Josh and Mimi

OK, I promised to write about my children, so here it is.

You must know I love them like a rock. What I want to do in this post is tell you, not why I love them (they're my kids, I Love Them!) but what I admire about them.

First of all, they couldn't be more different. Josh is super-extroverted, brash, loud, very funny and the center of attention. In the photos I was telling you about a few days ago, every photo of Josh has an expression that says, "about time you took my picture!" In only two, one when he is petting our dear cat, Luke, and one when he's watching Cathy hold one of the twins is his guard down. And he just looks adoring of both cat and baby. Everything he says sounds like "didn't think you knew that!"

Mimi, on quite the other hand, is an introvert like her mother. Soft, kind, also funny and stays out of the center of attention. Mimi in my photos seems to be saying, "why are doing this?" She is so quiet you hardly know she's around and everything she says is like she's sharing a secret. But she's also always had jobs that expose her to the public, so she fakes 'outgoing' very well when she needs to.

Josh, at 42, just made partner in one of the largest law firms in Baltimore. He works in bankruptcy and taxes and his unit kept the firm afloat during the recession when people weren't suing each other but were going bankrupt and wanting tax help. He could go as far in law as he wants but I believe he'd really like to run a comic shop.

Mimi, at 39, is second-in-command at an Architectural Magazine that puts out breathtaking coffee table stuff. She worked at the American Ballet Company as assistant and then head of Development and at Jacob's Pillow in the same role until the trips to Massachusetts and time away from Tim made he come back to Brooklyn full time. She raises money and runs things like I never, ever could. And she has always seemed to enjoy what she does even (or maybe 'because') it calls her to preform. She was an actress in High School--star in "Our Town" after all.

Their mates are remarkable. Cathy Chen, who is from Baltimore and that drew them back from New York City where they met in law school. Cathy was on the last subway that went through the World Trade Center before the events of 9/11! She is a prosecutor for the City of Baltimore and has been short listed as a city judge.

Tim McCarthy works for Linked In. His office is in the Empire State Building, of all places. And he is a talented musician and writer. He wrote a song he sung for Mimi at their wedding. He and Mimi met at Bennington College but weren't a couple until they were both living in Brooklyn. Tim and Mimi go on vacation with us to Oak Island, NC every September. He writes music and takes Linked In calls while we're there.

Josh and Cathy and Mimi and Tim seem to me to adore each other. And they've given Bern and me four granddaughters to die for.

When they were younger--in their teens and twenties--I used to worry they wouldn't be close--Josh and Mimi, I mean. But the granddaughters have made them close. Emma, Morgan and Tegan Bradley can't get enough of baby Eleanor. Josh is in New York on business and always meets with Mimi. They have been with us--the whole crew--last Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter since Cathy's parents don't 'do' Christian holidays and Tim's parents are in Florida--and will be this Thanksgiving as well. Josh and Mimi seem genuinely fond of each other. Being an only child, I can't imagine how that feels but I bet it feels better than any of the options....

They are such remarkable people: Jeremy Johanna and Joshua Dylan. Of course I love them, would if they weren't remarkable at all because they're my children. But being able to 'love them' and admire them and respect them so profoundly...what a gift. What a blessing....

Bern and I pinch ourselves and each other from time to time. We didn't deserve these two. We were devoted but no 'super' parents.

Such a blessing those two. Our gift to the larger world....through no merit of our own....