My Daughter-In-Law keeps me laughing

Senior Love…….

I was in my back yard trying to launch a kite.
I threw the kite up in the air, the wind would catch it for a few
seconds, then it would come crashing back down to earth.
I tried this a few more times with no success.

All the while, my wife Linda is watching from the kitchen window,
Muttering to herself how men need to be told how to do everything.

She opens the window and yelled to me,
‘You need a piece of tail.’

I turned with a confused look on my face and yelled back,
‘Make up your mind. Last night, you told me to go fly a kite

—————————————————–

Hope this little bit of humor starts your Monday off on a good note.
Leslie

Before I Pass Out

My daughter and my grand son

This is my Tiffany and her little spit fire ball of energy, Simon.

Tiffany probably weights about 110 pounds soaking wet.  She’s tall and lean, and she can be a “Mean Fighting Machine”   She has been in the martial arts off and on since she was in middle school and she has been to some of the martial arts events and has Kicked Butt!

Tiffany found her “calling” several years back as an embalmer.  She is so good at her job she has several funeral homes that call her to help with their work load.  She’s also getting pretty well known for her ability to reconstruct head injuries so good that the families are able to have open casket viewings.

Can you tell I’m proud of our Non-Conventional Daughter?  Well I am totally proud of my girl and I get the chance to brag on her.  Our Loreli, the ICU Trauma Nurse, I told you about last year being picked to be on that special Task Force to go into natural disaster areas is gaining a reputation at the hospital she works at as being excellent in her field too.

Okay, I’ll take you slowly into why I’m doing this post.

Outline of tat

Tiffany is working at having a “Sleeve” done on her arm.  The images are all representative of “Death” since she deals with it on a daily basis.

As a Christmas present from her Mom (who is a dear friend of mine) she was given the opportunity to have the work begun.

Working with a tattoo artist to come up with the design, the first part will be a raven overlooking a graveyard.  There will be, at some time, a tribute to her family somewhere else on this same arm.

This is the pattern that has been approved, so far, by Tiffany to get started.  The artwork is amazing and the details are beautiful.  The scroll work on the iron fence, the individual feathers on the raven, the cemetery in the background.  Tiffany is really happy with this tattoo artist and his body of work.  I’m gulping and trying to stay upright as I think about the amount of time that will be needed to just tattoo this outline.  I’m getting woozy.

First part of tattoo

Raven colored in

The left photo was done a couple weeks ago.  This right photo was taken yesterday.  The skull on the raven’s back started out as a mistake but the artist did some totally awesome work to make it look like it was meant to be there.

Uuuuuuuuuuuh, oooooooooooh.  Crash, bang, splat……

“Pearl Essence” by Pati

Jewelry Set #1

I’m so proud of Pati and the work she has done on her jewelry creations.

This is one set she made for Maureen and I’ll have the other set up in the next photo, then some close ups of these items.

I am totally impressed by what Pati has created.  She is the one that loves jewelry between us.  I can’t wear it because I have a rather itchy and nasty reaction to the nickle content in the metals used so I avoid it all together.

Jewelry Set #2

You may  not realize there is a difference in these two sets.  It is in the chandelier earrings.  One set has five hangy down things while this set only has three.

Still these are beautiful pieces and I hope Maureen and her Mom are happy with their jewelry.

Pati put magnetic closures on the bracelet and necklace to make it easier for Maureen’s Mom to put them on and take them off.

I learned quite a bit about jewelry making since Pati has been here.  There are some teensy tiny little circle things I can barely see.  They are called “Crimps” and she squeezed them down tight to affix the wire through the magnetic clip loops and the Crimp.  I felt so sorry for her trying to thread the wire through those bitty things.  I remembered Joe has a magnefying head gear thing.  I brought it out and showed Pati how to tighten it to fit her head.  I have to remember to get it back to Joe’s head size or he will holler “What “Pin Head” has been using my magnifiers?

Earring Set #2

This is the second pair of earrings in the set.  The one with three hangy down things.

Earring Set #1

This is the earring set #1 with the five hangy down things.

I watched Pati put some of this together and marveled at how she worked with the wire and a pair of jeweler’s pliers to create all this.

To hear her sharp intake of breath and then to hear her say “Someone actually likes my stuff and wants to buy it?” with total incredulity in her voice was awesome.  Then to have her at my kitchen table and enjoy herself in the construction of this beauty was awesome.

Maureen, cookies or pumpkin bread, as totally delicious as they are, can’t compare with the soul stirring feeling I had while watching Pati take flight at your behest.  I am deeply grateful to you for sparking Pati’s creativity as you did.  I think, truly, it is I that should send you the cookies or something equally as wonderful to Thank You.

Monday – yesterday – I had to go to the bank before running other errands, including shipping out Maureen’s jewelry.  The Branch Manager of my bank was my “teller”.  I asked if he were ready for Christmas.  After a couple minutes of telling me of his family coming for everywhere to celebrate the first Christmas of his new daughter, he proceeded to tell me that he has yet to purchase something for his wife.  I sent Pati back out to my car to bring in her jewelry.  When she came back in I opened the boxes and told him that my sister makes jewelry.  I then asked if he would be interested in purchasing a set for his wife.  He AGREED.  He commissioned a necklace and bracelet made exactly the same as Maureen’s.  His wife can’t wear earrings so he declined on those.

Maureen, you have truly blessed me and I appreciate you so much Girlfriend.

Well, our Road Warriors are home.  They arrived safely at Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX airport.  Pati and I met them there and brought them home.  After a trip to IKEA so Pati and Les could be fully awed by the store then we headed home.

After some kind of iffy moments I think Pati and Les will be going home to their family for Christmas.  One more night with us before they leave and head for home for a few days.  Joe will be here with me for Christmas before he and Les head back out on the roads.  They will have some down time and Pati will be able to finally see her home.  She is so homesick and really wants to be there with her family.  I can’t say that I blame her either.  I know what it feels like to want to be home.

Okay, I have things I have to do tomorrow.  Catch up on all my emails, and my YouTube subscribers.  Shamefully I have neglected them far too long.  My website is still undergoing getting the “kinks” worked out of it.  I’m so glad that is up and mostly working.  After Christmas and when I’m back to being home by myself I will tackle my paperwork once again.  This time I will be working in my craft room and cranking things out there also.  Sort of get myself back on track.

Shelly, Lynn.  You two in the snow and cold temperatures.  Both of you have a warm and safe Christmas.  Maureen, down in the warmer climes, I hope you and your family have a wonderful and safe Christmas also.  Nancy…are you still up to your knees in snow?  You and your family have a wonderful and safe Christmas.  Jann, I’m praying and wishing that you and Royce will have the best Christmas you’ve had in several years now that Royce has a working kidney.  You two be safe and Joe says “Hi Back” to Royce.  Shar, way down under in the summer months with Christmas.  I wish you and your family to have a safe and wonderful Christmas as well.  Indira, over in the tropical part of our world with your two little ones.  I wish you and your family a wonderful Christmas, too.

Pati’s Posh Designs

I’m so excited, I can hardly contain myself.  I’ll get bopped in the head before she leaves here, but until then I’m going to BRAG!!

FIRST though.  Can you find Tweety?

Where's Tweety?

As you can see, my “Day Job” junk has not been put away yet.  And the big red blob.  That is our Christmas tree that has not been put up.  Priorities, I guess.

Suzy Homemaker I am not, besides I’ll just have to take it down again in a week or two.  Yes, I know – boo  hoo.  And, no I don’t want any cheese with this “whine” thank you.

Okay, on to what this post is all about.  I’ve been relentless in finding out what Pati is interested in.  She’s going to be here for several more days, more than actually planned, and it can get dead boring when you are visiting and have nothing to do with your time.  At least it is for me anyway.

She has talked about making bracelets before, and she’s talked about quilts, and she’s also mentioned plastic canvas.  I’ve drug her skinny butt to Hancock Fabrics in search of quilting fabrics.  She was not ready to make quilts just yet.  I’ve drug her to Hobby Lobby in search of plastic canvas supplies and instruction booklets.  What’s going on with the plastic canvas stuff.  No books, nothing.  Some of the plastic stuff, very little in the way of yarns, not much of anything.

Today I drug her to Michaels in search of plastic canvas stuff.  She took a side trip through the bead and charm section and stayed there for quite a while.  Torn between doing beadwork and plastic canvas, we went ahead and looked around the store for stuff for her to do.  She found a beginner’s bead set with a tool and everything for under $20.  It was a little difficult getting her to actually choose the set and take it home with her.

Poor Sis, she had to endure my pushy and bullying self for a while.  She even told me to “shut up” once or twice.  She did agree to get the bead set.  Once we got it home and she tinkered around for awhile I could hear the excitement begin to build at the dining room table.  I HAVE to share this all with you.  I’m so proud of her!!!

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EXCITING News To Share!

 

FINALLY!!!

This Thanksgiving season, I have much to be thankful for.  Healthy family, awesome friends, and an abundance of riches supplied by said family and friends.

Saturday morning, early for my Arizona daughter, Carissa, she called me.  That was unusual for her and totally out of character.  Then to hear her crying sent off all kinds of warning bells, whistles, and klaxons going off in my head.  Something awful has happened to her husband, Jaime, or to her!!!

In a whispered voice she said something through the breathless tears.  I was ready to get in my car and begin driving to Arizona to be with her.  I knew there had to be some bad trouble.

“What?!” is all I could manage at first.  Once I got control of my fear I blurted out “Are you alright?  What’s the matter with Jaime?  Is there something wrong?  It’s too early for you to be calling me!  What’s the matter?!!”  I was snatching off my pajamas and trying to hop into sweat pants one handed, hopping around all over the place and just barely keeping myself from falling down and hitting the walls and door in our bedroom.  “Keys, keys…where are my keys?”  Joe came in to the room to see what all the noise was about and I told him “Carissa’s crying, something’s wrong.  Help me get my clothes on.  Get dressed.”

In a barely audible voice I heard Carissa say “Mom.  I’m pregnant.” Everything stopped for longer than a heartbeat.  I told Joe and we both sat down on the bed.  Him with tears, me trying to get my heart rate back to normal.

Joe scared the fool out of me by yelling at the top of his voice “Woo Hoo!”  Then it all clicked into focus for me.

Carissa and Jaime have been married for five years.  She’s wanted to have a baby for such a long time, and they have tried everything with no success.  My poor Rissa.  She’s cried till she could cry no more tears.  She’s been to a mid wife that told Carissa her uterus was tipped and needed to be righted.  After some manipulation and other Latin midwifery things Carissa had her abdomen bound with a cloth and told how to get in and out of bed, up and down from chairs, walk up and down stairs, lifting objects, and other things that would use her abdominal muscles for the next week until the uterus was settled back in the right place.

Carissa and Jaime have gone through some of the expensive fertility treatments, she’s tried to lose weight (which all the doctors told her was her problem), she’s been on an exercise regimen for the past three years that has had a modicum of success with her weight.  She’s been diagnosed with PCOS – Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome – and a high insulin level.  Treatment was done for that with no success either.

For a time, anyone crazy enough to ask Carissa when she and Jaime were going to have a baby, either received no answer, or the flood gates would open and she’d walk away without saying a word.  Carissa felt like she was a failure as a wife and well meaning people only brought that up to her time and again.

I’ve heard all the questions of “Why” in all the variations.  Not having an answer for my daughter has been torture for me.  I had been in a car accident when I was 18.  Doctors told me I would never have children.  Within seven months I was pregnant with my first and over the next six years I had a total of four children.  How can I answer questions for my precious daughter who can’t have children while I seemed to pop them out right and left.  Both of her two older sisters have had children.  The unfairness of it all seemed to come crashing down upon Carissa.

The whispered words from Carissa finally made sense to me.  Can this truly be happening to her?  After all these years and all the different treatments that have failed, can this really be true?  She didn’t want to speak the words out loud lest they be false and send her reeling back into her own kind of hell.

She had been experiencing some strange things going on with her body and was not quite sure what it all meant.  Before taking her morning shower she decided to do a pregnancy test.  It came up POSITIVE.  Disbelief at the results and knowing some tests give false positive results she waited a little while and took another test.  BOTH of them came up POSITIVE.

Carissa had been trying to get hold of Jaime all morning to tell him the news.  He was not answering his phone.  She called me to tell me the news so I was the second one to know.  I was sworn to SECRECY and told if I blabbed I’d be in deep, deep trouble.  I had to pass the admonishment on to Joe to not tell anyone until she gave us the go ahead.

By the end of the day I had text messages from family congratulating me on being Grandma again.  So I was freed of my sworn secrecy.  It has been plastered all over Carissa’s Facebook page for all the world to know the news.

I’m really happy for Carissa and Jaime.  A bit reserved right now in my excitement because I do have some superstitions.  There are things I want to do for her…..begin buying diapers, baby clothes, toys, and other things.  I’m going to hold off on doing that for a while until I know she is at least four or five months along.  Crazy as it sounds, I would feel like it is my fault if anything happens.

I waited that long for Tiffany, too, after we found out she was pregnant with our Simon.  He is now two years old and the most adorable little boy this world  has ever seen.  Course you have to know that this Grandma is prejudice

Plans to get things in order here at home and in our jobs will take place after the five month time frame.  Shopping sprees for the new baby, getting our routing on the road to take me to Arizona for the birth of this new child so I can spend the first two weeks with Carissa and Jaime helping them out and making sure she is healing well.  Doing all the house work, cooking, laundry so they don’t have to do anything except love on the new one.  Course, you know the real reason is so that I can have access to the new baby at all times – day and night

Joe’s back out on the road.  I’ll have about three weeks of quiet and I can get my work done without being asked what there is to eat around here, or have to leave the house every day on one errand or another, being asked to watch tv with him.  It is good to have him home with me during the winter months.  I have to be more dedicated to my tasks and not get so upset when he interrupts me and then I let everything fall to pieces because I use him as an excuse to not do anything

So, that is my news and I’m really excited for Carissa and Jaime.  I pray they are blessed with a healthy child.  Girl or boy, doesn’t matter as long as it is healthy.

A Bit Of Bragging

My Rissa (Carissa) is a budding Party Planner.  Somewhere in my house I have photos of a Bride’s Shower she did for a friend some years back.  Most recently she put together a huge “Retro” party, working with other people, for her church at a Dave and Busters (or is it Dave and Barry’s – I never can remember ) in Arizona.

For the Bride’s Shower she did an “Amazing Race – Hawaii” theme.  She picked up six wood pieces from a local craft/hobby store.  They are like small unfinished plaques.  She painted them in bright colors and had the island names put on each plaque.  Each plaque was placed in different areas of a backyard as “stations” for the participants to go to.  I really need to find those photos to do this bragging justice!!!

At a pool in the backyard, empty liquor bottles (she begged and wheedled them from friends) floated on the water.  The contestants were supposed to pick out the correct bottles that would be used in creating the Bride’s favorite “toddy for the body”, a Margarita.  That was fun watching the women use a pool skimmer to get the bottles they thought would be correct without falling in the water themselves.

By a set of playground equipment she had a grass skirt, coconut bra, ukulele, Hawaiian print shirt, and something else.  The contestants had to don the wardrobe, over their clothing, and create a song and dance.  It was timed for about a minute.  That was a riot watching the nervous contestants get with the program and really begin to shake their booties.

In the garage of the home Carissa had a “station” to create a lei.  She had fresh flowers, needles, and thread for the creation of beautiful neck wear.  That was really fun for me to watch one young girl and her grandmother sit at a table and create a lei to wear.

 

Gift box

Inside box

Proudly use mine

Carissa and her husband, Jaime, made these boxes.  She filled them with flip flops, a small candle, a small tube of sun screen, and I don’t remember what else.  These were placed atop the tables where the guests would be having something to eat later on.  I proudly use my hand created box in my craft room.  It is so handy to store my “tools” in!!

Her most recent party was a “Retro – Back To The 80′s” and it is her first “Open To The Public” party.  She shopped around at a local used book store for vinyl records she hung on the walls, used on tables, and bought a couple bowls that had been made from vinyl records.  She found candy from the 80′s and had different kinds of holders place on tables and throughout the room for the guests to enjoy.

She spent a couple weeks with a small group of friends to work out the “Thriller” dance and do it in front of everyone.  She had the audience participate in the Thriller dance by having them come up and dance along with the people that had practiced forever (she says it seemed).  She also had an “Air Guitar” contest.

This is the only thing I am able to get hold of from the Retro Party and I just love it.  It is a 31 second video of the “Thriller Dance”.  My Rissa is in front with the blonde hair and dressed in black.  I’M SO PROUD OF HER!!!!!!!

Anyone that has photos or video of the Retro Party, please – please – please, let me know how to get copies of them.  I’ll pay you for them!!!!

 

 

Door Wreath

 

Door wreath from an old book

I was clicking away at my keyboard doing my bookkeeping stuff.  Like to fell off my chair when my phone, hiding under a pile of papers, began buzzing and dinging at me.

In my haste to find it, under the mound of papers, it slid off my desk top skittered across the keyboard plopped in my lap and  it was launched under my desk and hit the wall as I tried to catch it.  All the while buzzing and dinging.

When I finally got the blasted thing out from under my desk, man that place needs to have some attention paid to it by the vacuum cleaner, this photo was displayed across the screen.

The words that accompanied the photo made me smile.  “Look at this wreath I made out of a book last night.  It was super easy and fun.”

My Arizona daughter (Carissa of the squash book card) sent this message to me.  Of course I had to call her immediately and get DETAILS!!!

Someone at her church (she told me her name but it went right out of my head) had suggested having some craft items for sale.  Wait, let me back up a bit…..

There is a young woman at Carissa’s church that is going on a mission (somewhere I can’t remember    :-{ ).  The women’s group have decided they would have a bake sale to raise money for this young woman and her travels.  There were some suggestions on making craft items to sell also but I think that discussion has been tabled for now, if not squashed all together.

One of the suggestions was to make a Christmas wreath from old books and a description of the process was put forth.  Seems Carissa is the only one that got excited about the idea.

Carissa took apart a wreath she had purchased (when I’m not entirely sure).  All I could suss out is the wreath base is not foam core or straw but some kind of a mostly flat ring.  I don’t know how many pages she used from the book, except “quite a few….maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of the book” is what I got.  The pages get rolled from one corner of the book page into a cone shape.  The pointy end of the cone is folded into a “U” shape.  The wreath frame is then sandwiched in the “U” shape.  Glue (hot glue I think she said) is then applied to the papers and held until they set.  She worked her way around the wreath frame until she had it filled.

At first, she was not totally pleased with the wreath.  She liked it but was not in “love” with it until she poked in the “brown things” from the original wreath to give it some color.  She attached the “brown things” with glue also.

According to Carissa she had this all put together in three hours.  Her wonderful husband, Jaime, was sitting next to her totally engrossed in a computer game the entire time she was creating.  Just when she was almost done with the wreath, Jaime finished his game and got up from the sofa.  He looked at her and asked:  1)  What are you doing?  2) How long have you been doing that? and 3)  Looks good Babe.  We both laughed at that.  You know….close but so far away   They are so cute together and he really is the most sweet guy.

Later in the evening, paperwork put away for the day, I got another message from her.  This is what it looks like on her door with the porch light on.

 

The WREATH

My job is nearly complete   I have passed on good jeans…wait it is genes.  I mean, really now, it surely could not have been the “subliminal” messages that were put out to all the kids when I made stuff for the house.  Although I do get some great hugs and am reminded about the gingerbread houses I had the kids all make one year…..icing of sugar cookies another year.

 

Love My Daughter-In-Law

My daughter-in-law, Brenda, keeps me laughing and I love her for that.  She sends me some pretty funny emails and this one I have to share with you.

Important Women’s Health Issue: * Do you have feelings of inadequacy? * Do you suffer from shyness? * Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? * Do you suffer exhaustion from the day to day grind? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about Margaritas. Margaritas are the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. Margaritas can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you’re ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of Margaritas almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with Margaritas. Margaritas may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use Margaritas. However, women who wouldn’t mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include: - Dizziness - Nausea - Vomiting - Incarceration - Erotic lustfulness - Loss of motor control - Loss of clothing - Loss of money - Loss of virginity - Table dancing - Headache - Dehydration - Dry mouth - And a desire to sing Karaoke WARNINGS: * The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you are whispering when you are not. * The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them. * The consumption of Margaritas may cause you to think you can sing. * The consumption of Margaritas may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting. Please share this with other women who may need Margaritas.

My Daughter Is Going To Kill Me

But…..I am so proud of her.

Do you remember, way back in July, the story of a couple friends of my daughter that were getting  married?  The couple that had known each other for over 10 years and were best friends?  Then, do you remember when I was at Carissa’s home in Arizona and we worked on her Squash Book Card?

She finished it the first of September and had it completed for her friends wedding.  Just in the knick of time, too.  I’ve been begging, wheedling, whining, doing guilt trips on her, and anything else I could do to persuade her to allow me to put up the video she sent me of her completed project.

I finally have her permission to do so.  Bout wore me out though

This video is NOT PUBLIC on YouTube.  It won’t be listed on either of my channels.  You can see this video by clicking here.

Carissa, I am so proud of you.  You have done a wonderful job with your VERY FIRST SQUASH BOOK EVER!!!!  Creating the record all by yourself and making it look so real…SUPERB.  Using the things you have on hand and making them work for you is so great.

You think there might be room in this world for a “Mother Daughter Team”?

Love you my Precious!  OUTSTANDING!!!!

20 Years And Counting

I never thought I’d see this day.  Truly.  Today is Joe and my 20th anniversary.  Where has the time gone?

I had two previous experiences – won’t call either one of them marriages.  The first one lasted for six years.  By the time we had been together for about 9 months the sound of his voice made we want to scream let alone his touch.  That one was quite abusive, physically, verbally, emotionally.  I dearly love the children that were born from that mess, but the man I could cheerfully run over with one of these trucks.

The second one lasted for 1 1/2 years.  I told him if he ever laid a hand on me I’d kick his ass to the curb, and I did just that.

I don’t speak to either one of them, nor do I keep track of them.

The 10 years BJ (before Joe) I was a total man hater.  I had two mottoes I spouted off.  A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle, and when God made man SHE was only joking.

Through the craziness of my life I have learned one thing that I carry with me.  People are placed in your life to teach you a lesson.  Some are there for just a little while, others hang around for quite a while.  Good, bad, or indifferent, people – all people – are God’s gift to me to be the person I am meant to be.  Each time I blow off the lesson I am to learn, I get different people to remind me of the lesson I am to learn.

There is another thing I take to heart.  God tries to get your attention and help you change your path.  He begins with small pebbles.  If you don’t listen and change paths, those pebbles become stones.  Yes, they hurt and yes they are uncomfortable.  But, if I remain going the same route then the stones become bricks, bricks become boulders, and the final attention getter is an entire mountain.  Been there, done that.  Don’t even want the t-shirt.

I would meet people that had been married for 15 years and I thought they had lost their minds.  Who in their right mind would want to stay with one person that long?  I would often say that I should just go out and kill someone then I’d have a real reason for a prison sentence.  I didn’t understand how you could be with one person day in and day out and be glad of their company.

Through the people I met and/or worked with I began to see that not all men were selfish automatons.  The time I finally came to realize that men had feelings and hurt as I did was like a blow to my head.  Made my ears ring.

I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, Carissa, when her father took off with my other children and disappeared for 12 years.  During that time I came smack dab up against unconditional love with my daughter.  She was the one to begin softening my stone cold heart.  Other people came and went in my life, I did not date anyone during that time it was co-workers.

When Carissa was 11 she made a friend in school.  The two girls became inseparable.  They had become so fond of each other they wanted to be sisters forever.  Loreli (our nurse daughter) and Carissa got Joe and I together.   I have those two pre-teens girls to thank for the life I have today.

20 years with the same person!  We talk about everything and anything.  The best thing about us is that when one of us is in the dumps the other is not and can help raise the other out.  Joe has not raised his hand to me nor made me fear him, he has always tried to guide me in a direction that will help me grow while all the way I dig my feet in and try to stop him.

Through his love and patience I have gone from being the most angry person alive to someone that enjoys life.  I have gone from being a hermit and not wanting people around me to someone that enjoys others and wants to learn about them.

My road has not been an easy one.  I am bull headed, strong willed, and insensitive at times.  Joe lets me be me and he just keeps on telling me he loves me just as I am.  I still have some rough edges but I’m not all prickly as I once was.  Our kids, his and mine, enjoy time with me now when they dreaded it while they were young.  I have a family that is supportive and loving and I, in turn, have learned to be supportive and loving back.

My life is full of love and I appreciate everyone in it.  My world has grown outward from my family to now, finally, girlfriends that I can yak with and laugh with.  Albeit in emails and from this blog, but girlfriends just the same.

Thank you Joe, for helping me become the person I am today.  Yes, a thousand times yes is my answer to you, should you ask me to marry you again.