You can’t have too much of a good thing, and in this case, the good things are ‘Daughters’ and ‘Dana Belchers’. Dana Belcher the First is my husband, and he (of course) is wonderful. I’ve known him since I was born, although I do not remember him quite back that far. Our mothers were best friends all growing up through school and beyond, and were also the Maids of Honor in each other’s weddings. We always joke that ours was an ‘arranged marriage’, and there may just be some truth in that. Nevertheless, ‘my’ Dana came along 3 years before I did, presumably to wait for me as he says, and to prepare the way. He was even at my parent’s wedding reception, looking quite bored I must say … but then of course, I wasn’t there yet to keep him company!!I remember when our daughter was born (daughters being the other great thing!) … and he wanted to call her ‘Dana’. ‘Imagine’, thought I: ‘TWO Dana Belchers in the same family’! For various reasons, name confusion being one of them, we ended up naming her ‘Zia’. But guess what? You usually get what you wish for, and now there is going to be another Dana Belcher in our family!! (No … it’s not what you are thinking, shame on you). Dana the Second is the love of our son Noah’s life, and she is a giant ray of sunshine in ours as well. ‘Dana 2’ is working with us in our family operations here at The Lodge this summer, and hers is one of the cheery, helpful voices you will speak with on the phone when making your reservation, or when you check in at our Front Desk.
Noah and ‘his’ Dana met back in New York State (where we all lived at the time) when they were 13 years old. They met through Civil Air Patrol, where they were both cadets, and when they were also both home schooled. Although the two were ‘just friends’ at first, Noah says that from the start he always knew that they would marry someday. I totally believe this; Noah is a man who has always known his mind (and heart) and follows his convictions. (Noah is also brilliant, and smart man that he is, it’s easy to see that he would not let a beautiful, intelligent and very lovely young woman like Dana elude him if he had anything to say about it!).
Working with ‘Dana 2’ this summer is a wonderful way to get to know her like a daughter and to fall in love with her myself! Being very bright, she learned all our systems practically the first day on the job, and now works at The Lodge like she has been here for many years instead of just weeks. I feel totally confident leaving her in charge while I focus on other things that need doing here (which also includes my writing, which I like to do up at my cabin on the mountain!).
When ‘Dana 2’ graduated from home high school, she attended the Honor Academy in Garden Valley, Texas for two years. This school had a focus on Christian Leadership, and so it was a natural leap from there to Patrick Henry College in Purcellville, Virginia, where Dana started as a freshman, but will now be entering her junior year in the fall. The Mission of PHC is to prepare young men and women to lead our nation and shape our culture with timeless biblical values and fidelity to the spirit of America’s founding. Its vision, to prepare its students to serve God and mankind with a passion for righteousness, justice and mercy, through careers of public service and cultural influence, is compatible with the ideals of many of its homeschooled students, of whom Dana was one, and to whom PHC makes a deliberate outreach. Dana’s particular focus is American Politics and Policy, and this Major promotes practical application of the original intent of the founding documents of our American republic, while preparing students for lives of public service, advocacy and citizen leadership. After graduation (in addition to marrying our son, Noah), Dana hopes to work in the field of Public Policy in Washington, DC.
There are so many things I love about Dana; Her “Can Do” attitude, for example! She is a kindred spirit in the sense that we are both hard workers who like to set goals, roll up our sleeves, get to work and get the job done! Not only does she frequently ask, “What can I do to help?’, (such beautiful words, representing a thoughtful and generous spirit), but she also notices things ands thinks of projects that need doing completely on her own; and then jumps in and takes care of them herself. One project I have been putting off for just about forever has been to clean out the attic at The Lodge. It was an overwhelming task, and every time I stepped up there to survey the project, I’d end up walking around in circles not knowing where to begin. Last weekend, on one of her ‘days off’, Dana came to me and said she had about 3 free hours, and ‘would I like some help in the attic’? She said she thought that we could really make a dent in that time if we had each other for moral support. Let me tell you: Never underestimate the power of two hardworking, determined women!! Not only did we ‘make a dent’, we had that project completely licked and the attic whipped into perfect shape in that time. What an act of love that was --- you should have seen it!! … she is such a sweetheart!
Dana loves the outdoors, and Outward Bound-type activities which challenge and stretch her physical and emotional capabilities, (though believe me, she is very physically fit)! She and Noah go running almost every morning before work, and she will be on her school’s soccer team this fall. Dana also likes to knit things like sweaters, socks and scarves. Right now one of her consuming pastimes is planning for the big wedding day, which (although no date has been set as yet) will be about two years in the future in May. Their hearts and goals are in the right place regarding this event, which is basically to focus on their eternal commitment to one another in the presence of God, and the good company of friends and family. They also do not intend to start their married life together by going into debt for this occasion, demonstrating their common sense and level-headedness. I have been watching them research various venues, and become shocked at how much a wedding can cost … which is more than my parents paid for their entire house back in 1960! It has been lovely to observe the evolution of their wedding day dreams, as they distill the essence of the occasion and translate it into practical solutions, such as one of the themes they came up with of ‘celebrating the love and beauty of God’s bounty’ … a natural, rustic event celebrating God’s natural creations (such as river rocks, branches and other natural elements) which are certainly some of the most beautiful images I can think of.
And so, I am loving the opportunity of getting to know my second Dana as a co-worker, a friend, and as a daughter … and there are few things more precious to share with such a special person than our wonderful son Noah, whom I love and respect with all my heart. They are meant for one another, and they both bless me greatly!
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