Oh my, it's a couple days before CHRISTMAS!!! Why don't I update this thing more often. Blog - FAIL! Well, the weather outside is frightful...no, not really. It has actually been SO delightful the last few days but I hear its gonna turn cold for Christmas, which = fires in the fireplace, YES! Well it's the Tuesday before Christmas on Friday and I know that Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are going to be beyond BUSY so I really don't want to do anything today. I've had 4 days in a row of being gone and today I'm just gonna do nothing. Of course I say that and 10 things will come up that I have to do but at 10:30am, I am being lazy!
SO many things to update since I do, blog/fail on a constant. On November 14th my niece Jessica was married. She was born when I was 15 and OH BOY, was i smitten. After my #1 sister Tina had 3 nephews for me, I was THRILLED to have Jessica! Here is a few pictures of Jessica's bridals and a pic of her with her guy, Greg. November 14th was a very special day for many reasons!
Here is a pic of my #1 sister Tina and her wonderful family. Tina was 12 when I was born and she was my other Mother. She is an amazingly STRONG woman and 1 of my favorites!
Tina is the 1st of us 7 girls to be a Nana (jealous!). She has 5 grandchildren. Here is the gang, minus Bethany & baby Henry.
On the day before Thanksgiving - November 25, 2009 - Roman William Garcia entered into the world. He was a gift to Josh and Emily and a blessing from our Father above. Emily lived with our family for 2 years while she was going to Bible school. We love her like our own and all of us were at the hospital to welcome Roman into the family. It's been a TOUGH 2009 for these 2. They both lost their fathers this past Summer (3 weeks apart) but the love & mercy of God has seen them THROUGH it!! Ray had the honor of praying over Roman minutes after he was born. PROUD of Emily!! Here is the little family minutes after the birth.
Umm...Thanksgiving was wonderful. My amazing sister Toni (#2 sister) - hosted a wonderful evening and most of our whole gang was there. Well several weren't but I think the days of us all being in 1 place at 1 time - are over. Very sad to say but it's just a fact. Of course there is still so many when several are gone but it still feels different when it's 30 instead of 50. But it was a great day and VERY much to be thankful for!! Everyone was quite tired but here are a few pics. of our Thanksgiving.
Toni, Becky and Laney
Karly and Emily
Ryan and Logan
Caleb & My Dad More Family
Before Thanksgiving dinner I did a little photo shoot with my kiddos. I wouldn't say that it was the most successful but here are some from that day.
This was at the end. Grant had a yard FULL of cousins throwing the football and I was torturing him by taking his pic. and it shows on his face!
This pic started with some of the kids on these BIG rocks - and then it became a jumping pic.
Silly, silly!!
I did the whole black friday with Sarah, Liv, Hannah and Austin. We actually started at 12:00am and got back to the house at 5am,ish. Then off an on Friday I got out with Ray and Rach - after a nap. Many sales were made and I got a good start.
The latest update on our family is 1 of my other sisters - Tammy (#4 sister), is going to be a Grandma this coming Summer! Her only daughter Autumn just found out she is PREGNANT. SO excited for her and Wes & very excited for my sister. Here is a picture of Tammy's family on Wes and Autumn's wedding day a couple years ago.
December has been interesting and we have seen many miracles happen around our house. With the economy and business being down for Ray - it's been challenging really all year but December has been the most challenging. But GOD is SO BEYOND faithful to His children. Our needs are met, some of our wants will be fulfilled on Friday morning but through it all He is faithful to His children. Every trial - financial for some, physical for others, spiritual for many - Jesus is the answer and THE person to go to. Sarah wrote this morning to a dear friend the following scripture to encourage her. It spoke volumes to me and I know it will encourage you. Psalm 4:6-8 it says - There are many who say, "Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord !" You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord , make me dwell in safety. - It reminded me of so many times through this last year that I wanted and needed someone to lift me up and encourage me. Many, many times of course we had each other, our children, family and friends but many more times it was the Lord who would shine His light on us, HE alone would put JOY in our hearts. I was to receive my JOY from Him alone - more then the grains of sand in a desert, we would feel His joy! Our security and safety in HIM would give us a peace that passed all human understanding. I'm so grateful for His word and for the perspective of this year.
With all that said, am I ready to say goodbye to 2009 - YES!! I am SOOOO looking forward to 2010. I feel a burning in my spirit that the Lord is stirring up something inside our family, something different. I don't know exactly how it's gonna happen but I'm so HAPPY that HE directs our path. Isn't that wonderful to sit and think on? The hows, whens and wheres are ALL planned out by a God that I can FULLY and COMPLETELY rely on!!! You see, He has NEVER let me down. Even in the last year - EVERY need we had, was met - and we NEVER stopped giving. He does take care of His children. I love that I was trained MANY, many years ago, that the POWER of my words are the rudder of my life. ALL through the Bible it talks about our words and that they can produce life or death. They are powerful! I know that as soon as my words hit the atmosphere they are for blessing or cursing. I'm so grateful that I have a family that speaks things that aren't, as though they are and that's FAITH people! I choose FAITH!! So kids, no matter what you go through in your years to come. NEVER lose heart because the Lord is on your side. When people let you down, He will never let you down. I choose to put all my trust in HIM!!!
So our Christmas festivities will begin on Christmas Eve with many traditions and some that just couldn't happen this year...BUT....we will be together and loving EVERY second of it. Maybe I will just have to blog about our "together" Christmas or a wrap up of the whole year - but I can't promise anything! HA!!! I am SO grateful, grateful, grateful for health, happiness and LOVE, all around me. But I'm MOST grateful that my Father in heaven sent His son to earth to be born of a virgin and then He died & rose again so that I could have eternal life and live an OVERCOMING life!! My prayer for all of you is that you will see THE GIVER all around you this season. He gives LIFE and LOVE and He loves you more than you could ever imagine!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!
Christmas Cards didn't make the cut this year and that's OK, but I did make them so I will share them in this blog. It's really better here because if you got it in the mail it would be chunked or trashed after the season and this way it will be here for your viewing pleasure - anytime. HA!
