It doesn't help....

I didn't wake up in the best mood. There are some things that can easily put me in a good mood. Grandkids, unexpected fun phone calls or visits, feeling loved.
None of those happened today. They could have but they didn't. Are my feelings hurt? yes. Do I feel worse than before? yes. Am I feeling the love? no. Do I want to discuss it any further? no. Just wanted to vent and ask you to pray for me. Thanks, friends.

boring week...

I just deleted a whole paragraph. No time for pity parties. I am blessed. I will remember that! Sometimes discouragement settles in my head.... but I need to hang on. He has a plan for me. I must remember it.

Wow... cannot think of anything to blog about this morning. It's another beautiful morning! I have to pick up meds we ran out of today. Going to visit my mom. That's about it.

Getting some old friends on facebook that I haven't talked to for awhile... Tracy Walsh, Cindy Gilman, Karyn Cott, Kathy Cocus, Celene Salo, and Gail Chafe! All people I used to go to church with. Also Don joined, Brad's mom Betty, and even a guy I worked at Payless with... Mark Fisher! It is so fun getting back in touch with these people. Facebook rocks! You should join. You can set it so private so just the people you choose as your friends see... thats what I do.

My heart goes out for children. They still haven't found the 10 year old little girl I posted about from McCleary. I pray she is found ok!!!

I am also praying for Michael Jackson's children. His mom got guardianship for now. How difficult this must be for them.
I don't understand people. I don't understand how anyone can hurt children.... physically, mentally, emotionally. On a large note or small note.
I don't understand why people can't put childrens wants and needs ahead of their own... how adults can be so selfish. I was guilty of it too.... looking back I cannot understand what I was thinking to put what I wanted ahead of what my kids wanted. When you have children.... it is all about them... not you. Oh well. Maybe I'm not in the best mood to be posting today.

I hope all of you have a wonderful day today! May we all remember He does have a plan for our lives.

Forecast:
Warm and dry with highs reaching the mid 70s today.
Highs to hit the mid 80s through Friday.
Cooler weather arrives this Fourth of July weekend, but sunshine remains Saturday bringing highs to around 80.
Partly cloudy Sunday and beyond with highs dropping back to the 70s.

Our Bible Study BBQ Yesterday

Yesterday was a good day.... got some cleaning done, Brad and Tara and the girls came over for awhile, baked cupcakes, and went to Bob and Nancy's for our monthly potluck with the Bible Study group. There were a few missing, but we had so much fun! Here is our Bible Study baby.... Lyle. He has grown so much and is loved by all of us. He is Jake and Patty's grandson.... Trina's little boy.... but we've all adopted him.

His papa helped him out on the toys.


Grandma Patty got a bit worried when Lyle went back by himself on the slide.
Mom Trina isn't worried.

Back safely in Grandmas arms.The leader of our gang..... Pastor Jake....
and wife Patty.
Jake and his grandson chilling out on the swing.
Lanny visiting with Dennis.... looks like they are trying to whistle while Dennis scratches his belly. Not sure what really was happening. lol
Lanny had a great time catching up with Dennis, Bob and Paul!
Dennis having a serious discussion with.....
Bob.
Bob's wife....Nancy (one of my buddies) who hosted the gathering!
Nancy with Lyle clinging on...
Melody comes out singing happy birthday to Lanny with a candle in the cupcake.
Jake chomping down on a cupcake.
Patty feeding Lyle and giving him a sweet kiss.
Melody sticks with fruit.
Paul and Melody. Usually affectionate....is the honeymoon over? lol
Melody, Jake showing Nancy pictures on his phone, and Patty.
The house where we partied.

Of course.... I was taking the pictures so no one took one of me. So I took one of myself to show I actually went! We all enjoyed visiting, laughing, eating and catching up with everyone. Got home around 8 last night.

Got lots to do today. Cleaning, packing up the DISH equipment, laundry, calling the pharmacy, etc... so I just got my reminder call from papa so best get moving.

Please remember to stop and say a prayer for this little girl. When there is missing children it just rips my heart out. 10 year old Lindsey Baum was last seen walking home from a friend's house about six blocks from her own home in the small town of McCleary, Washington on Friday night.

Hope you all have a wonderful week! God bless you and yours with laughter, happiness, love and much more all through the week!

Weather:
Sunshine and a few morning clouds with highs in the 70s today and tomorrow.
Dry and warmer midweek with some areas nearing 80.
By Friday night a few more clouds for a partly sunny Independence Day weekend, and low to mid 70s.

Parental brag fest....

I don't have much to blog about today... but I will always have something to brag about! Today I am switching gears to our kids.

Our 5 children on our wedding day.... 1984!

High school....

Three years ago.....Then there were 20.....

"My girls" are like sisters.... they love each other, support each other, don't always agree with each other! I love them... they are my girls and friends!


This is my handsome son Kevon. How I was blessed with a blond haired blue eyed baby I will never know. Then he marries the funniest, sweetest girl ever! Our Meghan is one in a million. Her and Kevon are soooo perfect for each other! And so in love! Newlyweds!
Ryan looks and sounds so much like papa! That is good because papa is awesome! Ryan is 3 months older than Kevon and they are still friends! In fact, the four just went to a Mariner game the other night together and had a blast! Ryan married Amanda 13 years ago! They have held together through many things, grown together and suit each other perfectly. Amanda is truly a sister to the girls and a daughter to us and we all love them so much.

Don and Heather are amazing together. She definitely found her life partner when she married him. He compliments her funny sense of humor so well! He is her strength. I have so much respect for them as a couple and as parents of 4 boys! They're house can get crazy.... but the two keep each other sane and balanced.
Karla and Joel have been together a long time and are a great team! They are both very private people, their lives center around their children but they still are good at balancing some Joel & Karla time in there.... which is important. Their family bond is super strong and so is their marriage.

Tara is the oldest of our 5 kids. She has always been the model child. The others hate it when we say that! lol! She was such a daddy's girl! Brad came into our family so long ago I can barely remember him not being with us... I think it's been 20 years! He is truly a son to us and a big brother to the kids. They've been married the longest. They are very devoted to the 2 beautiful girls they have and their activities.
I thought I should brag on the grandkids parents sometime. I love them all so much! And not just for giving us the most amazing grandchildren.... but because of the adults they have become and the best part of our lives. Raising them was truly our greatest accomplishment.

Sunday morning. blah. Musical beds. Papa sleeps in chair, I get up, he goes to bed. What's wrong with this picture? lol.

Brad, Tara and the girls are back from Yellowstone! Can't wait to view the pictures. Brad posted some on Facebook but I am sure there are more. They're coming over this morning! Can't wait for Riley and Jo hugs.

Later today we have a potluck over at Bob & Nancy's with our Bible Study Group! We haven't seen any of them in so long! I am excited! I will post pictures tomorrow.

Yesterday was blah. Papa mowed and washed his car. I farmed. Made a good dinner and Papa and I caught up on The Closer. Then he watched that freaky Harper's Island. Couldn't get to sleep til after midnight. That show freaks me out bad!

I don't have much to say. Things have quieted down at the Black house dramatically!!!

Hope you have a great day today. Hate to see the weekend ending.

What's Next:
A few spots of drizzle early Sunday morning. Skies are going to clear Sunday afternoon. Temperatures will be cooler than Saturday. Highs should range from the middle 60s to lower 70s.
We're heading right back into a weather pattern featuring more sunshine next week. Warmer weather is in the forecast with highs reaching the upper 70s Wednesday and Thursday.

A good day yesterday!

After getting up yesterday we went to mom's. It was a short visit but Lanny got to say goodbye to Aunt Lorraine(mom's sister) and hello/goodbye to cousin Kathy & Brian (Lorraine's daughter from Rapid City). We also got to see cousin Larry from the Seattle area. It was a sweet visit. I am named after my Aunt Lorraine so we always get a picture together. A family joke says she's my "real mom" because we're a bit alike. My aunt has had a stroke and has some trouble with speaking and uses a walker.... but she still has spunk. I adore this lady and will forever!!!! My Uncle Alvin is the one who passed away last March. Mom and Aunt Lorraine are the only two left of this group..... the 3 "Lohre Girls" and their husbands.My parents are in the middle of these pictures (my dad tried a crewcut once lol!) .... my two aunts and their husbands traded places.

Back to mom's house yesterday....


Brian and Kathy!
Cousin Larry with his two Aunties!
Larry with Aunt Lorraine

Mom and Lanny
Aunt Lorraine loves her Lanny! She really does! She says he's her favorite boy! After we left there we had to stop at the bank and then go to the cardiologist. While we were waiting Lauren found something to do....
We got into the office and Lauren got very mad at me. Dr. Johnson gave us this heart to look at that opened and you could see inside. We looked at it a couple times and then I had a "heather moment". I went to open the heart and went "Boo!" Scared her to death. She was sooooo mad at me. The doctor, papa and I laughed. That didn't help things. She got over it.
See? She got over it!!!
I love her so much.... even if she put her fingers up there for the picture. This picture is so beautiful of her. Gives me insight to what she's going to look like when she is older. wow...
On the way home..... Lauren made this video of herself. She is singing the "ICarly" Theme song.




Papa's doctor appt was fine. He didn't get off any meds... he upped one. Talked about his weight gain and work. He scheduled him for an echo and ekg to check to see how he is doing. So he'll go to those and we will know more. I told Dr. Johnson that Lanny would like to get off some meds.... but we don't want to risk his health at all! Too scary after all we've been through with Lanny (even the doctor).

Came home and Papa made 3 pizza's for the kids that Amanda had sent over with them. They ate every bite of those pizza's! Wow! Then the boys headed to the beach, of course. Papa had to go to work. I took them home and then went over to mom's again. We all sat in the reckroom and visited. It was super nice. Stayed over 2 hours. Had a great time. Got home and papa was already here. Relaxing evening and early to bed.

Lisa Marie Presley wrote on her myspace about Michael Jackson. Very touching. Just skip the stupid comments afterwards. http://bit.ly/5wR7p

I just read a blog and I love this persons perspective.... she's had a very attached child. I think it is a great way to look at it. This is what she writes:

She is very sweet, although at age nine, I'm seeing some teenager sassiness that makes me growl and smile all at once, knowing that she is just learning some independence, testing her wings a bit. For the first 2 years of Claire's life, she was stuck to me like a bandaid. If I pulled her off, it hurt. She had no history of trauma or illness or attachment issue and yet she needed me. All the time. It was exhausting. She stood outside the shower and cried every time I bathed....she drained me emotionally. And she trained me. Claire just needed more. I learned to put my needs aside momentarily, I learned to be patient and to have empathy for her emotional frailty...she didn't want to feel that way, she was just very, very needy. She made me a mama. It's the best thing I've done so far. She raised the bar very high. Claire was created to make sure I was a good mama, not just any old lady that could bear children. To all you tired and burned-out mamas out there, draw strength from the Lord, press in to your little one with love and patience and invest the time now. They will reward you later! Choose love over personal comfort every chance you get....

Today is CLEANING!!!! Inside and out! Have to put the mattresses away, pack DISH boxes, papa is mowing, tons of stuff to do! Good day to do it. I'm planning a yard sale next weekend! I have to start going through my stuff this week. My aunt and them are heading back to South Dakota. Tara and her family will be back from vacation today!!! Karla and her family went camping! Everyone is busy! Hope your day is productive or restful.... whichever you want! God bless and may you find laughter and love today!

What's Next:
The last weekend of June kicks off on a sunny note across western Washington. Temperatures Saturday afternoon will top out in the 70s. A few spots from Olympia southward should reach the lower 80s.
A weak cold front is set to reach the coast Saturday night. Clouds will be increasing and there is a chance of drizzle early Sunday morning. Some sun is expected to break out later Sunday. High temperatures will be a little cooler, ranging from the middle 60s to around 70 degrees.
The longer range forecast features partly to mostly sunny skies through the middle of next week. Highs will be slightly above the normal averages for this time of year. We should be in the middle 70s by Tuesday and Wednesday.