happy birthday our sweet Jeni!

that's all....Happy Birthday & I love you!
AL

and because Nina did.....

My Baby is 22....
I am still picking up after her!!!!!






NOW COME HOME AND CLEAN THIS MESS UP!

Jeni Lynn

My Darling Niece Jeni

truly a one of a kind girl....
When she was born...we thought she looked just like Lori, but brunette
I had to lay down with her and let her twirl my hair all night in order for her to sleep.
AT 2yrs old, she was already in control of everyone else:
I was watching her & her sisters while the rents were in Haiti...It was bed time...and that's when the trouble started...
she had told each and every sister & cousin that THEY could sleep next to HER that night...I had a room full of crying kids...THANK GOD the phone rang and it was Pat, home early and anxious to pick up the girls!
We enjoyed watching her play sports esp. the years her and Sarah played on the same teams...and now look how she has grown into such a beautiful, godly, young woman...living on her own and serving Jesus!!! SO proud of you Jeni!
oh, and did I tell you about the time milk came squirting out of her nose at the dinner table?????

STILL PROMISING TO SLEEP NEXT TO THEM ALL!

jobs

Jobs I have had...not all were paid positions, but all of them were WORK!


1. 10 yrs old....a neighbor pays me to take her laundry down form the line fold it and put it into her house. (she worked) I am afraid to put it into her house...to be in a house where no one is home freaks me out....geesh!
NOTE: This fear renders me useless for babysitting lol
Teen years:
2. cashier at the local market...$1.00 a day 7 days a week
3. Frank's Nursery as cashier, I also put the Christmas trees together & decorate, make terrariums, ect.
after Graduation:
4. APBA- American Power Boat Assn. membership dept,scoring races, typing up cards,
( I am to approve boat names & notify them if there are any innappropriate...someone registers comeonIwannalaya..I try in vain to explain what this means to the older woman in charge, who never does understand)
I quit this job to go to Europe for 3 weeks to compete in an international singing competetion- took 1st place!!! My trip cost $100. that's right only 2 zeros....
5. AAA (about 8 years ) file room (we had to wear dresses and could not chew gum)
worked my way up threw the ranks to become an UNDERWRITER..wore power suits now...had a brief case, company car (brand new red monte carlo with white leather seats) and... a little stamp with my name on it..that either gave approval or denied it for insurance...travelled all over michigan. Odd job for someone who does not like to make important decisions.....I quit AAA when they offered me a job in ALpena, then told me I was putting to much emphasis on my marriage when I turned it down.
6. wife- for one year, (I learn to love being home alone....) then
7. wife AND MOMMY..... still doing that although not so much Mommy stuff since they are adults now ( but will always be my babies)
8. part time temp work at Rick Olmstead's insurance company
9. Secretary @ ZOE volunteer postition day one, then later paid for 2 years.
10. cleaned house for a sweet lady in a wheel chair.
11. Bible Study facilitator & M.O.P.S. speaker
12. GRANDMA!!!! BEST JOB EVER!!!! (and all around caregiver for the Mom's & kids)

Take your GRANDchild to Work Day

Jordan went to school with Grandpa ....He learned Algebra..and answered questions...he talked with other teachers and did Hall Duty...there was also some bowling..







His favorite part was the bowling...and the popsicle Mr Dave gave him..."I like Mr Dave"...Mr Dave loves Jesus...I Love Jesus too!"

The Moe Zone!!

I know many of you...like me miss our "Mo" terribly...but this...
This is so awesome....
This is written by Lil Mo...Maureen's daughter

#1
This is a very cool story! Last night I googled my name (or My mom’s name) and on the third page of Google results, I found a blog from a guy that had been to Cozumel this past March. He wrote in his blog that he had been scuba diving and saw an underwater memorial to a “Maureen Matous” while diving. Her full name being in the blog pulled up the search results on Google
Jerry and Steph went to Cozumel a few years ago and they were planning to put this brick in the bottom of the ocean. On their dive, the brick feel out of Jerry’s pocket. When Jerry went to find the brick, it had disappeared in the sand.
Jerry emailed the guy that blogged about the brick and he sent us a picture he took of the brick in March 2009. What a small world.
The brick says “Maureen Matous, you will be missed by all Proverbs 19:21”

#2

This is truly the story that keeps giving. Chris, the diver who sent the picture earlier this week, emailed the owner of the dive shop that took him on the dive where he saw the brick. Below is a message from the shop owner; he sees the brick all the time. Also, below are to links to the original blog if found and ANOTHER picture of the brick. I really think this is my mom saying “hello” seven years later.

http://deepstop.wordpress.com/?attachment_id=1020
http://deepstop.wordpress.com/2009/03/16/cozumel-day-7-palancar-caves/

#3

I am the owner of the dive shop that Chris dives with in Cozumel.

Chris just shared this with me and I knew exactly what he was talking about when he told me. I first discovered/saw the memorial in September of last year and remember immediately thinking how beautiful it was and wondering how long it had been there. I took a picture as well…but am not sure how to include it here. I sent it to Chris and told him to feel free to share it with you!

This particular section of Palancar is a special section and not part of the standard Palancar Caves tour that most DM’s and ops take you on. It’s very quiet, not much traffic through this part and very beautiful!

I’ll be happy to take a photo of your Memorial each time I dive this site and I’ll keep it “clean” for you if you’d like.

You can be happy knowing that Maureen’s memorial is resting in a beautiful and peaceful place in the Caribbean - this is actually one of my favorite spots to dive here because it is so peaceful and majestic.

Take care!

Neva's Sweets

You all know that My Mom makes THE BEST chocolate Chip Cookies...
When I was like 7 years old...My mom took a recreation cake decorating course at my school along with several ladies from the neighborhood. This was a big deal...First, my Mom just did not go out without Dad (except to the store) and she didn't really hang out with the ladies much either...I recall my father paid a babysitter to watch me during those 2 hours on Thursday night...lol Hilarious

Well, turned out my Mom was gifted! She was artistic and creative and was soon Teachers pet. SHe continued to "play" at the cake decorating...and it soon turned into a business...for $5.00 she would bake and decorate the cake of your dreams....
soon she was doing a cake every day...still for $5.00....

She did all our (her kids) wedding cakes & my nephew's as well....
Now she still makes a great cake...but after all those years of eating all her frosting...before, during and after she decorated them...we prefer them plain!!!













Ok, so don't email me and ask for a $5.00 cake- cuz that ain't happenin...but if you are looking for an amazingly delicious & beautifully decorated cake for any occasion call Jan Pauwels- she does a fantastic job!!