Our New Year Started off with a Bang!!!

The announcements have all been mailed so we can now make it public....I'M A MOTHER-IN-LAW!!!!!

That's right!!

They Eloped!!

Michael & Veronica

January 1, 2011

Key West, Florida

"It's with joy that we announce

We had a change in plans

We snuck away at New Year's 

To exchange vows in the sand.

So now we share our happy news

We've started our new life

Michael is her husband

And Veronica is his wife."

The announcements were so cute.  Here are the pictures included on the announcement.  I'm sure I'll have more to share later.

They surprised us on January 3rd with a call saying they had gotten married.  It was just the two of them on a beach in Key West.  It suits them.  We are so very happy for them and so very proud to have Veronica as a member of our family.  I'm not sure where I read this(on one of the MANY blogs I read)but instead of a daughter-in-law, she will be our daughter-in-heart!!

Congratulations Michael and Veronica!!

October

I am so excited about October.  Not only is it probably my favorite month of the year due to all the beautiful changes God brings to pass with the onset of autumn but this October is going to be a month of travel for me.  As I have mentioned before, I LOVE to travel.  The excitement of making a list of all I will need for the upcoming trip and preparing everything then actually getting in the car to drive, drive, drive or even driving to the airport and hopping on a plane is almost as exciting as the trip itself.  ALMOST.  For the past couple of months I have been planning four, yes you heard me right, FOUR trips, three of which will take place this month.

I have, in fact, just returned from a long weekend trip to Spokane, WA to visit our baby girl who is attending Moody Bible Institute there.  It was my first trip to the state of Washington.  What I saw of it was really great.  We had beautiful weather all but one day and even then it wasn't that bad.  I was able to spend lots of time catching up with our sweet girl and also meeting and getting to know her house mates and other friends.  I was able to tour her school(and attend Friday chapel), which is really just a church that shares it's space with the college since there are less than 500 total students at this campus.  Many of the students are aviation students who meet for many of their classes at another location called "The Hanger".  I didn't see that facility.  The photo below is the church/school as seen from her front yard.  I love that she can walk to school!!!

Spokane has a really amazing downtown area.  The river runs right through the middle of town with the falls providing much of their energy.  The park downtown is great with so many different areas to explore.  The photos below are of Hannah with the Clock Tower in the background(and, yes, she did "steal" the flower from one of the many beautiful planters downtown); the falls, the wagon, and the runners sculptures.  I didn't make it over by the wagon and was really disappointed but we passed it several times in the car on our way to the parking area for the park.

What a great, great time I had!!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Oh, you want to know about the other THREE trips I am planning.   Well, you will just have to come back by later.  This post is long enough.  HeHeHe!!

Donna

Happy Mother's Day

My heart is so full this weekend. So full it keeps leaking out of my tear ducts. I'm not sure if it's because of Mother's Day or not but I will put the blame there, nonetheless. My kids are all now grown. That is really bittersweet to me right now. I love being a mom. It has been the joy of my life!

I have never been one to set goals for myself. I have always struggled with that when made to put goals on paper. I know it's said if you aim at nothing that is what you will hit. BUT, I can tell you that my one and only stated life goal was to be a wife and mom. Thankfully, I have had the privilege of achieving that goal for the past 25 years. I consider it a privilege to have been able to stay at home raising our children. I know we did without many things for that to happen but what a blessing it was.

So many changes have come in the past few years and, I know, many more are yet to come. In July, we take our baby off to Washington state for college. We will then officially be empty nesters with children from coast to coast and one right in the middle of this large country. Something tells me that my frequent flyer miles are going to go up far more quickly in the months to come.

I do love the fact, however, that later this year I will also become a mother-in-law. I'll be sharing a lot more about that as the date draws nearer. It is going to be a real fun time.

But before I close, I would be remiss if I didn't mention what a great mother I have. She has been such an encourager to me. She is such a strong woman and I love the fact that we are so close. I just wish we lived closer to each other. Here she is just a couple of weeks ago on a trail ride with some of her friends. I love you, Mom!! Happy Mother's Day!!!

And to Michael, Adam and Hannah....You mean the world to me!! I am so proud of who you are and who you are becoming. I love you with all that I am.

I miss my boys!!!

I have really been missing my boys lately. I haven't seen either of them in quite some time. I REALLY need to go visit them SOON. Problem is, they don't even live in the same state as we do.

This is our eldest son with his fiancee. She has just been sworn in as a lawyer for the state of Florida in this picture. We are so proud of her!! They are going to be married this October. Aren't they are cute couple?

This is our other son with his sweet girlfriend. They are also cuties!! He is finishing up his junior year at the University of Illinois.

Around our House

Since I can't seem to get my thoughts to quiet enough to write about the past few months I will show you what is happening right now at my house.

Remember these?

Well, actually you don't remember them framed because I just picked them up from Hobby Lobby yesterday. They are the pictures my talented artist husband drew of our three wonderful children. He's good, huh? I certainly think so.

Well, when you walk in our front door now you are greeted by this arrangement.

I know the table scape needs some help but I am so pleased with the way it's turning out. I have been looking for something to go in that spot since we moved in almost 3 years ago. I finally found the little table at Hobby Lobby (I LOVE that place!!). And, I just am so excited to be greeted by my three kiddos every time I enter the house.

And that basket, you ask????
Another of my souvenirs from Uganda. It's a handmade raffia basket. Isn't it beautiful!!

I have been spending a lot of time in the sewing room. I have opened an "etsy" shop hoping to make a little cash to help out our 3 "starving college students". OUCH!!! It is pretty skimpy on items right now but I have several things in the works that are about ready to be added. I'm also hoping to include some items that are a combination of hubby's artwork and my sewing. We'll see how that works out. As I've said before on this blog, I'm also hoping to improve my camera skills so that my pictures will be more appealing.

Thanks for stopping by!!

What happened to July?

Well, I'm back from my unscheduled blogging break. Where did the summer go? It seems as though we just celebrated graduation and now it's August. We have had so much going on around here and I've had so much to share that I find myself completely overwhelmed by it all. So, I just didn't post. So, where it start?????

I guess we should start by saying that our sweet daughter and Rudy finished up their schooling. Yes, it was a 6 week course. I know you didn't get any updates either. Just suffice it to say, they are both very different now. Our girl has had a taste of independence and found it much to her liking. Our Rudy is now a well-behaved (well -- almost!!!) puppy. He has learned so much and seems somewhat lost now that he doesn't have a full scheduled routine anymore. And, just like a kid who finds himself in a new setting he's trying all the limits and failing. His "mama" is a strict one and doesn't let him get away with anything. Aren't they cute??


After dropping them off at school, hubby and I jumped on a plane for Wyoming. It was some of the most amazing scenery. I took hundreds of pictures and would love to bore you with them all but I'll just post a few. I know you're saying, "Whew, dodged that bullet!!".

These are the Grand Tetons taken with my phone. I just couldn't get over how beautiful the snow-capped mountains were.




These three are of Wind River Canyon just out of Thermopolis. It is an Indian Reservation and just pristine and gorgeous.

I have loads more news and pictures to share. But this one was just to get my blogging feet wet again and not overly bore you!! Thanks for stopping by!!

A Month Later.....

Things have been hopping around here. We got through graduation with a multitude of tears from me. :-( It was a great time with lots of family and friends visiting (but not quite enough company - we missed you Mom, M & V!!!).







We are so very proud of her. Now she and Rudy(remember the tulip eater??) are off tomorrow to the big city for 6 weeks of "school". They are attending the National K-9 Learning Center where she will be certified as a Master Trainer. She is excited!! Rudy doesn't know what he's gotten himself into!!



So now you know why I've not taken time to post in the last month. What with all the "end of the school career" awards banquets, parties, rehearsals, graduations, family and friends in and out AND getting her ready to go off to school so quickly after all the celebrations, we've been pretty busy. And then there's that trip to Wyoming also...we leave next week! WooHoo!!!!! I'm so ready for a vacation.

So tell me....do you have big plans for a summer vacation?

Another Milestone

My baby turns 18 today!!

Happy Happy Birthday sweet Sue-Sue!!

You have grown into a beautiful lady!!

We are very proud of you!!

Love ya bunches!!

Happy Mother's Day

I was surprised by my sweet daughter with beautiful tulips for Mother's Day.

I hope you had as great a Mother's Day as I did.

Prom 2009

OK, I know you are all wondering why it was necessary to go to the airport to pick up Hannah's date. Back in those sweet days I was talking about in my last post, we lived in Houston TX and spent a great deal of time with some wonderful people. We all went to church together, several of us worked together at a local Mother's Day Out program, we vacationed together. Well, you get the picture. We were always together. We were very, very close. Then we moved and, as is too many times the case sadly, we grew apart.

Enter the world of technology. What with internet and unlimited text messages our kids reconnected. One thing led to another and here we were on our way to the airport to pick up "her date" for Prom. They were very close to inseparable when they were young, but have not seen each other since kindergarten graduation (or there about).

Check out these cuties. Hannah and Aaron are right next to each other. They always were. This was taken at Big Bend National Park on spring break when they were either 4 or 5. I can't seem to remember the year. (Old age does that, you know!!) The other cutie is Josh. He and Aaron are still good friends.

And here they are 11 or 12 years later. Senior Prom.
It was such a fun weekend and it ended way too quickly. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if his mom, dad and sister could have made the trip also. Oh well, sounds like another good excuse to visit Houston again!!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Happy Quilting!!

Happy May Day!!

Do you celebrate May Day? I never have but last year thought it might be fun to make some of Monica's little Pennie Pockets to share with friends(picture below is from Monica's website). Did I get it done? Of course not!!! As usual, it snuck (is that a word??) up on me. Time just races by as we seem to get busier and busier. It's a vicious circle!

April was a busy month full of fun and rain. May will be even busier. I cannot believe that it is only 30 short days until our baby's graduation. What a mixed bag of emotions I am dealing with. We are so proud of her (as we are with our boys also!!), yet it just doesn't seem possible that all three of our sweet kids will now be adults. It seems to me that it was just last month they were all under they age of five and I thought I would be changing diapers and potty training kids FOREVER!!! Oh, what sweet days those were! Isn't hind-sight grand?! I do remember alot of whining while in the midst of all those diapers. I remember wishing for some "me" time or at least to be able to go to the bathroom without little fingers being poked under the door. Ah, what sweetness!!!

Well, thanks for indulging my melancholy. Time to return to the present since we're off to Columbus today to pick up our sweet baby's prom date from the airport. Now there's a story you'll want to hear. But now we've gotta run!!

Thanks for stopping by!!
Happy Quilting!!

She Said Yes!!!

So much has happened here in the past several weeks. The most important of which is that it's now official. Our firstborn and his sweetheart are engaged. He proposed on April Fool's Day. I get the impression that there is a story there but we haven't heard it yet. We just know that she said yes and they are really excited. No date has been set. She is finishing up law school in December and will take the bar in February so they really don't want to add the stress of wedding planning to all that. We couldn't be happier!!!

More news to follow....

A Little Philosophical Today

Sometimes we just have to admit that we are not in control of our lives. I am very grateful that God is ever present and watching out for me and mine. We make decisions daily not really giving them any importance when really they will affect our lives for years to come. Decisions that we think are so trivial like our first born taking Tae Kwan Do, we find now was God-led in order to save his life one day. That day was yesterday and I'm overwhelmed with gratitude for God's answer to my many, many prayers for his protection.

As I ponder all this today, I find myself so grateful for the many people God led into our lives who have influenced my children for good. They are just too many to name but God knows who they are because he put them there. I am asking Him to bless them all today but most especially Bro. Ronnie. He is a treasure!!

His Mercies Are New Every Morning!

It's a brand new week. A fresh start! Another beautiful day is forecast and lots to be done.

Last week was a hard one for us. Tragedy struck our daughter's high school for a second time in three months. Four of her classmates have been killed in needless accidents. When will they learn that alcohol and driving (especially at such high speeds) do not mix? It is a hard lesson for those left behind that these kids are not invincible. They are not untouchable. It was a very hard week.

On a happier note, I just have to brag about my sweet hubby. He is an amazing artist. He works with colored pencils and, if I may repeat myself, is amazing! You can check out his website here. He has been working on pictures of our sweet kids. Here are our oldest and our youngest.



He is just beginning on our other son's drawing. For those of you who know our sweet kid #1 you will agree that this is sooooo him. Such a perfect expression. I just love it! And then, our baby - she's just a beautiful person - inside and out. I can't wait to have all three framed and hanging in our entryway. Their pictures, that is, although there were days when they were growing up when I would have liked to hang them by their toes!! Now though, I'm so proud to be their mama.

Thanks for stopping by!

Little Quilts

Hey there! I hope you all had a nice weekend. Ours was full of activity since our Sweet Kid #2 and his girlfriend came home for a visit. It was nice to spend some time with them again but as usual it wasn't long enough to suit me.

Not much else going on here. I have been working on several projects but not finishing much. The last finish was this little log cabin mini which I used scraps to complete.

It's about 25 X 25 and came from the Little Quilts book I bought when I first began quilting back in 2001.

I'm working on another one from the same book and here are a couple of blocks from it.

I have finished 4 of the 6 little Overall Bill blocks as well as the four patch blocks that surround them. All are from scraps again. I love using my scraps!! And I seem to be stuck lately making little quilts. They are such fun and almost instant gratification.

Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Quilting!!