Me

Someone asked me to post a picture of me....my hair is shorter now, but this is still me.


Anett

A Tribute to my Gram

My Gram was born 11/14/06 - or 05 depending on which of her sisters you spoke to. She was a strong independent woman and had ideas that were way before her time.

She was born in a small town on the German-Russian Border and came to this country when she was 3 and spoke not a word of English. She had 16 brothers and sisters and was the third youngest of this gaggle of children, as her mother used to call them.

At the ripe old age of 15 she found herself pregnant..now remember this is around 1920, so of course she was going to have to marry the father according to her parents. She had the baby and never did marry the father. I asked her once why she never married my uncle's dad and she promptly - without hesitation told me " I found out he was a lying, cheating weasel and I would sooner have married a snake! Roughly three years later she did get married to what would be the love of her life, my Grampa Pete. They had my mother and life was good until times got hard and my Grampa decided to take it out on her....around 1941...my Grampa decided to come home with too much liquor in him and too little sense. He hit her....she got even...he went to sleep with his shoes on...she tied them as tight as she could and left his feet to swell all night long!
In the morning he never said a thing and neither did she....again life was good for about three years. He again came home liquored up...she was on her knees scrubbing the floor....he smacked her up side the head...she came up off the floor with the bucket swinging...hit him full on in the face with it..he fell....she packed up my mom and her and never once looked back..........strong and independent does even begin to touch that one. Courage in the face of what this country was going through at that time...her strength was amazing. The funny thing about these two, is that they never stopped loving each other...they just couldn't live together.

My Gram was my pillar through out my life. Many times when I was very young we would sit on our front porch - hold hands and talk about everything imaginable. There wasn't anything I couldn't talk to my Gram about. When I was 10 and contracted TB from a kid at school...it totally freaked my Mom out....it was my Gram who went to every appointment...held my hand through all the treatment and never complained that she had to do it.

My Gram had the most wonderful sense of humor, spoke German when she was mad at something, and loved my brothers and me with all her heart.

In closing this post...I believe there is a song that says something to the effect that if you had one more day with someone you love...what would you do with it...........I would spend the day sitting on the porch holding her hand and telling her how much I loved her.

Happy Birthday Gram.....I love you.

Snetska.

Ornament Exchange

If you want to participate in what looks to be a fun ornament exchange...this is it

http://katemcdonald.wordpress.com/2008/11/07/the-great-ornament-exchange/


Anett

Amazing!

Today - November 11, 2008 is the 36th anniversary of my wedding day. I remember it like it was yesterday. 1972 was a whorl wind year for me. I graduated from high school and became engaged on May 28th.....on June 18th, we had to take temporary custody of my husband's four children, we got permanent custody of the children at the end of October and we got married in November! Holy Cow what a year. When 1972 started, I had no idea that I would become a mother that year, let alone a mother of 4 children ranging in ages from 6 to 11. I never wanted to have kids. I didn't even know how to cook then, boy did I learn fast.

As I look back at all that happened that year, it amazes me. The first two years we had the kids, I stayed home, so that they and I could adjust to our new life. I think over that time, we all learned some lessons that helped us all to become the family we are today. The kids had to adjust to having a mother that totally accepted them for who they were. Naturally, I was totally the opposite of their "real" mother. I grew up having certain manners and behaviors expected of me....trying to instill that in kids that had no idea what manners were was a challenge in itself. Dinners in the beginning were like living through a food fight...the kids had no idea how to keep their meals on their plates and what a napkin was all about. We decided to start serving them on platters....it worked out well, until they had company for dinner one night and the "company" friends of theirs asked them why we served them on platters. The oldest son...answered...because we don't know how to eat yet....we never had to serve them on platters again...manners were learned and respect for each other began.

I by no means, am saying all the adjustments were as easy. The kids and I had alot to learn about each other and how to deal with life with each other. My husband...right from the start established that whatever I said was to be listened to...he did not let them get away with the "she is not my mother thing". We knew if we were going to be successful raising all of these kids together, that we had to be a united front, that they couldn't undermine...oh they tried, they just didn't get away with it. My daughter was the hardest, she was Daddy's girl and didn't think that she had to do what I said....she learned quickly that Daddy was not going to let her get away with anything.

My kids, to this day, I still consider them one of my life's greatest successes. They all did not grow up perfect and have made their share of mistakes, but through it all the love I felt for them the first day I saw them is still with me.

Happy Veteran's Day.

Anett

I love Estate Sales! I found this yesterday at an estate sale for $5.00. She was made in Pennsylvania by a company called Plain Folk...her name is Sara. I just fell in love and had to bring her home. Of course, my husband just rolled his eyes and paid for her. I have always wanted to attempt an amish quilt, it's one of those things on my to do list...someday maybe.


Happy Saturday,

Anett