Laila day....

It's been 12 years since we flew  home from Philadephia with our beautiful baby girl.  12 wonderful years.  12 crazy years.  12 enlightening...how can I be a better parent for this beautiful daughter of God years.   I sometimes wonder if I'm cut out for being a mom of a 12 year old, this late in the game, but it doesn't really matter  if I'm up for it or not, there is no going back.
We watched all sorts of old family videos over Mother's day weekend.  Lexi wanted to see what Monson looked like as a baby, and how he acted etc... She was ecstatic to see how cute he was and said, "We will make beautiful babies together.....eventually. "
ANYWAYS...........  we also watched the beginnings of our Laila at the adoption agency and when we came home with her to a house literally filled with excited family, neighbors and friends....after ten-o- clock at night, no less.  It was wonderful!

Every year we re-live this exciting, faith promoting time.  We call it our Laila day!

Wayne  and I checked Laila out of school for lunch at Costa Vida then popcorn at the Bears movie. We were the only ones there so we could talk out loud, lay on the chairs and really enjoy it.

Thesse are the posts  that tell our Laila story...if you want to go back and read about it.

http://sickofchub.blogspot.com/2010/05/laila-day-part-1.html

http://sickofchub.blogspot.com/2010/05/laila-day-part-2.html

http://sickofchub.blogspot.com/2010/05/laila-day-part-3.html

So many cards

I have so many wonderful friends.
I really feel blessed.
During this past difficult year, I have received many sweet notes and cards.  One of my BFF's....Laura.... has actually sent me a card once or twice a week, every week,  since my mom's passing.   They stack up beside my nightstand and hang on my fridge and are a visual and tactile reminder of love.  I love going to get the mail in anticipation of another card.  Some cards join me in my pity party, some take me out of my pity party...some make me laugh...most make me cry.....all are welcome.

This one is my favorite....

Mother's Day 2014

I love Mother's Day.  It's always been a reflecting time dedicated to the mothers in my life.  It's a day filled with memories and love....and a lot of laughter.   I thought of my sweet angel mother a time or too that's for sure.   We watched home videos when the boys were little, and Laila as a baby.  This should become a new mother's day tradition.  It's good to look back on our little family and see how far we have come, and how we have grown. We had a huge Canasta card game.....first time in 4 1/2 years.....and just talked and joked and enjoyed each other.

Wayne with his angel mother, Wanee, Holly ordering her favorite nephews around, me with my baby, and Wayne and Alife watching basketball.

We  had my dad, Wanee, Holly, and all of my children here.  I love having everyone around.  We ate an excellent meal of pork tenderloin ( thanks Si for the recipe) coleslaw, veggies, baked potatoes, and strawberries....and pie!  It was really so good.  I was moaning through it.  

Baby Alfie is a heavy, healthy boy.  He is my newest boyfriend and I love to hold and smell him.  IIt's heavenly.   He doesn't yet know how blessed he is to have Bre as his mom.  She is a beautiful, dedicated mother.  

 I make everyone take a picture with me every year.....

Tru, Laila, Addison, Bre

Landon, Alex, Monson, Lexi

Mom's BIrthday....

Today is my mother's birthday.  She would be 75.  She never looked or acted her age.  Good skin, good genes and a good attitude all contributed to this.

Last year we had a tearful celebration all gathering around her hospic- hospital bed in the living room as she expounded on her life and the lessons she had learned.  We sang and she shared her testimony and it was comforting and heart breaking all at the same time.   We all knew it would be her last earthly birthday.

May is my Momma Sheri's month.  It has her birthday in it, Mother's day in it and now her death day in it ...(.plus Memorial day)  Mom loved May....it held the end of school and the promise of summer.

I'm just thinking a lot about my effervescent mom...So happy I could be her daughter.  To celebrate her I'm going to hand out 9 unsolicited compliments for May 9th..... it's something she would appreciate.  I just want to wish her Happy Birthday and Happy Mother's Day.....I know she's watching and listening.

1962...My blessing day, with My dark brunette Mother...I never remembered her like this, only through pics....she was always blonde to me.....My handsome Dad, Marcie and Me. ( I kind of look like Alfie)

Possibilitarianism

This came from Kelly Rae and her Possibilitarian Project. She started it a couple of years ago, and I just love what she wrote about being a Possibilitarian on her blog:

What is a possibilitarian?

I first saw the word ‘possibilitarian’ in a quote by Dr. Norman Peale: “Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities—always see them, for they’re always there.” I’ve been hooked on its meaning ever since. Do you see the bright light of your life’s horizon (even on the average days)? Do you feel its warmth (even when you’re struggling)? Have you begun to touch the surface of all that is possible for your life? Does it give you goosebumps to think about it (I hope it does)? If so, then you’re a possibilitarian, too.

If you …

: Believe in practicing courage, every single day.

: Believe that kindness changes everything & love always wins.

: Believe that we are all part of something beautiful, something bigger than ourselves, something deeply, profoundly, surprisingly…Good.

: Believe that success has everything to do with who you are, not what you do.

And you also …

: Want to live from the center of your life outward- a place where from which you can radiate and live a whole life, not a half-life.

: Understand that our dreams don’t necessarily belong to us, but serve as important tools, belonging to the world.

: Have overcome the odds — big odds, small odds, private odds or public odds — and still have a full heart…and hope.

Then you are most certainly a Possibilitarian.

(Side effects may include honesty, creativity, tenderness & inspired action.)

En- Courage-ment

and for a little laugh......my grandbaby Alfie..... not even staged, he did this all on his own....

Alfie's blessing day...Sophia's party

What a wonderful day we have had for Alfie's baby blessing.... Addison gave a beautiful blessing indicating the two grandpa's he is named for Fred Briggs and Lyle Cole.   He blessed Alfie that he would inherit all of their good qualities including peacemaker, compassion, love of all mankind, and keeping eternal perspective.  It was wonderful to watch my son bless his son.... just filled with so much love. Bre wore a Grandma Sheri necklace so we could have her as part of this day as well.  So sweet.

 We are all together..... can't believe it's taken so long (4 1/2 years) , so I insisted on a picture to celebrate this fact.  So glad Lindsey could be with us as well.  The boys always treat her like she's their sister and growing up with them, she pretty much was.

 front:  Andrew, Melinda, Alfie, Wayne, Sophia, Laila
back:  Monson, Lexie, Alex, Landon, Truman, Lindsey, Bre, Addison

                                                    We love being Grandparents
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Yesterday we celebrated Sophia's 5th birthday.  She is such a lover and just fits in so great.  She was thrilled to meet her one and only cousin, Alfie.  We had a pirate party and Sophia was in heaven!

We love Landon, Sophia, Andrew and Alex!