A Lifetime in 27 Years
We are BEYOND grateful to have spent CHRISTmas with these AMAZING peeps! Thank you all for letting us be part of your family Paul, Lisa and all of you incredible, loving, FUN kids!
We LOVE and ADORE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THIS FAMILY! When my mom got lung cancer, almost 8 years ago, their oldest daughter, Soquel, helped my mom clean her apartment. But she was much more than just a helper. They loved talking about music, history and politics and became very close! And Briana often made stops at Sprouts to pick up her groceries and from time to time, brought her some delicious, homemade soup!
My mom was living at a wonderful place with an incredible family, Scott and Mary Rankin. They were like family, as Mary often helped her with meals, laundry and visits to the hospital in the middle of the night. When they decided to move, it was really hard for Mom to leave the Rankins and where she called home for 15 years! But the Ross Family was happy to take her in! She had a warm, safe place to live where she saw this busy family run in and out past her window, heard their beautiful music and cherished times when they popped in to say hello!
A few days ago. Briana visited Mom at the rehab. Mom was SO excited to see her! And today, Soquel came by and played her violin for Mom! How SPECIAL!
Thank you Ross and Rankin families for loving my mom over the years and showing her your love!
May God bless you and your family!
💖 Sherri
THIS COUPLE!!! I am SO blessed to have these two in my life! We have known Bruce and Sue for 18 years! They are two AMAZING individuals, who make an INCREDIBLE couple! They truly put God, their marriage, family and friends first in their lives.
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♡ Sherri
What a BEAUTIFUL evening for dinner with our wonderful friends, Bruce and Sue! It was a MUCH NEEDED and extra special time on their new patio in the pine trees!
Bruce had built this last Fall for a family get together and he even designed and created AMAZING hanging lights! Sue dressed the table with beautiful dishes and even had Safari napkins just for me! She is so thoughtful! She also had this gorgeous box full of daisies and got to take some home!
We felt so special and like we were at an exotic retreat having dinner in the forest with our INCREDIBLE friends!
Thank you for blessing our lives, by being in it, Bruce and Sue! We love you both to pieces! 
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Wayne and Sherri with seats in front of the stage
We were so elated to celebrate Christmas and my hubby’s birthday with Mandy Harvey at Dazzle!
This was our third Christmas Concert and I am so very thankful to be able to go and have never had a problem with chemicals there (air fresheners and perfumes).
It was SO great to see Mandy and give her big hugs! I have missed her! She has really been busy after being on America’s Got Talent in 2017! As you probably know, she placed forth!
We are so very proud of her and are elated that she is able to live her dream of singing and a making a difference in this world with her message of love and perseverance!
Sherri
I had a GREAT visit with my GREAT Niece, Avery! She was getting ready to move back to her hometown, so my hubby took us out to lunch before she left!
We had a great time talking, sharing and laughing! I am so thankful for Avery and my time with her. I wish we didn’t live so far from my family. I hate not being close to them!
But I cherish these moments!
Sherri
Here’s My Happy Place!My happy place is an outdoor pool! I feel free and relaxed when I am in the water! I can even get some exercise in the water, whereas it is virtually impossible for me on land. Pools are fairly available, compared to let’s say trying to travel somewhere to get to a beach. But I feel like I am at a resort when I am at an outdoor pool! And that makes them awesome!
Outside with my animals (but not heat).
Spending time with friends and family
Disneyland or Disney World (someday again I hope)
At a wildlife preserve or conscientious zoo (rare)
Beach (only been a few times)
Going out to eat
Watching movies
Playing cards
Playing games
Watching fun videos online
Playing Scrabble online
Playing Solitaire online
Don’t have one? Keep searching, because we all need not just one, but many! We need ones that are rare, as well as ones that are very accessible. It could be anything from the beach to a restaurant to sitting on your couch watching a movie. List as many as you can think of and use them as refuge from the stress of this life!
Remember! We have to be intentional every day about finding joy and laughter, amidst the battles! We can’t just wait for them to fall onto our laps! It’s imperative!
Wayne and Sherri Excited to See Mandy
We were so excited to go to this Mandy Harvey Concert! We hadn’t seen her since last December. I have missed my sweet Mandy Girl! Wowee! What a fun block party with Mandy!
I only made it through half her concert (I have MS and Late-Lyme Disease). I also had a major reaction to heat and air fresheners inside the building.
But what a treat it was to see her again! I got to hear two of my favorites, “Cry Me a River” and her original, “Release Me!” And don’t tell anyone … but we got to go backstage and get hugs! I have missed you so much, Mandy!
You have probably seen Mandy on America’s Got Talent! She auditioned with her original song, “Try” and got the Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell! When she returned to the LIVE Quarter Finals, she sang another original, “Mara’s Song.” She was voted into the Semi-Finals starting September 5th. We are so excited for you, Mandy!
Mandy lost her hearing in college while studying music. She was devastated! Her life was all about music and she watched her dream vanish! Her father encouraged her to try to sing without being able to hear. Mandy was able to sing through muscle memory to hit the note and of course, she could read music. She went on to work very hard daily to practice feeling the notes in her vocal cords, throat and head, she uses a piano tuner to keep her pitch and she feels the music from the band through her feet and body.
We are cheering for you, Mandy! The world is discovering what we have known for years. You are an incredible vocalist and songwriter with amazing perseverance and message for us all to never give up and “TRY!”
Watch lots of great videos of Mandy singing at the IDA Gala, America’s Got Talent, interviews and more: HERE! Download Mandy’s Music: HERE! Visit Mandy’s Website.
Thank you for the amazing day and for being a blessing in my life, Mandy!
We love you!
Sherri
COPYRIGHTS: “Cry Me a River.” Written by Arthur Hamilton. Copyright © 1953 first publication. Ella Fitzgerald released her recording of the song in 1961. “Release Me.” Copyright © Mandy Harvey.
GRATITUDE OF THE DECADE!
I can’t believe we were finally able to go see my family in Illinois!
We had to purchase a very rare all fiberglass trailer, which is extremely hard to find, then we
had to make lots and lots of repairs and changes to it, as well as many other challenges had to be addressed. The whole process took ten years! However, WE FINALLY GOT OUT THERE!!!!
Wayne and I enjoyed our first stay in an RV park in Salina, Kansas at the KOA! We got the end spot right next to a pond! The park was a delight! It had lots of trees, a gravel road, two ponds, cabins, a pool and of course, no chemical sprayers in the restrooms (air fresheners). We LOVED this place!
Our landing spot in Illinois was OK, but it was hard to love it after the first stop (LOL). I got to know the owner and he watched out for me every day (it wasn’t in the best of areas near St. Louis).
We had a GREAT time visiting with my dad (Ron), mom (Nancy Jo), brother (Marty) and grandma (GG)! We had planned on doing all of our visiting on my dad’s infamous deck, but my dad really wanted to get out and show us a few sights! He is such a warrior, pushing through the horrific pain he has been in!
We went by my childhood home, my best friend’s house, my old favorite place to swim (where I lived in the Summers), my mom’s childhood home, the fire station where we had annual
picnics, Dad’s old school (where he taught band), his church and the “Angels of Hope” where my dad had a brick laid in memory of my brother.
Dad also surprised me by taking me by the house 
where we lived when I was born! It belonged to my grandma and grandpa and I had never seen it in person (besides when I lived there when I was one). The people who bought the house after we moved still live there and they were home! They invited us in to see that some of the same furniture, lighting, doors and radiators were still there! I don’t remember any of it, but it was so fun to see my grandma and grandpa’s things!
Wayne and I also made a quick stop at the St. Louis Zoo. I couldn’t go all the way out there without at least taking a peek. This place is one of my fondest memories with my dad, family and cousins as a child. It has the coolest train! Unfortunately, I couldn’t ride it because of the exhaust. But it was fun to see it!
All in all, it was a wonderful trip of a lifetime! We were sad we couldn’t see everyone due to schedules or living out of town. But, I am so thankful for the precious time we had with family we were able to be with! We had great conversations, lots of laughter and hugs! It was just so wonderful to be able to sit on their deck, surrounded by trees, Cardinals and my dad’s amazing garden!
I have missed them all SO much over the years and wish I could just hop over there anytime to visit or have pizza night with them. It is so hard being so far apart! Nonetheless, I am so very grateful to have had this time with them and I will cherish it forever!
Please keep my dad (Ron) and mom (Nancy Jo) in your prayers for healing and much, much less pain, as well as my grandma (GG) to find new friends and joy in her new (and very nice) assisted living apartment.
Sherri
My precious baby, you were so special! You were definitely Momma’s girl, right down to healthy eating habits!
I miss you SO MUCH, little monkey!
Momma