Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Marines and Teens


My son has been at Marine Corps boot camp for seven weeks...and I miss him so much.  I realize it is because of the memories of the great times we have had as a family.  Even though he is absent, we are still making memories...and that is what is hard.  To continue to make family memories when a part of your family is missing.  Saturday we went to the International Street Fair and ate until we exploded.  Saturday it was Harbor House late night for shakes.  It was hard to see the empty chair and know this is one of my son's favorite places.  Sunday was Balboa Island, Newport Pier and Ruby's on the pier for lunch.  As we share memorable moments as a family I realize that we move on, change, grow up and adjust.  My son is an adult now and basically, on his own...But this mom didn't realize how hard it would be to let go...

Now I watch my husband wrestle with our daughter and laugh and play.  She is starting high school this week and is very excited.  I can tell my husband misses our son because he is spoiling our daughter.  (I think to make up for her being the only one right now).  But she is grateful.  He surprised her with something she wanted on Sunday and she cried because she knows it was given out of love.  

Today I sit in contentment, gratitude and joy.  As I prayed to God this morning, I thanked Him for the amazing marriage me and Ed have and the love that is still on fire after 23 years.  I thanked Him for my son -  honorable, courageous and committed.  The son that desires to be disciplined and a leader and defender of our freedom.  I thanked Him for my daughter - merciful, kind and loyal.  The daughter that has a heart for service and would give all she had to someone who needed it more.  

Can I stop time today and always see the blessings in my life and never see the struggles?  I want to sit in contentment and gratitude and joy every day. This, my family, is what matters and what lasts.

What causes you to be content, grateful and joyous?

Sunday, August 5, 2012

It's Been Awhile...

It has been quite a few months since my last post and here is a synopsis of what has happened...
I had surgery (not so amazing but I am doing great now)

Son went to prom (No he didn't take his dad!)
 Daughter graduated from junior high

Son graduated from high school


Family road trip vacation to Mt. Rushmore (Amazing by the way)

Son left for Marine Corps Boot Camp July 23rd.  He has been gone two weeks and this momma misses her boy!!  But got a letter from him Friday!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

 Me and Ed celebrated with one of his co-workers for her birthday.
 Haley went to Knott's to perform at the NRG Western Regionals Dance Competition...
 And won first place for large intermediate dance....
and Character dance...
Way to go Bell Intermediate Dance Team!!

So far this year I have celebrated my niece, Skylar's birthday (as seen here)....


Taylor had another concert at The House Of Blues Anaheim....




So as you can see, 2012 is not starting out as a good year for me blogging.  I have been so busy with my kids, husband, work and other family that I have just been too busy.  So get ready for a blog explosion until I get caught up!

Happy New Year!!!  Four months late but, hey, better late than never, right??

Thursday, January 5, 2012

It has been quite a while since I have posted...a lot has happened.  I will try to break it down into a few different posts based on events so bear with me.



On November 21, 2011, my sister's husband, John Robert Payne, went to be with the Lord after a two year battle with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  I helped my sister with the memorial and in the process of the planning and the outpouring of friends, family and co-workers I am in awe of what an amazing man John was.  He was so good to my sister and their twin boys.  He was a man of integrity that went out of his way to take others under his wing.  He will be dearly missed. But as the Bible says, "Absent from the body, present with the Lord."  And so in His passing, I am jealous that he gets to dance with Jesus!

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Marines, Marines, Marines

We are now in the process of enlisting my son in the U.S. Marine Corps.  He cut his hair, took out his earrings and shaved his chin beard.  Can you believe it?!?!
In the midst of all this me and Taylor served with the Patriot's Ministry at a memorial for the 1/5 Marines at Camp Pendleton.  Seventeen fallen Marines who died in Afghanistan from April to September were honored.



We served lunch at a reception for about 600 Marines and the families of the fallen.  It was a great experience to serve, and better yet to serve side by side with my son.