Here comes Kelliieee..............

When our first  grandchild was born, that little "button", she had a full head of black hair.  We attribute it to her maternal Grandmothers heritage.  Was that not yesterday?   Is  Kellies love and fascination for dragons  a part of her genetic background I wonder?  Her gift and talent for drawing and painting these amazing creatures was not something we came to realize right off, but soon enough.  My mother used to call her,  "her little Chinese Viking", with great pride and pleasure!

As so many American mothers Leslie went back to work when Kellie was VERY young.  No Maternity Leave for a year with 80 percent of your salary there!  It is hard for me to recall exactly how old but my guess is when Kellie was around twelve  weeks.  During that first period Jan, Kellies Grandmother, and David, who came to be known as Boompa took turns caring for baby Kellie on Thursdays and Fridays. At that time Davids work schedule was such that he had every Friday every other Thursday off.  That meant that Kellie grew up as part of "the pack" as we at that time had Chico the 125 pound Rottweiler and Marias tall, gangly Deer Hound Silas as  our family members.  Boompa would hike with the three of them over the Almaden hills, when the weather allowed, carrying Kellie in a back pack!  Those were the days!

Kellie grew and prospered and was of course the worlds MOST adorable very plump baby with arms and legs reminiscent of the Pillsbury dough man.  She always liked going to feed the horses, loved the zoo and our cats.  Later on after we had moved to Mariposa she became equally fond of Maria and Rays' cattle.  We had for a period of time two head of cattle grazing on our property there.  The first two, Rosa and Fernando became Kellies friends.  When she would come to visit there, she would first always put a red and white pot holder on her head, thinking it was a hat!  With that on her head she would go out and spend time grooming those cows, brushing and spraying.......... aaahh, those are memories all right!  Later on her fondness for animals would come to include chickens, pea fowl, guinea fowl, goats, deer and all the rest.  A special chapter in all of our lives, looked back on with great fondness.

Kellie is beautiful both inside and out.  A very confident, resourceful, talented and well travelled young woman.  We continue to be both proud and impressed.

Kellie, now a graduate from Santa Clara University since June,  has come to Sweden and has worked as an intern in Stockholm at a prestigious advertising agency where Robert, her second cousin works.  A job made possible only because of him.  Allowing her to "live her dream" as she herself says!  Fantastic experience making a week long side trip to Paris possible as well.

Photo by Ashley Batz

We get Kellie back next week.  Able to have her here for a few precious days before she goes back to California again, to start her new "REAl" life!  Treasuring every moment........ waiting for what will come next!