The story of Hubby...

What a great day it was... not only had we gotten so many of the regular chores done... but somewhere in the midst of cleaning out the clutter we got to walk through memories and ideals long since past.

1971 - 19 years old in Vietnam

Hubby pulled out some great pictures, ones he hadn't shown me before.  For the first time I got to see him in Vietnam, it was odd to see him looking so young.  He was only 19 when he went.  He looks like a little boy, dealing with stuff that no little boy should have to deal with.  He is everything from serious to silly.  Some photos have a cold stare.  His room was definitely what I expected, think 19, war zone, girls... yep now you got it.

Somewhere around 11 or 12

Saw pictures of him as a young child... too cute... simply cute.  That impish smile has always been there I guess...

A rare school picture from Parkside 11 years old

Moving on through his 20's, 30's and 40's... picture of our house and yard, long before me.  I had to giggle when I saw that huge maple in the front yard as a sapling... who could have imagined that huge old tree would come from that little stick. He and Dad looked so nice in that one... Both of them with their twinkling eyes and wry grins.  How anyone could have missed the similarities in them...

With Dad in front of our house - about 27 years old

HAIR!!!  about 27....

Spread throughout the years were pictures of family gone, family missing and family that chooses not to be.  I really enjoyed all the pictures of his eldest daughter.  She was the apple of his eye when she was little, it shows.  She has his smile and his way with animals.  Seeing her grin while snuggling up to the Rottweilers they used to breed... ah yes, you can see it.  They are kindred spirits, maybe one day...

when she was little....

I got to read the article written about his Grandpa Cook, killed in the line of duty for the St. Louis Police Department.  A motorcycle cop, back in the day.  Looking at the picture, I see my hubby's chin.  Although his eyes and nose are mirror images of his Dad.  Written so long ago...

I finally got to see pictures of all the people that I hear stories of all the time.  Grandma Lucille,  who never really got over the loss of her hubby so young, leaving her to raise his momma on her own.

His brother, playing his drums and sipping away.  They bear a strong resemblance to each other.  His sister is dark to their fair, a tiny beauty in between two men.  Watching the pictures transition... time changing, people leaving, coming and going...

I would have loved to see pictures of him when he was younger than ten, but if those exist we do not have any of them.  I bet he was a cutie...

Hubby and Jack at 11

The ponies and horses he grew up riding and raising. The pups that have traveled through his life with him... all of them wagging their tails at the rainbow bridge. Hotdog, Champ, Rena and Sampson... The stories came to life today... the past got to become real.

Me and the Hubby in Rothenberg last year... 60 looking good!