Can you imagine?
65 years
As I get older, I really appreciate my grandparents and everything they have done and all they represent. I feel closer to them now than I ever have. I realize that they will not be around forever and I should be thankful for all the time we have had together.
My grandparents met in 1940. My grandmother was 15 years old and my grandfather was in college at Notre Dame. They met at a bowling alley--the one in the pictures below. This has been around 80 years and is in the basement of Precious Blood Catholic School. I have lived in Fort Wayne for most of my life and I never even knew of this alley. According to my grandmother, many churches had these to promote socialization within the church. Most of the churches have gotten rid of them, but not Precious Blood. My grandfather wrote a postcard to my grandmother when he returned to ND and this postcard with a picture of the Grotto on the front, postmarked 1940, was at the party tonight. My grandfather spoke to us all at the party and told us the story of the two of them. The postcard, which was quite humorous, basically told my grandmother that she had better be practicing her bowling game because he just bowled a 117. And he had a good excuse if she beat him the next time because he hurt his finger in the Army. He drew a picture of a bowling ball and bowling pins at the top of the postcard and signed it 'James Poinsatte'. My grandmother never wrote him back because she said there was no return address. This, to which my grandfather pointed out, "Everyone knows Notre Dame has it's own post office." I guess you just had to write the name of the receiver and write Notre Dame and it would get to that person. After this meeting, my grandmother had a few other boyfriends which my grandfather spoke about much to my grandmother's embarrassment. He had two folders of pictures to show us and he also brought his army jacket. My Grandfather is very long winded with his speeches--always has been. He is a great story teller and it was great to listen to him and funny to hear my grandmother protest what he was saying to us.
After graduation from ND he studied at the University of Paris so he was hoping to reconnect with my grandmother upon graduation. They met again at a dance when he returned home. They began dating in 1946 and married in 1947. They had 12 children and now are grandparents to 62 grandchildren and great grandparents to 75 great grandchildren with 5 more due this year.
All I have to say is: Amazing.
What amazing people and perfect role models for all of us.
This is the third weekend I have traveled away from home for about 24 hours and this weekend I traveled alone with the kids (John had to work). I thought about whether I would make the trip again (was there last weekend as well), but I really felt it was important to be there. And I had a great time. I love spending time with my many cousins, aunts and uncles. My parents. And, of course my grandparents. My children stayed back with Mimi (great grandchildren were not invited to this party due to space) and had a nice visit with her too.
We went to mass Saturday evening with Bishop D'Arcy. After the mass, we made our way down to the basement bowling alley that was the very meeting place of the two of them 72 years ago...
Bishop Rhoades joined the party. My grandparents know both of these men very well and it was a special night to share with everyone.
Their real anniversary is May 10
Both Bishops
The bowling alley. According to my Aunt Rose, "It was like stepping back in time."
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