Family portrait

[vaneramos]

Today was my parents' 55th anniversary. Seldom do so many Waffles gather in one place





Standing from left: Darcy (Bob's son), Mom, me, Brenna, Bob, Marian, Robyn (Bob's daughter), Devin (Vanessa's boyfriend), Vanessa (Mike's daughter), Dawn (Mike's wife), Deb (Bob's wife)
Kneeling: Mike, James (Mike's son), Dad
Missing: Scott (Mike's son)

Comments

[songdogmi.livejournal.com]

Yay mom and dad! Congratulations!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

55 years is an amazing achievement in this era.

[eloquentwthrage.livejournal.com]

Very nice, Van...

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[blue-by-you.livejournal.com]

Wow, that's a big anniversary! They don't look that old either. I really enjoyed putting names to all the faces and look how Marian and Vanessa are posing. It's like they talked about it just before the photo was taken..."glamour shot!"

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It was also Mom's 73rd birthday, and Dad turns 73 on May 28, so they aren't very old to be married 55 years. The four girls spent a good part of the day bonding. It was wonderful to see.

[quirkstreet.livejournal.com]

That's just a handsome, good-looking group of people all around. Congratulations to your parents!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

It actually came up, what a handsome family we are; not something I ever remember us discussing before. And everyone has beautiful eyes (all blue except Dawn and James). As daisydumont suggested, Darcy could be in movies.

[tim-e-bear.livejournal.com]

Yes, a very handsome bunch (esp. Bob and this guy labelled 'me').

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

why thank you!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Haha! My family has always had lots of cameras around, so I guess we're used to hamming it up.

[myownghost.livejournal.com]

great-looking family! and everyone looks so happy! (your girls are beautiful.)

darcy needs to be in the movies, right now. ;)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You're right about Darcy. Actually he is studying business (I think) and writing and performing rap music (it's pretty good, we heard some yesterday), so who knows what the future holds?

[bear-left.livejournal.com]

What a wonderful picture. Marian & Brenna are just obviously fabulous (the other young Waffles look terrific too).

I have to say, your LJ is one of the very few places I read about being a parent (especially being a queer parent, but really, being a parent of any background) that makes me think how awesomely fun & rewarding it could be.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Because the girls live at a distance, I've had the unusual experience of living a bachelor's life part-time, alternating with the responsibility of a single parent. Adjusting back and forth frequently knocks the wind out of me.

It has frequently been more exhausting than fun, although as the girls get older there are more things we enjoy doing together, and they no longer demand constant attention. This is the very age at which many parents have trouble getting along with their teens. Maybe the distance has helped us, but mostly I think it requires some empathy, and a lot of willingness to relinquish control, allowing them to learn by trial and error rather than constant advice and discipline. It's important to realize our children aren't extensions of us, but many parents never ever learn that.

Parents give up a lot (especially freedom), but I can't imagine my life without the rewards.

[susandennis]

What an absolutely wonderful family photo! I cannot stop looking at it. It's like a million different stories. Who took the picture? That's just amazing. Thank you!

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Your comment encouraged me to take a fresh look at the photo, and I can see some of those stories. Of course I know many of them, but it's interesting to look at what the photograph says. I took it myself using the self-timer. I set the camera to take a few photos in quick succession, which encouraged everyone to relax.

[susandennis]

you're kidding! You took that??!! That makes it even more brilliant! It really is amazing. It does not look as if there have been many adoptions in your family... Darcy looks like an exact clone of Deb and Brenna and Marian look like nearly identical twins. And yet while the genetic thread is clear, they are all such individuals. It's just a wonderful wonderful photograph. I can nearly hear the chatter. Major photo kudos.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, there are no adoptions here! Marian and Robyn look strikingly like my mother as a young woman. Bob also takes after Mom, Mike looks more like Dad, and my features are a blend (I look more like Mike from the front, and more like Bob in profile).

My ex-wife was adopted, so it is interesting for my girls spending time with my family, which is related by blood, as opposed to their other relatives, who are not. Also my family, despite its dysfunctions, is characteristically hospitable.

Hi ...

[taniwhanui.livejournal.com]

I found your LJ through a link in [Bad username or site: @ livejournal.com]'s post, and have enjoyed your entries and photos, so have decided to add you.

Hope that's ok with you.

Taniwha (-:

Re: Hi ...

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You are welcome. :-)

[shadcub.livejournal.com]

what an incredible shot, and a cool reason. 55 years is amazing.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's pretty unusual nowadays!

[shadcub.livejournal.com]

that it is, :)

[pr-bear.livejournal.com]

Hi Van, congratulations to your family milestone. That's great! The photograph is very nice. My grandparents celebrated 60+ years of marriage about a year ago, and I understand how meaningful these events are.

Isn't it always great to look at family portraits, and start idendentifing genetic similarities. Sometimes it's so eerie lol. Thanks for sharing. :)

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. Yes we had interesting conversations tracing certain traits through the family, like artistic ability, introversion and extraversion, and blue eyes. Also I don't think one woman in the photo would be caught dead wearing fur. :-)

[detailbear.livejournal.com]

Very nice photo. I haven't forgotten you.

[vaneramos.livejournal.com]

Thanks, it's good to hear from you.