Watch Us Grow!

Since we may not be able to get in touch with many of you, Kiersten wanted to wish all eight of her grandparents a HAPPY GRANDPARENTS DAY! She wishes she could be with all of you and loves each one of you!

Grandparents Day
First Sunday After Labor Day
In 1970, a West Virginia housewife, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, initiated a campaign to set aside a special day just for Grandparents. Through concerted efforts on the part of civic, business, church, and political leaders, this campaign expanded statewide. Senator Jennings Randolph (D-WV) was especially instrumental in the project. The first Grandparents Day was proclaimed in 1973 in West Virginia by Governor Arch Moore. Also in 1973, Senator Randolph introduced a Grandparents Day resolution in the United States Senate. The resolution languished in committee.
Mrs. McQuade and her team turned to the media to garner support. They also began contacting governors, senators, congressmen in every state. And they sent letters to churches, businesses, and numerous national organizations interested in senior citizens. In 1978, five years after its West Virginia inception, the United StatesCongress passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. The proclamation was signed by President Jimmy Carter. (September was chosen for the holiday, to signify the “autumn years” of life.)
Today this event, begun by only a few, is observed by millions throughout the United States.

Facts About The Founder
of Grandparents Day
A native of Fayette County, Marian McQuade and her husband Joe are the parents of 15 children. They have 40 grandchildren, and eight great grandchildren.
Mrs. McQuade began a campaign in 1970 to set aside a day for grandparents; yet her work with senior citizens dates back to 1956, beginning with the Past Eighty Party, (originated by Jim Comstock, editor of the West Virginia Hillbilly). Mrs. McQuade has worked in several states with seniors. Iin 1971, she was elected Vice-Chairman of the West Virginia Committee on Aging and appointed as delegate to the White House Conference on Aging by Governor Arch A. Moore.
In 1972, Mrs. McQuade’s efforts helped persuade President Richard Nixon to proclaim a National Shut-in Day.

Having served as President of the Vocational Rehabilitation Foundation, Vice-President of the West Virginia Health Systems Agency, appointed to the Nursing Home Licensing Board and having served as Co-chairman for the Bi-Centennial Centenarian Search for the West Virginia Commission on Aging, Mrs. McQuade has dedicated her life to advocating for senior citizens–pprticularly the most elderly.

With not knowing where Ivan is really going to go, Brian and I decided to go ahead and evacuate. The destruction that we saw with both storms were so bad and many around here, including us, feel that we a re not going to be able to dodge the bullet again. So off we go. We are leaving Sunday. I don’t know if you will be able to reach us on our cell phones, but this is where we will be staying. Please only call us IF IT IS AN EMERGENCY!! We will try to call our family when we get there by a calling card. This is the website to where we are staying. http://www.homesteadcabins.com/ Please say a prayer that we will be safe and our house as well. We are leaving our cats behind and everyone who has pets can only imagine how hard that is, but the drive is too long and there is not enough room in the car for them. So please keep us in your prayers about the hurricane!

God Bless!

After hurricane Charley hitting, then Frances, I was sure that the next hurricane to head our way would be named Nancy, since the previous two were named after family members. However, it does not look that way. The next to hit is Ivan. It is already a cat. 4 and is heading right for Tampa. Of course the direction can always change, as it did with Charley, but after seeing the damage that a cat. 1 did here in Tampa, Brian and I are not going to take any chances. If the storm stays on track we are going to go to Georgia with some friends. We are looking today to reserve a cabin up there, out of harms way. It will be in the foothills of the mountains, so hopefully even if it turns and hits the panhandle, we will all be safe.

The damage that Frances left here on Tampa is unbelievable. I just drove by an area that the houses were completely under water (only about 5 minutes down the road). It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen. Brian and I are going to go and take some pics later so I will post them. We are making a hurricane book with pictures and articles. Unfortnally it is starting to get filled. Many people went without power here. Publix, a local grocery store that is about 2 minutes away from us was without power for two days, lost all its food, over a million dollars worth. Power lines are still down in many areas, so laying in water. And the sad thing is, it is still raining! We were lucky though. Only a couple flickers of power and some limbs down around our house. If a major hurricane (cat 3 or more) hits Tampa it will be catastrophic!

P.S. I promise to get some new pics of Kiersten up soon. She got her first haircut the other day. Daddy told them to cut her bangs too short. But they are starting to grow!