Sunday, February 14, 2010

SWEET SIXTEEN

Today, February 14, 2010
our beautiful daughter turned 16 years old!
We celebrated all weekend long!
Here is what part of our festivities looked like!

A group of friends went to see the movie "Valentine's Day" at the local movie theater.

And no birthday is complete without a few family photographs!

An Italian feast was served, Rebecca's favorite - Cheese Ravioli's, choice of 3 different sauces,
salad, and garlic bread.

There was serious cupcake decorating that took place after dinner.
All the cupcakes were very creative!
And everyone had a lot of fun customizing their own desserts!

After the delicious meal and dessert, it was time to open gifts!

And then some moments that were simply worth remembering!

HAPPY SWEET SIXTEEN TO OUR BEAUTIFUL REBECCA!

We find it so hard to believe that you are no longer a little girl, but a lovely young woman!
We are so proud of you and we love you very much!
What a joy to have you in our lives, and what a pleasure it was to celebrate this special day with you!
Love you always,
Mom (and Dad)




Friday, February 12, 2010

Snowstorm February 11, 2010



It just doesn't happen that often in Texas! Not like this anyway!
We received almost a foot of snow! Reports range from 10 to 12 inches, depending on where you live, but either way, it is a lot of snow for a bunch of folks who are only used to an occasional dusting or ice storm.
School is closed for two days now.
I even took a snow day from work.
Snowmen are being built all over the neighborhoods!

Here is what it looked like at my house!


Photo updates

A picture a day?

It hasn't happened in some time.
I took a handful though.

For several weeks, my family ate only vegan.
This is what it looked like in my kitchen through out the month of January.

Rebecca and I had a mother daughter day.
We went to the Galleria to shop and then she had her hair cut and colored.

She went from being a blond (above) to brown (below)
These are some photos that I took so that she could update her
Facebook profile with her darker hair.

The hair color faded a little more than she wanted it to, so we went back and had it darkened...just a bit.
Here is what she looked like on the night of our Superbowl party!

Below is a picture of me and my good friend, Tricia.
I was coming down with a cold (that turned into bronchitis and an ear infection)...so
I don't like this photo at all...but Tricia looks cute as always!


Friday Fill-Ins

It is Friday.
And I am participating in a "snow day."
The Dallas/Ft. Worth area received almost a foot of snow in the last two days. Unheard of!
The streets were mostly wet, but school is out, and hey, I just decided to take a snow day.

1. Pickles are not one of my favorite things to eat.

2. I like staying at home.

3. The snow is cold, wet, beautiful, and everywhere I look.

4. God's wonder is visible in nature.

5. It's 5:16 PM; that means I spent the entire day at home today.

6. A four leaf clover is hard to find.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to hanging out at home and staying warm, tomorrow my plans include hosting a Sweet Sixteen party for my daughter and Sunday, I want to go to church, celebrate my daughter's REAL 16th birthday, and celebrate Valentines Day too!

Hope you have a great weekend!

Monday, February 1, 2010

Continued Change

It is Monday and I have been in my pajamas all day. (currently, it is 3:40 p.m.)
My weekend was filled with activity, mostly centered around my almost 16 year old daughter. And it involved spending lots of money...well, it felt like lots of money. We shopped for clothes, some of which were purchased with gift certificates that she received at Christmas. In addition, she chose to have her blond hair colored brown, (she was in the mood for a change!) and then we selected an expensive name brand purse for her 16th birthday present. (this is not something I wanted to select without her help, so she was invited along)
And when this morning's alarm started buzzing in my ear at 5:00 a.m., the pounding in my head lead me to make a decision....
STAY HOME!
And so I did.
I haven't done anything really, except take a nap, visit with my mom and my sister (who is having a birthday today) on the phone and played a few rounds in the online scrabble game, Lexolus. I did submit my resume to a hospital that will open 10 minutes from my home, with many prayers accompanying the submission. One of the reason's I stayed home? I just wasn't up to the 45 minute commute to work. So, the thought of working within a 10 mile radius of my house sends goosebumps down my arms with excitement!
And I have had some quiet time, some thinking time, something very, very rare for me these days.
And it has been so refreshing.
I have considered the changes that I wrote about last week and some of the ones I didn't mention.
Like, will my son and his girlfriend really get to Texas to live? They are working fervently to make a move, in fact, at one point would have been here today except that the trip was postponed. (a wise decision) If it works out, my son's girlfriend could be living in my home, and that will be a change, for us and for her... and for my son who loves her. She wants to establish Texas state residency to attend grad school. I am eager and excited to help her out, but I can't help but think about the changes that would accompany that move.
And change will occur if my husband and I actually purchase the airplane that we are thinking of buying. We have been saving and hoping for an opportunity like this for about 15 years, and it looks like it might finally be here. We should know by this time next week, but everything is in place if the airplane passes it's annual inspection (it will), the aircraft is ours. So, becoming the owners of a Piper Cub airplane feels like a big change right about now.
Last night I met with a few women who are brand new in my life. They signed up to participate in the small group meeting for women that began meeting in my home a little more than a week ago. What fun to be part of something that God is doing from the very start - a group of women with the desire to form and live in Biblical Community - starting from scratch. About eight of them knew absolutely nobody else in the room. How amazing. God has given me the task of helping this group get to know one another, learn to love one another the way He designed, and hopefully grow more like Him in the process. AGH! I am so not worthy of the assignment, but only obedient to what He has asked me to do.
So, change continues to whirl around me. Change is happening, on the verge of happening, or I am adjusting to it having already happened, in so many areas of my life.
And today, I needed to stop, stand still, and gain some footing where I currently stand.
And I guess I should get out of my pajamas before my daughter gets home from school! :)