We left off with seven kids in 1963. Sometime after Larry was born, Dad took a new job in Michigan, hauling his substantial crew across half the country, settling in Royal Oak Michigan. This might explain the unprecedented two year gap between Larry and Greg. It appears, from the pictures, that Debbie and Jeannie received their first communion at the same church, so that happened in Michigan. 

It’s clear that Mom is pregnant with Greg at Jeannie’s first communion. Greg was the only child born in Royal Oak, Michigan, because after that, Dad took a job that moved the family to Minneapolis, Minnesota. Although, somehow, miraculously, my parents appeared to squeeze in a beach vacation to visit famy while they were living in Michigan. I try to fathom taking eight kids under ten on a vacation from Michigan to New Jersey. I can’t fathom taking eight kids under ten anywhere, much less an ocean where tracking them is nearly impossible. 

I believe that this is the exact moment that poor Dad realizes that he is actually having the twelve kids that Mom always said she wanted. Up until then, he may have held out hope that the kids could stop at any point. He is no longer under that illusion. 

These chaotic beach scenes are a testament to what my parents could accomplish at a young age. It’s the summer of 1965. Mom is 30 and Dad is 32. In the preceding year, they moved their crew from Philadelphia to Detroit, added an eighth child, and managed to squeeze in a vacation to the East Coast before moving again to Minneapolis. I believe that the vacations became more local for many years after this. 

There are a few family stories from this time frame. After having to deal with hip dysplasia with John and Teresa, Mom had to put a special bar and shoes on Larry when he was sleeping. Sharon would climb into his crib and take off one of the shoes so she and Larry could play. Mom worried so much that the heavy bar would swing around and knock Sharon in the head that she stopped putting the bar and shoes on Larry. Most of us think that Sharon’s hard head would have been fine. 

I included a picture of the house in Minneapolis because Mom said that a two story colonial was her dream house at the time. After running from the basement to the top floor several times a day with laundry, Mom changed her mind. Richard was born while they lived in this house. 

This picture also documents a visit from Dad’s parents. I don’t really have any memories of them, as they passed away when I was a baby. 

This picture is Christmas, 1966. Richard is actually born and is a month old, and missing from the picture. It’s hard to believe that Mom gave birth just a month before this picture. 

This picture is later in the day (same clothes for the kiddos), and includes Richard. Even Debbie looks overwhelmed in this shot. In fact, everyone looks a little overwhelmed. Well, except Tom, who is wondering why all these kids are at his house. It is largely accepted that Tom believes he is an only child. 

This may seem like a strange photo to include, but I imagine that this is a new dining room set in 1966. This set survived until Travis and I bought the Lisle house in 2000. Actually, we kept it for a number of years before buying a new set ourselves. This must have been a monumental purchase for a young, growing family, so it was immortalized in a photo. The older kids will have to correct me if the timing is wrong. 

I would like to close with a family photo from the summer of 1967. Mom is already pregnant with Catherine. The kids in age order up to this point: Debbie, Jeannie, John, Tom, Teresa, Sharon, Larry, Greg, and Richard. Catherine isn’t born until Dad moves the family again, to Lisle, Illinois.

Have a great week everyone!