As indicated previously, this series is dedicated to “The Women I Love;” my wife Georgia and our three daughters Michelle, Lori and Amber.
This post will focus on our youngest daughter and third born, Amber.
Amber was our second “Jock” in the family and started playing as a youngster just like her older sister, Lori. As an adult, she played in a mixed adult league with her husband, Scott and has coached youth soccer teams in the past. She is currently coaching Megan’s soccer team and reports indicate they are doing well. Amber has always had a gift for gab. That’s why I started calling her “Jabber Jaws” many years ago.
Here she is being given her first bath and eight months later having fun in the bathtub by herself. I had to put the last bath photo in because it reminds me of the nightly ritual of trying to get them out of the tub. Georgia would give-up and ask me to get them out. Of course they begged to stay. I found a solution though, the bathroom was on the inside of the house and had no windows. I would simply go in, turn off the lights, then close the door. I would let them scream a bit, it was a game we played, then open the door and lift them out. I miss those days.
Kids sure do grow up fast. Here is amber when she was a year old.
When the kids were little, we bought them the Green Machine in the first photo below. That was one of the best toys we ever got. They just loved it, as did all the other kids on the block. Amber wasn’t big enough to reach the peddles yet, but she was happy to sit in the seat and pretend. Of course, she got to go on pony rides just like her big sisters.
This is Amber taking her first steps. If you look behind her you will see my Mom’s suitcases, as she arrived a short time earlier for a visit. Amber was the youngest of three and we just couldn’t get her to walk. Probably because when she put her arms up any available person would pick her up and carry her. Well, my mom was drinking wine and Amber was begging for sips, which she got. Not sure how many she had, but all of a sudden she started walking and walking and walking. As you can see, she also liked to dance.
Like any little kid, Amber loved her annual visit to see Santa Clause. I think this is where she started mastering her persuasive skills, which led to me calling her Jabber Jaws.
As I said earlier, Amber started playing soccer as soon as she could. She was also good at cheering on her sister Lori, at her games.
Amber loved her bicycle and tore down the street when we took her training wheels off.
Here she is at ages 5, 7, 9 and 12. My littlest girl is growing up fast.
Now she is fifteen. Oh no, pretty soon she will be driving and going out with boys.
Just like her bigger sister, Amber was a terror on the soccer field. We also discovered she was a pretty good swimmer too. She is clearly first off the blocks in this photo.
This is Amber’s Senior Picture, followed by a photo taken when she graduated from UC Davis. Her boyfriend, Scott, and friend Jenny are standing with her.
Amber and Scott returned to visit their favorite Mexican restaurant in Davis, about a year later. It was becoming pretty clear that he was the one for her.
Well it looks like Scott pulled it off and was able to get the girl of his dreams, and visa versa.
As the story goes, he admired her from afar when she was dating her previous boyfriend at Davis. When Amber broke it off, Scott moved in.
This very joyous event was planned and executed in a matter of weeks by Amber and Georgia. They had to make it fit into a short period of leave Scott had with the Air Force.
Here are some miscellaneous shots of Amber, Scott and their kids captured over a few years. The one with her mother, Georgia, was taken during a visit to London while Scott was stationed in Germany.
The photos below, were taken at the Okefenokee swamp, during a vacation visit last year.
As it turned out, Amber was able to visit us in Redding while Scott attended an Air Force event in Vegas. Here she is in the Atlanta airport, while Scott is off with the kids trying to burn off a little excess energy in hopes that they will sleep on the airplane.
So this is my last installment of “The Women I Love.” Putting it together brought back so many wonderful memories.
As I have said, when people ask me what my greatest accomplishment is, or what I am most proud of, the answer is always the same – - – My Family. I love them all so much.
Georgia and all My Girls, you have truly made my life complete.
