Friday, June 29, 2012



For those of you who don't follow my pet blogs, I wanted you to see my Granddaughter with Cecil!

In the summer, I have the Grandkiddo's Wednesday night until Thursday afternoon.   Until this year, the cats would go into hiding, while the three little ones were here,  and only venture out after they left. The cats were fine around the older kids but the little ones, with all of their noise, scared them! This year, Cecil has come out from under the bed and has made a new friend. 







 Have a wonderful weekend,
~Shawn~

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Another Birthday Wish!

Today is the 37th birthday of my youngest child, Amber!

 My sweet little baby, my last born.

 Amber always had the most beautiful smile!

Being the youngest of six, she was loved (and cherished) by her siblings.
Life was wonderful until she turned nine. Amber (and her sisters) was visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Arizona when she started losing weight. She was cranky, and not herself, but enjoyed her time playing with her cousin Autumn.

Her dad drove to Arizona to bring the girls back and pick up a travel trailer we had purchased, as soon as they returned we took the kids camping.  During the ride to the mountains, Amber sat on my lap and  I could feel how much weight she had lost. At that moment,  I realized something was very wrong with our sweet little girl. The worst case scenarios were swimming in my head but hubby kept reassuring me that she was just fine!
When we returned home,  I immediately made a doctors appointment but not until we were driving to the clinic did the  light bulb go off, she had diabetes. Her blood sugar was 697!!   Our lives would immediately change!
Change it did, but she handled it like a trooper!  During the next six months we were on a learning curve but were making progress with diet, injections and the balancing act of a new diabetic, when the next shoe dropped!

Again with the weight loss..10 more pounds,  blood sugars sky high and an enlarged cervical lymph node. My heart sank. She had severe cheek pain and headaches, we were running to the doctor every other day..they labeled me as an over reactive mother but I knew something was terribly wrong and I kept insisting that they were missing something. Finally, thank God, they sent us to a general surgeon who biopsied the node..Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma.
Chemo, radiation and hair loss defined the next year!
Stays in the hospital, spinal taps, procedures, severe nausea from chemo and this beautiful little girl never stopped smiling! This chapter in her life defined the woman she is today.
Strong and resilient!

Somehow she sailed through that time in her life unscathed.

She blossomed into a beautiful young woman.

She met a man, fell in love and married.
with Grandma and Grandpa
Amber always wanted to be a mom.
Prior to her first round of chemo,  I was required to sign a paper stating that due to the poisonous ( lifesaving) drugs that would soon be flowing through her veins,  she would have a high probability of being infertile.  Amber knew this but she had a positive attitude and took steps  with a perinatal clinic to get her diabetes in tight control so she could try to conceive.  Amazingly, she conceived soon after but that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.
During the early months after her miscarriage,  Amber was devastated and my heart ached for my daughter.  Every month, when she realized she wasn't pregnant, the despair grew deeper.  One day, while I was washing dishes, I heard a voice that said Amber would get pregnant in December!  I know I told her but she probably thought I was a crazy woman!
I'm sure you guessed it, she found out she was pregnant.......just like the voice had assured me!

As with most diabetics, she delivered 6 weeks early.
Jaycie was an 8lb 9 oz preemie....the baby of a diabetic mom. The light of her mom's eye!
Unfortunately, Amber's marriage ended in divorce. Although devastated, she bought a new house to make a home for her and Jaycie.  She enjoyed making new friendships, spending time with family and moving on as a single woman.

A little over a year ago she met a man, Chris, who compliments her values and beliefs. Along with his son, Cameron, they are forming a new family.


Amber is my crazy girl!!!  She loves to have fun, be silly and to heck with what anyone thinks!!! I so admire that in her!  She does what she wants, when she wants, and enjoys life!

Amber is the one that keeps our family grounded. She is the one who was chosen to accompany me to Arizona when I met Wendy, the daughter I had given up for adoption when I was sixteen. I could not have asked for a better travel partner! She was my rock during that weekend, and I will be forever grateful!
This beautiful woman is strong, opinionated (in a good way), intelligent,  giving and caring. She is our Electronics Queen, able to fix anything! Amber is a devoted (and thoughtful) daughter, mother, sister, aunt and friend to many. She will  always go the extra mile!
Amber has always made me proud, made me laugh and is a wonderful friend and confidant.

Amber is a caretaker and always looks for the best in others, she is the one you want on your side!
Happy Birthday, Sweetie!
You will always be my little girl,
Love,
Mom

Monday, June 25, 2012

Please keep Colorado in your thoughts and prayers!

Today, there are 13 fires burning in our beautiful state!
We have friends who where evacuated from the Glacier View subdivision, I pray their home was not one of the casualties!

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Happy Birthday, Erin!

Today is Erin's Birthday.  My sweet little baby who has grown into an AMAZING woman!


Her first Birthday party with Grandpa teasing her with a cold (empty) bottle on her sore gums!





She was always a happy child and wanted to please the world!



As the second eldest of six, she enjoyed the responsibility of  being an older sister to four younger siblings.

The big sister who looked out for her younger siblings!

Erin excelled in school, made many friends and was a model teenager. She always strove to make her family proud and never wanted to disappoint us!




She grew to be a wonderful young woman.
She married her high school sweetheart, graduated from college with a degree in accounting and they enjoyed traveling through Europe.   After several years of marriage she gave birth to two children ( Emma and Jonah), enjoyed being a homemaker, then had her heart broken by a painful divorce.

Out of the devastating pain, blossomed a stronger woman and mother!  I've always said that everything in life happens for a reason and Erin is the proof.

She is a wonderful mother who encourages independence and  self growth in her children. Erin gives them the opportunity to excel in their interests and is their biggest cheerleader, spending countless hours on the road driving them to all of their practices, competitions and meets! In fact, this weekend she is at Jonah's swim meet in Ft. Collins, Colorado.



Along the way, she found a special friend  (Matt) who enjoys her zest for life and traveling.

I always wonder how she ventured on the path of becoming an athlete. One day she was a dancer, meeting us at clubs, then the next she was entering marathons and triathlons.  She became the wonder woman of the family and we supported her during her races. She pushed herself to go further in her sport until she became an Iron Woman, competing in IRONMAN Wisconsin, Lake Placid and Canada.































 

 She lives life to the fullest and encourages her children, and all of her family, to do the same!
She has more energy than anyone I know and is an inspiration to many.

She climbs Fourteener's with her son and brother, 
and 6'ers (hikes) with her Mom!!!!!

She canoed the Boundary Waters of Minnesota which she, and Matt, will experience again later this summer! They are taking the kids for a vacation of a lifetime!
She talked her mother into jogging, I was in my 50's and had never run a step in my life!. We had run four events together before she encouraged me to follow my dream to run a marathon.  Erin is the best mental coach a woman could have! She always talked me through my long runs..Yes, I called her when I did not think I could run another minute. Her advice was always; "Just keep going forward"!!

I think that is her mantra!  Keep going forward, one step at a time!

 Erin,

From the first moment I held you in my arms, I experienced the amazing gift of love only a mother can feel. You have given me a lifetime of precious memories. You are not only my daughter, you are my friend! We have laughed together, cried together, shared secrets and given each other advice. We have traveled together and I have cherished those times, especially our first trip to New York when I was afraid to get on the subway! You  pushed me to attain my dream of running a marathon and I thank you!  I am so proud of you, and grateful to be your mother!

Happy Birthday, sweet daughter!
Love,
Mom

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Happy Father's Day



Happy Fathers Day to all!

Dad, mom and 'lil 'ole Me


Proud papa of twin boys!

Teacher....Loved to teach the grandkids wild, and crazy, dances!!

Loved animals and wild life!


So proud of your horse, Pinta,  but what is with the tennis shoes??
This picture, from your retirement party, reminds me of your love for life!

I miss our phone conversations, I always tried to call you when mom was at her daily grocery shopping trip so we could talk without interruption. 
I miss your laugh,
I miss your zest for life, 
I miss your crazy jokes (never thought I would say that!)..even your electronic toot machine!
I miss the stories that you told over..and over..and over..never thought I would say that either!!!
I miss your magic tricks,
I miss how much you loved your grandkids..
I miss the feel of your hugs, and the tears in your eyes, each time we said goodbye.

Dad, you left us way to soon.
When we meet again, the first question I will ask you (which has haunted me the last few years) is...
Did you visit us, in the form of a red bird, right before Mom died?
I believe it was your spirit.

Happy Father's Day,

Love your favorite (and only) daughter,
Shawn