Natural Bridge

Three years ago we attended an adoptive family retreat. This was put on by a faith-based agency that helps adoptive families with extra support. There were three long-weekend conferences that were put on that summer. Two were located at 4-H camps, but the one we chose was located at Natural Bridge, Virginia.

It was fun to spend the weekend with 15 other families whose family's included at least one adoptive child. The retreats were free for the families, but the accommodations were wonderful. The families came from all over the state—some with only adoptive children and some with biological and adoptive children. The children ranged in age from 18 all the way down to 2. Adoption tied us all together in a unique way.

David playing in the Natural Bridge pool

The hotel, a wonderful Colonial-style building, stands stately with a spectaculer mountain view. We shared all our meals in the dining room there and attended several sessions that dealt with adoption. We could tell the building had been added to over the many years, but that only increased its charm. The conference attendees were all housed in cottages across the road from the hotel. The cottages provided a little more privacy than the busy-ness of the hotel.

There is an old swimming pool that guests can visit located beneath the gift store. It became the gathering place for the families following the sessions put on by the agency that hosted the weekend. It was fun to watch all these kids having a great time together. During the meals, there was much table-hopping as children joined other families to sit with their new friends.

The Natural Bridge

If you have never been to Natural Bridge, Virginia, you are missing one of the seven natural wonders of the world. The bridge is 215 feet tall and 90 feet wide.

The bridge has a very impressive history: George Washington surveyed the site for Lord Fairfax in 1750. There are still landmarks of the work he did there and on the wall of the bridge he carved his initials. In 1754 Thomas Jefferson purchased 157 acres of land that included the Natural Bridge from King George III of England for 20shillings.

The retreat also included free tickets to the Bridge, the Drama of Creation held at the bridge, and the caverns. I will be sharing the Drama of Creation with you later this week.