Lee Note 76 Diane Keating July 5, 2001

Hi

I have enjoyed hearing from everyone and have started several times to write a note, but this Latin thing really has me this time. I thought Latin was fun most of the first year, but mostly because I could memorize easily and did just that. I did not take the final steps to impress this to memory. As the time went on and we had to USE all that previous knowledge, things got worse. (Remember the groove in the record--it did not take.)

Mr. Childress was a character for sure. He really wanted everyone to be in the Latin Club and get all dressed in togas for parties and so forth. Remember his word he invented, "Xenoglatophobia"? I think I spelled it right. That meant the fear of the study of foreign language and he was very proud to be educating all of us. Well, I made it through the first year without too much damage.

When the second year came, it was constant challenge. I remember lots of study and never feeling like I was going to make it. Sue Ann Wilkie was really good and a good friend and she helped me study lots of times. I forgot to worry about good grades at that point. It was an achievement to just get through.

However, I will say that I did use the knowledge through vocabulary and lots of classes when in college. I got my Masters' in English and it was a help in retrospect. Also, I insisted that all three of my children take Latin in high school. None of them liked it and none of them have forgiven me, but they made it through college, too. Amazing the roads we have been down.

I think the thing that ties us to this is that like it or not, it is our history. We are bonded much like a family. In reality, many of us know each other as well or better than we may know some of our own cousins. We have chosen different paths, but we all understand how others might be on their own path.

Our biggest news this year has been twins. Son Reed and his wife Karen live in Seabrook and they have two new little girls as of March 14--Gabrielle Leigh and Julia Ann Woodcox. They are such little dolls. They joined Mikayla-5- and Caleb -3- to double their family. News coming up is another baby due. Son Joseph and wife Kristen are expecting a baby boy in July, but she is having problems and it may be here sooner than we thought. We hope for a safe delivery at St. Luke's in Houston near where they live. Our daughter and son in law live in Grapevine, near Dallas. They have our other two grandchildren, Grace-4- and Claire-2. We went from 4 grandchildren last year to a prospective total of 7 in 2001.

Larry and I are involved in real estate in Baytown now. That keeps us busy, but allows for lots of long weekends for travel. We are also very involved in Westminster Presbyterian Church. My parents are both in excellent health and still going strong. My dad still has a business and works daily and we feel blessed to have them and our extended family as well. Look forward to seeing everyone. Keep more tales coming.

Diane Keating Woodcox