My husband, Michael and I live in Western New York. Michael and I were married in 1994. This is my second marriage and Michael's first. I have four children from my first marriage, and present day we have eight beautiful grandchildren.

Michael and I moved to Western New York from Bath, New York, because My Grandfather was ill and needed to be cared for. He had lived alone since My Grandmother passed away in April of 1987. My Nanny & Papa (as my brothers and I called them) were a large part of my life growing up. I don't know what I would have done without them. Anyways, Michael, my children and I made the move in March of 1996 and we have been here since. The children and their children all still live in the area of Western New York at the present, to be honest with you they all live just blocks away. Which we love. We see Our Children and Grandchildren practically everyday. Wouldn't want it any other way.

Michael is a Project Manager and I have worked through out my life at various jobs. In the last several years I have stayed at home and helped "DayCare" my grandchildren. Which I have found to be enourmously enjoyable as well as rewarding.

I consider myself a very fortunate person. On the following pages you will get to know my children and grandchildren. All of which are the light of my life.

Oh the wonder of a child, the most beautiful site to behold I so strongly believe children should be loved, not abused or mistreated in any way shape or form. They are gifts from God and should be treated as such for the greatest loss in this world is the loss of a child, anyone who has suffered the pain of losing a child or children know this all to well.

As I had written in ~Ryan's Wings~ my first husband and I have suffered the very pain in which I speak. The greatest heartbreak a parent will ever have to endure is the loss of their own child or children. The pain seems to go somewhere deep down inside of you so you are able to carry on or as I believe only ~*By The Grace Of God~* but you never forget; it is as if it was just yesterday I held Ryan in my arms.

Yet you know with all I've endured in this lifetime someone once said that I've wasted my Life and did not accomplish anything. I believe this person meant because I live without a so-called "label of importance" and do not bring in a hundred thousand dollars per year of income nor do I own a home worth such. Well I guess that all depends on what your degree of worth is.

I believe I have lived twelve lifetimes already and yes there are plenty of days when I have felt worthless...and even days I was made to feel worthless! However it doesn't in any way make me such. I have experienced many hardships, cried more than my share of tears, have had my heart ripped from me, have been battered and bruised, lied to and betrayed, yet through it all I did not become worthless in any way shape or form nor could my spirit be broken for I know who I am...

My accomplishments aren't measured by the mighty dollar sign or by how important I could be in the eyes of any community, (Not that there is anything wrong with either, for I am sure we would all like to be there as long as we don't lose sight of who we are or where we have come from.) for I could be doing such if I had chosen that path.

No the path I took didn't entail money or prestiege instead I chose to be a Loving Wife and Mother, this is a position that money can't buy, for it is the very foundation of my family, my talents include writing, drawing, painting, ect., yet the most important skills of all I possess are those you teach and share, those that are in my heart...Unconditional Love, Honesty, Compassion, Empathy, more Giving to, than Taking from, and I believe the most important of all these is Forgiveness! Finding the good no matter how far the reach takes us and also to not fear making mistakes for it is through our mistakes that we learn to experience life.

My children will probably chuckle over the last one, for Mom has had no fear in making mistakes. Because Lord knows I've made my share of them. Yet through it all there are no regrets. For I have been faced with circumstances beyond my control and yet I have had to choose the best route for all involed, without putting myself at the top of the list. For that, I am proud of myself, I stayed strong and didn't faulter.

I also want to say before you move on to my "Children's" page, that my ex-husband Ron and I were married for 15-1/2yrs before our divorce became final, lived within the marriage itself for 13-1/2yrs. The children, Ron, Michael and I and even some of Ron's family members have stayed friends over the years and on occasions we still get together for holidays and picnics. I believe the children and grandchildren aren't torn between us this way and seem to enjoy themselves when the families get together even though I know it was awkward at first for all concerned mostly because of the anger we carried inside, and yet we managed to put our emotions aside for the children's sake.

"God has a plan for all of us, and even though at times we don't understand what those plans entail, we must never lose Faith. So with this I will say, May God Continue to Bless Us All and keep Our Families all safe in "His Love."

Before I Was A Mom

Before I was a Mom. I made and ate hot meals. I had unstained clothing. I had quiet conversations on the phone. Before I was a Mom. I slept as late as I wanted, And never worried about how late I got into bed. I brushed my hair and my teeth everyday. Before I was a Mom. I cleaned my house each day. I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies.

Before I was a Mom. I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous. I never thought about immunizations. Before I was a Mom. I had never been puked on, Pooped on, Spit on, Chewed on, Peed on, Or pinched by tiny fingers. Before I was a Mom. I had complete control of my self, My thoughts, My body, And my mind. I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom. I never held down a screaming child so that doctors could do tests, Or give shots. I never looked into teary eyes and cried. I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin. I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom. I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put it down. I never felt my heart break into a million pieces, When I couldn't stop the hurt. I never knew that something so small Could affect my life so much. I never knew that I could love someone so much. I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom. I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body. I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby. I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child. I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important.

Before I was a Mom. I had never gotten up in the middle of the night, Every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay. I had never known the warmth, The joy, The love, The heartache, The wonderment, Or the satisfaction of being a Mom. I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much before I was a Mom.

Author Unknown

Crossroads

Quietly she sits with her hands laying softly on her thighs,

She seems lost in concentration behind her topaz brown eyes.

Sitting on a bench alone with a crossroads in her gaze,

She's sat there so long she's lost track of time and days.

At her side she has a map of how she got to this fork in the road,

But it is blank beyond that point and she is weary from head to toe.

Her eyes flutter briefly with pain, she moves her hand to her breast,

And wonders if she is up to the journey, wonders if she can stand the test.

The sun above has been unmerciful and has parched her rose pink lips,

Slowly sipping from the flask in her hand that she filled to make the trip.

The heat has been unbearable while trying to decide which road to take,

But she knows the rest of her life depends on the choice she must make.

So quietly she sits alone, her eyes never forgetting to take in the sights,

Of all the beauty that encircles her and gives her shivers of delight.

She hasn't lost sight of the glories of life, nor forgotten the lessons she's learned,

In the journey that has been her life, she has taken many wrong turns.

This journey is so important to her, that she is cautious to make up her mind,

Uses part of her heart in the choice and all the facts she is able to find.

The crossroads loom before her, it is almost time for her to leave,

As she wipes one tear from her cheek, she allows herself to quietly grieve.

She begins to make her solitary journey once more, holding her head high,

Feeling hopeful for her future while a rainbow crosses the sky.

Inside her heart it was crowded with all the love she'd ever known,

Some was lost forever, but some had bloomed where it was sown.

This Poem Is Used With Permission
Written By LeeAnn