Florida birthdays

I don't want this day to pass without telling you about the important birthdays happening.  Today our granddaughter Sophie turned 16!!   SIXTEEN!!!  Sometimes it just feels sad how fast time goes by.  

I knew Lisa was in labor when I went to school that morning in 2005, and I could barely think of anything else as I taught my music classes.  There was no Facebook or even text messaging, so I guess phone calls and emails were the quickest means of communication, and I could not access my email except in the computer lab at school.  Jeremy, who also lived in Florida then, was the one who called to tell me Sophie had been born and that George would be emailing me a picture.  I was amazed that he could email from his phone!  I ran up to the computer lab, opened my email, and there she was!!  Every student in that computer lab heard me scream!!

And now she's this beautiful 16-year-old!  We have not seen her in person since July 2019.  First time ever that we have gone so long between visits.  Of course COVID is the reason.  Thankfully we have more ways to connect than we did when she was born.   She's pictured here with Lisa at a track and field awards banquet.  Wow, I miss her!

Tomorrow is Lisa's birthday!  What a birthday gift she received when Sophie was born!  I ended my last post with a picture of what I looked like at 9 months pregnant.  She was my first born and we were SO ready and eager!!

And here we were on the early morning of January 25, 1974.  I laughed when I looked at this picture and saw Dick wearing a mask in 1974!

She was a beautiful baby, and we were so in love!

Of course we haven't seen her in person either since July 2019, and that is certainly the longest ever in all these 47 years.  I really, really miss her too.  

On a happier note I'll end with a picture from July 2019.  We were at a hotel in Orlando where Lori's conference was being held, and George, Lisa, and Sophie joined us there from Clearwater.  We had the most wonderful few days together!