Photos From Byron's First Year

Dear Byron,

Well, it has happened. You are now one year old and working on your second. This weekend we'll all be celebrating your birthday and we're looking forward to eating your first birthday cake. Your Mommy and Daddy are planning a big get-together of family and friends.
Here are a few photos we've pulled together from that first year.

Remember when Daddy and Mommy took you to the beach?

Grandma Cheryl certainly had fun. 

And so did Grandpa Derrick. 

And I thought you were pretty good at making faces at Christmas time. 

GGMa Sylvia tried to teach you piano. Not now? . . Well, maybe next year. 

Yup. I agree. All in all it was a great year.

But maybe a little exhausting too. 

Anyway, we're all looking forward to another great one, especially now that you are soon going to live with Mommy and Daddy in our town. 

Love, 

GGPa

Your GGPa's Grandma

Dear Byron,

A couple days ago I got a call from a cousin way up in Minnesota. His name is Loren Schmalz. He and his wife Eloise (my Aunt Elma's only daughter), found a picture of some of the Cordes sisters. They wondered if I knew anything about Louise Cordes, the sister of my Grandmother Ida who married my Grandfather Henry Franzmeier. I had to tell them I knew little or nothing. After they hung up I told your GG-Ma Sylvia about the call. She reminded me of a photo we have. I found it. Here it is.

Elizabeth (Wille) and Louis Cordes Family - 1888

This is my Grandma Ida's family photo when she was a young girl. That's her on the left, behind her little brother George. Behind her is Helen. To Helen's left are William, Emma, Louise and Lydia. On my Great-Grandpa Louis' lap is Amelia and on my Great-Grandma Elizabeth's is John. 

I grew up in Minnesota on a farm with Grandma Ida and Grandpa Henry. My middle name is Henry, after Grandpa. He died from cancer when I was only seven years old. I vividly remember him teaching me the hymn "Abide With Me" while I visited with him on the back porch of the big farm house where they lived. My parents, sister Elaine and I lived in a small house across the highway. One day soon I'll tell you more about that. 

A mile south of our family farm was another farm where Grandma's sister, Aunt Lydia lived with Uncle Eddie Franzmeier, as we called her husband. Uncle Eddie was my Grandpa Henry's brother. That made him my Great-Uncle, of course. 

As  you can tell by this, brothers married sisters. That was quite common in our community. Uncle Eddie's son, Arthur married Elma, the twin sister of my mother Thelma Turpen. Thelma introduced Elma to Art after she fell in love with my father Alvin, after whom I am named. Are you confused yet? 

It is interesting that you have ancestors who lived in Minnesota, both on your Grandma Cheryl's side and your Grandpa Derrick's side of the family. We'll get back to that another time. 

For now, just rejoice that you have so many in the family who love you, as do G-GMa Sylvia and I. 

When You Were Born

Dear Byron,

It will be a few years before you are able to read and understand what I, your parents and other members of your family are saying in the pages of this blog. But that's OK. I know you'll look back with joy to learn about us and about the long list of family members who preceded you in this world. More on that later.

For starters, I want you to know how very proud we are to welcome you into the family. And what joy you bring to each and every one of us. You are such a happy, smiling, pleasant little boy. You bless us all.

You with Mommy and Daddy at Christmas

I remember how excited your Mommy and Daddy were when they first called us to announce that you were on the way. They had been waiting and waiting. When they learned that you were being created by our Lord Jesus in your Mommy's tummy they called us on the phone. "And it's a boy!" Mommy exclaimed, bubbling with excitement. Both your Great-Grandma and I thought that was quite amazing, because when your Grandma Cheryl was being created in Great-Grandma's tummy, we did not know if our baby was to be a boy or a girl. In those days the doctors could not tell us about that in advance. So we had to wait until she was born.

And how well I remember that day. Of course, a Daddy was not allowed in the birthing room back in October, 1960 when your Grandma Cheryl was born, so I was waiting out in the hall for the nurse. She burst out to announce, "It's a girl! You have a beautiful baby daughter. And, believe it or not, she has red hair!"

I cannot tell you with words, Byron, what happiness and joy I felt at that moment. I simply do not have the words to express it. Before that the Lord Jesus gave your Great-Grandma and me two wonderful sons and we were starting to believe that our third child would be a boy as well. That was OK with us, of course, but when Great-Grandma and I learned our new baby was a girl, well, we were so happy we cried.

GMa Cheryl (1 mo.old) with your G-Uncles Jeff and Nathan 

And now, all these years later, here you are. You must ask your Mommy and Daddy about your birth. They have many photos and will be happy to tell you about their feelings as well.

As you grow up, Byron, we will share many more thoughts and ideas with you. Perhaps, when you are fully grown and begin a family of your own, you and your wife will even choose ahead for your baby to be a girl rather than a boy. That's already happening for some parents.

For now, just know that we all love you and are most excited to have you as the newest member of our family.

With love — Great-Grandpa Al