Saturday, March 31, 2012

Happy Birthday, Aunt Sharon

This post is a little late. On March 9, we spent the day remembering my Aunt Sharon. She would have been 70 years old. It's been almost 8 years since she left us and joined our Savior.

In the final 3 years of her life, we packed in so many memories together. I do not regret one moment spent with her. One of my favorites was a trip (my first) to the Amana Colonies with my aunt, cousin, mom and myself. I was instantly enamored with the quaint villages, the family-style German meals, and the shopping.

Since that first visit in the Spring of 2001, I've been back at least once a year. In that time, we've seen a lot of things change. Our favorite restaurant has closed (this caused no shortage of grief in our stomachs.) Some of our favorite shops have moved on. And Rose's Place...the B&B we stayed in on that first trip...is for sale.

But other things are the same: The Kitchen Sink is still my first shop, the brewery still has tasty brews (according to Dan), Amana meats and cheeses are still a tasty dinner after a day of shopping, the fudge at Fern Hill is still amazing...and those little villages have a way of lightening my heart and my wallet.

No matter how much time passes, and how many different people I explore the Colonies with...the Amanas will always belong to Aunt Sharon in my heart. And I'm thankful for every memory.

1 comment:

Garey and Janiece said...

Time fades all but memories! So glad I got to share in your first trip to Amana! Sharon was with me on my first to Amana as well when 3 of us sisters took a road trip to New England in 1995.