Parents weekend @ KState

Dad and I are visiting Avery at K State this weekend for parents weekend. It's hard to believe she only has three more weeks left of her sophomore year. She's done so well here, academics and extracurricular wise, and we are very proud of her. We will take Willa back home with us, so she can focus on finals these last weeks, before returning home for the summer. Might be pretty hard to separate the girl and her pup though!

Manhattan is a neat little oasis in the middle of Kansas. On my run this weekend I ran by the Krusteaz company hdqtrs and the Kansas National Guard in Manhattan. I smiled to myself because Krusteaz was a staple of our kids' breakfast when they were younger… They make a great pancake mix that I could buy in bulk from Sam’s! 

The 130th Field Artillery Brigade’s home is there.  I was reminded of the strength of that combat branch - Bryton’s “King of Battle”  branch of our military. 

May God Bless America!

April 23, 2026

We got a kick out of going through this blog earlier this week - and so I'm thinking it might be a good idea to try and update it again, from time to time... Today is a big day for our family. Bryton, you took off on your deployment. I'm extra thankful for the time we got to spend with you and Reese - our entire family together! - over Easter. The hugs we were anxious to give and the cheek kisses were given a plenty as you well know :) We soaked up time just being in each others presence - sometimes not doing much of anything - and it was pretty perfect. While you are deployed, I am committed to being your strong Mom, trusting in the Lord, and knowing that God will protect you while you are doing your job over there. I will say extra prayers, especially to St. Michael the Archangel, for your protection. I will look up at the stars each night w/ a "Night Bud" message for you in my heart - (even though you'll be in a different time zone :) I love you to the Moon and Back, Bryton Victor. xoxoxo ~ Mom

Here we go...2016!!!

Our Christmas Celebrations Begin

Cats Win 1st Place!

Congrats, Wildcats...you've worked hard this season, and have improved lots! Conference Champs!!!!

We Believe

Praying for Peace

It is difficult to talk to our kids about what has happened in Paris over the past week - most difficult to explain "terrorists" and the "why" behind the horror. We don't think Bryton and Avery are too young to hear details - we share more with Bryton than Avery, as his teachers discuss it in school. We discuss 9/11 - and those who serve and protect us, including family members. And - we don't want them to live in fear - I saw this on the news today, and I will be sharing it with our kids...a Facebook post, from a victim's husband: YOU WILL NOT HAVE MY HATRED Friday night, you took an exceptional life -- the love of my life, the mother of my son -- but you will not have my hatred. I don't know who you are and I don't want to know, you are dead souls. If this God, for whom you kill blindly, made us in his image, every bullet in the body of my wife would have been one more wound in his heart. So, no, I will not grant you the gift of my hatred. You're asking for it, but responding to hatred with anger is falling victim to the same ignorance that has made you what you are. You want me to be scared, to view my countrymen with mistrust, to sacrifice my liberty for my security. You lost. I saw her this morning. Finally, after nights and days of waiting. She was just as beautiful as when she left on Friday night, just as beautiful as when I fell hopelessly in love over 12 years ago. Of course I am devastated by this pain, I give you this little victory, but the pain will be short-lived. I know that she will be with us every day and that we will find ourselves again in this paradise of free love to which you have no access. We are just two, my son and me, but we are stronger than all the armies in the world. I don't have any more time to devote to you, I have to join Melvil who is waking up from his nap. He is barely 17-months-old. He will eat his meals as usual, and then we are going to play as usual, and for his whole life this little boy will threaten you by being happy and free. Because no, you will not have his hatred either.