The last three years...a lot has happened: I divorced my husband, after learning that he was not who I thought he was; I lost my youngest son to a crime; I have been living alone, for the first time in my life, and I am trying to start over. These events have been devastating. There have been times that I have wanted to end my life, but somehow I keep going. I have my children and grandchildren that I love more than anything and I am looking forward to seeing my first granddaughter in May of 2017. I love her! I can't wait to meet her! A new life, is giving me the will to continue with mine.

As I am writing this, I am watching the Cotton Bowl. Missouri is playing Oklahoma State.

It reminded me that six years ago, around January 2008, some interesting things happened.

• My husband and I traveled to Dallas, Texas for the 2008 Cotton Bowl. The Arkansas Razorbacks were playing against Missouri... Missouri won.
• While in Dallas, we did some site seeing.
• We saw where President Kennedy was shot.
• We saw (from a distance) the house that the television show "Dallas" used in the opening credits.
• We enjoyed some excellent barbecue.
• Dropped in on some old friends.
• Borrowed a book...I still have it...sorry
• Lastly, the day before leaving for Dallas, I filed a lawsuit against American Airlines.

Time flies...

I had nearly forgotten about this blog. I can't believe that people have actually viewed it. Kinda embarrassing.

Anyway, viewing it two and a half years later, I realize that life goes on and things do change.

I am writing a book, a memoir.
I am planning on taking the next "ham" radio test.
I am getting back into genealogy.

It is a new year. Thank goodness for new beginnings.

Ham Radio License

Paul, my hubby, and I passed the technician level "ham" radio exam and this means that we will be able to communicate over the airwaves. Isn't that cool!

We received our license from the FCC last week: my call sign is KF5LQG and Paul's is KF5LQE.

My goal is to communicate with individuals around the world and help out locally in the event of any type of emergency (storm spotting and natural disasters).

a wonderful surprise

A few days ago, a relative contacted us. Some of us did not know that this relative existed. It was such a sweet surprise for everyone and we are all so, so very happy!!

Moving On

I am finished with genealogy for the time being.

I now need to wrap up my picture scanning, organizing and putting-it-all-back-together (I had to disassemble several photo albums) project.

My Christmas 2010 gift for my parents included eight pictures that chronicled the progression from my parents as boyfriend/girlfriend, married, both of them pictured with one child, two kids, three kids, four kids and finally all five kids (without my parents).

(When we realized that there are no pictures of my parents with all five kids, we took several photos out at the old house on Zion Road.)

I had over 3000 pictures to choose from and, after listening to that little voice in my head that said "it should be about your parents", came up with the theme of trying to find my parents pictured with us kids as the family grew over the years. It wasn't as easy as it sounds- it seems that there was almost always one person missing.

The interesting thing about this is that my dad put together a set of poems, some that he wrote along with some written by others, that followed the same theme as the pictures I chose! Wow!

It was a very moving moment when my dad had his poems read to my mom. He had planned on doing it privately until he opened my Christmas gift and felt compelled to share with the whole family how he felt about my mother. They have been together for 60 years and counting...

Be Nice to People?

Well, I was deathly ill for about 6 weeks and am finally ready to get back to work on genealogy, writing and scanning pictures.

While I was ill, I was reminded of how tenuous life on Earth is and how dependent we are on our physical bodies to keep us here...and I am grateful to still be here and be able to watch my grandson grow and see how my children are changing and growing in their individual lives.

I told God that if I lived that I would be nicer to people, but I think that when he heard that prayer, He chose to let me live anyway...because I am sure that He knew that I would continue to struggle with the "be nicer to people" promise.

I will keep trying though!