunch Menu

Huli Huli Chicken

Hawaiin Macaroni Salad

Bean Salad

Pineapple Pie

Adult Beverages – Hawaiin Style with Rum

Spam

Jello Salad

In the evening, we ate leftovers, added smores, funnel cakes, and grilled hotdogs.

The day was filled with swimming, visiting the swing sets, crafts, picture frame creations, Tattoos, decorations, kayaking, paddle boarding, walks, and resting when we could. In the evening, we had two good rounds of Bingo with prizes and story time with Parish on the guitar, singing/reading Frog Went a Courtin’. A big hit for the weekend was playing with walkie-talkies and paper airplanes! Grandma Louise kept saying, Spencer Jr is having so much fun. This place brought out his adventurous side! He is just like his Ace, with a lively spirit, adventure, and willingness to try anything!

Sunday came quickly and was filled with packing up, saying our goodbyes, and one last walk. Then, we went to Mineral for breakfast at Mineral Restaurant. We had gone there before when we visited Lake Anna State Park. We all did a song sing-along to share our favorite part of the weekend. It was hilarious!

My written birthday blessing for Parish: I’m usually the video/photo person, so my portion was not filmed.

Celebrating 60 Years of Love, Adventure, and Companionship

As the leaves turn golden and the air chills, my heart warms with the memories of October 26, many years ago, when I sat across from you at Joe’s Inn in Richmond. It was your birthday, and our first date, a moment that sparked a journey neither of us could have imagined. From the gentle kiss we shared to the intertwining of our lives through marriage, our story is one for the ages. Today, as we celebrate your 60th birthday, I am filled with gratitude for every moment, every adventure, and every challenge we’ve faced together.

Our meeting at the Delta Sigma Pi doughnut table in 1986-87 seems like a serendipitous moment now, a prelude to a life filled with love, compassion, and unwavering support. Your friendly spirit and handsome looks caught my attention, but it was your heart that captured mine forever. The little pumpkin I gave you and holding hands under the table on our first date symbolized the beginning of our holiday traditions, ones that have grown and evolved as our family has.

Our marriage has been a testament to love’s enduring power, and our three daughters are a miracle that continues to inspire me every day. Your willingness to officiate weddings with such care and compassion, your dedication to my parents, your support for Woman of Worth, and your leadership qualities are just a few of the reasons why I admire you so deeply. Together, we’ve navigated graduate school, doctoral programs, and professional achievements, always standing by each other’s side.

Our adventures to Italy and New York, along with countless other travel escapades, have added chapters to our story that are filled with laughter, discovery, and the magic that only exploring the world with your best friend can bring. Your adventurous spirit, love for the little things, and ability to find joy in every moment have brightened my life in ways I could have never imagined. I loved celebrating my birthday in Tuscany, just with you at lunch at a local winery. Swimming in the Cinque Terre Ocean, and walking the streets of Rome.

As we celebrate your 60 years of life, I am reminded of the blessing it has been to know and love you as my husband, lover, friend, brother in Christ, and colleague. Our journey together has been a beautiful testament to what it means to live a life filled with love, purpose, and companionship.

Here’s to celebrating you today – the man who has been my constant through every season of life. May this year bring you as much joy and happiness as you have brought to me and our family. Happy 60th Birthday, my love. Here’s to many more years of making memories together.