Be Prepared, It's A Wild Ride
Did You Know? - In human context, a family (from Latin: familia) is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children. Anthropologists most generally classify family organization as matrilocal (a mother and her children); conjugal (a husband, his wife, and children; also called nuclear family); and consanguineal (also called an extended family) in which parents and children co-reside with other members of one parent's family.
Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts. ~Author Unknown
The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together. ~Erma Bombeck
Those quotes pretty much describes this collection of people!
If you don't believe in ghosts, you've never been to a family reunion. ~Ashleigh Brilliant
To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there. ~Barbara Bush
Some Terminology Might Be Helpful
Can't tell the family without a program
Parents
The family is a group of individuals with a continuing legal, genetic and/or
emotional relationship. Society relies on the family group to provide for
the economic and protective needs of individuals, especially children and
the elderly.
The group comprising a husband and wife and their
dependent children, constituting a fundamental unit in the
organization of society.
Parents Bill Of Rights!
Parental Job Description!
JOB DESCRIPTION: Long term team players needed for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required, including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in faraway cities. Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.RESPONSIBILITIES: Must provide on-site training in basic life skills, such as nose blowing. Must have strong skills in negotiating, conflict resolution and crisis management. Ability to suture flesh wounds a plus. Must be able to think out of the box but not lose track of the box, because you most likely will need it for a school project. Must reconcile petty cash disbursements and be proficient in managing budgets and resources fairly, unless you want to hear, "He got more than me!" for the rest of your life.
Also, must be able to drive motor vehicles safely under loud and adverse conditions while simultaneously practicing above mentioned skills in conflict resolution. Must be able to choose your battles and stick to your guns. Must be able to withstand criticism, such as "You don't know anything." Must be willing to be hated at least temporarily, until someone needs $5 to go skating. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a half million cheap, plastic toys and battery operated devices.
Also, must have a highly energetic entrepreneurial spirit, because fund-raiser will be your middle name. Must have a diverse knowledge base, so as to answer questions such as "What makes the wind move?" or "Why can't they just go in and shoot Sadam Hussein?" on the fly. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout
the facility.
POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT AND PROMOTION: Virtually none. Your job
is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly
retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately
surpass you.
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: Non required, unfortunately. On-the-job
training offered on a continually exhausting basis.
WAGES AND COMPENSATION: You pay them, offering frequent raises and
bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the
assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When
you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about
this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could
only do more.
BENEFITS: While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition
reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered, job supplies
limitless opportunities for personal growth and free hugs for life if you
play your cards right.
Our Parents??? Please Meet Them
Frank and Rita Goss circa 1976
-
From New York and New Jersey, college educated people
Paul and Georgia circa 1954;
From Arkansas and Oklahoma, finished the sixth and eleventh grade
Our parents were pretty amazing people and provided us values that will forever make us who we are.... We hope that is good.
Our Children Are Indeed A Collection
We have a collection! Step children, adopted children, and biological children! Oh my! To make this more complex, we do NOT throw out divorced kids-in-law (unless they were bad and our two sons-in-law were NOT bad guys and they are a parents of our grandchildren).
Meet Robin, Michele, Jeanette, Joe, Colleen
Robin Berry Duda - Robin was adopted after spending almost twenty years working with Paul every day at Rockwell and Boeing. When we retired we "officially" adopted her. Her husband Bob is a great guy and grandson Nick is just wonderful!
Michele Miller Adams - Michele is Sue's step daughter and another wonderful person who we love dearly. Her husband, Franklyn, is a magnificent dad to Theo!
Jeanette Liles Lind - Jeanette was married to Mitch Lind (who was the "Boy Next Door"). Mitch, our Son-In-Law, lives in the area and we see him all the time. Mitch and Jeanette had Zachary and Connor, our grandsons. Jeanette has since remarried and lives in the Temecula area.
Joe Liles - Joe lives with his beautifful wife Amy in the La Mirada area and they have two great kids, Alex and Charlie. We certainly enjoy seeing them after almost two decades of being estranged.
Colleen Liles Perry - Collen is married to Mark Perry and they reside in New Hampshire. Mark just retired form the Navy and is enjoying the civilian life. Colleen was married to Pete Chartier, a retired Gunnery Sergeant. They had three kids, Jonathan, Jacqueline, and Cassandra. We see Pete and his new wife Lisa all the time and talk to Jonathan almost every day! Jon is 27 going on 40!
Who Are The Extended Family??? Sisters/Aunts
Did You Know? - The term extended family has several distinct meanings. In modern Western cultures dominated by nuclear family constructs, it has come to be used generically to refer to grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, whether they live together within the same household or not
The Porters...
Diane is Sue's sister and they live up north (Silicon Valley where she teaches school and Pat's in in high tech maling super cell phones).
They have two daughters, Hannah and Lisa. Lisa is now in High School and Hannah is in the honor's program at UC Irvine.
We visit several times a year usually during the summer and at Christmas. With Hannah being local now, we will likely see them more... A goof thing!
We visited them at Tomatofest . Visit the Porter's
The Hale's
Aunt Kaye And Tom Hale
Aunt Kaye was Paul's Mom's sister (she is a Lewis). She lives in Stockton California and has for years and years.
Tom and Paul spent a lot of time together growing up. Tom went into the dime store business and was an executive with the 99 Cent stores. He is now living with his mom also in Stockton.
We see them several times a year as we fly by on the way to/from Diane's home or the Tomato Festival!
Visit Kaye and Tom
Kat & Edith (Deceased)
Kat (and Edith) traveled with us for years and the health began an issue.
Cousin Kat began having dementia issues soon after so we sold her home, we arranged for an assisted care facility where she can live out her days in dignity. We see her every few days and go to movies once a week. Visit Kat
Kat passed at the ripe age of 91 in March 2013.
Aunt Edith was her constant companion after her mother, Opal, died. Edit passed on at 94 in 2004 after providing everyone in her life a load of joy! She was funny, quick witted, and just a bundle of energy.
Jon Liles (Our Grandson)
Our first grandson!
Jon stayed with us for several years while his dad served in the military and was stationed overseas. We call him "Jonathan Weasel" because when we used to give him a bath, we had a music box that played "Pop Goes The Weasel" and he used to laugh so lard he would fall over.
He is a man now and on his own making it though life and we are proud of him!
Is is joining us for a short vacation form New Hampshire and we are excited about it!
That's Sue and Paul in the front row! Which one is which you ask? We will not tell.