Happy Birthday Trudy!

Boy did I have to search for this picture. Trudy is my wonderful mother in law and she always finds a way to not be in the picture. Not sure how you are going to feel about having your smile on the world wide web. Today is "Tutu's " birthday. An amazing woman, who loves her family and is one of the most giving and thoughtful people I know. This picture was taken when we vacationed together last year on their boat at Lake Powell . Thank you for raising a great son. I hope you had a wonderful birthday. We miss you and love you lots.

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

One blessing of being in Florida a few weeks ago was that I was able to celebrate my mom's birthday with her. Mary Perez was born April 10, 1950. And I share her actual age as a tribute to how amazingly young she looks. We are always mistaken as sisters. She is a beautiful woman, with a beautiful smile that for some reason she rarely shows. I love this picture of her with Isabella. We named Isabella Mary partly after my mother and her mother. My mother has not had an easy life but she work hard to raise me and my sister to provide us with a life different than her own and she did this mostly on her own. Now that I am a mom, I am beginning to realize all she sacrificed for us and how much harder it was than she made it look. She is now happily married and living with her husband Al on a horse ranch in Florida. Sorry this is late mom. I hope you had a wonderful birthday. We all love you very much.

A few weeks of craziness!

So, I have been unable to post for a few weeks, amazing really that I have been able to post about Pops and Lucy. The past few weeks have been sending us in a spin. First, I was working more than usual, 3 days a week which really is much more work than it used to be. Second, God has been really working on me getting over fear, especially fear of change. I finally was able to share openly about stepping out of MOMS leadership which was a big change and a grieving process. Also Brad has been interviewing and just accepted a new job, a huge blessing but still change. After adjusting to working more, we adjusted back to me working my normal 1 day a week, more change (even though it is good, it is still change). On top of that, my trip to Florida was unexpected and very emotionally exhausting. Then coming home, Brad had a 3 week flu. And to add to that, I had an emergency root canal yesterday. And seriously this feels like only the tip of the iceberg. I feel like life has been passing by unrecorded. Some difficult times but some amazing times as well. God is good and I am so so very grateful for that.

Good bye for now Pops.

My wonderful grandfather, Pops, passed away on April 7. This is the last picture I have of him when he still looked healthy back when Kadie was only 10 weeks old. I was blessed to be able to talk to him one last time and to be with him when he passed. My hope is in the Lord and I believe that he heard my heart felt message of how much God loves him. I know he died in peace and I long to see him again in heaven. He was a loving and sweet man whom I will miss dearly.

Alfredo Dominic Spadolini Jr

7/1/1924 to 4/7/2008

Lucy Lu!!

We are so excited to announce the latest addition to our family..... Lucy Lu. We were blessed to adopt her from a family we know. She is a little sweetheart. She is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the smallest dog I have ever owned. She is perfect for our family, gentle and playful and super smart. Kadie and Jack are totally in love with her and she is totally in love with Brad. It is nice to have an inside dog once again and much easier than the labs we have had in the past, plus she travels well and loves to come in the car. She has the sweetest little personality and is a real blessing to our family. Welcome to the clan, Lucy!