family > today is the last day of a lifetime

... my lifetime that is.  Both of my parents officially will be retired by the end of the day.  It's kind of crazy if you ask me.  I couldn't be more proud of them for making it this far.

My dad has been in the generator fixing business (sorry I don't have a better term) for as long as I can remember. When I was young, my dad used to travel around the world fixing generators - mostly for third world countries. I vividly remember the phone calls at night before bed.  We would stop what we were doing just to get our hello's in.  A long waited "HI DAD!.....(6 extremely long seconds)....HI LOUIE!"  I'm sure you can talk to folks in Asia pretty easily these days on Skype with little delay... Unfortunately we didn't get to have him around as much as we would have liked, but for weeks to months at a time while my dad was away - he was doing it for us.  He got to see some pretty amazing things in his lifetime I'm sure.  More than I probably will ever see.  His job took him places that you only see on the news or read about in books or magazines.  He never really talked much about it (maybe because we were so young - or that at that time, we only hoped for a present on return..).  In the short time he was home, he would always manage to fix everything needing fixing.  From broken necklace chains, to appliances, to cars.  He got it done sometimes in only a short weekend.  Once we were older in high school my dad switched positions to travel really only here in the U.S. for basically a week at a time.  That changed the home dynamics quite a bit.  But in the end, we got to have him around that much more.  I'm proud of my dad for doing it this long.  He never gave up in the times when he didn't know if his job would be removed due to lay offs - or just simply because he was sick of it.  He kept with it teaching my brother and I a ton about work ethic.  I thank you for that.  And in the end, I think you are a pretty amazing man for doing the things you have done in your lifetime.  To me - you are the greatest at what you have done and accomplished in your career.  Thanks for all your hard work dad.

My mom.  My mom has worked in the SAME BUILDING since she was 18 years old.  I cannot even imagine.  To me, this is the end of an era.  I remember the days she worked for the lawfirm, Foley&Lardner.  We'd make that phone call the minute we got home from school, dialing her extension to let her know we made it.  That extension still engrained in all of our brains.  As years went on there were some ups and downs.  The ups mainly were the years she was able to take the summer off.  Those were the best summers.  The downs were when she couldn't of course.  When high school came around and eventually college - my mom swallowed her pride picking up a second job to pay for our college.  I think about it now and I just can't imagine how you did it.  You worked those days leaving the house at 7am, not coming home until after 10pm.  That was the most selfless thing anyone has ever done for me I have to say.  It wasn't once or twice, but years you did it.  Thank you for that - I am forever grateful.  Oh, and even with those hours - you managed to still wake up at 4:30 every morning to make our dinners plus lunches.  We always had a home cooked meal on the table every night - Somehow you did it. You are a Wonder Woman of sorts ;) ...Working with some of the attorneys brought her a connection with MLB.  She would tell us at the dinner table some of the famous ball players she got to talk to on the phone.  Soon following, she landed a job working under the Commissioner of Major League Baseball (yes in the same building).  This was her dream job. Everyday was Baseball.  For over a decade now my mom has been with MLB.  She was able to take us yearly to the All Star Games and all the VIP festivities that went along with it.  Pretty cool if you ask me - something that gave us all a little to brag about ;)  So it goes without saying that you too taught Tommy and I a little something about great work ethic. You were the hardest worker I knew.  And somehow you were able to make it to ALL of our happenings - EVERY tennis match, EVERY award ceremony, EVERY production, EVERY anything of importance to our academic and/or athletic achievements.  You made it.  How? I do not know.  So yes, today is your last day.  Not only is it probably the best day ever for you :) But it's kind of a sad moment to me.  The end of an era of work yes, but the end to the work phone call era :( From the days we would dial that extension, to the calls I make now from my own family home.  Since you Never have had a cell phone, it was my only way to reach you.  I will forever remember the thousands of holds you have put me on, the tears you have let me unleash on you, the laughs we have had, and the 'I'm just checking in' phone calls... all to/from your work.  We can say that we pretty much talk everyday during the week.  Yes, I apologize for the 3rd call of the day (normally that was a necessity).  So yeah, I'm totally happy for you, but sad that those phone calls will end. I'm sure they will only get better now without disruption (although, we still have dad and lucy in the background for a distraction). I just hope you don't run out of time living the retired life and forget to call me...

I thank you both from the bottom of my heart for making me into the person I am today.  Your work has made a huge impact my life.  Your time off work being some of the most special moments.  You made a mark in your fields whether you know it or not - and you made a huge mark in my life.  I hope these days of not working will only bring to you both new opportunities and longer vacations!  You have been waiting for this day forever.  Enjoy every minute! and mom, don't forget to call.....

Cheers to both of you - I Love You! ....as Lucy would say in times of celebration, "YA-HOOOOO"!!!!!!!