The Other Parent

As promised, I've selected a few photos to show that J does indeed have TWO parents. I resisted the forty or so pictures that I wanted to use and narrowed it down to nine.

As far back as L can remember there was someone else in his life. She was ALWAYS there. Always. She now goes by the name of "Aunt E."

L's mother (Grandma Judy) had TWO children, almost exactly twelve months apart. Bless you, Grandma Judy. Thank you for allowing them both to grow to adulthood.

Now let's skip ahead to the "Puka Shell" years. This was 1976. (L says, "This is what happens when you let Mom fix your hair.")

Apparently THIS is how he'd rather wear his hair. This "do" is only possible after hiking for several days on the Appalachian Trail with only a creek in which to take care of your daily ablutions.

Six years later, L and I attended a small college in western Massachusetts. Our first experience with a New England winter was enough for us to make plans to spend Christmas Break in Florida. L decided to send a picture back to the folks who were enjoying a white Christmas.

We spent three years in the frozen north Berkshires. By then we had been dating for FIVE years. It was time to consolidate expenses. It was time to get married. When L called my father to "ask for my hand," Dad's response was, "It's about time." Dad was quite a romantic.

Then came graduation. (Cum laude, I might add. I'm his wife, I can brag.)

We moved back to Florida where we both had an opportunity to teach in a private school. This is L's "school picture." Two of our former students moved north when we did to help our pastor establish a work here. They are both older now than we were when we taught them.

Well, that was a sobering thought.

Remember Aunt E? She came for a visit when J was about two and we decided it would be nice to get some pictures of the siblings. Can you see the love and respect between brother and sister in this picture? It's palpable, isn't it?

Now that the required "we love each other, blah, blah, blah" shot is out of the way, we can take one of our REAL feelings for one another:

Grandma Judy? I thank you, again, for allowing them to grow to adulthood.