College, volleyball and back to school.

Things here are WILD. I am working still full time. I have days that I love it and days that I would much rather do something, anything else. But all in all, my job has become pretty special to me. I am learning so much and I am also learning to balance my time a little better. Right now I am on something for depression. I really needed and know that it helping me deal with all the changes in my life. I miss my mom badly and feel like I still have a long road to go here.
Raelene is enrolled and doing well at Eastern New Mexico University. She is adjusting well and learning to do many things on her own. I think she is going to do okay. She and her roommate are very different people, but are starting to adjust to one another. We finally have most if not all the bugs worked out with Financial aid, so now it is just the every day life she will be dealing with.
John, Allison and Traci are doing good in school. John is off to a little of a rough start, but I am on top of it most of the time and we hope we don't have many more nights like last night..DON"T EVEN ASK!!!
Allison and Traci are both playing junior high volleyball. I think their first game is sometime in September. Junior high does not play as many games as high school, so their season does not get under way as early in the year.
Christi is staying with my sister during the day. PRAISE THE LORD! She has really grown and is talking all the time now. She is missing Raelene and calls her some nights and just cries and begs her to come home.
Frank is walking for an area farmer right now. It really helps and he likes it. He gets to be outside and he only has one person to answer too, so he does not have to "bring work home". He is still on the fire department and the school board.
Continue to pray for us, as money is still an issue and I am still dealing mom being gone.

Take care all,
Joanna

Sunday Morning

Getting ready for church here in a bit.
I have been down the past few days, struggling with some depression and sadness and missing my mom/
But too busy to stop too long to give into it.
Money is still an issue. I am working about 32 hours a week now, and Frank is still drawing unemployment. He has had some good job interviews lately, but most or state jobs and you have to wait for the whole hiring process. We shall see!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are busy with last minute details for our Associational 100th Anniversary. It should be great. I will have to post some pictures.
The kids are doing good. Staying busy, and helping out so much.
Raelene is getting ready for college. Eastern New Mexico is her choice and she is finishing up paperwork. I am sad to know that she is this old, but happy to know that she has done so well.
I will update more later on that..
I think that is most of the news here. I hope to get on here sometime and really tell all that is new.

Flag Day

Hard to believe that it is already the middle of June. Time really sails by.

Raelene had a really nice graduation and we enjoyed a lovely get together afterward with friends and family. I will have to post some pictures of graduation. John also promoted from the 8th grade that day, and will begin high school in the fall.

Allison will be in 8th grade in the fall, and Traci in 6th grade. Only one more year of grade school for us for a little while!

Raelene is working for the Summer Youth Program here in Maxwell. She is enjoying herself and learning a lot. We as a family are working with the summer lunch program. This is the 9th year for us.

I am still working at Village Hall, as finance officer. It is a good job, but lots and lots of work and the past employees were not the great at keeping up with stuff, so each and every day there are new things to find..Most not so good. SIGH.

Dealing with the loss of mom has been rough. This past week has been really hard. I miss her so much. I still have not had the good hard cry yet. I know I really do need it, but things are so hard and stressful as it is is, I just don't have the time to give into the loss. Continue to pray for our family as we deal with all of this.

Joanna

Wednesday Night

Thought it was about time I came and posted an update....
Things are busy around here. School is out tomorrow around noon. This will be the first year, that I have not been home when school was out. I do have a lunch break, so I might just stop by and pick up the kids when I go home for lunch. I don't like them being out on the streets the last day of school, because of the fights, and stupid silly behavior, so I have always just been there waiting in the parking lot...
I am busy at work, starting on the budget. I don't believe it will be hard once I get in the depths of it, just have not had the time to get in with both feet. I have been busy this week, playing catch up and posting deposits and filing and putting away lose ends.
Saturday will be 3 weeks since mom passed. I have good days and bad days, I think the hardest part is knowing that she is not going to be at the other end of the phone when I call the house. I really miss her so much right now. The past fews days have been hard. There are days I just can't believe that she is gone. I know, I know, she is in a wonderful place, but at times that really does not always heal the pin at the moment. Some days I would love to sit and cry for hours and feel sorry for myself. I think the other hard part is that it has changed my whole life, and it is hard to deal with the fact that I only have one parent left...OKay, now I am getting down, so I will close and think of happier things.
Raelene is excitied about graduation, she has practice tomorrow and they will decorate. Frank gets to sit with the school board and not with me, which is sort of a downer, but at the same time, he might get to to hand her, her diploma. So that would be neat.
Okay, I got side-tracked, reading blogs, so I will go now...You all have a wonderful night and God Bless.
Joanna

I wanted to let everyone know that my mom passed away tonight at around 5:30pm. I am still in shock and running only in slow, unsure of what is going on mod.
I do know that we have set the services for Wednesday at 11:00 am with just a grave side here in Maxwell. This is just plans that we have a family have made, and have not be able to hold it then. We meet with the funeral home Monday at 11:00 and I will be able to tell you more then.
Please pray for us as this is really hard for me and my family, I am so in shock.
Thank you all so much, and I will update you all soon...

God Bless,
Joanna

Monday Morning..........

I just wanted to pop in and let you know, that nothing new to report about my mom. I have not even talked to anyone yet today. The kids are off to school and the house looks pretty good today. I just finished a graph for the maintenance man at work and thought that it would be nice to post some more pictures and just to chat a little with my friends...

Christi is growing and talking all the time now. She is such a blessing...

John, Allison and Traci are looking forward to the end of school and the summer break. I think I am as well, just for the down time. Although I have a feeling that this will be a busy summer!!

Frank is still job hunting, not much luck, but still looking..

Work is good. I am enjoying it...

Okay, until I hear more, I will go for now and get laundry folded and put away...



Senior Pictures of Raelene...

Raelene and Christi at the Prom

Our Churches fellowship hall, during the pre-prom dinner..

Prom, Senior Pictures, and the Hospital...

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I came on and posted. So much as happened in the past month.

I am working, although only part time right now, school is days away from being out and Raelene is day's away from graduation. Prom is over and done with once again. It appears that spring is finally starting to spring here in Maxwell. And as I write this, my mom is in the hospital with an rapid/irregular heartbeat. PLEASE PRAY. She will be under going some more tests tomorrow and could be in the hospital up to 5 days. We are all sort of numb and just in a waiting pattern until we know more.

Raelene did have her senior pictures taken today. We have waited on this for ever and finally had a warm and sunny, although very windy morning in which to get her pictures taken, (my mom was already in the hospital, but had not been put into a room yet, so we got her pictures taken within an hour and headed right to the hospital.)


Prom was nice, our church hosted a dinner before prom and served chef salads. We fed close to 25, which for Maxwell is really good. Raelene took two dates to prom, as her boyfriend could not get home for college for the weekend. (he comes home for the summer in about 2 weeks). Both of the young men she took are in the 9th grade. One is a family friend, she actually used to baby sit for him, and the other is a friend from FFA and the son of the man that Frank does odd jobs for. They all looked really nice and had a great time, dancing and laughing and enjoying themselves...




Graduation is just around the corner. I can't believe that my little girl is that age!!! WOW.

Okay, again, please keep our family in your prayers and I will update as I can and know more..