End Of Year Review Part 3

July was a big month. It began with a burst of anticipation of the birth of our first granddaughter. While we waited, our time was filled with games.

We take our games very seriously.

We are a very competitive family.

Ivydee arrived July 7. We could hardly wait to meet her and spent time Face Timing as often as possible.

July 14th was Ethan's 11th birthday.

 At the end of the day, we were surprised with the news that Ethan was going to be a big brother.

A week later, Michael and I flew to New Orleans, to meet out second grandchild.

Neither of us had ever been to New Orleans.

 It was quite the experience, but obviously the best part was meeting Ivydee and spending time with Christopher and Lauren.

We shared our time with Lauren's parents. I have to say what an honor and privilege it is to share the title of grandparent with these folks.

Michael and I figured we had to take a swamp tour while in the land of swamps.  It was not only fun but entertaining,

and beautiful.

From New Orleans I flew to Michigan for the wedding of Lauren's brother.

The last 2 days spent in Michigan, I met up with some online friends and had a blast.

 Whew!  July was a big month.  I will have to break this End-of-the-year review into an extra part, since July was a full post.

Truthfully,

Joanne

"So God made the giant sea monsters and all the living creatures that swim in the ocean. He also made every kind of bird. God looked at what he had done, and it was good." (Gen 1:21)

End Of Year Review Part 2

April Showers and May Flowers...

Snow showers showed up in April, the night Michael and I settled in for a Romantic Getaway in Estes Park. My car was stuck in the snow and we drove home via a shuttle bus.

In April we showered Lauren with a baby shower.

May was more flowers

and showers.

June refreshed us not with showers, but an engagement.

Sarabeth and Travis were officially engaged on June 26th, the day after her 24th birthday.

Truthfully,

Joanne

"Blessed is the Lord, for he has shown me that his never-failing love protects me like the walls of a fort!" (Ps. 31:21)

Year End Review Part 1

Michael and I were in Arizona the month of January. We spent one day walking down memory lane.

This is the airport where we first met. I shared the story here. We visited our former high schools, and the houses that both of us lived in from 10 years old to adulthood.

Michael's old house, old school, and a place teens used to park with a view.

My high school, the same Phoenix Skyline, and the house where I grew up. That far left window was my bedroom. I occasionally have nightmares where I'm in that room, and someone is peeking in that window. I can never get the curtains closed. The glass is usually cracked so I'm afraid the creepy person will come in and get me.  At some point, both homes had grass lawns. Someone must have realized, this is the desert.

I flew home for 10 days to spend with our youngest, Hilary, who had her wisdom teeth extracted. It was a fun time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhcsR38EYxA

Upon my return to Arizona, we spent time with family

And learned my sister-in-law Jeri was diagnosed with breast cancer.

In March, my sister-in-law, Sue surprised me with a trip to San Diego.  The week of my birthday, I went sailing for the first time, slept on the boat, had great fun with her family and friends. I loved every minute of it.

A week later I took Hilary to Arizona for her birthday.

Elisabeth and Ryan came along.

 We stayed with family and visited the brewery where my nephew Nick is the brewmaster.

 He is the one in the middle on the left. Incidently, on this trip he and his wife announced not only that they were pregnant, but expecting twins.

 In March, Ethan and Danny ran their first race together.

 I'm so thankful Ethan has such a great dad.

Truthfully,

Joanne

"I honestly expect and hope that I will never do anything to be ashamed of. Whether I live or die, I always want to be as brave as I am now and bring honor to Christ." (Phil. 1:20)

Happy 30th Anniversary Michael

I can't believe we have been married for 30 years.

I can't believe I am married to a 60 year old man.

If someone had asked me 30 years ago what I thought my life would look like now, I never would have envisioned it this way. First, I would have said with full confidence that I would be thin. Secondly, I would not have said with full confidence that I most certainly would still be married to the same guy this many years later. And yet, here we are.

I love you more than ever, and that love increases with each passing day. I so appreciate the little things you do and say that tell me you love me; even your simple, "Have I told you today that I love you?" means so very much to me.

You let me pick out music that I want to listen to, even when it isn't to your liking. You give me the freedom to cook whatever I want.

Your wit and humor makes me laugh almost daily, and still surprises me at times. You regularly compliment me. You step in right away and try to fix the things that bug me. You are a man of character.

I love your competitive spirit, even when it means we will sit and debate the most meaningless thing, like whether a wet or dry cloth absorbs water faster, just to prove a point of perspective.

I am very proud of the Grandpa you are:

The love and tenderness you show to Ethan and Ivydee, the way you brag about them on Facebook and how you think of creative ways to spend time and money on them.

 The pride you take in being a grandpa and how you share your enthusiasm of our upcoming arrival the same way you did before Ivydee was born.

Thank-you for being an awesome dad, and for taking the time to have your own relationship with each of our kids.

 I'm thankful that they can call you at midnight for a favor, and you are happy to "help them in an hour or in the morning" hahahaha.  But seriously, I hope each one of them realizes that you will always be there for them, as you have been.

You are a loving, thoughtful, and caring son. Your dad is most likely looking down from heaven and is very proud of you, for how you have loved and cared for both him and your mom. I'll bet he'd also like to tell you not to let the gas level in his car get below half a tank.

I love that I'm married to a man who gives me the best of everything, including himself.

 

  I can't believe the kiss of a 60 year old man thrills me, but it does, even after all of these years.  I hope to have at least 30 more years of love, laughter, and fun with you. I love you!

Truthfully,

Joanne

^"Live happily with the woman you love through the fleeting days of life, for the wife God gives you is your best reward down here for all your earthly toil." (Ecc. 9:9)

Friendship

If you aren't willing to share in my sorrows,

you'll never be trusted with my hopes and dreams.

"But I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more." (Psalm 71:14)

Ethan

It's Life

We've all experienced weeks like this. My mom and sister were in town. We had a great visit. On one of those days, my mom got in the shower. When she turned the water on, something broke. Water shot out in all directions spraying the entire bathroom.

(Mom with her two newest great grandkids.)

A few days later, I traveled to her home.  I took a shower. When I turned the water off, the shower knob came off into my hand.  No matter how hard I tried, I could not put it back in place.

The same day, I received a text from my youngest.  "I don't think your oven is working.  We made pretzels last night and after baking for 2 hours at 400 degrees the outside wasn't even brown."  I checked it when I arrived home. It isn't working. Plus, I found new burn marks on the cooktop.

When I was in Arizona, I listened to my nephews girlfriend describe a problem she was having with her laptop.  I remembered having a similar problem that seemed to fix itself.  When I returned home, I had the same problem.  The computer acted like it was on, but the screen is blank. Ugh!

Tonight after washing the dishes, I drained the water from the sink and found something in the water.  I was sure I'd removed every dish.  It was the basket strainer, at least I think that is what it is called.  I'm not sure, but it isn't supposed to be floating in the sink. It is made to hold the stopper to keep things from going down the drain.

Michael wanted to take some pictures, but when he removed the lens cap off of my camera, it was full of glass. I hand carried my camera on the plane.  How and when did this happen???

Ethan has been running a fever since Sunday.  He missed school the entire week.

Christopher has been in a cast for nearly 15 weeks since having his surgery.  He found out yesterday that the doctors don't see any healing.

I won't bother you with all of the other stuff going on, but it just seems that when it rains it pours.  Well, or snows and it did do that.  I love snow! I don't love that it is 12 degrees outside.

Truthfully,

Joanne

^"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.  Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen." (Phil. 4:19-20)

Twelve Years Ago

Twelve years ago today, a little secret was revealed.  Christina shared the news that we would be having our first grandchild.

He is funny, smart, inquisitive, and helpful.  He is deeply loved and brings great joy to our lives. He likes Transformers, Dinosaurs, and most anything sports related.

His latest sports obsession is hockey. Last weekend his great grandmother and great aunt were here. (My mom and sister.)  He played hockey, refereed it, insisted the girls duke it out as in a real hockey game.

When Brian came over, it was time to play baseball.

Before a game, the National Anthem has to be sung.  I couldn't get the camera out fast enough, so not sure you can actually here him singing.

So thankful to have this sweet boy in our lives!

Truthfully,

Joanne

"Grandparents are proud of their grandchildren,
    and children should be proud of their parents."(Proverbs 17:6)