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The Weigel Family ~ Greencastle, PA |
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The Weigel Family |
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Thought
for Our Day |
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The Big "SIX-Oh" Needless to say..... I'm certain a number of you folks out there in Cyber-Space have run up against the Big Six-O!!! You know --- "60 years on the SAME planet".... "Older than dirt".... "One step ahead of the undertaker"..... and one I especially like from the grandsons.... "What kind of dinosaur did you have for a pet?".... and on and on! Well, this was my year and I'd like to share a little about it for those of you who are interested. If you've read any of this website, you may know by now that I think family is a VERY important part of life and in many cases the pure reason for existence. Ours is certainly NO exception! I've never talked about my "whole" life... that's not necessarily that important to most of you, but today I think I have a reason to talk a little more about me and US! My marriage, at age 22, was one that by today's standards couldn't possibly happen. My total salary was, like, $163 per month and I think JoAnn's nurse's salary was about $300. We had 2 wonderful children during our 15 years and they made everything worthwhile. We vacationed and camped in numerous places in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed it almost every weekend of the summer season. The breakup of that marriage was very difficult and our children were, I think, too young to understand the "why" and "what for" of such a devastating occurrence in their life. Because of that, the relationship between me and my two "natural" children was rather non-existent for too many years. During that period, our oldest daughter died of a brain tumor. I miss her terribly and will always be regretful that we didn't get to share the times we could have and should have been together. But we had a second daughter too.... and that's what I want to tell you about. Her Dad turning 60 gave her a reason to throw one of the biggest and "bestest" parties of all times. She and her wonderful husband purchased a new home this past year and we hadn't been to visit them and see their new found "American Dream". We made arrangements to visit with them and have dinner at their new home on a particular Saturday in January. This was apparently just too much to pass up! Jodi .... with the help of my wife Josie, our other children and apparently "500 gazillion (or so)" other folks.... acquired the email address of everyone I've ever known or ever will know during the rest of my life and invited them to this "little" get-together. Everyone kept saying... "Were you really surprised?" It seems that all the computers in the office had emails back and forth during the planning stage and I was simply oblivious of all that was happening. Yes... it was a true surprise! For the 6 weeks following this party, every time I'd see a business associate who, for one reason or another couldn't attend, I'd hear..... "How was your birthday party? I'm sorry I couldn't make it." WoW!!! I couldn't imagine everyone that got invited to this bash! They have a gorgeous home but if everyone who was invited would have showed up.... well, I'm not sure where we would have put them! You always have relatives at a birthday party but Jodi got some of mine who drove for 5 hours to get there and others flew in from New Hampshire.... just for the party. Others from 1 or 2 hours away. Now how lucky can one be? I actually accused the "New Hampshire-ites" of probably having some other reason to come to Maryland but they assured me it was strictly to be together on this special occasion. Jodi showed her self-less love during this VERY special day for me and I don't know how I'll ever Thank her. Oh sure, we can say "Thank You" and tell friends and family of our love for them, but is it ever enough when one has shown "THEIR" love by putting together a happening so special....???? It doesn't seem like it is to me? One of Jodi's special touches was the cake. Today's world has technology going for it and the cake was no exception. The bakery was given a photo of a VERY young sailor (me) in uniform, and it was scanned onto the icing. What a surprise when I saw that. It was fantastic. Seems everyone got an invitation to a "Surprise" birthday party with the same photo on the front! And the friends... some of our fellow employees, some who are in the same business as we are and others who were simply there because they wanted to see what some OLD GUY looks like when he's totally surprised by a birthday party, and whether he'll actually survive the shock!!! But our daughter.... she was the key. We've spent too many years in a rather distant relationship and for that I'm truly sorry. Both of us have lost out, as well as our grand-children and so many other family members that we love so dearly. This get-together should show us that LOVE is what REALLY matters. She, Gary and the girls planned and hosted this thing and for that I'll always remain indebted. So to all of you who might have some "uncomfortable" relationship with a loved one...., or a situation that's a little distant..... don't let it go on. To my daughter Jodi.... how does one say Thank You and I'm sorry, all in the same breath and make it come out right? I'm not sure, but I think the easiest way is .....
I wasn't sure how to let everyone know what a wonderful thing you and Gary did in hosting my birthday party, and how much I and Josie love you, and then it hit me.... why not tell the world on our website!!!! So to you and Gary (and the girls).... Thanks for everything. I, and we, love you all very, very much. Dad
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