Together Again and Off on a Great Adventure Together

Ronnie B is home! 

This summer has been an adventurous one.

It started with us going together to California then going on our own adventures.

We last saw one another on July 5th.

I think this is the longest we have been apart.

What a wonderful hug we shared when I picked him up at the airport. 

Now onto the next adventures. We have less than two weeks before we fly off to Ireland for an archeology trip. Then a few days in Barcelona, Spain to swim and explore. 

I am so looking forward to our together adventure. 

The summer has been amazing and we have a lot of stories to share with one another. 

But I am excited to share our next trip.

For this girl who has never been to Europe in my life, now I am off for the second time in less than a year. 

All because Ronnie B is a research associate to the Jarnada Archeology group.

Let the adventures begin!

 In Him,

Joyful

8-14-25

Adult Children-Life’s Greatest Gift

 One of the fondest memory I have of when my kids were little, was how excited they were to see me when I returned from an outing. The pure joy of seeing their mom just lit up their faces. Now my face lights up when I get a FaceTime call or when a trip is planned to see them and their families. 

I am sure they feel like my heart is all about the grandkids but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Watching my kids live life, parent and adult fills my heart with joy. Seeing their kiddos grow reminds me of their childhoods. What a busy, chaotic, joyful time it was having four within five years. They were mischief makers for sure. If one didn’t think of a questionable adventure the others would. It was always a challenge to keep them engaged and safe at the same time. Okay, I admit my kids had more ambulance rides than the average family. I blame it on their being active and curious. Raising them outside and independent came with risks but I wouldn’t change the opportunity to parent my four. It was and is my greatest accomplishment. 

My kids have grown up to be my best friends in so many ways. Our growing family assures me that I never have to be alone in this world. Infertility made me doubt that I would get to be a mom. My kids are proof that families are formed in many ways and blood doesn’t make the connections stronger. Besides, none of them had to inherit my bad traits. For that we all are grateful.

In Him,

Joyful

8-13-25

Sharing a Sunset is Sharing God‘s Love and Connecting Us to One Another

Oh what an artist our God is. Isn’t it lovely that we can capture His beauty in a photograph? This sunset picture brings me such peace and joy. My sweet Ronnie B will often call me when we are apart and tell me to step outside to share the sunset. He is my favorite human because of his heart and love for me. I am so fortunate to still have him in my life. As we approach our seventieth birthdays, we become more aware of how shared moments are not unlimited. There may be a day that we enjoy a sunset one from this side of heaven and the other from above. Even then I know that our hearts will be connected. Who knows maybe we will call up one of our kiddos or a grandchild to step outside and drench themselves in the beauty that God creates to share His love and promises with each of us. 

In Him,

Joyful

8-10-25

Elissa is Twenty-One and Also Who I Want to be When I Grow Up

 Oh, how beautiful is the smile and joy that is my oldest grandgirl. She just turned twenty-one and is absolutely impressive. Lissa is the mother of two and a full time student and wife. She embraces life in every way. My grandgirl has no idea how impressed others are by the energy and joy she puts into life and her family. I adore her and hope to be more like her when I grow up. 

Her birthday was everything she wanted it to be because she planned and made it happen. This is a picture of Lis and Che’ in Vegas. Yes, part of her plan was to gamble a bit and dance until dawn to some of her favorite bands. Her courageous aunts were willing to go dancing and clubbing on her actual birthday. 

The joy Lissa has in life even when life is exhausting, is contagious. She never mopes about what she doesn’t have whether it is time for herself or the finances to do all she would like to do. Rather, Lis embraces life with her infectious energy and smile. This young mama is an example of how we all need to see our glasses half full rather than wringing our hands over what is not as we would like it to be. Just look at her beauty and joy in this picture. She radiates a willingness to embrace life as it is and work toward making it even better. 

Here is to you my lovely Elissa. I love you more than you can fathom. You are my hero in so many ways. Cheers to twenty-one and the future you will surely make even brighter with your smile. 

In Him,

Joyful

8-9-25

Coffee with Jesus to Thank Him for Allowing my Cup to Overflow

 This has been a wonderful, fabulous, family-filled summer of travel, adventures and chit-chats. Ronnie B and I left in mid June for a family reunion in Los Angeles. It was so great to be with others who are weirdos like us. Good times and lots of catching-up conversations. After that connecting weekend we headed back to Arizona and Ron took off for a conference on archeology. I scooped up Lissa and our two great-grands and we headed north to Washington state. 

The trip was eventful and not quite what we planned. Caleb, who is  almost three, stated from his car seat that he had a fever and was sick. They had just been with family on Lake Powell for a week so we ass-u-med he was just tired and had too much sun. Nope! He was sick and so when we got to the hotel in Barstow I stayed on the hide-a-bed away from them. Note to self: Don’t use the bedding in a bag at even a very nice hotel. I got bed bugs. Luckily, the rest of our traveling circus did not and we were able to irraticate them with an intensely hot dryer set for a couple hours. This broke our hearts because we could not chance stopping in Stockton to see Aunt Helen who just turned ninety-nine and her family. Yes, we did pout a bit but could not chance getting them sick or introducing bed bugs to their home. So we beelined for San Fransisco to spend the day exploring and eating way too much sourdough bread. 

Onward and upward to Nate and Natalie’s to be there in time to celebrate Lissa’s twenty-first birthday. She was able to go out with her willing aunt at midnight and again the next night. Clubbing and dancing and a bit of alcohol consumption marked the day. We also had a lunch with family that involved chasing kiddos since we didn’t have a sitter to watch them. The following week we were at Cam and Britt’s and Britt finally gave in to going clubbing and taking an uber. Both novelty choices for her. She swore she would have her head on her pillow by midnight. I heard them come in at 2:45am. Boy did they have stories to tell. 

When I came home to New Mexico I had to rest for a week. All those wonderful kiddo times and travel caught up with me.. So we saw Felix who is 5, Auggie who is almost 2, Millie who is almost 4 and we had Mayve who is one and Caleb who is almost 3 with us. What a gift of family and friends. 

I reflect back on infertility and a couple adoptions that placed babies in my arms but weren’t to be in my life and all the heartache that I experienced. Now here I am with my cup running over. My life is filled to the brim with this family of over twenty. God definitely answered my prayers above and beyond. 

In Him,

Joyful

8-8-25

My Grandkiddos are the Best because They have My Kids as Parents

When I say to my grown kids that their kids, my grandkids, are such better kiddos than they were, there is one response. Mom, it is because they have so much better parents than we did. No, the truth is my kids were the best and so are my grandkids. But too often I get caught up in the struggles of raising mine when I was overwhelmed and the calm of spending time with grands that of course is relaxed and enjoyable. It is no longer my job to make sure teeth are brushed, homework is done and boogers are tended to. My role is to spend time with, communicate my love and let their parents do the heavy lifting. That is why I am thankful I never have to be a full time babysitter to my grand kiddos. That would put me back in the parent role rather than the luxury of being their Noni. After all, parenting is a young person’s sport and I am swiftly approaching seventy which does not make me a young person. (Younger than Susi but not young) 

Watching my kids be parents to these precious kids is one of my greatest joys. They are certainly doing a much better job than I ever could. So I may not be a young mom anymore but I must say that I love the age and stage I am in. Them sharing their children with me proves I did a few things right as their mom. 

In Him,

Joyful

6-28-25

Nap-itizer and My Ronnie B

 Everyone knows Ronnie B can and does sleep anywhere and everywhere. It is his gift to sleep in the midst of chaos, quiet and storms. Others are amazed at how he can nod off in any circumstance. I have been aware of this talent since high school. His best friend, Dave Jansen, would get so stressed before a race in a track meet. Then he would look over to see Ron snoozing on a bench without a care in the world. Dave was amazed. 

This has continued throughout our lives. Through raising four kids, teaching grandkids to drive and beyond. Lissa was eleven when Ron took her out in the forest to teach her to drive a stick shift. When they returned she tattled on him and said Papa was sleeping while she was driving. His defense was that he would have woken up if she hit anything. Logical and after all it was his truck she was driving toward possible tree impact.

 I can say Ron is a fabulous Papa to all our grands and great-grands but babysitting is not always his strongest gift. After all, he just may doze off while the kids are playing at the park. Papa waswatching Kayla while she plays in the sand. Luckily, the park behind our house is safe and Kayla was well behaved. His thought was…….I’ll wake up if she screams.   

Here Felix is patiently waiting for his Papa to wake up from his nap on the porch swing. It is clear that playing with Papa is worth the wait! In the evenings, Ron can be watching any program and just shut his eyes for a few minutes…..nap-itizer begins. Then he wonders why he isn’t tired when he comes to bed a few hours later. Hmmmmmmm.

I adore this man and his many talents. Sleeping is definitely one of those talents. I envy his calm nature that allows him to rest so peacefully. Now with all this chatter about naps, I just may need to crawl back in bed and have an early morning nap.

In Him,

Joyful

6-27-25