Mar and The Mami Lama

This is the phenomenal Ma I am so very lucky to have and share with all of you. As I'm driving home from work in Friday night rush hour traffic, I am leaving my mom a voice mail message asking her to call me so we can solidify plans for Mom's Day. Roughly one hour later, I walk in the door and find evidence of my Mom's presence everywhere: A note about her taking Oliver out and feeding him an "afternoon snack;" peanut butter and jelly jars galore; apples; fruit and cheese snacks; magazines to read in my "spare" time; on-the-go items; coupons for free restaurant appetizers and desserts; and, the most special of all, she left me - smack dab in the middle of the kitchen table, a framed photograph of her and me from years ago which clearly illustrate the unmistakable love and depth of our close friendship. In anticipatory measure, my dear Mami Lama was thinking of our love as a gift and this is one of the many reasons why I treasure my Mom like I do. She knows what's important in life. Through her, I've learned that the true gifts we can receive in life is Love...that simple yet profound intangible, intrinsic reward which trumps any material possession one could ever have. People are also gifts to be treasured. I treasure the prize I have found in my Mom who is my ultimate role-model for reasons too many to enumerate. Anyone who knows her knows her extraordinary kind and thoughtful nature, sense of integrity, sensitivity, selflessness, strong value system and unconditionally loving nature. Today, I wish to reflect on how lucky I am to be influenced by her wisdom. She is my hero, my rock, my touchstone, my confidant, and the moral foundation for all I do. I just wish everyone in the world was lucky to have a Mom as phenomenal as her.

Random Thoughts and Mantra for May

Now I see what many say about getting older. I understand the power of caring and not caring. Most people don't. Sometimes, the folks that don't care are in a position of power or they wield enough to determine your financial value that's never quite equivalent to what you're really worth. Other times, they are just like everyone else: AVERAGE people...average people that others put on a pedestal because of that person's job title, possessions, annual earnings, attractive aesthetic, the love folks have for them, or something else admirable. Often times, we raise people on pedestals so high in our minds that really, the fall off is inevitable. Capacities to reciprocate are uneven because people are human and busy writing the stories of their own miraculous lives. And let's face it, caring is just not a popular endeavor these days, and perhaps it never was. No matter aesthetics, tangibles or one's sycophantic following, people are often what they are in their minds by their design for self-indulgence. I like being human and having the feelings most find unpopular. I don't need thick skin so I can accept the inequities of life. It's just good to know who you should reserve your special energies for. In the vein of technology, I must admit how strange I think this cyberspace-talk thing is. In a way, it seems like an inferior form of communication. By my measure, face-to-face interactions are more authentic because non-verbal communication speaks volumes. Someone's facial expressions, body language, tone of voice or the way their eye's dilate or constrict tell me all I need to know. In face-to-face interactions, there is no computer to hide behind. When it comes to other endeavors, trying to "hit it out of the ballpark" every day even when it's just not always possible, is for some, something that will never be enough. So I guess my mantra for May is that the stance of others should never mean more than your own because only you know your true value; and to paraphrase something one of the characters said in a movie called "The Joy Luck Club, "Know your worth" (obviously meaning, know your true value). Only then, will others see the boundaries between the area where their opinions stop and where yours start to matter. And while our culture may consider caring uncool, I know one thing is for sure: I don't care about being uncool. Never did. My spirit justs care about doing the right thing and making meaningful contributions by giving myself fully to the people that value me and the things that need someone to make a difference by caring. I've also always felt that if someone has to define themselves by the number of wins they have, how much "power" they yield in their profession, the material possessions they can weigh on their "Stepford Wives" scale, or where they fall on the range of a culture-subjugated popularity spectrum, then obviously, then they haven't evolved much since their high school days. Lest we remember that egos die in humbling circumstances. In the ashes of its passing, the seeds of humanity grow from its thirst to thrive.

Perfectly Ironic

Perfectly Ironic
c. Marla S. Laurin, April 29, 2009
In G-dless places
Are G-dless faces
Am I one
In a crowd of none
Bereft of blessings
I walk alone
No footprints follow
Or walk beside
Nor on life's
Periphery of
Perfect irony
Paradoxical
How hysterical
Situations seem
When only the
Possible comes
Alive in my dreams
So it seems
I am doomed
I've been conditioned
Like a dog
Mistakes I've made
Loom like clouds
Or a death shroud
From unintentional
Perfection revealing
Flaws unforgiving
In a merciless place
I reside
Where my fate hides
My purpose unknown
With such senseless
Doublespeak ruthless
Demands impossible
Meet the probable
Like a set-up for
Failure
Where no
Mechanisms
Grow
To mitigate
Mistakes we all make
In lofty quests
To please
The implacable
For reasons
Unmistakable
Sometimes utmost best
Is not enough
For those who live
Above it all
But don't speak loud
Enough to hear
Only soothsayers
Might
Know what I cannot
But dearly try to
Read between
The lines I'm tied to.
---Written by Marla S. Laurin, April 29, 2009

The best gifts are people not packages!

Photos of Maddox provided by his Nana Lynn & Papa Howard, from April 12, 2009

How blessed my cousins are! Their son is so cute he steals the show wherever he goes. Photos include me, my ma, and my dad with Jacks and Drue's son Maddy.

XO to my aunt, uncle and cousins for providing me with this wonderful memory.

~ Mar;-)

QT-Pies Kaitlyn, Megan & Michelle in their Easter Dresses!

Maddox decorating Easter eggs w/his G-Pa/G-Ma

Our fabulous nephews and their gals...

Laundry Baskets Make Great Playgrounds

JZ
Photo courtesy of Dan and Jessica


















Megan
Photo courtesy of Jenn and Michael

Facebook IS good for SOME things...

Photo courtesy of Jackie and Drue: Aunt Lynn and Uncle Howard with their Grandson, Maddox.

Not sure when and where this snapshot was captured, but thought it was too cute not to include!

Our nephew, Hunter, celebrating 13 in Wash.D.C. w/ foxxy sis-in-law, Lori!!!

Rory and Denise's Boys

Top to bottom: Casey, Shane, Drew, Ryan and Kyle

Mar's Ravishing Auntie Lynn and Ma with Lynn's Grandson, Maddox & his Mom, (Mar's Cousin;-) Jacks...

Adorable Pics of Maddox with His Papa Howie!

Beloved Boots and Shadow Are With You Again

Changing The Way We Look At Things...

Dearest Glenn,

As time passes, the challenges you face are not few. You have been forced to change the way you look at things. And to say the least, the way you have is inspirational. Thank you for being so brave. Thank you for sharing your random thoughts, insights and wisdom. Thank you for being you.

Mark Your Calenders in Dean Stroh's Honor

INAUGURAL DEAN STROH - RAGE TO THE RESCUE - GOLF TOURNAMENT BENEFITTING THE CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE (CRI) Event Info
Hosts: Chuck Garcia - Mario Martinez - Brett Chilo - Todd Van Zuiden
Place: Location in Chicago area TBA
Date: FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 2009
Lunch @ Noon; Shotgun start @1:30 p.m., Cocktails, Raffle & silent acuition @ 6 p.m., dinner @ 7 p.m.
Time: 7:00am - 5:00pm
Contact Info:
Phone: 4806009612
Email: clozer58@hotmail.com
Event Message from the Hosts:
[This special golf tournament arranged in Dean's honor to benefit The Cancer Research Institute (CRI), http://www.cancerresearch.org/, and families in need who have lost a loved one] is for anyone who can’t golf, does not want to golf or simply would rather donate in another way. We will need many volunteers to help make this a successful event. Understand...you can also volunteer and play as many of us are.We will be using a two-committee approach with each committee being responsible for many different elements in the planning process. Each committee will focus on elements that are inter-related. Simply put 1 group will handle the money; the other handles the event itself. The Sales Committee: Team sales and registration - Advertising - Goody bags - T-shirts - Hole sponsors - Silent Auction Items - Food & Beverage donations - Raffle items - Event Sponsors The Event Committee: Program planning – Contracts with suppliers – Celebrities – Cleanup – Volunteers – Hole marshals – Signage & Placement – Goody bag prep – Hosting Celebrities – Acquisition of trophy’s – Publicity – Speakers – Rental Equipment – Side Bar events – Dinner/Lunch – Food/Bev - Liaison with course – paying bills The idea is to make this event a successful one for many, many years to come with our children carrying on the tradition. The passing of Dean Stroh was a sad day but if we can look back on it many years from now and see how it sparked a wonderful fundraising tradition that helps many families and donates to a worthy cause, I’m sure many of us would be very proud of that. The vision we have calls for the event not only to pay for itself but also to provide proceeds to the charity of choice and to a family of need who lost a loved one. We lost a great man with the passing of Dean Stroh but unfortunately we will all lose loved ones in the years to come and in many cases those families will be in need of some kind of financial assistance. If we do this right, we can accomplish all of this.

For more information, to participate and RSVP, or get involved in some other capacity, please feel welcome to communicate with the hosts of the event by using the contact information above.

Thank You

We just wanted to take a moment to thank all the friends and family members who joined us yesterday to share in our grief and to show your emotional support during this tremendously sad time. Our gratitude extends to all those from afar who were unable to be there physically, but showed their sympathy through flowers, gift baskets, and very caring and loving messages. Like many others, we believe Dean has joined the Angels in Heaven and we also believe Pops saw the outpouring of love and support displayed yesterday in his honor. Thank you so very much for coming out to share your condolences with the Stroh family for their loss of beloved Dean. It means so very much to all of us that you did.

Most lovingly,
Marla and Dina

Art By Bella Stroh

c. 2009 Isabella Stroh Art. All Rights Reserved. All paintings and digital representations are property of Isabella Stroh and may not be reproduced or copied.

Our beautiful and bright niece and daughter of Lori and Randy, Isabella, like her brother, Hayden, has inherited the astonishing Stroh gene for artistry, particularly that of her Grandma Fran who has been known to create some really amazing pieces of artistry herself. Isabella and Hayden recently created some equally amazing art pieces that we unabashedly can't help but brag about. Their talent is beyond their young years. Among our other nephews and nieces who are amazing people in their own right - with brilliance, talent and charm to boot, we are just proud Aunts who want to use our post as a point of reference to share some of their truly wonderful dimensions. The artwork of the owl and the two bunnies in this post are Bella's. More photos of artwork and works of authorship by the Stroh grandchildren may very well one day be available for purchase. To see artwork by Hayden, Bella's brother, click on http://haydenstroh.blogspot.com/.

Rest in Peace Pops

Photo below:  Grandpa Stroh and his Beloved Bella:
Photo courtesy of her Mom and Dad, Lori and Randy

Photo Left: Dina and her Pops. Thank you for all those precious moments we spent together...As a kid, I followed you around like a shadow, studying everything you did with awe. You were always there for me. I'll never forget the time you first tought me how to swim. Nor will I ever forget all the times you helped me fine-tune my fast-pitch; or, all the games you came to and how proud I was to see you in the stands cheering me on. And that time you joined us in softball when we were short a player. So many, many precious memories you left me. Too many to enumerate. We hope you are able to read this in heaven. An impeccable father-in-law, Mar felt so very lucky to share you with me. Mar can't express how grateful she is for how loving you were towards her and how you treated her as if she was your own daughter. No words can ever express the gratitude we all feel for having the good fortune of loving and learning from such a great man as you. Our hope is that you stay with us, in our hearts we will carry you. and there, hopefully you will guide our souls in your own special way to help us evolve in meaningful ways as we continue on with our own sojourn. Someday, we will all be together again. Until then, Rest in Peace, Pops, and know you will never be forgotten and how so very much we love you.

Pops

Dear Pops,

These last few months have been the hardest moments we've ever had to face as a family. So nothing goes unspoken, you must know now, more than ever, how we feel. You've been an enormous inspiration - more than you'll ever know. You are a man who has influenced us positively with your unparalleled integrity. You are an outstanding father who has always been very giving with your immeasurable love and gentle, sensitive, strong, easily accessible and uncommonly kind spirit. You are an immensly proud grandfather who loves all his grandchildren so much so, that they fill your world in ways no one and nothing else can. This comes so naturally from your soul that it's like second skin for you. You are a thoughtful, fun, best friend with a smile as long as the day. Your warmth draws family pets to you like no other because your lovingly kind inside reveals a sensitive spirit that screams safe. You are a devoted soulmate to the love of your life - your wife, where life is more beautiful for her simply because you are in it. You are a extraordinarily beloved brother, brother-in-law and father-in-law. The boundaries between lineage and love are invisible. As an affable, fun-loving uncle, you have been been remarkably easy to enjoy. Our family get-togethers, barbeques, and numerous holiday gatherings over all the long years has served a hallmark to all our finer moments together as a family with you as the focal point and feast-master. You are also a courageous warrior who has never turned down a challenge or the call for an assist. In a humble heartbeat, without batting an eye, you have always been there for anyone in need. Historically, you have given everything you have to improve the quality of your loved one's lives and this is the cornerstone of your selfless soul that we all have been fortunate to love. You live strongly in a soft-spoken, unpretentious manner, with a humility and gratitude for all things large and small which is - among many, many other reasons, traits many of us so deeply admire about you. You never needed wealth to define you because your character spoke for itself. In actuality, you are a man whose life has been rich with what matters most - the love and admiration of family and dear friends where your presence is as soothing and enjoyable as being on a favorite vacation get-a-away. You have long carried a torch of strong work ethics, a respect for religious faith, and special family values which will continue to serve as paragon to all of us who have been so very lucky to share your journey through life. You are a man who was a wonderful son to two parents, G-d rest their soul, who would have been so very proud to see and experience your incredible legacy. Because of you and because of your beautiful heart and soul, we are better people. Quite simply, but most importantly, we are so grateful that we have had you to love and learn from. We will always carry your beautiful spirit within ours. Our love and reverence for you could never wane or wither. For all you have given to your family and friends - and really anyone you have ever met, you are loved all the more. You and everything you encompass will always serve as one of the most important foundations we build from in our lives. We just wanted you to know that. We just wanted you to know how much you are so deeply loved and cherished. You are not alone but united with us in everlasting love and gratitude for all that you are and for what you mean to us -- everything, our Guardian Angel and touchstone among all the other ones that came before.

With utmost love and reverence,

Your daughters,

Dina and Marla

We Love You Glenn

This brief video is a tribute to my uncle, Glenn, who is courageously fighting a terminal condition. Since childhood, they have had a close, familial, unconditionally loving relationship that this challenge cannot change. He lives his philosophies and for having the good fortune of sharing his sojourn, we just watned to find a way to thank him in a way that demonstrates his beautiful spirit that will live in our hearts long thereafter.

With everlasting love,

~ Mar

Calling All Art Enthusiasts...

Dear family friend Ellie's stepson, Robert "Bob-E" Snell, is also a good friend of ours and someone you deserve to know. He is truly an unique and gifted artist. Challenging economic times are creating some very interesting vicissitudes, but if you are an art enthusiast by any measure, or if you're simply in the market for something truly remarkable, consider supporting our talented friend, Robert J. Snell, by visiting Bob-E's website, http://www.robertsnellart.com/. It is important to note that his website displays only some of his offerings. His prolific works may also be seen and purchased at numerous local art shows and galleries. Dates of those showings are often listed at his website. Thanks in advance for showing your interest in supporting the art work of this truly talented dude.
Thanks for stopping by our blogs and website,
Marla

With Grace, Mom Welcomes Winter ;-)

Happy Belated Birthday to our Beautiful Mami Lama!

Happy Holidays Y'all!

Maddox's First Birthday!

Maddox and His First Santa Experience...

Some Photos from Dina's mini-SHS Reunion!

These photographs were originally posted on Facebook by some of Dina's classmates who turned out to be some of the most down-to-earth, kind and cool people you could ever hang out with. Hopefully, as time continues to unfold, we'll have many more opportunities to duplicate that vibe;)In the meantime, may all remain well!

Getting Out Of Head

One of the things I cherish is a little book I was recently given by my Auntie Lynn. The book is entitled, "50 Truths Worth Knowing." One of the authors, Hugh O'Neill wrote an essay called "Take Time to Stop and Taste the Chocolate," and in his piece, he wrote something simple yet so profound. Anyone who knows me knows I am a person of many dimensions, a sort of onion with many layers to peel if time is taken to do so. Because I can be a pretty analytical creature, I tend to think deeply and while this is a not a negative character trait overall, it has potential to stifle the free spirited, spontaneous soul that resides at my onion's core. Because the evolution of character over time interests me and because I am committed to progression as opposed to stagnation, I open myself to blog today to share this statement that really spoke to me. In a world rife with vicissitudes, the beautiful simplicity of Hugh O'Neill's sage urgings shake me to my core as I reflect on his thoughts. He writes, "...stay in the moment...notice all the small enchantments along the way...of course, habit will overcome us as we move through our obligations. And nobody can pay attention all the time - it's exhausting. We actually need a little automatic-pilot time in our lives...that even through travails, a person can pay attention and savor the chocolaty sweetness of the world." And everybody knows I love chocolate.

During our times of good and bad, may we all have strength at some point, to try to stay in the moment, ignore those humongous pebbles riddling our journey's pathways and detours, and, as my Uncle Glenn would say, notice the beautiful scenery of our sojourn. --Marla

Managing The Challenge with Thoughtful Reflection

http://glennfriedman.spaces.live.com/

Let's Kick the !@#$%! out of this -----'s A--!!!!

Pops, The Stroh Patriarch

We posted these poems here to demonstrate the range and nature of our emotions as we stand together and behind you as you stand in the arena to fight and win the greatest challenge of your life. It expresses how precious you are to the both of us and to all your family and friends.

With deepest, dearest love,
Your daughters,
MarlaDina

Only A Dad
by Edgar A. Guest

Only a dad with a tired face, Coming home from the daily race, Bringing little of gold or fame, To show how well he has played the game; But glad in his heart that his own rejoice, To see him come and to hear his voice.
Only a dad with a brood of four, One of ten million men or more, Plodding along in the daily strife, Bearing the whips and the scorns of life, With never a whimper of pain or hate, For the sake of those who at home await.
Only a dad, neither rich nor proud, Merely one of the surging crowd, Toiling, striving from day to day, Facing whatever may come his way, Silent whenever the harsh condemn, And bearing it all for the love of them.
Only a dad but he gives his all, To smooth the way for his children small, Doing with courage stern and grim, The deeds that his father did for him. This is the line that for him I pen: Only a dad, but the best of men.

My Hero
by Debbie Hinton Young

As I ponder the love that I saw in his eyes, A Godly love, given without compromise; I recall many times that he stood by my side, And prodded me on with great vigor and pride. His voice ever confident, firm and yet fair, Always speaking with patience, tenderness and care. The power and might of his hands was so sure, I knew there was nothing we couldn't endure. It's true, a few others provided insight,Yet, he laid the foundation that kept me upright. He's the grandest of men to have lived on this earth, although he's not royal by stature or birth. He's a man of great dignity, honor and strength. His merits are noble, and of admirable length. He's far greater than all other men that I know, He's my Dad, he's my mentor, my friend and hero.

Quite A Hero
Author Unknown

My Hero is the quiet type, No marching bands, no media hype. But through my eyes it's plain to see, a hero, God has sent to me. With gentle strength and quiet pride, All self concern is set aside, To reach out to our fellow man, And be there with a helping hand. Heroes are a rarity, A blessing to humanity.With all they give and all they do, I'll bet the thing you never knew, My quiet hero has always been you.

With Auntie Lynn and Mom

Photo taken earlier this month at cousin Jack's surprise soiree for 3 decades of good living. The garlic bread at this joint was amazing and of course, Jackie and Drue's son stole the show with his mylar balloon bit. Left to right: Auntie Lynn, Mar, The Mami Lama and Dina. (Wish Jacks and the rest of the fam could've been in this too!) ;-)