Me at 4 getting ready to do real estate with Opa
Opa
My parents
My two brothers and myself
my sister wasn't here yet
My father with the first great-grandchild
Four Generations of Van Stensel Men
My FamilySunday, May 15th is Father's Day and like most men, well, the men in my family usually get cards, hugs and kisses and the badly needed socks, new t-shirts, etc. Father's Day in my family just isn't about my Dad but my brothers, my nephews and great-nephews, the men in my earlier childhood such as my Grandfather's, Uncles and the men at church, who replaced my Grandfather's when they passed away. Those men, like Ferris Morningstar, is my day of reflection for that strong impression that all of these men, combined together, helped mold me and make me what I am today.
My father - well my sister and I are both "Daddy's Girls" and he loves us but we also share him and have taken a backseat, as most do, to our nephews and nieces. Our nephews, when they got married, took a backseat because "Gramps" put the women first and made sure that they are respected and given the proper attention. When the Great-Grandbabies started rolling in, the women still have the attention and the new Great-Grandbabies are getting fishing poles earlier in life from Great-Gramps then the Grandchildren did. Now, when I'm talking fishing poles and reels, we are talking serious money.
My Grandfathers, my Father and my brothers have been there for me, all along. Encouraging me and telling me that "Yes, do it!", "Yes, you can do that" when at sometimes, my father told me that it was literally physically impossible for me to do something but the most valuable lesson he learned was that when a parent believes in a child, encourages them, even though the physical limitations may be there, because those men believed in me, encouraged me - I was able to do it and did it! To them I love you and always will. You are the heros in my life.
With all my love and gratitude,
Maizie, Bucko, Garmie, Bebo
a/k/a Barbie
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