a final Sunday with the Wilsons

St. John's Presbyterian Church celebrated Reverend Victor Wilson's twenty years with us today—and said goodbye to a family it is impossible not to love as Victor gave his final sermon.  Morning and evening were Victor's themes.  The responsibility we all have to carry memory forward, not as a burden, but as a gift.  The Wilsons will live among mountains now, birds, open air, artists, dulcimer songs.  They will visit with their beautiful girls, walk Carolyn's children to school, bless Katherine's upcoming wedding to Sean.   

Will you grow old with me? Victor asked Jane, his fabulous red-headed wife, at his sermon's close. 

And I thought to myself that that is perhaps the most romantic question a man can ask a wife.

Health and happiness, Victor and Jane.

Read more...

when I say that I have some gorgeous friends, I am not messing around.

Here are those Wilson girls—Jane, with music in her heart, Katherine, our sensational, happy, smart, loving, and blog fabulous Newlie, and Carolyn, with whom I could stand and talk for hours, and why, oh why, can't we have more hours?  We did not pre-color coordinate (those Wilson girls have other things on their minds), but I suspect you won't believe me.  But I am proud and lucky to know this family, and to have known them for so long.  Every radiant inch of their outsides is equaled by who they are within.

Gorgeousness is also my friend Kelly Simmons (The Bird House, Standing Still), who drove all the way out to Exton, PA, to see me today.  I love Kelly, and I love that she surprised me, and I'll never forget us rearranging the mall furniture so that we could pretzel ourselves up and talk books.  I only wish I'd thought to take your picture, Simmons.

SIMMONS?!  :)

Kelly, thank you.

Read more...