Ode to Seth

Before I begin, let me just say that this picture was all from the digital´s that Seth´s family could find of him in a hurry for me. It´s not the best I know. We are on one of the best U.S. beaches in Florida.
It was 20 years ago today, in 1985, on a brisk Fall day. Well, it probably wasn´t all that brisk, really, being in So Cal, but imagine with me. The beautiful Fall leaves were falling, their orange, red, and brown tones painting the streets and sidewalks.
I was only in 1st grade, a fragile 6 years of age when my first nephew was born. I remember vividly being in the hospital with my parents, and my sisters the day he was born. I got to hold Seth Jeffrey Groh and life was never the same. He was, and is, more like a little brother to me than a nephew.
We grew up together in the same house until he was 5. We got to play together and I loved holding him when he was a baby. I try to hug and hold him now but he just won´t have it (as can be seen in the photo). I guess we smothered him with too much affection when he was younger. My sister Mary and I loved to grab him after his bath and run around the house with him in his towel screaming, ¨Papoose! My little papoose!¨. We all loved it. I´m not sure my parents loved it, but we had a lot of fun. He loved anything about dinosaurs, especially calling unpleasant people he met ¨Dinosaur Breath.¨
When he was just a toddler he was sick for a long time with a rare disease called Kawasaki. He was completely healed of it but for awhile our family was hanging on pins and needles to see how he was going to come through. God certainly relieved us and I certainly learned not to take Seth, or anyone, for granted, though I don´t perfectly do that as often as I should.
Although I think I traumatized him by being a mean older ¨sister¨and aunt, he has turned into a fine young man. And although he nearly traumatized me by perfectly lining his toy cars bumper to bumper around the edge of our old long coffee table and screaming, ¨NO! Don´t move one car!¨, we have a good relationship today, for which I thank God, even though he lives in Florida now...Seth, not God, and I guess it doesn´t really matter much now that I´m in Honduras.
Now Seth loves sports...rather, eats, breathes, and sleeps them, and dreams of going pro someday. I am right behind you in that, Seth. He can eat everything in the house if you let him.
Anywho, I digress. I just want to dedicate this blog to my handsome, Godly, gentle, hilarious, caring nephew whom I absolutely love and adore. I have prayed for you much, Seth, over your life and have seen God answer many prayers. Keep working hard and continue to be the great example of an older brother that I know you are. I love you and miss you much!
Portate bien!