Firstborn Center of Attention

Just like her mother before her, firstborn Charis is the center of attention.  Her first laugh, first solid food, first steps, first words — each of these will be remembered likely more than those of any future siblings.

This month, her fourth, her first laugh and first Easter egg found (with mom's help) were events recorded in her history. 

Easter Sunday fell on April Fool's Day this year.  Thirteen adults squeezed in around Susan's dining table for the Easter dinner.

Thirty-six eggs were quickly hidden (indoors this year), and all were eventually found.

As patriarch, I find the hiding much more satisfying than the seeking.  But my memory can't quite recall all the hiding places.

A few days later, Jean, Annie, Thomas, and Charis visited with Nathanael and Cynthia in Renton.  The videos of Charis' first laughter, watching first Jean and then Nathanael juggle, was judged priceless by all.  Click on these two images (left) to view the big video files.

On the 13th, I had an evening with Charis.  Thomas had his "boys night online" and Annie had intended to go to Taproot Theatre with my tickets, but that was pre-empted by a needy friend.

Charis ate and cried and finally napped until Annie got home.  This photo (right) shows us that she likes her fox friend Douglas.  She sure likes mommy more than grandpa.  But grandpa recognizes her great potential.

Diana, Jean's Princess

Nineteen-year-old Diana was Jeannie Beth's cat.  She picked her out from the litter the week before our family took our big 1999 vacation to the La Jolla De Mismaloya resort in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  Nathanael chose Diana's brother who he named "Brother."  And Annie picked out shelter cat Ginger.  We had moved from being the family who had earlier taken in multiple strays, to having three legally licensed new family members.

The words that best describe Diana are gentle, sweet, and beautiful.  Yet she was easily the most efficient and successful hunter of all our cats.  Diana seemed to know that Jean was her mistress.  While, in time, she became wary of me, and managed to scurry out of my way, she stayed
close to Jean and begged her meals from Jean. 
We will all miss Diana.

It was clear by mid-month that this would be Diana's last.  Nancy and I nursed her as best we could, but she passed on at 9:40PM on Tuesday, April 17.  Nancy was petting her, then holding her on the kitchen floor when she breathed her last.  Another Princess Diana gone.  Was it a blessing that Jean was in Albany, New York visiting Andrew Vroman when she passed?  Jean had gone east knowing Diana was declining.

Didn't We Just Do This? 
Another Baby Shower!

On Saturday the 21st, friends and family from all over rendezvoused at Susan's house for the Sleight baby shower.  Cynthia's parents, David and Helen Eby joined us from Oregon.  Don, Judy, and Randy Sleight were there.  Friends from Cynthia's church, a co-worker  from Nathanael's former job at Newport Heights, my friend Steve White (with a shockingly huge surprise beard), the Ellis and James families,
and of course the usual suspects
(except Thomas who was on a retreat), made up the big crowd.

The event had a Cat in the Hat theme and was hosted by Cynthia's friend and bridesmaid Rachel.

Departures from the Business School

Leah Airt Librarian, Business & Social Science (2016-2018)	Jim Rand Executive-in-Residence (1993-2017)	Dr. Doug Downing Associate Professor of Economics (1983-2018)	Jennifer Meredith, Ph.C. Assistant Professor of Economics  (2014-2018)	Kathy Stegman Office Manager & Events Coordinator (2009-2018)
Dr. Dan Hess Professor of Finance (1977-2019)	Dr. Regina Schlee Professor of Marketing (1984-2019)	Dr. Joanna Poznanska Professor of International Business (1987-2019)	Each of these collegues, a few friends and a few acquaintances, have varried histories and equally varried reasons for ending their service to the School of Business, Government, and Economics at SPU.  As their portrait photographer, I always have their latest photo. Leah Airt left SPU this month.  We served on the SBGE Undergraduate Assessment Committee together.  I believe she did a good job in her duties but may not have been the best fit for SPU. Jim Rand, called alternately Executive-in-Residence and Clinical Professor, was especially liked by his graduate students.  He used his position to promote his family business, Seattle Research Partners.  Although he taught his last class in autumn 2017, he officially retires this June.  A proud Eagle scout and military veteran, he is one of our two oldest teachers.  He became an Eagle the year before I was born.
Doug Downing will always be "The Boy Wonder" in my memory.  With undergraduate degrees from Yale in Political Science and Economics as well as Physics and Astronomy.  He taught both Economics and Astronomy here at SPU.  He is a few years younger that I am, but his eyesight has caused him great trouble in recent years.  I was the illustrator for his 2015 book.  He was also the founding faculty advisor of of Omicron Delta Epsilon (Economics) honor society. Jennifer Meredith will complete her Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Washington this June and then begin the next phase of her teaching career at Colby College in Maine, where she grew up.  She is a great loss to our department.

Kathy Stegman has earned the status of "friend."  I have so few.  But when I recently learned that her retired pastor husband Jim was 70 years old (she is 62),
I guessed correctly that her retirement would come soon.  She surprised us all with an email this month that she would depart in late June.

Dan Hess would be our longest serving faculty member, except we discount the three years he was on leave completeing his Ph.D. in Finance at the University of Arizona.  My office was across the hall from Dr. Hess for most of my first 23 years in the business school.  He never quite mastered the computer.  No other faculty member needed more help, repeatedly, with the basics.  But in all, we got along well.  He will teach his last classes in winter 2019.

Regina Schlee accepted the incentive retirement package offered to many senior faculty this year.  She will retire after spring 2019.  She is also the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society chapter president.  I am the chapter secretary, so her departure will certainly impact the spring quarter honors event I manage.  She is a native of Greece.

Joanna Poznanska has taught Economics and International Business.  She has also taken the buy out offered to senior faculty.  Her last quarter will be winter 2019.  She is a native of Poland.