For Mother's Day weekend, Mitch & I had the opportunity to go to the San Fernando Valley Japanese Community Center sports jamboree with Dad to represent the family as they presented my mom's memorial scholar award.
In 1963, my mom started a girls athletic program so I would be able to play softball & basketball along with my brothers who had been playing with the CBO (Crescent Bay Optimist Club). My dad was boys athletic director at the time. She sold concessions at the boys baseball games & burritos at the Obon carnival in order to earn money for equipment. So, beginning in the 4th grade I began playing softball. My mom found college students majoring in PE to coach us. Two seasons later we joined the CBO basketball league. I was so moved by the recollection of the work and goal she had to take on this task. To see how far the girls league has come, is amazing. They no longer play softball, but now annually send teams to Japan to play in a tournament over there. The keynote/motivational speaker at the jamboree was a gal who played throughout the program from kindergarten-12th grade. She received a full scholarship to play for USC & now plays professional BB. She just returned from Egypt. It's so remarkable to see how many girls my mom's efforts have impacted.
Hoshiko Hirano Scholarship Award
Randi, Carianne, Lani & I with my mom's award, the boys award & a community service award
Dad with the 2 senior co-recipients for 2011
Randi & I flew from Spokane to Utah where we drove with Lani, Mitch, & Carianne to CA. Janae had a 30 pg. paper to do so wasn't able to join us :( Next year!
We HAVE to have good Japanese food while in CA!
Visiting Uncle Tak & Auntie Yo (my mom's sister); they never change, always look great
Grandpa Yosh with 3 of his 7 beautiful granddaughters
Besides having to have Japanese food, we MUST also make a visit to the beach
Tiffany & Lani
Cutie girls before they turned into lobsters
Huntington Beach (hated to tell Richard there were actually waves that day)
This pic was for Janae...her mad crush (in case you don't know, he's a surfer)
Of course, we stayed with the Migdat's, our adoptive family (aka Ric's 2nd mom)
Mother's day dinner on the patio
Playing cards, another must with the Migdat's
It has been a great visit and a memorable Mother's day for Mitch & I to pay tribute to mom. What an amazing woman she was, she left a legacy of vision, courage. & strength (to name a few characteristics)
This is at Christmas when all the kids were in the house at the same time, quite a feat! We played lots of cards together and had so much fun laughing & reminiscing.
Ric & Lani played in a dodgeball tournament where they placed 2nd.
(Randi, acting like a gangsta)
Lani is often asked to model for photo shoots (she says it's because she is the only Asian there), I think it's because she makes their photos look good :)
Janae, Emma & Abby
