Maliyah and her cousin Alex. Millie's nine Alex is four..

Little Man Alex. May 2009.

Shelby 8.5 mo at home..

Getting ready to learn how to crawl.....1....

2.....

My cousin's son Alex. He's 4 holding his cousin Shelby..

My cousin Andrea and Alex.. May 2009

This is not my story but if I were to write one and I will one of these days this would be very close! I've highlighted a few of my favorite parts.

I work in a central reservation office of an airline. After more than 130,000 conversations--all ending with "Have a nice day and thanks for calling"--I think it's fair to say that I'm a survivor.
I've made it through all the calls from adults who didn't know the difference between a.m. and p.m., from mothers of military recruits who didn't trust their little soldiers to get it right, from the woman who called to get advice on how to handle her teenage daughter, from the man who wanted to ride inside the kennel with his dog so he wouldn't have to pay for a seat, from the woman who wanted to know why she had to change clothes on our flight between Chicago and Washington (she was told she'd have to make a change between the two cities) and from the man who asked if I'd like to discuss the existential humanism that emanates from the soul of Habeeb.
In five years, I've received more than a boot camp education regarding the astonishing lack of awareness of our American citizenry. This lack of awareness encompasses every region of the country, economic status, ethnic background, and level of education. My battles have included everything from a man not knowing how to spell the name of the town he was from, to another not recognizing the name as "Iowa" as being a state, to another who thought he had to apply for a foreign passport to fly to West Virginia. They are the enemy and they are everywhere.
In the history of the world there has never been as much communication and new things to learn as today. Yet, after asking a woman from New York what city she wanted to go to in Arizona, she asked, "Oh... is it a big place?"
I talked to a woman in Denver who had never heard of Cincinnati, a man in Minneapolis who didn't know there was more than one city in the South ("wherever the South is"), a woman in Nashville who asked, "Instead of paying for your ticket, can I just donate the money to the National Cancer Society?", and a man in Dallas who tried to pay for his ticket by sticking quarters in the pay phone he was calling from.
I knew a full invasion was on the way when, shortly after signing on, a man asked if we flew to exit 35 on the New Jersey Turnpike. Then a woman asked if we flew to area code 304. And I knew I had been shipped off to the front when I was asked, "When an airplane comes in, does that mean it's arriving or departing?"
I remembered the strict training we had received--four weeks of regimented classes on airline codes, computer technology, and telephone behavior--and it allowed for no means of retaliation. "Troops," we were told, "it's real hell out there and ya got no defense. You're going to hear things so silly you can't even make 'em up. You'll try to explain things to your friends that you don't even believe yourself, and just when you think you've heard it all, someone will ask if they can get a free round-trip ticket to Europe by reciting 'Mary Had a Little Lamb."
Well, Sarge was right. It wasn't long before I suffered a direct hit from a woman who wanted to fly to Hippopotamus, NY. After assuring her that there was no such city, she became irate and said it was a big city with a big airport. I asked if Hippopotamus was near Albany or Syracuse. It wasn't. Then I asked if it was near Buffalo. "Buffalo!" she said. "I knew it was a big animal!"
Then I crawled out of my bunker long enough to be confronted by a man who tried to catch our flight in Maconga. I told him I'd never heard of Maconga and we certainly didn't fly to it. But he insisted we did and to prove it he showed me his ticket: Macon, GA. A've done nothing during my conversational confrontations to indicate that I couldn't understand English. But after quoting the round-trip fair the passenger just asked for he'll always ask: "...Is that round trip?" After quoting the one-way fare the passenger just asked for he'll always, always ask: "...Is that one-way?" I never understood why they always question if what I just gave them is what they just asked for. Then I realized it was part of the hell Sarge told us about.
But I've survived to direct the lost, correct the wrong, comfort the wary, teach U.S. geography and give tutoring in the spelling and pronunciation of American cities. I have been told things like: "I can't go stand-by for your flight because I'm in a wheelchair." I've been asked such questions as: "I have a connecting flight to Knoxville. Does that mean the plane sticks to something?" And once a man wanted to go to Illinois. When I asked what city he wanted to go to in Illinois, he said, "Cleveland, Ohio."
After 130,000 little wars of varying degrees, I'm a wise old veteran of the communication conflict and can anticipate with accuracy what the next move by "them" will be. Seventy-five percent won't have anything to write on. Half will not have thought about when they're returning. A third won't know where they're going; 10 percent won't care where they're going. A few won't care if they get back. And James will be the first name of half the men who call.
But even if James doesn't care if he gets to the city he never heard of; even if he thinks he has to change clothes on our plane that may stick to something; even if he can't spell, pronounce, or remember what city he's returning to, he'll get there because I've worked very hard to make sure that he can. Then with a click in the phone, he'll become a part of my past and I'll be hoping the next caller at least knows what day it is.
Oh, and James... "Thanks for calling and have a nice day."
Anonymous

The view I love the most is from my front porch looking at my family..

Maliyah was a huge help washing my car. She forgot the entire back lol....

Shelby enjoying the Memorial weekend sunshine.

These Maliyah's the tallest one standing up. These are her friends who she has grown up with..

Maliyah caught her first fish on her first cast. I didn't get a picture of it though. The kids were having so much fun and it was so peaceful. This is at my friend Arie's house so peaceful.

Shelby's first bon fire. She was mesmerized..

I went blond! Was nervous but I love it!

Went Grocery shopping today! Saved a total of 92.88! I clipped coupons all day and matched them with the items already on sale. It did take a looooooong time to assemble my shopping list, but paid off! My Bill was originally 197.77 and after I gave all my clipped coupons combined with the in-store savings I cute my bill almost in half shaving off 92.88! That's a 47% savings. I paid 104.89 instead of 197.77 I was pretty stoked and people were wishing they had coupons for their stuff!

Also shopped at walgreens my bill started at 52.98 and after they scanned all my coupons combined with the in store savings I paid only 31.24. That was 21.74 saved 41% savings.

The very first time I decided to clip and save I went grocery shopping at Albertsons. My bill totaled 180.43 after the in store savings and my clipped coupons I saved 94.49 and only paid 85.94! A 52% savings! After that I had to do it again! It's fun to get the things you want and not pay the marked price. I would rather have more money in my pocket than burn it up like that. One of the secrets is stick to the list. Even though you may need more things than you buying wait till they are on sale next time to buy them. Once you start to stock pile you will soon be able to narrow your list each time. The stores are counting on getting you thru the door with the advertised deals and then hope you will buy other things at normal price because you need them! So just stick to the sales and use your coupons! Buy you Sunday paper and get the manufacturer coupons. Even if you don't use them all up the first shopping trip save them because they are usually good for a few months. Then wait for the item to go on sale at the store and then use the coupon to discount the item even further! It does take some work but it is so much fun at the register! I would suggest getting your husband or a good friend to sit and assemble the shopping trip with you. That will make it easier when matching the coupons with the sales. There is also a web site that makes it a little easier and puts together the sales and the coupons and tells you were to find and clip the coupons. It's called the grocerygame.com and yes there's a small fee. But it does take away allot of the headache! But I am too broke to pay for the service so I just do it myself! I like the challenge. So far my total savings have been 209.11!!!!!!!!!

I am Officially addicted!

This is what my husband would love to be doing again.. If I could guarantee he would not get hurt then I wouldn't mind so much....
My high school reunion. This was the third time we had ever seen each other in person.. Crazy huh..

The first time I seen what my future husband would look like. I thought he was hot. But I wasn't going to tell him that. lol... Had to keep him guessing. We were supposed to be set up on a blind date by Stacie and she polished him up and snapped a few pictures and sent them to me. Oh and we had no idea we would fall for each other like we did.. Thank you Stacie for Shelby! lol....

I took Millie and her cousin and my mom to Disneyland June 2006.. I really want to take Justin he would love it..
Me and the girls in Toon Town Disneyland..

Tink and I making friends..

Having fun with lipstick.. Millie did not know she had it on her forehead.

Got Shelby too..

Then I went to work later that night and even got Sherri to put on the lipstick..

My cute niece Brooklyn..

These are the two people that produced Brooklyn. My sister in law Stacie and Jason Justin's brother. I know what your thinking. How did these two produce such a cute kid? I ask myself the same question every day? hehehe.... JUST PLAYING if your reading this Stacie!!!

These are my girls Erika Leelah and I... My life would not be complete with out them!

This is my pretty momma in her Senior

picture..

It sounds like Shelby says ya! When I ask her if she wants to get out of her crib.

Maliyah's Nine. She's still my little girl.. Dad picked out this cake and it was the best chocolate cake I've had in a long time. Every one at the party loved it.

OK so I let Millie invite two little boys from her class. One of them is her crush and this was the gift he gave her. Her reaction says it all. It was priceless. By the way her crush is the little boy in the corner of this picture standing by Millie's other friend. I don't want my little girl to ever get a broken heart. Sigh......... This crush stuff makes me nervous.

Dad getting a good look..

What a surprise Hannah Montana!

This was her second favorite gift a swim suite. Still my little girl.

The famous Mason (the blond). And his best friend Adam.

Shelby tuckered out from trying to escape her crib.

Me and my good friend Danielle. She's 9 months pregnant and looks great.