"Devotion"

This past weekend, Tess and I ventured down to SoCal, along with (Aunt) Debbie, (Uncle) Dick, and (cousin or "Auntie") Valerie, to attend a special banquet hosted by the Tri-Valley Horse Show Association.  This is the association where my beloved Aunt Mary Jane focused much of her philanthropic efforts for many, many years, and they were doing a special "unveiling" of the trophy that has been created in her honor.  Pictured below is the "Mary Jane Watson Memorial Trophy," titled "Devotion."  The TVHSA will be awarding this trophy annually, beginning next year, for oustanding membership and sportsmanship.  Those of us in the family who could attend were so happy to hear the TVHSA's love for Mary Jane, and meet Raizy, the artist who designed the trophy.  

 

 

It was a brief but fun and meaningful trip....and we enjoyed soaking up the SoCal sunshine while we were there!

Goodbye Aunt Mary Jane

Randy and MJ at their 50th wedding
anniversary celebration in June. 
 She still fit into her wedding dress!

I wasn't sure what I wanted to say about this sad news, if anything, but then I remembered that (hopefully) Tess will read this someday. So, with that in mind, here is a small tribute to a woman whose presence in this world was truly "larger than life."

My dear Aunt Mary Jane Watson passed away on November 5th. It was somewhat of a surprise and thus it has felt like a shock to our family. About a year ago she was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on her pancreas, which was successfully removed, and then she completed a course of chemotherapy. By the time of her 50th wedding anniversary with my Uncle Randy this past summer, we all thought she was "in the clear" and the family celebration was such a time of rejoicing. Then we got word in mid-September that the cancer had returned....and by mid-October she was headed toward in-home hospice. The end came so quickly, and yet she survived pancreatic cancer longer than most do. This isn't the place to talk about how purely evil cancer is, although that has been top of mind for me lately since many people I know are fighting it in some form. Instead I want to share who Mary Jane was.

Aunt MJ is in so many of my childhood memories; it feels like she was essentially the backbone at any Watson family get-together. She made sure people were fed and comfortable and happy. Her amazing bean dip and her famous cranberry pudding (served during the holidays) sustained us as we talked, sang, and played together. I loved visiting their home when I was little. Downstairs there was a room with a computer (we didn't have one) where my boy cousins (her sons) taught me how to play "Spy Hunter," my first-ever video game. In their living room, we spent many Christmases with far-away family who had come to visit (often my beloved girl cousins), opening presents around the large tree. And thoughts of MJ will always remind me of her beloved four-legged companions: first there was Bitsy, then Biscuit, and finally Sarge. These dogs were devoted to her on a level I haven't seen with anyone else, and the feeling was definitely mutual.

In most of my memories of Aunt Mary Jane, she is standing at her sink (like most homes, her kitchen was the "hub" of all family gatherings) or working in someone else's kitchen. She was the person who gave it her all behind the scenes, was constantly working on behalf of other people, and did it quietly, not expecting recognition. Even as recently as my baby shower a couple of years ago, she came up to Reedley from Thousand Oaks and spent the entire event helping "backstage" when she had not been asked or expected to do so. As much as I would have enjoyed having her in the audience, playing the games and watching the gifts being opened, it's not who she was. No -- she was a servant, in the highest sense of the word.



MJ the award-winning equestrian.

While for me the essence of MJ was tied up in her homemaking and caring for her immediate and extended family, those outside our family knew her as an accomplished equestrian and a regular on horse show circuit in Southern California. In her kitchen, one whole wall was devoted to MJ's blue ribbons from horse shows -- but her awards were not something she ever bragged about, because for her it was more about her love for horses. She was a long-standing board member at the Tri-Valley Horse Show Associaton and could most often be found at the "ranch" where she kept her horses and taught riding lessons. Her presence within the TVHSA was so deeply rooted, and she was so beloved by her friends and "horse family," that the organization is developing a special tribute in her honor. Titled "Devotion," the bronze statue pictured below (still in the works) will be a "traveling trophy" awarded for sportsmanship.



"Devotion"



My cousin Valerie also wrote a wonderful tribute to MJ on her blog, and I love this piece of it: "My Aunt Mary Jane is one of the strongest people I know, she doesn't take crap from anyone. She speaks up for herself and for others, speaking the truth in wisdom. She loves deeply and takes care of the people around her. She is practical and hard-working, doing whatever it takes to get the job done. She is welcoming and hospitable, opening her arms and home to friends and strangers. She is humble, never seeking praise for the work of her hands, but always doing the grunt work that no one else wants to do. She is orderly, keeping track of dates and deadlines, and making sure everything is in its proper place. She values the important things in life, and doesn't worry about things that don't really matter. She lets you know when you're being ridiculous, and scolds you when you're being really ridiculous. She is an excellent listener, giving advice and encouragement. My Aunt Mary Jane is one of the best people you could ever meet and I will miss her greatly!"

With one of her beloved horses,
"My Provider."

Last week, the whole Watson family (minus a few in other states who have small children and couldn't travel) gathered at Randy and Mary Jane's for Thanksgiving. While it was a wonderful meal, it was also bittersweet. For me, her absence engulfed the day, and despite feeling her in every room and seeing her things all over the house, she was just...not there. I have lost loved ones before, but as I get older (and since becoming a parent)  it seems that I feel things much more deeply. And this just feels like such a dramatic loss to our family -- not that any of us is more important than any other, but my heart just aches for the gaping hole that is left behind. There is a giant chasm where MJ used to be. She was such a strong woman, with such a quiet yet formidable presence, that it's incomprehensible to me she is not coming back. In a sense it feels like she is on an extended vacation or surely that she is alive and well in some other part of the world, but instead she has physically just vanished. I am filled with sadness for her husband, her sons and daughters-in-law, and her grandchildren especially.

What can possibly fill the gigantic void that her departure leaves? Hope. As big as the loss is, so is the knowledge that she IS alive and well, in a place where she is getting to be exactly what God initially intended for her to be, and that we will see her again someday. Our family will be reunited in its entirety, in a new place where things like cancer and physical death and separation don't exist and can't even be remembered. Shortly after MJ realized that she would not recover from her illness, she picked out these verses to meditate on, and shared them with her family and friends. They were also read at her memorial service:

Uncle Randy didn't know when
this photo was taken but it looks
very recent.

"Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.  Therefore encourage one another with these words." ~ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

I'm so  grateful for the last visit we had with Aunt Mary Jane in late September. She got to spend time with Tess, and I got to hug her and tell her that I love her.  Saying she was a wonderful person to know can't possibly do justice to her. And so I hope that anyone who reads this will feel like they know her a little bit, too, and will see a glimpse the amazing person that she was.

Bittersweet Thanksgiving

While we normally venture down to Southern California to spend Thanksgiving with our Suich family, this year we did something a little different.  Rather than heading straight to Fullerton, we stopped in Thousand Oaks to spend the holiday with our Watson family, at the home of my Uncle Randy and Aunt Mary Jane.  It was a bittersweet celebration, but it was also just what we all needed.  My cousin (in-law) Vicky prepared the Thanksgiving menu and the majority of the delicious food...only in Southern California can you have Thanksgiving dinner outside, in the evening, and be too warm in long sleeves!

Our beautiful table on the patio

Digging in!

Aunt Mary Jane... our reason for
celebrating together this year, and the
missing piece from our day.

  

Enjoying time around the fire pit
after dinner and dessert.



Visit From The Greats

We had some special visitors in town last weekend...all the way from Southern California, my Uncle Randy and Aunt Mary Jane came by for a visit on their way home from Lake Tahoe.  It was wonderful to see them -- we had a delicious Saturday morning brunch on the patio at my (other) Aunt and Uncle's house in Reedley -- and watch them spend time with Tess.  During our time together, the men (my dad and two uncles) took a quick trip to the Reedley airport to look at a particular plane Uncle Randy had seen fly by.  My dad snapped the precious picture (below) of Tess with her great Uncle, the former Top Gun fighter pilot and airplane expert! There's also a pic of Tess with great Aunt Mary Jane in Aunt Debbie's kitchen. 

Family is a wonderful thing!

Unce Randy & Aunt Mary Jane's 50th Anniversary

This past weekend, while Chad was away at the national forensics tournament, Tess and I ventured down to Thousand Oaks for my Uncle Randy and Aunt Mary Jane’s 50th wedding anniversary party. It was a wonderful opportunity to introduce Tess to those of the Watson family members she hadn’t met yet (which was most of them!) and see family I hadn’t spent time with in so long. My cousin Matt’s wife, Vicky, put together a “Memory Tree” where family and friends could hang photos, blessings, memories, etc. Below is a note I wrote to them and hung from the tree.

Randy is my mother’s (Melody’s) oldest brother. He and Mary Jane met in high school and married just after she graduated (he was a Senior when she was a Freshman). Just before the wedding, Uncle Randy joined the Navy and had a distinguished career as a “Top Gun” pilot, including a tour of duty in Vietnam. They have two boys, Matt and Bruce (my cousins), and four grandchildren. Aunt Mary Jane is an award-winning horse showman and rider, and the most amazing hostess I’ve ever met!

Dear Uncle Randy & Aunt Mary Jane,

It seems like your 25th anniversary was just yesterday! I remember that day so clearly; my Mom had made a special outfit and I would get to wear it for the first time. Aunt Debbie was pregnant with Valerie and I was so fascinated by that! I loved watching the slide show of pictures from your childhood and your many years together. Here we are at your 50th anniversary – I am excited that so much of the family is here, and that we get to celebrate your love for each other, again. (Valerie’s not at this party either; but can you believe she is 24 years old?!) It’s a blessing to call you two “Aunt” and “Uncle.”

I have so many wonderful childhood memories of you two and your house on Verde Vista Drive. I absolutely loved visiting your home, and seeing so many new and different things: Aunt Mary Jane’s wall of blue ribbons for horse shows, your really neat plastic milk carton holder, the computer with fun games that Matt taught me to play (Spy Hunter!), watching slide shows in your living room, spending time with Grandma at your place, your “uphill” backyard…and of course the image of Aunt Mary Jane standing at her sink or cooking in the kitchen is forever ingrained in my memory, too! (I will never forget your bean dip….it seems that everyone was always looking forward to it!) Holiday celebrations – especially Christmas morning – were always so much fun at your house. You two really have the gift of hospitality; being at your place always felt like “home.”

One Christmas gift I opened at your house, when I was about 10 years old, was a beautiful terry cloth bathrobe; it was white with flowers on it and pink trim. I still wear it every day and it makes me think of that special day with the Watson family.

One of my absolute favorite memories is getting to fly with Uncle Randy. That was one of the most special and exciting experiences of my entire childhood! He made me feel like such a daredevil with all of the loops and rolls up in the sky. I remember thinking, “Wow, I really trust this man with my life, to let him take me up in this small plane and do all these tricks!” and that it didn’t surprise me at all that I felt so comfortable with Uncle Randy at the controls. I felt so brave and special that day!

You know how my mom is such a storyteller….I have always thoroughly enjoyed all the stories about the two of you, told from the eyes of a little sister who adored her big brother and his beautiful girlfriend (soon to be wife!). Even though we haven’t had as much opportunity to spend time together since we moved to Reedley, hearing those stories (over and over) -- about your courtship, the early years of your marriage, Matt and Bruce as babies – have made me feel close and connected to you, and I’m grateful for that.



Tess with second cousins
Myles & Olivia.



I love you both and hope you feel so blessed as we celebrate you today. Thank you for the strong example of love and faithfulness that your relationship has set for everyone in our family. I’m sorry Chad couldn’t be here to participate in this special day, but I’m so thrilled that the newest member of our family – my little Tess – gets to spend the day with the Watsons!

Side note…. While in Thousand Oaks, Tess and I got to stay night at the home of Chad’s cousin Greg, his wife Jayme, and their two little loves, Olivia and Myles. We had a GREAT “cousins time” together! Family, family, family….we are SO blessed to be tied to such wonderful people!

 

Seattle Trip & Tess's First Travel Adventure

While Daddy was away at a weekend debate tournament, Tess and I had our own little adventure in Seattle!  We spent the long weekend up there, along with my dear friend Danielle and her fiance, Cory.  Interestingly, Dani and I both have an aunt/uncle/cousins in the Seattle area -- who live less than 3 miles from each other and actually even know each other.  (We've been friends for about 7 years but just discovered this about a year ago!)  So, thanks to a fantastic deal on airfare from Alaska Airlines, we were able to take a trip together that included visiting our respective families. 

We arrived Thursday morning and spent the day adventuring around Bellevue and Mercer Island and visiting the PrideStaff office in Tukwila.  We also took a very fun and much-anticipated trip to the Glassybaby store -- this was super exciting for me, since I am a proud owner of 3 Glassybabys but had never been to any of their retail locations.  (Most of you are probably wondering, "What the heck is 'Glassybaby'?" They're beautiful, one-of-a-kind votive candle holders made ONLY in Seattle. Sales proceeds benefit various nonprofits.) On Thursday night we had dinner with our good friend David Brown, who we've known for years through PrideStaff.  Danielle's fiance, Cory, joined us on Friday morning and we spent the day doing "touristy" stuff downtown (Pike Place, Space Needle, etc.). On Friday evening Dani and I parted ways to spend time with our families.  I was so grateful that my cousin Heather drove all the way from Spokane, with her 2 1/2 year old daughter Gabby, so that she could spend the weekend at her parents' house with me and Tess. On Saturday, Heather and I did some shopping and joined up with Danielle and her Aunt Tiff for some wine tasting (in the snow!).  Tess and I spent Saturday evening enjoying a lovely dinner at Dani's aunt and uncle's house, where I got to meet Barcelona's lead singer, Brian Fennell, and his lovely fiance, Marion.  On Sunday, Danielle, Cory and I visited Crossroads Bible Church in Bellevue, where Dani's uncle is the worship and media pastor. (Also, her uncle -- Timothy James Meaney -- is also pretty big in Christian music circles, for those of you who are interested.)  We spent Sunday afternoon hanging out at the Meaney's house, watching football (that fantastic 49er's playoff game!) and watching the snow fall. Little did we know that our flight out on Sunday evening was just in time for a record-breaking snowstorm in the Seattle area!

And now a word about traveling by plane with a 5-month old baby, without her Daddy... Our little Tess did SO great! She is SO inquisitive that looking around kept her pretty preoccupied during the short flight.  Everyone on the plane fell in love with her, of course.  She was not fussy and was just talkative enough to be super cute.  Having Danielle with me was a HUGE help -- I can't imagine taking my first trip with a baby ALONE! I had been really nervous about all the logistics of traveling with a baby (from what to pack to what I should carry on the plane to how to deal with sleeping away from home) and all my worry was for nothing.  Have baby, will travel!  It turns out that people are much more kind and understanding and helpful when you've got an adorable kiddo with you than they are otherwise.  Although I have to admit, even with the fantastic help, spending 4 days as a "single parent" -- especially away from home and all of our usual baby "stuff"-- was pretty exhausting.  We had a wonderful time but were so glad to be home!

Below is a slide show of my pics from the trip.  Next up for Tess is a trip to Dallas over Spring Break, to meet her "Uncle" Randy and "Aunt" Lindsey.

Bon voyage!

Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Pics

Below are some pics from Christmas Eve (spent in Modesto with the Hayden side of the family) and Christmas Day (spent in Reedley with the Watson/Unruh side of the family). As you can see, our niece Elise is growing up -- she is 4 1/2 now and excited about having a little sister arrive in February! Our Christmas dinner in Reedley was delicious and topped off with the traditional Watson family Cranberry Pudding dessert. On Christmas night Chad and I welcome the "Fullerton Parental Unit" plus 3, and enjoyed their company until they left for home early this morning. Milo especially loved all the activity in the house! I guess I got a little lazy with the picture taking on Sunday...just "picture" us having a great time relaxing and enjoying our post-Christmas bliss together!

SoCal With Susi

I had a GREAT weekend of fun in Southern California. with Susi! We hit up Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Venice, Santa Monica, Disneyland, and Disneyland's California Adventure. We stayed with my cousin Valerie and her roommate Amanda at their cute little place in Glendora. We got a lot of great pics! You can also check out Valerie's blog entry about our weekend here.

Back To Santa Cruz For Open Studios

This past weekend, Valerie and I ventured up to the Santa Cruz area to visit our cousins Matt & Vicky (and kiddos John & Greer). Matt is a fantastic photographer, and some of his best art was featured (again) in this year's Open Studios exhibit in Santa Cruz County. In addition to having some great quality time together and seeing our cousins, we got to appreciate Matt's amazing artwork and enjoy Vicky's awesome cooking. Matt is the photography teacher at Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville, CA. Hopefully he won't mind if I provide the link to his photos on Flickr....and thanks to Val for the very fun pic of the cousins goofing off a little bit (that's her in the middle and Matt on the right)!

Welcome To The Family, Gabrielle!

The Watson side of our family just welcomed a new baby -- that's 2 in just one year! (We welcomed baby Teg in April.) My cousin Heather and her husband Brian (who were married less than a year ago in October) welcomed Gabrielle Marie Byrd on August 29th. Born 5 weeks early, Gabrielle weighed 4lbs 9ozs and measured 19 inches. Congrats to the new parents! Can't wait to meet our newest little cousin.

A Special Delivery....From Africa!

We were THRILLED to get the news last week that my cousins Bruce & Jaimie Watson (and their daughter, Sabrina) were approved to adopt a beautiful baby boy from Ethiopia. After what's been a very lengthy and trying process, a court hearing confirmed that they are officially the parents of Lucas Alan Tegegne ("Teg") Watson. They're leaving for Africa next week to bring baby Teg home! You can read more about their journey and see pictures of Teg here. We're excited to meet the newest member of the Watson family!

Heather & Brian's Wedding ~ Seattle, WA

In October we had a GREAT trip to Seattle with the Watson (Sarah's mom/Melody's) side of the family for my cousin Heather's wedding to Brian Byrd. It kindof turned into a mini-family reunion! Chad and I flew up to Seattle on Thursday the 16th and spent the afternoon exploring Pike Place Market and downtown while we waited for the other Fresno family members to arrive (Cliff & Melody parental unit, Aunt Debbie & Uncle Dick, cousin Valerie). Almost the entire Watson clan was there except for my cousins Bruce, Jaimie & Sabrina (they couldn't make it because they are on call to go to Ethiopia to pick up their adopted baby boy!).

We spent the day Friday catching up with family and celebrated Valerie's 21st birthday at the Gordon Biersch Brewery. We were glad that my cousin Jennifer from the Unruh (Sarah's dad/Cliff's) side of the family, who also lives in Seattle, could join us and bring her cute baby boy, Daniel. We attended the rehearsal dinner on Friday night and met Brian for the first time...I'm sure he was super impressed with our family's attempts to convince him he should move to Fresno!

Saturday we spent some more time downtown visiting the Seattle Aquarium and enjoying claim chowder at Lowell's. And Saturday afternoon/evening was Heather & Brian's wedding in Bellevue, with a gorgeous reception at the Artic Club Hotel ballroom. What a fun event to share with extended family!

Sunday morning we had a nice brunch with the newlyweds at my Uncle Phil & Aunt Lavonne's home in Issaquah (Heather's parents) before we headed back to Fresno. It was a nice mini-vacation, great to see family, and great to spend more time in Seattle. The fall colors were just beautiful this time of year!

Grandma Imogene Passed Away

While Chad and I were on vacation in Oregon on June 29th, we received word that my Grandma Imogene (Melody's mother) had quietly passed away at home in Reedley. She was 91 years old and many of you know that her health had been failing the past couple of years. She lived with my aunt and uncle, Dick & Debbie Haas. While we all miss her very much, we know she is in a better place, a place she looked forward to for many many years, and she is reunited with Grandpa after almost 23 years apart. We were blessed that she was able to go peacefully at home, with her family surrounding her.

Below are some excerpts from a slide show I put together for her 90th birthday in 2006.