~ My Son, A Blessing of Love ~

Emery, my blessed son, you came into this world surrounded by deep love & joy. Our first child, a son. Oh, were we ecstatic … dancing on clouds & thankful for our little bundle from Heaven.

You were so precious, sweet & tender … your teeny fingers grasped my hand … my heart leaped bounds from your gentle touch. A son, MY son! … forever to love & hold close to my heart. Sweet love filled me beyond words … a tear spilled, I was so blessed.

You carry on lineage names after your great-grandfather & grandfather & father.

Your Father was in Alaska with the USN. He was so overjoyed when he got the phone call. His excitement was beyond description, it would melt your heart.

Six weeks later your Father arrived in the wee hours of the morning from Alaska, being transferred once again. As your Father came thru that front door in the wee morn at Mother’s, I stirred, to his gentle kiss. Then your Father bent on his knees in front of the rocking cradle you were safely nestled in, gently touching you with a sweet caress on your cheek … ‘my son’, he said emotionally. Such pride there was in his moment of Fatherhood.

Over the years you accomplished & challenged much, meandered in & out of growing thru the years. You were one heck of a short stop & won the All Star in baseball. Your interests in science were intriguing. Remember making all those plaster mountains & blowing them up with your salt petre compounds? Musically you did well in all the instruments you played but never wanted to be a ‘rock star’. I’ll never forget the first time on Sunday morn I came up & saw you in your pj’s reading the Sunday newspaper … I said, ‘what are you doing?, Emery’. You looked up as if I was in a fog & replied, ‘reading the paper’.

When given the option of working, college or USN … off you went, another new stepping stone into the world with the USN. I remember at boot camp graduation how we scoured the crowds to find you & as I tapped on this guys shoulder I said, ‘do you know Emery Ford?’ Looking straight into my eyes ‘it’s me, Mom’. WOW! No massive bushy curly hair (head shaved), no stylish glasses (bold big black rims) … I didn’t even recognize you. I drank in the ‘new’ you. My son, a sailor, just like his Father. This was one emotional day for your Father & I.

You certainly gave the USN a good run … graduating in the top of your schooling at DLI (Defense Language Institute) & the other schools you attended. But who would have EVER thought you’d go into languages, particularly Korean. You seemed to enjoy your Korean tour.

When you got out of the USN, we offered college to you over another 5 or 6 years … but you enjoyed your jobs & travels instead. Finally, you were given one last offer for college as your Father was changing finances for retirement. You stood firm ‘no’. So Dad changed his paperwork.

Two weeks later we had a surprise phone call from you … remember this? ‘Hello’. ‘Hi, Mom’. (Amenities here) So what’s up, Emery?, I asked. He replied, ‘I quit my job’. ‘YOU DID WHAT!!’, I said. ‘I’m going to college’, he shared. Whoa, Nelly!! Well, we got things all settled, you went to college.

Languages & foreign history were your majors with lots of little minors. You LIKED college so well that our next phrase became ‘Emery, when are you ever going to graduate as Dad wants to retire one day (joke, chuckle!)’. Well, after nearly 8 years you finally decided to graduate with several degrees. Graduation day we celebrated with deep pride.

You met a wonderful woman in college, our beloved Cathelene (french pronunciation please) & they dated for a couple of years. Bless this wonderful lady … they got married a couple years later, a union of great joy to become part of our lives. We are soooo very blessed with her presence in our family.

Cathelene is from Haiti. She is an Electronics Engineer. Cat has brought us great joy & pride … she has given Emery great love as a wife, partner & mother … presenting him with two beautiful children, Ansel Emery & Tatiana Isabelle.

And look at you now, son … running marathons, doing well in your job & one excellent Father & husband. It is with great pride, emotion & deep love that you are such a blessing & super son. God was good when he chose you for us … we are in deep gratitude.

July 12th ~ Happy Anniversary Emery & Cathelene
July 19th ~ Happy birthday, son
July 28th ~ Happy birthday, Cathelene
Thank you for all the wonderful joy & blessings you both give us every single days of our lives. We love you all very deeply.

Photos ~ Mother Naomi, Harold, Emery (3 generations ~ the day your Father met you)
Photos ~ Emery ae 3
Photos ~ Emery ae 18