Category Archives: family

Jan9

a series of choices.

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i recently wrote a post about

my dear friend and author, breeda kelly miller

who researched, wrote a play, performed, and presented

her family’s heritage story:

https://ididnthavemyglasseson.com/?s=kelly

she continues to perform the play on stage

had the play aired on pbs,

and presents her story all over the world.

above is the companion book she has written 

which includes more details, background, quotes, photos, and inside jokes

fully rounding out her family’s tale. 

this book was a lovely read

 it was a pleasure to follow along with the story

of the kelly family’s journey

from ireland to canada, and ultimately, the united states

their tale is told through the eyes of a daughter

with stories from the generations before her

sharing the true life eccentric characters and situations 

that carried all of them through life.

it’s a story of love, humor, grace, loss, and acceptance

the photographs make it easy to imagine the people she writes about 

their brave and challenging moments

along with their glories

as they made the best of situations presented to them

gained personal strength, learned as they went

finally finding their place in the world 

a place they came to call home. 

This book takes you through the ebbs and flows of their lives

while sometimes just treading water

but they make it through and inspire us to do the same.

What a beautiful legacy gift Breeda Kelly Miller has created for her family

and for all families

who can all imagine bits of themselves and their own stories in this book. 

every person, every family, every place, every choice, has a story.

looking back and learning about our past

how we came to be who we are, where we came from, bringing us to where we are now

helps us to understand and make sense of our lives.

I hope that you enjoy the Kelly family’s journey as much as I did. 

Sláinte! 

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“life, like a poem, is a series of choices.”

Dame Maggie Smith

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Mrs. Kelly’s Journey Home is now available for sale at the two sites listed below:

https://breedamiller.com/products/mkjh-book/

https://www.amazon.com/Mrs-Kellys-Journey-Home-American/dp/1956465235

 

Oct11

goodbye, ethel.

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“Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother, age 96, widow of *Robert F. Kennedy, leaves behind nine surviving children, (2 others preceded her in death), 34 grandchildren and 24 great-great grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly,” the family statement said.
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‘if you see something wrong, if you speak out…you can change it.’
-ethel kennedy
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*Robert Francis Kennedy, also known as RFK, was married to Ethel Kennedy, and was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the U.S. Attorney General  from 1961-1964, and as a U.S. senator from New York from January 1965 until his assassination in 1968, when he was running for the Democratic presidential nomination.
Oct5

pete the cat.

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pete’s glam shot

—

  and just like that 

in steps pete the cat

(i named him after my fav politician/good human, pete b.)

born memorial day weekend

found in the trunk of an old car in a barn

by faerie tales cat rescue

how could i not support a group with this name

how could i not choose this sweet guy to join our family

 pete is a little shy right now and stepping out tiptoe-style

 soon he’ll be prancing around

singing his song

in his white shoes

playing and bonding with olive.

both sweet and gentle cats

pete’s foster mom

said his hobbies are

watching tv, eating treats, and playing with feather toys

and

is the most affectionate cat she’s ever met

very similar to olive’s demeanor and minimalist athletic style

i see them as ‘soon to become best friends/siblings.’

—

“no matter what you step in, keep walking along and singing your song… because its all good.”

-pete the cat

credits: pete the cat and his white shoes: eric litwin, james dean, harper collins publishing

 

Aug5

to look forward and not back, to look out and not in, and to lend a hand. -edward e. hale

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wi,

this past weekend i took part in a ‘shop with a cop’ event

sponsored by

mott children’s hospital,

the  county sheriff department, local police departments, state troopers,

u.s. marines, and the university of michigan police department

everyone volunteered their time

to take underserved children and their families

 back to school shopping at a local meijer store.

it was beautifully organized

we all met in the morning at the stadium

set up food, games, drinks, tables

met our law enforcement partners for the day

families arrived

we shared a meal with our family and created our shopping team

loaded up on university busses

accompanied by motorcycle cops with lights flashing

the kids were really excited.

when we arrived

we descended upon the store

 masses of uniformed officers and children

must have caused some shoppers to wonder

but everyone got right to work

helping the kids find the things on their lists

along with lots of  extras

at checkout everything was covered

headed back to the stadium

for kona ice, more food, build-a-bear projects, face-painting

checking out the team locker room and playing on the field

by the end of the day

we had shared our stories with each other

learned so much

everyone had bonded

no matter their age, rank, or status.

people were tired and smiling

as they walked out the door

ready for school

headed for home

happy to know

people in the community support them

as a volunteer

this day

was also a gift to me from my community.

“there isn’t anyone you couldn’t love once you’ve heard their story.”

-mary lou kownacki

 

 

 

 

Jul23

ten years after.

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ten years have passed

since the moment

when my entire 6-pack of grandies

at last

all on the same continent

 met for the very first time

in a large box on my front lawn

as long as i live

i will never forget that moment.

‘cousins are the barometers of how fun a family get-together will be.’

 – jm gaffigan

Jul3

invincibly young.

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‘lots of good, cheap food, and dozens of beers’

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celebrating four family birthdays

 12 to 73 years old

at casey’s tavern

neighborhood favorite

 historic building

once a lumberyard

casual, relaxed, friendly

nothing fancy

eclectic menu

we were happy, loud, full, laughing

a win for the day and a win for the birthdays.

—

‘nothing is inherently and invincibly young except spirit.’

*george santayana

 

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*Jorge Agustín Nicolás Ruiz de Santayana y Borrás, known in English as Geroge Santayana, (1863 – 1952), was a Spanish-American philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist.

 

May16

unleash your kindness.

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author, brad meltzer, class of ’92, gives the commencement speech at his son’s graduation

 

“My son hadn’t had a proper graduation since middle school. Here’s my commencement address at the University of Michigan, written for him & Class of 2024, “

And here is the last line: “The world needs more empathy, more humility, and certainly more decency. If you really want to shock the world, unleash your kindness.” – Brad Meltzer

 

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*Brad Meltzer is an American novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator, and comic book author. His novels touch on the political thriller, legal thriller and conspiracy fiction genres, while he has also written superhero fiction for DC Comics and a series of short biographies of prominent people for young readers.

 

 

 

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source credit: Alumni Association of the University of Michigan

May13

‘to love beauty is to see light.’- victor hugo

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a couple of grandsons and i

drove to the highest point in the city

snuck onto a golf course

at dusk

on a quest to see the aurora

under a crescent moon

star- sprinkled sky

we waited,

and waited,

and waited

and waited

my photo-wise grandie

set up a long exposure shot

 his camera captured the beauty

better than our eyes could

how lucky and lovely 

and

we did not get arrested for trespassing.

—

‘hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
-desmond tutu

 

Apr25

strong like mama.

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love his parents for this. 

 

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“strong moms raise strong children who can change the world.”

– Malala Yousafzai, Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech (2014)

Mar23

we are made from stories.

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a lovely break

spent with my sister, my aunt, and her 20 spiritual sisters

each incredibly accomplished

making the world better

in her own  way

going from place to place

person to person

greeted warmly

welcomed in

with each interaction

we learned more about my aunt, the sister

her own stories, her own accomplishments

how she began on this path, became one of them, learned from them, grew to lead them,

now traveling with them into the next stage of their lives

putting together the people and places in her life

that have meant, and continue to mean

so much to her

she has been happy and much loved

on our last night they all sang to us

after a shared meal

gifting us with a blessing and best wishes.

—

“listen, and you will realize that we are made not from cells or from atoms. we are made from stories.”

*-mia couto

*António Emílio Leite Couto, better known as Mia Couto, is a Mozambican writer. He won the Camões Prize in 2013, the most important literary award in the Portuguese language, and the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2014.

 

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image credit: from crayon