A Lifetime Seahawk Fan, Don’t Ask Me Why!!

The Seahawks are fifty years old. Jim Zorn started my devoted fandom to this team in 1976, What was the criteria to pick my perfect team to follow for most of my life? At twenty years old, I was extremely scientific about my process. Zorn, the Seahawks quarterback, had the best bootie in the NFL I proved this with much research checking out all the backsides in the league. It was a grueling job but someone had to do it. 

Now here I am fifty years later approaching my seventieth birthday and still a 12. They are going to the 60th Super Bowl today with a quarterback who is young enough to be my grandson. To be honest, I have never once checked out his rear end. With age comes wisdom, I suppose. Now I am a fan out of loyalty and the love of lime green. I am sure that they added this touch of my favorite color to their uniforms just for me in 2009.

So today, I am watching the game with Ronnie B and making snacks ahead of time. Because during the game I don’t even to miss a moment to go pee. No distractions! Just the game and texting to my son who moved to Tacoma and became what he said he would never be. Yes, he is an avid Seahawks fan like his mom. No, he did not pick the team for the backside of Russell Wilson who was qb when he became a fan. He became a fan because how can you live in Washington and not be one. Especially since the year he moved there our Hawks went to the Super Bowl. They beat his old team, the Broncos. That cemented the Seahawks as not just my team but a bit of a family team. I love that!   Go Hawks!

In Him,

Joyful

2-8-26

 

From Our Family to Yours Let the Adventures Begin

 Yesterday, we said goodbye to our 1975 camper van that we purchased in 1994. This fan took our family from Key West, Florida to the Arctic Circle in Alaska. We toted our four kiddos and my mom on too many trips to count. It also served us locally here in New Mexico at baseball games, skiestas, hot air balloon fiestas, and Fourth of July celebrations. We would make hot cocoa to share or just have a place to rest between events. 

Now the Barber Yellow Submarine will get a refresh and bring another family a lot of memories. This is the end of our time together but not the end of our van. It still runs but needs some love. The inside looks as good as when we purchased it. I only wish we could see how the next owners enjoy it. Will it become a camper or a living space? The truth is this old van has a lot of miles left to drive either way. 

We are now onto our new to us rv. Since Ronnie B and I are just the two of us on most of our trips the 2000 Chinook that is now our casita on wheels is the perfect fit. There are nine seatbelts so family can ride along with us but one king size bed for the two of us to share. We have named this Goldie or the Golden Nookie for our senior trips. No doubt, we will travel to family, take it on adventures and even crawl in the back along side a road after a couple beers with friends. In fact, we take off Tuesday to visit family and friends in Arizona where we will sleep outside in front of houses in our own bed after an evening of catching up. 

Ron and I love getting on the road in our little cocoon and spending time together. What a gift it is to have this time together for adventures. The memories of our kids traveling with us are precious but so are the memories we are creating just the two of us.

In Him,

Joyful

2-7-26

Filling the Rest of My Pages with Others

 I don’t need to get trapped in my missed opportunities or missteps. That old saying of not spending too much time looking in the rear view mirror but casting your eyes toward the windshield is true. Wringing my hands over mistakes from the past wastes my time and I miss what my future holds. Whether someone is five years old or eighty-five years old there is a tomorrow to fill. So I need to be intentional about how I spend my time. What is my life verse? How do I want to live? How do I want people to remember me? Perhaps I should sit down and write my own obituary. What would that say? Would it be filled with how many levels I completed on the games on my phone or would it be about how I reached out to others and let them know how special they are to me? Would it include all the cool gadgets I bought on Amazon or the fact that I shared myself and what I have with others? 

Chris Ynzunza told us to look around her home when we were moving to New Mexico and pick something to put in our new house. She did not have any restrictions on what we chose to take. Her gift was open to anything she owned. I chose a decorative light switch cover that reminded me of her. I placed it in my new laundry room and it always made me feel connected to her. Jenn gave me a water tumbler that she got at Buccees. I loved it and she gave it to me without a thought. When I look around my house, I see the love and caring of others that have gifted me with my most precious possessions. I want others to see me in the things I have gifted them and memories of times we spent together. 

I have been going over in the mornings and helping Elissa get my two great-grandkiddos ready for daycare in the mornings. She appreciates the help getting them dressed and me bringing McDonald’s pancakes for breakfast. But I am the real winner. I get to know the kids a little better and they greet me with joy and a great, big hug. This time is planting their Noni in their hearts a little more each day. A couple days ago, I had them raise their hands and say WAHOO then I tickled their little armpits. It is something I did with Elissa’s dad and then with Elissa. It is important to me to share the little Noni~isms with my grandkids and now even greats. That is time well spent. 

So what are your list of to do’s? I don’t mean grocery shopping or scrubbing toilets but the things that will bring you to mind now and when you are no longer here. My dad used to ask Cameron what did  the bear get out of the tree? Cam would answer honey. Ryan was always cooking up delicious concoctions for us to try. He even brought a pizza he made to a restaurant one day when I was out with my girlfriends. It didn’t matter that we were already eating. His enthusiasm for us to try it won us over. It was tasty by the way. 

I hope kids remember their Noni, please get my beefy legs, my spider fingers and spending time in the not so hot tub on the back porch. My pages from this day forward should be filled with others pouring into me as I pour into them. My grandgirl, Elissa, just walked in my house so that is my cue to stop typing and go enjoy the day with her. She gives me Friday mornings to hang out and help each other with tasks that take the two of us. What a gift!

In Him,

Joyful

2-6-26

Shut Up and Listen…..It Isn’t About You!

 I was in a meeting yesterday where everyone at the table had the same intentions. But the hurt that has been caused on both sides made them defensive and reactive rather than cooperative and goal focused. The staff at this meeting was at times unprofessional rather than supportive and encouraging. It broke my heart since we were meeting to come up with best practices for a student. 

I went through due process and had to leave a class I love because of us not being able to work together. The student or students lose when egos get involved. It surprised me that the meeting got so hostile on the school staff side. It was clear there were hurt feelings but that is no excuse for shutting down any strategies that came from the parents side. I was there as an advocate and my suggestions were not only dismissed but told hell no basically. There were a few in the room who held their composure and heard what was said on both sides. But it is clear that the conflict needs to be resolved and the focus needs to be on the student not the adults. I am disappointed in educators who would act this way. This meeting was not about them. I should have gotten involved a few years ago when I knew this parent was not getting what she needed for her child. No looking back but forward to working as a team for him. Leave your hurt feelings at the door so you can open your mind and your ears for moving forward in cooperation and a willingness to try new approaches. 

In Him,

Joyful

2-5-26

Take that One Step Toward the Light

This is not just a famous quote by a brilliant poet. This is the way we need to approach every obstacle or hard circumstance in our lives. Put one foot in front of the other and take a step. There is light at the end of the tunnel even when the path seems too narrow to navigate through. And the comforting truth is that most of the time we don’t have to travel through the darkness alone. There is always someone that God places along side us to hold our hand, encourage us, and let us be assured that all hope is not lost. 

Does this mean that there won’t be consequences for our actions? No. But even the results are just another hurdle to get over on our way to forgiveness and wholeness. It is easy to believe that everyone has given up on us. That we are too damaged to be loved. But the truth is that God forgives our transgressions and has an agape love that is never taken away. He also puts it in people’s hearts to walk beside even the most vile criminals. Kim is a lawyer friend who steps beside those who have committed horrific capital offenses with compassion and a willingness to do all the work to get the best for her clients. Her heart is for the victim as well as the perpetrator. What a gift God has given her to step beside these fallen people. To know that they are not alone but are heard makes their path less frightening. 

Most of us are stepping into situations that are less dark than Kim’s clients but the fear we carry with us can be just as loud. Just know that you don’t have to walk this path alone. Reach out to who will take your hand and comfort you through the journey. 

But prayerfully consider that your best way out is always through. Even when the darkness seems overwhelming. A sliver of light can give hope and a knowing that the darkness can’t last forever if we walk toward His light. 

In Him,

Joyful

2-4-26

 

Colorful, Healthy Can Equal Yummy!

 Greek sheet pan chicken and veggies is so healthy and beyond delicious. Clean up is a breeze and prep time only includes the cutting of the vegetables you want to include. I love this meal. When we were in Greece we fell in love with green olives and feta. Wow! I have not cooked with either enough. I bake mine in the oven and Cameron cooks his on his Blackstone. Either way the veggies get crispy and fabulous. You probably could use your air fryer as well. 

Ronnie B and I are trying to eat more fiber, protein and foods that are more colorful. Little changes like brown or red rice rather than white. Chocolate milk rather than white would fit that, right? How come we used to get rewarded with chocolate milk and now we could buy it anytime and don’t? I think I will include it in our new eating plan. Why not? Actually, we are eating healthier. I thought it would be task intensive to move in this direction. It really isn’t a lot more effort but does take being intentional starting at the menu and grocery store. Ron has always loved salads so I am finding a variety of recipes to add salad meals a few times a week. 

week.

Don’t get me wrong. We will still enjoy our almond croissants and taco Tuesday but are trying to add more healthy options to our planning. Cam and Britt got us new knives for Christmas so cutting all these colorful veggies is a breeze. Now if I can just make sure we eat up all this food before it goes bad. I get excited and make more than we can eat at one sitting. My brain still thinks I have four teenagers to feed. So feel free to stop by for a meal or a snack. You know I made plenty.

In Him,

Joyful

2-3-26

Moonrise-Sunset, Simple Beauties of Life in the Southwest

Last night I dropped Ronnie B and Cora off to take some lunar measurements and explore a calendar cave that he studies. They were out hiking after dark for a couple hours. I took the time to enjoy the full moon and view across the Rio Grande Valley toward the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It was a beautiful site. This photo does not do it justice. 

This was the view we had when our kids were young and playing t ball through baseball. Living on the top of a mesa sure provides us with spectacular views throughout the year and throughout our lives. Los Alamos has been our home for the past thirty-six years. We raised our children here and watched them spread their wings to other places. 

I love our community and the beauty of our hometown. There are so fond memories of family and friends here. Yesterday, Ron and I met some friends with Clara for the Cowboy breakfast that benefits different charities in town. It is the first Sunday of every month at our local Sheriff’s Posse Shack. It feels like the whole town gathers to visit, eat a few pancakes, and support the kids serving food for their group. The junior ROTC was hosting yesterday. It is great to see young people serving and enjoying working together. Kaycee was one of them. She is now fifteen and I got multiple hugs from her throughout the morning. When she was born, her mom was between houses and she came home to our house from the hospital for a few months. It feels like she and I have a special bond and I love that. What a beautiful, young woman she is becoming. 

There is beauty where ever you live if you look for it. I know when we lived in the Bay Area in California that the look was completely different from here but still lovely. In New Mexico, we don’t have the lush, green rolling hills. In fact, it is a whole lot of dirt landscape. But there is something about finding the beauty where ever you are that makes life pleasant. Heck, people even live in Yuma and somehow find beauty in that desert landscape. Even cactus bloom in the spring and.add a touch of color. After the Super Bowl, we are going to head south to Arizona to visit family and friends and spend sometime in the rv where it is warm and sunny. I can’t wait to hit the road again with my Ronnie B. But truthfully, whether we are here at home or off on an adventure, it is just good to be living life together. Enjoying moonrises and sunsets make it even more spectacular. 

In Him,

Joyful

2-2–26