On My Birthday

I would like to thank God on this special day for all the love that has surrounded me for the past sixty-eight years. First and foremost, I thank God for my parents who loved me even before I was born and gave me the security and encouragement to realize my potential. They were my biggest cheerleaders for many years. Then I have many fond memories of my grandparents visiting when I was little. Of course, the best gifts I ever received from my parents were my older and younger brothers and my younger sister. We shared our upbringing and there are a lot of great memories of summer vacation spent at the shore in New Jersey and holiday celebrations and birthday parties. Growing up with the love of my Mom and Dad was truly a blessing. I had neighborhood friends and school friends and a best friend, Mary that I grew up with until high school. Life was good.

After college and teaching in elementary school for eight years, I met the love of my life, John at our parish Singles Club dance one night. He had been sent there by his sister in law, Ilene. We talked for three hours that night and things just progressed from there. We dated for about seven months and were engaged in November of 1979. The wedding took place on June 21, 1980. We honeymooned in St. Thomas and after the week long vacation, we returned to our new home in Warminster five minutes from John’s workplace the Naval Air Development Center and about 15 minutes from my teaching job.

By the next year, June 5, 1981 our first son, John was born, followed by Tom (1983), Marianne (1985), Michael (1986), Katie (1990) and Stephen (1995). After I had John, we both decided that I would be a stay at home Mom. Life was never boring after that and I always looked forward to John coming home for lunch each day and dinner at night. We were always really busy and as the children got older it was hectic getting them to their sporting events sometimes. My life was filled with a loving husband and a house full of loving children.

John’s brother, Bob and his wife Maureen lived close and we spent a lot of time visiting with them and their four children. For years, we spent Christmas Eve with them and my father-in-law. On Christmas day, we would pack the kids in the van and make the 45 minute trip down to my Mom and Dad’s for Christmas Day. John’s other brother Walt and his wife, Ilene, lived in Havertown about a 55 minute drive away and we spent many New Year’s Eves celebrating with them. We celebrated all our children’s birthdays at home and most Easters. There were baptisms, First Holy Communions and Confirmations at Nativity of Our Lord in Warminster. Every summer we would take a week long vacation in Wildwood, NJ. John loved going to the beach because he never did it when he was young. His family always took car rides out West during the summer staying at motels with pools.

Because of the children being young and going to school, I made many friends while we were living in Warminster. My best friend is Cathy. We met at the Warminster Library at storytime and have been friends for over thirty years. She is like a second sister to me and we have shared a lot over the years. Another good friend is Cheryl, my neighbor for fifteen years across the street. We, too, have shared a lot of good times and sadness at the loss of our husbands. We took trips to Boston and New York and even went on a pilgrimage to Fatima and Lourdes together. I thank God for their friendships and how they have helped me cope with things. The gift of female friendship can not be overstated!

In 1996, John’s job was transferred from Warminster to Pax River in Southern Maryland. This was a difficult move for us because we were leaving family and friends behind in Pennsylvania. We had to sleep in two different apartments for two months while our house was being built. John had to drive four of the children to three schools in the morning on his way to work. I had to take Stephen who was 1 1/2 with me to pick them up from school each afternoon. Once we were settled in our new home in October, they were able to take the bus from the neighborhood. They all did well in school and life for the most part returned to normal.

I met neighbors and was invited to play Bunco with 11 other women in the neighborhood. I met parents of some of my children’s friends and that made the adjustment to our new place easier. Eventually, I met another special friend, Tina, when she asked me to go walking with her around the neighborhood. Our friendship was very important to me and I feel that God had a hand in making it happen. All my life, I have felt blessed by the relationships that I have been involved in. My loving family members including my sisters-in-laws and brothers-in-laws, my father in law and so many friends over the years have helped me to maintain an equilibrium in this ever changing world. I can’t thank them enough for all they mean to me and how they have supported me even at some of the saddest times of my life.

Just as others have done, I had some huge losses in my life starting with the death of my father at age 71, in December of 1990. My brother died in a house fire with my cousin at her house in December 1994, then my husband, John, died 11 years after we moved to Maryland in October, 2007. He valiantly fought against blood cancer for 4 years. In 2010, my Mom died in August while living at my sister’s home after 1 1/2 years. I was fortunate to spend her last two weeks with her. I miss them all dearly and miss them being here for so many occasions, especially my husband who so looked forward to seeing his grandchildren. I do feel like they are all looking out for us in a spiritual way and that certainly helps.

So, on my birthday I would like to acknowledge that God has showered His blessings on me and my family and thank Him and everyone I know for all the love I have felt over these last 68 years! It continues to be a journey with few regrets and I am looking forward to better years to come!