WHAT DID YOU DO THIS SUMMER?
When the cat's away, the mice will play. August is considered summer recess for Congress, so a few of our staff took advantage of the small break and enjoyed concerts and welcomed the birth of a new family member.
Our Summer in France with the Children's Chorus of Washington, D.C.
by Mark Vieth
This summer, our family had a unique opportunity to travel to France to watch our daughter, Madeleine Vieth, perform in concert tour with the Children's Chorus of Washington, D.C. Maddy has been a member of the Chorus for several years, and in late June and early July she joined her choristers in performing in front of audiences in Paris, Normandy and other regions in Northern France.
Of course, we had to build a vacation around her performances. We were fortunate to see three performances of the Chorus while we were in Paris. They performed at the La Madeleine Church (her namesake) in downtown Paris, the historic Chartres Cathedral outside of Paris, and, lastly, at a Mass in Notre Dame that was attended by more than 1,000 people.
While we didn't see every one of her performances, she had many great stories to tell, including a very moving performance at the American Cemetery near the D-Day Beaches in Normandy. Everywhere they went, they were warmly received by the French people, who during some of their performances even brought food for the kids. We experienced the same level of hospitality and warmth from our friends who live there, and new friends that we made along the way!
"New Summer Arrival"
by Lyle Dennis
July 1 was the high point of the summer in the Dennis family when Rosalie Grace Bentley -- grandchild #5 -- made her debut! Mom and baby are happy and healthy. Grandparents are exhilarated by the arrival.
"Rolling Stones"
by Domenic Ruscio
Dom Ruscio has never missed a US concert tour by the Rolling Stones, so a trip to Pennsylvania was must in June. These guys never disappoint!
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