Fr G and Fintan

My husband, Fr. Gregory Mathewes-Green (I still call him Gary), toting our grandson Fintan. We were married in 1974, just a week after I finished college. He’s the pastor of Holy Cross Antiochian Orthodox Church just south of Baltimore, which we founded in 1993.

The photographer for most of these images is my daughter-in-law, Jocelyn, a professional photographer & graphic designer. You can see more of her work at JocelynMathewes.com.

Everybody

We all met at David and Marcella’s house for Emmeline’s baptism in April 2007. The only one missing is Megan’s husband, Dave, who couldn’t make the trip. And the only one invisible is Steve & Jocelyn’s first baby, at that point not yet born. Nine grandchildren in all, the oldest 7 years old.

Everybody, Silly

Then Jocelyn set the timer again, and told us to all be silly.

Engagement Photo

Here’s the photo of  Gary and me that we used for the cover of our  wedding invitation, Spring 1974.

Our Wedding

Our 1974 wedding was a compromise between our hippie aesthetics and my parents’ expectation of something their friends could comprehend.  An Episcopal priest married us using a rite from the new book of “Trial Services.” For the reception, tables of vegetarian foods were set up for grazing, and we and our friends held hands in circles and danced to a string quartet.

Megan and Dave

Our eldest child, Megan, says she likes being Mrs. Dave Parker, because she doesn’t have “that awful last name” any more. A graduate of Christendom College with a BA in History, Meg still reads voraciously, and keeps busy as mommy to Hannah, Adam, and Michael. She is Sunday School director for Four Evangelists Orthodox Mission in Bel Air, Maryland.

Hannah

Hannah was a “Millennium Baby,” born September 16, 2000. A second grader, she is a fan of American Girl dolls and “Hannah Montana.” Like her mom, Hannah loves to read books. She has been writing one about what it’s like to have a brother who has some symptoms of autism.

Swimming

I love this photo. It’s by our son Stephen’s wife Jocelyn, who is a terrific photographer. Her website for wedding and portrait photography is StudioMathewes.com.

Adam

Adam joined his big sister on July 22, 2005. This is another photo Jocelyn took during our vacation in the mountains last August. Adam is a thoughtful and bright, but has had trouble learning how to communicate, and has sometimes had a diagnosis of autism. I wrote an essay about how difficult this is for him and for all of us who love him.

Adam at 3

My favorite photo of Adam, taken at a wedding reception the summer he turned 3. He looks so relaxed, sitting on his dad’s lap. You can see that he is a child who knows he is loved.

Michael

Michael was born August 10, 2006, and is a big hit with Hannah and Adam. He’s a happy, gregarious toddler who loves to talk to people, dolls, the mirror, anywhere he sees a face.

Michael's baptism

Michael took a nap during the party after his baptism. I bought this antique baby dress in Oxford, from an old-clothes dealer in the open-air market, for one pound.

Women With Icons Series - Megan

Jocelyn is making a series of photos of women holding icons of their patron saints. This one, of Megan with St. Marina, is one of my favorites.

David & Family

Our second child, David, on his graduation day in May 2003. He married Marcella before beginning college, yet graduated on-time in four years, having supported the family by working nights as a waiter at Outback Steakhouse. Marcella was busy with projects too, as you can see.  David has a BS in Computer Science, and works as an assistant manager at Enterprise Rent a Car. He inherited the “music gene” that skipped my generation, and has produced several CDs of his own compositions; he’d like to break into the biz of selling songs to performers. The ever-growing family makes their home near Atlanta.

Mathewes kids

Here are most of the “Dave Mathewes Band” — left to right, Eudora, Fintan, Isaac, and David Benjamin.

David Benjamin

David and Marcella’s first son, David Benjamin, was born May 26, 2000. He is the ninth “Benjamin Mathewes.” The first was born about 1720 in Charleston, SC, home town to both Mathewes and Green families. The family saying about this photo is, “That’s the publicity shot that will appear on the back of his first novel.”

Five Kids.jpg

And here’s the whole gang, with the addition of Emmeline front and center.

Fintan

Fintan is the third son for David and Marcella; he’s right in the middle, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. He was born June 4, 2003, only three weeks after his dad graduated from college.

Isaac

Isaac was born just a few days before his big brother’s first birthday:  May 29, 2001. He has a wonderful smile.

Isaac and Eudora

Eudora Irene LeClerc was born (at home) October 16, 2005. Here she is holding hands with her brother Isaac.

Eudora's Baptism

Eudora is being held by her godfather, Uncle Stephen, as she receives her first communion. I like this photo because it looks like she’s surrounded by paparazzi.

Emmeline

For the time being, anyway, Emmeline Carolyn Marie Mathewes completes the family. She was born February 23, 2007.

Baby Makes Three

Happy.

Steven and Jocelyn

Our youngest child, Stephen, with his wife Jocelyn. He also inherited the “music gene;” he has a BA in Musicology from the University of Maryland, and helps out at Holy Cross as a substitute choir director. He’s presently working as a piano technician and considering going to seminary.  Jocelyn graduated from Messiah College with a BA in Visual Arts and English, and has worked as a graphic artist for the National Fatherhood Initiative.  She also does wedding and portrait photography through her business, Studio Mathewes.

Ruthie peapod

Ruth’s eyes are deep blue.

Ruth Anne

Steve & Jocelyn’s baby, Ruth Anne, was born December 7, 2007. She was on the small side, but healthy and unusually alert. Here she is on the day she was born, with her eyes wide; it seems like she never blinks.

Ruth sitting.jpg

It’s a good thing when your mom  is a professional photographer.

Hannah and Steve at the beach

Here is a photo Jocelyn took of Stephen and Hannah at the beach. Jocelyn is establishing herself as a photographer and her work has appeared in several galleries around the nation. You can see more of her work at her website.

Nostrils

All three of the M-G kids simultaneously give the secret flared-nostril salute. (Christmas 1998)

My Daddy's Austin Healy

That tiny blonde behind the wheel is me, at about age 3 1/2 (May 1956).