20 THE COURIER SUN • MAY 16, 2013 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com victoria’s secrets VICTORIA SCHNEPS [email protected] Blake, surrounded by his sister, Morgan, and little cousins Jonah, Hudson and Addison come in for our WINTER specials DYNAMIC DENTAL WORK 718-297-4100 • 718-297-4106 175-15 JAMAICA AVENUE • JAMAICA $500 OFF $500 OFF Blake, my hero This past weekend was a “challenging” one for me, celebrating Mother’s Day without Stu. But my family came to the rescue again. Of course, we all love our grandchildren and shower them with affection, so on Saturday I visited Stu’s daughter Mimi and her boys in Manhattan. My daughter Elizabeth and the kids, Jonah and Addison, drove with me through the rainstorm to a wonderful lunch of Pio Pio chicken. They have several outlets in Queens, but I went to Manhattan to sample their famous dishes. The kids loved it, too, but what I loved most was visiting with Mimi and her boys and her wonderful in-laws from Michigan who keep an apartment in the city. It was an afternoon of great conversation and catching up with 14-year-old Ben. He had just returned from California, where he was chosen to represent his school on the debate team at a national competition. He did so well! Then his older brother Zac gave me an update on his lacrosse team that almost won the intercollegiate championship! His team lost by only one point. Next year, Ben will join the varsity team, too. Hopefully I will get to see them both play together! To me they are champions already. Then there is my “Sam the man,” who just finished his freshman year at Tufts. He had gone with a group of his classmates to the Hamptons for the weekend, so I missed him. He’s my go-to guy with for my tech needs, and patiently taught me to use my iPad. Most of all I love his caring heart. On Mother’s Day, he called to say hello. I was so happy to hear from him! So why is Blake my hero? On Mother’s Day, all my children came to have brunch with me. We came home and the little ones were playing in the backyard watering the flowers. Well, I guess Jonah thought Blake was a flower, since he turned the hose on his seven-year-old cousin. Blake was so surprised that he became hysterical. I rushed out and asked Blake, who was all wet, if he wanted to go in the pool with me and his cousins. Guess what! The tears ended. The kids all ran inside where I keep bathing suits for them and within minutes, we were in my endless pool. It is perfect for them because it’s only three feet deep. As I was rushing into the pool, I was going to take off my diamond earrings, but I forgot. Well, while I was swimming I realized I was missing one. I started feeling the bottom of the pool with my feet to see if I could find the earring. Soon enough, I found one part and brought it up between my toes, but the diamond hoop was still missing. By this time Jonah and Blake’s sister, Morgan, were out of the pool and it was me and Blake. I kept feeling the bottom of the pool to see if I could find my earring because it was too small to see. I thought I felt it and Blake dove down. He missed three times, but on the fourth, he came up with a huge smile and in his hand was my precious earring. But it is Blake who is precious. I yelled, “My hero, my hero” as he came up. We hadn’t given up and we did it! Yes, Blake is my hero. And I’m so proud of all my grandchildren, but my true heroes are my children who are bringing up such happy, healthy, secure, intelligent, engaged kids. They are my legacy, as Stu’s four children and 11 grandchildren are his. And how special they all are. Seven-year-old Blake with cousins Hudson and Addison Samantha, with Hudson, Addison and Morgan Addison loves playtime outside Josh and Tracey with our newest addition, Hudson
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