Saturday, December 14, 2013

Aunt Beth

Happy birthday, Aunt Beth!!!


It's the birthday of my dear Aunt Beth! Jim and I were so fortunate to be able to spend time in her company earlier this fall. We're forever grateful to Aunt Beth for opening her doors to us, our dog, and our four week old child for four weeks. She is truly one of the most hospitable and generous people I have ever known and we felt so fortunate to be able to spend this time with her.

I timidly wrote her an email last spring asking if our stay would be possible and she responded with a "ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Of course you can come!"

Growing up I spent every summer of my life at our cabin in Cook Forest, Pennsylvania. Aunt Beth and her family lived forty-five minutes away. Throughout the years she's been a second mother to me. Sharing in the joys and in the woes. This past year and forever more we will continue to mourn, remember, and celebrate the life of my Uncle John, her husband. He was very much a part of our conversations during our time in Tippery Pines. His handiwork surrounded us at every turn in their house and I could picture him sitting in his favorite chairs, stoking the fire, making himself a whiskey, or laughing in his chair at the head of the table. We'd think of some quip he would have said or laugh about what he did say, or shed tears about the hole we knew was missing.

Aunt Beth generously allowed Jim to work in Uncle John's workshop during his time there. She not only allowed him but she strongly encouraged him to use the tools and some of the wood. She said that she enjoyed having a woodworker working in his amazing shop. Jim was honored and decided to build something that we can always cherish. He built Ian a cradle that can serve as a sleeping/lying place now, but in the future can be used as a boat, or whatever he makes it up to be! Thank you SO much for this opportunity, Aunt Beth. We'll always talk about Uncle John whenever he's, or future children are, in the cradle.

Between the conversations, laughter, cuddling and soothing Ian, and family meals every night, we had a great time with our family in Pennsylvania. We hope that you are having a good day today, Aunt Beth! I'm sure that a couple of cute little girls up there are singing you a sweet birthday song today.


We love you!
Käthe, Jim, Ian & Leif

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