Dane's birthday!

Church Basketball-Check out the $75,000 floor we were able to buy for $200.

Check out Darren!

Just messin' around!

Dane and Chandler

Church Basketball

Last night was the beginning of the church basketball games.

Dane and Darren are on the orange team with their friends Chandler Good and Reagan Titus.

We embarrassed Dane by having Pastor Rick announce it was his birthday to everyone.

My "beagle man" comes home!!!!

Yesterday morning, I ran to Springfield, Ohio and picked up my husband. Everything just felt wrong to both of us. Things were not very good down there. I just couldn't handle my life without my husband here. I don't know what is going to happen but whatever does, I want my husband here with me. We feel we've done everything we can possibly do as far as trying to find a job and nothing seems to be working, so I guess all we can do is leave it in God's hands at this point.

Dane turns 13!!!!

Dane and Darren-Christmas '07
Dane-11, Darren-13

I've always loved this picture!! Dane-age 4

What a cutie!!!! Dane at 6 weeks!

Unbelievable!!! My baby turns 13 today!!! Wow, how time does fly. Watch out everybody, he's a teenager now. Happy Birthday, Dane!!!

I love you and hope you have a wonderful day!!!

January 24, 1996.

8lbs 2oz

20 inches long.

Tonight, we took Ralph to Springfield, Ohio for orientation/training with Werner Trucking. Man, how I hated saying goodbye to him not knowing for how long. Sniff! Sniff! I was hoping and praying something else would come up before today. Nothing did, so we felt this was our only option. I know I shouldn't say this, but I just don't understand why God allowed this. Why did Ralph have to take a job where he can't be home with his wife and kids for days at a time. I'm trying to be thankful that at least he found something while many others haven't. I've heard of several men now that have committed suicide due to loss of their jobs, etc.
I'm so very thankful to many of our friends and family who have offered to keep the boys on the nights that I work. This is a great relief to me, although I hate to impose on their family time. I also have Sandy Masters across the road and down a little ways who is home at night in case of an emergency if the boys stay here. She also will know to watch and make sure they behave!!! Thankfully, I have a full time job where I only have to work 3 nights a week, so I'm sure everything is going to work out!!!
I guess really, I have been spoiled over the last year, my husband did all the running for school and basketball, did all the laundry and dishes. Now, I have to try and juggle this myself. I'm just not real good with change.
Thanks everybody for your prayers for us. Please remember Ralph during the next few weeks, he has a roommate at the hotel (he wasn't real thrilled about that) and then will be on the road with a trainer(I believe they will sleep in bunk beds in the truck). Hopefully, his trainer will be someone who has some things in common with Ralph.

Hello, again.
Well, we have reached the desperate state.....since Ralph has been unable to find a job around this area, he has decided to go to work for Werner Trucking. This means he will be gone from us for 4-8weeks for the training period. I feel sick when I think about not having him with us for the next 1-2 months. Somehow, this does not seem like the best thing but we don't know what else to do. I'm going to stay at the hospital for now since we really need the money. I'm not sure what we will do about the boys on the nights that I'm at work. Darren is almost 15, so we'll see. Unless, God provides a different job sometime before next Tuesday, life will be pretty different around our house. Please remember to pray for us during this time, I would really appreciate it and thanks so much.

Hello, everyone!!

We're getting lots of snow as I write this. I guess they're calling for 8-10 inches by tomorrow morning. Yikes!!! I'm already tired of winter. Winter just makes me feel down in the dumps, of course that's where I've been lately anyways. Ralph still can't find a job and we are at the end of his unemployment benefits. We won't be able to make it on just one income. I don't know what we are going to do. I keep reminding myself there isn't anything I can do but wait on the Lord. I just don't understand what He has in mind for us. I feel I'm in a constant state of begging Him to help us somehow and then I look back over the last year and realize He has been helping us make it to this point. I'm trying so hard to let go.

Well, enough of that, I did have a little good news. My echo on my heart came back looking good which is a big relief to me. I don't know why my heart has been racing, I'm assuming it's from anxiety. I also found out my thyroid levels are off again, so that could contribute to my heart racing as well. I'm so thankful for that little bit of good news.

Happy New Year!!!!

Happy New Year, everybody!!!! I, for one, am very glad to see 2008 end. This has been a very rough year for us. I'm hopeful that 2009 will be a better year.
Darren and Dane spent new year's eve with Reagan and Perry Titus, they were invited to a U of M basketball game. Even though, they are not the greatest Michigan fans (thanks to their father) I think they both had a really nice time. It was a neat opportunity for them. Thanks, Perry, for inviting them. We then met tonight at DJ's in Pittsford and ate with Perry and Cynthia and all the kids. It was nice to be with friends and laugh together. Ralph was asleep by 10:30 or so, but the kids and I watched the ball drop in Times Square. I always enjoy seeing that.
Please continue to pray for us as we make decisions about jobs, etc. It's confusing whether we made the right choice in staying in Michigan when Ralph was offered several jobs in the south and nothing seems to be working out for him here. I just want to be where God wants us.
Well, enough of that.
Have a very Happy New Year's Day!!!!!!!