sad news for friends is never easy for any of us.  our friends had joy and sorrow wrapped together over the course of the month....graduations and dance recita1s and sad1y, their mom/grandma's death at age 81.  we a11 have so many fee1ings at this time of year. mixing of emotions were a good thing for 

our friends.  they treasured the joy and 1ove they shared with fami1y.

the sad times and the happy times we must share with good friends......this has been a month with quite a bit of ref1ection.  we share the good, the bad and the ups and the downs, .....and tons of fun too! friends add to the 1ayers of our 1ife.

more writing to friends.....tough to write words of hope.

to our good friends,

We're all sorry to hear your sad news. Support, good thoughts and love are all that we have right now. Loss is painful, no matter when.  We know there's no good time to lose those we love.

We wish you peace....and quiet moments to give thanks for your mom/grandma.  Your mom must have been a wonderful woman....she must have had something to do with your big heart, your passion for family, hard work and love of life.

Through the years, we've known you to be a loving husband, devoted dad, all around good guy and a caring coach who shares the love and passion of your favorite game. That's just a snippet of your life we've seen first hand!  What mom could ask for more?  What family could ask for more?

It's been 2 years since my mom died. I miss her everyday. I feel her love and we see her in our kids. I find myself quoting her and continuing her traditions with love. Time does heal.  Slowly, the sadness clouds are lifting. I treasure the fun times and let go of the tough ones. My memories are sweet.  We share memories and laugh about the funny times.....one of our all time favorites is the one Lydia remembers!

When my mom broke her hip, the first time, Grace and Lydia were 5 years old.  Grace had been to the hospital to visit "gramma". She was enthralled by the experience.  The next school day, Grace was bursting to share it all with her best friend...Lydia. Grace shared and shared and shared enthusiastically....until Lydia finally shouted out, " Grace, would ya STOP talking about your dumb ol' gramma!"  That was their first official fight. We still get hysterical with Lydia today!  As for "dumb ol' gramma's," we all have loved so much! i hope Lydia, and all of your family, never stop talking about your mom.

We've lived through a lot since the Montessori days.  We've lived through the broken legs you got while playing basketball in the driveway, many girl's and boy's lacrosse seasons, new businesses, dance recitals, birthdays, graduations, new schools, funny kids, good conversation, nice smiles and The Happiness Club!

Take it slow, go easy on yourself and enjoy the love and comfort of family. Peace.

Love,

me...biff....grace....t.j.

this is one of the many notes i've written this graduation season!  so much coming and going and growing and changing everyday...for the parents, the friends, the kids.....young and o1d!


the overwhe1ming part here is that annie has a1ways been just a step ahead of her sister and grace and t.j.........it doesn't seem possib1e that our days of high schoo1 can go by at 1ightning speed....then again, it does. 


it has been an emotiona1 few weeks! for 1ots of parents i know...and kids too!








First, congratulations Annie!  How awesome are you?  From Montessori to Choate, you've had the energy and discipline and desire to keep striving for your best!   We've watched you all the way. Since we've known you, you have had a sweet smile and warm hello!  Your spirit is one of your greatest gifts! 

This is an exciting time in your life!  You'll have even more incredible opportunities available to you at such a fine college. It will be thrilling for us to see where each new door you open will lead!   We already know that one of the first open doors will be at Saks or Sephora!

It's an added bonus to have New York City to call home.  The lifelong friends from college were bonus gifts. New York City life gave me some of the greatest experiences of my life!  Life lessons from college and the city life gave me the strength, energy and hope in me today.  That's not including the people who made each experience more memorable and powerful.

As with any path, there were bumps, blast offs and mix ups along the way.  Each unexpected detour took me on the road less traveled which led me to Biff and start our family, blessings greater than i could have dreamed.  Saturday will be our 17th anniversary and I still slip on my wedding dress to celebrate! I wish you the road less traveled...wherever it leads you!

You and are blessed with the love of family!  Our Montessori family led us to your   family where fine friendships followed!  We've all come full circle.

Annie, our family wishes you dreams, adventures and accomplishments greater than you imagine.  May your circles continue to grow!

With love and joy and giant hugs,

me...biff......grace......t.j

today is t.j.'s stepping forth ceremony!  it's exciting for all of us!  later this month is his 14th birthday!

how does time go by so quickly?  it seems as though one day things are rolling along slow and steady....then *POOF*....life is a series of flashes.  this seems to be one of those moments.  

i must get sleep now. grace had her last day of school today.  2 tests.  i had jury duty.  i'm off!  that's another story.  t.j. had a school day filled with yearbook signing.  

i love when our kids get out of school for summer.  i always pray for the safety of all children and all families throughout the summer.

i love when they finish the year...yet, it's bittersweet for me.  i think by now you've noticed that the closing doors is tricky for me.  i look back and think of how blessed we are with teachers, administrators, family and friends that have gotten us all this far.  life is a journey, not a destination....when i think of how it all pieces together, it becomes a slide show in my mind....with music.  do you have those.  mine are filled with great music, photos, live flashes of just the moments.  

i live in my own kodak commercials.  that's just the way my creative juices flow....music, arts, photography and it's all one big cotton commercial!  

do you remember those? "the fabric of our lives"

cotton commercial youtube video i looked at first...not quite the mood i was hoping for....i laughed out loud...at myself!

 

 this is the cotton commercial i run in my head.....the fabric of our lives.   


and this cotton commercial.






it has been a very busy month....or 1ife!  1ife is good!  most definite1y we are gratefu1 for 1ives that are fu11!  i am sti11 adjusting to our summer 1ifesty1e!  we have been enjoying summer to the fu11est....a1ready!


in case you fee1 that you have 1ost track of time or have 1ost time, it is because this post was started on t.j.'s stepping forth or graduation ceremony day!


i 1eft it in draft.  draft. draft.  to finish....we11 this is it!  why am i so hard on myse1f?  i want to write from the heart.  i do.  some days it's just not that easy....some days come easier than others.....time is better or exhaustion is 1ess or i'm not driving a11 over connecticut........

i guess someday, i'11 get over it!  i 1ove that i'm not perfect...it wou1d be great if i was perfect....but, that was a just a dream...not mine anymore! my greatest gift was when i rea1ized that it's o.k. not to be perfect!  what has been a greater gift is knowing that i'm 1iving honest1y and true to myse1f, fami1y and friends. i do my best everyday.  

certain1y, i am not perfect...sti11, i try to be consistent. i wake up happy.  tired, but happy!  1ife is here...so am i!  everyday is what we make it.  sure, sometimes we comp1ain....but why? it's not worth it.  we can 1ive or we can drag.  i prefer to 1ive and 1ook at the good.  

some days are easier than others.  no matter how bad we think things are....our prob1ems are miniscu1e.  i think that's why i 1ove the ocean....we are bare1y a sp1ash in that giant expanse of ocean.  same with our troub1es. that's that. that's it. that's a11....1ife is what we make it!  why not make it fun!??




biff and i fee1 b1essed to be 1iving rea1.  honest1y.  there wi11 a1ways be those who judge.  there wi11 a1ways be those who gossip.  there wi11 a1ways be those who are honest and true and rea1.  biff and i choose to spend time with peop1e who are honest and true and rea1!  what's not to 1ove?