The Beautiful Party
The Beautiful Party
A second act: Andrew becomes Pop Pop
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Not many folks get a second act in life. Not everyone needs another bite at the apple. Need it or not, Andrew got that second act, and he's pretty happy about it.
Do you have family stories to tell? Memories of Donald and Katherine? Stories about family gatherings? Whatever it may be, if it's related to the Still family, it would be good to hear.
Email Mark Still at mark@thepracticalstill.com and we'll add it to the records!
My name is Andrew Pop Pop Still. Welcome to the beautiful party.
SPEAKER_00Here we are again, still in Colorado. And yesterday you said something I thought. You kind of said it and pass it, but I thought it was insightful. You said not many people get a chance in a second act in life.
SPEAKER_01That's a 10-4.
SPEAKER_00And that sounded very um, I don't know, grateful when you said that. Tell me about the second act and how you became a pop-pop.
SPEAKER_01I've been in love with Sandy ever since 2006. And after getting married in 2007, I grew to love Sandy's four children as they grew to love me. Her oldest daughter, Lori, graduated from Arvard University. Oregon? Yes, absolutely. And she pursued a career in teaching and is now living in Atlanta, Georgia. Sometimes afterwards, McKinley was born. What a delight. She was our first grandchild. And she named me Pop Pop. I don't know where she got that from, but it's awesome. It stuck. She is a dancer. All her early years she danced. Now today, she dances as a cheerleader. And last year she graduated to high school. Caught her, her younger brother. Three, four years younger, yeah. He's a he was two handfuls. Loved to play baseball. And he was very good at it. And still today he's playing on several different teams in that area. Laurie's done an unbelievable job raising those two young children. Very respectful and very loving. And it's been a rewarding thing to go up and visit them, and they come down and visit and stay with us. Lisa, Laurie's younger sister, graduated from Sanford in Birmingham and got her nursing degree and has worked at several hospitals around the area. Lisa has two children, one Isaiah, a delightful little boy. And uh today he plays in the band at school. His younger sister, Mary Grace, if you ever wanted to meet a young southern bell, that's Mary Grace. Ringlet, blonde curly hair, she's a pistol and Mimi Sandy is Mimi. Sandy is Mimi. But Sandy, she would go over and pick Mary Grace up and keep her all day. Every now and then let her spend a night, but that wasn't too often. Mary Sandy's third daughter graduated from Florida. Got a degree in dancing. Sandy told her said you would definitely have to get another degree or get go into something else to make a living. No, she wouldn't have that. She danced, she joined a dance company, but then she got with a church, a very large church, and was and is now teaching somewhere around 75 to 85 young little ladies how to dance. Beautiful. And her and Matt live in Sarasota, Florida. And has three little boys, Asher, Eli, and Silas. They are unbelievable. John Sandy's fourth child. He was nicknamed Johnny Angel. And sure enough, when I met him, he was an angel. But shortly thereafter, he turned into a devil for sure.
SPEAKER_00In what way?
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh, you know, he pushed those buttons. And Sandy, after a while, told John, You don't understand. You can't get away from that old man. He's gonna find you wherever you are at, and more than likely when you get in trouble, he will always be there for you. I felt good about that. John retired as a Marine after eleven years. He is now residing in North Carolina and became a fireman slash first responder. Bought a house. He and Caitlin have two beautiful children. Ava Nell, she's just like Mary Grace, a little southern bell. Cohen, he's a pistol. He's a rocket. You can't hold on to him. He's one hundred percent muscle. You would you set him down, you think everything's okay, he'll be fifty yards from you. You have to run and get him. Catch him. John has really through the years, and I've seen the difference between the time I met him, the time he became a Marine, the time he retired, became a fireman, has really developed. And I feel 110% that I had something to do with that. I'm not sure. But I really, really am proud of them. Uh Caitlin as well. And being that far north in North Carolina, on their own. We go up visit every now and then. And as for the other three children and the the grandchildren, that's nine grandchildren. I I d I just can't can't grasp that. We do get together once a year, and that's around Thanksgiving.
SPEAKER_00Everybody.
SPEAKER_01Everybody. Now, I say that everybody. Every occasion there's always one that couldn't make it. But my understanding is all of them are going to be there 2025 this year.
SPEAKER_00So next month.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Yeah. And what we do is we were in another condo at the condominium. And it uh it housed all of the children. And uh and of course the grandchildren go crazy because we got the pool, the golf. Yeah, it was it's it's a family affair. And we sit down at the table all together, and that's what I love. So it makes me feel as a just one little anecdote. John, periodically when we got together, John was uh always asked, You want to say the grace? And and he says, Well, I will, but all I know is the Catholic Catholic grace. I thought that was cool, really. But Mary's the one that does most of the thank you, Lord. Beautiful party, and that's what that is all about. We're very proud of the family. And I don't think it could have been possible without Sandy.
SPEAKER_00Well, uh, certainly not with those kids.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. Did you um when you met Sandy, did you see all this coming?
SPEAKER_01No. No, I sure didn't. But I did feel on behalf of the four kids, and of course Andy and Matthew, the love that came out of a family atmosphere that they all six saw how happy we two were together and what we did to make memories. And they they really appreciated it. And uh and they felt secure that their mom was going to be looked after.
SPEAKER_00And uh I imagine Andy and Matthew felt similar to us. Yes. That you have somebody to look after you too.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. We really we really enjoyed uh the times together with Andy and Matt, the times together with Matthew and and uh Sandy and I up north, going to Summit, New Jersey, and and Andy, he since you know joined a choir and we go up Birmingham quite a bit.
SPEAKER_00So 20 years ago, just you, and then flash forward 20 years, nine grandchildren. Nine grandchildren. And you're pop pop. I might just start calling you pop pop.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's uh uh it's funny you said something to Tony uh in previous recordings that you are my cousin, not my aunt. Yeah. And and yes, every one of the kids say, Pop pop, pop up this, would you do this? Can you fix this, pop pop? Oh my gosh. And the and the grandkids come to me. I know mama can't fix this. I know you can't, and Sandy will tell them as well. Your pop up and look. I do have a place.
unknownThere you go.
SPEAKER_01I'm wanted and needed, and I guarantee you. My sons don't fill that that plate, those four kids do. And grandkids.
SPEAKER_00Well, beautiful. Well, I just uh I'm glad we took a minute to do this because it was uh apparent when it's one thing to talk about, something on purpose, but to hear you make that comment that just was just full of thankful. Yes. It was a beautiful thing, and uh thanks for sharing that. And hopefully everybody likes hearing it being shared. And if they don't, then they know where they can come and tell their side of the story.
SPEAKER_01That's the truth. If you don't like it, come on. Come on down.
SPEAKER_00You don't have to come all the way to Colorado.
SPEAKER_01No, we'll come to you digitally. Yeah, come on down and make your case. But and it doesn't have to be exactly right, it's your memories. That's right. And and I guarantee you, those nine kids really have a way of making us think twice about what's it all about. And we have a great time together.
SPEAKER_00Everybody's got their own version of a beautiful party.
SPEAKER_01Yes, absolutely. All right, Andrew. And I want to thank you for for doing this.
SPEAKER_00Oh, thank you. I tell you, thanks for making the trip. Melissa and I really enjoy getting to visit with you.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and I will bring Sandy back up, promise you.
SPEAKER_00It's on it's recorded, so I have evidence that that's been promised. I assume, rightfully, that anything you say, Sandy will just agree with and come right out here. Yes. Absolutely. We'll see. Maybe Melissa and I'll have to load up the recording equipment and come to Florida. Well hey, that's not not load up the equipment.
SPEAKER_01Come to Florida, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00This stuff's not big. We can haul it around and record things. That'd be awesome. Okay, until the next time. Thank you. Love you. Love you too.