We are Hokies...

Saturday we packed up the car with enough stuff for a weekend trip and made a day trip to VT. It was Wesley weekend and the only one Ian and I have missed since he graduated was when we lived in France (just couldn't justify the airfare...). Getting ready for a day trip takes on a new meaning when you have a little one! Gracious I couldn't believe how many bags we kept taking out to the car! There were changes of clothes, pajamas for the trip home, diapers, snacks, baby food for several meals, a thermos of milk, Kylie's teddy, the stroller, the carrier, blankets, toys, and of course the baby!

We met up with several of our closest friends from Wesley at a park to let all the kids play for a bit. It was so fun finally being able to add our little one to the group of kids! This was her first time meeting any of Ian's VT friends! Kylie was grateful to stretch her legs after the "just shy of 3 hour" car ride. Don't ask how or why, but we forgot to use the camera most of the time. Luckily Ian managed to catch this adorable shot of Kylie with Luke and Jacob. They were so attentive to her and wanted to shower her with hugs! After about an hour we figured it was time for Kylie's nap, so we decided to get out her stroller and head to campus for a long stroll...

***Why did we think Kylie would go to sleep? I don't know, maybe it is because motion (as in the car or carrier or stroller) usually knocks her out cold. But you know how it is, say out loud that your child knows how to do something or will do something and they will make a monkey out of you! And we were monkeys that day! Oh well, at least she did take her morning nap in the car ~ she slept about 1 1/2 hours in on the ride there.***

We were so glad that we decided to go to campus and walk around the drill field (as we have done many, many times over the past 11 years that we've been dating/married)! There was an appropriate "somberness" near Norris Hall. People around that area even spoke in a hushed tone, many with silent tears streaming. Directly in front of Burris Hall (just to the left of Norris) there were memorial remembrances for each of the victims and hundreds stood in a makeshift line to walk by and pay their respects.

But most of the drill field was covered with students and alumni enjoying the gorgeous weather! Folks were playing Frisbee, touch football and pick-up-soccer. There were tents where local restaurants were offering free food to those in attendance. Most importantly, there was laughter. We were so glad to see that there is life at VT despite tragedy! The students, faculty and alumni will never "get over" what happened there last week, but they will "move on" and expect great things again! I'm sure that she won't remember it later, but I'm glad that Kylie was introduced to a wonderful university at such an early age. Ian says that he is going to tell Kylie that, "Mommy and I will support you going to any college, but we'll pay for you to go to VT!"

From there we walked back to Wesley and enjoyed a fellowship dinner with many other VT Wesley alumni followed by a time to share. (Don't ask why the camera only made it out of the diaper bag at the very end... We did get a picture of Stuart's mommy checking out Kylie's CD player!) All in all it was a touching evening and I'm glad that we got to be a part of it, even if it meant six hours in the car! Most importantly I was glad to be back with a group of folks that have accepted me and taken me in despite the fact that I didn't even go to school in Blacksburg. Ian's friends there loved him enough to welcome me with open arms ~ that's not something you find just anywhere! The Wesley foundation at VT is truly a special place and I can't encourage those at VT enough to become part of the Wesley family!