Limbo

The word Limbo conjures up a couple of thoughts. One is the fun game played by really flexible people where you try to see "how low you can go" under a pole held by two people. Each time you are successful at bending backwards and passing under the pole without touching it, the pole goes down a notch and you try again. I've only played a couple of times and I admit, I'm not very good.
The other Limbo is where we are right now. Waiting, hoping, praying for our house to sell so that we can go on to a new phase of life. Limbo. Jeff's been working in Arizona for about 6 weeks. We're not sure if he should come back up this week and stay until the house sells, stay in Arizona and try to secure more clients or find a full time job. Limbo. Chad's trying to decide what to do about baseball. If he doesn't pass his french class, which he'll find out about Monday, then he won't need to even worry about what to do. But, if he does, the season here starts Monday. Should he start playing with these guys and hope that we can stay long enough to finish out the season? Limbo. Like I said, I'm really not very good at Limbo.

Happy Birthday Devin!

Today is my son Devin's 21st birthday! 21?? Really??

I love Devin. I love Devin's happy disposition. He's only recently grown back into this happy disposition. He was born a happy, happy baby. He weighed 9 lbs. 8 oz and was 21 inches long when he was born and was very content from the beginning. There was nothing he loved more than to have me hold him and dance around the family room to music. I can still here him, "More, mama, more!" So we'd dance some more. We'd dance until my legs hurt. Then he hit adolescence I guess and gone was the happy Devin. He was sad, really sad and mad a lot. I admit there were times that he probably deserved to be sad - sometimes things were really hard for Devin - but when I thought he should be happy, he wasn't! Funny kid! However - the happy Devin is back and I am so glad! I love both Devins, but this "new" Devin is way more fun to be around and talk to.

Devin is handsome - dark, thick, gorgeous hair and dark chocolate brown eyes. He has a great smile. Devin is kind and tender and compassionate. So much so, that he tries to hide these qualities by being the opposite sometimes, but he can't last. He's talented. He should be one of those guys that paints cars really cool. He's very artistic like that. He's smart. He went to Montessori preschool when he was little and the teacher once pointed out his artwork to me. It was a free form art project. The kids could use any color they wanted and paint whatever they wanted. The other kids had chosen 2, maybe 3 colors and had drawn things like flowers or trees or their families. Not Devin. He'd used all the colors and had made such an abstract drawing. It was very cool. I think the teacher framed it and hung it in his class for a while. I was pretty proud. I still am. Devin is a wonderful human being and has tremendous potential for good. He just needs to believe in himself. It's been a wonderful 21 years with you and I look forward to the next 21.

I love you, Devin.

Always learning...

O.K., so I'm told by my daughter Jeni that when I post multiple things I have to do it backwards. Like with my last post. I should have blogged about Andrea first, then so on, so that my blog wouldn't START OUT as "And this is our daughter..." Oh well, I learn something new everyday - mostly from Jeni. I'm glad to know she has my back. Thanks honey! Love you!

And this is our daughter Andrea and her husband Greg. They've been married about 2 1/2 years and such a cute couple. They have such fun loving and happy personalities and are such a joy to have around. Andrea has always been the peacemaker in our family and Greg has a terrific sense of humor. We are lucky to have them. Love you guys!

So - I have 2 more kids - Justin and Kristi, but I don't have any recent, good pictures of them. When I find some or take some,I'll post again.

This is our oldest daughter, Jeni and her family - husband, Dan and kids Ryleigh, Spencer, Ethan and Olivia. They wanted some family pictures for Christmas cards so we went to a park here i town and I did my best. I think they turned out really well - of course I had great subjects to work with. Love this family!

My boys...

These are my boys. Left to right is Tyler, Devin and Chad. Tyler is 25 and has spent the last 10 years living a pretty hard life. Thankfully with age comes a little hindsight - I hesitate at this juncture to say wisdom - and he's trying to get back on track and be a productive adult. Devin is 20 and is already gaining a little wisdom. He's not always made the best choices, either, but he seems to be coming around. Maybe watching his older brother has made his "learning curve" a little shorter. (hope, hope...) Chad is 15. He's the youngest of 7 and has - so far - watched the mistakes and successes of all 6 of his older brothers and sisters and has managed to live his life without too many pitfalls. All 3 of my boys are sensitive and kind and they love their mommy. I can't ask for much more than that!!

I love these guys!

Thanksgiving

So on November 21 Jeff and Chad and I decided that we would leave the next day and drive down to Arizona to spend Thanksgiving with my family. (Why plan??? Spontaneity is so much more fun!!??) It took 20 hours, but we got to the Valley of the Sun Sunday evening and had such a fun week. Jeff was going to have to go down to the valley to work anyway, so he spent much of his time working. Chad spent time with his friends and I spent time - much needed time - with my mom and sister. Can I just tell you that I love these women? The three of us are pretty different personality wise. I realized that more this trip. My sister is definately the calm before the storm. I am the storm. My mom is the aftermath - she's there to make everything better when it's really not. But we seem to compliment each other and being with them is one of my very favorite things to do.

Thanksgiving was fun. We had 13, which was a nice crowd. Garret and Cori are moving to Utah in January, so it was especially fun to be together before they moved. My two boys Tyler and Devin even came down to give me hugs and I'll post those pictures in another blog.