These are the sweet faces of Rich and Rosie Solar. The summer before my Senior year in high school, my Mom got a job offer in Green Bay, WI. She asked if I wanted to relocate with her but I really wanted to finish out high school with my friends. My Mom put the house on the market and I began looking for a place to stay. I was able to stay home for a few months while the house was waiting to sell, (I know Mom, if I would've kept it clean, it would've sold faster and for more money :)
When the house finally sold, one of my best friends Lori convinced these beautiful people (her parents) to let me come live with them until I graduated. They welcomed me with open arms. Mom sent them some money every month to help with my expenses but they never treated me like a boarder. The treated me like part of the family. I was sharing with Leanna last night about how Rosie would make halupki (kinda like a cabbage roll) and I didn't like cabbage, so I would always unroll the cabbage and eat the meat out of the middle. I am happy to report that my tastes have grown up with me and my halupki had cabbage with it last night :)
I have so many fond memories of my time with this family. If I remember correctly, they had five kids but I only grew close to the sisters. Lori graciously shared Bonnie and Cathy with me and they became like the big sisters that I never had. They were full of fun, adventure, and advice. I remember sitting around the kitchen table playing cards. I remember what a celebration Easter was. I remember going to the Catholic church with them...even though I wasn't really feeling God at the time, seeds were planted. I remember Rich and Rosie's deep love for one another. How they laughed together all of the time. I remember helping Rich when he coached Matt's (Cathy's son) little league baseball team. More than anything, I remember an overwhelming sense of feeling like I belonged.
These beautiful faces didn't have to love me the way that they did but their love had an impact on me that stays with me to this day. They poured into me...and they made me clean my room. When I left their house after graduation, I was an angry teenager who was mad at the world. I never took the time to let them know how much I had appreciated them. It is a regret that I lived with for a lot of years. We lost Rich last year to Leukemia. When I got the news, I was heartbroken for this family. I was blessed to be in town to pay my respects to the family. We had grown apart over the years but when I showed up at the visitation, Rosie said, "There's my Holly". It took me right back to all of those years ago.
Thank you Rich and Rosie for loving me..and teaching me how to shine His kind of light into the world.
