Kacey and the beautiful Megan and Lauren!
For what ever reason my husband and his sister became estranged many years ago. I never knew what happened between them, I simply felt the loss of Brenda and my nieces and nephews. Hill often asked me why she never saw her Auntie Bea and her cousins any more. I never had a good answer and wondered myself.
I had loved these babies from the first moment Glenn carried an 8 month old Shawna out to the car on our first date. He knew how much children meant to me from our talk during dinner. At this time his father was dying of cancer in his home, and I never did go inside until his father passed away. But that first night he stopped at his home for something and he carried her out to the car in a blanket and put her in my arms, and the sweet cherubic face just stole my heart right then and there.
Kacey came next and I fell in love with her from day one when I went to the hospital to visit Brenda after she gave birth to Kacey. However, I did not know I had the measles until that next night at 2 am while I was working at Winchell's making donuts. I was pouring coffee for a Sheriff friend and he said, "Robin I think you have the measles", well he was right I did. Thanks to the Easter Bunny in the Fresno Easter Egg hunt who exposed everyone. So, I called St. Agnus hospital to tell them I had unknowingly been there in their nursery area while I had a fever. They shut down the hospital's nursery and birthing center to fathers only for years after that! To protect the newborns from other diseases. Opps! Brenda had thought long and hard about her name and didn't want anyone else to be named the same, so she spelled Kacey's name unlike any spelling found at the time. She was very upset when a few years later Grandma Scott's neighbor's daughter stole her name and the spelling because she had liked it.
When Glenn passed away we were able to locate them in the state of Washington. I have a truly full heart for the first time in years. I missed them so much and missed so much of their lives. So far to date my biggest regret is not stepping across those lines and finding them and being apart of their lives. They did not even know Hill and I loved them, I can't go back but wish I could...
After Glenn's memorial service we were able to spend time catching up with Brenda and Shawna and her husband Mick Wingert. Thereafter, we were invited to spend holidays with Mick's family in Madera, and absolutely loved them as well. When we travel to CA we stop in Burbank and spend time with Shawna and Mick and their adorable boys.
Shawna who stole my heart in 1974 still has it today, she is a tender and understanding mother and wife, who gave up a career with Ann Taylor to be with her boys. She is thoroughly appreciated by her husband and 2 sons. Her boys are young and she home schools them. They are smart and inquisitive boys who are allowed to explore and to be themselves. Mick is the voice of Kung Fu Panda for the Saturday morning cartoons series and a very busy voice over teacher and personailty.
Kacey and I have been visiting thru the use of the Internet and trying to arrange to get together. Kacey with 2 partners have their own consulting firm and Microsoft is her client and she has two beautiful teenage daughters and a son in college, and a husband who also has a very busy career in high techville. They invited us to come and stay with them in Redmond WA and to their "cabin" on an island. We planned to go when Shawna and Mick were there, but I got the dates wrong. So it was Hill and I, we just missed the Wingerts! Sadly.
Kacey is an awe inspiring young woman. I did try to talk their girls into coming home with us! We so enjoyed our time in their home! We had incredible gourmet meals, every comfort we could need and best of all we got to spend time with Kacey getting to know her again. The best gift ever!! Thank you to the Lemieux' for the welcome and love we felt in your home!
Kacey and Hill
