For the past week, we’ve been in North Carolina and Virginia, mainly to attend the wedding of Tim’s lovely niece Bethany. The ceremony was held outdoors under a giant magnolia tree, with the reception inside an old Southern mansion that once belonged to a tobacco magnate. Afterward, the party went on for hours outside, with the four of us–Tim, Olivia, Mateo, and I–dancing like crazy to a play list that ranged from Sweet Home Alabama to Cotton-Eyed Joe to Adele, Michael Jackson, and Black-Eyed Peas. Yesterday we visited Natural Bridge, near Lynchburg, and today, Thomas Jefferson’s showplace, Monticello. Tomorrow we plan to tour the University of Virginia (Tim’s giving a lecture) and Appomattox. Eventually we’ll go home, but I’m trying not to think about it.
Tim’s sister and brother live locally, which is fantastic, because our kids get to see their East coast aunties and uncles and cousins, and Tim and I can visit too.
Did I mention they eat fried chicken here? And hush puppies and barbeque and cole slaw and sweet iced tea? I was born in Virginia and spent my girlhood summers at my grandmother’s house. Just one bite of fried chicken takes me right back. Oh my goodness. Heaven. ~
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