This handsome young man was a two year old Icelander when I met him in 1979. His father and I started writing each other in 1978. Siggi, the father, Anna Lisa, the mother and Thordur, the little boy (not to mention the in-laws, parents, sisters, brothers)...
From the moment I met this wonderful family in Iceland, I knew they would have my heart forever.
When my daughter was born in 1992 (pictured, left) I named her after the little boy's mother.
In 1994, the little blonde Icelandic boy came to the US and stayed with us. My 2 year old daughter and the 17 year old youth bonded as if they'd been born and raised together.
In 1997, my husband and I took our five-year old to Iceland so that she could meet the woman I named her for. We met Thordur's sister, Sveinlaug, then, too. At 15, we could tell that Sveinlaug was a natural-born teacher. She recently graduated from University and is teaching...
In 2001 Siggi, the father, phoned my husband after the attacks of 9-11 and told him that if the Army wanted him back, that he should come live with them in Iceland.
In 2003 the boy, now grown man, welcomed his first child into the world. Thula Katrin. We look forward to the day she comes and stays with us!
In 2004 we had a visit from Siggi and Anna Lisa, the first. I never wanted them to leave!
2/3/07, we met up with our Icelandic love in Seattle. He escorted his grandparents to California to visit relatives (a lenghthy flight from Iceland to Boston then Oakland), then he flew up to see us. For 8 hours. We had pizza, Starbucks and hung out in various locales near SeaTac, then hugged good-bye and hope it won't be another nine years before we get to see him again.
I dedicated Love's Second Sight to his father.
I dedicated Devil's Food Kate to his baby daughter.
I used his name, both of his grandmother's names and his father's name as characters in Love's Second Sight.
I named my only child after his mother.
We totally love this Icelandic family--all of them. They are as pure, rich and passionate as the history and land that bred them.
Darragha
This is my handsome nephew, Jacob, who is on a walk-about in Central America. I'm not sure who the girl is, but she seems to be very happy standing next to Loco Jacobo!
