Michael's Roots

We drove deep into West Virginia over Labor Day weekend and met Michael's parents and his sister Katie in a little place called Marlinton. We added five to their population of 1,054. Six if you count Katie's dog Evie who came along, which we should, because he is so great.

This little town is where Michael's dad would come visit his grandparents when he grew up. He and Michael's mom would also drive down here during their spring breaks while they were living in upstate New York going to medical school.

We stayed in a pre-Civil War cabin, and we felt so far away from the world. My phone didn't work for three days and I loved it. Though I did admittedly borrow Michael's working phone for a quick phone call to my sister, because, sisters. The details in the cabin were so much fun - the headboard of our bed was an old fireplace mantle.

We all brought our bikes and spent time on the Greenbrier River Trail, which runs for 78 miles through West Virginia. We did not ride all of those miles though... but we did 24 of them on Saturday and felt pretty good about that. Michael and I didn't get there until late Friday night (dental school commitments... lame), so we missed Friday's ride. But Saturday along the Greenbrier River was beautiful.

Michael and his parents did a little swimming right here after we ate lunch by the river. Katie and I supervised and ate delicious treats from Michael's mom. Isn't it gorgeous? We love our Indianapolis life, but I am always amazed at how much I just literally soak in views like this when I can get them. I need mountains. And when I can't get them, I'll take hills. But when I can't get either, I'm ok with Indiana's thunderstorms. 

On Sunday we went to a Presbyterian church in Helvetia, West Virginia. This is where the Daetwylers first settled from Switzerland, and it is still a very Swiss and very tiny town. It was so fun to meet people there who knew the Daetwyler name, and walk through cemeteries to find the gravestones of some of Michael's family. I wasn't the best at taking pictures that weekend since I only take them with my phone, and I didn't think to carry it around when it had no service. Whoops! 

We loved meeting family down there for the weekend and seeing such a beautiful place. It feels good to find your roots.