Wilson Family Blog: December 2007

Sunday, December 30, 2007

Joe's Story

I've posted Joe's story on here. I would like to post a picture of mom, and I wanted to use some of the pics from the story boards that were made. I'll need help getting them scanned and placed in here, so be patient...more pictures will be coming soon.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Thanks, everybody!

I just got back from a Blue Jackets victory! Happy Birthday to me!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE !!
LOVE FROM AUNT BONNIE AND UNCLE JIM

Happy Birthday James "The big 3 today"

Happy Birthday James - James is having a Lightning McQueen Party today.

Love Aunt Dawn and Uncle Mike

Friday, December 28, 2007

And the handsome redhead (second from left) will be 31 on Monday!

Believe it or not, this little guy will be 3 years old tomorrow....

Dad

Joe Wilson at the 2006 Wilson Family Reunion.

Welcome!

Hello everyone! I thought I'd try this out to see if it fits what we need. I'd like for all of us to be able to share picutres and keep in touch with what's going on in our lives. Please let me know if you like the layout or if you want to suggest changes, that's fine too. I've never done this before so I know I'll make mistakes. (I've already accidentally deleted the first posting that I created.) Have fun and get creative! Dawn already has her own weblog and does a great job at it, so hopefully she can help us out. She's probably on the floor laughing at how primitive this is but once she's over that I'm sure she can suggest some changes.

I want to get a calendar on here, but I'm not sure how to do that. I'll check on it and see if there's any way to add one that we can all add updates or notes to.

If you don't mind please share email addresses with me. I don't have as many as I used to so I can't invite the whole family just yet. If anyone has an address for Doris or any of her kids, please let me know. Same goes for Stella's family. Danny, I'm putting you in charge of getting me an address for Mike, Jim and your mom. I don't think I have a current one for Jessie.

My Summers With You

GRANDPA HAS ASKED ME FOR YEARS TO WRITE A STORY FOR YOU TWO, AND HERE IS THE BEST I COULD EVER TELL.

I’M WRITING THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU BOTH TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE TO ME. YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE INFLUENCED THE PERSON I HAVE BECOME. FEW CHILDREN ARE AWARDED SUCH LONG STAYS WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS AS WE WERE WHEN WE STAYED DOWN IN LEBABNON. YOU HAVE EACH PASSED ON CERTAIN QUALITIES TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND THEM TO US, AND WE WILL UNTO OUR OWN CHILDREN.

GRANDPA, I TAKE A STRONG WORK ETHIC FROM YOU. I INHERITED THE ABILITY TO PUT IN LONG PHYSICAL HOURS BECAUSE IN A STRANGE WAY, I LIKE THE WAY IT FEELS. IT HELPS ME SLEEP AT NIGHT. IM SURE YOU UNDERSTAND. I ALSO TOOK THE BLESSING OF YOUR HUMOR, UNENDING AND TRUE. YOUR HUMOR IS ALSO A CURSE, AS I HAVE OFTEN BEEN ASKED IF I CAN BE SERIOUS FOR “JUST ONE MINUTE!” YOU ARE A MAN WITH A SPIRITED LAUGH AND A CAREFREE SPIRIT, ALWAYS WILLING TO LET US PLAY A BIT LONGER, OR CLIMB INTO YOU CHAIR AFTER LONG DAYS ON THE ROAD OR WORKING. TO SIT AND WATCH THE REDS WITH YOU, EATING POPCORN, “LOTS OF BUTTER, LOTS OF SALT” OUT OF THOSE GIANT STAINLESS STEEL BOWLS IS TRULY ONE OF THE FONDEST MEMORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD. BEING TRICKED INTO DRINKING BUTTERMILK, HOWEVER…IS ANOTHER STORY.

GRANDMA, FROM YOU I TAKE MY WIT, AND MY CALM. AS A LITTLE BOY I ADMIRED THE WAY YOU WERE CONSISTENT AND STRONG. EVEN IF ONE OF US WAS BEING A BURDEN YOU ALWAYS TREATED US FAIR, AND WITH LOVE, NOT HARSH PUNISHMENT. I DO THE SAME THING WITH MY JOB...I TEACH THE KIDS WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING, NOT STRICT RULES OR JUDGMENT. THESE ARE TRAITS I LEARNED FROM SPENDING MY SUMMERS WITH YOU, GRANDMA. I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE TREE, THE BRANCH SLUNG DOWN IN A PERFECT SEAT, WATCHING YOU CLEAN BLUEGILL AFTER BLUEGILL, EVEN AFTER YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T CLEAN ANY FISH WE MIGHT BRING BACK! YOU TAUGHT ME TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED, BECAUSE IF YOU STARTED PICKING A ROW OF BEANS, OR WEEDING A PATCH OF STRAWBERRIES, THEN IT WAS ONLY NATURAL TO COMPLETE THE TASK. I DIDN’T ALWAYS FINISH THE CROSSWORD PUZZLES I STARTED, AND THAT SOMETIMES MADE TROUBLE, BUT STILL, YOU FORGAVE ME. I LOVE HOW YOU LET ME WIN IN RUMMI AFTER WE PLAYED A FEW GAMES…BUT I STILL THINK I’M BETTER AT KING’S CORNERS

I TELL STORIES OFTEN OF MY MANY SUMMERS IN LEBANON. THE BASEMENT, THE POOL, MAJOR, THE HORNSBY’S, THE TRICYCLE, THE COUNTLESS, BOUNTIFUL GARDENS, THE OLD BLACK TRUCK, GREEN BEANS SENT STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN, GRANDMA’S OLDSMOBILE DIESEL AND HER LEAD FOOT, BUILDING THE GARAGE AND THE DECKS, THE BIG BROWN CHAIR THAT COULD BE IMAGINED INTO A CAR, A SPACESHIP, A TANK, A SUBMARINE AND A WRESTLING RING, THE APPLE TREES WHERE GRANDMA BIT INTO A WORM, CATCHING LIGHTNING BUGS, GRANNY AND HER STORIES AND THE WAY SHE SMILED WHEN I WOULD COME VISIT HER IN THE MIDDLE BEDROOM, ROLLING DOWN THE BIG HILL, SLEEPING IN THE CAMPER, READING BOOKS WITH KAT, ENDLESS BOWLS OF CHEWY STARBURST CANDIES, FIREWORKS ON THE PORCH AND THE BEST MEALS I’VE EVER HAD, ANYWHERE, IN ALL MY TRAVELS.

I LOVE YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. YOU ARE WHO I AM, AND WHO I WANT TO BE. I’M SO SORRY THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO BATTLE THIS ILLNESS, AS I KNOW IT HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON BOTH OF YOU. AS A FAMILY, WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER TO HELP YOU, AND TO SHOW YOU BOTH HOW MUCH WE CARE. YOU HAVE GIVEN ME SO MUCH, AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ASK, AND I WILL COME RUNNING…

EACH NIGHT WHEN YOU LIE DOWN TOGETHER TO SLEEP, TAKE A DEEP BREATH. AS YOUR LUNGS FILL UP WITH AIR, KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS ALSO FULL OF LOVE FROM YOUR FAMILY, AND THAT WE ARE THINKING OF YOU AS WE LIE DOWN AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO WONDERFUL, SO KIND, SUCH PERFECT GRANDPARENTS. I PRAY THAT SOMEDAY I WILL DO THE SAME FOR MY GRANDKIDS AS YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME.

Written by Joseph Robert Wilson 2007