Kristy Thomas-Brenner:
Kristy Thomas stood under the big maple tree, softball in hand. "Here it comes!" she warned. She tossed the softball lightly and a boy's small, eight year old hand caught it. "Great catch, Joey!" Kristy called
"Thanks Mommy!" he responded
It was a warm, sunny August day and Kristy was out in the yard planning softball with her sons. Ten year old Michael and six year old Louis were on the other side of the yard, practicing batting while eight year old Joey played catch with Kristy. As Kristy looked around at everything: her sons, her big brick home in a beautiful Stoneybrook neighborhood, and her beautiful golden retriever, Sammy, bathing in the sun, she was once again reminded of how much she had.
It hadn't always been this easy for Kristy. After high school, she attended Stoneybrook University. SU was a big school, which often felt institutional and un-friendly. Kristy had a hard time keeping up with her classes, especially the large lectures. It wasn't that Kristy was dumb, in fact was pretty smart, but she didn't particularly want to be in college. She'd rather be playing softball or spending time with her family. But Kristy made it through, with a degree in Physical Therapy, something she knew she could get a job with. The one thing that DID interest Kristy about SU was her boyfriend- Ryan Brenner. They met their Sophomore year in one of their physical therapy classes, and dated for the next three years. No one was surprised when Kristy and Ryan announced their engagement a year after graduation.
Once Ryan and Kristy were married, they decided to stay in Stoneybrook. Kristy didn't particularly like change, and she felt that she wanted to be closer to her family, and seeing as though Ryan's family was nearby, in Lawrenceville, the chose seemed logical. For the next three years Kristy worked as a physical therapist in the Stoneybrook Elementary Schools. It was hard, grueling, work, often tiring and unpleasant. But Kristy knew that Ryan's salary wasn't enough to pay the mortgage on their small home, so she kept going. A year later, however, Kristy discovered that she was pregnant.
While Kristy was thrilled at the idea of having a baby, as she loved kids, she was also scared. Would she have to quit working once the baby was born? Would Ryan's job as a physical therapist in Stamford be enough to support them? Kristy decided that she would need to take as little time off as possible. So when Michael was born, Kristy took her six-week maternity leave, and returned to work, leaving her little baby with his grandmother during the day.
Meanwhile, Ryan was doing very at his job in the Stamford High School system. So well, in fact, that he was promoted to the head of his department, which almost doubled his salary. Overjoyed, a four months pregnant Kristy decided to start working part-time. Now that she was only working mornings, he had a great deal more time for Michael, and the new baby Joseph who was born five months later.
Six months after the birth of Joey, Kristy's family was hit with a tragedy- her stepfather, Watson Brewer, had a heart attack and died. Kristy was devastated, as she and Watson had been very close, but she was determined to keep going in order to raise and support her sons. Kristy's mother, Elizabeth, decided to sell Watson's mansion for a smaller home. Now that Kristy and her older brothers were out of the house and Kristy's younger brother David Michael, and her stepsiblings Karen and Andrew were all in college, there was no longer a need for such a big place. So Elizabeth, Kristy's grandmother Nanny, and seventeen year old sister Emily Michelle moved into a small house on Bradford Court, where Kristy used to live. Elizabeth generously decided to split the money from the home, as well as a large inheritance, among Watson's children. Kristy and Ryan decided to use their money as a deposit on a large, brick home on Oak Street, with four bedrooms, two baths and large
backyard. The extra bedroom came in handy the following year when Kristy gave birth to a baby boy, Louis.
Six years later, Kristy and Ryan were doing very well. Ryan had moved into a job as a lead physical therapist at Stamford General Hospital, and had seen a significant increase in income. Kristy had completely quit her job, and devoted herself to raising her sons, and also was a volunteer softball coach at Stoneybrook Middle School. The boys were growing and developing well, and Kristy and Ryan were determined to make sure they grew up successful and well adjusted.
As Kristy played softball with boys on that warm summer day, she realized that all the work she had put into giving the boys a wonderful lifestyle had been well worth it. Just seeing the love and respect they had for her was a return on her investment.
"Mommy!" called Louis "Come see what we found" he said, squatting down in a pile of dirt, stick in hand.
"Let's go" she told Joey and as the two of them jogged over to Louis and Michael, she smiled to herself.
Kristy Thomas stood under the big maple tree, softball in hand. "Here it comes!" she warned. She tossed the softball lightly and a boy's small, eight year old hand caught it. "Great catch, Joey!" Kristy called
"Thanks Mommy!" he responded
It was a warm, sunny August day and Kristy was out in the yard planning softball with her sons. Ten year old Michael and six year old Louis were on the other side of the yard, practicing batting while eight year old Joey played catch with Kristy. As Kristy looked around at everything: her sons, her big brick home in a beautiful Stoneybrook neighborhood, and her beautiful golden retriever, Sammy, bathing in the sun, she was once again reminded of how much she had.
It hadn't always been this easy for Kristy. After high school, she attended Stoneybrook University. SU was a big school, which often felt institutional and un-friendly. Kristy had a hard time keeping up with her classes, especially the large lectures. It wasn't that Kristy was dumb, in fact was pretty smart, but she didn't particularly want to be in college. She'd rather be playing softball or spending time with her family. But Kristy made it through, with a degree in Physical Therapy, something she knew she could get a job with. The one thing that DID interest Kristy about SU was her boyfriend- Ryan Brenner. They met their Sophomore year in one of their physical therapy classes, and dated for the next three years. No one was surprised when Kristy and Ryan announced their engagement a year after graduation.
Once Ryan and Kristy were married, they decided to stay in Stoneybrook. Kristy didn't particularly like change, and she felt that she wanted to be closer to her family, and seeing as though Ryan's family was nearby, in Lawrenceville, the chose seemed logical. For the next three years Kristy worked as a physical therapist in the Stoneybrook Elementary Schools. It was hard, grueling, work, often tiring and unpleasant. But Kristy knew that Ryan's salary wasn't enough to pay the mortgage on their small home, so she kept going. A year later, however, Kristy discovered that she was pregnant.
While Kristy was thrilled at the idea of having a baby, as she loved kids, she was also scared. Would she have to quit working once the baby was born? Would Ryan's job as a physical therapist in Stamford be enough to support them? Kristy decided that she would need to take as little time off as possible. So when Michael was born, Kristy took her six-week maternity leave, and returned to work, leaving her little baby with his grandmother during the day.
Meanwhile, Ryan was doing very at his job in the Stamford High School system. So well, in fact, that he was promoted to the head of his department, which almost doubled his salary. Overjoyed, a four months pregnant Kristy decided to start working part-time. Now that she was only working mornings, he had a great deal more time for Michael, and the new baby Joseph who was born five months later.
Six months after the birth of Joey, Kristy's family was hit with a tragedy- her stepfather, Watson Brewer, had a heart attack and died. Kristy was devastated, as she and Watson had been very close, but she was determined to keep going in order to raise and support her sons. Kristy's mother, Elizabeth, decided to sell Watson's mansion for a smaller home. Now that Kristy and her older brothers were out of the house and Kristy's younger brother David Michael, and her stepsiblings Karen and Andrew were all in college, there was no longer a need for such a big place. So Elizabeth, Kristy's grandmother Nanny, and seventeen year old sister Emily Michelle moved into a small house on Bradford Court, where Kristy used to live. Elizabeth generously decided to split the money from the home, as well as a large inheritance, among Watson's children. Kristy and Ryan decided to use their money as a deposit on a large, brick home on Oak Street, with four bedrooms, two baths and large
backyard. The extra bedroom came in handy the following year when Kristy gave birth to a baby boy, Louis.
Six years later, Kristy and Ryan were doing very well. Ryan had moved into a job as a lead physical therapist at Stamford General Hospital, and had seen a significant increase in income. Kristy had completely quit her job, and devoted herself to raising her sons, and also was a volunteer softball coach at Stoneybrook Middle School. The boys were growing and developing well, and Kristy and Ryan were determined to make sure they grew up successful and well adjusted.
As Kristy played softball with boys on that warm summer day, she realized that all the work she had put into giving the boys a wonderful lifestyle had been well worth it. Just seeing the love and respect they had for her was a return on her investment.
"Mommy!" called Louis "Come see what we found" he said, squatting down in a pile of dirt, stick in hand.
"Let's go" she told Joey and as the two of them jogged over to Louis and Michael, she smiled to herself.