Category: family

Couple Time · family · Uncategorized

Empty Nest

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Sunday was a new beginning for Stephen.  We helped him move about 10 minutes away into a tiny room in a house with 4 other boys.  He is twenty. He wants to be independent.


I want to help in every step.  We have done our jobs as parents, and instilled in him good values.  Raised him to be mindful of money.  To be aware of peoples needs.  I want to guide him in placement of stuff.  Make sure he has everything that he needs.  Food. Clothing. His phone charger. Stuff.

I am partly sad about this…scared for him.  Excited for him.  He is close enough to have help if he needs it.  I doubt seriously he will need it.  He is so determined to make it on his own.  But we are here, and have made it clear that he is always welcomed to come home.

I am very happy about David and I being alone.  Alone in the house only able to blame each other for the dirty dishes or not taking out the trash.  We are happy alone together.  We enjoy one another just being in the house.  Just doing chores so to speak.  We encourage one another.  We are grateful for what the other one does.

Empty nest, but excited for our and Stephen’s new journey.  Oh, and I am excited about my future craft room.

Blessings!

family · thoughts · Uncategorized

Baby Girl

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Carmen and I have a somewhat not normal mother daughter relationship.

First, please excuse the very casual pictures.  Second, I don’t remember what the conversation was that began these “snaps” (I have a Snap Chat account mainly to chat with the kids), but this is us some of the time.

 

 

So when I try to get a picture of us before she left for school — I get this expression.

But in the end…always smiles.  Love her.  So grateful she has spunk, and sass.  Well, and that she is mine.

Blessings!

 

family · thoughts · Uncategorized

Time

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Time does heal all things, right? It has been eight years since my Mom passed away (yesterday, February 8th), and it doesn’t get any easier.

In fact, there are times, especially today, where I think it is worse.

I see my two beautiful children growing into responsible, (well – almost) beautiful adults.  I want my Mom to see that.  I want her to see every step they take. Bake her wonderful chocolate cakes for birthdays.

Everyone close to me still has their parents, and in some cases, grandparents.  That is so foreign to me. They are sympathetic, and try to understand. But they really don’t.  Death has been a part of me for so long, with so many of my loved ones that I am certain no one understands.

I just miss her. All of her, the yelling German to the sweet Mom who would just sit and brush my hair.

Oh, how I miss you Mom.

Image

family · Uncategorized

Stephen and Driving

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2012-12-26 12.04.23

Stephen finally got his driving permit today. I must say I have been grateful that he waited so long to get it. In our state (Florida) you can get your driving permit at 15, but you have to drive with a licensed driver for a year.  I know that I am getting older, but not dealing with having him drive everywhere has been nice.

He turned 16 on December 2. Yep. Growing up. I love that he is finally able to do this, as I like for the kids to be independent.

I have taught him how to do dishes (although most of the time they aren’t the cleanest), his own laundry, and some ironing. I am thinking of a future where he will not live at home forever.  I know that there needs to be more, but taking it one day at a time.

So. Happy New Year?
Blessings,
Jerry Ann

family · Random Stuff · Random Thoughts · Uncategorized

Shootings in CT

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MORGAN FREEMAN ON THE SHOOTINGS YESTERDAY:

“You want to know why. This may sound cynical, but here’s why.

It’s because of the way the media reports it. Flip on the news and watch how we treat the Batman theater shooter and the Oregon mall shooter like celebrities. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris are household names, but do you know the name of a single victim of Columbine? Disturbed people who would otherwise just off themselves in their basements see the news and want to top it by doing something worse, and going out in a memorable way. Why a grade school? Why children? Because he’ll be remembered as a horrible monster, instead of a sad nobody.

CNN’s article says that if the body count “holds up”, this will rank as the second deadliest shooting behind Virginia Tech, as if statistics somehow make one shooting worse than another. Then they post a video interview of third-graders for all the details of what they saw and heard while the shootings were happening. Fox News has plastered the killer’s face on all their reports for hours. Any articles or news stories yet that focus on the victims and ignore the killer’s identity? None that I’ve seen yet. Because they don’t sell. So congratulations­, sensationalist media, you’ve just lit the fire for someone to top this and knock off a day care center or a maternity ward next.

You can help by forgetting you ever read this man’s name, and remembering the name of at least one victim. You can help by donating to mental health research instead of pointing to gun control as the problem.”

I will not honor the killer.

I will do as Morgan has asked and remember the lost.

Charlotte Bacon, 02-22-06
Daniel Barden, 09-25-05
Rachel Davino, 07-17-83
Olivia Engel, 07-18-06
Josephine Gay, 12-11-05
Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 04-04-06
Dylan Hockley, 03-08-06
Dawn Hochsprung, 06-28-65
Madeleine F. Hsu, 07-10-06
Catherine V. Hubbard, 06-08-06

Chase Kowalski, 10-31-05

Jesse Lewis, 06-30-06
James Mattioli, 03-22-06
Grace McDonnell, 11-04-05
Anne Marie Murphy, 07-25-60
Emilie Parker, 05-12-06
Jack Pinto, 05-06-06
Noah Pozner, 11-20-06
Caroline Previdi, 09-07-06
Jessica Rekos, 05-10-06
Avielle Richman, 10-17-06
Lauren Russeau, 06-?-82
Mary Sherlach, 02-11-56
Victoria Soto, 11-04-85
Benjamin Wheeler, 09-12-06
Allison Wyatt, 07-03-06

And, this from Proverbs 31 Ministries:

Many times it’s hard to know what to do or say in times of tragedy, or how to process through the pain… Proverbs 31 Ministries has compiled these resources to help you. We’ll continue adding to it for you and are praying.

1. 4 Free Resources for Ministering in Times of Tragedy {Source: Pastors ToolBox with Rick Warren: http://pastors.com/resources-tragedy/

I wasn’t sure really what to say but I felt that I should say something.
Much love to you all.
Blessings – always.
Jerry Ann
Day 26 · family · frustration · NaBloPoMo 2012 · pictures

Ugh – Frustrated

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NaBloPoMo 2012 – Day 26

I have been trying most of today to upload and post pictures. I choose my files and they look great. I upload them, and Blogger turns them. So when I try to post them they are turned sideways.  FRUSTRATED!

Carmen’s expression is how I feel right now.
So..

So tomorrow is another day.
So sorry.
Blessings,
Jerry Ann

band · Choctawhatchee High School Style Marchers · Day 23 · family · NaBloPoMo 2012

State Trip

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NaBloPoMo 2012 – Day 23

Stephen had his State Band competition in Tampa last weekend.  The band ended up third, which was disappointing, but they did their best.

Choctawhatchee High School Band  This is their YouTube of their full performance. Their official name is the Style Marchers.  They do have style!  They had to cut it to 6 minutes for the competition, but it is a very impressive show.

 Me, Beth and Julie – we call ourselves “the Besties.”
This is at the Tropicana Field in Tampa after a all day outside field semi-finals.  My hair!
Me, Stephen and Carmen
We were so very proud of him, and his band.
Well, I am off for a shopping day…but wanted to post a small bit about last weekend.  There is more.  Much more.

Happy…
Blessings,
Jerry Ann
clutter · Day 20 · family · Finds · NaBloPoMo 2012 · remembrance · treasures

Great Finds

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NaBloPoMo 2012 – Day 20
I cleaned a corner of the garage the other day.  Yes, just a corner.  I will post the before and after later (much later at the rate as I am taking forever on it.) But in this corner of the garage was a shelf.  And on the shelf, lots of junk.  I threw away most of it (old gardening gloves, old craft paint and brushes, etc).  But then I found this:

It really doesn’t look like much.  And to anyone else looking at these items, I am sure that they would dispose of them just as quickly as I did the other items on the shelf.  But, if you look closely, you will find a measuring tape, two crocheting needles, a crocheted bag, and a cup made of tin and old clothespins.

What you don’t know is that these are my Mom’s crocheting needles that I have looked everywhere for after she passed.  So 6 years now, lost and now found.  Joy. Leaping joy!   The bag is from Germany, and is used for shopping at the bakery or butcher shop.  You have to carry your own bag (Germany has a handle on the re-use bags—we in the US should take note), or purchase one and they can be expensive.  My mom used this one all the time.  Measuring tape was from my Dad.  He would keep this in his pocket just to measure whatever, because you never know when you come across something you need to know how long it is. ha.  The cup.  That cup was a Father’s Day gift to my Dad that I made when I was in the Brownies.  Yes, Brownies.  So I had to be 5 to 7 years of age.  Crazy.  It is made from a soup can with a top cut away, clothes pins that have been taken apart, glued, and secured with copper wire.  It used to set by the land line telephone (remember before cell phones?) in the kitchen with lots of pencils that were sharpened by a pocket knife.

Now it sets by my moms coffee cup, right where I can see it daily.  Treasures found.  Really.  I had no idea that my mother kept this after all those years.  As I am going through rooms, buckets and bins, I am discovering more of these things.  Many things I am disposing.  But these items today, brought back a smile, giggle, and tears.

What do you treasure?

Blessings,
Jerry Ann

Day 18 · Disney · family · NaBloPoMo 2012 · Remembering

Disney 2008

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NaBloPoMo 2012 – Day 18
Do you feel the magic? What? The magic of Disney!  
Carmen and I love Walt Disney World in Orlando.  We want to go again.  I don’t think Stephen wants to go again.  He wants to do Universal (and so does Carmen).  I think there is something to do with Harry Potter there.  But David is in Bagram and it will be a while before we go again.  And we have gone since these photos were taken, but I thought I would go down memory lane and take you with me.  All of these photos are from our July 2008 trip.
 David and I at the Boardwalk.
 David, Carmen and Stephen with their carnival wins.
 At Cinderella’s Castle breakfast.  I love this photo.
 Not strong enough. 
 Nope, David can’t do it either.  
Love them.
The rest are our attempts at making fish faces.
David’s blow fish.
 Mom! 
 Carmen kept making herself giggle.  
 
 Finally.
I love this part of vacations. Just being silly.  Happy memories.  Although, I am ready to feel the magic again – very soon!

Blessings,
Jerry Ann

children · Day 16 · family · NaBloPoMo 2012 · Time Flies

Time Flies

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NaBloPoMo 2012 – Day 16

Wow. Time really does go by quickly.  Years are flying by.  Faster as we get older.

I have been looking at my digital photos trying to find specific photograph.  When I find it you will be the first to know. But in the mean time, another trip down memory lane.  This one goes back a little further in time, all the way to November 2000.  Carmen is about to turn 8, and Stephen is about to turn 4.  I love the beaches here on the Emerald Coast.  No matter the time of year, sunsets are always beautiful.

 Playing in the sand. 
 Carmen.
Stephen.  I get this look more often now that he is 
almost 16 than when he was 4. 
Love your children.  Hug them. They grow up in a blink of an eye.
Blessings,
Jerry Ann