64 Years Old

I am 64 years old today. 64 years young. I have had 64 years of blessings so far. It has been an awesome ride to date. Life is an adventure. You can’t ask for anything more.

64 years ago today I was born in San Diego, CA, to a wonderful lady named June. This last weekend I went to see her up in Wisconsin. I wrote a blog about it.   Read Blog here!

I was adopted by my fantastic parents, Joe and Fern Hann. I had lots  of childhood blessings. Lots of love, friends and the chance to go to the beach often. Had to throw that in. I love the beach and miss being able to go on a regular basis. Growing up in San Diego was the best.

Graduated from San Diego High School in the top 5% of my class. I was a cheerleader, Class Historian, Year Book Treasurer and a variety of other things.

   I had lots of friends and loved going to school there. I even graduated with my husband Dennis, tho it would be years before we connected and got married.

I attended San Diego State University and have a degree in Accounting. Took the CPA exam with a little push from my mom and passed it on the 1st sitting. I am really thankful for my degree and passing the exam but my heart was never really into accounting.

I had other passions that I didn’t pursue. Lesson to be learned – do what you have a passion for, not something to please your mom. I wanted to be a teacher or photographer, tho I have a natural ability for numbers and math.

I have LOTs of Blessings

I have 12 blessings (Children), 4 by birth, 4 by adoption, 4 by step. Love them all. We have 15 grandchildren blessings, with 1 more on the way this summer. Grandchildren are what it is all about.

Grandchildren are the BEST!! I can’t imagine a day without any one of them. Just wish I lived closer to them. They are spread out from Albuquerque – Knoxville, Houston to

St Louis. Lots of them are just too far to pop over and see. I hate not being there for their special days.

Married my best friend Dennis 13 years ago. He has been a true blessing to me. I can’t imagine life without him. Don’t think I could have gone through all that I have gone through the last 13 years without him. He has been my rock.

Having a personal relationship with Jesus has been a big blessing for the last 37 years. Jesus is the one who gets me through life day by day. Jesus has been the blessing giver, even in the midst of stress, fear and day to day living. Jesus has been with me every inch of the way. Jesus totally = Blessings.

Blessings Abound

I have had 64 years of blessings. OK, it hasn’t all been roses, and I have been through some hard things that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. But overall I have had

wonderful blessings in my life. I really couldn’t ask for better.

Life just keeps getting better. I have an awesome husband, wonderful kids and grandkids,and I love living in the Midwest (tornadoes suck, but other than that), building a powerful on-line business, DS Domination, retired from a J-O-B and I can get out and take pictures with my camera any time I choose. Blessings abound. I couldn’t be happier.

So, for any of you that think growing older is scary or not all it’s cracked up to be – let me assure you, I am 64 and blessings abound.

Be sure to check out my awesome business opportunity. Let it be a blessing to you too. All you have to do is click on the link below. Add your email address, watch the video and JOIN. DS Domination has been a huge blessing in my life.

CLICK HERE

Have a wonderful day of blessings,
Charyl aka Mom8isme

Adopted but Not Forgotten

Dennis and I are heading off later today to go visit my birth mom. Yep, I said “birth mom”. I was adopted as an infant. 

About 20 years ago I decided I needed to find and meet her. So, the search began. I had been carrying around a form to fill out and send in to an online search for birth parents and adoptees. I filled it out and sent it in. Then the wait began.

Apparently, the only way for a match was if both mom and child sent the information in. I figured I had a long shot at finding her at best. BUT a couple short weeks later I got my information. I was genuinely surprised. It was exciting to know I was adopted but not forgotten. Me in my adopted mom (Fern Hann's) arms in the picture.

Now, what to do? Didn’t want to freak her out by calling her so wrote her a letter and telling her all she needed to know about me, just in case she didn’t want to write me back. She did write me back and I eventually went up to meet her.

I Was Adopted – The Hard Choice

She is an awesome lady. She made a hard choice putting me up for adoption but I am positive it was the best choice for both of us at the time. I have enjoyed getting to know her from a distance. I have only met her twice. This will be my 3rd time and it’s been about 12 years since I was there last time.Wasn't I cute as a baby.

BUT here is the odd part. She never gave that company her information. In fact, she had never told a single person about me. Even her husband was quite shocked and surprised when my letter arrived. I was adopted but no one knew.

To this day we have no clue how our information got entered in the data base. I have decided it is just one of those mysteries of life. Someone wanted us to find each other. My theory is it’s just one of those “God Things”. We were meant to know each other. I was adopted but God knew where I was all along.

I Was Adopted – The Reunion

Had a wonderful reunion with my birth mom June. She was so surprised when I walked in. I loved the look on her face. I even got a chance to visit with my brother, Gary. What a treat. I am so glad I came. June has had a ton of health problems lately. I am glad I didn't put it off until it was too late.

I have 2 brothers named Gary. One adopted brother and one birth brother. THAT doesn't happen very often.

June is just the sweetest lady around. She had a stroke recently and struggles a bit with her words but her smile tells it all. She often says "yessss", "righttttt" or "noooo". It was quite cute. It was really good to know that even tho I was adopted, I was definitely never forgotten!

It's interesting to me since I was adopted to look at some one besides my children or grandchildren and see similarities. It is something most people take for granted. It was fun to hear June say things like you look just like your brother John. I could even see where I got my smile. It was fascinating. I was adopted but I look like someone. Awesome feeling.

It was so hard to leave. It felt like I was losing something I finally had. Unfortunately, we live 12 hours away so I can't just pop over and visit. I definitely don't want this to be the last time I see her. She is just too precious for that. I was adopted but never forgotten.

Have a fantastic day and be sure to treasure those you love, 

Charyl aka Mom8isme

Retirement Time

5 Days until Retirement

Life begins at retirement. ~Author Unknown

Retirement is such an awesome word. The word retirement means: Noun

The action or fact of leaving one's job and ceasing to work. The period of one's life after leaving one's job and ceasing to work. Sounds wonderful doesn’t it. Just sitting around eating bon-bons and sleeping in until Noon. Does sound pretty good at least for the 1st week. But that isn’t how I picture my retirement being. Retiring from my 8 – 5 gives me time to start my own home based business. Retirement means Blogging More I have no intention of sitting around relaxing and watching TV. I have way too much to do for that. My plan is to be up blogging and marketing my business. And the funny thing is – I am more excited about doing that than just about anything else lately. OK, I am also excited about my new grandbaby coming in August.  But the cool part is that not having a regular job gives me the chance to be there when Jay and Meredith have their little one. It gives me the chance to see all my grandkids when I can’t stand not seeing them one second longer. It also gives me the chance to visit my birth mom one more time before it’s too late. Blogging as I Travel During My Retirement

All I have to do is pack the laptop or Ipad and blog away while I am traveling. It gives Dennis and I the opportunity to go to Chicago in a few weeks for the Empower Network Convention. I don’t have to worry about having enough hours of vacation time or asking my boss permission.

In May we have 3 graduations, in one week, in 3 different states. Saturday step daughter, Lisa graduates from college in Arkansas, Monday step son Peter graduates from Vet school in Louisiana and the next Saturday granddaughter Sydney graduates from high school in New Mexico. We can be at them ALL!!!

Route 66 to the End!!

When that is finished – we are heading to California on Route 66. We have done 2 legs of Route 66 on long 4 day weekends in the past. Last May we traveled Chicago to Vinita, OK, and in September we went from Vinita to Tucumcari, New Mexico. We will finish from New Mexico to California.

You can bet, you will see lots of pictures on this blog from our travels. Traveling, writing (blogging) and taking pictures are the things I love to do. This so-called retirement will give me the opportunity to fulfill my dream.

Join Me in the Fun

If this is a life you would be interested in – all you have to do is Click the Link below, add your email address, watch the video and I will be back in touch with you. I would love for you to join me in my Retirement fun.

CLICK HERE

Have a wonderful day,

Charyl aka Mom8isme

Thanksgiving/Christmas

The family had an awesome time over Thanksgiving.  Some of the kids were here.  Not all.  We really wished that more could have come.  It was awesome having the 6 of the 15 grandkids here.  They are all growing so fast.  It seemed like the time was over before we even got a chance to visit. 

One of the cool things we did this year is we celebrated Christmas over Thanksgiving.  We did our gift exchange.  It was awesome from my stand point.  Most of my Christmas shopping was finished at that point and most people were just starting.  And as it has turned out - I am going to be needing surgery next week so having the bulk of Christmas done will be a blessing since I will be out of the loop.  The kids all seemed to enjoy it, too.  I think it helps stretch the gifts out for the kids.  This way it isn't as overwhelming on Christmas when they normally have gift over load.  From what I was hearing they suggest we do it again.  The only difference I think I will make next time is I will NOT make turkey and all the fixings.  Since we had our celebration on Friday everyone was pretty much turkeyed out.  Next time I will make pancit and lumpia.  At our house if Mom makes pancit and lumpia the family will show up.  It is one tricky way to make sure they show up again. :-)

Here are a few of the pixs from our time together.

Be sure to check out the new adventure Dennis and I are involved with.

DS Domination

Have a wonderful day,

Charyl