HOLD ON TO YOUR FAMILY TIGHTLY…THE PRESENT & THE PAST

posted on : April 10, 2020 posted by : admin 0 Comment

We all have good intentions but sometimes important things get pushed aside,…at least for a while. We get busy with work. We prioritize what needs to be done. We often rationalize why we do what we do but being in self-quarantine these past few weeks has allowed me to reflect on what is important and meaningful. Now, more than ever, we need to “HOLD ON TO FAMILY…TIGHTLY!” At this moment in time, many of our hugs must be…virtual. This post is about family both in the present moment and in the past. As you can tell, Marla is integral to this journey of love.

Our story began serendipitously with a blind date at the University of The Pacific. The image above was after an engagement party at the Delta Gamma house. She said yes by the way!

Marla’s Mom helps with her veil at our wedding.

Marla’s Dad was such a pivotal figure in both our lives. Mar inherited her math genes and a supreme sense of focus from her Dad. I know she would love to talk and share with him today.

I wish I’d had the opportunity to spend more time talking with my Dad. He was such a complicated guy and often distant, as well as frequently gone.

These little sweeties changed everything! We do hold them tightly!

I took this image at Samuel P. Taylor State Park in Marin County, CA. They have always been close even when living far away from each other.

Stacy and Lisa last month.

We dearly love our beautiful daughters!

Our grandkids are so unique and different from one another,…but so close when we have those rare moments of being together.

The Big Island of Hawaii has been our family’s place to be together, connect, nurture, laugh, and occasionally cry. We are blessed to have two superb sons-in-law!

On our last trip we were able to spend some fabulous time with my brother Gary and my nephew Kekoa. Both are sensational cooks!

I truly miss my dear sister, Patty, who passed away in 2000! She moved to the island of Guernsey to marry Vic. I always remember staying up and chatting about Mom & Dad with her. She and Marla would often stay up until the early morning hours talking. I wish I could give her a big hug right now!

We traveled to Guernsey last October and spent every minute talking about family and stories of relatives no longer with us. Left to right: my nephew Steve and his wife Karen, brother-in-law Vic, my niece Suzanne and husband Chris, and Marla and I.

We always love our visits to see my aunt Shirley, along with my cousin Cindy and daughter, Bridgette, in Northern California.

This is a fabulous memory of going over old family history with grandson Logan, cousin Gretchen and husband Paul, and my Mom. Reach out to living relatives NOW while you can as they are the family storytellers. Take pictures, record visually and auditorily.

This is a 2016 treasured image of my sweet niece Marlena (Gary’s daughter from New York) and daughter Nautilus on a Big Island visit. Our granddaughter Kate tries to show her a book with sister Lauren and my Mom watching the show.

I’m having a beer with my “newly discovered” nephew Mika at the Irish Bank in San Francisco. So happy we connected.

When thinking about holding those we love tightly I always think of my Mom. I wish I could hug her right now. She worked so hard to help support her family. She was full of love, a keeper of the family stories, and always ready for giving…ADVICE…on any topic! She was very political, as well as a…wine drinker! A great combination!

She adored her great-grandsons! You can tell the feeling is mutual!

She loved visits with our daughter Stacy’s family! Vaughan, on the right, is almost 6’2″ today!

And then the identical twins changed everything!

Family visits always takes work and planning …but the rewards are immeasurable! This was the last time Marla’s Mom saw the twins!

Marla took Paxton & Logan with her to visit her Mom in the care center almost every Sunday for 13 years. I believe their high empathy came from these visits!