# 3

Posted by: cheryl

Ni-maw is so happy.  We learned a few weeks ago that grandchild #3 is on the way.  Expected arrival is sometime in May 2016.  Yes, it's only one this time but it's still not known if baby is boy or girl.
Should find that out on daughter's next appointment in 3 weeks.  Boys are so happy to be getting a little brother/sister.  Braedy says it's a little sister.  I'll take his word for it.
Plus, last easter when I ordered Braedy & Calvin's Easter baskets the two boxes came in the mail and I was so excited to open them up and give them to boys.  i could not believe my eyes when i opened both boxes and inside each box  was a girl diaper cake.  Are you kidding me?!?!? it could have been anything else.  At first I was ticked off, then I got to thinking about it and thought that maybe i might need them in the future...hahaha!  Well whether this baby is a boy/girl, they are getting used.
Also that Easter basket mix up made for a mad dash to the store.
This Holiday season seems to be quickly coming upon us.  I didn't even decorate inside for Fall.  I did some outside decorating tho.   Was just too busy.  Can hardly wait to decorate for Christmas.  I have all the gifts ready to be wrapped and placed under the tree and in the stockings.
The boys and I have been singing "Santa Clause Is Coming to Town and Jingle Bells".  They love to sing and I hope they continue to love singing and appreciate music as they grow older.
They are on vacation this week.  It will be Friday before they come back.  Ni-maw will be so ready to see them and get/give hugs and kisses...   It was funny on Saturday before they left, Uncle Matt and I stopped by to get "Nemo" their beta fish and Calvin said " Well, Ni-maw you are coming with us....Braedy agreed.  I told them that no, ni-maw was staying here to take care of Nemo.  Last night I was talking to them and they both said they wanted to come to my house.  I said sorry boys, you are on  vacation with mommy and daddy, you are gonna have so much fun and Ni-maw will see you when  you get back.
Now, on to Nemo -- the beta fish.  I told my daughter that I will not be held responsible if that fish "bites the dust".....that is if a fish can do that.   A few years ago I thought it would be a good idea to have one of those fish... so I bought the fish, container, water, & food .....  Well let's just say that after the 3rd fish in one month's time I decided I was not meant  to have ANY kind of fish for a pet.
I reminded my daughter of that little fact, but she still let me bring him here.
Pray for "Nemo"....with that Ritzywife is out ;-) ...................



Where Did Summer Go?!?

Posted by: cheryl

It is already October, I feel like I missed Summer because of my being sick.  I finally have the medications under control.  I have been feeling better, except for trying to recover from 2 falls.  The first on was in my kitchen.  I had pulled the bottom range drawer out to put back 2 pans.  I should have put them in at the same time but i dried one.... put it in ....turned around dried the other one and stepped back and caught that drawer and down on my bottom and back I went.  Pulled muscles in the  lower back and thighs.   I was worried about the blood thinner, but I did not hit my head, thank goodness.  Well I was still sore from that when about 2 weeks later I was trying to catch a katydid for the grandsons and my right foot caught on a clump of grass and dirt and down I went again.  I could feel the muscles pull in my left leg and my next to last toe on left foot was bent in a way it was never designed to do.   I was so sore the next day I could hardly get around & for the next 10 days or so afterward.  After a month I am still sore when i stand, but the swelling in my ankle and toe has gone down.  I will be elated when I get back to "normal" again. 
Now the AWESOME news..........Ni-maw & P-pa are looking forward with great anticipation to our 3rd grandbaby sometime around the end of May 2016.  Woo-Hoo!!!!  And as far as we can tell it is only one this time.   The twins are so happy to be looking forward to a little brother or sister. 
I told my daughter that after those twins...one should be a breeze...haha!!
They start pre-school next fall. 
They have been coming to mi-maw's to play and they love it.  Braedy told me that this was his home and he wanted to live here.  That just melts my heart......If that's the way they feel then I have done something right ;-)!!!   Nothing fancy, just fun at Ni-maw's....see:

They do clean up pretty good tho....so handsome:
Ni-maw's boys
I have already planted the thoughts of Christmas in their little minds and we have started singing Christmas songs .  I have their gifts already bought just waiting to be wrapped and put under the tree.  If only we could all see Christmas the way a child sees and experiences it.
I was talking to them on the phone last night and told them to go look out the door to see the moon.  I told them that I was looking at the same moon.  Calvin says -Ni-maw, you can't see the moon, it's at my house.  I told him that it was awesome that I could see it and that he could see it too.  He said "well if you can see it and I can see it, then why can't I see you??"
So I took a picture of it and sent it to my daughter's phone...he still figured that if we both could see it then he should be able to see me.   
He will figure that one out one of these days!! 
Grandparenting is sometimes exhausting, (i am pooped by the time they leave) but it is far more fun and very rewarding........
With that, Ritzywife is out...................................

Oh My........ What A July

Posted by: cheryl

I really don't know where to start so here goes.....After Kaysie's funeral service things were starting to get back into routine then about 4 weeks later at the end of June my sister-in-law's grandmother and a neighbor I have know all my life passed away. 
Since I play the piano at church the family had asked if I could get some music together for the service but in the meantime I am also on the dinner committee at church and on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 the lady who heads that committee and I went shopping for the groceries needed for that meal.  I know that the weeks leading up to that event that I was seriously stressed, dehydrated, and just not rested.  After unloading the groceries at church, we grabbed a quick bite that we had purchased on our way home and then each of us went home.  I had just got home, grabbed some sunflower seeds and my diet coke and headed to my swing.  I got seated and felt an all too familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach.  It has happened numerous times over the years and I always chalked it up to something I ate or anxiety.  Well this time it didn't go away and my heart was beating about 175 times per minute.  I called Ritzy and asked him to stay on phone with me til he got home in case I passed out.  Our neighbors viewing was also that night at 6.  I felt like i needed to be there for my sister-in-law. So.....we went even tho I wasn't feeling right. Well after the viewing ended at 8 my family wanted to go to the church to practice the songs that were going to be sung, i did NOT feel up to it but went anyways.  I still had to get the music together for my to play before and after the service.  I ended up laying down at midnight and getting up at 6 the next morning.  Had to be at church at 7:30 to start lunch for family.  All this time I felt like I could not let the family down.  I don't know how I did it but I got to sleep that night and woke up to the same thing the next morning. Well the day came and went and fast forward to July 4, 2015---I am still having the fast heartbeat and after coming home from mom and dads after lunch....I tell Ritzy that he is going to have to take me to the ER. 
We get there and no meds they give me will slow the heart rate.  One of the people back there casually says.....well, your heart is in AFIB.......WHAT?!?! this may be casual to you but to me it is a shock!!!!
I spend the next 4 days in the hospital, monitoring my BP, heart rate, get started on blood thinners.  My whole life just changed.......They finally had to transfer me to Tulsa St. John's to shock my heart back into normal rhythm.  All this was very scary for me.  I had to have Ritzy be with me all the time, I was afraid to be alone for almost a month, and when he couldn't a friend or relative would come stay with me or I would go to their house.
2 months have passed and I am finally beginning to feel like "me" again after getting used to the new medicines I have to take.  All this time I could not have the boys over and that broke my heart.  Ritzy and I finally let them stay last saturday night.  I missed a whole month of church. 
I am still trying to get this under control by learning to eat the right foods, drinking enough water, no more caffeine, starting to get exercise, keep losing the weight.  Things that are good for my heart.
At times I admit  it is still scary.  But  I trust God to get me through.
Not the Fourth of July I had imagined, with that Ritzywife out.....................................


SAD :-(

Posted by: cheryl

My niece who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in May of 2009 passed away May 28, 2015 -- 11:45 am....6 years later.
I found out she was only given 2 years at the time of diagnosis.  It was a hard fought battle but even tho we lost her she did not lose in the end.  She is in heaven with her Redeemer and Savior and the loved ones gone on before.
Her kids and her mom ( my sister) and dad and sister are always in my thoughts and prayers.  Granny& Papa too.  My sister-in-law and I also spent a couple of nights sleeping on couches, or chairs so we could be close when and if anything changed during the night.
The last night I decided to just spend the night to help support my sister.  .  I had gotten up at 6:00 am and went to Bartlesville.  At 10:00 pm everyone else was leaving and I made the choice to just stay up for the night so my sis and her hubby could get some sleep. The brother-in-law's aunt and uncle had stayed but they were sound asleep.   Kaysie's breathing had changed and we knew it was not going to be long.  Around 2:00 am on Thursday morning the breathing became more labored and that's when Debbie (my sister) and I started staying by her bed.  At 5:00 am we noticed more changes and that's when I called Granny & Papa ( mine and Deb's parents) and told them it would be wise to get over there.  Also let my brother and his family know.  That's when Debbie and I put away 2 pots of coffee to get us thru the night and next day.....  At 6 I called Ritzy and asked if he could bring me my meds and my toothbrush (70 mile round trip out of his way) which he did.  Thanks Ritzy, I appreciated it!!
A nurse came in around 8:00 am to take her vitals and could find no vital signs as they were too weak to register.
When her personal nurse came in an hour or so later he just looked and told us it would be anytime to 2 hours and she would no longer be with us.  Debbie and I had been sitting by her bedside just loving on her and telling her we loved her and just giving her our touch.  When the nurse got ready to leave he told us to just keep doing what we had been doing, which was showing her how much we loved her .  A couple hours later my sister made the comment that she needed to go to the bathroom and coincidence or not, that's when Kaysie's breathing got very weak and we knew it was the end.  Her mom stayed and I told her dad to get up there by the bed NOW!!  After a few weak breaths she was gone.  But......she was surrounded by her loved ones who were praying for her, loving her as best as they could and an hour or so before I had asked my Dad (Papa) to pray as we all held hands around her to give the peace that was needed for this event.  It was very sad but awesome in the sense that we all knew her suffering/pain brought on by this tumor/cancer was over forever!!! 
All of that to say Ritzywife is gonna miss her very much....I am praying for those kiddos that they will be cared for and raised the way that God wills.  For my sister who is going to miss her daughter... and try to remember all the good and even the bad times.  For it is the bad times in our lives that make us appreciate the good that happens.  Our family has been very blessed in that this is the first difficult time of dealing with the death of an immediate family member that we have had to experience.  For reasons I will not mention I also pray that God's will is for those kids be raised by their Nana & Doodah!!
Kaysie...Aunt Cheryl loves you.......Ritzywife out.................

Grandkids are AWESOME!!

Posted by: cheryl



I love watching my grandsons grow and learn something new every day.  They are quite sharp.  They are also very entertaining. The above picture was taken yesterday after they awoke from a nap.  Calvin (on the right) wanted Braedy to come over by him so he could give his brother a hug. I love watching them work out a problem, or try to come up with a solution as to why their "weedeater, chain saw or lawnmower" won't start.  They tell me it's either hot or out of gas.  Those imaginations are expanding.
They are twins of course but they are very different too. 
Braedy's favorite phrase is "WHY ?"
Calvin's favorite phrase is "WHAT'S THAT SMELL?"
I love it....
They do have to learn that picking up something and whacking the other is not acceptable.  The daughter sent me this picture in a text last night:
Ni-maw felt so bad for Braedy I kissed his little head in the picture.   No E.R. tho...she just cleaned and bandaged it, which is what mamas do.  Also I am pretty sure Calvin got a good lecture about  why it is not acceptable to hit his brother....or any one else for that matter...
Ritzywife out.........................................................

everything happens for a reason................. NOT!!!!

Posted by: cheryl

I have been seeing a lot of this lately on Facebook posts or hearing people, out of ignorance, make the statement.
I totally disagree.....tell that to the child who was physically or sexually abused.....or the person who lost a loved one because of a drunk driver........or the victim of a random drive by shooting.......or a person dying of a horrible disease such as cancer.
My son and I have often had this discussion and we usually just have to call a "truce" and each one of us has to realize we are entitled to our own opinion.
I have heard people say - "well it must have been so and so's time to go......that is totally wrong...granted the Bible says our days are numbered but we can make that "time" come earlier by our poor choices in lifestyle or situations we put ourselves in.
Most of the time the things that happen are due to our own or others poor choices....not due to God's will.
Everything that happens in our lives does not come from God....but  nothing slips by Him either.
We can believe the promise that He is there no matter what happens and it is our choice to turn to Him in those times or turn away and blame Him.
Life is hard.....but He promises that He will be there to get us thru life's circumstances, He doesn't promise it will be easy...for if it were easy why would we need Him???
But the statement that "everything happens for a reason" is just wrong for the reasons I stated earlier.
Bad "stuff" happens on this earth because of SIN.  And it will continue to happen til Jesus comes again.
My rant is over.........for now.................Ritzywife out!

What Is "Love"?

Posted by: cheryl

Just like the title of this blog suggests.......these are my thoughts on the word "love".....
As I was sitting here eating my breakfast this morning I just started thinking about love and all it means to me.
I was thinking about when Ritzy and I first started our family we knew/thought the day would come when it would be just the two of us again when the kids had family/lives of their own.  That has not happened yet or I suppose it never will and i will get to that.
There are folks our age that are going/doing/ running around doing their own "thing" whatever that is.....missing out on precious time spent with grandkids, kids.........but Ritzy and I still have our kids and grandkids very involved in our life and I would not have or want it any other way.  We put ourselves out there for our kids/family....they know they can count on us to be there for them.
                                                        LOVE = TIME, SACRIFICE, ACTION
We sacrifice our own time and resources for the ones we love.  Sure I could do all that for myself but at the end of the day where has that gotten me.  But............if I sacrifice that time for the kids or grandkids that is precious time spent with them to grow our relationship that I will never see again.  I just hope when Ritzy and I are gone that these kids/grandkids don't ever doubt that P-pa and Ni-maw loved them and was willing to show it and hopefully that will make them better people and they will pay it forward......
That "time" can be spent a variety of ways---babysitting the grandsons, staying up late (even tho I am exhuasted) to watch a movie with the son, going out with the family.....whatever...it all adds up to LOVE.  I love and cherish my family very much and I don't ever want those kids/grandkids to doubt their place in my heart. 
It warms my heart to hear the grandkids saying how much they like ni-maw's and P-pa's house or they always say they want to come to our house.  The other day the boys were giving kisses and hugs before going home and Calvin stands in front of me and looks over my head at our house and just smiles and says "I just love Ni-maw's house"...I told him that it made my heart happy to hear that he loved coming here.  A child knows if/when they are wanted.  I get to spend time just talking to them, watching them play, joking around with them where as their parents are focused on providing for their needs.  i told the daughter to not ever forget what is really important in life...it's not the stuff you can see....it's the "stuff" you can't see........relationships, love, stability, safety, letting that child grow into what God intended for them to be.......   providing a home where those kids feel safe and wanted... unlike so many others in this world.  I believe if you provide those things for a child there is no end to the possibilities of what that child can accomplish in his/her life......
And........ that's why they love coming to Ni-maw's because I have that time to spare---yes I could be out doing my own thing------but I choose not to - which brings be back to the title of this post.  I love those grandkids and our kids and like I said "Love" is not a noun.....it's a verb......it is an action!!!!
With that ......Ritzywife is out...............................................................

Another Year.....

Posted by: cheryl

Happy Birthday to me....... Today -  March 31, is Ritzywife's birthday # 56.  WOW!!! I can hardly believe how fast the time seems to go by.
I have an aunt that is a couple years older than me that always calls and sings "Happy Birthday" to me every year.  The grandsons and their mama also called and sang.  Was so sweet to hear 2 - 3 year old boys singing to their Ni-maw.  Ritzy and I have plans for this afternoon and tomorrow.  Gonna be a great birthday!
The other day the boys and I were outdoors and Ritzy was mowing the lawn.  Some of the fine grass and dust particles drifted over to where we were sitting in my swing and I told the boys - would you look at that.....P-pa got dirt and grass on Ni-maw...well Calvin did the sweetest thing----he laid across my lap and said..... 'don't worry ni-maw, I'll protect you'.  that was just too precious.  Well later in the day when they were leaving Calvin was giving me a hug and he backed up and was looking at the house behind me and said  'I just love Ni-maw's house'.......i told him that i was so glad he felt that way and it made Ni-maw happy.  That is what it is all about.  Providing a safe, loving environment for those grandkids that tells them they are "welcome & appreciated" anytime.
Even tho it's a bit early I have been fishing a few times, only because it is so beautiful now.  The fish are not there yet, but they will be soon.
 I spent yesterday planting herbs, putting garden flags and wind chimes up, doing some light cleaning outdoors & fishing.  It was awesome to spend the day outside.  Didn't come in till about 8:30 or so.  I LOVE SPRING,  can ya tell??
Now i am waiting patiently to plant the tomatoes & flowers.  I love geraniums, begonias, moss...flowers that don't have to be "babied" .... and I really love the perennials that don't have to be planted every year, haha!  ;-)
 Again.....I LOVE SPRING,  can ya tell??
Ritzywife out........................................



It's Been A SAD, Exhausting, Crazy Week!!

Posted by: cheryl

The week started out ok/normal enough I guess until Wednesday afternoon when I received a phone call from my son-in-law.  He was trying to call the daughter.  I told him she was probably taking a nap with the boys since it was around 3:00 in the afternoon.  He proceeded to tell me that he was at the hospital because his Step-dad Tony had been taken there with what appeared to be symptoms of a stroke.  I told Steven I would keep trying to contact Keri.  I finally contacted Keri and relayed Stevens message.  After talking we decided that the son and I would come after the boys so she could go be with her husband and  the family.  Her brother and sister-in-law were going to pick her up.   Keep in mind this was the day we were getting snow and the roads were covered.  So off we went to get the grandsons to spend the night because it was going to be a long one for Steven and Keri.  I kept in contact with her throughout the night and into the morning hours.  I didn't get any sleep either.  I was praying for the family, Tony, and the whole situation.  It was heavy on my mind.
I got a text about midnight saying they were having to make a decision to have emergency surgery and around 5 a.m. keri sent me a text saying nothing could be done.  SUCH SAD NEWS!!!!
Well, Ritzy and I decided the help we could give would be to take the boys and let Steven & Keri do whatever they needed to do to help Steven's Mom and family. 
Hence the crazy, hectic schedule up until yesterday.  Yesterday was the memorial service and I told Keri that P-pa and I would just get the boys after the service and go home and they could be free to do whatever needed to be done the rest of the day.  Keri sent a text telling me they would be here sometime around 8 in the evening.  We had already given the boys their baths, brushed their teeth and given them their milk by the time their parents arrived.  They boys were sure glad to see 'mama & daddy'....and I could finally take a breath and relax.
What is so sad is that the boys were told that Paw-paw was sick and they just don't realize what all this means yet. They have asked about him and where he is a few times.   I just told keri to keep showing them pictures of paw-paw and talk about him.  That way he always stays alive in their hearts and minds even tho they can't actually be with or see him and it's ok to miss him or want to see him or be sad because they can't see him.
Tony was a great guy and you could tell that by seeing all the people at his memorial service.  There was easily 400+ people  in attendance to attest to that fact.  He will be missed.  Anita is going to need our prayers in the coming days/months/years...I can't even imagine what she is going through but all we can do is keep reminding her of how much we love her and how much we care about what she is dealing with.  I just pray God's comfort and peace on her always......
With that Ritzywife is out..............................................


Achee Wawa........ino other words "OUCH"!

Posted by: cheryl

I was watching the grandsons here yesterday because their parents were taking advantage of this beautiful spring like weather and finishing up painting the woodwork on their home.
 We were having a blast outside and I got the bright idea to take them down to Ni-maw's fishing hole.  We actually drove on around to the boat ramp because it was less of an incline.  I really didn't want to fish one of them out of the water---haha!!
So we get out and walk down to the water and I tell them they can pick up "little" rocks and throw them into the water.  Well their interpretation of "little" and mine are NOT  the same.  ;-)
Before I could get them separated so they would not accidentally hit each other with a rock, i just happen to look Calvin's way and I saw it coming about a millisecond before it hit.  I heard my whole head rattle......wow have never experienced that sound or feeling before  in my life, nor do i ever want to again.  This is the aftermath:

Calvin saw the blood and started crying and assumed he was in big trouble.  I had to calm/comfort him to assure him that it was an accident all while my head was really hurting.......let's just say all was well after he gave it kisses and Ni-maw gave him kisses and an I love you hug. ( we really got to work on focusing on where we are throwing and making sure no one is in our line of fire.)
Well we got over all that and they proceeded to toss rocks into the water while I made sure no one caught one with their face.
After throwing rocks we went exploring.....we found spent shotgun shells, some really fine river sand that they loved playing in and this big piece of driftwood that they loved playing on:
After playing for a while I asked if they were ready to go get some ice cream at the store and they about beat me to the truck.  Earlier in the day the store's owner ( a good friend of ours)  told me to bring them over to get some ice cream and I was gonna take him  up on that.   He has been so nice to give these two boys ice cream since they were about 4 months old.  They call him "Uncle Ice Cream".  They ate their ice cream and we then went back to Ni-maw's to play some more till P-Pa got home.  When P-pa (Ritzy) arrived they dropped what they were doing and sprinted toward him.  I then informed Ritzy that if he wanted supper he better watch the boys while I went inside and cooked it......
Everyone came in to eat and those boys had worked up an awesome appetite.  After cleaning the kitchen i went in to join P-pa and them  while they were watching tv  til their parents arrived.  I don't know who was more "pooped" --  the parents after spending the day finishing up the painting or ni-maw spending the day keeping track of 2 energetic boys or the two boys themselves after spending the day running, playing, exploring and doing whatever else they could think of...you get the picture.   Let's just say it was a wonderful day for ALL........ and a beautiful day in Oklahoma in the middle of winter  to boot!!
After kisses and hugs they left and Ni-maw took her shower, spent some much needed quiet time in my chair and then went to bed...I sure didn't have any trouble falling asleep after such a wonderful day.
Ritzywife out...................................................