The Wonderful World of Walton

Have I told you about the Waltons? We have absolutely loved getting to know them over the past year or so, and we never seem to get our fill of being around them. They are the kind of people that draw you to themselves because every time you're around them it's edifying, and you feel encouraged to be more Christ-like. Every few days we start getting the shakes and we know we need a "Walton fix." So thankfully they invited us for a sleep-over last weekend. Yes, a family slumber party. Doesn't that sound fun? Interestingly, the combined 10 children went to sleep hours before the parents, who stayed up gabbing.

We all turned it into a multi-purpose trip. They'd hired Garfield to build them a flagstone walkpath, which he laid on Friday. No more muddy shoes as they walk to their driveway, and I'm sure the deer will be especially grateful that they won't have to get their hooves stuck in the mud anymore.


They really liked the added touch Garfield carved in the main stone. (As the proud wife, I just have to remark on how impressed I was that he carved this upside down!)


We got to watch the four eldest children (of seven) participate in singing a Beethoven Mass, which was beautifully executed.


Here are the usual suspects: Elizabeth, Adam, Nathan, and Ben. A fine-looking group in their Chorale uniform, eh?



The little ones didn't miss out on any of the fun, either. There was much goat-petting, sandpile excavating, and wagon racing.


On the way out, we couldn't resist playing the Fredricksburg tourist role and visiting a pick-your-own peach and blackberry orchard.


(You'll notice in the above picture that baby Elizabeth is camouflaged in her blackberry-bush costume.)




We had a fabulous weekend with our dear friends, and a much-needed retreat as a family. We spent the drive home plotting how we could implement Emma's suggestion that we "live with the Waltons forever".

Did I mention that we love the Waltons?