With the Christmas season upon us and the New Year just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share some pictures, guests, events, and places that made 2013 special at The Mill House. I’ll title it “2013 Inn Review” and it will take me several entries to include all the pictures I would like to share. Part 1 will focus on all the wonderful guests we have had the joy of serving this past year.
Tracy Chevalier, author of , The Girl with the Pearl Earring, was a surprise “walk in” guest this past spring. She was here two nights before I knew who she was. She was in Ohio researching the life of Johnny Appleseed for her newest book. Tracy and her family live in London, but she is originally from Washington, D.C. and graduated from Oberlin College in Ohio. We were honored to host such a humble and talented guest. She left us a signed copy of her newest book, “The Last Runaway”. ( It was awesome if your looking for historical fiction on the underground railroad) For more information check out Tracy’s website at:http://www.tchevalier.com/.
So who are these 4 guests? These are who we fondly refer to as “The Denmark Guys”! For 3 years in a row we have had the fun of hosting this group of men from the country of Denmark. They come to the United States each year to buy “muscle cars”. They stop off for the night in Grand Rapids after attending the car auction in Akron and on their way to Auburn, Indiana. They told us that staying at The Mill House was a highlight of their trip. They must really enjoy breakfast because they have no problem getting up early and around the breakfast table. They also told me that Denmark is the “Happiest Place on Earth” .
Living along the “Bicycle Adventure Northwest Trail”, we are lucky to be able to host and meet cross country bicyclists each summer. Above are 3 of our bicycle couples. The couple in the middle picture were from Montreal, Canada. Their parents had bought them several nights in B&B’s across the country to give them a break from camping and they sure enjoyed having a soft comfortable bed and hot shower. In the bottom picture are Walt and Ann from California. Walt and Ann were traveling from California to Boston. It was the hottest most humid week of the summer and they stayed with us 3 nights in order to recover. It was nice to be able to help them get ready for the last stretch of their trip by doing laundry and some shopping for them. When they arrived in Boston, they sent us a beautiful photo and an invitation to visit them in California.
Our true passion is serving pastors and their spouses and this year was no exception. Pastor Bob and Marilyn Yawburg have been staying with us yearly since we took over as innkeepers in 2006. What an encouragement this wonderful couple is to us each time we have the pleasure of serving them. This year we had the pleasure of serving their whole family for a weekend. Northern Indiana Lakes Magazine published an article this past summer about The Mill House and Grand Rapids, and Pastor Bob made sure we had our copies.
Pastor Kevin Truman and April come all the way from Pittsburgh to enjoy The Mill House. No, that isn’t April on the right, that’s Ron. Even Pastor’s have fun when they get away! I always enjoy Pastor Kevin and April because their Pittsburgh accent reminds me of home!
I wish I could show pictures and stories about all of our wonderful guests. There are so many and we are so blessed to call The Mill House our home and to share it with others. We have hosted missionaries and Bible translators from many countries including New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, inner city pastors from Toledo and Cincinnati, evangelists from Bethany Baptist Church, our Bicycle Swap Meet friends from all over the United States, and many return guests we see once or more a year. Some guests come to attend weddings or family reunions. Others come researching their genealogies.
The best guests are those who are seeking rest and respite from daily life or to heal after a life struggle or loss. The peace that our setting brings, the Holy Spirit’s presence, and our passion for serving others keeps us looking forward to return and new guests. If you are looking for respite in 2014, give us a call. We’ll be glad to host you too!
