New start

Got an iPhone. Going to try to update
My blog more often. We will see how it goes. We baptized my newest grandchild,Blaise Robert this weekend. I'm going to try to post a picture.

Where did summer go?

Since I last posted, I've been kind of busy. :)

It started in April when Mom had surgery. All is well and recuperated with her. But that took two weeks of hospital stay and a few more weeks of at home recuperating.

Actually it started before that with the bathroom renovation. That took almost six weeks, but it looks fantastic!

Mike Pingel and Andy Shaw work very hard!

We planned Stephen's birthday party for the end of May, at the end of school. Then we find out the Colorado Roses were moving to town!

Note the rocking horse on the roof!

So right after school is out, the Roses are in!. Thankfully the bathroom was completed that week! They lived with us in squeezed but happy quarters. Who can't help but smile when Zelie flashes a sweet one? That lasted six weeks.

Amidst that we had John & Kristen's wedding to attend in Pittsburgh. Big trip. Lots of people. Keeping Stephen happy. Keeping up with family people. Making sure the rehearsal dinner was okay. Keeping up with New Orleans people. Keeping Stephen busy. Enjoying John & Kristen's big day. Meeting Kristen's lovely family people. Keeping Stephen from having a meltdown. Keeping cool! Dancing with lots of people. Whew! That lasted a week.

They look very happy. Check out the next video to see a sneak preview of their marital bliss!

Then Theresa and Pete brought Gregory and Louis down to visit while they went to Dallas for a few days. They were little angels. Very sweet. I was very tired. That took four days.

Next Theresa agreed to watch Stephen (and Grace Marie helped) so Phil and I could get away. So we went to Atlanta. Did CNN, Coke and aquarium. Visited Phil's sister Patti and Brian Bienn and their boys Harris and Mack. Great family. it was so good to see them all. Harris is in the Marines. Pray for him!

That was only 3 days. Phil with Harris.

Soon after that Grace Marie and Paul had another big move out to their new home around the corner. Very nice place. We all have a bit more elbow room.

Stephen went to Contemporary arts camp for a few weeks and before you know it, school has started back up!

Where did the summer go? It was life lived and shared among family and friends. It was a summer blessed by the Lord with safe voyages and better health. Granted it was busy. I think Stephen's summer book will have more pages this year than last. But it's a summer that went in our memory as rich, blessed and very full!

Viewing the world

As I venture further into the technical world, I am attempting video movie making. My loving husband got me a video palmcorder for my birthday, so I can make talking pictures now! (as opposed to the silent films my digital camera creates!)

Not that I have time to do this craziness! As I write this my mom is recovering from colon cancer surgery. All is well, thank God, but her recovery is a slow process.

We are also renovating our bathroom. That video is next!

Mardi Gras and Lent

Okay, the new year continues into an early Mardi Gras and Letnen season. Which is fine by me. Mardi Gras was great. Here are a few pictures:

Superman Stephen snacking while waiting for the Rex parade. Joanna and baby Anna, Mehan Mehaffey and Eileen Timler.

Granddad Phil and Zachary.

Now on to Lent. I am giving myself a weight loss challenge. A dozen for a dozen. Exchange (or lose) a dozen pounds for a dozen Easter eggs. Time to take back control! This is a good time of year for me to make this a spiritual battle of the will.

Dieting isn't always a spiritual thing, but there's something about fasting that brings food consumption into the forefront as a real player in prayer. I want to incorporate that aspect of prayer into my life. I know I will reap prayer benifits from it. I also plan to reap weight loss benifits from it.

So if you have a prayer request I will be happy to pray for you as I fast. God's power is alive and strong and He is still working miracles.

Beginnings

I love beginning a new year. It is refreshing. I buy new calendars and notebooks and attempt to reorganize my life. I get a handle on things. It feels good. Don't know how long it Will last, but for a while I at least feel like I have it all together!

I rang in the New Year with an awful stomach virus from which I have recovered. John and Kristen and the Martins were in for the New Year weekend as well. Here are some pictures.

Christmas was also great fun! Patrick was in, the Roys came over, the Martins were here. Santa was successful once again.

Merry Christmas!

For those who wonder what we're up to, life is blessed and busy. I've been helping conduct the choir at St. Michael's Special School where Stephen goes. The performance was on Dec.8th and was very successful. I think it brought joy to the full house who came. Of course I am always blessed many times over by the beautiful spirits of these students.







So to catch up, Joanna had her baby on Nov.7th. Baby Anna Gloria Roy. Daniel and Zachary were happy to have a sister. Mother and Daughter are doing just great! Daddy Joe is keeping everyone happy working hard, cooking, and all around caring for his family.





We had a marvelous Thanksgiving. John and his fiance Kristen came to visit. . John and Kristen got to meet our family and friends in the short three days they were here. They will return again for New Year's.















Patrick also came and brought his dog Riley to visit Bambi. They had a great time


















Fall is here now. I've posted some video of Stephen and Phil and the leaf jumping Olympics. Unfortunately my camera doesn't add sound, but leaf jumping does not rely on sound anyway.





So, I should be writing Christmas cards right now, but decided to post this first. My shopping is almost complete. The best part about playing Santa is that you get such joy out of surprising others with gifts. Theresa, Pete, Gregory and Louis will be here for the holidays. That will add lots of baby fun and excitement to the household. Patrick and Riley will come in also. Bambi can't wait. Of course, Michael and Stephen will be here. Michael just finished another semester at UNO. Grandma Alice is here too. Her shopping is done already, just waiting on the UPS to deliver all the orders!


Had to mail gifts to Grace, Paul and Cy, Kerri and Zelie as they will not be here for Christmas. We had a wonderful visit with them here in October. And I'm sure we will see them again soon. Maybe for Mardi Gras.


Well, a blessed Christmas to all who read this and a happy and Christ-filled New Year for you all.

Time Flies

Okay, so it's been awhile since I posted. Summertime gets a bit hectic. But now that school is back in session, and life is more into a routine, I'll get back to this.



We had a great family vacation on the Guadeloupe River in Texas. Here is a family shot.









Then we had Joe Timler (brother of our friend John) from South Bend stay with us for a few weeks in July. Stephen shared his room. It was lots of fun. (Finally someone to play pirates with!)



During the summer Stephen played baseball, had a week of horseback riding camp and was on the Green Acres swim team.










In August, we were deeply grieved by Grace & Paul's miscarriage. I was able to visit them over Labor Day. They have had one tough summer, but the Lord is their strength and life continues. The three kids, Cy, Kerri and Zelie are wonderful.

Here they are showing off their tiger painted faces from our trip to the zoo.

















Also, a few weeks ago we finally agreed to get a puppy for Stephen. We decided on a "goldendoodle" which is a mix of golden retriever and poodle. Kind of like a small polar bear!


Even though I was sure I was ready for, as someone put it, "one more special needs individual to care for" I began feeling a bit panicked. However, with prayer and perserverance, these feelings have calmed down.


I actually am enjoying Bambi now. And Stephen is really bonding with her which is what we wanted. He lets her out of her kennel in the morning and takes her outside. He feeds her and loves her. The playful puppy part is tricky, all those sharp baby teeth can get annoying! But she'll grow out of that right?

Also this summer John got engaged! We met Kristen briefly at our summer vacation and really enjoyed her. So, wedding plans will be part of our life for the next year. Parents of the groom this time around - what fun!

Finally, I got a new computer, so I am on a learning curve with that. I decided to get another Dell, the XPS 210 . It's very nice and fast. My old one was slow, probably because of all I had on it. Michael has been able, with John's help, to set it up to use in the "East Wing" - even got the remote internet working. So I'm glad that is accomplished.


I guess that brings us up to date. I'm probably forgetting something. But for now, for whoever cares, this is our life. It is good. God is merciful.