Continuing to Set the Stage...

We headed south on Highway 100, following the last few steps of the travel directions. A left on Cadmus Road put us into a beautiful community of fairly large homes on very large lots. Kim remarked that it looked like "Blue Ridge Acres on steroids" (BRA was a resort community in WV where Kim and I lived for a couple years) and I said, "No, it looks like Blue Ridge Acres on money!" It was beautiful! Most of the houses were not new, but obviously had been there a while. We turned left, and then right, then made a left onto the first driveway on the left. We were now in a deeply wooded area, and the winding driveway crossed a stream with a little wooden bridge (making me think about the recent vehicle registration I paid that listed this Aerostar van at 4,833 pounds!) The driveway ran past the house, which looked like it may have been the original farmhouse before the farm was subdivided into wonderfully large lots. It was surrounded by lots of grass and fields -- eighteen acres worth, I found out. The house, while an older looking structure, appeared to have been meticulously maintained, as were the gardens. A harpist was playing softly under a shade tree near the sundial in the side yard, where the ceremony was to take place. We parked (along with a dozen or so other cars) in a field behind a great old barn. We passed a very large, festive yellow and white dining tent as we approached the house. We were greeted along the way by Mike's parents and Kaela's stepfather.

(Remember the heart!)