Kids
My grandniece, Zoey Iverson is such a happy girl. She is the middle child of my niece, Kassie Franklin and her partner (Zoey’s bonus dad), William Burr, but in many ways, Zoey is the oldest child, since her older brother, Lucas has Down Syndrome. Zoey is such a great sister to Lucas and her younger sister Alicen. Zoey has a mother’s heart, and mothering ways. I think that someday she will be a great mom, but that is definitely down the road a bit, since Zoey is just turning ten today. Still, that is a landmark age…the age of double digits, and in that, Zoey has arrived.
Zoey probably grew up quicker that other kids. She knew at a young age that her big brother needed extra help with things, and she stepped up as her mother’s helper in that area. She loved her brother and wanted him to 
have the best life that he could have. I know that Zoey was instrumental in her brother’s development, and he is a great kid who can do so many things because of her. These days, Zoey is still being a great sister to both of her siblings. She and Alicen are best friends, and love playing together. Alicen is 2½ years old now, and she thinks her big sister is the greatest. Of course, that is all part of Zoey’s charm. No, it isn’t an act…that’s who Zoey is. Her sweet disposition has rightly earned her the title of the greatest where her family is concerned.
Zoey is a great help to her mom and dad. And she always has a great time with her family. She loves camping and being in the outdoors in general. She is an active girl who loves nature, and all the beauty it holds. That’s probably why the camping appeals to Zoey. She loves swimming and summer in general, but then what kid 
doesn’t. Even when a student is good in school, like Zoey is, there is just nothing like summer and the freedom it brings. The freedom to sleep in, play all day, and go to bed just a little bit later than usual…let’s face it, it doesn’t get better than that. Zoey loves crafting and selling her crafts, so she can make more crafts. She got her craftiness from her mom, who is Zoey’s hero, and always will be. In fact, her mom is where Zoey got to be the person she is now. Today is Zoey’s 10th birthday. Happy birthday Zoey! Have a great day! We love you!
My grandniece, Raelynn “Rae” Masterson, has always been a little bit shy, and so stepping out of her comfort zone isn’t always easy. Raelynn is the oldest of my niece, Dustie Masterson and my nephew, Rob Masterson’s kids. (Rob also has an older daughter from his first marriage). Rae has a younger brother, Matt Masterson and a younger sister, Taylor Masterson. The three of them are very close. Rae has now reached the age that her mom was when she had Rae, and for Dustie, that is a little shocking to think about. Dustie says that she and Rae did a lot of their growing up together, and I suppose that is true. Our kids, especially that first child, teach us so much. We just think we are all grown up…until our kids show us just how much we have yet to learn.
A year ago, Rae got a job at “Let’r Buck Car Wash” on the west side of Casper. Her mom was not too sure about the job, for a number of reasons, the main one being that Rae is somewhat shy. Dustie recommended that she keep looking even after she was hired, because it just didn’t seem to Dustie like it would be a good fit for Rae. Nevertheless, before long, Rae told her mom that she loved the job and was going to go full-time. They really like her too and have started having Rae train the new hires. Rae told her just the other day that now she knows what it’s like to be the “experienced” one at work. Now, her boss has her training the new people on how to close. She does so well with it that she is the one in charge at night, running the crew. Her parents couldn’t 
be more proud of her. Rae’s sister, Taylor mentioned that helping new people with training and helping with what they were struggling with isn’t easy, but Rae does it all without complaining or questions. Dustie tells me that she really thought she wouldn’t like her job, so it is really shocking to her that Rae is perfectly happy there. Rae says, “It’s hard work but at the end of the day I feels like I have worked hard, and I come home feeling accomplished.” Last night at dinner Rae told the family that she dealt with her first difficult customer. The customer wanted to be let through the wash after everything had been shut down and cleaned up. She kept her cool and didn’t let the woman go through. Dustie thinks that “with Rae’s sweet voice the lady couldn’t have possibly stayed mad.” Nevertheless, Rae had to stand up to the lady, because it wouldn’t be fair to make the crew re-clean the place for one person. Rae’s sister, Taylor, is so proud of her sister too, because she knows that handling rude people and the challenges that come along at her job is not easy, but Rae takes it all in stride. She is a very calm person, and that shows in difficult situations. Rae is really moving up in life.
Rae has also been getting out more with her friends and Dustie is really happy about that. Dustie says, “She needs it, to get out of the house and just hang with people outside of the family. At her age I think it’s important to forge those friendships.” Taylor agrees, as her sister works hard and needs time out with friends. Dustie says, “The happy, little beautiful baby I had 22 years ago has turned into the most beautiful, wonderful, 
happy woman. I don’t know what this year will bring for Rae, but I do know that it will be amazing! She’s been going out with friends more and getting more social interactions these past few months and I am proud of her for getting out there more.” It’s a big step, and I’m proud of Rae too.
Taylor says, “Rae is one of my favorite people, she’s always ready to help people when they need it. She’s one of my biggest supporters and I don’t think there will ever be enough words to express just how much she means to me. I love my sister more than anything can describe and my best laughs are with her. Happy birthday Rae!! I hope you have the best day!” Today is Rae’s 22nd birthday. Happy birthday Rae!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Ryder Birky is a typical three-year-old boy. He loves his mommy, Sierah Birky; daddy, Riley Birky; and his big brother, Jace. Ryder loves doing anything his parents and older brother are doing. Ryder loves being outdoors. He loves running around with his brother. They are best friends. Ryder loves going to the park and playing on the toys there. One of his favorite things in going on the slide. That is typical of three-year-olds. Ryder takes great pleasure on all of the playground equipment. As he grows, he gets better at each one, and having a big brother to show him the ropes helps a 
lot too. Ryder is a busy, active boy. That too is typical for his age.
A year ago, Ryder and his family received a miracle when his daddy, Uncle Tucker, and two of their friends were badly burned in a car fire involving fireworks. Ryder could have lost his daddy that day, but he did not, and in fact, none of the men had bad scars on their faces. I’m not sure about scars in other areas, but they are alive…Ryder and Jace still have their daddy. Much prayer went out or the men, and God answered our prayers. Ryder was so happy when his daddy got to come 
home from the hospital. It was a wonderful day for all of them.
Every day, Ryder learn more and more things. His brother helps with that process. Big brothers have a tendency to do that. As they influence their younger siblings, they set the stage for the way the younger kids are. Jace has been a big influence on Ryder, and since they are pals, it has become a great thing. I look forward to watching both of these boys as they learn and grow. Today is Ryder’s 3rd birthday. Happy birthday Ryder!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Dylan Herr is a very busy guy. He is Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Herr Group. Dylan manages nine Red Wing Shoe stores. Dylan is a very social kind of guy, which makes his perfect for the position he is in. He knows how to make people comfortable in any setting. He has been in the show business all his life. It is a family run business, and he has grown into it, learning from the best. He knows the business inside out, upside down, and backward. He goes non-stop, if it’s not at work, it’s in his own activities, or his family, which is truly his top priority.
Dylan loves to play golf, and is teaching his son, Max to play too. Max may be young, but he will likely make an excellent 
golfer in the future. Dylan and his team placed 2nd in the recent Rotary Club Golf Tournament. It’s a five-man team and from what I have gathered, the competition was fierce. Dylan also plays softball and basketball. I’m not surprised. Dylan and his wife, my grandniece, Katy Herr are two of the most athletic people I have ever met. They recently ran a Glow Run 5K race together, and Dylan supports Katy in her marathon runs. Running a race is one thing, but having people behind you all the way, cheering you on, sure makes it a whole lot better. In addition to teaching Max how to golf, Dylan is the coach of Max’s T-Ball team, and he really loves helping these kids learn how to play, and sportsmanship too. Max and Dylan are “best buds” and love to wrestle and play sports together.
In addition to all the sports “running” here and there from team to team and event to event, Dylan finds time 
to do all the normal yardwork and house chores. He has become the most amazing handyman ever, which is awesome. When Dylan and Katy bought a house a few years ago, Dylan jumped right into all the normal homeowner things, without complaining. He wants their home to be comfortable for his family, and for when his family and any other guests comes to visit. Dylan also is a very community-oriented guy. He gets involved in fund raisers and other community activities around town. Everything Dylan is involved in make him a very fast-paced guy. I think most of us would have trouble keeping up. I know his pace makes me think I need a nap, and I’m no wimp either. I just don’t go at the pace of the Herr family for sure. Today is Dylan’s birthday. Happy birthday Dylan!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
When she first met him, she told me that her heart skipped a beat. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen. That view of him never changed. He was older than she was, which was not unusual in those days. Her own dad was sixteen years older than her mom. Still, my mom, Collene (Byer) Spencer was just a girl of 15 or 16 years, and my dad, Allen Spencer was 12 years older than she was. Nevertheless, their love was real and lasting. Her parents, George and Hattie Byer liked him too, so there was no problem there. He had been a friend my Aunt Virginia (Byer) Beadle and her later ex-husband, Jim Reynolds’ for a while before he met my mom. Once they met, however, he and my mom were a match made in Heaven, and neither one of them were ever interested in anyone else again.
They married when Mom was 17 years old and Dad was 29 years old, and they were married until his passing, 53 years later. Their love was a beautiful thing to grow up with. We, their daughters, Cheryl Masterson, Caryl Reed, Alena Stevens, Allyn Hadlock, and I always knew that they loved each other forever and ever. The years found Al and Collene blessed with a growing family, sons-in-law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and now great great grandchildren. As parents, their daughters have worked to keep their legacy of love, telling all the kids about their wonderful grandparents. One day the kids who haven’t known them will get to meet them in Heaven, and that will be a great day. Mom and Dad loved the grandbabies, and I know they already love them as much as we do.
Mom and Dad loved to travel around this great country of ours. They were patriots through and through. While they had been to other countries, they always felt that the United States was the best nation on Earth and wanted their girls to see it. And see it we did. Every summer found us taking a vacation somewhere. We were probably the most traveled students in school, as was mentioned when teachers asked what we did in the 
summer. They were always surprised at the states we had seen. Now that we know how amazing our travels have been, we feel very blessed that our parents gave us that wonderful gift. Nevertheless, the greatest gift was the gift of their unconditional love. We weren’t perfect, but we were always loved. Today would have been Mom and Dad’s 72nd anniversary. Happy anniversary in Heaven Mom and Dad. We all love and miss you very much and look forward to seeing you in Heaven in our future.
These days, 32 years of marriage is a very impressive number, and when you add to that the three years they dated, and my daughter, Corrie Petersen and her husband, Kevin Petersen have been together 35 years. They started dating when Corrie was 15 years old and Kevin was 19 years old. You wouldn’t expect two kids those ages to get beyond dating, much less 32 years of marriage, but from the moment these two kids met…the rest was history. They never looked any further, and they couldn’t be more perfect for each other.
When they said, “I do,” on July 17, 1993, they fully meant that they would be together no matter what came to pass in their lives. They have been through thick and thin, some sickness but mostly health, and Corrie’s years in nursing school. and through it all, they have stuck together and supported each other completely. There was never any doubt that these kids loved each other. It was a beautiful thing to see. These days, they are parents to two boys, Chris and Josh. They have two 
daughters-in-law, Karen and Athena, as well as six grandchildren, Cambree, Caysen, Justin, Axel, Cyler, and Cristian. They feel so incredibly blessed, and anyone who knows them would heartily agree.
These days, with nursing school behind her, and two years as a nurse, Corrie and Kevin have been able to enjoy camping again. Nursing school is very hard, and it leaves no time to luxuries like vacations. Nevertheless, these kids stuck it out together, and now they are reaping the benefits of their labors and loyalty. They have more free time to enjoy camping and those grandkids. They have also been gardening and making some renovations on their house. Mostly, however, they have been enjoying they time they get to spend together, because after all, their love started it all. When two people decide to get married, they always have good intentions, but over the years, so many people forget those good intentions. They forget those old feelings and start to go in different directions. But not Corrie and Kevin. Their feelings never changed. Their love started it, and their love 
will always keep them together. We all feel blessed by their union. It is wonderful to watch them work together on every aspect of their lives. And if makes my heart glad to know that Kevin has always taken such good care of my daughter. Every parent of a daughter wants to know that their son-in-law is good to their daughter and loves her completely. We have been blessed to have our son-in-law, do just that. Today is Corrie and Kevin’s 32nd anniversary. Happy anniversary Corrie and Kevin!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Chris Killinger has been such a wonderful blessing to my niece, Lacey Killinger. He is so supportive of her endeavors, even “word of mouth” advertising for her beauty salon when she started it up. Chris and his two children, Brooklyn and Jaxon joined our family “officially” when he and Lacey were married, but they were ours way before that. We could see clearly that Chris was Lacey’s life-long love. The day they married was perfect and while it was cold on October 28, 2023, no one noticed. Since that time, their love has grown and flourished. They have become a sweet family, who all love each other.
Chris and Lacey love to go camping, but their camper was too big for their old truck, so Chris recently got a new truck that can easily handle the camper. He is very excited about it. This truck can easily pull the camper, so they are hoping to go camping more now. Over the Fourth of July, Chris; brother-in-law, Matt Miller (Matt is married to Lacey’s sister, Michelle); and one of their friends, went all out to put on a great firework show at the 
lake where they were all camping!! The guys bought a ton of fireworks and even the tools to light the fireworks off with just a button. The effect was fabulous!! The people camping next to them told them how amazing the show was!! The guys went all out because fireworks were one of Lacey and Michelle’s mom, Alena Stevens’ (who passed away on April 23, 2025) favorite things at the lake. That totally endears them to me as well, because Alena was my sister. Lacey thinks the boys look forward to doing the fireworks this way every year! That is a tradition Alena would really love. And so will any campers in the general vicinity of their camp spots.
Chris started a new job in January at Compression Leasing, which he likes a lot! Prior to this Chris was the office and purchasing manager for Atlas Aero Service, which is located at the Casper-Natrona County International Airport. I’m sure he is very happy at his new job, but I wonder if he misses all the airplane 
activity out the window of his old office. Chris is a great dad. Brooklyn is his girly girl, and she loves all things beauty, which is perfect for Lacey, who loves helping Brooklyn with her dream look. Jax, of course, loves helping his daddy do anything he is working on. They ate two of a kind. Chris and Lacey love to go to concerts, and they go quite a bit when they can. They are mostly into country concerts. And they always have a great time!! Today is Chris’ birthday. Happy birthday Chris!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My nephew, Shannon Moore is an educator, through and through. He has a bachelor’s degree in education (he was a math teacher for quite a while), a master’s degree in physical education, and a master’s degree in education administration, which would be the level of a school principal. He is the assistant coach for the Wyoming Cowboys football team. He is also their tight ends coach and helps with special teams too. My sister, Allyn Hadlock, Shannon’s mother-in-law, tells me, “Shannon has really worked hard with his team, and the Lord has blessed him greatly!! He has always been a mentor for youth and a living example of God’s goodness. Now, he is helping in the children’s room at their church, teaching, leading, and mentoring those kids to make a difference!! Shannon has always had a ministry with children, youth, and college kids, and I believe the Lord will continue to use him to help kids follow a Godly example. He speaks at Fellowship of Christian Athletes dinners and is always willing to be used by the Lord!!”
Shannon’s wife, Lindsay Moore always gets so excited about Shannon’s birthday and about having a chance to tell people about her husband! She loves that she and their daughter, Mackenzie get to celebrate “the guy who always takes care of us and everyone else!! Shannon and Mackenzie have such a special bond. He’s always ready to give her quality time. They play, he teaches her things, they just love each other very much!! She has Daddy wrapped around her finger in the best way. When she is learning a new skill, he is so patient (a true coach) and spends time to help her learn – whether it’s flips on the trampoline, riding a new bike, mini golfing, paddle boarding, math – he just knows how to teach.” Those are such great things to have said about you. Shannon truly has a heart of gold.
Because Shannon is a coach, they family has lots of family time during the summer months. They usually take several vacations. This year was a little bit extra special, because they got to come to Casper for Lindsay’s sister Kellie Hadlock’s marriage to Time Thompson. It was a special time with the girls participating in the 
wedding. They also had great vacations to Chadron State Park, the Big Horns Mountains, Fremont Lake, and Alpine. Shannon is always up for an adventure…a hike, a bath in a creek or lake, a four-wheeler ride, paddle boarding, etc. Lindsay says, “I’m so blessed because Shannon is a wonderful, kind, loving husband. He really personifies 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. I always tell people that the person they see out in public is even better at home. And he’s real handsome too!!” Today is Shannon’s birthday. Happy birthday Shannon!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
As hard as it is for any of us to believe, my grandniece, Taylor Masterson is all grown up. As of today, she is 18 years old, and as her sister, Raelynn says, she’s a “full adult” now. Raelynn says, “I really couldn’t be more proud of who Taylor is becoming.” Taylor is happy and working at Starbucks now. She is also learning to be her own best advocate, making sure that she has the things she needs and that people don’t step on her. Taylor spent much of her young life being shy, and maybe, a little insecure, but now, her voice keeps getting more and more confident. Raelynn tells me, “She’s going from the little kid who had trouble talking, who had trouble speaking out, to this adult who loves so deeply, and speaks her mind, it almost feels unreal. She’s creating boundaries and making sure they stick.”
Taylor has a long-time best friend named Christian. When they were 14, they spent most of their time playing board games on the porch, but these days, they are going out and being active in the world more often. Taylor is becoming a very responsible adult. She insists on buying her own things when she has the money. Even for dentist or doctor appointments when her parents, Rob and Dustie Masterson say it’s fine. She even called the dentist all on her own and made her own appointment! Taylor is doing quite well at the adulting thing, I think.
Taylor never fails to tell Raelynn when she is getting too worked up. She is learning to be a calming effect of her sister and others around her. Raelynn has some anxiety issues, and Taylor knows how to help. Raelynn says, “If it’s a particularly bad day she’ll tell me to go take a nap, or bring me a snack, or tell me to drink some water and just breathe. Mom and dad do that as well, but Taylor in particular is the one usually on my case about it.”
Taylor’s mom, Dustie says, “Taylor is one of the most sensitive and caring people that I know. People say that they’ll give you the shirt off their back and some people may, but most people really don’t. With Taylor, whether it’s a detriment to her or not she will give you whatever you need or want. No matter how much it hurts.” Dustie knows her daughter well. She knows that Taylor is introverted and introspective. Dustie says, “I think that it’s important to mention most people anymore are more about ‘look at me look at me’ but in a lot of ways, 
Taylor reminds me of me she’d rather be behind the scenes getting it done with nobody being the wiser as to who got it done.” Very well said, Dustie!!
For Dustie, this birthday is particularly hard, because Taylor is the baby of the family, and now she’s an adult. All of Dustie and Rob’s kids are adults now. It just feels strange for a parent. Taylor was a rainbow baby, arriving after a loss. She helped her mom heal when she was baby and she’ll probably never know how much. She’s such a loving kind of soul and Dustie just wishes more people could see that that. I think Dustie and Raelynn told the world. Oh, and Taylor’s favorite non-human is her cat, Axel, whom she loves with all her heart. Today is Taylor’s 18th birthday. Happy birthday Taylor!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My grandnephew, Lucas Iverson was born with Down Syndrome, but that has not kept him from becoming a great young man. Like any child with Down Syndrome, Lucas faces life challenges, including physical, health, and developmental challenges. Nevertheless, he faces them with determination and a great smile. No matter what is going on in his life, Lucas always has that great smile. It’s hard for me to believe that Lucas is a teenager now. This past school year was a good one. Lucas was finally able to make it to school for five days a week without being sick. That is a great victory for a kid who has fought illness as a regular course of daily life.
His teenage and pre-teen years have been spent growing into his own skin, getting dressed by himself…and eating lots of his favorite fruit…bananas. He has really been working his way into being a teenager…something he has looked forward to being for a long time. While he is growing into being a teenager, he still really appreciates his stuffed animals. He is enjoying the summer, relaxing and reading. His button books are a big hit. Lucas is big brother to sisters, Zoey and Alicen, and he loves them both very much. The girls love their brother very much too, and while they understand his challenges, they still think of him as just their goofy brother, and while he is mostly a more serious teenager, he does have that goofy side. Occasionally he has a little spout of funny misbehaving, such as throwing cat food in 
his mom, Cassie Franklin’s plants. Plants need food too, I guess. Hahahaha!!
Lucas has been in Special Olympics bowling for over a year now. Last year, Lucas took first place. They did a lot of practicing this year, and Lucas is hoping to hold on to his record from last year and be the champion again this year. He seems to be a natural bowler, and he has a great time with his Special Olympics teammates and coaches. Lucas is a great kid, and he is really coming into his own in so many ways. We are so proud of all his accomplishments. Keep up the good work, Lucas!! Today is Lucas’ 14th birthday. Happy birthday Lucas!! Have a great day!! We love you!
