HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD!

Let me tell you about my dad. My dad is an amazing man. From the time I was born he was always there for me and my brother. When he was 18, he got a job at Ford as a journeyman(whatever that is!)and has work for Ford ever since. He worked at the Rouge Steel building until they closed it down a few years ago. There were alot of explosions down there and I was always fearful when he would be at work. When they closed the Rouge down, he got sent over to the World Headquarters where he is still today. He can retire whenever but he continues to keep going.

My dad is a hard worker and has always provided for his family. Growing up, we had everything we wanted, not in a spoiling way, but we never needed for anything. We always had a nice home, food on the table, and clothes on our backs. I have alot of happy childhood memories of my dad that I cherish and wouldn't change.

My dad also had the best parents which in turn were the best grandparents. His dad also worked for Ford for many years and he retired. His mom was the best. Growing up they were my Memaw and Papaw and they spoiled us rotten! My Memaw died in August of 1989, and I was so sad for my dad because she was so special to all of us. She was always there for him and got him out of alot of trouble when he was younger. My Papaw died on Christmas Eve in 1994. My heart broke for my dad because now both his parents were gone. It was hard on all of us, especially me because they didn't live to see me become a Christian and marry and have children of my own. They left us with wonderful memories and a legacy.

My dad is also a grandparent to 8. One of those grandkids is with the Lord. In 1987 my brother and his then girlfriend had a baby girl. Her name was Amber Nicole and she was beautiful. We fell in love with her from the minute we saw her. Unfortunately, God needed her more than us because she died of crib death when she was a month old. It was a shock to all of us and we miss her so much. So, after her death, my brother married that girlfriend and we waited two years for them to give us another baby. My nephew Brett was that baby. He didn't replace Amber but he brought back joy to all our lives. Then came Rian and Brandon. I got married in 1995, and in 1996, Marvin and I had Matthew. So, we had four boys and I hoped that we would add another girl to our family. Well, in 1999, I had Ashlee. She was special because she was the first girl after many years without Amber. In 2000, I had the twins, Lauren and Lyndsey. So, now my dad had his hands full will 7 active grandkids. He has nick-names for each one of them and he loves them very much. My kids have wonderful memories of their "Gampy".

I could go on and on about my dad. He is the best dad I could have ever asked for. "Anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad". That saying is so true, and that's my dad!

So, dad, this post is for you. On this Father's Day , I wanted to let you know how much I love you and I appreciate you SOOOO much. You have always been there for me and I know that I have disappointed you alot lately but I want you to know that today and everyday after this I make a promise to you that I will get my act together and that I will become a more responsible adult that will be able stand on my own two feet, and to give my kids everything they need. I will try my hardest from here on out to not depend on you to bail me out of trouble because of my stupid decisions. Thank-you for always being there for me and loving me and being a awesome grandparent to my children. They love you so much and I know you love them.

Dad, never forget how much you are loved,wanted,needed, and appreciated. I would not be where I am today without you. God has truly blessed me and I wanted you to know how much I love you and need you in my life. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AUNT KAREN

My Aunt Karen lives in Virginia so I don't get to see her very often but she is very special to me. She is married to my Dad's brother, Chuck, and they have been married for along time, 17 years I think, anyway, today(5/11) is her birthday and I wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday from all of us here in Michigan!! I wish she was here so we can take her out to dinner and spend some time together. They are coming to MI. in July for my brother's wedding and I can't wait!!
So, Happy Birthday Aunt Karen. I hope you have a wonderful day and know that we are thinking of you and we love you and miss you very much. You are the best Aunt I could have ever asked for and you are very important to me and my family. I love you:)

p.s. This is an old picture that I had stored somewhere on this computer. That good-looking guy is my favorite Uncle Chuck!

I'VE BEEN TAGGED!!!

7 Things you may not know about me:

1) I have serious road rage issues! Marvin says my personality changes when I drive. People make me made when they do dumb things while driving. Talking on the phone and driving is the big one nowadays. People can't drive the speed limit and talk on the phone at the same time. SHUT UP and DRIVE!!!

2) My biggest fear is spiders and centipedes! I once called my dad at work to tell him there was a centipede on the ceiling and I needed him to come home and get it. Wrong... he told me to get a broom and hit it, so I put the phone down and got the broom and smacked it and when I did I screamed. He wasn't sure what was going on.

3) I asked Jesus in my heart when I was 19 yrs old and haven't looked back. One of the greatest moments in my life.

4) When I was little I was playing outside in the snow and there was ice stuck on the fence and I wanted a bite of it and when I took a bite I got stuck. My tongue was stuck pretty good and I couldn't talk so I screamed and my brother finally heard me and got my parents, but by the time they got to me I had already ripped it off and I had a fat tongue and couldn't talk and had to go to ballet that night!! Just like "A Christmas Story".

5) One of the biggest tragedies in my life was when my 4 week old Niece, Amber died of crib death(SIDS) when I was 17. It was one of the worst experiences of my life and one I'll never forget.

6) Since I was about 12 yrs old I always wanted to be a cop. I wish now I would have done it but I always have that desire to go hang out with a bunch of cops and take people down!! I'm also good at catching shop lifters!!!

7) One of my biggest regrets in life was that I did really bad in high school and I wish I could do it over again. Now I push my kids to do their best so they can be successful and go to college.

That's it for me.

One Year=success or failure???

Well, one year ago today I joined weight watchers! It has been a hard year. I was very successful in the beginning. I dropped a total of 41 pounds and thought I was on the road to skinniness!! I was looking pretty good and my self esteem was through the roof! Unfortunately, all good things come to and end:( Even though I have yet to say the two words I normally would say given the situation, I'm still not going to say them. I have gained a good portion of the weight back, more that I want to admit but I just can't seem to get back on the band wagon. I also gave up Pepsi and have recently started drinking it again after a year of being Pepsi free. I don't really have a good explanation as to why I had this set back. Everyday I try to get back up but it gets harder and harder. Gastric bypass sure looks good right now! That would be the easy way right? So the journey continues.. I am looking forward to the nice days outside so I can get active again. I got new roller blades last week and I'm ready to get some exercise!

I do have some good news to share... Tomorrow I start training at the new Meijer in Allen Park!!! I'm really excited to start working again and making some extra money. Brand new start in a brand new store.

The kids are on Spring Break this week and we have been doing stuff everyday to keep busy. Monday we spent the day at COSI in Toledo, with my dad. This morning we went bowling( as usual the kids all kicked my butt)then this evening we went skating with the girl scouts (the new roller blades worked good) Tomorrow we will sleep in and I start work in the afternoon. Marvin is off on Thursday, so If I don't work we will do something with the kids. (Boy that sounds strange..work)

Well, that's all 4 now.

YELLOW BELT

Ashlee graduated on Friday to a yellow belt in Tae Kwan Do. She has been in TKD since October and is on her third belt. She loves it! On Friday, she had to break her first board. She got up there and practiced on a pad first and she kicked hard, then he put the board in front of her and she kicked it and I heard her say oww! I got a little nervous after that but she shook it off and tried it again. They can keep trying until they break it or it starts to hurt too much. She kept at it until about the forth kick and she broke it! I was so proud of her that I got all weepy. She was so excited and so were we. It is so rewarding to see your child accomplish something that they worked so hard on. It was a very proud moment for Marvin and I.

Best Friend

Having a best friend is one of life's greatest blessings. I have had the best of a best friend! Malinda and I have been best friends for about 15 years. I can't even remember how we got to become BF but I am so glad we did. In those 15 years, we have been through alot together. We've laughed, we've cried, we've lost loved ones, gotten married, had children, traveled together, and have never really fought about anything. Whenever something big happened in my life, she was and still is the first person I would call. She has always been there for me and has encouraged me in everything I have done in my life. Some of the best times in my life have been with her. We have had some difficult times in both of our lives but we have always been there for each other and knew we could count on each other.
Malinda, I love you and I have been so blessed to have you in my life. I cherish the times we've had together and I look forward to more great times together. Always remember that I will always be here for you and I am so honored to be your best friend:)

HAPPY 8th BIRTHDAY, ASHLEE

My girl turned 8 years old yesterday(2/5/07) On our kids birthdays we let them pick where they want to have dinner, and she chose Amigos. She loves the chips and salsa, which is mainly why she chose there. She ordered a hamburger! She's like me! They brought her out her own ice-cream and she liked the ice cream part of it but not the coconut and nuts. We are having a big birthday party on the 17th so the twins can celebrate their birthday which is on the 16th.

TIN GRINS ARE IN!

Matthew became even more handsome when he received his braces yesterday! He was excited to get them but I was afraid he would be in alot of pain so before we went I gave him some Motrin and he did fine. Braces have come along way since I had mine. I remember my teeth hurt so bad that I couldn't eat! His are fine. He likes them alot and smiles more.

Time to change

Well, after being a stay at home mom for 9 years and all my kids being in school full time, I decided it's time to get a job. Starting on Monday I will be working during school hours at a daycare taking care of infants and toddlers! It is actually a blessing because I have the perfect hours and I still will have quality time with the kids plus we finally will have two steady incomes! That has been the hardest part for our family. As the kids get older they require more stuff and it will help out alot to have that extra cushion. I am looking foward to having something to do during the day and also helping Marvin out with the finances. Wish me luck:)

New Year Resolutions

Okay, another year to make some resolutions. Hopefully I can stick to them:)

1) Lose another 40 pounds (Lord help me!!)
2) Develop a closer relationship with God (quiet time,bible study)
3) Yell at my kids less and hug them more
4) Have more date nights with my husband
5) Be a better steward with the finances (no more impulse shopping)
6) Help people that are less fortunate then me
7) Keep my house cleaner so I won't be embarrassed when people stop by
8) Get a J-O-B! (oh my has it really been 9 yrs?)
9) Be more patient(especially with the kiddos)
10) Develop a better self image!

Well, let's see later on how I'm doing with these goals for 2007!

The end of the year

Well, it's almost 2007, can you believe it? A lot has happened this year, so I'll highlight a few things. All my kids celebrated another birthday and grew even bigger and in September they all were in school full time. Marvin and I celebrated 11 years of marriage and I am more in love with him than ever before. We spent another year without Marvin's parents and we miss them being in our lives and them seeing their grandchildren grow up. We said good-bye to Ken and Robin and the children as they moved to Tennessee to start a new life down south and we celebrated with Ken as he graduated with a degree in education. We are so proud!! It has been a healthy year for us and especially me as I have lost 41 pounds and still am trying to lose more. That has been awesome because I have more energy and can do a lot more activity with the kids.
We have had some sad times as well. In December, my cousin Kim died tragically at the age of 31. It was a sad time for her family as it happened so close to Christmas. Matthew's hamster also died tragically at the hands, or should I say mouth of our dog, Buster. He is now laid to rest in the backyard. (The hamster, not Buster).
I think that is all, I probably forgot important things but it is 12 am and I'm getting tired. So, I will go for now but will post my 2007 resolutions another day.

A terrible tragedy

A tragedy has happened to my family today. My cousin, Kim, who is 31 years old and the mother of 3 year old twin boys is on life support this very hour. The accident happened yesterday as she was getting ready to start her day. She made a bath for her boys and as she got it ready,she continued to get herself ready and was blow drying her hair. She apparently had her head upside down and when she flipped back over she hit her head on the sink which knocked her out and she fell backwards into the tub, where she drowned. Her husband was in the basement and he heard a thud. He just thought it was the boys and went back to what he was doing. 5-6 minutes passed and he thought it was strange that the blow dryer was still going so he went upstairs to see her and he found her in the tub. He pulled her out and she was blue and had no pulse or heartbeat. He started CPR and called for help.
At this hour we are hoping for a Christmas miracle. She shows no signs of life. She is on every machine possible and is in a coma. Her brain is swollen because of lack of oxygen. The doctors have already prepared the family but her husband is in shock and is not ready to make the decision to take her off life support. He is only 30. how can you blame him? Can you imagine being a widow @ 30? I still can't believe this is happening.
She is a oncology nurse at Oak wood and devoted her life to helping people with cancer, because her mother died of cancer in 1993. She was to graduate this Sunday from Eastern with a bachelors in nursing, with a 3.9 GPA. How sad is that? She was so happy to get it and now she won't walk across the stage to receive something she worked so hard for. Her husband will do it in her honor.
We never know what will happen in our lives. That is why we must live each day to the fullest and love each other and our families and hold them close. I have many good memories of Kim. We shared a bond that was special because we are cousins and we each had twins. Her boys, Brett and Dylan, will grow up without a mother now but with a father that loves them very much and a family that will see a part of Kim when they look at them. Her legacy will live through them.
Good-bye Kim, I'll never forget you.

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CHRISTmas time is here!

I just love Christmas time! It is so much fun preparing for this special time of year. I love the fact that Jesus Christ was born for me! It can't get any better than that. There is just something about the fact that if it wasn't for Jesus, I, nor you, would be here today. God had a master plan that was so awesome that it boggles my mind. I am so glad that Jesus was born so that we would have life and be able to love and share during this time of year. I think we should be in the spirit of giving every day and not just during the holidays. Jesus said that we are to be His disciple's and go and share the love of Jesus to everyone we meet. This is the perfect time to share about Jesus and His love for people. It starts with me. I need to be willing to move out of my comfort zone and tell others about Him and what he has done in my life.
Jesus is truly the reason we celebrate this season. Will you share about Jesus this holiday? I will surly take up the challenge to go where God is at and share His story with people.

Merry Christmas to you!

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