I don't know how many times we've driven through the Lancaster countryside on our way to Grandpa and Grandma Johns' house, but I'm always impressed with the beauty and orderliness. Yesterday was no exception. Laundry was flying from Amish clotheslines and fields had been freshly plowed. Flower beds were carefully tended and sod farms were ready for harvest.

But one thing was different this time. Grandpa and Grandma weren't home. After Grandma's death almost six years ago, Grandpa lived alone in their home on Keneagy Hill until it became apparent that he wasn't able to live alone and moved into a nursing home.

The Johns family gathered for a family sale of Grandma and Grandpa's belongs. It wasn't uncommon for someone to bid on an item because of the memories that it held. More than one person went through a box and pulled out the most treasured items and left the rest sit for anyone who was interested. I didn't think I would buy anything, but found myself with a little pile around my feet.

Someone had set aside a box for the children to go through and many found treasures. Others were whispering in parents' ears about one item or another that had taken their fancy.

Grandpa's gun collection was sold in the middle of the sale and the bidding was spirited. Several of the children were quite interested in the bb pistol, but the family is full of hunters and the rifles seemed to be coveted items.

There was a lot of interest in Grandma's quilt collection as well. She had pieced some of them, at least one had been a gift, and others she had bought at benefit sales. There were even a couple of boxes full of patches for quilts that she had begun and never finished.

Our family was more than pleased to come home with one of Grandpa's guns and one of Grandma's quilts.

Grandpa and Grandma weren't there to say good-bye when we pulled out. Grandpa didn't say "come anytime" as we loaded the van, but the memories were there. We had spent a wonderful day together as an extended family all because two people said "I do".

After Dean got home from work last evening, we packed the van and headed for Pennsylvania. We pulled into my sister's driveway a little after 10:00 and she had bowls of popcorn waiting for us. JJ wasn't tempted at all by the popcorn, but by the litter of kittens that he knew he'd find there.

We talked until too late before heading to bed, but when you don't see each other for stretches at a time you tend to do that. In fact, Jeremy and Justin stayed up all night with one of the cousins. When I got up this morning Jeremy had conked out on the air mattress and everyone else was visiting and holding kittens.

We had a delicious breakfast that included my sister's scrumptious cinnamon rolls. My rolls never come close to being as good as hers and she knows how much our boys love them.

Not long after breakfast, we had to say our farewells, but we were off on another adventure.

Jeremy, Justin and I traveled to Richmond to see the Queen. We were excited about the opportunity and it's one that we still talk about today. The day was rainy and umbrellas were prohibited, so the boys huddled together under a garbage bag.

When the Queen finally arrived, she was hard to see from our position on the Capitol grounds, but we were able to watch her on a large screen. Believe it or not, I lifted both boys to my shoulders (one on each side) so they would be able to see her. To this day, Justin declares that she waved right at him.

Last fall, we toured the capitol and our guide told us that the Queen especially asked for children to be in the crowd. Our guide felt like Queen Elizabeth may have been searching for young faces in the crowd and may have seen Justin and Jeremy.

As an extension to our Capitol tour, we were allowed to see the portraits that the Queen sent as thank you gifts after her visit to Virginia. Even though we're not British subjects, we are proud to say that we have seen the Queen.