Patsy Golob Decker

In the fall of 1959 I attended Valley College. This experience lasted only a year and a half due to a tonsillectomy. I left school sans tonsils, but with a fiancé, Fred. I then worked for a title insurance company, and we were married in February 1962. We moved to San Diego where Fred was working and daughter Kathleen was born the following December. In January 1963 we moved to Burbank when Fred began working for Lockheed. In June of that year he was transferred to the U. S. Navy base at Moffett Field south of San Francisco. In December it was on to Jacksonville, Florida for a year then back home to Sherman Oaks for daughter Molly’s birth in January 1965. When she was two weeks old, Fred received more traveling papers, this time to South East Asia. I was a single mom for 8 months until he returned home.

We bought our first home in late 1965 in Granada Hills. Our daughter Michelle was born in April 1966, and we made a vow to stay put. Our son Andy was born in May 1969 and I was happy to be a stay-at-home mom. During this time I belonged to a guild that supported Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Fred and I were blessed with active, healthy children and I wanted to contribute by helping others.

In June of 1977 Lockheed had us “on the road again” and this time to Montreal, Canada for three years. So much for a vow to stay put. ”Itchy feet” struck again and in 1980 we were transferred to Derbyshire, England for a two year stay. During our stay we were able to travel extensively in Europe. Our experiences in both Canada and England were very rewarding for the six of us.

We returned home to live in Ventura, CA with interesting accents and a desire to embrace all things American.

With our daughters in various colleges and our son preparing for the same, I decided to back-up my enthusiasm for higher education by enrolling in UCSB, graduating in 1989 with a BA in English. (Ironic it has taken me this long to write this Blog!)

I helped Fred with a book he was writing about his Great-Great Grandfather’s regiment during the Civil War. We were thrilled when “Yates Phalanx” was published in 1994.

Fred took early retirement from Lockheed in 1995 after 33 years. After a short period of being “at leisure” he went to work for a small aerospace company in Fullerton.

By this time the drive from Ventura was too much and we moved to Glendale. In 2003 we bought a townhouse in Monrovia where we again “vowed to stay put!”

We are blessed with happily married children with wonderful spouses and 8 terrific grandchildren. I guess our daughters caught our “itchy” feet and it has given us more travel time to Seattle, WA, Holland, MI and Richmond, VA. Our son decided to stay put and he and his family live in La Canada Flintridge.

Since 1998 I am back in the volunteering mode. This time with a guild that supports the USC University Hospital and the Keck School of Medicine. We raise funds for scholarships for graduating medical students. We also enjoy tailgating at USC football games (especially the past six years!)

It was wonderful to see my classmates at the Reunion and to hear about their lives and families. The PHS experience taught me to live my life to the fullest and to strive to be whatever I wanted to be.

Fred and I have watched the DVD several times and it is fabulous! It evoked many wonderful memories…and the music was great. Thank you, Devi. And thank you to the Reunion Committee for a wonderful weekend in March.

Fondly,

Patsy

POSTED BY PATSY GOLOB DECKER

Noel Wagener Ruberti

Hi, Everyone!

In the fall of 1955, fellow graduates from St. Robert Bellarmine Grade School, Marcia Adams, Mary Baedeker, Beverly Hoeschen & I found ourselves attending this new ALL GIRLS high school called Providence High. What unique experiences we had. After all, not many students can say that in their Freshman year they attended classes in tents. I remember lunch in the park nearby, Sister Alexis flying down the hill to coach softball on a makeshift ball field, chorus with Sister Cecilia Marie and building our dream homes in the Christian Living class. There was something challenging about being the first class for the ensuing years. Weren’t we lucky to have the wonderful teachers that influenced our lives and the great friendships that we made and still have today. Graduation at Burbank’s Starlight Bowl was a wonderful culmination of those years.

After graduation from PHS, knowing that teaching was not for me but that I WAS good in Math, I started work in the accounting department of a Brokerage firm in Los Angeles. (Many thanks to Maureen Coleman Simons mom). The ensuing years found me advancing in positions with different Brokerage firms.

Leisure time found me traveling, singing in the choir at St. Charles and active in the adult youth group at St. Finbar’s Parish. In 1964, a friend in the group introduced me to Donald Ruberti. We were married on May 16, 1968.

Don was a Public Health Advisor for the Centers for Disease Control /STD Prevention based in Los Angeles. Transfers with CDC found us in Sacramento, Ca; back to Los Angeles; then on to Hartford, Ct; Tucson, Ariz; Des Moines, Ia and finally to Atlanta, Ga. He retired from CDC after 42 years.

During that time we had three girls, Dawn Marie, Christi and Melanie. I too became a stay at home Mom and loved every minute of it. I volunteered at schools, attended sporting events, band, and concerts. Dawn is now an Optician in Asheville, NC. Christi , after graduating from Georgia Tech, married Eric Sikes and is the mother of three beautiful girls. Eric is in the Air Force and is currently assigned to the Pentagon. They live in Manassas, Va. Melanie graduated from the University of Georgia and is an anchor, reporter and weatherperson for WTOC-TV in Savannah, Ga.

In 1988, I decided that I needed to get back in the work force. Hoping my math skills were not too rusty, I found a position at C & S National Bank (now Bank of America). Who knew that Bank of America would find it’s way to Atlanta, Georgia. I retired as an Administrative Assistant to a Market Manager in Premier Banking after 19 years.

In 1988, Don & I built a new home in Newnan, Ga. It is in a golf /tennis community and no, we don’t play, but it is fun living here. We always have projects in progress. We enjoy reading, going on long walks and having fun with our Granddaughters.

Thanks to all who put this blog together. What a wonderful way to keep in touch with our classmates.

Although I cannot be there in person, know that I will be with you in spirit.

My very best to all of you.

Noel

email: ruberti@numail.org

POSTED BY NOEL WAGENER RUBERTI

Virginia Keefer Pullen

After graduating from PHS I worked for Airotary Supply Co. as a secretary- receptionist. I became engaged at Christmas of 1959 to Tom Pullen. Tom and I were married the following July in my former hometown of Metropolis, IL. My very good friend and classmate Joyce Speeter Sfetku was my Maid of Honor. We will be married 49 years this July. The years go by too quickly!!!

We lived in Champaign, IL for a couple of years while Tom was finishing school at the University of Illinois. He took a job in Houston, Texas where our son, Mike, was born in 1963.

We enjoyed and liked Houston but Tom’s father took seriously ill, so we moved back to Metropolis to help run the family business. We operated a Thoroughbred horse farm which was fortunate to have bred the 1970 Kentucky Derby winner, Dust Commander. Unfortunately, we sold the mare and colt before he ever raced. Our daughter, Lynda, was born in Paducah, Kentucky in 1964.

In 1975, Tom decided to leave the farm and go into banking. He became President of the City National Bank of Metropolis. I worked for the Water and Light department when the kids got older. We are now retired and enjoying what we want to do. Much of our lives revolve around the kids and grandchildren. We are a very close family. Our son, Mike, lives in Metropolis. He and his wife Lisa have three children – two girls and a boy. The oldest girl is graduating from the University of Mississippi this May and their boy is a sophomore at Ole Miss while the youngest daughter is a sophomore in the local high school. Our daughter, Lynda, lives in Jefferson City, Missouri, so we travel there a lot to be with them. Lynda and her husband Joe have three children – two girls and one boy. Their son is graduating from Helius high school and plans to attend Purdue starting this fall. The oldest daughter is a sophomore at Helius while the youngest is in the fifth grade. We are very proud that all of the family are active practicing Catholics.

I was a stay at home mom. Between car pooling, PTA, home room mother and all the sports the kids were involved in, I led a very busy and fulfilling life. I kept three of the grandchildren until school age. I took some college courses for my own enjoyment. My hobbies are gardening, crocheting, quilt making, decorative art, reading and best of all - my six grandchildren. I do volunteer work for the Red Cross Blood Mobile, Shawnee Development Council, and St. Rose the church where Tom and I were married.

I have enjoyed reading the blogs of my fellow classmates. What an amazing life you have had. We should be very proud of the class of 1959!!!!

A special thank you goes to Devi Savitt Bellows for reuniting Joyce Speeter Sfetku and me. Thank you to the reunion committee for all the hard work you have put into this reunion. I am also very thankful for the catholic education I received at PHS.

I know that some of you have had very special remembrances of our teachers and I have a few to add. I remember Sister Cecelia Mary during piano class - I thought she was going to crack her wand on my hands at times. Lol She scared me!! Once I was practicing my music during class and I was so sleepy that I kept playing the same song over and over. Well, Sister jerked open the door to the music room and said “ Virginia, would you play another song.” Needless to say that woke me up!! Sister Esther was my favorite teacher. The thing I remember the most about her was her smile and sunny disposition. I remember in Foods class we would hurry to get there so we could make French fries to eat in class.

For those who are going to make the reunion, I will miss not getting to be with you. Have fun and enjoy one another.

PHOTOS: #1 me & my daughter & granddaughter, #2 Lynda & family at Thanksgiving, #3 Mike & his family at last Thanksgiving, #4 Tom & family in Hawaii

Virginia Keefer Pullen

Married July 21, 1960

Children—2 –Mike and Lynda

Grandchildren—6—Ages 11 to 22

Two granddogs

POSTED BY VIRGINIA KEEFER PULLEN

Judy Hernandez Hatfield

Dear PHS Class of 1959:

I hope some of you will remember me …

After graduating from Providence, I worked for a few years with the idea I wanted to travel and work overseas. I booked passage on a German ship, the “T.S. Bremen” flagship of the North German Lloyd. I had no idea what work I would be doing or where I’d be living, but the adventure began.

Leaving New York Harbor on a beautiful spring day in 1962, my journey started by sailing for eleven days crossing the Atlantic Ocean. I met many wonderful and kind people who when hearing of my tale offered me positions of everything from care attendant to working in a bakery. I met a student who suggested I get my work papers and visa, which I did. She invited me to her home. After a few months, my mother contacted me and wanted me to come home immediately, because of the possible conflict with Cuba and the Bay of Pigs Invasion had begun and there was talk of war. I said “No, I’m staying - I’ll be fine!” I obtained work at a German hospital in Siegburg West Germany. This hospital, Stat Krankenhaus, was run by an order of Franciscan nuns. I worked in the Kinderstation- Children’s Department, where I scrubbed floors, brought up meal trays, emptied bed pans and helped the nurses. It was hard work, but very fulfilling. Sister Alexis took me under her wing so to speak. She also informed me of the pending conflict between Cuba and the U.S. and asked if I wanted to go home. I told her “No, I felt safe here.”

She had been a nun in the states for many years, so I learned German from her and the children, and they in turn learned English from me. I roomed with a nurse at an apartment near the hospital and had many experiences there. I made many friends and participated in holiday celebrations.

With a roof over my head, a job and food in my stomach life was good. I traveled via train all over Germany. After a period of time I wanted to move on in my travels. I next went to another hospital in Frankfurt-Katerinan Krakenhaus with a referral from Sister Alexis. This was also run by an order of the Franciscan nuns. Believe me when I say the Germans are very hard working and industrious people. After being here for a while I then went on to Luzanne Switzerland and France. In Paris I had a room at a small hotel – The Hotel Duminy, then on to Italy, Capri, Florence, the Amafali Coast, Pompeii, Rome, Venice, and the Vatican. I met lots of people from all over the world. This was all done when the book “Europe on $5.00 a Day” was extremely popular (I doubt it’s that price now). I ended up staying in Europe for almost two years.

I returned home to Burbank in early 1964. I enrolled in business school and got a job offer with a government agency. While thinking this job offer over, I was introduced to the man who would become the love of my life. A slender guy with flaming red hair named George Hatfield, swept me off my feet. We met in May 1964 and were married on December 12, 1964 in St. Finbars Church. We wasted no time starting our family, our son George Jr. arrived in November 1965, daughter Debra in 1967 and daughter Jessica 1969. We first started our family in Simi Valley in the late 1960’s, moving to Ventura in the early 1970’s and then on to Westcliffe Colorado (where our home was located in the Sangre De Cristo Mountains at the 8,600 ft. elevation level), Ft. Smith Arkansas and back to our home base of California by the 1980’s. We traveled the United States extensively on family vacations in our motor home when our kids were young. I was fortunate enough to be able to be a stay-at-home mom during much of this time. I eventually went back to work in various clerical capacities. George and I were married for almost 41 years; I was his primary caregiver for the last seven years of his life. His brave battle ended on October 29, 2005.

I’m a busy grandmother to six grandchildren, three boys and three girls ranging in age from 8 to 14 years.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the reunion!

-Judy Hernandez Hatfield

POSTED BY JUDY HERNANDEZ HATFIELD

Sharon Young Galindo

After graduation, I went to work for Bank of America, No. Hollywood. I started in the back room and worked my way to the teller line after a couple of years. In 1962, I won a trip to Europe for 6 weeks and that was the beginning of my love for traveling. My sister and I went and saw as much as we could, even going into East Germany and East Berlin. After returning, I went back to work for B of A and worked another 2 years and went back again to Europe. Coming back, I again went to work for the bank. For the next 20 years, I worked on and off for B of A. In 1970, I married a customer of the bank. However, it was a mistake from the beginning. In the meantime, my mother died and my father was alone, so I moved in with him , so it worked for us both. I traveled again, this time to Mexico and on returning, I decided to study Spanish in night school. My teacher was Mexican and after my being flunked 5 semesters, we got married!. He was a school teacher and taught Spanish to 9th graders.

In 1976, our son was born and 1977 saw a daughter come. We traveled a lot by motor-home down into Mexico and up to Canada with 2 small kids. It was such a great experience. As the kids went to school, I volunteered. At this time, I was a stay-at-home mom. I was instrumental in getting our parish school to start a kindergarten and my daughter was in the first class. I volunteered in the school office and then went on to be on the Parent Teacher Board as Treasurer. In 1986, my husband and I and kids flew to Sweden and purchased a car and drove it throughout the European continent for 3 months while summer vacation was on. For the next several years, traveling was through our trusty motor-home. Back and forth to Mexico, Canada and a lot of Northern California. Our children continued in school and after their graduations, they went on to University. My son to Colorado State to study Natural Resources and Forestry. My daughter, Nursing. In 2000, we all went again traveling to England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Then in 2002, my husband of 27 years, passed away of heart disease. I continued to travel and lived in Ireland for a time. After coming back, I was offered a job working as church secretary for St. Bernardine of Siena Parish. Over the years I have made many friends, mostly priests, at St. B, and I feel blessed to call them my friends. I retired in 2006 and have continued traveling. Because of this love of mine, I have purchased a house in Tuscany, Italy and go there as much as possible. I also do volunteer work for L.A. Animal Services. I love to work in the yard, to read, and do painting and small repairs.. my husband taught me well.

The experience and education from Providence has been with me all these years and I thank those wonderful teachers for being who they were!

POSTED BY SHARON YOUNG GALINDO

Marjorie Traxel Strachan

In August of 1959 I entered the Sisters of Charity of Providence. After a few short weeks I was surprised to find myself in collage! The program of Sister Formation, that my great aunt had started, was already active with us. (My Aunt was the Mother General of the Sisters of Mercy.)

I went through five years of collage (at Seattle University) before going out to teach. I did my practice teaching as well as my first year of teaching at St. Michael school in Olympia, Washington. The following year I went to Portland, Oregon training in and teaching Montessori.

During my first year of teaching I contacted my Great Aunt and told her I did not think I belonged in the order and was praying about it. Later Sister Rose Amata helped my to leave the order.

1966 found me back in the world of dating and teaching. Teaching one year First Grade at St. Francis Xavier in Burbank and then going to Santa Monica Montessori School. Then different years of Montessori and public school followed by great years of teaching at a Catholic school in Highland Park. Taught twenty-five years at St. Ignatius enriched my life as I began teaching children of former students.

In 1968 I met Tom Strachan We dated a year - married in 1969. Tom owned his own Mattress company called Made Well Mattress Company.

We were unable to have children but enjoyed taking my students places as well as had three live with us for a summer. We have done a lot of traveling Our favorite places are Russia, Portia Rico and Australia. We have an active correspondence with our friends in Australia and have had them visit us three times.

For the past eight years I have been very active in my church. Five years ago my Pastor approached me and asked me to be prayer leader. I've taught on prayer, started an intercessory prayer group (meets every Friday night). I am group leader of an intercessory group formerly called Lydia now ASK international. For five years I wrote a monthly news letter called Prayer Walker.

Though physically challenged I am active in writing and besides the Intercessory Prayer enjoy Red Hats. Have had one publication.

POSTED BY MARJORIE TRAXEL STRACHAN

Ann Lewis Wright

I graduated in June of '59 with an engagement ring from Bucky Wright. We were married in May of '60. Charles Jr. was born in '61, William and Christine (twins] in '63 and Catherine in '64.

'60-'66 I worked in computers for Dept. of Water and Power, promoted to programmer and quit, (not my style).

Then followed 10 years of custom knitting. I made many outfits from "hot pants" to a complete wedding dress and many party dresses both knit and crocheted. The knitting part was done on a knitting machine as i can't knit a stitch with needles. During these days I also painted with oils (mostly seascapes), sold many and won several prizes.

1980 I started in stained glass. I spent 1 year with Shutters Inc. to learn the business; then 10 years with a partner Lori Crane (still one of my best friends). More years crafting leaded glass on my own and with my daughter Cathy as partner.

In 2000 we moved to Atascadero on the Central Coast and built a real Victorian house with the help of Cuesta College Building Technology class which my daughter Cathy was taking at the time.

Along with leaded glass I started custom vintage jewelry with my daughter-in-law Paige and my daughter Chris. Lots of fun! We use vintage pieces and add pearls, crystals and vintage beads. We have a large clientele from New York, Texas and California.

All my children and "9" grandchildren live in or near Atascadero and we're very close. Charles (Duke) my oldest son followed his dad into law enforcement. Will became a physician, He specializes in interventional radiology at Marian Hospital in Santa Maria. Chris followed Devi to work at American Airlines and Cathy is an artist.

I'm involved with the Historical Society, sit on the board and am curator of the museum, following in my fathers footsteps. My great uncle founded Atascadero, University City in ST. Louis and Palos Verdes in So. California.

Devi and I have remained best friends since high school and share a crazy intertwined life. We've been on some great trips and always keep in touch.

My family has many artists in it both past and present. I seem to be happiest when I'm making something, from the trim on our house to a beautiful necklace or leaded window. Our house has 73 leaded glass windows.

Buck and I will be married 50 years next year. I can honestly say " It seems like only yesterday!"

POSTED BY ANN WRIGHT LEWIS

Maureen Coleman Simons

I am so thankful to Sister Esther and Sister Maria Therese for encouraging me to continue my education. After graduation from PHS I attended Immaculate Heart College. I graduated with a history major in 1963. I worked at a couple of Brokerage firms during that time. After graduation I worked for Security Pacific Bank in the Trust Department.

I then worked as an Administrative Assistant for one of the top producers at s regional brokerage firm

I met my husband, John in 1968. We were married later that year and immediately started our family. Denny (1969), Chris 1970) Matt (1971) Laura (1973) Kelly (1975) Tricia (1977) Sean (1985). I thank John for making it possible for me to be an at home mom.

We lived in Torrance and then Redondo Beach. We spent many years volunteering at the grammar school and then High School. Our children were very involved in soccer and little league. We were at the various fields every weekend. We are very proud to be able to say that all seven of our children have graduated from Catholic Universities

.In 1991 a priest friend asked me to help him with the accounting at his parish. I was there for 7 years. It was great because my youngest son was at the adjoining school.

Our children have blessed us with 8 beautiful grandchildren. The oldest is five and the youngest is 5 months. We have so much fun with these amazing children. I know the best times are yet to come.

In 2000 John and I moved to Carlsbad. John immediately became involved with Rotary, Chamber of Commerce and Knights of Columbus. I was invited by my neighbor to attend a fund raiser. I walked into a room of 400 women and thought I didn’t know anyone. Then I saw one lady that I did know. It was Barbara Dunn. Barbara at that time was the President of the Assistance League of North Coast (A philanthropic organization that helps underprivileged children). I was strongly encouraged to join. Barbara has become a great friend and mentor. Being a member of the great organization has become a big part of my life. I also spend time at my parish as a Funeral minister, Eucharistic Minister and Lector.

As a further connection to PHS one of my good friends from IHC married Vic Belfiore who was our softball coach. Pat Reagan who was a year behind also attended IHC and married the brother of one of my other IHC friends.

I want to thank the committee who have worked so hard to put this reunion together. I am looking forward to seeing all of you there.

POSTED BY MAUREEN COLEMAN SIMONS

Phyllis Weber Wright

Attending Providence High School was a wonderful, life-enriching

experience for me.It was not only a place of learning, but a place where

camaraderie, caring faculty and students, and laughter enriched my life.

My love of music was enhanced by four years of chorus with Sister

Cecilia Mary, and I've never stopped singing. The journalistic and

writing skills I acquired under Sister Esther's tutelage have served me

well in my personal life, and also when I was teaching composition, or

writing my own newsletter or articles for other newsletters.

I wish I would have expressed more gratitude to these teachers and the

many others who had an influence on my life. I do want to thank all of

you, though, for being a part of my life then, even if you were a small

part. I look back fondly on all of you, and look forward to seeing many

of you at our reunion.

After high school I was one of the six California girls who headed up

north to Seattle to join the Sisters of Providence Community. This is a

wonderful Community of women who do so much good for others, and I was

happy to be a part of it. I was saddened when Caryl Harvey and then

Carol Lex left, but I did go on to make my first vows. I received the

name Sister Veronica Rose, a name I had requested.

One day when I was probably in my junior year of college, my Sister

Superior called me into her office. One of the sisters teaching in

Seattle wanted to go back to school and they wanted me to replace her

for the rest of the school year. A few days later I was sitting in a

classroom watching Sister Amideus teaching her 4/5 combination class. At

lunch we talked a little about the class, and then she went off to sign

up for classes and I walked into MY class of 35 fourth and fifth

graders! Talk about being thrown to the lions! Fortunately, my ability

to ad lib,thanks in part to my Schiemelgruber experience, and being able

to read faster than the kids got me through those five months. That

summer I took classes at Seattle U.and learned something about teaching.

This certainly wasn't the ideal way to get into teaching, but Holy

Family School was a wonderful school for my first experience. To top it

off, who should happen to be the part-time housekeeper and cook at the

convent there but Sister Esther's mother! Mrs. Frawley was a truly

lovely woman and I enjoyed talking with her, sometimes even about Sister

Esther. I also taught two of Sister's nieces. I taught for 3 1/2

years at Holy Family and then for one year at St. Michael's in Olympia.

In 4 1/2 years of teaching I managed to teach grades 3,4,5,6,7,8!

During my last couple of years of teaching I came to realize that what I

loved most was teaching children, working with them, and wanting

children of my own. (Boy, raising your own children is sure different

from teaching other people's children!) So, in August of 1967 I left the

Community and flew back to LA.

Dear Carol met me at the airport and I stayed at her house for a couple

of weeks. Her mother drove me to job interviews and helped me find my

first apartment. My family had move to Medford, Oregon, so the Lex

family took me under their wing. I ended up teaching in the LA School

District in the city of Baldwin Park. It was ok there but I knew I

didn't want to be stuck in that area. There were few good teaching

positions open in the late 1960s, so when a friend suggested moving to

the San Francisco area I was ready to pack.

Nancy and I and another friend got an apartment together in San Jose and

Nancy and I ended up teaching across the street from each other in

Milpitas, a city just north of San Jose. I taught for 18 years there and

totally loved it. I did a fair amount of traveling, and engaged in many

social activities with the numerous singles clubs that abounded in the

Bay Area. I even took ballroom dancing lessons at Fred Astair Studios. I

always loved watching Fred and Ginger dance, so I danced a lot there and

won some dancing trophies. Now I love watching "Dancing With the Stars."

It was at one of these singles clubs that I finally met Larry, my Mr. Right.

We were married on June 28,1981, in San Mateo County Park. We arrived at

the scene via a horse-drawn carriage previously owned by Queen Victoria.

Carol was my Matron of Honor and Larry's Best Man was a friend he grew

up with on Long Island. The weather was beautiful and everything was

about as perfect as one could hope. This was great since our honeymoon

was a disaster! We went to the Amazon Jungle for our "romantic trip."

Larry's other honeymoon idea was to cross the Sahara on camels!

The jungle truly is beautiful beyond expectation! One day Larry and

several other people decided to machete a trail out in the jungle.

I opted out on that adventure. Larry had a great time swinging on vines

like Tarzan. Unfortunately, as he was swinging across a ravine, the vine

came apart and he tumbled 20 feet to the ground. He crashed against the

aerial roots of a tree and landed on an Amazonian ant hill. He broke

eleven ribs, sprained his ankle, and had more than 50 ant bites. Now we

know why Tarzan screams! The rest of this story is equally exciting and

lengthly. Anyway,the honeymoon pictures end with Larry in a wheelchair

and me pushing him out of the San Francisco Airport.

Our life has been pretty busy and exciting, but nothing beats our

honeymoon for excitement. We have continued to travel, build our own

house, and adopt two children. Our first adoption was an independent

adoption using an adoption attorney. I wrote our adoption search letter

on our flight back from the South Pacific and sent out more than two

thousand of these letters. After five leads fell through we finally

found Margaret. She lived with us the last ten weeks of her pregnancy

and gave birth to Michael right in our house. That was another very

exciting event! After several years we traveled to Bulgaria and adopted

a five-year old girl named Mila. Adopting internationally was a grueling

event, especially in the early 1990s.

Once the children entered school, I also began teaching again, but in

their classrooms. I worked mainly in the art and reading programs, but

also became soccer mom, football mom, track and field mom, basketball

mom, and debate mom. When Michael was in high school I spent endless

weekends judging debate tournaments. Michael was in several children's

musical productions, and I joined him in "Oliver" when the director

needed some parents to sing the adult roles. I enjoyed all of this and

am thankful I was able to be home with my children.

Now our children are in their early twenties, live in apartments nearby,

and are working and going to school. Larry and I are supposedly retired,

but there is nothing really retiring about our lives. We are busy

catching up on projects that were shelved when much attention was

devoted to Mila and her medical needs. I am singing with Masterworks

Chorale, taking ballroom dancing lessons with Larry, gardening,

scrapbooking and being active in my Woman's Club. For seven years I was

a Creative Memories consultant and taught classes on scrapbooking, so I

have many friends with whom to socialize while we work on our family

albums. For fourteen summers now I have organized our neighborhood

garage sale and the ensuing block party. It is our neighborhood's big

social event each year. I love to read and have accumulated more books

than I will ever be able to read, and more good books just keep coming

out! I started doing some tutoring last year and we are exploring a

couple of possible money-making options since the economy is so fragile.

My life has certainly not been a boring one, and I truly do not

understand how some people can be bored when there are so many rewarding

and exciting adventures to pursue.I think a busy person is a happy and

healthy person. May we all enjoy many happy and healthy retirement

years. I am so looking forward to seeing many of you soon.

Photos: Our wedding in the Woods June 1981, December 1993 in Sophia, Bulgaria, finalizing Mila's adoption, Taking dancing lessons, but not ready for "Dancing With the Stars".

POSTED BY PHYLLIS WEBER WRIGHT