Happy New Year!!

Last day of 2010! God has been good to us and we are thankful for all of His blessings....in January I had a wonderful opportunity to be with my girls...my daughters all of them....to celebrate Gina's 40th birthday. I remember like it was such a short time ago how tiny she was (5 lb. 14 oz. 18 in long) and bringing her home from the hospital...how scared we were to have such a fragile life and be responsible for her....I pray that we have been faithful to being good parents!

In early spring I helped my sister as she struggled with injuries from dog bites, she is still struggling with this. We had JP, Meg, Carlos in early March join us at home and at the coast, then we had the munchkins from Dallas come for Spring Break....such fun!!!
In April, I journeyed to Utah to celebrate Lora's birthday, Rebecca's 1st Communion and help Gina after surgery.

I had a wonderful birthday month....I've always liked the month of May :).

In June, we shared some fun times at the ranch and the coast, 13 of us...found out we were to be grandparents to numbers 11 and 12....more blessings!!!! Tony and I celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary giving each other a Caroline Skiff...named her "Forty One"!!

July was a sisters week at the coast, Mary stayed 3 days and Esther stayed 4......our planning didn't quite work out the way we "planned". Rita and the kids joined me for the rest of the week and we enjoyed the surf and sun and the new boat!!
We boated in August and then I took a trip back out to Utah to celebrate Jonathan's Confirmation. Such a grown-up thing to do and yet he passed all the requirements and we did it!

September brought about a trip to St. Louis....we visited with JP, Meg & Carlos in their new home...very nice. Great trip with between homework, classes, trips to the park and helping with some minor chores.

The guys made it to the "guys' weekend" modeling after our January girls' weekend....but they went fishing, we scrapped, they played cards, we watched chick flicks, they drank Wild Turkey, we had wine & Shiner Bock......but most importantly we ate out and had pedicures!!! October also brought challenges as our youngest grand-daughter decided to come early--very early, at 28 weeks. It has been back and forth since then....emotions running up and down. Lots of prayers, tears, undecided moments and heart tugs as to what to do. I just want to hold Rita and tell her all is going to be okay, let her rest, allow her to just cry but I see a strong woman.....my little girl, all grown up, with her family, struggling to make sure they don't see the stress. As I reflect on her, I remember where I was at 35 years of age......I had four children, 14, 9, 7 and an infant with a husband who was very ill....undiagnosed....was it cancer? was he going to be alright??? Lost 25 lbs in 2 weeks....lethargic....frail....not going to work.....couldn't figure out what was wrong...........many novenas to our Lady, to St. Anthony...........no support, no family close by...........but it worked out.....for I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. And the plans we have seen the Lord work out have not always been according to ours but surely better than we could have ever hoped.

I went to a quilt show in Houston with my favorite mother in law and Carrie....had a great time. Found lots of patterns and fabrics.....then, I flew up to Portland to visit with Lora and family....grandchildren bring such joy!!! I loved reconnecting with the sewing machine and the love of sewing for my children!!! But now it's for the grandchildren....I am having so much fun doing this!!!

We spent Thanksgiving with Rita and family....celebrated Lydia's birthday and anxiously wondered when Marianne would come home......we began a new chapter in our lives as we face a forced retirement...Tony's contract was not renewed and so he is home.....we have had lots of time together, more time than we ever had before we were married and after....honeymooning sometimes and other times some space is needed. I married a wonderful man! :)

We celebrated my sister's 50th birthday but more importantly we celebrated reuniting with my brother, Manuel. This was the best!!

We went back to Dallas in December and we pray that our little miracle comes home soon.....perhaps a new home....but we will leave all of this in God's hands, only He knows what's in store for them and for us.

I have spent some time with my mom....probably could try to spend more time with her, sometimes I feel like I am asking permission to visit with her and it is up to him as to whether he will "allow" me to visit or not. Other times I feel as if she just doesn't want to see anyone and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Her health is good, her memory is not. We keep re-directing the conversation so she can focus on good memories and not the bad, or the stuff that makes her sad. I just need to remember to stay positive myself and not give up or want to quit seeing her. She needs me and I need her!

Today is the last day of 2010 and the resolution for next year is to try to "journal" daily.....oh, okay.....once a week!!!! It is 11:15 p.m. on Dec 31, 2010.....God has been good to me....to us....thank you Lord for your many blessings, for our children and their wonderful spouses, for our grandchildren. Thank you Lord for our family and friends.....bless them.

Merry Christmas!

I know that giving is better than receiving, yet when we delivered the gifts to our adopted family this evening we received so much more than we gave. The tears and grateful expressions of thankfulness were more than expected and more than we deserved.

We are thankful for the blessings we have received this year and the opportunity to share. Merry Christmas!!