The Family grows!

Yesterday (12/16/08) I became a Great Grandfather for the second time in 10 weeks at the age of 84. In the morning paper the death of a woman aged 76 was listed along with the names of 5 great grandchildren. Betty and I have 7 children and 12 grandchildren. What took so long? Then I occured to me that for the most part our children did not begin to have children until they were through college. Indeed most of them were not married until they had finished college. The oldest remains unmarried at 58. Our only daughtrer was married at age 27. Her son was born when she was 30. The next son was married at age 31. Their first child was born in the year he turned 34. The next son was married at age 19. He and his wife have 4 children, but the first was not born until he was 24 and had two bachelor degrees. It is his daughter, aged 28, who is the motherr of the first Great Granddaughter; and his son, aged 26, who is the father of the second Great Granddaughter. And they are both college graduates as are their parents.

Our next son was married at age 27, and their first child was born when he was 34. The next son was married at age 23 with the first of two sons born when he was 26. The youngest son, like the oldest, is unmarried at age 47. The children have pretty much followed in the foot steps of the parents. Betty and I were both through College and teaching before we were married. She was 24 and I was 25. We were married in April and Kenneth was born the following February. Betty died at age 80 after over 56 years of marriage. I am truly sorry she is no long with us to share in the joy of these two charming Great Granddaughters. My God bless them as He has the rest of this extended family.

Age and memory

I was watching T earlier when one of the Alsheimers adds came on where the old man calls his young granddaughter by the wrong name. I have sometimes told people how I can in my evening prayer mention all of my family: brothers, sister, spouses of each, children and spouses; 12 grandchildren; and now two great granddaughters. Plus, when I put my mind to it, I can list before God all of my nephews and nieces and their spouses and kids.

The other night I got a phone call from a former student a generation ago. I immediately knew that it was Quilla, and I called him by name. He's a black student from Arkansas, and was (is?) a very fine musician. He played a role in the ministry of Wayman Chapel here in Billings. (African Methodist Episcopal)

On the other hand there is often a name or circumstance which does not come quickly to mind. Maybe later. Maybe lots later.
I guess that it not to bad at 84.

So? One muses.

As I was listening to the news last night the reporter stated that the attack on Pearl Harbor had occurred in 1941 - 67 years ago. I turned and said something to my son about that now being “ancient history.” An earlier story in the paper told of a local high school class being shown a collection of letters and pictures depicting the Nazi Holocaust. It then occurred to me that I was 17 December 7, 1941 and was sitting in the front room of my high school girl friend with her family when we heard the news. Today’s generation speaks of 9-11, and the paper has little mention of 12-7-41. A part of this remembering was brought about by a photo brother John sent the other day of brother Lee, 79; sister Dorothy Ann, 90; and himself at 84. This relates to a picture taken at Thanksgiving of three generations of our family: granddaughters Natalie and Stephanie with Stephanie’s baby (my first Great Granddaughter, Arianna) and me - Grandfather Taylor.

In the middle of the night I began to think about ages. Both twin brother, John, and I have become the oldest Taylor males at 84. Grandfather Taylor died a few days after turning 83. Our own Dad died from a heart attack at 59. Older brothers died at 63, 50, and 56. The latter two of heart attacks. Dorothy Ann is now in line to become the oldest survivor of the Taylor females. Grandmother Taylor died at 90 years, 10 months. The oldest of the Aunts died at 89 years, 8 months. There’s not much history on the Petit side of the family, but Grandpa Petit died at 69, and our Mother’s mother (Mary Cart) died at age 36. None of us ever knew her and there was little discussion of that side of the family that I recall.

So much for ancient history. It is remarkable that at 84 with a massive heart attack at age 33; two rounds of by-pass surgery; a couple of stents recently and with aortic stenosis I survive and can still remember and relate to all this. Sorry you had to read all this!

Family Thanksgiving

This was my year to host Thanksgiving. I never thought that I would live to see the day that I was holding a Great Grandchild. This is Arianna with her Cousin, Natalie and her Mother, Stephanie. Steph and husband, John Huss came over from Minnesota so that both of her Great Grandfathers could meet her. In addition we had Ken, Annie and husband Bill, Pete, brother John, Jean, Mark, Rosanna, Andrew, Nathan, Geoffrey, Janet (Stephanie, Nathan, & Geoffrey's Mom), Cecilia, her mother Maggie, Natalie, Mark's son, Ambrose.

While I cooked the turkey (it didn't get quite done. It was over 22 lbs) on the grill Pete did most of the set up and cooking. Others, of course, brought in various dishes. No one went away hungry. It was a true joy to have 3 of David's 4 children with us along with John's family and to have Cecilia bring her mother to share with us. We, of course, missed Jimmy and Betty. And other out-of-towners are always welcome.

In the meantime I've been busy avoiding anything that smacked of work.