I have two grown up sons, Joshua and Andy. Joshua is 22 and ready to enter the US Army. He leaves for Boot Camp on October 3rd, 2002. (I hope I update this after he leaves...LOL). Andy is 18 and still trying to find himself. He is currently looking for a job and hopes to move to Colorado with his best bud, Dusty.
The following photos were taken on our vacation to Yellowstone National Park in August of this year.
As you can see Joshua has acquired the bad habit so many of my family has, of sticking his tongue out for pictures. I was going through old family shots and sooo many of them have tongues sticking out...so funny.
More pictures of Joshua
Andy at his finest...relaxing after a long hard day of doing....nothin'. This was at our camp site in Yellowstone. I think we had the best campsite of all of them!
Here is another one of Andy at the campsite. I will try to put a few more on here later...have to scan them first!
Here are some thoughts I wrote about my kids a few years back. I hope you enjoy reading them.Just remember this was written 3 years ago so their ages are different than what I wrote...Josh is now 22 and Andy is 18.
MY KIDS, my pride and joy!
My first born child is Joshua. He was born in March of 1980. When I was pregnant with him, I seriously thought of giving him up for adoption. After all, I was single and came from a family that was very conservative. It seemed like the logical thing to do. Not to mention that one of my relatives had been trying to get pregnant for some time and she offered to take my baby and raise it as hers. I am SOOOO glad that I did not take up her offer. I think if I had I might not have been around to see his first birthday (or any others). I was living a questionable life style and he changed my world around. I think that our higher power had a hand in things, providing me with a responsibility. I thank Him (or Her) daily for giving me Joshua.
Joshua is now 19 and a very respectable young man. He has been truly a blessing to raise while being a single parent. I haven't had any problems with him, like the "experts" try to say single mothers have. You know how they say that if there is no father in the house, the kids will be juvenile delinquents. Ha! I fooled them!!!
My second, and youngest, child is Andy. He is fifteen and into the rattling teen years. He is a freshman in high school and he is enjoying it. It's been hard for me to realize that my youngest is in high school. Pretty soon, they will both be moving out on their own. Then I will cry. It will be hard for me. Andy is a delight to have around, too. He has such a wonderful sense of humor (I think he got some of that from my brother, Randy). He loves to talk. I usually don't mind it too much, except when he rattles on about one of his video games. Andy was, I believe, also put here for me, to keep me grounded. Andy has helped me to be not quite so serious in times when I needed a break from the everyday dulldrums. He has a sensitive side to him that most teen boys don't want the world to know about (Let's keep that our secret). Andy would give the shirt off of his back for you, if he felt you deserved it. He definately has been a blessing in my life. I am so glad I was chosen to raise him.
My children have truly been a blessing for me. The Bible says that "children are a gift from the Lord". I do believe that is true. I wouldn't give my kids up for any other type of lifestyle. Without them, I would probably have died from something (drugs, AIDS, whatever...) before now. We have a special relationship. We are open about everything. They know about their fathers and the relationship I had with each of them. They both look like their dads. Of that I am glad. Both of their fathers were/are very handsome. Joshua's dad, my first true love, was John Michael Tewksbury. He passed away a few years ago. Andy's dad is Francisco Botello Jr. He drives a bus for RTD in Boulder, Colorado. I thought our family wasn't complete so I married a man, Greg Robertson, of Michigan, to give them a "father figure". I found that it was better for me to be the solo parent than to have conflict and abuse in the household, so I went it alone shortly after my first anniversary. Our family unit is complete and in tact, not a "broken home" as some call it. We have leaned on each other in times of need and have been each other's source of strength when one was needing that support. We have UNCONDITIONAL love for each other. Our family unit is based on truth and honesty. We have always had this policy. I think this is why I have raised such great kids! I am so proud to be the mother of two wonderful kids! I wouldn't give this life up for any other.