irish Posted July 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Bonnie! Thank you Tammy...it really was a beautiful day and a beautiful get together. Kathy, if it wasn't for my Dan'l's family I would be in the same boat I'm afraid. It's really just me and my kid brother left...my older brother doesn't speak to either of us no matter how hard I've tried over the years. We have cousins that live on the east coast but rarely get to see them. But I thank God that my hubby's family became my family when we married and nothing has changed in that regard. That was one of the things that Dan'l kept telling me before he died.... to remember that I have a big family (and this really is just my brother in law Hank's kids, grandkids and great grandkids and Dan's kids ....They have three other sisters and another brother and all of their families who weren't even there...lol) that would love me and take care of me after he was gone. love and hugs, Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted July 29, 2012 Report Share Posted July 29, 2012 Sue...Family is everything, whether it is from your side or your hubby's side of the family and it even extends beyond that as you said. My hubby's brother died in an automobile accident while in his 20's and I have just one sister left, one died from cancer. Cousins are spread all over the states. I correspond with my only two male cousins, one in California and the other in Texas. As you know I waited a long time to become a Grandma, now I have two grandbabies. The family is growing. LOL! ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Elissa Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 You are right about family, Kathy. I used to have a very large extended family, but the older generation have all passed away and I've lost touch with the others. Now, it's just me, Bill and Erin and my sister, brother-in-law and their four kids. Bill is only in touch with his uncle. Bill was an only child. His parents are deceased and he's lost touch with all of his cousins. We just got back from a vacation in New Orleans today. Had a great time and have already planned to spend Christmas there. This time, I plan to pack warm enough clothes. I had no idea it would be so cold there when we spent Christmas there the year before last. I expected the weather to be like is is here, but it was really cold! This time, I'll be prepared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Elissa...I saw some of your New Orleans pics. I have never been there. Has it gotten back to normal now? Do they do something special over Christmas? I'll bet it is decorated up big time. You were close to Shreveport. Well, not really but you were in the same state as Gerry. That's closer than most of us. LOL! ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Elissa Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Elissa...I saw some of your New Orleans pics. I have never been there. Has it gotten back to normal now? Do they do something special over Christmas? I'll bet it is decorated up big time. You were close to Shreveport. Well, not really but you were in the same state as Gerry. That's closer than most of us. LOL! ~HUGS~ Kathy Most of the New Orleans area looks good as far as rebuilding goes, and we saw some new housing projects under construction, but we didn't go to look at the 9th Ward area which was demolished by Katrina. The French Quarter is back to normal and was packed with tourists, which I was glad to see. We certainly did our part to stimulate the economy there. It was very pretty at Christmas time when we were there, but not as elaborately decorated as I expected. Speaking of Louisiana, my family is from Cajun country (Opelousas and Lafayette) in the southern part of the state which seems a world away from Shreveport. I've only been there one time and it was on a long road trip on the way home from northern Mississippi. Bill was driving and I slept through the whole town, so I've never seen Shreveport. Woke up in Dallas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted July 30, 2012 Report Share Posted July 30, 2012 Elissa...I saw some of your New Orleans pics. I have never been there. Has it gotten back to normal now? Do they do something special over Christmas? I'll bet it is decorated up big time. You were close to Shreveport. Well, not really but you were in the same state as Gerry. That's closer than most of us. LOL! ~HUGS~ Kathy Most of the New Orleans area looks good as far as rebuilding goes, and we saw some new housing projects under construction, but we didn't go to look at the 9th Ward area which was demolished by Katrina. The French Quarter is back to normal and was packed with tourists, which I was glad to see. We certainly did our part to stimulate the economy there. It was very pretty at Christmas time when we were there, but not as elaborately decorated as I expected. Speaking of Louisiana, my family is from Cajun country (Opelousas and Lafayette) in the southern part of the state which seems a world away from Shreveport. I've only been there one time and it was on a long road trip on the way home from northern Mississippi. Bill was driving and I slept through the whole town, so I've never seen Shreveport. Woke up in Dallas! Glad to hear New Orleans is looking good. Also nice to read that the tourists are back. I hope they don't build in that flood area again. They should make it a Recreational Park area. Sounds like it is time to go back to Shreveport, this time while you are awake. LOL! You wouldn't want to miss a chance to see Gerry. ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givemeabeach Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Bonnie that's cute . . . ; Sue, that is a wonderful family get together, and it was wonderful for you brother-in-law to have his daughter, Alecia, come home as a surprise. *that brings tears in my eyes.* I love the pictures you posted; your daughters are beautiful, Sue. Fynnigan is adorable and I love that song Take me out to the Ball Park. And, how many songs have you taught him, Sweetie? BTW, you're right that backyard is gorgeous! Sue, Kathy and Elissa, y'all are so right, family is everything! I have several cousins on my Mom's side of the family and most of them live here in Memphis, yet we don't get to see each other that often. I have one remaining uncle on my Dad's family, but he, his wife and son live near Atlanta, so we've rarely seen each other in the last few years/ Kathy, I love the Chasing Mavericks you've made; they are wonderful! Elissa, I'm glad you had a wonderful trip in New Orleans. BTW, where did you post your New Orleans pictures, Sweetie? Hey, Tammy, I love your Siggy by Kathy. That is a one! Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Beachie...Thanks on my siggys. They sure were fun to make with those pics! Living up here in a tourist mountain town I am always amazed at the family reunions that take place up here. I have seen reunions of over 100 people. Where do they come from? I thought I had the smallest family. Nice to know I am not alone. I envy large families. ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Music of the Night72 Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 I also have small family; My sister and brother; My Mom; Dad; Step-Dad and Step-Mom. I have Aunts; Uncles; Cousins scattered about. No-one really stays in touch anymore that has moved and scattered about. We had one family reunion back in 1984 and there were probably about 100 or so there; I was only 12 at that time; but I was just amazed at how many relatives I had; LOL. Now I wonder where they all went too; LOL Hubby has his brother and sister; nephew and his wife and their soon to be 3 children. Even for Holidays anymore most of the time its just me and hubby (and all the fur babies of course ). I agree with you Kathy that I envy large families. My friend Elissa welcome back home; glad your back safely New Orleans sounds like a wonderful time :D I have never been; but have always wanted to go there. Especially at Marti Gras; I have to work up the courage to be with all those people Thank You so so very much my friend Linda The Siggy's that you made are just AWESOME!! All of the Mavericks Siggy's are just absolutely, AWESOME, WONDERFUL, BREATH TAKING, FANTASTIC, WOW, and AMAZING!! (I couldn't pick just one word to describe the siggys ) LOTS and LOTS of Hugs! Tammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Tammy...Your family is bigger than mine...Hubby, 2 sons, D-I-L, 2 granddaughters, one sister, 3 nieces and 1 nephew. That's it! All the rest are gone. Sad isn't it. The downfall of getting old, although many died before their time. ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givemeabeach Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Hey, my great niece, Calista, is turning Two on Tuesday, the7th of August. Her grandmother, my sister, Nancy, and her mother, Anne, my niece, are having the family over to Grandmother's house to celebrate on Sunday. This will be so much fun! And, hopefully, I'll get to see my nephews Michael and Sean and their families as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Music of the Night72 Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Sounds like FUN!! my friend Linda! Happy 'Early' Birthday Sweet Calista You'll have to share LOTS of pictures I hope that your nephews and their families are there as well :) It still seems so strange to me not having so many of my family here. It seems like after my Great Grandmother passed away 8 years ago the family either scattered to the wind (either not wanting anything to do with the family or they passed away). Like you had said my friend Kathy, the downfall of getting older. LOTS and LOTS of Hugs! Tammy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
givemeabeach Posted August 1, 2012 Report Share Posted August 1, 2012 Just a brief interruptions, GALS . . . Have you seen these Gerry pics Photoshoot Outtakes, yet? Thank you, Tammy for the birthday wishes for my littlest niece, I will past the word along, and post photos on FB as soon as I get the chance. Anne, Nancy and Deborah, another sister, will be taking bunches of pics. I agree, getting older and losing family members and friends is not easy; a downfall of reaching this age. My life is so different since my mother passed, yet I've gained a strength I didn't know I had before her passing. And, I know she's only as far away as each memories I have and share of her. Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted August 2, 2012 Report Share Posted August 2, 2012 Beachie...Have a great time with family celebrating your niece's birthday. I love children birthday parties! Those pics are from the shoot taken for the Angeleno Magazine. I have the magazine and I see the same black top in a pic of Gerry in the mag. that I see in the pics on GALS. I wish we could get these pics without that SCAN across his face. Beachie, I experienced the same feeling after my mother passed. Suddenly I wasn't the child anymore. I was only 32 when my Dad died and my mother took over. When she died I found my own strength. What would we do without our memories! Tammy...Sometimes I think that when the grandparents and parents pass on then the family falls apart. No one has that link in common anymore and they start their own life stories. Sad but true. ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassie Posted August 2, 2012 Report Share Posted August 2, 2012 Holy flipping cripes when was the last time I was here? HA! Hi ladies rememember moi? Oh it's okay if you're like who? I do miss being in here. It's like where does the time go. I can't even remember how to change my pics. I just wanted to drop in and say hey. I need to make it a habit to do so more often. I'm still absolutely in super lust w/Gerry so that hasn't changed, but available time has surely changed. I do miss you guys that I know and hey to the ones I don't. If we didn't change our yearly Disney trip to June last year I would go to the conventions like before. We shall see. Hope everyone is great and having a super summer. I do see a few of you on Facebook when I'm able to get on there so hey. I have a few minutes left of lunch and I've been wanting to get on board to say hello and finally I said do it! So HEY! You guys take care and I'll be back soon. Ciao! Cassie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted August 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2012 Sure...that's what you ALWAYS say Cassie ... be back soon! You're just teasing us! Truly, it is so good to see you here sweetie. And hows about some pictures of those two beautiful children for the wee ones thread? It's been ages since we've seen Cullen and Isabelle. Linda, have a wonderful time at your niece's party. I think that's so true about the "Matriarch" and/or "Patriarch" ... they are the glue that keeps a family together. It's up to the next generator to step up and take control and make sure the family stays together (if there is more family that is). When my mother in law was ill and it was evident that she would soon pass away I found my niece Shannon crying in the bathroom and when I tried to console her about her grandmother being ready to go and wanting to go. She told me she wasn't crying because "Nanna" was going to die ... she was crying because she just knew that the family would break apart and it would never be the same again. I hugged her and told her "well, let's make sure that doesn't happen". It's hard but we are working on it. And I can see where Shannon will become the next generation's Matriarch. My brother in law and I talk about that a lot. hugs, Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Elissa Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 Sue, I agree, it's a sad thing when families lose touch with each other. My mother cut off all ties with my grandfather's family years ago when my grandparents divorced after more than 30 years and my grandfather remarried. His family all deserted my grandmother and embraced his new wife enthusiastically. My grandparents and my parents are now deceased and I have all these relatives on my grandfather's side that I haven't seen since I was a child. I'm sure most of them are deceased as well. No telling how many cousins I have that I'll never know. I also never hear from my cousins on my father's side of the family. As far as I know, they still live in the Houston area. Then there's my biological father's family. My mother cut my biological father and his family off from visitation when I was three years old. Back then, men and grandparents didn't go to court over child visitation. I have two half sisters I've never met. Anyway, he signed his parental rights away when I was nine years old and my stepfather adopted me. Cassie!!!!!! Good to see you! Hugs to all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forbes girl Posted August 3, 2012 Report Share Posted August 3, 2012 My father was divorced when my mother married him and even though they eventually had two daughters of their own my half sister was always around my sister and me. My mother treated her like another daughter and she even went on all of our vacations with us. I'm so glad my mother and her side of the family were like that because I got really close to my half sister and eventually, her husband and two children. I think in today's world there is too much family separation and God knows we all need to feel connected to family. Family is how we all stay on the right path. If we stray someone in the family will straighten us out. If we need help, family is there. We just can't go it alone and be happy. We learn from our elders. I don't think in this country there is enough family appreciation. I don't think there is the respect of our elders like there once was. Our young people seem to be at a loss at how to succeed in their life because no one is there to show them the way. I'm so bothered by the helplessness I see in our young people. I think this is because families are not as close knit as they used to be. I have two sons and they both loved their grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins. Family was so important to them as they were growing up and we all lived close. They loved hearing their grandparents stories. I truly believe their love of family kept them from doing anything that would have disappointed their grandparents. That need to make them proud is why they are so successful in their life today. Sue, I like that Matriarch and Patriarch. That would be my hubby and I. LOL! ~HUGS~ Kathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mesmerized Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Not sure where to put this post as it's about the yellow towel. (I got the Survivor game thread way off track the other day...my bad! Anyway, it's just a cute story, I think. I think it belongs in Gerry's Addicted Lust Syndrome thread but it says "You can not start a new topic." So I have to do it as a 'reply' even though I'm not replying to the previous posts. So just move this if needed, thanks. The other day when we got seriously off track in the Survivor thread, the comments were hilarious! So later, I'm relating some of this stuff to my mom and she's laughing. I assumed she was understanding what I was talking about because of the way she was laughing. So then I showed her some of the yellow towel scene and we're still laughing. Then... she quietly, kind of sheepishly, informs me that "You know...you can see his p___ under that towel." I just looked at her and giggled saying "Duh!...That's what we've been posting about all afternoon!" I think I'm beginning to shock her a bit 'cause I've never really talked as graphically with her. I think she thought I was enjoying his chest as with some of the other pics I showed her. (Was his chest in the yellow towel pic? hee hee) Guess I better wait to show her "Archie"! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted August 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 That's a funny story Sharon....yeah, be gentle when leading your mom into the dark recesses....lol. You can post just about anything here that you want (as long as it's above the panty line...) ... it's our meeting place where we come together to get to know each other better. So now we've learned that your poor innocent mom as now been introduced to Gerry's anatomy . Elissa! hugs to all~ love, Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas gramma Posted August 17, 2012 Report Share Posted August 17, 2012 Hahahaha! That's too funny, Sharon! I never go into graphic detail about Gerry's "assets" with my mother. She thinks he's that gorgeous "Phantom guy" and I let her think that's all he is! She is nearly 90 and I don't think her heart could take any of my favorite pictures! LOL!! (I'll NEVER let her watch the "Credits" on Gamer, either! Gerry had a lovely surprise for everyone! LOL!) Welcome to The Support Center. We're so happy to have you here! Suzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Elissa Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 everyone! Sharon, love the story about the yellow towel and your mom! My mother passed away in 1999, so she missed all the Gerry fandom in my life. I can't help but think she's watching and thinking I've lost my mind, but on the other hand, she always appreciated a handsome actor. I remember her and my grandmother talking about various handsome actors back in the 60s and 70s and how they "could eat crackers in their beds" any time! My mother always loved Elvis too. Sue, thanks for the birthday wishes! We're getting ready to go downtown to eat at A Cenar, one of my favorite restaurants on the River Walk. It's an upscale Mexican restaurant with seating inside or on the river. It's too hot to sit outside, so we'll opt for indoors. If we have to wait, there's always the bar! Don't worry, I'm not driving! The Survivor game is in its last week of double elimination, so we're getting down to the big boys. Next week we'll start with eliminating only one and sending another to Exile Island for Immunity the next week. Come join us! This week's double elimination voting ends Sunday night, so it's not too late to get a vote in for this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swansong Posted August 18, 2012 Report Share Posted August 18, 2012 (edited) This is an interesting topic you are all discussing. I'm now realizing just how important family is as we age. Bill and I only have one child together, and Bill's two boys from his first marriage live out of state, so we see them maybe once a year. Nathan is a good man, but he has aspergers and is unable to be emotionally close or supportive to either his dad or I. On my side of the family, there is a lot of estrangement and strain between the siblings-of all my 4 siblings, I am only close to my younger sister. My mother has dementia, and Bill's mother passed away several years ago. Bill has very little to do with his two remaining siblings due to their alcoholism-so there is really no support for him from any of his relatives. If it were not for my best friend and my sister, I would feel completely alone in dealing with Bill's Alzheimers. Now is when I really regret having only one child, but when we were first married, we had Bill's 2 boys every weekend, and after Nathan was born, we thought 3 rowdy boys were enough! Because I have a lot of cancer in my family, Bill decided to have a vasectomy so I would not have to use birth control. Little did we know that his ex wife would, the week of Nathan's birth, move to Oklahoma and take Bill's 2 boys with her (they were 3 and 5 at the time). Anyhow, I am grateful for the friends and family we do have, but I have a longing for a big extended family with lots of grand kids. Sadly, that is not the reality. I guess the lesson in all of this is to build bridges between loved ones-not burn them. Edited August 18, 2012 by Swansong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texas gramma Posted August 23, 2012 Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 Family is important, Swannie. But it's not The size of the family that matters...it's the love between you. I've realized how boring I've become. I was trying to think what earth shattering news I had to share with my GALfriends and all I could come up with is "today I had a doctor's appt then I had my nails done". Are you thrilled for me yet? Suzie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted August 23, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 23, 2012 I'm going to go ahead and close this floor of the support center and open up a new floor...... You can find new floor opened here: http://www.gerardbutlergals.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=40873 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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