HALLOWEEN TOO

JUST FOUND MORE PICTURES OF HALLOWEEN IN TULSA. THESE TWO LITTLE ONES ARE ADORABLE AND SEEM TO BE ADJUSTING TO THEIR NEW HOME SO WELL. THEY WERE SO CUTE AT HALLOWEEN AND JUST WANTED TO INCLUDE THESE PICTURES...MAKES ME REMEMBER SO FONDLY MANY HALLOWEENS AGO.

OKLAHOMA FUN

HALLOWEEN IS SUCH A FUN HOLIDAY - STRESS FREE AND FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY ! I'M NOT SURE WHO HAS MORE FUN - THE KIDS OR THE ADULTS ! CHAD AND SELENA HOSTED THEIR TRADITIONAL PRE TRICK OR TREATING PIZZA PARTY WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY. A GREAT TIME WAS HAD BY ALL. SO FUN TO SEE ALL THE CUTE COSTUMES, HEAR THE KIDS LAUGHING AND HAVING FUN, AND OF COURSE, GREAT TO BE WITH CHAD AND SELENA. HALLOWEEN IS A FUN TIME AND IT'S A FAVORITE OF MINE.

PERSEVERANCE

IT TAKES HARD WORK , FOCUS , DETERMINATION, AND WHEN MARRIED- TEAMWORK, TO MAKE A DREAM COME TRUE. CHAD AND SELENA HAVE TAUGHT ME MUCH BY THEIR EXAMPLE. CHAD, WANTING TO BE A POLICEMAN FOR YEARS EVEN THOUGH WE, HIS PARENTS, ENCOURAGED HIM TO TRY OTHER CAREERS FIRST. HE RESPECTFULLY GAVE FIREFIGHTERS SCHOOL A TRY...HE GOT A 4 YRS. DEGREE, (LOTS OF HARD WORK THERE), AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, AFTER WORKING SECURITY JOBS, DECIDED THAT POLICE WORK IS REALLY WHAT HE WAS INTERESTED IN. HIS SEARCH STARTED CLOSE TO HOME, BUT THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT....HE WORKED AT A CAR WASH, MOVED IN WITH PARENTS AND CONTINUED HIS QUEST. DETERMINATION, PERSEVERANCE...AND FINALLY LANDED HIS DREAM JOB. ANY ONE OF THE MANY STEPS ALONG THE WAY, MAY HAVE DETERRED SOME PEOPLE...BUT NOT CHAD.SELENA PERSEVERANCE TOO (2)!!! NOT ONLY DID SHE HAVE TO MOVE IN WITH IN LAWS WHILE CHAD PERSUED HIS DREAM JOB...SHE WORKED HARD, AND WAITED FOR HER TIME TO PURSUE SCHOOL TO BE A DENTAL HYGENIST. SHE WEATHERED HER YEAR LIVING WITH INLAWS WITH STYLE AND GRACE AND ENDEARED HERSELF TO US BEYOND WORDS. APPLYING FOR SCHOOL, AT LAST IT WAS HER TIME....THINGS DIDN'T WORK OUT AS PLANNED,, ROADBLOCKS AND THEN HAVING TO DECIDE TO RE-APPLY OR PURSUE ANOTHER CAREER PATH....HOW BADLY DO YOU WANT IT? DETERMINATION, FOCUS AND TODAY SHE'S IN HER FINAL YEAR OF THE HYGENIST PROGRAM, AND EVEN HAS A JOB OFFER WAITING FOR HER. I'M SO PROUD OF BOTH OF THEM FOR THEIR PERSEVERANCE. THEY'RE LIVING THEIR OWN REWARD, BUT THEY HAVE MY UTMOST RESPECT AND ADMIRATION!

A YEAR AGO (ALREADY), A TRIP TO ITALY , A TRIP OF A LIFETIME! 31 YEARS AGO, WE TOASTED OUR NEW LIFE TOGETHER AS HUSBAND AND WIFE, IN THIS PICTURE WE ARE CELEBRATING THE LIFE THAT WE'VE SHARED, THE INCREDIBLE CHILDREN THAT WE'VE RAISED AND THE NEW "CHILDREN" THAT THEY HAVE BROUGHT TO OUR FAMILY BY MARRIAGE. WE KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE MARRIED THEN WE DID 31 YEARS AGO. WE KNOW THAT THE COMPROMISES, THE HURTS THAT CAN COME WITH MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND THE INCREDIBLE REWARDS THAT COME WITH THE PATIENCE OF STANDING BY THE COMMITMENT THAT WE EACH MADE 31 YEARS AGO. I CAN'T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITHOUT MY BEST "REASON" RICK! HE WON MY HEART YEARS AGO WITH HIS SLOW SMILE, AND BASEBALL HAT ON HIS HEAD. TODAY, HE HAS MY HEART AND MY RESPECT FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH ME! IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN EASY BUT IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MORE THEN I COULD HAVE DREAMED OF. THANK YOU FOR BEING MY BEST REASON FOR EVERYTHING! OH, AND OF COURSE, THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL TRIP TO ITALY AND ALL THE ADVENTURES WE HAVE YET TO TAKE TOGETHER !!!

It's quiet, it's rainy.  Just a cozy Sunday in our "new" home/ "new" life....we're learning that it doesn't take BIG things, or places to make us happy.....it's the BIG and loving hearts of family and friends that make us happy !!!  Thoughtful things done by friends, like opening their homes to us so that we can visit.  It's the helping hands and listening ears to help us get through change.  The sandwiches offered and made when we didn't even know that we were hungry.  And it's the caring and sharing phone calls from our "kids" to make us all stay close!  Life is good and we're so very grateful !!!!!

congratulations!

Congratulations on the Grand Opening of your third CORE THERAPIES OFFICE!  You , Jason and Melissa are awesome and we're all so proud of you!

I'm glad to know that you have a fun and funny side to you too!  Laughter is the best medicine, next to Core Therapies , that is!!

Here at camp

Such a big weekend !  Lots of fun, lots of people together.  Missy and Jason started the weekend by arriving tired after a full day of work and a 5 hour drive from New Jersey on Friday.  Good nite of rest, a little hike, visiting with camp neighbors and off to a wedding in Pittsburgh.  It was a quick but VERY enjoyable time - that's what camp is all about whatever time you have, it's all about relaxing and togetherness!  Dad and I LOVED having you here !  It's always special when we can be together!

Saturday brought LOTS of sunshine and time to set up for the annual (13th) PIG ROAST at our place.  The PIG was put in the cooker by 7 a.m. , tables were set up and people started bringing their chairs, their food to share and games to play.  The food, as usual, was INCREDIBLE.  Everyone must bring their best and favorite food because it's a wonderful variety of tasty stuff !!!!  There were about 75 or more people there - good time to share food and catch up with all the new neighbors and old time friends. Camp fires, corn hole tournaments and guitar playing trio of music topped it all off.  Our long time, great friends, Jim and Debbie got there just in time to sample the food, and enjoy all the entertainment!  

There were many thoughts of our Chad and Selena, along with some phone calls....all our wishes couldn't have us all there together.  I  can't look at the river, or the bunkhouse, or the camp, the road or trails there without "seeing" Chad and Selena. Your boots, along with our hearts will be there waiting for you til the next time. You were very missed! 

Sunday  brought more fun when our annual BIG CHILL officially started.  Dave, Diana, Gary, Kathy, Jim and Debbie.  We've been getting together to hike, relax by the campfire, and make a craft project or two.  It takes long time friends to be able to just "fall into place together" and enjoy our BIG CHILL.  Diana captured the weekend with her wonderful camera and incredible eye for pictures.  Don't know how she does it.  We even had a few other friends join us for the day. Bob and Carole along with first timers, Art and Marlene.  So fun to share our "Camp" with them!

It's time for good-byes, but we all have our own great memories AND an individually crafted "CAMP" picture frame to keep us close!  Dave and Diana, thank you for opening up your home to us when we visit Westlake !  You both are so special to us !!!  We'll be seeing you soon !

Thank you Debbie for the unique and loving gift : we hope that you can all "linger longer" the next time you're here with us !