Category: Family

Dear David, You probably aren’t aware of this yet.  It may hit you tomorrow, or later in the week, but your life is about to change – BIG TIME. You’ve been driving Brady and Eva to school for years. You stopped driving Brady when he got his own car. Eva’s driving days are beginning Tuesday …

Shortly after I retired, I shared some retirement ideas with my three children and their spouses.  Ruth and I would spend fifteen weeks a year with each one of them.  Realizing that fifteen weeks could be a bit overwhelming, I told them that it didn’t have to be fifteen consecutive weeks, but rather, they could …

When I was growing up my heroes were cowboys.  I watched them on television and in the movies. Some had cool names like Hopalong and Cisco.  Others like Gene and Roy could sing as well as catch the bad guys.  One wore a mask even though he was a good guy, and his partner was …

Ruth was never a hoarder, but she was always a saver. She saved things that had meaning to her or she thought may have meaning to our three kids. She had three bureau drawers full of artwork and school awards. One for each. As they grew older, she saved favorite toys knowing they would want …

Shortly after I graduated from high school my parents started charging me $15 a week for room and board. The collections began around the first of July in 1965. I had a job, so they charged me what they thought was a reasonable fee. My living conditions didn’t change. I still had my own room, …

Brady plans to go to Grand Rapids Community College next fall.  He was recruited to play on the basketball team with a promise that the coach would help get him to the “next level”.  We’ve discussed potential career paths, but right now he, like thousands of other graduates across the country, isn’t committed to one.  …

Brady graduates tomorrow.  It’s going to be a bittersweet day.  I’m happy for him, but I know I’ll be emotional because Ruth won’t be sitting next to me. She loved her three grandchildren with her whole heart. If she was here, she might be tempted to let out one of her classic WHOOOOP, WHOOOOP cheers.  …

Elizabeth was about eighteen months old when she took her first solo road trip.  We’d been to visit my mom and dad to show off our two-month-old addition, Michael.  My Uncle Harry and Aunt Phyllis dropped by and, as they were leaving, asked Elizabeth if she wanted to go home with them.  She did.  That …

When David played basketball in both high school and college, he talked trash.  Brady has a bit of the same gene in his system, but nothing like David.  The Bad Boy Pistons were a great team during David’s high school years.  I suggested he follow Joe Dumars’ example. Dumars spoke little and let his game …

If you’re a long-time blog reader, or one of our many friends, you know that Ruth and I eloped.   Once we were married, our parents planned after the fact receptions.  The Van Bruggens held a low-key cake and coffee gathering in their home in Plainwell, and my parents through an all-out Detroit style bash.  There …