Beyond Bringing Up Boys

Circa. 1973  Circa. 1977 4 siblings, 3 spouses, 1 boy friend, 11 children, 1 son-in-law, 7 dogs, 5 cats, 2 birds, 2 peacocks, 15 chickens, 2 geese, 1 goat, 1 guinea pig, 1 chinchilla, 1 snake, 1 hedgehog, 1930 combined miles, and diversity galore. Our family is not perfect. We argue. We fight. And sometimes we stop talking to each other, but we're family and when it matters, we are there for each other. And so, it was notably special that each one took time out of their active schedules to celebrate Zachary's achievement. I love you all!

Dr. B. has been faithfully making my coffee for years--so many, in fact, that I can no longer recall when he didn't.  He's a Coke Zero man himself, but he knows just how to make my coffee good-to-the-last drop. Secretly, I think it's all the cream and very little coffee, but whatever it is, it works. Last week my niece arrived with this; I can now brew my own beverage , if I'm needing a perk in the afternoon. Dr. B. has expressed displeasure and it's not just the added cost. He says that now I no longer "need him." It's also been years since I put gas in my own van. So, unless full-service gas stations become more available, I'd say his place with me is secure.

It's been awhile since I last wrote. A long while. And, as in most families, a lot has happened in that "long while."  Over time perhaps I'll get to that, but for now, I just want to try entering the blogsphere again. This used to be a place where I expressed my thoughts or updated the events of our family, but slowly, other forms of social media took over and my voice here has been silent. May 23, 2015 was a very big day in the life of the Balty's as our oldest, Zachary, graduated from Eagles Landing Christian Academy that day. I'm looking quite glamorous in the photo booth picture above, but Dr. B is looking stunned; I think he received the first bill for college tuition.