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Great Uncle Edward
The first time I saw my Great Uncle Edward and Great Aunt Betty, I was confused. I was only 8 or so, and I was watching them speak to each other. They are both deaf, and Great Aunt Betty is blind. They spoke by feeling each other's hands while they signed. I remember feeling uncomfortable because I did not understand why they could not talk to each other. Having differently-abled relatives revealed the importance of respecting people who are different. Figure 2. Great Uncle Edward. 1943 -
Not like me...
When we lived in Houston, I had a friend named Tameka. Tameka lived across the street from me, and we played together every day. I was always jealous of her ponytail balls as my hair was short...boy short. Her mocha skin was vastly different from my ivory skin, but neither of us cared about that. We were just friends. There was no black and white; there was just us. Since I do not have any pictures of Tameka, I included a picture of the house we lived in. Figure 1. Home in Houston, TX. 1985 -
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas
Christmas is quite the to-do at my Mimi's house. She is a collector of all things culture and tradition. Mimi has put the same "toys" under the tree for decades. Even now, my sons get to play with the same toys I played with as a child. Mimi always uses the good china and sterling silver flatware. This has been the tradition in my family long before I was alive. Figure 4. Pictures of Westerlage family Christmases. 1991, 2015. -
Jesus Loves Me
My Memaw was a very religious woman. She died in 2006 of Alzheimer's disease. When her mind was completely gone, she remembered her savior and was begging Him to take her home. I did not come into my faith until a few years after she passed, but I will never forget her devout faith and the impression it left on me. She was also a gifted artist and painted the picture of The Last Supper. the book is from her church in Olney, TX. Figure 7. Paining of The Last Supper and church program. 1997 -
Respect Your Elders
Out of my 4 blood grandparents, only one remains. I learned from my older cousins and my parents how important it is to spend time with aging relatives because you do not want to be left with regret when they are gone. Sadly, regret is what I carry in my heart. Guilt haunts me for not spending more time with them when I could. Grandparents should be cherished and respected for always. Figure 3. Pictures of Westerlage grandparents and Holloway grandparents. 1998, 2002, 2003. -
A Little Bit Closer, Now
In my family there is no shortness of hugs and squeezes. We joke and say "squeeze the goody out of ya!" My parents and I have always shown our love physically. My boys give kisses to whomever they want. We love to love. The picture is just an example of the physical closeness of my parents and me. Figure 8. Westerlage family. 1999 -
To Be Cultured
I owe my love for education and culture to my grandmother. She pushed me, motivated me, and instilled in me the thirst for knowledge and sophistication. As a child, she took me to museums, the opera, the symphony, and the theater. I am the well-rounded person I am today because of who she is. She taught me proper etiquette and how to treat people with respect. She is 90 years young, and still going strong. Figure 11. Picture of Pattie Westerlage & Tammy Holt -
Finally a Sister
I am an only child. My whole life I longed for brothers and sisters of my own. I never realized the true love of siblings until I married my husband, who is one of four. I became a sister and an aunt through my "brothers" and "sisters." I now know the love of siblings. We fight, we love, we laugh, and we cry, but we are family and that love will never go away. Figure 10. Holt siblings. 2017. -
This is How We Love
My mother-in-law is a pro at public praise. She always makes birthdays special by posting a memory and "shout out" on Facebook and calling it "Your Name" Day. This year I reciprocated the thought. We also share an inside measure of love called "Love you more than chocolate." It is a simple way to tell someone you love them more than your favorite thing. There is no lack of love in the Holt family. Figure 5. Facebook posts, 2018. -
Special Gifts
I always loved when my mom's sister, Leah, would come to visit. She lives in Wichita Falls and would come and spend the night with us from time to time. When I was a kid, she would always bring me little gifts, like the cat in the picture. She is still one of my favorite people. Now she brings gifts to my boys. Figure 6. Picture of cat trinket. 2018 -
The Great Nation of Texas
My family, now including my husband's family, is spread throughout the state like wild seeds. We live in Arlington, as do my parents. My mom's family lives in Denton, Wichita Falls, and Sherman. My husband's family lives in Burnet, Ranger, Eastland, San Angelo, Abilene, Bryan, and even on in Ohio! We see our family multiple times a year Road trips are our family tradition. Reference Map of Texas [Digital Image]. N.D. Retrieved from https://www.nationsonline.org/oneworld/map/USA/texas_map.htm -
Treasures From Abroad
My paternal great grandparents were world-travelers. They went to places like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Hong Kong. They brought back treasures symbolic of their travels. Some of those treasures are black ivory elephant carvings, a hand-carved knife, and a cigarette case. Though I never met them, I get to "travel" in their footsteps through the artifacts passed down to me. I love to travel, too. I hope one day to see the world like they did. Figure 9. Picture of artifacts in case. 2019.
