a tribute to the koemans....

i have never known a day in my life that have not included memories of the koeman family. for almost 45 years, dan & gloria have been my parents best friends. so,in return,their children (shanda,tricia,kevin & ryan) have grown up together. in some ways,they've been like siblings to us. (only,less fighting)
we have spent numerous holidays together.
we've vacationed in exotic places (ok, so lake arbutus wasn't exotic, however, it had SAND).
we've had homemade taffy making nights (SO COOL!!).
spent hours churning butter(ya, we were children of the 70's. our parents did random things like that!).
we've played more games of 'little merlie','school' and Parcheesi than i could even begin to count!
we have sight seen Alaska together.
water skied.
snow skied.
picnicked in the back of my dad's TOMs truck (remember the HUGE rainstorm that came out of NOWHERE!??!!).
eaten boat loads of pork rinds and stale candy from my dad's vending machine.
we've boated.
shopped.
have had unbelievable Frisbee throwing contests(i won).remember the prize?? a double decker mint choc. chip ice-cream cone!! :)
stayed in mouse-infested cottages.
lodged in really nice condos (LOVE WHISTLER!!.
slept in tents.
have even gone to camp (t-pee and ranch camp)together.
we have sat for HOURS with loaves of homemade bread and Gloria's freshly made soup around their table.
we have dieted and heard our mothers over-analyze their bodies for years :).
we have hiked,ridden bikes and snowmobiles together.
our children really like each other.(even though we live 1000's of miles apart,they still thing they're "cool").
we've cried together on the front lawn of our house in graafschap when our family moved to washington.
we've written letters(way back when...remember the days of 'snail mail'?),
sent many-a email,
wrote on each others blogs.
we have sent christmas cards to each other almost every year since 1985.
we secretly wept when they changed out the orange carpet and brown flowered wallpaper,however,were outwardly excited for the new decor(it's Gorgeous Glor & mom).
we have attended each others weddings.
cried at funerals together.
we love each others spouses. i mean it, really love them!
the koemans were there to visit our grandparents when we couldn't. when they passed on into Glory, i think the koemans felt like they had lost one of their own(thank you for loving them!).
we have laughed together and have shed many tears.
the den bleyker and koeman '8' have memories together that others will never know of. irreplacable, wonderful, too many, too good to count.
to the koemans, having your family in my life, has been an incredible joy!! looking forward to 50 more years!
love and miss you guys!!