One of my old, good friends, invited me to come to Lappeenranta this Sunday, so that is where we ended. Lots of my cousins were there also after yesterdays family reunion. It was such a nostalgic feeling sitting there, in the back row with my cousins...it was like old times. As a teenager, we tended to sit together, not with my family, but with my cousins and friends during our church services...I am not saying that is how it should be done...but that is what we did, when we were somewhat rebellious teenagers....and it worked for us, and our parents, in their wisdom, let us get away with it. Bless their hearts!
It was great seeing the old, now little older looking faces, in the same room where we all gathered for years and years and years. Some things don't change. Thank goodness!
After the church we drove back to Kotalahti, and met the others who had gone to Kouvola. My parents had invited the missionary elders to come over as well. We had a nice dinner together and then the elders gave us an uplifting message about listening the spirit and followibg its promptings. The elders had to leave after that and we continued the evening by roasting sausages and making some crepes. I am sure there was sauna and swimming involved as well. Sauna is going pretty much around the clock here. It is currently monday night, 11:45 pm, and most of the people just decided to go sauna and swimming....maybe a fifth time today. You just have to love the summer time in Finland!
Jason taking it easy....or gathering strength for a late night socializing
Making, and having dinner by the lake
Esko cooking crepes
Timo prepared for the mosquitos
Markus took over the crepe making
Niko taking a nice little break at the lake. He also made some of his cousins happy by bringing them some water lily leaves.
Isla with a water lily on her hat
Around 11 pm Timo, Esko, and Markus decided to play a board game. The rules were little suspicious. Esko kept making them up as they were playing...
i took these pictures around midnight...just before heading to bed.
