Lots of Memories today

Today, Paul and I have been married 30 years. It's hard to believe so many years have passed. Paul's young bride of 30 years ago is now a middle aged somewhat overweight woman.

Our life together has been awesome!

 Together, after 6 months of marriage we watched, prayed and waited for 3 months while our extremely premature baby (Katie) fought low birth weight (1lb 11oz) lung failure, full body infections, and liver failure to come home to us.

In 1979, Scott, our nephew moved in to finish grade school at St. Paul's near us. He lived with us for a year. Many memories of that year Scott - Yelling at YOU when Uncle Paul threw you through a wall in our hallway during a moment of rough housing comes to mind.  I love you Scott. St. Nicholas Eeast Day 12/79

We went on to have two more children, Lyndsey in 1981 and Ricky in 1985. 

I use to tell Robbi he was my easiest pregnancy. My wedding ring had his birthstones embedded in it (He called them his dots). Through the ups and downs of those first few years, I made a lot of mistakes being Rob's mom and sometimes I just plain sucked at motherhood. We didn't give up, Robbie and I and beyond measure I am grateful he calls me mom. I love you Rob you have always been such a great son; made us proud and set the bar for your younger brother and sisters. Raised as a BabyBoomer, I always anticipated that I'd stay home and raise my children one day. Because of home prices and some bad money choices we made (credit cards) I worked through most of the years we raised our children. They turned out wonderfully despite this partly due, I'm sure to the fact that Paul's mom helped in a major way with child care throughout their growing up years. It wasn't the perfect way I'd always envisioned but it was our way and I believe our life was good. These four children; now adults are the only four people in the world who got to call Paul Flocken Dad. Truly Lucky People.

  

While raising our brood of four, we had ups, downs, and sideways. Long hours at work for Paul and sometimes me. We had family gatherings, small trips, celebrated birthdays and lived like most families do. Throughout the years we struggled to afford life, we had joy and laughter, sadness and awful struggles. Coming home and feeling life would never be ok; picking up and going back to work "O.K." the next day. PTA meetings; girl scout leadership and neighborhood cookie chairman.  Baptisms; First Communions; Confirmations. So much joy; so much happiness; some grief and some sorrow, NEVER outweighing the good times.

 All these occasions come to mind tonight. We moved out of Chino in 89 and finished raising our family in a beautiful Small town of Murrieta (not so small these days). That's where Rob met a pretty young girl named Carla, now our daughter in law and a beautiful woman and mother of Maddy & Conner. 

Katie met her high school sweetheart, Randy and they got married in 2001. Sabrina followed a year later. Randy didn't grow up though so in Sabrina's word's "Well Gran, my mom and I.. We moved on". Lyndsey gave us Makayla in 2001, our beautiful little brown eyed vixen. Lyndsey didn't move with us to Phoenix in 2003 and shortly after we moved, she met Victor. They were married in 2004 and added Izabella and Sophie to their brood. In the years since we moved to Phoenix, Ricky has been away to college, lived in Temecula with friends he grew up with in Murrieta, and now, lives with us in Phoenix-- I would say that your story has yet to be finished Ricky; but 56 years on this earth has taught me that our stories are never finished. They change through out our lives and continue on through our children and their children. Nana and Grampa Eny's stories are still being told. So are Oma and Popa's.

During our 30 years together, we buried our parents; mourned the loss of Paul's sister Anita; Lost good friends and members of our extended family. Each time we picked up and moved forward. 

Paul is out in the other room now wondering where I am on our anniversary so I'll end this rambling session.  I'll just go ahead and tell you that on the "balance sheet" of life, My assets far and away exceed the Liabilities. Our net worth is VERY healthy honey.

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog today.