Happy Father's Day!

Mailee, Daddy, and I had a great time yesterday. We went to my parent's house (who are finally home from vacation) for a nice family BBQ!

Mailee's favorite thing to do at Grandma and Grandpa's house is to put on her Army helmet and ride the rocking horse that my Daddy made a million years ago for his own children! I know Grandpa Angel would love this picture of Mailee enjoying a ride so many years later!

Happy Father's Day Johnny, Jeff, and Grandpa Angel Bruce!

Quiet Time

The other day, I had a phone conference call, so I was in the other room, but listening to Mailee play. Soon, I realized she was babbling every word she knew. Looking into her room, I found her "reading" to herself, turning the pages and saying her words. "Mommy Daddy George Bubble Cracker" ... etc. All without losing the pacifier she apparently found on the bookshelf. She would put down one book and go to her bookshelf, carefully pick another, and return to her big chair. She entertained herself this way for about 30-45 minutes! Other than a dozen books on the floor, what a dream!!!

By the way, for those of us old enough to remember... Doesn't she look like the Incredibly Shrinking Woman in this chair??? Tee Hee!

Peek A Boo!

Peek-A-Boo! I see you!!!

Grandpa Bill turns 90!!!

Another amazing milestone we celebrated recently.

One of my Grandpa's best friends through high school and his fire department days turned 90 last week. He is one of the "founding fathers" of the Beach Gang (a large group of family and "family" that has been going to Hermosa Beach every summer for over 50 years!) There was a very nice celebration held at Brighton Gardens in Camarillo where Bill lives. He was so busy visiting and reminiscing with old friends that I missed getting a picture with the Birthday Boy, but these are a few of the next and next (and next:) ) generations!

Happy Birthday Grandpa Bill!!!

Relay for Life - "Rally for Hope"

Walking for Grandpa Angel

Wow! I am overwhelmed with emotion as I write this, thinking about yesterday. Mailee and I walked in the Relay for Life for the American Cancer Soceity. Thank you to all of you who donated to the ACS and who prayed for all those involved in this event.



I didn't know what to expect as I signed up for the Relay. I have never been to one before, but I wanted to be a part of anything that involves Cancer research and it's elimination. I thought it would be a few people from our church and elsewhere walking for their alotted time and then "passing the baton" and going home. What I found was a sort of Hope Rally (my term) and a gathering of hundreds if not thousands of people with one common theme- HOPE! I bet they all feel like me today. All I could say as I talked to my mom after the event was that it felt so good to be doing SOMETHING. Cancer touches all of us and it is bitter and scary. We all have felt helpless against it, whether we are the patient, loved one, or friend. I know that the "C word" scares me worse than anything. Yet, yesterday, I did SOMETHING! My daughter and I, along with all those other people, walked and talked together, laughing and loving together in a united front of HOPE. Coincidentally, I had made a shirt for Mailee to wear during the event with the word "HOPE" across her chest. She is the light in my life and a symbol of Hope to me. I felt that as I walked with the hundreds of others, we were Hope, stronger than the enemy!



My sister and my nephew were there also and we plan to make this an annual event for our family. It was an experience I will never forget and Mailee will grow to appreciate year after year!



A couple of other events were part of the Relay gathering. I signed up to be a part of a study of 500,000 people nationwide to research Cancer prevention. As they were drawing my blood, I was praying that each drop might help bring us closer to a cure.



Also, my mom bought a luminaria in memory of my dad, Bruce Lent-Koop. The luminarias lined the track route (actually a few times) and were lit at dusk in a special ceremony. Our luminaria has the words to the song I used as my "Father/Daughter Dance" for my wedding on one side and Mailee's footprints on the other with our reason for walking... Walking for Grandpa Angel!

"We all live, and We all Die,

But the End is not Good-Bye.

An Eternal Burning Flame,

HOPE lives on and Love Remains"

Bruce Lent-Koop

1947-1987