7/8/12, Family Visits

Four families visited Sweden this past week. I will write this from the perspective of someone not familiar with the account.

The weather before their week-long visit has been rainy and cool all Spring. There was no rain during the week of their stay. It rained on Saturday and Sunday following their departure. We visited and did all the normal tourist things -- visited museums, took tours, and ate marvelous food. Now for the really good parts -- the extraordinary parts.

On Monday, we were visiting the apartments where mom lived as a child. We couldn't get into the building to see the stairway or courtyard, but as we were leaving, a tenant couple walked up, mom introduced us and asked if they would let us in. They were so kind and let us in. We saw the inside and courtyard which was more interesting than just the outside. Mom saw the name on an apartment of one of their neighbors. They were not home but mom and I will call them return later in the summer.

On Thursday and Friday, we travelled to Gavle (home of mom's dad and his parents), then to Dala-Floda where he and his parents spent summers and later where he built a cabin and spent summers with his wife and children (Kari and Jannicke).

Mom wanted to see some friends that she had spent the summers with (of course they would be a little older now). Well, the first "coincidence" happened when we drove up and mom went to a little souvenir shop to ask some questions. There inside was the first friend that she would meet. The extraordinary thing was the the lady was asked to cover for the owner for just that afternoon -- she had done so in the past but very rarely.

The second "event" happened when mom wanted to find another friend but only knew her maiden name. Mom and I decided Thurday evening to leave the "kids" and walk around. There was no one on the streets, but there was a family having a barbeque in their back yard. We walked up to them and described to them what we were trying to do. The young lady said that she thought that the friend was a singer and would be in the city church at a celebration. We went into the Church and finally identified her. When the celebration was over and Kari introduced herself, there was certainly a huge exclamation and big hugs.

We stayed in the hotel where her dad stayed as a child during summers with his family (they also stayed with different families during the summers as well). Mom swam in "her lake" and rowed a rowboat across it to the cabin that they had built across the lake.

The last day we wanted to take pictures of the cabin and decided to drive around the lake. However, there is no road directly to the cabin and we didn't know where to stop the car to try to find the cabin. So, here is the next astonishing event. You must remember that the cabin is in an isolated location with few neighbors and fewer people passing by. Well, as we where trying to decide where to stop and which hill and forest to walk over and through, a car stops and asks if they could help. You can guess, the woman was another friend that mom grew up with. More exclamations, hugs, and happy tears.

Last and certainly far from the least, Amy is now a certified Swede and a full-fledged member of the Kerr/Lindback Swedish clan. She found a grave stone with "Tillman" on it. (Also the name of one of mom's childhood friends.)  As you might suspect, Tony, Casey, and Nate all have declared their Swedish lineage. Of course Aaron claims his Norwegian heritage which mom's mom may say is the better half. Now we need to hear from Jim. Mom says that Hansen is Norwegian. What a GROUP!

One more memorable thing! How proud mom and I were as we stood on the train platform and said good bye to such marvelous people, and to know that there were still more of them back home.

We love all of you. Mom and Dad