Nancy's Father's Day gift early.

[John Schmidt]

She found what was the last picture of my four girls together while all four were alive. She showed it to me and I immediately broke down. She then followed with a heartfelt card that just added to my emotional reaction. She's not the mother of my girls but has a loving relationship with the two remaining. My wife Rita that I lost a little over seven years ago knew the four girls and when they all got together...oh my!   She loved them as her own, as they did her.

Many of you know about the loss of my two daughters to cancer, one in May, 2006 at age 44 and the second in April, 2012 at age 54...a day and 40 minutes following my birthday. Both were strong Believers, I will see them again one day. As you might know, April and May are difficult months. Thanks for letting me share a little history.

An amusing side note...from the oldest to the youngest chronologically, their birthdays were in June, July, August, and September. They always got a big laugh out of that and one time asked how I managed to plan it that way. I finally shut them up by saying "it was always on the sperm (spur) of the moment."

EDIT: It was pointed out to me that Father's Day is a week away. I knew that, as did Nancy, but we're going to be with family and she wanted to give it to me this weekend. She said she knew how I'd react and didn't want to have it happen in front of a bunch of people.

[Serk]

Thanks for sharing! I've always admired your strength regarding your daughters, but wish you hadn't had to have been so strong regarding them.

Any chance you can share the pic?

Happy Father's Day!

[TJ]

 

[John Schmidt]

Any chance you can share the pic?

Got a little reflection from the glass of the frame. I tried a little enhancing but didn't really make much difference. The bottom and upper left are the girls cancer took away. The lower one is the eldest, the upper is #3. The older one was assistant principal at the grade shool where she taught, the younger had a beautiful voice and had sung with the St. Louis Philharmonic for years. They also traveled and she had sung in some of the better known venues around the country. She had a chance to tour the military academy at West Point and just for fun sang a solo so she could tell her kids she had done so. 
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[Serk]

Thank you for sharing, they are beautiful, I know you're proud of them and miss the missing ones.

I hope you don't mind, I tried to clean up the image a bit...

[John Schmidt]

Whoa, thanks loads. I'm actually going to print it out, it actually looks clearer than the framed one I have.

[f6john]

I can't imagine having four beautiful daughters and the challenges that could pose as I was blessed with a single son. And now you have Nancy to add to the mix!

[Jersey mike]

John, you have a nice way of sharing your thoughts and experiences. Your girls are beautiful.

[Jersey mike]

Thank you for sharing, they are beautiful, I know you're proud of them and miss the missing ones.

I hope you don't mind, I tried to clean up the image a bit...

Wow! Great job.  Looks fantastic.

[John Schmidt]

Those girls blessed me with 17 grandchildren. I always teased them, telling them they were good at math...expecially multiplication.   As for great grandkids, that's the same number(17) at last count. Since half of the grandkids are still able to produce, I never know the exact count so I just check in about once a year.   One of the things I miss most was the girls singing together. They blended perfectly and the sound was beautiful.

[f6john]

Those girls blessed me with 17 grandchildren. I always teased them, telling them they were good at math...expecially multiplication.   As for great grandkids, that's the same number(17) at last count. Since half of the grandkids are still able to produce, I never know the exact count so I just check in about once a year.   One of the things I miss most was the girls singing together. They blended perfectly and the sound was beautiful.

You should be able to put together a choir by now!