Something is wrong with this picture.....

On my way to pick Aleia up from school I saw a few disturbing things that make me want to put her in a box forever, but as we all know we must allow our children to fly and pray that we have taught them the right direction to go.

A 12 year old boy offers a cigarette to a 9 year old boy, he takes it, inhales and then passes it to his other friend not more then 7 or 8 years of age....as the 12 year old flips the car behind me off he then inhales from the same shared cigarette, what I describe as a community smoke!......then on the other side of me a 15 year old boy is walking down the side walk and takes a piece of gum out of his mouth and makes sure that it is properly dispensed into the trash bin.....there is something wrong with this picture.

How can it be that we get more upset if someone litters or we correct a young person if they throw trash on the ground but we pass by and don't say a thing to those that are polluting their bodies or disrespecting someone or even them own selves.

Something is wrong with this picture!

It blows my mind what we over look and what we actually pay to much attention to. I go to a local park in the neighborhood and a lady informs me that I'm not welcomed because I'm not apart of the community or someone gives me a hard time for still having my winter tires on in the Summer yet they all just walk right past a 7-12 year old smoking a cigarette....something is wrong with this picture.


What matters to one seems to be trivial to the next...what matters to me the most is that I raise my girls to be leaders and not followers....how about you?

My 2yr Blogoversary

It's hard to believe that today marks my blogoversary.....2 years since I started writing about our Families Journey.

Brienna was almost 4 months and I realized that I didn't have the same time I had before to send letters, write out numerous Birthday cards, and be as organized in the sentimental department as I would like.

I have always been big on recording Birthdays, anniversary's and reminiscing about the past through pictures and through the many hand written journals I have done in the last 17 years....but as time seems to not be my friend these days I find that I am content with my blog as it has filled many pages and covered 2 wonderful years of our families journey.

Hopeing that you all have enjoyed the journey along with us and that you will continue to walk with us as I blog about the many wonderful mile stones, challenges, obstacles, joy's, victories and just plain life experiences.

As I look back on the last two years of my blog I realize how much joy it has brought me; I have met many friends and been able to be encouraged by the life experiences of others and hopeing that I as well have left a line or two or even a picture that has a brightened someones day.

Many people have a grand prize give away on there blogoversary....... my gift to you is that I'm still here and gonna stay here to record the empty pages with the many memories we still have to make and get to climb as a family together.

Hope you enjoy our Families Journey!

Don't want to grow up

Charles came home last night and Aleia was still awake...waiting for her Daddy to get home from work-church. He tucked her in and she whispered in his ear "I don't want to grow up". Of course the conversation goes as you would think, Charles asked her why and she said "cause if I grow up I can't sit on your lap anymore, or sit on your shoulders or play with my toys".....So Daddy I want to stay this big forever.


Aleia so small and petite....I love her little fingers and toes!


He explained to her that she would always be his baby and always be able to sit on his lap and she can play with her toys as long as she wants, not to worry about growing up or getting bigger....just to enjoy life right now.

Most kids want to get bigger, that's how you get them to eat their green veggies, but not my girls, I've tried that tactic on them....if you eat your veggies you'll grow big and strong like Mommy and Daddy.....are you kidding...they won't eat anything they think is gonna make them bigger, they both want to stay small forever!

As much as we would love for them to stay as petite and small as they are, we know the process of life is to grow, learn and leave! So until then we will hang on to all that we can until the natural process takes it's course.

My husband Rocks-Friday

So amazing the love two can have for one another, the simple things in life that make one happy is fulfilled just by the love of that one special person.

Just a few days ago, we celebrated our 16th year wedding anniversary and as you've heard many say, "wow where did the time go"....I feel that way but only in the perspective that I want it to slow down because I want more memories and more time with the one I love. It seems we get so busy, other things take priority, children fill up space, work and ministry seem to take over.

Making time for the one you love.....it is truly our responsibility to make sure that the one we love stays priority over all else that matters.

.....my husband rocks because even in the business of life, he still finds time to make arrangements such as being in one of my favorite places in the world on our anniversary and having the whole day to ourselves, to reminisce of our days spent there, eat great food, enjoy each others smile and take lots of picture to always make sure we remember such a special and beautiful day.

He knew how happy it made me to be there and by me being happy it made him so happy as well and that is true love......and one of the many great reasons MHR's (my husband rocks)

A story worth telling....

As I was taking a walk with my girls yesterday Aleia said....Mommy tell me a story of when you were a little girl.

Oh no....I just never thought that question would ever arise. My response was "Um when I was a little girl....Well!

How come when she asked that question butterfly park stories didn't come to my mind, cotton candy with Dad at the fair didn't come to mind, but hardship of a young child, trials and just trying to make it in a world that seemed against me.....came flooding to the surface!

I wanted to tell her stories of taking walks with my Mom, and getting ice cream at a beautiful parlor. Yet still stories of loneliness flooded my mind....stories of having to be strong at a very young age came to mind.

As I was walking I was praying in my mind that good memories would come to me and a few did. But I was able to tell Aleia God has blessed her with a Mommy and Daddy who both love the Lord, who love her and are striving there best to provide a loving and stable environment for her so that when she grows up she can sit and tell her little daughter wonderful stories.

Don't get me wrong...I had some wonderful times as a kid, but how many of us really live our childhood in the hopes that one day our daughters will ask us to tell them all about it. I have to admit some of those days are a fading memory and I'd like it to stay that way....but I know that from now on I will be giving my girls a chance to tell beautiful stories full of healthy great memories to their children.

I'm not naive to think that everyday will be full of rose, butterfly and candy stories but I do know that the goal I'm striving for is that my children have a life full of stories to tell....stories that will one day write a complete and beautiful book of a life happily and securely lived.

I am thankful for the strength that my childhood gave me....my life has been touched by so many wonderful people...without it all I wouldn't be the person I am today....and although I've had some bad days, I've had some hills to climb, when I look about and see where it has brought me....I have to say God has been good to me and I can't complain.

....AND with all the stories my girls have to tell one day to their little ones ends with ---they have had some bad days and some hills to climb but when they look back God has really been good.... then I can say I gave them a life story worth telling.

Our street car...

This is a street car.....one of the many options we have for public transportation. I really enjoy the new street car that you see here but often the old one comes and I have Aleia, my bags, and the stroller with Brienna in it. The old street car has about 3 of 4 steps to get up into it and the new street car you just roll right onto it from the curb.

The color of them are very attractive, they ride nice, they are clean and have a lot of space for the stroller.

When the old one comes we either wait for the next street car, to see if it's a new one or we just walk to the next place or next stop of transportation such as the bus or U-Bahn.... our under ground transportation.



Many of you have asked if we take the public transportation here....and yes!!! We often do, we are grateful that it was an easy system to learn and that we have the option of using it. We actually have a bus stop right outside our house, which is super convenient.