The Rest of the Story...

My sister Karen is going to kill me for that photo, but there's a good story, here.

That picture is the precise moment she first learned that Kaleb Fredrik Anton Nimke was soon going to join the family.

As I described last November, my family conspired to surprise Karen for her 50th birthday. She thought she was going to dinner in Ottawa, Ill. with her immediate family before a gathering of friends. But it was a swerve. Her daughter Angela had conspired with me and waiting in the restaurant were my parents, Mary and I (all secretly flown in from Florida) as well as my brother from Normal, Ill.

After a day in which she was terrorized at school (thanks to a great Lincoln School staff with a good sense of humor) by many pranks, she was stunned that we were all there.

But the biggest surprise was yet to come. Her daughter and son-in-law, Angela and Fred, had planned a swerve on top of a swerve on top of a swerve: Angela's card contained a picture of a sonogram.

Young Kaleb.

Given her advanced age, for a brief moment I worried about one too many shocks. Luckily, Hank's has rum and food and we came bearing gifts.

As you can see below, Karen recovered quickly.


ANGELA, KAREN AND FRED

And now you know the rest of the story. It was a grand night filled with family and friends, even more gifts and, of course, cake. Months later, Angela and Fred's gift continues to provide us all with much joy.

More later,


Mark