Emma Rose

Emma Rose
Originally uploaded by barbromanowicz

Just look at her beautiful face! Could she be more precious? Emma truly is one of my great joys. Grandchildren are so wonderful. Danielle took this picture, she's very good at capturing the true essence of the subject. Blessed I tell ya...I am definitely blessed.

My Beautiful Daughters

Danielle Amanda Brandi
Originally uploaded by barbromanowicz

My daughters are so precious to me. Each unique in her own way. Their smiles brighten my days and can light up any room, even on the darkest day. Each one is very thoughtful, caring and generous. This is why it's a wonderful life!

Christmas

Family
Originally uploaded by barbromanowicz

I was so happy that my family got together and surprised me with this portrait on Christmas! Of course I began to cry when I saw it. Danielle took this with her camera with Aarons help. I made dinner at our house for the family then we all attended church on Christmas eve at Grace. It was so nice to have us all together! There was a man at church that walked by before the service that had on a Santa hat ,had a natural white beard and glasses. Candace noticed him right away and screamed, "It's Santa! He's here, he brought me my bear!" To which the congregation chuckled! After church we were invited to Cheri & Jims house with their family and Cheris' side of the family. We really enjoyed ourselves. Emma & Candace wore their fancy party dresses and looked like little princesses! Amanda,Emma, Brandi &Candace left to go to our house to put out cookies for Santa and get the little ones to bed so visions of sugarplums could dance in their heads. Keith & I came home about 1:00 a.m. just narrowly missing Santa as the presents were already there. Phew! Christmas morn was a blast! It is so FUN to watch children on Christmas. Emma woke me up and said ,"Gramma,Santa came ,he left me presents!" Candace squealed with delight! About noon we trekked over to Danielle & Daves' to exchange gifts with them and eat dinner. Danielle made a yummy roast chicken with stuffing. We had such a good Christmas this year. I am most thankful for our family and being together. An added bonus was we were blessed with a white Christmas! I had some sad moments thinking of my sister not being here and the last month with the twins,it just poured out of me at church. Brandi & I did visit Ava & Kiana at one point on Christmas day. We each got to hold both babies and they are doing well and gaining weight. God has truly blessed us .

Blessings

usBW
Originally uploaded by DanielleSuzanne

This is my beautiful daughter Danielle and her wonderful husband Dave. I am so blessed to have Danielle not only as my daughter but also my friend. She is a strong,intelligent,caring and compassionate woman. Her dad and I are so proud of her and all that she has accomplished. Dave? He's OK. Just kidding, Dave is a terrific guy and we're so happy he asked us for her hand in marraige two years ago. We could'nt ask for a better son-in-law. We love you both very much.

candace laugh

candace laugh
Originally uploaded by DanielleSuzanne

Danielle took this picture in October. I love how she captures her beautiful smile. I just wanted to share it with everyone.Danielle is extremely talented in more ways than one. She photographs people and events and also creates her own designs. Danielle has her own company called r.s.v.p. designs. If you need her services email her at danielle@whoisgrace.com You can view Danielles' photography and designs for announcements or graphic design at flickr.com/blog

IMG_1903 Sentimental

IMG_1903 Sentimental
Originally uploaded by barbromanowicz

I have this ornament hanging on our tree. It's really simplistic but the saying got me thinking. How true it is the warmth that we feel when meeting with our friends. In the past month I have met with my old friends,Cheri, Heidi, Diane S., Diane B., Kathy V. and the feelings of warmth are always there for me. We just pick up where we left off,whether it was days, months or years that we've seen each other. Even talking on the phone there's a connection. Talking with my friend Kim or my friend Mike(bokimame) helps me feel better. It was the loss of my sister and premature birth of my granddaughters that made me realize how important it is to keep those treasured friends. Out of sadness good things happened. In our generation time is not always a commodity,and I appreciate the times they have created for me,to support,comfort,and chat with me. As far as time goes I really am frustrated that I myself can't find time. So this Christmas season I've decided to let go of things ,like who cares if the tree isn't perfect or if the gifts are wrapped, cards sent,cookies baked? I'd much rather gather with my close friends and feel their warmth and enjoy them while we're all still here on earth. Maybe I'm sentimental but there are worse things that I could be!

Are You Elfin Crazy?

Snow Days

Catching Snowflakes

Do you remember...being a child and the excitement that you felt after the first snowfall of the season? Do you remember how it felt to put on all those wintry articles of clothing and putting your fingers in the wrong finger spaces in your gloves?Do you remember making snowballs,snowmen,igloos and snow angels? Or how about the feeling when you fell over into the snow and couldn't move because your clothing was so bulky that you looked like a sumo wrestler? I remember vividly walking with my mom through the alley off 26th and Peach,we were going to visit my grandma and mom was teaching me to catch snowflakes on my tongue. I was about four years old and let me tell ya I had a snowsuit on that I could barely walk in! I questioned mom as to why we were doing this, what was the purpose? She replied,"Because it is fun!" I remember her smiling and laughing while we caught the snowflakes on our tongues.That was a pleasant memory. I started thinking about this when Danielle and I took Candace and Emma out to play in the snow last week. Danielle commented that she remembered the cumbersomeness of the snow suits. Emma layed down and made a snow angel as perfect as could be. Candace then yelled, "I can make an angel too!" She then threw herself down on her back, flapped her little arms,pulled her knees up and started pounding the snow with her feet!(angry snow angel?) It was hilarious! Danielle was cracking up and said," This would make a great video!" When it came to catching snowflakes though Candace had this down to a tee! How about sledding? Remember squealing with joy flying down that hill?! It is good to be childlike at times,to remember those carefree,fun filled days.Wasn't it awesome to come in from the cold and mom had hot chocolate waiting to warm you? Remember? You can, if you try.

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I just returned from Emmas' Christmas program. It was awesome! Our whole family was there to see her perform. The program involved preschool through twelfth grade. I have to say that the preschoolers stole the show! They did three songs, In The Lords Army, Fum,Fum,Fum!, and Do You Hear What I Hear?Now I truly am not being biased I think that our little Emma was the loudest and most animated(to which people commented on). It was just so enjoyable. We are so proud of her! Her little lungs belted out those tunes like there was no tomorrow! Emma performed(yes,performed) the motions to each song and was clearly uninhibited.I wish that I could magically turn back time and take you all to see her in the show. A little birdie told me that Kelly videotaped it so maybe you all will be able to see it someday. If you could've seen the determination in her little face when she sang,then the joy when each of her family told her what a great job she did and how proud we were of her.Even little Candace hugged her when she was done. Grandpa Keith was beaming through the whole performance! As we all were! Keith said, "Did you hear her?! She was the loudest!"Emma definitely made us smile tonight and continues to be our joy.

Frozen Tundra

Let's talk about ice,shall we? Ice...yep, that frozen stuff,sometimes we see it ,sometimes it's black ice and we don't see it. Just as I did not see it on Tuesday evening when Brandi and I left Kmart to go to the car. I had no sooner said, "Brandi this is slippery,be careful and I was down! I heard complete silence from Brandi. I said, "I'm OK, it just hurts right now. Just give me a minute." "Brandi are you there?" She came up to me and had the most horrified look on her face and said "Mom are you sure you're okay?" I then had to figure out how to get my frozen wet rear off the ground,which is not easy when you are on ICE!! Brandi wanted to help me up and she still had this look on her face like I was seconds away from my last moment on earth! I came up with the plan of sliding on my knees towards the light post where I could get leverage and pull myself up. Well that didn't work,it was too cold(I thought for sure that hypothermia was setting in fast)and since I fell on my bad knee it would not work . New plan. Roll towards the shopping cart,push it into the snow mound by the light and use the cart as leverage. Yes, there were people watching me yet no one offered help. After three excruciatingly long minutes I managed to get up then limp to the car and Brandi began to breathe again. I know that some people find it hard not to laugh when a person falls(you know who you are,cause you laughed when your own grandma fell) so I expect no sympathy or even empathy from you! Later at home I began to laugh about it and asked Brandi what she thought when I fell. She said, "I was scared mom." I said ,"But if you think about it, it had to look funny."She got a little grin after that.Anyway I am fine,just a bit sore. Just be careful out there everyone. I was being careful and went down in spite of it. So the next time your friend Mike texts to tell you that Kmart has double coupons up to 2.00 you may want to defer the trip til daylight! On the bright side though I saved 15.00 and it gave me something to blog about!

Sisters

With the holiday season quickly approaching I find myself thinking more and more of my sister Carol. Carol passed away on September 17, 2008.She lost her battle to breast cancer after many years of fighting.(I don't ever remember my sister losing at anything)I am still grieving the loss of my sister. Some days ,especially lately I don't have time to let myself think yet I know that the loss is there. It's such a void in ones life to lose a sibling. For me it has even been worse than when I lost my mom and dad.Carol was such a big part of my life,always there in some way. Whether she was 4000 miles away she would always call and visit whenever she could. Carol was 13 years older than me and did her best to look after me even when we were apart. I remember being a toddler and her playing with me. I remember the times she would watch me when my parents went out. She would teach me songs and nursery rhymes and lay with me on the couch and hug me real tight. (Come to think of it she always hugged me real tight!)I remember being 5 and Carol and my brother Kenny playing hide-n-seek with me,they thought they were being sly by kneeling on the floor and covering themselves with quilts . I remember spotting them immediately and thinking ," I can't find them yet they'll be sad and our game will be over."Many times after Carol went to college at Slippery Rock she would come home and take me to the movies. She made sure I saw all the Disney Classics, Snow White, Cinderella and Pinnochio I remember vividly. We would walk downtown and see the movies at the Warner Theatre. Even after she moved to Ohio she would drive back to Erie to take me trick or treating. Carol was the one whom I remember strongly discussing with my parents to send me to Sunday School, she made sure that I got there. (I'm not sure who won that discussion,all I know is that I attended Sunday School from then on.)After Carol was married and had her children she would come to Erie to pick me up and take me to her home to spend Christmas with them. I spent most of my holidays and vacations with Carol and her family. We traveled all over the U.S. on her family vacations. There were lots of good times. Don't get me wrong, we got under each others skins, as sisters often do but we talked about it and it was better.Carol asked me to drive out West with her when she moved to California to live with her daughter Colleen and her family. I took vacation from work and we did it! We literally drove to California. Crossing over the mountains leading to the Hoover Dam I was in a panic! Because it was pitch black,high,narrow roads with signs that said Mountain lion. moose and bear crossing! By the time that we got to Hoover Dam I wanted no part of driving anymore! This struck Carol as funny! Carol had a laugh that when she laughed too hard it came out like she was crying. It was infectious! We continued to talk over the phone and we visited each other as often as possible. I have never spent a Christmas without Carol either in person or with a phone call. I guess I'm going to learn to do that this year and you know what? It sucks!The last time that I spoke with Carol was 3 days before she died. Her breathing was labored and I knew it was too hard for her to talk so I said I'd let her go rest but I just wanted her to know that I loved her. She then perked up and said, "Oh honey, I know tht you love me and I love you too, very much!"Carol then began to nod off and tried to tell me to call her tomorrow. Those were the last words we spoke to each other. Which is nice. I sure do miss her.

Surprise!

My very special neice, Colleen and her husband Scott sent me a package on November 29th. It was heavy so I had Keith help me open it. He said"It's from Colleen & Scott, they sent you a Kitchenaid Mixer!" I was very happy but I began to cry. I was just so touched that they would think of me and mostly that they appreciate me. Colleen knew that my mixer was broken and that I bake alot during the holidays so she wrote this on the tag," An early Christmas gift to help you with your baking." I was very touched. How wonderful it is to receive an unexpected kindness.

My Life

November has been interesting to say the least! Early November my neice Colleen & her husband Scott welcomed their new baby girl,Karly Caroline! Our family was so excited and happy for them.My daughter,Brandi had complications with her pregnancy and delivered twin girls prematurely. They are in the NICU and doing well. We visit them everyday. The doctor feels that they are strong and will survive. Their names are Ava and Kiana. As of today they have started to gain weight above their birth weights. Please pray for them and Brandi in the days and months ahead. I have been keeping busy with family, watching Emma & Candace, my wonderful granddaughters and have actually reconnected with some special friends of mine. I have been decorating the house for Christmas and finally finished today. I'm even more excited about Christmas this year because Danielle & Dave will be celebrating with us. (last year they were away.)Meeting with my friends has been so helpful to me. Their support and love have gotten me through some rough patches. Keith is doing well,he is an awesome grandpa to the girls and awesome husband to me. Keith is definitely my rock and I thank God for him everyday. I know that their are times when he would rather be fishing .