Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Meet the Family


The countdown toward retirement continues and we are only a month away!  This last weekend we visited with our family and they were full of questions about what our plans are.  I almost felt as if they think we should have our entire life planned out . . . wish we had that much insight into our retirement but we don’t!  Anyway, I thought maybe it was time to introduce our family. as I know they will continue to play a major role in our thought processes and decisions.

As mentioned in an earlier post Bob and I have been married 34 years and this was not our first rodeo.  We’d both been married before and I have two children from that relationship.  Bob has raised them since they were 9 and 11, so now you know the “kids” are not kids anymore!

Enjoying an evening at a fundraiser!
Amy is our amazing daughter and she is married to Mike who I think actually likes his mother-in-law.  Amy is a very dedicated young woman who has worked most of her career in the non-profit world, currently working as a front-line fundraiser for a large NW cancer research center.  She studied drama and English lit in college and brings a lot of passion to every endeavor. Mike has spent his career in administration within the corporate education arena.  Amy and Mike are parents to Daisy, a sweet rescue golden retriever.

Shane is our amazing son and he is married to Alex who also likes his mother-in-law, or so I believe!  Shane works as a Human Resources manager for a tech company and dreams of making wine and having his own vineyard.  Alex is a trained IT specialist who is currently enjoying a stint as a stay-at-home spouse and enjoys genealogy.  Shane and Alex are parents to Portia, a border collie who is never without a ball in her mouth.

A Seattle landmark!
All of the family lives in the greater Seattle area but they visit the drier side of WA frequently.  For many years Shane and Alex owned a vacation home in Walla Walla and Amy and Mike currently own one there.  Walla Walla is a small town in SE WA, and is known for its many vineyards and winery tasting rooms.  We have to admit that Walla Walla keeps popping up on the short list of “maybe we should consider” as a possibility.  I’m not sure the kids really know that, but it’s going to be an interesting journey as we navigate the transition into retirement.
Ready for harvest at Walla Walla vineyard

Fields outside Walla Walla
Amy and Shane had an early introduction to the greater world when we moved to Zambia, Africa and they were able to visit for extended periods.  That experience tapped their cultural curiosity and they enjoy travel as well.  We are confident no matter where we land our family will embrace the experience and I'm sure they won't be shy about providing insight into our retirement!

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Thanks for following along on our journey through retirement, travels and this next phase of our lives! We appreciate your support.