FOUR YEARS SINCE MY LAST BLOG!!!

Wow, really it has been four years since I last blogged.  Gosh, what is even new in four years??  Since my memory is not so good, I have no idea - only the present :)

Lisa is now living in Girdwood, Alaska and did come for a short visit in September which was WONDERFUL.  I love having all my kids together.  Lisa is living her dream and I am very proud of her for following her heart as most of us never do.

Linda is still working for the city of Novi in the water department, I think she said she has been there 11 years - gosh that makes me feel old!  I am proud of her independence and her big heart.

Susan is a Medical Assistant in a cardiology office.  I am proud of her that she was able to buy herself a little house for her and her dog (Midder Duke).  She is such a dependable, hard worker and she makes friends so easily!  I am lucky to have such amazing, strong, independent daughters <3 p="p">
Matt is a Junior at University of Michigan currently going for a Bachelors in BCN (Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience) Degree.  Not sure yet what he will end up doing with the degree, but there is still time.  I am so proud of him for making it in to UofM, finding out what interests him, working hard for good grades, making a lot of new friends and taking care of himself!  He is also playing hockey on the UofM Club team and we still enjoy watching him play.  Probably another year or two and then the hockey will be done after about 15+ years on the ice.  That will be sad, but so glad we got to enjoy that for so many years.

Currently I took on a babysitting position two times a week for my two nieces babies (Kendra and Mason are the babies names).  Kendra was born on February 15, 2012 and Mason on March 4, 2012.  They are precious and I am glad to have little ones in my life, babies are such a joy to me - now, when they hit terrible two's we will see how THAT goes!!!

We have had SO many new babies in the family the last 4 years!  Let's see, there is Hayden who was born in 2009, Skyler born in 2011, of course Kendra and Mason 2012, Logan who joined our family in 2012 (born 2011), Adrian born in 2012 and one more on the way - baby Howe due September 27th.  THE MORE THE MERRIER!

I guess since my last blog I did lose one of my favorite pets, Wilson. He was the most loyal, friendly, cuddly, funny, playful, devoted, and well loved family member EVER.  I still miss him and it's going on two years now since he passed.  He will ALWAYS be in our hearts!  I still have Tiny who is now 9 years old and I think she has been pretty lonely without Wilson.  She'd never admit to it, but she loved him too!  LOL

I have been retired now for 4 years.  I love being retired.  I do not miss going to work every day - 30 years at one place was enough!  I was sad for a while because I only kept about 2 friends from my workplace who I had thought of as family for so long.  That is always the worst thing about change, its losing close friends - but now I have had time to rekindle my relationships with other friends who got put on the backburner, and also made new friends who I cherish.

Well.......I don't have a lot of exciting news right now, but we are planning a trip (cruise) to Alaska with the whole family - so if/when that happens I will be sure to post most certainly awesome pictures.  I don't lead a real exciting life, but I am not in to drama and I love my house, so I am good with all that I do have - very thankful for a devoted, faithful, loving and PATIENT husband who always thinks of me and taking care of me NOW and in the FUTURE.

Peace to all and hopefully will have more to talk about soon!

REQUIRED UPDATE!

Well, it looks like it has been a couple YEARS since I've updated my blog! Can't believe it! Time sure does fly after retirement . . . .

My updates are that my children are now 30 (Lisa), 28 (Linda), 26 (Susan) and 19 (Matt). Lisa just moved to ALASKA (Girdwood, AK). Not sure if she can get any farther away from me than that! As long as she is happy and doing what she wants to do on this earth, then I am happy for her. Linda still works for the city of Novi, MI. She is still living in Howell and is single. She seems happy and normally content with life, so I'm happy for her too.....Susan bought her own home in 2010 and has been living there for over a year now, and has been on her new job working as a Medical Assitant in a Cardiologist office - it's just her and her dog, "Lucky" or as she calls him "Midder Duke". I see Susan more than the other two cause she is close by and our dogs like to "hang out" together, so it's all good! Last Christmas Eve we lost our beloved little pooper Wilson (he was almost 12 years old, Scottish Terrier) and he died of cancer. He ALMOST made it one more Christmas - he died at 11:30pm on Christmas Eve. Very sad, we really loved that little guy.

I have really settled in to being retired. I do however volunteer for the Michigan Humane Society one day a week - I am a dog walker - doesn't sound like much, but those little pups sure love to see me! I wish I could take a few of them home with me, but for now I'll just do what I can to make them happy!

Bob and I just celebrated our 20 year wedding anniversary on August 16th. Didn't do much, but we did buy ourselves a new TV for the occassion :)

Bob is still the President of the Novi Youth Hockey Association and it keeps him very very busy.

Our son, Matt, is going to be a Sophomore at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He played on the Michigan Club Hockey team last year and plans to do the same this year. He was out for a couple month last year with a broken hand (what a nightmare - his RIGHT hand - and with a full class schedule it was pretty tough for him without being able to write or type!) but he got through it - if there is a will there's a way! The season this year starts in a couple weeks - but unfortunately he already was hurt in a hockey camp scrimmage - someone decided to nail him into the boards which caused not only a slight concussion, but an AC Joint Sprain/Separation. I think he got lucky on that one cause it is in the best category for recovery - they said it could be 2 to 10 weeks, but it's only been a week and the pain has significantly gone away and he can now move his arm where he could not for a few days after the injury. HOpefully he'll be on the ice before the first practice!

Other than that, the only things coming up besides a little vacation to the Smokey Mountains (Gattlinburg, TN), is a wedding in October - my nephew Rick is getting married to a great gal and so the family expands! Not only by marriage, but the family is also expanding 3 more times - three of my nieces are having babies! Kandace is due in October (2011), Jenna in February (2012) and Kate in March (2012). More little rug rats to chase around LOL. Fun stuff!!!

I'm going to add a few pictures below for grins! Hope it's not another 3 years before my next post! See y'all soon!

Photos: Wilson, Lisa & Logan, Bob w/Lisa & Matt, Lisa&Linda&Susan, and then Susan's house! Thaaaat's all folks!