Four Years!

Four years - seems like yesterday and yet an eternity to me. Four years ago I said goodbye to my very best friend MarLa. She passed away after complications to surgery at the age of 43. She was a mother to Shawn and Dylan, step mom to Laura and Julie, grandmother to Jaden and McKenna, wife to Frank, sister to Greg, Kevin and Ron, aunt and my best friend for 18 years. We spent many days and nights talking, laughing, crying, getting in lots of trouble and just being wild and crazy. She had a sad life in so many ways, yet she had a way of changing my outlook on life. I miss her every day!

Sometimes, even our trials are meant to be, they are there to guide and shape our lives. Though often we can’t see the blessings through the storms, God still looks after His children. He does so in His own way, on His own time, and His ways are often mysterious.

A Face Only A Mother Could Love!

Six Months Old...Freshly Bathed...A Profile Pose...Gives Hugs....PUPPY LOVE makes me happy!

Tornado

On Sunday afternoon about 4 miles from our house, this is what we saw! Growing up in the mid-west, I hated the spring/early summer weather, because it always included tornadoes.

When I was in high school, there was the Thornton tornado - June 1981. We were in a lock down situation and didn't get home until almost 5:00 p.m. that day. The tornado did so much damage between 90th & 88th and Washington, many of the houses there experienced severe damage.

Growing up, I remember when we lived in Iowa and we were outside playing. All of a sudden the skies turned an ugly brownish green. The air got very heavy and still. The rains came along with hail and horrible wind. It sounded like a freight train was coming through our living room. A tornado went down our street and damaged random houses on our street. Our house was not damaged, but I just remember thinking I was reliving the Wizard of Oz.

Boys and a Movie

UP - The newest Pixar Movie!

Ty sporting his 3-D glasses

Mugs waiting for the movie to start

Mugs wishing for ice cream

Finishing a Haagen-Daas treat

Saturday I met my Diane, Dan, Ty, Blake, my mom and Janet at the Movie to see UP! What a fantastic flick! I loved it - even though it is a KID movie! It was awesome. I laughed and cried. This was Ty's and Blake's first movie in the theatre. They did fantastic.

We did a little shopping after the movie and ended with an ice cream treat for Ty because he was so good!

30 Years

City of Northglenn, Colorado

Northglenn High School

EB Rains Memorial Park (Webster Lake)
I live right by this park

June 3, 1979 is the day we moved to Colorado. My dad had purchased a house in Northglenn, moved us here and decided he didn't want to have a family after a couple of months.

I was almost 14 when I moved here and my youngest sister was 4 months. I started 9th grade in the fall of 1979, which was still in Northeast Junior High and then went to Northglenn High School and graduated in 1983.

After living in 5 other states, I can say Colorado feels most like home. I was born in Provo, Utah, lived in Byron, Wyoming, Fort Dodge, Iowa, Park Forest & Park Forest South, Illinois, St. Charles, Missouri and Northglenn, Colorado.

Each one of my siblings was born in a different state, with the exception of Colorado: Colleen & Lynette - Provo, Suzanne (deceased) - Byron, WY, Janet - Fort Dodge, IA, Cheryl - Chicago, IL, Diane & Deann (deceased) - St. Charles, MO.

People always ask if my dad was in the military - he wasn't - just liked to move, I guess. I always was a little envious of my 3 youngest sisters, as they got to go to the same schools throughout their growing up years. They knew kids from elementary through high school.

I never thought I would like in one place for so long. Tyler only has two more years before he graduates, so I will likely stay in the area until he graduates from high school - then we will see.

Nephews

Blake at Easter - 7 months old

Blake - 7 months and Ty - 3 1/2 years

Matching jammies

These pictures are of Ty and Blake. Their mom is my youngest sister, Diane. She is blessed enough to be able to stay home and raise these precious little spirits. The boys love my Tyler so much. I love these little boys!