My Family

I have a wonderful family. My life consists of my children (3 of my own, 3 step). I can't leave out my wonderful grandchildren (5 in all right now and promises of growing larger and larger). I have great parents (my mom passed away 20 years ago in Feb - love you Mom) but my step-mom is a wonderful lady and I love her dearly. I have great in-laws, mother(s) and father and great sister and brother-in-laws and step-sister and brother and their growing families. I am truly blessed in my life. I also have aunts, uncles and cousins and a host of great friends.

So, back to my family. My thrust in life are my kids. Marchelle, Jamie, Jodi, Corine, Benny and Jeana (that's in order of age!).

Marchelle, my oldest, will be 28 (yikes!) in February. She's a policeofficer in Charlotte, NC. She lives with her husband Tyler and they have been married for 7 months. Tyler is a firefighter for Charlotte. They have a cute home and they are hoping to be pregnant by years end (woo hoo). Marchelle is a real spitfire of a woman. Always had that fire in her since she was little. She could kick anybody's butt! Seriously. And, she's only 5 feet tall. She's great and I love her and everyone loves Tyler (aka Elizabeth). For those who don't know, he used to sit so patiently while my granddaughter Taylor would put barrettes and makeup on him (she was 4 or 5 yrs old at the time). We have great pictures of those days! Well, I am very proud of Marchelle. The first one in our family to graduate college!

Jamie, he's my oldest stepchild. He'll be 28 in March (oh my God!). How did these kids get so old? Hey, wait a minute...that means I'm getting older (notice, not old! lol). He lives in San Antonio. He served in the Air Force for 4 1/ 2 years. Jamie has been working on getting his business growing and he's doing a good job. Lot's of patience and determination. Marchelle and Jamie are alot alike (must've been the year they were born!). Jamie's business is training people to do ultimate fighting (jujitsu and mooi ty, and I'm sure I spelled them both wrong). He does group training and private training. So, if you're ever in San Antonio and meet someone named Jamie, don't mess with him cause he'll kick your butt! Jamie has 2 boys, Andrew 7 and Corbin 2 1/2 (more on them later).

Jodi, she's my 2nd oldest stepchild and she's 26 yrs old. Jodi has developed into such a a great woman. She had us nervous there for a little while, but she turned her life around and I am so proud of her. She lives in Tampa with her husband of 2 1/2 months, Richard. They have a cute home and are beginning to do home improvements. We love Richard and my favorite picture of him is mowing the back yard with a shirt wrapped around his head. Maybe someday, when I figure out how, I'll post it (don't get mad Richard!). They, too, are hoping to be pregnant by years end (my family keeps growing - another woo hoo!!).

Corine, she's my 2nd oldest child and she's 26 yrs old. Corine is my "little Mom". She has 3 great children, my grandchildren - Taylor 7, Michael 3 and Alyssa 2 1/2 months (more on them later). Corine lives with Mike in NC and they have a great home. Mike is always doing something new to the house. Corine is a stay-at-home Mom and probably has one of the hardest jobs ever. She's a great Mom and makes sure her kids know their Mimi and Papa and other family members who live out of state. She's done a great job with the kids.

Benny, he's my youngest and just turned 25. He also lives in NC. He also served in the Air Force for 4 years and was in Iraq when the war started for 5 months. Prior to that he went to Kuwait and Kyrgistan (I know that is spelled wrong). I would've never thought I would have a child that would become a war veteran! He works for Corine's husband doing construction. He has no kids but two beloved dogs, a pit bull and a german shepard. Three of my happiest moments with Benny is when he won the title of Monroe County Wrestling Champion, graduating high school and coming home from Iraq and being in GA to see it!!

Jeana, she's my youngest step-daughter and she'll be 23 in March. Ok, now here's my girl who loves fashion and ready to tell you when you are not in! She's our 2nd child to graduate college and she lives in Buffalo, NY working very hard as a financial analyst. She had the awesome experience (as did Marchelle) to go to England and travel around Europe during her senior year of college. Matter of fact, Jeana and Marchelle attended the same university in London. She's a lover of life and loves to have fun and laugh. But, if she's sick, watch out! Jeana recently had a great life learning experience. Don't ever decide to punch out a window when your drunk (especially a plexi-glass window) because your hand will break and then you'll need surgery! We all love David, her boyfriend, who lives in CO and wish he would move back to Buffalo!

I love my kids and really am so proud of them and they have given me so many wonderful, happy memories - and laughs. We all laugh so hard when we are together - I miss them all so much.

My grandchildren??? Now, that's another blog entry for another day............till then.........