The start

In the beginning... (are you waiting for thunder claps and lightening? wow that would be one seriously cool effect.. but alas this is a blog, so its not gonna happen... too bad huh?) Ok.. in the beginning, well the start goes back further, but let's start with what was the beginning (in 10 years to come) of me. We will start with Walter Erich Claassen, Jr. and Elizabeth Rita Wawryk (Claassen). My mom and dad were the most unheard of couple ever, they loved each other... not just loved but were in love. They are what I think what every married couple should be. I don't remember ever seeing my parents fight til in the late 70s and nowadays that is rather unheard of, I know for a fact my kids have seen me fight with my ex husband and my current husband. Mom and Dad were neighbors in New York, growing up across the street from each other, they knew each other, but didn't have a spark lit, until Nana helped out (God Bless Nana.. .She was one of a kind. She could talk to you for five minutes and know your life story... I guess I inherited my gift of gab from my Nana, well that and my love of phones. Mom's date to the dance had canceled, and Nana well, being Nana. Opened the door and yelled across to "Walter" (gosh I type that and boy I can hear her voice), she asked him if he would take my mom to the dance. (I think of this and think of Stephanie my 16 year old who would be MORTIFIED if I did this, but I guess back in the 1950's it was ok). So, dad agreed to take mom (obviously), and the rest as they say is history... (we are ignoring the fact that on the first date, he asked another woman to be his girlfriend.. her name was Patricia.. ironic huh?.. but apparently dad figured out he had the better woman). Mom and dad started dating and then they courted through my dad going to West Point. They were married June 10, 1961 and lived a wonderful life together, until dad passed away too early and way too young on July 26, 1999. How I hated seeing my mother lose my father, how i hated losing my father. But to watch her as she stood watch at his casket during his wake, she wouldn't leave his side. She stood by him as she had for so many years in life, she stood by his body for his last few days before we buried him with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetary. The love of her life was gone, and now she waits each day, praying for it to be over as she waits for the time they will once again meet again. The only thing that holds her up is her family, and knowing that someday, hopefully far from now, she will return to my father's arms.