Lincoln Von Brown

Our Precious Princess

God blessed us with a beautiful princess 

Lincoln Von Brown 

On July 15th at 5:57 pm

She weighed 8 Pounds 5 oz and was 21 inches long.  

She is the LOVE and JOY of our lives!  

Big hopes

I really had high hope of keeping this blog up to date but clearly I have failed.  So maybe, just maybe, I can keep up if I blog once a month instead of once a week.  I do believe that would be more realistic for me!

May and June slipped by before I knew what happened and suddenly it was July 4th!  We spent the day with several of our closest 4-legged friends, some of whom stayed with us to get out of town and away from the banging and booming of the fireworks.   We headed to the farmers market and bought some honey, strawberries and fresh maple syrup!  Then we headed off to do some car shopping (looking really more than shopping) at the annual Hubbard's tent sale.  But before we could get to the tent, a cell phone call from Lena would require us to go pick her up and take her with us.  Jacob was fishing for the day and "tagged out" to us.  We are all in agreement that she being 9 days away from her due date, she really shouldn't be spending a lot of time alone.  So, we loaded her up and walked her around the tent sale and then it was off to Wolcott to walk her around some more.  It is hard to believe that baby Lincoln Von will be joining us soon!  I am not certain where the months went but I do know that the last few weeks are taking far longer that the last 8 months have!  I can't wait to get her here so I can kiss her wittle face!   I thought that being a grandma was something I wasn't ready for but I must say that as her due date gets closer it is something I am definitely ready for!  I absolutely cannot wait.  Lena is fairly certain she needs a restraining order against me to keep me from kidnapping her child!  I claim grand parental rights!  At any rate we are ready but likely none of us more than Jacob and Lena.  They have prepared and re-prepared and now it is just the waiting!

Byron and I have seen a surge in the boarding business which we are ever so grateful for.  It is nice to be doing the numbers again that we were seeing in 2006 before the economy decided to tank!  I keeps us on our toes, busy and never bored!

Tony and Ashley seem to be doing well, though I don't get to spend much time with them.  Ashley was home for a bit but it will be a long stretch now before we see her again.  We are planning to take Lincoln to the Ville to meet FOSH and Uncle T.  That will be a time to remember.  Ashley will be taking classes in Louisville next week to gain another certification for her job as a respiratory therapist.  We are so proud of her and how well she has done in her career.  She certainly has been a blessing to many of her patients.

Well folks, again, I believe that brings us up to date.   Enjoy the summer time...Enjoy the time, period.  It goes by way too fast!

Love you all.
Kat.

Spring has sprung 2015

Vacation is over and I am trying to get into the swing of things again.  You know, kinda like  Stella Getting Her Groove Back?  

Vacation was relaxing and much needed after the cold, yucky winter that we had.   I still have no idea why I live in Indiana when my heart, soul and toes clearly yearn for the beach! 

It was good to catch up with Daryl and Kathy in Gulf Shores.  I so admire their willingness to make themselves happy and just follow their hearts and dreams.  Life really is what YOU make of it and they are living proof of that! 

So now with spring vacation in the bag it is time to go head first into summer.  And what a busy summer it will be.  We are kicking it off this weekend with me doing prom hair!  Never became a licensed beautician but God had a way of preparing me by giving me two girls who were blessed with massive amounts of hair (courtesy of their Nan!)  

After that it is time to start showering the babies that we will be welcoming into the family this year.  

3 

Yes, 3 babies, all girls and all very anticipated!  No we are not trying to be the Dugger famly, it just happened that we have two nieces that are expecting and then Lena.  Christy Barkho (Ryan's wife.  Shawn's daughter in law) in Missouri is due in June and is expecting a girl. Lena is due on July 13th with our Little 

Miss Lincoln Von Brown 

and another niece Kristy Dowler (Nathan's wife and Keenan's daughter) is expecting a girl in September!  I am excited that Lincoln will have 2 cousins her same age.  Family is important and this is adding so much excitement to our summer! 

I think that catches us up for now. 

Till next time! Love to you all....

Kat. 

IT's A .......Baby

I can hardly believe it!  I was just skimming through my posts and realized that I have failed to blog about THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT (to date)!  The day that I found out the gender of my first grand baby!  

I have always intended for my blog to be a footprint, a diary of sorts for my children, grand children and their children.  I want them to be able to see and read my thoughts after I am gone.  I want them to be able to feel through the words that I leave (although be it electronically) how much I loved them.  With that being said.  On February 25th we found out the gender of our first grand baby.  Now, let me say that I will love all of my grandchildren equally.  None is more important or more loved than any other.  I WANT THAT TO BE CLEAR!  However, the excitement that comes with the first one is a feeling that I cannot even begin to explain.  I thought, when I found out that Lena and Jacob were expecting that I would feel love like I felt for both girls when I found out I was expecting.  But it isn't like that at all.  It is a different feeling knowing that one of my babies is carrying a baby.  I am emotional beyond belief when I think about the little one that is growing inside of her.  A very long time ago I read a story about how you should pray for your children.  It said you should pray for them emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, and I have done that every day since I read that.  I prayed for them and for their children (my grand children) even before they were conceived.  Today, I continue those prayers and I add a special that the little one that Lena is carrying will grow and develop with no health issues along the way.  I want this baby to be healthy, first and foremost.  It is something I pray about multiple times a day even if it is just a simple whisper to God that he will protect this baby every second of every day.  

I never knew that it was possible to love someone so very much that I have never even laid eyes on, however the connection that I have to this little one is so strong and so real.  I can hardly wait to lay eyes on this baby for the first time.  So with out further ado,  

We are having a 

GIRL! 

Due July 13, 2015 

Her name:  Lincoln Von Brown 

 So, Miss Lincoln Von  I hope that you stumble across this blog someday, maybe when you are 10 or 20 years old and I hope you understand that even before you were born we loved you.  I LOVED YOU.  The photo to the left is what your Mommy and Daddy looked like the day we found out you were a girl!  Quite possibly one of the happiest days of our lives. And maybe one of the scariest for your Daddy!  We had a party that night with all of your family.  Me and your Pap were there, your Auntie Fosh came all the way home from Evansville to be there, Grandma and Grandpa Vincz, Grandpa and Grandma Brown, Uncle Jer, and cousin Dewey were there too.  Your Aunt Grace was there and she was excited that you were a girl!  The love that we felt that day was amazing and real and it was all for you little one!  Don't ever think for one second that you are not loved because while there will come times when you think your Mommy and Daddy are the most terrible parents in the world they have loved you unconditionally from the very moment you were conceived.   I love you my little princess.  No matter what I will never ever stop.  You are my first and I may make some mistakes being a Nan, I have never been a Nan before, it is my hope that you will always know that I love you....FOREVER!   I look forward to watching you grow into a beautiful young woman.  I have no doubt that you will be smart and funny too.  I know that you will teach me how to be a Nan for your cousins and brothers and sisters down the road.  Thanks for being my trailblazer!  We will learn how to do this thing together.  

Love you!  

Nan....

We made it!  Finally, the first day of spring!  What a long winter it was, indeed.  The temperatures that we endured were brutal to say the least and now, while there may still be some chilly temps, we know that they will not lost long.

I am so looking forward to nice weather.  Being able to walk outside and not gasp that big breath of warm are before you open the door!  I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my tulips, but to date, there have been no sign of them.  The robins are back and that is good and the roads to my home are falling apart.  A terrible thing to deal with but a sure sign that the frost is leaving the ground!

Today is not only the first day of spring but it is the first day of SPRING BREAK!  Barkfest 2015 is underway.  I think Byron is happy that he took a couple hunting trips earlier in the year as he now knows that the next 10 days will be filled with nothing but DOGS!  Our hearts are always happy knowing that so many people entrust their furry family members to our care!  We are happy to have back some of our old faithfuls as well as some new faces.  God has and continues to bless us with this business.  If you would all say a little prayer that we make it through the next 10 days, unscathed, that would be greatly appreciated.  It is a bit difficult for me to believe that this is our 18th spring break.  I said I would give this business 10 years and I've nearly doubled that.

Happy Spring everyone!

Kat...

Trying to keep up with this blog is like chasing my tail around in a circle.  I think about it....try to catch it,,,,keep running in a different direction....and then every once in awhile I am the lucky dog that actually catches the tail...or in this case the opportunity to set down and share a few thoughts.

Lately, I have been contemplating my career and while for the past 3 years I wasn't certain that I was were God wanted me to be, I now think I am exactly where he intends me to be.  I am not a dynamic sales person.  In fact, I am a terrible sales person.  I don't enjoy pressure and I don't believe in trying to shove something down someone's throat to get them to buy.  You see, I really have always disliked the insurance industry.  I remember the day I went home and announced to my husband that I was going to get an insurance license.  He looked at me like I had two heads on my shoulders.  His exact words to me were "But, you hate insurance people"!  He was correct and here is the reason why.

Many of you know the story of Byron's first family being killed by a drunk driver.  Yes, his entire family....His loving wife, Candy (who happened to be a dear friend and co-worker of mine) his beautiful unborn full term baby, Allison and even his beloved hunting dog, Tar were all taken by some idiot who spent the night drinking and then decided on a Sunday morning (February 16th ) to drive himself home.  Of course he was not injured in the accident and has recently passed of natural causes.  I hope the Lord took mercy on his miserable soul.  Any way, after Byron and I married we still had a whole troop of insurance people knocking on our door.  This was in the late 80's when insurance people went door to door trying to drum up business.  I can remember turning off the lights and locking the door so they didn't think we were home.  If they did happen to catch us it was hours upon hours of....Let us sell you this or that.  I honestly couldn't stand it.   After much persuasion by my friend and mentor Gary Dedaker, I decided that if I was going to go in to the business I was going to do it on my terms.  I wasn't going to be one of those that stood on your front door step, at dinner time trying to sell you something that you didn't want.  I decided that I was going to do things a bit differently and much to my surprise I has worked and continues to work for me.  I often say "I am much too common to do this job"!  I have a home and bills and a mortgage to pay just like 99.9 % of everyone else in america.  I get that insurance is something that none of us want to pay for but we all have to have.  I decided that I would do a proposal, present it to the consumer and then the ball was in their court.  I will on occasion make a follow up call to someone that I feel was truly interested but I refuse to nag them for their business.  This likely isn't the way that some agents approach selling but you can't argue with results.

After 3 years with the Deiwert Agency, I feel like I have finally found my place.  Yes, I have a beautiful office with room for at least 3 more agents but this is my kitchen and I am the chef.  It is up to me to make this work and I am happy to say that the good Lord has blessed me with the ability to do so.

With that being said, I am beginning to feel a bit more like myself again.  It has been a long winter and I am so ready for spring.  I fell in November of 2014, broke 2 ribs and damaged a  nerve.  I am still battling with sciatica so any prayers would be greatly appreciated.  Thanking all of you who have entrusted your insurance needs to me and hoping that the rest of this winter you all stay safe and warm......Spring is right around the corner!

Much Love.
Kat  

February...The most boring month of the year? Not this year!

February is here.  Hard to believe that we are already 1 month in to the year 2015.  

Typically, February is a boring month for me.  I snows way too much.  The wind blows way too much.  It is gray and cold and just a yucky month for me! 

But this year February is bringing some wonderful memories that I can't wait to share!  

Tony and Ashley went on their first REAL vacation in 3 years of marriage.  They took a cruise to Key West Florida and then on to Cozumel Mexico.  They nearly missed their flight to Miami because of a snow storm that hit in Chicago.   After being on hold with American Airlines for 3 1/2 hours we were finally able to get them redirected through Louisville.  They had a wonderful trip.  I wish it had been a bit warmer for them but the fact that they were able to get away together was priceless.  

                                        I think cruising agrees with her!  What do you think? 

This Wednesday I have the privilege of going to Lena's OB check up!  I cannot wait to hear Baby B's heartbeat! 

Then on Wednesday, the 25th of February, we will be finding out if we will be buying basketballs or barbie dolls!  

I just have to take a minute and tell you how insanely proud I am of our two girls!  

You raise your children, do the best you can and hope for a good out come.  Ashley and Lena have both become smart, professional, caring, giving, loving, and beautiful young women.  Ashley will have been at her job as a respiratory therapist for 5 years this year.  She rarely misses work and is always there to cover for her co-workers if needed.  Oh sure, she grumbles on occasion 

(don't we all?) 

But she loves her job and enjoys her patients and with the exception of a co-worker or two she enjoys the people that she works with!  

Lena will have been at her job 2 years this June and has recently transferred within the same company to an office in Noblesville, Indiana.  Yes, it is a bit of a drive from Kokomo but she loves her office and her clientele and she has the best co-workers.  This week we found out that she has been selected to enroll in her company's management training program!  I think that speaks volumes about her work ethic!

(growing up in the boarding business taught both of these women how to work!)

She reminded her management team that she did plan to take as much time off as possible after Baby B arrives and they responded that they understood and wanted her to start ASAP...

My head continues to spin at the beauty, grace and intelligence of these two! 

They never stop amazing me as I am more amazed now than I was the day they were born! 

And speaking of being born...Here is the latest photo of "Baby B"! 

Wow...I have made it to my second post of 2015 and the bottom has not fallen out of my world.

Today is the in between day.  The 29th of January.  A day that I wish over and over again that I could have back.

My angel mother was born on the 28th of January 1939 and left our earthly home for her heavenly one on January 30th, 1992.  At just 53 years old, in the blink of an eye she was gone.  I remember distinctly the day.  I recall talking to her on her birthday and being in a rush to get off the phone.  If only I had known.  I would have called again on the 29th and talked until I couldn't speak another word.   In hindsight I wish I had never rushed any day with her because in 1992 I was 25 years old and I still needed my mother.

I will just leave you with this:

Love the people God gives you.  You never know when he will need them back!

Love to you all!

2015...Go!

Here it is 2015 and I am going to make an attempt to be better about blogging.  I was about to say that I don't know what happened in 2014 to keep me from it but I would assume it was nothing more than my laziness and the fact that life moves at the speed of light, which exactly why I need to be better about it.

2015 will be a year of change (then again what year hasn't been?) for our family.  

In July we will be blessed with our very first 2-legged grandchild!  God has already blessed us with Sheldon, Drae, Roxy and Walter and now a grand baby is in our future.  At this point in time we don't know if we will be buying basketballs or barbie dolls and honestly, I really don't care.  Either way is fine with me.  Jacob insists that we will be buying basketballs regardless.  I frequently remind Jake, that this baby is 1/2 Tiede and that there are no athletic genes in the family.  I will never forget the first time I made that comment to him and he smiled that Jake Brown "Smirk" and said...You know Karen, if I wanted a D-2 child, I never would have married your daughter!  Still today, that cracks me up.  I guess he really did know what he was getting into when he married the princess!  

As I look forward to becoming a grandma, I often find myself worrying about the world.  Yes, that's right.  I am honestly concerned about the world that my grandchildren will be growing up in.  Last night laying in bed I was thinking and praying and talking out loud to God when I realized that I was looking at things all wrong.  I said, "you know Lord, the world is a harsh place. People can be so mean and things do not always work the way we think they are going to."  "Karen" God said, "the world is full of so many negative things, scary things, in fact, but if you just take a minute, slow down and look around you will find that there are so many more beautiful things!"  I laid there and thought wow, how did I miss that?    It's the little things that make life beautiful.  So I decided that I need to slow down. Instead of seeing the car that cut me off, I need to see that the sky is blue, I need to see the bird sitting in the tree with his feathers not ruffled because the sunshine is warm enough.   This morning I stopped for my ritual diet pepsi, on the way to work ...As usual, I was running behind, that seems to happen to me during the winter!  I pulled in and waited as a mom and daughter came out of the store.  Daughter must have been 3 maybe 4 years old.  I could tell that mom was in a rush but the little girl had a pile of snow that just needed to be stomped on!  Mom let her stomp away and then walked over to her.  I fully expected to watch mom take her by the hand and hurry her along and I was a bit sad that the romp was coming to an end.  Then the most wonderful thing happened.  Mom began stomping the snow along with her!  It truly was the best moment.  One, who doesn't dislike snow enough to want to smash it and two it was a perfect mother daughter bonding moment.  I smiled at them both as I got out of my car and admitted to them that I thought about joining in!  Instead, I headed in to get my day started but stopped long enough to let God know that I heard him.  Loud and clear.  It is truly time to slow down and focus on the things that really matter in life.  I hope that I will continue to seek the little moments out, focus on what seems insignificant and thank the Lord every day for the opportunity to notice them!