Love At the Chimney

In honor of Valentine's day, here is a real life love story. This is about JR's old P.E. teacher/baseball coach. I heard this story straight from him, but borrowed the LaGrange Patch write up.

"Paul Franson had never attended a high school reunion in the 35 years since he graduated from Lyons Township High School. So he initially disregarded the invitation for last year's gathering for the Class of 1975.
One of Franson's co-workers, a former classmate at LT, asked if he was planning on attending. He said he was hesitant. At first he thought, "Why should I?"
In the end, he said something made him reconsider.
A couple of days before the party, he asked his co-worker if she would accompany him.
On their way to the reunion, they talked about who they were looking forward to seeing and who they were afraid to see.
“I said I was looking forward to seeing any and everyone, since this was the first reunion I was attending," Franson said. "As for being afraid to see someone, it was Mickey Gervase. We had broken up when we were both in college and it did not end well. I have felt badly about it all these years.”
As they approached the check-in table, guess who was seated front and center.
It was none other than Mickey Gervase. Unlike Paul, she had attended every gathering. She was co-chairwoman of the reunion committee.
The two greeted one another and laughed a bit. But as the evening wore on, Franson said he sought her out to apologize. Gervase was gracious and they talked about old times.
After a few weeks, Paul decided to call and invite her to dinner. Mickey agreed and revealed to him that she had kept some of her diaries and photo albums, as well as a few of Franson's letters to her, tied together with a string.
“Though many had been drenched in floods, I still hung onto some of the pages,” said Gervase.
Franson worked for the La Grange Park District during his years in high school, as well as during summers home from college. During that time, one of his jobs had been to cover a fence at Gordon Park with silver aluminum paint. Franson and Gervase were dating in 1977, after Gervase had asked him to go with her to a wedding. Paul thought she was the "greatest."
In fact, he thought she was so great he decided to paint, "Mickey Gervase is the greatest," on the side of a chimney on the old maintenance building in Gordon Park with some of the Park District's silver paint.
After talking to Mickey about it, Franson said he decided to go to Gordon Park to see if his artwork was still there.
“It stood the test of time!” said Franson. His words were still painted on the chimney.
Their love for one another also stood the test of time. As they rekindled their courtship last October, Franson had it in his mind that he would propose to Gervase by writing once again on one of the bricks. He took her up once again to the chimney, using the same ladder he did in 1977. He proposed and she said (and wrote) “yes.”
They got engaged and were immediately bombarded with questions from both sides of the family about the wedding date. Gervase's sister had also gotten engaged just five days later, and the family decided to hold an engagement party to celebrate both.
The party was scheduled for Sunday, July 17.
Two days before, on July 15, Franson suddenly asked his finance, “Do you want to get married on Sunday?”
Gervase gulped and said, “Sure.”
They got their marriage license on the Friday before their engagement party. Gervase found a dress and shoes and they got Paul a ring on Saturday. They decided on a surprise announcement at the engagement party. When they got there on Sunday, they hid their wedding clothes and at first didn't say a word about their wedding plan.
As the day wore on, the newly engaged couple stood before their families and told them the exciting news.
So, at 5:30 p.m. on July 17, the troupe of 33 people, along with the pastor from Franson's church, went to the wedding ceremony—located at the chimney!
That was when someone called the La Grange police to report a disturbance at the old building at Gordon Park. Police arrived, but when the couple explained what was happening, the officers decided to leave them alone.
The wedding party and guests returned to the engagement party, no arrests having been made, for dessert. By that point, it had turned into a wedding reception.
The happy couple plans to stand the test of time as well as the messages they painted on the chimney in Gordon Park.
Now, that's one police blotter report with a fairy tale ending!"

Happy Birthday to Two of Our Favorite People

Last week was JR's Grandpa's birthday and this week is his Grandma's. We love them and are so happy they are part of our lives. They are an example of kindness and hardwork. If JR and I can turn out to be half the people they are we will be wonderful.

Grandpa and Grandma Z with R in Sun Valley

The Big Z 

Grandpa, Grandma, all the girls we had at the time. 

Chi-town part 4

This is more the aftermath.

JR wheeling all the "stuff" from our hotel room

The children desperately trying to finish their homework before school. 

S enjoying the suitcases as I unpacked. 

Chi-town part 3

The next day--my friend, my next door neighbor from growing up, basically one of my sisters--Karen and her family drove down to spend the day with us. We took them to JR's favorite breakfast place. We let the kiddos go swimming. We forced them to let us take this picture.

Then we headed downtown to the Miracle Mile but more importantly--to lunch at American Girls

All the girls were so excited to be there. 

Annika giving us one of her winning smiles. 

S loving on her Bitty Baby 

Karen enjoying sharing this moment with her daughters. 

The boys- JR, Gannon, and Eric- being troopers and enduring this experience. I think Gannon is playing on his iTouch. 

The cute dessert at the end

To repay Gannon for doing something so girly, we went to the Lego store next door. The Chicago skyline made out of legos. Cool! 

The girls really wanted their picture in front of the tower.

The Karens and their families 

Karen and me 

Right after this picture we drove straight to the airport. I may or may not have cried as I walked away.

Chi-twon part 2

The next morning, we got up so early just so we could go have breakfast at one of JR's Favorite restaurants. Grandma Jill was the only one willing to be ready that early and come with us.

Here is the cute "Mickey" pancakes from the kids menu.

 Here are the blueberry crepes. Um mm, so good! Worth losing sleep over.

S's first time at Omega's

(but not her last we went again the very next day) 

For lunch, Grandma and Grandpa Z hosted us all. JR had been talking about how one of his favorite childhood memories was the candy machine on the wall. We had to make sure we got a picture. The girls had to make sure they made that one of their favorite memories too. 

Grandma put on a lovely luncheon of sandwiches, fruit, veggies, and yummy cupcakes for dessert.

Here are four generation of Z boys:

back: JR, Mike, Matt

front: Jake, Neil, Mark

That evening we headed down to Navy Pier. We walked around the Winter fest, rode on the Ferris wheel (outside, at night, with the breeze blowing off the lake, in January), and picked up some fun Chicago treats.

Mark's Family with H in the pillars

Alli with Willis tower (formerly the Sears tower) in back. I hurt my neck looking up at the top. It made me laugh. We finished the night off with dinner at Italian deli. Oh, Chicago food-- yummy but fattening.

Chi-town Part 1

At the beginning of January, we were able to go to Chicago for the weekend. A few years ago, we went when JR's brother was inducted in to their high school Hall of Fame. Three years latter, Brother #2 was inducted.

Here are all the girls excited for the Hall of Fame ceremony.

 Mark by his Hall of Fame photo

 Matt by his photo (with that fan, ugh)

 Grandma and Grandpa Z were there to celebrate with us. That really added to the joy of the night.

Grandpa Mike with his friend, S

Mark and their former baseball coach. Such a nice guy!

The Hall of Fame presentation 

Afterwards, we had Chicago style pizza with their old high school friends back at the hotel.

Pay Day!

 First,speaking of Pay Days, I will start with my kids.

 They are always rewarding.(They are also frustrating, taxing, lovable, etc...like everyones' kids).Here are my girls with their second cousins Curtis and Trevor. Their mom watched my girls so that this Pay Day could happen.

Last week, JR and I were able to attend the wedding of one of his former Young Men from church. His family had moved away, but he married a girl from not too far from here.  JR worked with several of the boys from the family. It was such a great experience. We had RSVP, but the family didn't know we were coming. The groom, when he saw JR, got misty eyed. That made me weepy too. It was the reward for all that time JR put in working with the Young Men, and all that time I spend taking care of the kids myself while JR was with the Young Men.

Ah, Pay Day!

Our Bishop and his wife- Claudine, Joe, Me, JR and Will.

(Will has his mission call and is leaving on Jan. 25th. Their brother, Ben, is on a mission right now) 

Sam and his bride

Another one of JR's Young Men, Josh, got married that same day. It was far away and we were not able to attend. His smile in this picture counts as a Pay Day too. 

(Yes, both grooms are red heads)