2008
Dear Friends and Family,
This year’s letter is really to celebrate life new
and lost.
Merlin’s father Julius died December 4 at age 95, and
my beloved aunt Cleo (age 103) followed two days later.
They were both motivated by love of family and had
the ability to face life head-on. God
granted them both full lives surrounded by loving family and friends.
Merlin and I were blessed this year with a wonderful
new son-in-law, Ryan Sur, and Julie was able to travel to Mexico for the
wedding where he was the life of the party.
On July 3, Jenn and Mark presented us with our newest
grandbaby, Kathren Alexandra Wagner, fondly called “Katherine the Great.” This delayed our family celebration of
Julie’s 95th birthday. The
party took place August 17th on Cape Cod and he was truly a great
host. Emily turned into a great sailor
and fell in love with her new uncle Ryan.
During April we went to Milwaukee to baby-sit Emily
Grace so Jenn could join Mark in Maryland to house hunt. However a huge snowstorm kept the airport
closed and Merlin shoveled three feet of snow.
It made him remember why we left Colorado.
During May I joined Merlin’s family in Nebraska to
celebrate his cousins Miki and Andrew’s college graduation. Miki’s mom Judith and aunt Myra filled out
the rest of the Dorfman/Cohen contingent.
I also got to spend time with Mark’s family, Ray, Gail, and Gary and his
wife and children.
This year I got to throw three wonderful parties in
my home for my surrogate daughters Rose and Tessa Robinson. For Rose a baby shower, for Tessa a wedding
shower and rehearsal dinner. I really
loved filling my house with good food and great fun.
During September I was in Denver to spend time with
my brother and attend a beautiful wedding of my cousin Sara. Aunt Cleo was there and had a glorious
night. Gene and I took her to the Red
Lobster where she devoured a large plate of lobster, shrimp, and crab, and had
a cocktail. We laughed, she told great
stories and jokes. If you never heard
her describe Uncle Lou’s and her first kiss, you missed a moment as great as
any fabled love story ever told.
In November we had two Thanksgivings as Steph and
Ryan came here on the 22nd and proclaimed to both sets of parents
that she is expecting about July 1st. Way to go, Ryan! We then
went to Maryland for the Thanksgiving feast with Mark and Jenn and Mark’s
wonderful family. Also Merlin’s Aunt
Jeanette and Cousin Ira came to see the new baby in July and my cousins Paul
and Kathy came down from Philadelphia to see us at Thanksgiving.
Both Aunt Cleo and Julie were thrilled about Steph’s
pregnancy. I am so glad we could share
such good tidings.
I think the most important lesson Aunt Cleo taught me
was no matter how far away one moves or how long you have been gone, your heart
can always be big enough to care about every member of our extended family, and
something as simple as a birthday card says you are not forgotten—you are truly
valued and loved.
I hope for all of us long lives filled with the
simple yet most important joy of family and friends.
Love,
Sandy
and Merlin
Cape Cod in August—Julie’s
95th—the whole Dorfman clan
Newest grandbaby Kate Steph with Julie at her The smiles show you the
with sister Emily and
Mom wedding in Mexico proud announcement
