Deb,Mom's right hand!

We called her Debbie since I named her for Debbie Reynolds, the famous movie actress at that time, back in the fifties. Of course to Bruce and Dean she became "Grub". Why that nickname stuck, I will never know. She was good enough to carry all those books home to them when they were sick with hepatitis for six weeks- they should have called her,"Angel" or something like that. Yes, every day she hauled those books up the driveway on the sled so they could keep up with their school work. She was only in the first grade so it wasn't easy. What we don't do for those we love! When Julie and Patty came along, Deb was such a little helper. I remember the tea parties at Grandpa Westrich's little table and chairs that he built for the girls. I always wondered how they got those dolls to sit on chairs without backs on. Another thing I remember is how Deb always took Patty walking around and around the house when Patty was only eight months old. Yep, she had Patty walking at ten months!! When Deb was ten, I worked at the nursing home from four to nine at night so it was up to her and Dad to get supper on the table. Again she was stuck in the kitchen putting a meal together for Dad and her siblings. Dad still claims to this day that he did all the cooking when I worked out. Ha! We used that old crock pot a lot of times, didn't we? Now when I think back, why wasn't I home with my kids? Guess that is water over the dam- but sometimes I feel guilty about it. now. This is my blog, so I can write my feelings in here, right? Any way- thank you, Deb, for helping me raise such a great family. And you are my right hand- always. Just maybe--now we know why she is such a good cook!!! Amen

Deb and Jim

This is Deb and Jim taken last summer out by their pond. Now that it is winter, you can find these two tramping around in the woods on snowshoes. Not for everyone, but they seem to enjoy it. They call it "Cruisin". What can we expect from a lumberjack and his little wife. When she is not in the woods with Jim, you can usually find Deb at home with their grandkids. It seems that little Hannah is following in her Grandma Deb's footsteps in the kitchen. They love to cook together just about anything! Tyler and Chloe get in on the fun when they are at Gramma's house too. Around the time the leaves color, Deb is already thinking Christmas. Busy painting pine cones and ordering her wreath supplies. About the first of November out comes the machine for clamping the wreaths and away she goes. Sometimes I wonder how she can get so much done in the short time she has to get ready for the people, just waiting for one of her wreaths or one of those kissing balls that she has made so popular. When the big rush is over, she jumps in the next chapter-catching up on her genealogy records . In her "spare time", Deb puts out the Emmerich Reporter so the rest of us can keep up on what is happening in the rest of our clan. I am getting tired just thinking about all this!! Oh, yes, now Joni and Bob are getting married in May --The family is getting bigger--new baby coming for Tabby and Andy--Oh, my--life is good--with her Faith and her Family, Deb will come through with flying colors.

Lorin-the Bouze

You got it right - Bruce and Dean called him Bouze- whatever that is. I wish I knew the method to their nickname madness. Some day I gotta sit them down and have them explain it to me. Lorin was a kind of quiet little guy-caught in the middle. Too little to keep up with Bruce and Dean and too big to fit in with Tim and Paul. Well, I guess he didn't want to play house with Deb all the time either. Ever since I can remember, Lorin wanted to be a truck driver. When he was small, and heard the milk hauler truck coming, he would run to the edge of the lawn and sit down and stare. It was something about those wheels turning that really made his day. As he got older, it was bikes and scooters and of course the old dune-buggy! I bet he was the one that drove it down in the sewer ditch. Oh, what fun they had with that thing. I wish now as I sit here and remember, that we would have a picture of that contraption- it was a real work of art!!! The Meyer cousins were in on that too. Oh, yes by the way, Kevin was "Mysie "and Gary was "Snare" My goodness how is a person supposed to keep up with this.

This is Lorin and Julee taken at Tabby and Andy Leischer's wedding. These two are truly a couple of builders and shakers! They have built or remodeled so many houses, we have lost count. They always said each time,"this is the last one"--but guess what--soon we would hear that they were looking to build another one. One nice thing, they always invited the whole family to every one of their homes at Christmas time to share their hospitality. Gee, now that I think of it, we have been to the A-frame for the last three Christmas parties- just maybe they've found their dream.......

Tim, the Nirk

Why on earth would you call such a cute little boy, Nirk??? Tim was one year old on this photo. Notice he is wearing the same sailor suit that Paul wore when he was a year old. Not much variety a far as clothes in those days. Use it up- wear it out-- make it do! Boy, did we ever. At first Tim was called "Worm", then later when he got a little older, he became "Nirk." Oh, yes, it was big brothers again that labeled him. I remember Tim always trying to see how fast things could go. Riding in those bike races after supper every night
or just running. In school he could outrun all the other kids in his class. And jump-- man he could jump. Who would have thought that he would grow up to be so plain and easy going. I always tell him he should find an Amish girl to share his life. He says,"now wouldn't that be the best of both worlds."