Willy and Deanna started 2017 in Houston.  Kirk, Melanie and Hudson lived within walking distance.  Willy caught catfish in the Houston Bayous.  A nearby attraction was the Waugh Drive bat colony.  Every night at sunset, a quarter million bats would fly out from under the Waugh bridge, and start their search for food.  Willy started his adventure with the Toastmasters Organization.  Toastmasters has taken Willy from being uncomfortable with public speaking to enjoying it.  While in Houston, Willy and Deanna visited the NASA space center in Houston, and walked the trail in Brazos Bend Park watching the alligators.  Deanna continued to work as a dental hygienist and Willy drove for Uber for a short time.

Colorado

Kirk changed employers and moved to the Denver area.  Willy and Deanna followed a few months after, and moved a couple miles from them.  They all live near Cherry Creek State Park and reservoir, from which Willy brings home an occasional Rainbow Trout.  Deanna works three days in dental hygiene and watches Hudson one day a week.  Willy hikes, bikes, fishes, speaks at Toastmaster clubs.  They have visited several beautiful Colorado parks including Red Rocks Amphitheater, Garden of the god’s.  Willy and Deanna were at Arapahoe Ski Resort for Hudson’s skiing debut.  They have tubes for use in the rivers, and Kirk and Willy have been seen riding standing river waves, as an ocean substitute, on a body board.

Grandbabies

Willy & Deanna are enjoying being grandparents! Our big news is that we have two more grandchildren arriving in the spring! Chad and Jamie are expecting the middle of April.  Kirk and Melanie are due mid May and just found out they are having a girl.

Visitors

Willy and Deanna have enjoyed many visitors in both Houston and the Denver area.  Chad McGhee came from Orlando, and Darin Doty came from Barbados during the Super Bowl in Houston. Larry and Andrea Griffin also came to Houston to cheer on their Atlanta Falcons.  Darwin and Terri Keizer came from Hawaii.  Coy and Jane Bible came from Missouri. John and Kristen Lohr, Larry and Linda Hoekman, and Dana Cummings and his sons came from California.  Rod Hochstetler came from the Congo.

Kirk and Melanie hosted 27 people this year for Thanksgiving. Willy’s mom, both brothers and most of their sons’ families attended the event. Cousin Eli came from Austin. Chad, Jamie and Declan came from the Bahamas. We were so happy to share this holiday reunion with family!  The locals took the family on some excursions to nearby parks. It was a joy to see all the cousins playing together. When the group was touring Golden, Colorado, Kirk briefly jumped into the 36 degree Clear Creek River wearing just his swimsuit! 

Deanna’s brother Lorin rode his Harley from North Carolina, and took Deanna on the back to the top of Pike’s Peak.  Melanie’s parents, Jeff and Jayne Tolan often visit form ss from Hawaii. They came for Hudson’s second Birthday in July, then again in October and for Christmas.

Travels

Willy went to Beverly Hills to meet some of his friends from Cayman, to train with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legends Rigan Machado and Eddie Bravo.  Dave Williams, one of his co-workers from California met him in Hollywood.

Willy and Deanna went to Austin and San Antonio for the first time.  They visited with Eli in Austin,Texas.  Brother Garry’s extended family and Willy’s mom met Willy and Deanna in San Antonio.  They all went to the Alamo, and enjoyed the river walk.

In March Willy and Deanna went to Orlando to meet Chad, Jamie, and Declan, where the McGhees hosted a birthday celebration weekend for Declan’s first birthday.  They also met with many friends from the Caribbean that now reside in Orlando.  Deanna also saw her Aunt Evie, cousin Creston and his wife Renee.

Deanna flew back to Texas from Colorado in July to be with family when her cousin Howard Swaim’s wife Lizzie passed away.  She was able to reconnect with many of her cousins and enjoyed spending time with them.

Jiu-Jitsu

Willy continues to teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu private classes, and seminars.  He continues to practice and learn at many great schools. This year he had the privilege of training with Rigan Machado, Eddie Bravo, Cindy Omatsu, Erik Paulson, Jeff Messina, Ronnie Hughes, Robert Arevalo, Nobuo Yagai, Michael Baird, Shawn Portela, Tony Debelak, and many others.

End