A Surprise Tea

The reason for my recent layover in Chicago O’Hare airport was because I was paying a visit to my mom and dad.  You see, since I married 24 years ago I have never went to visit them except with the family.  When my kids are small I always found it hard to leave them. But now that they can take of themselves and each other I didn’t feel so bad. 🙂

Mom and dad both have a birthday within a week of each other so I decided to celebrate with them and to take Justus with me for some mom/son time.  I was there a few days before my sister from Pennsylvania flew in so mom and I did some antique shopping after having lunch at a creperie restaurant.

I loved this Shaker table and the price seemed good $165 – but alas, it was too big for my suitcase.

Everything is historic.  This is the antique store.

Galesburg, IL is a small town with a 31,000 population but it is where Carl Sandburg was born, where Abraham Lincoln & Stephen Douglas held their fifth debate, and a few other notables had their start here.

Monday was mom’s birthday so my sister and I planned a surprise tea party for mom and her neighbor friends.  How fun that was!

Mom doesn’t have a lot of fancy dishes but we did all right I think!

This is a picture of mom, held by her mother when she was a just a baby.Mom’s not sure when she bought these dishes but it was at least 30 years ago.

I think Rebekah and I are so used to cooking for a crowd it’s hard for us to plan for a small number.

Mom and her neighbors.

Mom and her tea party planners.

Dad and Mom with their 2 youngest grandsons.

Thanks Dad and Mom for treating us so special. We hope you have a blessed and prosperous 76th year!