Ohio

Sue, Mark and their new grandson, Simon

I've been in Ohio since we came in for Evan's funeral. Evan's funeral, I can't believe I'm even saying those words. This is all so surreal. Natalie brought me to Ohio and I couldn't be more grateful for a daughter in law from heaven. Tom and Thomas met us here and we stayed with my brother Mark and his wife, Sue. When Tom, Natalie & Thomas left I stayed two days with Mark and Sue. They were so gracious. Thank You!

Eric,Amie, Aiden & Macie

My sister asked me to stay with her for a few days after her surviving son, Eric, and his family left. ABSOLUTELY

Macie, Eric Kim and Aiden last Christmas

Loss & Celebrations

As sad as it is there is nothing that brings a family together than a funeral. We all met up in Ohio to celebrate Andrew's life and there were SO MANY people. He knew he was loved but in the end it just wasn't enough.

It was so great to see all the little ones running around after all the sad activities were over.

The wonderful people at the church had a beautiful lunch set up for us and the kids all met us there. There were 13 children ages from 9years to 1 month.JackMy SIL, Susan

MacieSusan with all the kids. She has no grandchildren but is very good at it.My SIL, Susan with her MotherMy SIL, SueAnn with her new grandsonTom's brother, Tim, and his daughtersMy brother, Mark, and his daughter, Michele.My sister, Cookie, and her daughter, Crissy.Thomas & Jen and their families camped out at Charlie's house for the duration.Papa and Piper.Most of the kids at my brother Matt's house.

My brother's house

Charlie turned 31Wyatt made Daddy a giraffe picture from his hand print.Jack and GramsSamiWyattPapa brought dinner.Sami loves "babies".Lily found herself some dinner.Uncle ShawnAislinn and her cousin Benjamin. Our oldest and youngest great niece and nephew.
Grandpap & Grandma Ruth with their 6 great grandchildren

My Old Family

I've connected with a couple of people on Facebook recently from my childhood. I pretty much have my life on my profile so they don't have many questions about me but they are curious how my brothers, sisters and parents are doing. How sad is that? I am so wrapped up in my NOW family that I forget my first family. I guess that's the way the world turns but it makes me a little sad. I know family was important to my mom especially. She kept us as close to our cousins growing up as anyone with a physical distance could possibly. She even "came back" to my dad during his surgery after she had passed and told him it was not his time and he needed to go back and take care of the kids. He did a great job those last two months. I think by dealing with his hospice care we all got to know each other in ways we never had before. I know we spent nights with aunts, uncles & cousins as kids and every July 4th we would get together with all of them at Mom's cousin's house. Sad but being one of the younger ones I would be hard pressed to tell you my cousins names let alone where they are and what they are doing. I hope my children don't become so disconnected with their cousins but I already see it happening. I try to keep them in touch just like my mom used to but time goes on and we all get wrapped up in our NEW families. I still have hope for my grandchildren, as close as they are now it's hard to think that some day they won't remember each other's names. These were the last pictures we had taken of all of us the year before our mother passed. She tried to organize picnics every couple of years and would invite extended family too but mostly it was us. After Dad died we said we would get together every June but with one thing and another it has yet to happen. That was almost 5 years ago.

Because Two People Fell In Love!

I know they were proud of their children & their spouses (who all called them Mom & Dad) and their grandkids I try to get the five of us together a few times a year. Sometimes we seem uncomfortable with each other, not knowing what to say but by the end of the visit I know MY heart feels a little bit fuller.

NOW

Matthew

married to Sue for 33 years

father to Robert II & Rachel both married

grandpa to Luke, Leah, Jillian (& to 2 babies to be born this summer)

Mark and our John Robert

married to Susan for 32 years (yes, Matt & Mark both married Sues. Our kids still get confused about WHICH Aunt Sue)

father to Mark Jr. (married to Kara) & Michele

Kim

mother to Erin, Eric (shown), Evan & Andrew

Nanna to Aislinn, Aiden, Macie,Bennett & Caius

Cookie aka Nancy

married to Ron 30 years

mother to Christine

step mother to 3

THEN

Cookie & Ron

Mark & Sue

Mark, Gram & Sue

Kim & Sam, Erin & Eric

Ron & Cookie

My graduation from HS

Tom & I, yearbook photo

Tom & I

Matthew

ME and my Pepsi. Can you tell it was the 70's?

Me & Smitty in my sister's dress

KO-KO. The only family pet

Me & Tim. Two years late he would be my brother in law

Matthew

Matthew (not Matt because Mom always called him Matthew)

Mark

Cookie (nice shoes) Mom Kim

Yes, I am brave for posting this one

Matthew Gram & Cookie

Cookie, Dad & Kim on Hilldale

Main Street. My home from the time I was ten until I got married. They sold it while Tom & I were stationed in Germany. I have a painting of it that Mom had done hanging in my living room.

Matthew, Cookie & Kim

ME, I have that blanket on the back of the chair. My parents made it together when they were first married. I know I shouldn't but I cringe when the grandkids grab it to cover up with. I always let them use it but tell them why it's special to me.

The 70's!!! minus Kim

1970? Looks like we're in the 60's though

My first communion and a new puppy, KoKo . Dad brought her home from working one Sunday at the church credit union where one of the guys was giving them away. Mom, wasn't too happy.

Easter on Hilldale

Matthew & Mark

Mother's Day & My birthday with My Mom, her mom (Gram) & my dad's mom (Nanny)

Matthew

Matthew on his First Communion. I know there is an identical one of Mark from the next year but I couldn't find it.

Cookie on her First Communion . I think that's Father Hughes. My parents were friends for life with Father. My parents were also founding parishioners of the church & the attached school, Dad even helped dig the foundation by hand.

Kim on her First Communion. I wore the same dress too as did our cousins & Jennfer wore it to church the first time she went after receiving her first communion.

Not very many pictures of me and none of them are of my best side

Matthew feeding Mark

Kim & Cookie

All but me

Mark walking

another one of those attractive sides of me

My Gram, Aunt Lottie & Aunt Bea and some cousins at our house on Hilldale . The two oldest cousins in this are are my godparents.

MarkThe race track in the basement on Hilldale. Matthew had the car track and Mark had the train track. We all loved this. Not sure why, maybe watching them crash? Our house on Hilldale. My parents had this house built before the road was even there. Three bedrooms one bathroom and an unfinished basement. They borrowed money from the builder for the down payment. They lived there about 13 years. I was 9 or ten when we moved. It was a great place to grow up with a neighborhood thatwas more like a family. Another family left behind.

sad . . .

life