50 years in the making -- Part 4, time passes

     The children grew up and married and had children, two of which had children of their own. Robert and I grew, too --- older. I have photos of everyone, but I don't have nearly enough scanned into the computer. I'll post a few of what I can find.

Much of the family

     Robert worked as a diesel mechanic after a year at Pampa, Texas, where he had a fuel injection lab. He spent eleven years as a mechanic and then five years in the oil fields as a hot oil unit operator and tanker driver. Finally his health became so bad he couldn't do the heavy work. One memory we all have is of him pulling his truck or hot oil unit up to the baseball field, hopping out, coaching his baseball team, jumping back in the truck, and going back to work.

     I was a stay-at-home mother, with a few periods of working in the business world, until I returned to college and became a teacher. I taught for nearly thirty years before retiring in 2001. Then came my writing and publishing career, which is still on-going.

Granny with Katie

Kurtis with PaPa holding Haylee

     Our first grandchild, Macayla, joined the family 29 years ago, first child for Rene and for J.R. Barnett. Fifteen months later, they had Keri. Macayla and Keri are both married (Macayla to David Romines and Keri to Jarrod Smith) and have children. Maycayla's oldest is Kurtis and youngest is Haylee Rose. In between is Ethan. Keri has two daughters, Katie and Emma.

Kurtis, Macayla, Rene

     Rene's next two children (with unnamed) are Faris Alkordi and Yasmeen Alkordi. Both are young adults now. Rene's youngest is Aiden (Vince Farabaugh her husband and Aiden's father), who is in kindergarten.

Macayla holding Meena, Faris, Keri holding Ryan

     Bob brought us two more granddaughters when he and Brenda married. We felt they were our granddaughters from the beginning: Elizabeth and Jennifer, who is married to Travis Berka.

     Randy, our youngest living child, married Janelle Miller, and gave us another daughter. They, in turn, gave us three grandsons: Ryan, a student at the University of Tulsa; Colby, a junior at Oklahoma Christian Schools; and Shane, a freshman at OCS.

Robert, Janelle, Colby, Ryan, Randy holding Shane, me

     I can't get photos to load or move on this site; otherwise, I would add more. Therefore I leave readers with the few that cooperated at all.

Katie and Emma several years ago

Brenda and Bob

To be continued ...

    

Veteran's Day salute to my dad and my son

My father, Sgt. Raymond L. Gilbert, holding sister Kathy, I'm in the middle, and my mother, Dolly (Lyles) Gilbert is holding my brother Ricky (Raymond L. Jr.)

Major Robert L. Zabel, Jr. incognito, or ready to fly

         I spent eighteen years in the Air Force, from the time I was born on Randolph AFB, at that time outside of San Antonio, Texas, until my eighteenth birthday the summer after I graduated from high school in Limestone, Maine.

         My father's military life began when his mother signed papers for him to enlist in what was then the Army-Air Corp and soon became the Air Force. He retired 25 years later. He served in the U.S., Okinawa, Guam, England, and Morocco. We joined him most places. He paid a high price to help keep our country free, and so did his family.

          My older son, and middle child, Bob (Robert, Jr.) went through ROTC at Oklahoma State University and graduated as a 1st Lieutenant in the Air Force. He served as a EWO (Electronic Warfare Officer) and flew in some dangerous situations. He put his life in danger so that we back home could stay free.

          I'm proud that I'm the daughter and the mother of veterans, and I love them both. I lost my father many years ago, and he was a difficult man. However, he loved us in his way. My son is a good man and is loving. God bless him and keep him.