WWFTC Reading at Fall for the Book 2014

Kevin read for the Fall for the Book festival at George Mason University so we took the whole family down to hear him read. The Fall for the Book Festival is pretty awesome actually. It's a week-long event and brings a lot of great authors to Virginia for readings, talks, and book signing. Some of the headliners this year were Pulitzer winner Richard Russo, bestseller Jodi Picoult, poet Martin Espada, essayist Eula Biss, thriller writer Sophie Hannah, and the author of Orphan Train Christina Baker Kline.

With George Mason himself.

Kevin read "Isabel and Colleen" from his collection We Were Flying to Chicago. Even though it was Monday afternoon he had a big crowd of people of all ages, and his crowd spilled out of the tent! After he read the story he answered questions about his writing process. He also introduced me and the kids to the crowd.

Kevin reading "Isabel and Colleen" to a big audience

Miranda and I are listening intently.

Spill-over crowd!

A lot of our friends from different times in our life came to the reading. It made me so happy to see everyone there together! Kevin's friend Jon from high school in Florida was there! His friend Cory from college, his wife Robin, Robin's entire family (!), Jody and Bill (Brady's parents) were there. My friend Sarah from law school and her son William, my friends Anna and Mike (from after college) and their two younger kids. Thank you guys so much for coming out! You warm our hearts!

Kevin talking to his high school Jon

James meeting Robin and Cory's nephew

James photo bombing the photo of Robin and Cory's family

Miranda wearing the dress Sarah got her.

Me and Sarah and our 3.5 kids.

Jody and Bill- meeting Miranda! 

Anna, Mike, and their two youngest, Clara, and Maxwell

Clara is James's age and they were having an awesome time getting dirty!

And Miranda and Maxwell are pretty close in age too! He stole this picture!

Baby Maxwell S. 2014!

Another New Years baby! Anna and Mike had their fourth child and first son Maxwell Anthony last week! He is a big cutie face! Look!

Anna, Maxwell, and Mike

Meeting his three older sisters: (l-r) Clara, Abigail, and Lydia

I still haven't even met Clara yet. I am seriously falling behind!

Four kids!
Abigail 2006  
Lydia 2008
Clara 2011
and Maxwell 2014!

Baby Clara 2011!

The Shaws had their third beautiful daughter just over 2 weeks ago. Her name is Clara Josephine. Congratulations Shaw family! How cute that you will have three girls just like Anna's family when she was growing up.

Baby Lydia 2008!

Mike and and Anna had a beautiful baby girl, Lydia! Congratulations, Anna, Mike, and big sister Abigail!

Lydia, born in 2008!

Cuteness in 2008

With her big sister Abigail in 2009

Baby Abigail 2006!

Anna and Mike's had a baby girl, Abigail! She is one of my first friends to have a baby and I was able to meet the little cutie pie just a few days after she was born.

Abigail with her parents in October 2006

So happy for them!

Anna and Mike's Wedding 2006

Anna and Mike got married! I was so excited to go. Anna converted to Catholicism before she married Mike, so they had a traditional Catholic ceremony in Northern Virginia. Anna looked radiant and beautiful.  She worked with Cathy when she was dating Mike and sometimes the three of us would go to lunch during the workweek. She talked a lot about how she and Mike had dated a long time, and how rock-solid she was in her commitment to him.

Anna and Mike outside St. James Catholic Church in Falls Church

I loved their small intimate reception at a family-style restaurant.  I felt so honored to be among the small group of guests.  And because the wedding was so small, I got to spend a lot of time with the bride at her wedding.

Love! (You can see me and Cathy taking photos in the top left corner.)

Cathy, Anna, and me- having a really nice time together.

The gorgeous Lucas sisters: Allison, Kate, and Anna!


Mike's parents


Anna's parents


Talking with Anna before dinner


Beautiful Cake

Good times!!

Cathy and Mike's Wedding 2005

Cathy and Mike got married at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Saint Clair, Pennsylvania. People say that Catholic wedding ceremonies are dull.  Well, Mike's childhood priest certainly livened up the day with stories about other married couples, questions about Mike and Cathy's travel history and plans, and observations about the wedding guests. I continue to ask Cathy for a copy of the wedding ceremony tape recording but she continues to politely decline.

Mike and Cathy during the ceremony

The Catholic church where they got married

The reception at the Pottsville Club in Pottsville, Pennsylvania was really fun, and one particularly fun thing was that the Cathy and Mike both danced one-on-one with a lot of the wedding guests.  It was a fun and personal way to spend more time with the bride and groom.  I took a turn dancing with Mike, but I think due to the presence of some beverage shots at the wedding, I might have accidentally cut a long line of female guests. Well, you snooze, you loose.

The wedding party dancing during the reception

I first met Cathy through my sorority sister Becky.  The two of them had gone on Semester at Sea together during college, and Cathy moved to DC after college in 2001. Cathy didn't know many people in DC, and Becky was living in Las Vegas at the time, so she asked if we could get to know Cathy. I'm so glad I did because Cathy became one of my closest friends.  I first met Mike a little while later at a party in January of 2002. Before they were even married, they'd been at my side for birthday parties, a graduation, and even break-ups. I was so pleased to be able to attend their wedding in Pennsylvania. Congratulations!

Mike, Cathy, me, and our friend Anna at Mike and Cathy's wedding

Becky and me (Becky moved to Charlottesville the next year!)

Secret reception sneakers!