Happy Father's Day!!

Happy Father's Day. Enjoy the variations on fathers pictured above. My husband, Allen and our youngest grand-child. Then three generations captured together with the addition of Brian into the picture appearing as both son and father and then the final snap is one concluding with Brian and all three of his sons in the same frame (pretty unique -- as a beach calls boys in all sorts of directions at the same time.)

The picture of Allen walking with eager toddler reminds me so much of an old photo of my own dad, walking a then-toddler-Sarah down the sidewalk in her little green personalized OshKosh overalls and purple hooded sweatshirt. That photo is one of my very favorites of my dad. What is it about grown men with toddlers that capture the heart-strings so immediately? Rough 'n tuff manly men, family providers, now gifted with a new role, that of appreciating the role of grand-father-hood. With the gift of time comes opportunity & insight, both. That's part of the equation undoubtedly.

The other portion of the equation? That total, complete trust and adoration on the part of the toddler. Decades apart in perspective, on the scenes unfolding, yet connected by a teeny finger's grip into that of a big-bear paw of a mitt of fingers. The cruising toddler is out exploring the world anew, every wave's splash or sidewalk's twig a whole new marvel to explore, surely a gift to the parent. Multiply that blessedness by a gazillion for the grandpa on the journey. PRICELESS, indeed.

What a treasure for my daddy to get to explore the role of great-grandpa. He wears the hat well, happily known as "POP-POP" by three blue-eyed wonders. Just last week I was walking Pop-Pop's 'Little Red' down the local metro park trail, when passers-by inquired, "Where'd ya get that amazing red hair, little one?" I knew the answer: Pop-Pop!! She just smiled and waved, flipping her carrot-top tresses knowing even as a three year old that they set her apart.

We have biological gifts from our fathers for certain, but the gifts of time and attention are the ones that hew the marble of our personalities into what the world will come to know over time as our own legacy. The consistency of presence is the most magnificent present of all. The attendance at junior high band concerts or coaching of sporting teams, the supervision of homework and trips to the orthodontist, the wild cheering of the original Big Red Machine from the top deck -- in honor of a straight A report card, those are the impressions that string together the pearls of childhood into a worthy necklace for adolescence and create a treasured heirloom to share through adulthood.

Happy Father's Day, daddy!!! Happy Father's Day, Allen!!!! Happy Father's Day, Brian & Scott!!! It's a great day to reflect on the value of love and dedication.

The Grand-Grands

We interrupt this Door County adventure with news from the rest of the world....... Here's a peek back at the babeez and WB (Wonder Boy, silly) as they traveled safely across the country to go visit with the rest of my extended family in Florida. Yes. They got to play together at the actual beach!! The first road-trip, sunny beach vacation for the Mettle Five. YES: Scott got to be part of this adventure. BTW: That's my world-travelin' nephew Justin and gorgeous niece Kelly, plus her Skyler in the second picture.

[It's taken me all this time to have the light bulb light up -- that I can commandeer other people's photos..... these were borrowed from Sarah's Facebook album of their adventure. Fourteen steps later, I figured out one long circuitous way to insert them here. There's probably a much easier way, but now they are happily placed here, to keep tabs on the growth of the grands. VOILA!!]

Shell Shopping @ PopPop's

We made a trip over to Deland/Orange City to go to church with my parents. I happened to remember sweet Keegan's request for ocean shells and mom & I had fun choosing from their vast collection of previously gathered goodies. Wait till K sees what they were willing to share. He'll be so excited!!

Here We Are, All Together

Drum roll please. Here's the whole collection of everyone in attendance. The original Fielder six. Then the six plus the two handsome bookend spouses: ruggedly brutish, Dale-the-photographer with Rebecca and the strikingly handsome, roguish, Allen-with-me. Then mom, dad, and Aunt Sue. We created our own warmth and sunshine by sharing stories, reading dad's old report cards and going thru photo albums and videos in some cases discovering trivia we'd never known previously. Who among you knew that my father was in charge of refreshments for his Junior Prom? Or that he seldom needlessly tattled on his peers? Is there a better way to spend a day? Archeologists beware, we've uncovered some doozies.

Fast Forward 50 Years

Now hit your fast-forward feature. Move ahead approximately 50 years or so, give or take. Those reading parents have suddenly become reading GREAT Grandparents!! I took this shot of my mom and dad with my grandchildren, on their last morning before they flew back to their home. This is one of Wonder Boy's favorite books, which just so happened to be a Christmas present from his 'greats' last year. He still loves all forms of undersea creatures. He's pointing to one of his favorites, just before they open the hidden flap. Some things just never go out of style!

Read to those children -- whatever their age, whatever your age!! It's a habit that lasts a lifetime. It's the very best legacy we can give our children, our grandchildren, or when abundantly blessed, our GREAT-grandchildren. A disposition for the written word. A love of language. Delight in word play, it's rhythm, the poetry of language: alliteration, rhyme, onamotopia, syntax, hyperbole.... all the goodies in the language toolbox of fun. Read. Read. Read.

(This picture was taken over Mother's Day when my parents were up & dad baptized the twins. They were about 3 weeks old in this picture.)