Hello From Old Mexico, February 27, 2016

We are all motivated, far more than we care to admit,

by characteristics inherited from our ancestors,

which individual experiences of childhood cannot erase.

~Agnes E. Meyer

Greetings to all of you from the West Coast of Mexico where Cindy and I are cruising with our mothers, Paula Hicks Harris and Maida Gower Shepard. Paula and Maida, Cindy and I are all enjoying ourselves as we take in the sites of our various ports of call. Today we are in the city of Puerto Vallarta, a beautiful bustling town full of lovely beaches, enjoyable restaurants and endless shops. It is our first stop on this four stop journey.

It is a joy to spend nearly two weeks traveling with the two people who are together the most experience filled individuals in our entire extended family. Paula and Maida represent 184 years of family life. These two women, who have known each other for over 50 years, have had life journeys that are remarkably similar. Both of them spent most of their growing up years in Oklahoma, they both married Navy men (both of whom are gone now) in 1945, during the closing period of World War II, and they both settled in San Diego as young adults, where they raised their children. Both of them, by the way, have had a long time affiliation with the Church of Christ, including many years each at the El Cajon Boulevard Church in San Diego. And, most importantly, they had children who married each other, namely Cindy and me.

The first picture, taken here on the ship just a few days ago, shows Paula and Maida as we were on our way to dinner on our formal night.

Birthday Wishes to Darrell. Happy Birthday to my brother Darrell Shepard, the fourth of the six children born to our parents Eugene and Maida Shepard. Darrell and his wife Mary live in Bothell, Washington, not far from where their 3 children live, Christopher, Rachel and Patrick. They are the proud grandparents of 4 grandkids: Logan and Mason, Kellan, and Findley.

Darrell, like all his siblings, was born and raised in San Diego, where he graduated from Kearny High School. He then went on to Abilene Christian University where he graduated and met his wife-to-be Mary Medina. He and Mary have lived in the Northwest now for over 30 years.

This second picture shows grandpa Darrell with young Mason, son of Patrick and Nicole Shepard of Bothell, Washington. This is one of Darrell's favorite family pictures and was taken last fall. Happy Birthday to Darrell!
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Steve Shepard