The Holstroms

This is but one of the several Holstrom families located around the world. This one is located just west of Washington, D.C., on the circa 1700s Franklin Farm in Oak Hill, near Reston, Virginia. There are four of them: Don, Kathy, Danielle, and Donnie. Actually, there is a fifth member, Sir Geoffrey, the family's chocolate-flavored Labrador Retriever. Oh, and assorted fish...

Danielle goes to the University of Richmond, a couple of hours south of our place. She will be in her third year. The picture here at the left is actually there at the U of R, at the most recent Easter. She is quite happy there. Donnie keeps growing, he has passed Don in height. He is going to George Mason University, nearby in Fairfax. This means that in September, Kathy and I, well, along with Sir Geoffrey, will be alone in our home. Donnie is a computer whiz kid, passing Don there as well. They are two lovely children...

How this particular Holstrom family began...

Over 35 years ago, it seems like yesterday, Kathy helped organize a reunion of students who attended an Orleans (France) school. A friend of Don's father, who knew Don spent a couple of years there, heard about it on the radio, and mentioned the event to Don's father. Pop told Don. Don called the radio station for the particulars. Don went. He remembers there being about 15 or 16 emminently available fellows (Don included) and just this one girl who had not come with a date or a husband: Kathy. She was three years younger, he didn't know her. She has said she knew Don. Kathy couldn't stop grinning. Some of these guys had come from other parts of the world (ineligible), or even other parts of the country (ineligible), or married (ineligible), or had a boyfriend (ineligible), or had a girlfriend (somewhat ineligible). It was winnowing down to just a couple of the guys, with Don still in the running. He found out she preferred a certain liquor (white Creme de Menthe) not available at the party. He walked to another hotel and found some. Then they walked together. They talked...

Flash forward over three decades, nearing four, past a couple of failed businesses, many varied careers, two kids, many motorcycles and cars, three dogs, 8,000 record albums (still have them), 600 45's, 400 78's, 1,000 reel-to-reel 7 & 10-inch tapes, 600 cassettes (want some?), 9,000 CDs (too many), 900,000 MP3s (way too many, a number growing daily), a dozen homes, to now: Living in the 'burbs, owning a van & a hybrid & a motorcycle, watching both kids row on the Occoquan and the Potomac.
- crew Mom, crew Dad, crew kids...

Don's Story You could click on his name above, or you could just read the highlights: Born near Chicago, also lived in Japan, Germany, France, California, North Carolina, and Virginia. Played football, basketball, and baseball at three different high schools, read too much, enrolled in and dropped out of four or five colleges and universities, foolishly joined a fraternity, constantly listened/still listens to all sorts of music, worked at an incredibly wide assortment of jobs, wrote a lot of "stuff," took a lot of pictures, owned two newspapers, and ended up working happily with what was originally his hobby of technology/computers at a museum in D.C. That is over, but life is good for Big Baby Boomer.	Kathy's Story You could click on her name above, or you could just read the highlights: Born in Cherbourg, France, also lived in Germany and the Eastern and Midwestern United States, second runner-up to Miss Vienna, attended Marymount College in Arlington, received her degree from the University of Maryland, personal secretary to the president of Amtrak, meeting planner for an oil and gas daily newspaper, owned two newspapers with Don, gave birth to two wonderful children, spawned the business that makes life a lot easier for the entire family - Dani's Duds, takes beautiful care of her husband and children, and also works as a realtor.
Danielle's Story You could click on her name above, or you could just read the highlights: Born in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.; attended kindergarten through eighth grade at Nysmith School for the Gifted in Herndon, Virginia; played all star level softball, basketball, soccer, and piano; now a junior at the University of Richmond, happily rowing on the crew team and working on the school newspaper.	Donnie's Story You could click on his name above, or you could just read the highlights: Born in Fairfax, Virginia; attended pre-school through the eighth grade at Nysmith School for the Gifted in Herndon, Virginia; played all star level soccer, baseball, basketball, piano, drums, every computer game he can get his hands on; and will soon be a freshman at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.
Sir Geoffrey's Story You could click on his name above, or you could just read the highlights: Born on a farm in Northern Virginia and attended Dog Obedience School (incredibly rambunctious as a pup - tore up a window sill, messed up a couple of very expensive kitchen cabinets). Now he's a good dog, a welcome member of the family, all is forgiven, and he stays slim with a lot of exercise (unlike his master) and his evening meal of green beans (also unlike his master).

The Holstroms

Dani & Donnie Crew '08

Our kids and their sports previous seasons

How this particular Holstrom family began...