Proud Moments of Being a Grandmother: Part 1

Andi Beth & I
June, 2012

December 26, 2002 was an exciting day in the Sloan family! Sami was scheduled to be induced to give birth to her first baby and the WHOLE family turned out for the grand event!

Everyone was nervous about how everything would go because of Sam's heart condition and everyone was excited at the same time because not only was this Sam & Cam's first baby; it was a first grandchild and a first niece/nephew! We all came together to celebrate Christmas in Sam & Cam's little apartment in Pocatello, Idaho and then all escorted her to the hospital to be a part of the delivery!

It's a good thing they gave Sami a BIG labor room, because there were 8 of us on hand to keep Sami entertained all day! The siblings played pinochle to pass the time until it was near delivery time and the nurses kicked us all out to take the party to the waiting room. Randy & I tried to keep everyone under control, but you get a bunch of Sloans together and it's going to be pretty rowdy. The more time passed, the more antsy Randy & I became and we'd take periodic walks back down the hall and push our ears to the door. Finally, we heard the unmistakable sound of a baby crying in the room. We rushed to tell everyone and then ran back to Sami's room with everyone in tow and waited for the door to open so we could all meet Andreia Elisabeth Carter.

Sami was more than ready to say good-bye to her siblings after she saw them all in her recovery room and they kept making jokes; making her laugh when the rest of her body did NOT feel like laughing. They were especially entertained by the pain chart on the wall and it was time for all to leave.

Brooks and I stuck around for several more days to help with Andi while everyone else went back to their lives. Andi was sweet & cuddly, when she wasn't crying, but she wasn't the easiest newborn to deal with.

Andi & cousin Cari
Bathtime at Grandma's; Thanksgiving 2005

Andi met her new cousin Cari for the first time, five months later at Aunt Brooks' wedding and, like it or not, the two have been thrust together pretty frequently since that time!

Andi is a mini Sami. She looks like her. She acts like her. She talks like her. The fun part is that Sami was always a mini me which means that whenever poor Andi tries to get away with anything when either of us are around, she doesn't get very far, because we already know what she's up to.

Andi (#1) with Abigail (#13)
Thanksgiving 2011

She's a beautiful young lady; growing up much too quickly! It's hard to believe she's already eleven! She's the concerned, mothering type (probably too much for her siblings' liking) and is full of love. She's in choir and has been a cheerleader. She has her goofy side and when she starts to giggle, it's hard to get her to stop. She loves to help; not necessarily chores... but she is eager to help if she knows her help is needed or if it gives her an opportunity to learn to do something new.

Andi at Bear Lake Christmas
August, 2008

Andi's always been her daddy's girl. Although he didn't really know what to do with a baby when she was born and really had no idea how to be a dad, she's taught him well. He makes jokes about how he's going to keep boys away from her 'til she's thirty and although he plays it as a joking father, I think the words hit closer to the truth of what he'd LIKE to happen. I'm really not sure what he'll do when the reality of giving his little girl over to another man hits him, but I suspect there may even be a few tears involved.

Andi enjoys food!

Andi's a little bit picky about her food, but like her mother, she can pack it away and stay as skinny as a rail! (Hope she enjoys that while it lasts--that trait isn't in the genes to last forever!)

Andi & Cari heading for Seattle
May, 2012

As I mentioned earlier, Andi & Cari get thrown together a lot, whether they like it or not... but for the most part, I think they like it. Only four months apart in age, I love any time I get to spend with the two of them. In 2012, I brought them both home with me from Ethan's baptism in Oklahoma to spend three weeks with me and I don't think that I've ever had more fun with two young ladies!

At the Hoh Rainforest

We visited the rainforest on the Washington Peninsula and tried to visit the tide pools at Rialto Beach, but the weather changed our minds...

The winds were so strong, they kept blowing the girls'
umbrellas inside out!

We rode the ducks and went whale watching...

We visited the Space Needle...

And no matter where we went, the girls had their own kind of fun!

Ready to go whale watching!

They even humored this old grandma by dressing up for a picture when we visited Leavenworth, Washington (a little Bavarian-style town in the Cascade Mountains).

The only challenge in three weeks came from the two older sisters trying to find their space with one another... never wanting to agree on anything when I gave them a choice... but even those times were funny, watching them try to out do one another...

But the most fun of all was the road trips with the Mama Mia soundtrack in the CD player, with all three of us singing at the top of our lungs cruisin' down the road in my bright yellow PT Cruiser!

I know this last bit has seemed more like an Andi & Cari post than an Andi post, but I had such a wonderful time with my girls that summer, it only seems natural to think of one now when I think of the other. 

Andi-- you're such an awesome young lady. You have a lot of responsibility as the oldest sister, the oldest cousin and the oldest granddaughter. I want you to know how very proud I am of you and how much I love you and appreciate you for who you are and what you stand for.  I know you probably don't know this song and if you do you probably don't know who Kool & the Gang are, but never-the-less, the words send my message to you today! Celebrate good times, Andi Beth!!! I love you!

EY #26 Part 1: Describe Family Traditions, Christmas (Visits with Santa!)

Today has been a fabulous Christmas! Barton, Emily & Abigail came to Seattle to visit for a week and thanks to technology, I was able to see Sami's, Brooks' and Brandon's kids open their gifts from me (and from cousin/family draws) in a group video call. 

One of the best parts of Christmas for me has always been the experience with children in the house. I still remember looking at our tree the first Christmas Al's son Dan was old enough to enjoy Christmas. It was so fun looking at the lights on the tree in the dark room, with all the toys underneath. It has been equally enjoyable as I've watched each of my children and then grandchildren as they've come on the scene.

I don't really remember the excitement of Santa for myself. Obviously, I wasn't terribly excited on my first time to sit on his lap....

My First Visit with Santa
Dec. 1956 (I assume!)

But, I guess I was pretty happy with the baby doll he brought me....

I believe this was my Tiny Tears doll. She cried real tears!
(Note my Mickey Mouse on the floor; Disneyland opened
the year I was born: 1955)

Either she was the only toy I played with or the person with the camera was happy I was playing with her....

My mother took me to the Savings & Loan to visit Santa every year...

With Santa 1959; 4-years-old

But, this was the last time I sat on his lap....

With Santa 1960; 5-years-old; Kindergarten

One day before Christmas in 1960, I went to get my coat out of the coat closet and as I reached up to to get my coat off the hanger I saw three games that I thought looked fun and wondered why they were there...

Christmas morning I was surprised to find those same games under the Christmas tree with my name on them!

That was also the year I got my first blonde-pony-tailed Barbie doll and from that time on, for many years, Christmas was Barbie dolls and Bobbsey Twin books.

Christmas traditions have evolved in my family over the years. I used to love seeing the presents my kids would give one another as we gave each of them $10-20 to spend on their siblings. There would invariably be an outing to the dollar store or advantage taken of my Walmart discount as each child got a cart, covered their gifts with their coats and got in line behind one another to pass down the discount card. Many good family memories came from those days with a lot of jokes and even some re-gifter items (Oil of Beauty passed back and forth for years...)

In most recent years, it seems my kids have competed to see who can make me cry first or the hardest. Today, they were all winners.... Barton & Emily had gathered family photos from each of my kids to update my family picture wall, making a gift from them a gift from all. Brandon & Diedre's boys gave me the book "Just Grandma & Me" and they helped the boys do a recording of them "reading" the book to me with a bonus recording of Brandon reading the book "Just Me and My Mom." The final gift was the beginning stages of a gift I've wanted for MY mother all of my adult life.

My mother was adopted and always wanted to know about her birth parents, but had never done anything to pursue it, not wanting to hurt her parents. Josh & Brooks took the initial steps with the info I was able to give them and seem to have determined who her parents, grandparents & great-grandparents were. While the story doesn't appear to be quite what my mother was told for all those years, but we now have a place to begin a whole new line of family history.

We finished the day today attempting to play pinochle online via iPads, iPods, computers, etc. only to realize it was two hours no one was going to get back... but it was fun in the making with a goal for next year to have it figured out ahead of time!!!

All-in-all, a wonderful day with lots of family, love food and celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. May the peace and joy of the season stay with each of you through the upcoming year! Merry Christmas!

ML #2: Tell about your Honeymoon with Bonus: Happy Birthday Miem!

Emily (Staffeldt) Zielke Hanson

Before I dive into the tale of my honeymoon, I want to acknowledge the birthday of the most wonderful aunt in the world. Born Emilie (German pronunciation Amelia) Staffeldt, it was Americanized to become Emily. My older brother Al was unable to say "Aunt Emily" when he was little and it sounded more like MeMe. MiMi or Miem became our own family name for her, which worked out well since both my Uncle Henry and Uncle George married women named Emily!

Miem & Mom at Grandma Zielke's house

Miem and my mom were good friends as well as sisters-in-law. Many mornings as a child I remember stopping with my mother at Buchner's Bakery and going on to Miem's house for a visit. They'd visit over cream horns and coffee while I played with puzzles. Since Miem didn't drive, Mom was her taxi driver when she needed it. And when my mom got sick, it was Miem who was by her side, taking care of her and our house while my dad was at work and I was at school.

Miem used to give me my haircuts and when I was in fifth grade she taught me how to sew and helped me make my first two dresses. She taught me how to clean through example and, somehow, drying dishes by her side never seemed like a chore. It was a bonding time; a time to talk and to learn unconditional love.

I always remembered her special birthday on Christmas Eve and made sure to call her, no matter where I was, no matter what I was doing....even on my honeymoon!

Which brings me to the week following my wedding, spent on Kiawah Island, South Carolina!

View from the door to our room.
Kiawah Island Resort

Since Randy was still recovering from the effects of his bachelor party two nights before, we awoke late on the 24th and missed our flight from Chicago to South Carolina. I had no idea where we were going, and when I learned we were going to South Carolina I was a bit skeptical, but it turned out to be a gorgeous spot for a honeymoon.

We arrived the evening of the 24th, just in time to see carolers walking around the resort from our balcony. The next morning I was thrilled to step out on the balcony and see the ocean waves rushing up on the shore. We enjoyed several walks along the beach that week; Randy knew how much I loved just being near the ocean.

Gathering seashells on the beach in December!

Randy misunderstood the travel agent and thought that all our meals were included in our travel package. Turns out it was ONE meal and our budget wasn't really great enough to cover all our meals. Needless to say we ate cheaply whenever we could and I found out that I really did like clam chowder! Our included meal was quite interesting... it was at the fanciest restaurant at the resort. I felt like I needed to choose a meal fitting for the area and ordered a fish dinner. I was NOT prepared when they served me a WHOLE  fish on my plate... head and all!!! Randy was quite amused and thoroughly enjoyed his steak.

We took an island safari and saw wild horses, visited the supposedly haunted Vorhees mansion (which was especially interesting for me since my mother's birth name was Vorhees) and took a tour of historic Charleston.

Randy & I on our island safari.

All too soon it was time to return home. We caught our flight out of Charleston on New Year's Eve day and made it to Atlanta for our layover. Atlanta was having a freak snowstorm and all flights were grounded. The airline put us up in a hotel that night and provided $20/person for dinner which would have been great, except for the fact that it WAS New Year's Eve and the only restaurant open in the hotel was the one hosting the party and it was $35/person for dinner there! (Remember the budget issue???) It was not a FUN New Year's Eve, but it WAS memorable...

The following morning, we were able to get a flight to St. Louis instead of Chicago, but it at least got us within three hours of Decatur where we thought we could catch a commuter flight to get home. No such chance though, since from St. Louis north, there was a severe winter storm with sleet. Since I was supposed to teach school the next day, I called my school principal and let her know the situation. As a first year teacher, she didn't take too well to my predicament and she told me that if I valued my position I would find a way to be there at 8:00 AM sharp the next morning.

Exhausting all possibilities, Randy finally found us two bus tickets on a Greyhound bus from St. Louis to Decatur! We called my new father-in-law, let him know of the situation and asked him to pick us up at the bus depot. Unfortunately, due to the weather, the 2-1/2 hour bus ride turned into about five hours and we pulled in about 2:00 AM! We were exhausted, but I was relieved to be home to be able to go to work in the morning. Pop took us to his house, we collapsed in Amy's bed and fell fast asleep for the little time I had to sleep before school.

"Mom" knocked on the bedroom door at 6:30 the next morning, poked her head in and said "Carol--Decatur public schools are all closed this morning because of the ice storm..."

ML #1: Tell about your Wedding Day

Mr. & Mrs. J. Randall Sloan
December 23, 1978

35 years ago today was the happiest day of my first twenty-three years. After a rocky four years of on-again, off-again dating I married my best friend (not to be confused with my BESTEST friend, Lanie), John Randall Sloan in Decatur, Illinois at Grace Methodist Church at 2:00 PM.

After getting engaged on October 26 (the 4th anniversary of meeting), I had less than two months to plan the wedding and for anyone who thinks it can't be done or that you have to settle, it's not true. It just takes determination. I had everything just the way I wanted it; well, considering it was a Christmas wedding instead of a spring one. I had wanted to be married previously on May Day, my mother's birthday. But, Randy and I had tried a long engagement before and it didn't work for us. So, after the October proposal and the fact that he had off work from Caterpillar Tractor Company for the two weeks over Christmas & New Year's and I had the same two weeks off from my teaching position, it just made sense to have ready-made time for a honeymoon!

Although I bought my wedding dress off the clearance rack for $150, it was exactly the style I wanted. 

Randy & I with his folks
George & D'Arbra (DeFore) Sloan

I wanted a fountain, a unique cake topper and Christmas lights with greenery on my cake and that's what I got.

Fountain is on the bottom layer,
surrounded by greenery with lights
woven through. Top it off with my brandy
snifter cake top and I was ecstatic!

I wanted to have fun cutting the cake and feeding it to one another, but when Randy wouldn't bite the fairly large piece I had in my hand... I just shoved it all in his mouth! I definitely enjoyed it more than he did...

Enjoying the moment Randy
couldn't talk!

I didn't want my bridesmaids to wear hats which were so popular or carry goofy bouquets, so my florist helped me come up with the fabulous idea of having them carry brandy snifters with greenery and a lit candle inside and a white velvet ribbon tied on the stem. We also decided to get a sprig of holly for each to pin in her hair! Awesome... but who knew that holly does NOT have berries in December?!?!?! Oh well, we all had a good laugh about the "trees" that they wore in their hair.

Bridesmaids: Robyn Wise, Vickie O'Riley,
Amy Sloan & Lanie!

The original plan was for green velvet dresses, but when the salesgirl in the bridal store showed me pictures of a green velvet wedding that looked like all the bridesmaids were in mourning, I reconsidered. We picked out the dresses in Champaign, Illinois (near wear Robyn lived) with only Robyn & Amy present. Vickie & Lanie got what we picked and didn't even get to see or try on the dresses until after the rehearsal & dinner the night before! We were hoping Lanie's would fit okay; she had just had her first baby three weeks before!

While the ladies were running all over central Illinois, trying on dresses and leaving them for poor Robyn's mother to alter & hem to bring to the wedding in Decatur (about an hour away) the next day, Randy was being thrown a bachelor party by his bestest friend, Curt Majors, who had introduced us.

Randy with Curt Majors
before the ceremony.

No one knows for sure how much scotch Randy had to drink that night, but Curt & my brother Al did a good job keeping his glass full all evening! So much so that when I went over to my future in-law's house the morning of the wedding to help put finishing touches on everything there for the second reception, I had to help clean up Randy's puke from all  over the basement! (I also learned that "Mom" had taken his 100% virgin wool sweater that I had given Randy the previous Christmas and threw it not only in the washing machine on hot, but had also thrown it into the dryer... it fit Barton when he was six....) Fortunately the illness improved by the ceremony, but he was still drunk and remembers nothing of the ceremony, the reception or the ride to O'Hare airport with my brother Al until the next day when we got up for our flight to Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

With my brothers:
Bill & Al

I had both of my brothers stand to give me away at the beginning of the ceremony, but it was my brother Bill who walked me down the aisle while Al was one of Randy's groomsmen.

Ready to walk down the
aisle with Bill.

My aunt, Dorothy (DeeDee) filled in as mother of the bride and I wore the locket my father gave my mother for her eighteenth birthday that she wore for her wedding.

With DeeDee

My bouquet was white roses with red baby's breath to keep with the color scheme and the Methodist Church was decorated with one hundred poinsettia plants. (Poinsettias were not my flower of choice, BUT they had been donated by church members to decorate the sanctuary for the Christmas season and, hey, you can't knock free flowers for a wedding!)

With Mom Sloan

Randy's mother had requested that she not have to wear a dress like she had for his brother's wedding three months before. I saw no reason not to honor that request, so she fasted for forty days and wore a beautiful green velvet pant suit. We felt very blessed that Randy's only surviving grandparent, "Big Grandma" DeFore was able to be at the wedding.

Randy & I with Big Grandma
Olive Fanny (McCosh) DeFore

Finding enough groomsmen to match my bridesmaids was a bit of a challenge, especially considering we also had to come up with ushers! So, in addition to best man, Curt, Randy's brother Judd, my brother Al and some dude Randy knew from Caterpillar, we ended up with ushers Larry Bear (a friend of Zeta sister Sug Lyons) and Randy's cousin Louis... who we hoped wouldn't be ushered out of the church in handcuffs....

I was so excited to have so many people in attendance! Besides having so many of our good friends with us, several of my aunts and uncles made it down from the Chicago area for the wedding; my niece & nephews were there; and even some of my dad's friends made it. One in particular, Marv Hanse, one of my dad's best friend's was there and when I saw him at my reception, I was moved to tears to think that he had made that effort for me.

I was also VERY excited that so many of my sorority sisters came back to Decatur on their Christmas breaks to be there with me!

Robbin Campbell, Laura Mullen, Vickie O'Riley, Me,
Laura Phillips, Tricia Heywood, Robyn Wise & Melissa Reichert

The final bit of unique that was my wedding came about during our minister interview weeks before the wedding. As we arranged to have the minister conduct the ceremony, we also needed to arrange for the music. Assuming we would just have the traditional wedding march, I was a bit surprised when the organist said that there was something he had always wanted to play for the wedding march for a Christmas-time wedding. When he told me it was "O' Come All Ye Faithful," I thought "Well, why not?" So that's exactly what we did. It was a little hard for my bridesmaids; not exactly sure if they were supposed to sing along with the guests as they marched in or not, but it was beautiful with the lit candles in their snifters. Although, I'm divorced now, the song still holds a special place in my heart and brings back fond memories of a special day when I married my best friend.

Let's talk Caroling...

Two nights ago, I heard a LOUD banging on my door. Since it's extremely rare for me to get any visitors at my apartment in Seattle and the only people I would truly consider friends here had all left town, I was a bit hesitant to open the door. I peeked through the peephole and saw a bunch of strangers, male & female of various ages, but not a one of whom I recognized.

My daughter-in-law Emily & granddaughter Abigail were here with me. Emily asked me who was at the door and I said that I didn't know, but I wasn't opening the door. And then the singing began. And then I felt guilty. But I still wasn't going to open the door.

I mean is there any part of caroling that ISN'T AWKWARD? If you're in the house and a bunch of carolers appear at your door, what are you supposed to do? We're beyond the time in history where you open the door and invite these strangers into your home to warm up with a cup of hot chocolate! So you stand there and try to look cordial, wondering what they're expecting of you. 

If you're one of the carolers, you're standing out in the cold, singing off key with a bunch of other people who are singing off key, feeling bad for the poor schmuck who's standing in his/her doorway wondering what to do with you as the heat from inside their cozy home rushes out the door!

I don't mean to sound the Grinch here. I recognize that there are times and places that caroling is totally appropriate and appreciated. Like when we would take a group of primary children from church to carol at the local nursing home. It was totally rewarding to see the looks of love, joy and appreciation on the faces of the residents.

And I remember the Christmas forty-three years ago when a group of my friends appeared at my house and entered my bed-ridden mother's bedroom singing carols. And I remember the tears in her eyes as she joined them singing "Silent Night," recognizing in my mind, if not my heart, that it would be her last Christmas with us. Those friends will always hold a special place in my heart for that memory alone.

Equally memorable, less heart-wrenching, but even more traumatic was the Christmas season of 1981 or '82 when the youth group from church came caroling to our apartment. 2 (or 3)- year-old fascinated Megan ran to the door to see the people who were singing at our door! She loved it! And then they began singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas," and she still liked it. She began to worry, however, as they began to sing "Oh bring us a figgy pudding..." and she turned to look up at me with a troubled expression. Finally when they began to sing "We won't go until we get some...," my poor, little daughter began to panic and cry! She was truly concerned about what we were going to do with all these people who weren't going to go 'til they got a figgy pudding when she knew we didn't have any! She still remembers that moment and probably still doesn't have much love for carolers or that particular song either!

Meg: Christmas Morning 1981
2 years old

Christmas Caroling. An age old tradition. We've all done it. We've all been caroled to. It's a tradition that I think should continue on through the ages. As long as I don't have to be a part of it.....

EY #7: Tell about your brothers while growing up; Part 2

This post is actually a day late, by my blog tradition, but I couldn't rush through it to get it done in time after work last night....

As I've mentioned a few times with other posts, our family tends to double up on special days; December 4th was the first one I was ever aware of... 4 birthdays on the 4th!

First came my brother Allen Carl Zielke, born December 4, 1947.

Allen, bursting his buttons
(Backyard at Grandma Hill's house)

Then came our cousin, Marcia Pope (second daughter of Aunt Grace).

Marcia Pope
Christmas (Late 60's)

Then came Al's first daughter, Gail Lynn, December 4, 1968.

Gail, modeling her first swim suit
Summer, 1970

And then came our niece, Bill's daughter, Kirsten Marie, on December 4, 1970.

Kirsten came to meet Grandma Zielke once
January, 1971

Now that you've met everyone, let me tell you a little bit about the three closest to me, my brother and my two nieces!

Al's Senior Picture
1965

A handsome young man, yes? I always kind of thought him a cross between Elvis and Troy Donahue and I certainly had a sense of pride when all the other girls on the school bus told me how cute my brother was!

Al's Kindergarten Graduation
1953

Allen was the only one of us to go to a parochial school. He missed the public school birthday deadline to turn "5" by three days. St. Paul's Lutheran School was willing to take him, so he went there with some cousins for his first year of school.

Something in this picture
reminds me of my grandson, Peyton!

He was the mischievous one in the family. At least I remember him getting in trouble a lot more than Bill or me. And he's the one I remember telling me not to tell Mom or Dad. And I never did. I just always felt special to be in on his little secrets! And, I never wanted to be responsible for one of those times that I stood by crying as I watched my mother chasing him around the dining room table with a belt! And part of his punishment was coming in to my room to console me and let me know he was alright...and he'd always laugh...

Al in his baseball uniform
with me & Boots!

He was a jock and has always loved all sports, but was particularly good at baseball & basketball. And when he wasn't playing sports, he made up games that I could play with him, kicking a tennis ball through the drainage holes on the front porch of our house in Aurora or the "balloon game" in the living room. I know I was always terrible at sports, but he rarely cut me any slack and still loved beating me.

In his East Aurora Marching
Band Uniform; 1962?

He was a musician, playing trombone in band & orchestra, usually sitting first chair and he used to play "Love Me Tender" on his accordion for me. (Maybe that's why I linked him to Elvis!)

Al & Marcia
August 13, 1966

He gave me my first sister (Marcia Lee Westphal; see May 23 post), my first nephew (Dan) and my first niece (Gail). Many years later, he gave me another nephew (Jeff) and another niece (Mary Ellen) with his third wife (Sue Wohlers).

A few years ago, he scared us all when he had a heart attack. Definitely not the one of us I would have expected to have health problems first, but he does what the doctor tells him to do now (for the most part).

Al with 3 of his kids & 2 grandsons: March, 2008
Gail & Mary; Dan, Devon, Donovan & Al

When I made my reunion tour to Wisconsin and Illinois in September, I was glad to get to spend time with Al & Mary and to meet Mary's husband and two adorable kids.

Me with Al, Logan, Andrew, Mary, Ella,
Abigail, Emily & Barton
September, 2013

I don't think there will EVER be a birthday more memorable for Allen than his 21st birthday though! That night the headline for the Aurora Beacon News was "Police Deliver Special Gift; Teller Reaps Dividend."

A week or so before that day, his pregnant wife was walking downtown Aurora when she slipped on a patch of ice and did the splits, apparently doing some muscular damage, because when she went into labor on the night of December 3/4, it was obvious to Al right away that he wasn't going to get her to the car to get to the hospital three blocks away! He ran upstairs to get my dad to help carry Marcia to the car, but it was obvious that wasn't going to work either. The police came and Gail Lynn arrived on the scene! They were taken to the hospital afterward and that evening I eagerly looked through the newspaper for the birth announcement of my new niece. When I couldn't find it, we were all a bit disgruntled! Just because she wasn't born IN the hospital, she didn't rank a birth announcement in the paper?!?!? And then we saw it! A front page headline and article explaining Gail's birth and playing up the fact that it was her dad's 21st birthday and even better--- it was his day off work from the bank!

Gail learning to make brownies!

Gail got a bit of her dad's mischief and a bit of her mom's ditziness, and I sure did love having her around. She and her brother brought me so much joy, love and happiness through my junior high and high school years. Nearly every day when I got home from school, she and Dan would run upstairs screaming and begging me to play their favorite songs, Doo Doo Doo and Bah, Bah, Bah on the stereo... 

On Saturday mornings I never got to sleep in, because they'd come bounding up the stairs asking me to make them French Toast. I used to take them everywhere with me, even to the grocery store on Saturday mornings with DeeDee. When I was in college I took them to spend a week with me in the summer on campus at the Zeta House and then they spent time with me at Randy's in Morton, Illinois the summer before we got married.

Gail Lynn with husband, Rick Perez

All too soon, before I knew it, my little niece was married with a daughter of her own and now SHE's a grandma herself! In spite of the fact that she's 45 now and no matter how THIN she is, she'll always be our little "porkchop" in her sailor swimsuit! (FYI-Her dad came up with that nickname--not me!)

Gail & I
September, 2013

And then we come to the last one born on this special day. Our special little Kirsten Marie. 

Kirsten
1971

Kirsten was born to my other brother, Bill and his wife Pat (Patricia Thomson).

She was a very welcome sight after a very difficult pregnancy during which Pat spent most of her time on bed rest.

Kirsten with big brother Todd

Kirsten loved to sing. She loved books. And she had a way of working her way right into everyone's heart. She loved Babar the Elephant and she loved her "babitz." (Her baby doll) She brought sunshine into all our lives, but sadly that sunshine didn't last long enough. Kirsten passed away little more than a month after her fourth birthday in January, 1975. Gone, but definitely not forgotten, we celebrate the anniversary of her birth each year, right along with Al & Gail.

To these very special people in my life, I wish a VERY Happy Birthday. I'm grateful for the part they've played in my life and the love they've given me.

I hope you all had a wonderful day and know that Kirsten was there with you.

Proud Moments of Being a Mother: Part 6!

Jana & Me atop the Space Needle!
Seattle 2009

I have five great kids, but I've been "Mom," "Mama Sloan" or "Auntie Carol" to SO many more! Maybe you've had similar experiences. Everyone of my kids brought friends into our family that we've loved and stood by with laughter and tears over the years.

Today is the 30th birthday of one such young lady, Jana Mae (Stokes) Newell! She started out as Brookie's roommate during her Freshman year at BYU-Idaho in 2001, became Brookie's best friend shortly thereafter and has been part of the family since shortly afterward.

After I moved to Post Falls, Idaho in 2006, I had this feeling that Jana needed to move in with me. I invited her and invited her and finally persuaded her to come for a visit. The visit lasted until 2011 when I had to move to Seattle! She had become a full-fledged daughter in my life...

So many memories; so many laughs and, unfortunately, time restraints today prohibit me from writing for her a proper birthday tribute. So, this is Jana's IOU. A blog to mark the anniversary of her birth and a promise to rewrite it one day in the near future. But in the meantime....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUNNY!!!