Life of Koban: Happy Birthday Grandpa

Grandpa,

It is August 12th here in Korea. This means that you are 93 over here! Can you believe it?! I have heard that toward the end, people start to think about the begining. Aunt Laurie mentioned that you were thinking about when your parents passed. I wonder if you knew back then that you would have a whole clan of Bruces behind you, supporting you and being your biggest fan.

I had a weird sense of deja vu yesterday while at school. It was triggered by my sense of smell actually. I had a quick flash of a memory of being in your old house, the one in Rochester I believe. I remembered sitting up in Aunt Laurie and Aunt terri's old room with Mikayla as we would vigorously write in our journals. Of course she was probably writing something meaningful or poetic (as that part of the family has the "creative bone" in my opinion), whereas, I was writing stories...stories about being able to morph into different animals. These stories were written over and over again in that room, and in the backseat of the car during the 8 hour drive to vermont. I miss vermont. I miss that old house, and the feeling I felt whenever we visited either of those places. My memory was quickly interrupted by one of my kids Lucy....asking me "Koban teacher, people spelling what?" SO I reply, "Lucy is that how you ask koban teacher?" She quickly changed her verbage and then said again, with a little more hesitance this time "Koban teacher....how...do...you spell..people?" =)

When I went home that night I was going to make a sandwhich of some sort and found some mold on one of the pieces. I immediately thought of Grandma....now I know this may seem strange that mold reminded me of such a lovely woman but let me explain. One time at the old Rochester house, grandma made me a peanut and butter sandwhich to eat, and I pointed out to her that there was mold on the bread, therefore we must throw it out and figure something else to eat. Grandma dismissed this thought quickly, and just told me to eat around it, or she could cut it out. I thought to myself...Eat mold!!!!!!???!!!!!!! Is she crazy!! But living to be in your 90's, I am begining to think maybe not so much. I still don't eat the mold, but sometimes I will just cut it off. (rarely)

I loved reading Z's letter, she is a beautiful writer, and I am amazed at how connected this family is, and how everyone has been able to express in different ways how they are feeling and what they think about our families. So far...everyone has been right on point with how I feel, and I love that everyone can express it more creatively. =)

We are truely unique, and a blessed family. I used to think that our family was great because we would go on cool family reunions. Then I added to the list (why you wish you were a Bruce), because we got along. Each of us. Z was correct in the fact that we have a wide variety of different people, but our differences have never gotten in the way of enjoying each other's company. Of course with getting along comes the games, singing, cherades, cooking, performing, jokes, etc. As I got older I added to the list, our education. We are a large group of educated and opinionated people who are not afraid to stand up for what they believe in. I love the debates, I love the questions, and the challenges that each person brings to the table. As I got older, I also started to hang out with my family and cousins outside of our reunions. Going on trips together, or spending weekends mixing our friends, or staying connected vie email, or facebook. This is a major part that my friends noted, and were mostly envious of. I admire how our family has grown together through respect and friendship. I mean seriously, what family honestly makes T shirts for a family reunion?

Grandpa I hope you can enjoy a glass of birthday scotch =)

I found some quotes that remind me of our family and the way I feel, and also my favorite quote from the musical "wicked". And below are somepictures of the beautiful empire that you and grandma have built =)

"Who can say if I've been changed for the better, but because I knew you...I have been changed for good.

You'll be with my, like a handprint on my heart"

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are ....you need one"

Family faces are like magic mirrors looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future. Family life is full of major and minor crises....the ups and downs of health, success and failure in career, marriage, and divorce. All kinds of characters. It is tied to places, events, and histories. With all these felt details, life etches itself into memory and personality. It's difficult to imagine anything more nourishing to the soul. "

"Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family.....in another city =)"

"I think that people that have a brother or a sister don't realize how lucky they are. Sure, they fight, a lot....but to know that there's always somebody there...somebody's that is family."

"The family.....That dear octopus from whose tentacles we never quite escape, nor in our innermost hearts, ever quite wish to."