Oma

Yesterday a beautiful lady passed away. My other mom Fran.  She was such an amazing and strong lady! I will forever miss her and be so grateful to her for her influence on me and my kids. Fran and I struggled a little in our relationship but I think we both grew to have a deep love and respect for each other. Fran was the best grandma!  She always made time for the grandkids! She came to a lot of their games and performances at school.  She always supported them and loved them so much! Despite the cards she was dealt in life she was always positive and I rarely heard a complaint from her. She taught me so much! She taught me how to cook German food and most importantly she taught me what a Mormon woman was like.  I was a convert to the church and she is the one that I looked up to as my example.  She had such a strong testimony of the gospel and she was one who would bear her testimony to us all quite a bit. I hope that I will be half the woman that she was.  Heaven definitely got a beautiful angel and I can just hear her singing!  Im so grateful that she didn't have to suffer for too long and that she was able to have her kids around her. I'm grateful that I was able to visit her, talk to her and rub her feet!  Im so grateful that even after my divorce she still would come over for dinner and she accepted Mark and was so sweet to him. What a great lady! I love you Fran so very much! I'm so glad that you are finally reunited with your boys in Heaven!  Until we meet again!
Celeste

Lauren's blessing 1992

Oma with Malorie and Lauren 1993

Oma, Stefanie, Stacie, Brendan, Lauren and Malorie at the zoo

Brendan and Oma

Oma, Lauren, Brendan, Thomas, Ethan and Jamen at the Olympics

Stacie, Ethan, Lauren, Malorie, Jamen, Oma, Kortlen and Brendan

Oma and Kortlen at Kindergarten graduation

Oma and Jamen at his 6th grade graduation

January 2013

Well here we are in a new year!  January has been a little uneventful except for the occasional stomach flu and a ton of snow! Other than that we kept busy with Ethan in hockey, Kortlen in tennis and Garrett starting gymnastics.

Im so excited I finally have a tennis player!! I love tennis so having someone to play with me will be so fun!!

We also went to Delta to visit Mark's mom and step dad.  We had a great time! Garrett just loves his "mama" and "papa".  We went bowling while we were there which was a ton of fun!  Garrett was very interested in where the ball came out.

I'm so grateful to have such great in-laws!  Ina and Karl have been so welcoming to me and my kids!  We have all grown to love them both so much! 

One last final thought.  I have been attempting to increase my spirituality through prayer and scripture study.  I had a really great ah ha moment while I was praying one day.  I have always said in my prayers how grateful I am for all that I have. But very clearly I was hit with the thought "Am I really truly grateful for what I have?" I thought I was but this month I have tried to notice what I'm grateful for more than I have in the past.  I have always struggled with the why me? with the trials I have had in the last few years. I get so wrapped up in what I don't have anymore or in what I have lost that I haven't noticed all the blessings that I have gained in those same years.  Because of my trials I have become closer to my Heavenly Father. I have been blessed with a wonderful husband and an amazing new family.  I was lucky enough to have Garrett added to my family. I have a beautiful home to raise my children in.  And I have met some really great people along the way.  I still have a long way to go in my healing and in my kids healing but we will get there and hopefully we will all learn to be grateful for all the positive things that have come out of a not so great situation. Until next month!

Ciao!

Celeste