Hollywood Part Two

Hollywood and the four sisters share a very special Grandpa.  We call him the Sheriff on the blog because that was his job during our growing up years.  The Sheriff is Pop's Dad.  He has been in Heaven since 1990 and we all miss him.  He loved us and he made sure we knew it.

Hollywood sent a really sweet note to our family after the marathon.  I cried as I read it.  It includes a moving childhood memory of the Sheriff.  I'm so glad she shared it with us!

"Just want to tell you all how much your love and support meant to me on Sunday! My cousins are such amazing and powerful women that just being around them will give a person power and encouragement. All of you hold a special place in my heart. But I must say I think you got a lot of your best stuff from your mother. Aunt (Grammy), you are one of the most beautifully loving and calming people in my life - - I love just to look at you because when I do . . . I see Jesus in there :) Some big moments in my life (wedding, J's diagnosis, and marathon) have been blessed with your love and I need you to know what it means to me.



When I was 9 years old I wanted to swim in the mile swim and get a plaque at the end of the school year awards ceremony but didn't believe I could do it. Just when I was about to hang up my suit and cry myself back to school, I saw a pair of grey cowboy boots walking along the pools edge and looked up to see a Sheriff's uniform. Grandpa appeared mysteriously from nowhere and proceeded to just "small talk " with me until 24 laps had passed. The PE instructor had to interrupt our conversation to tell me I had just swam one mile. Needless to say the Sheriff went back to work covered with pool water from my crazy excited hug.

I walked into the rest of my life with that love and encouragement that has stuck with me. Through the course of this training, I have secretly wished that at some point in this race I could smell his tobacco (Grandpa smoked a pipe) and hear him yelling "sister" at me. Here's the crazy thing: He did show up but he looked and sounded exactly like my uncle (Pop)   :) What an incredible blessing to have him carry on a family legacy of love and encouragement in such a powerful way.

Much Love and Appreciation -
Hollywood"