Oh my goodness. It has been over a year since I blogged, and what a year it has been. Three new grandchildren have been born, Tony and Colette moved from Missouri to Washington state, Benjamin moved from Texas to Oklahoma City. I started a full-time job teaching Spanish at a high school. We moved out of our house believing it to be sold, and just moved back in as it did not sell.

We lived with Maria and Travis for most of the year…while Maria was pregnant, I might add. It has been a complicated and very difficult year for all involved, but at the same time, there have been many blessings.

I loved living with my grandchildren, actually. Little children are so innocent and they always are so welcoming and kissed and hugged us when we got home from work, wanted to watch scripture videos with us, and just wanted to be held or have their back"s scratched. And of course, dark haired, new little Victoria; Maria's baby girl.

Grandma Nena was here part of the year, as well, and we all squished in to Maria and Travis’s home. Maria and Travis had the master bedroom, and had moved the boy’s bunk bed into there. They also had the baby’s bassinet and swing in there. What a sacrifice they made to allow us to live with them. (But now in hindsight, it was a blessing for both of us. Travis became unemployed during this time and both of us would have lost our homes, had we not done so).

Then David, Elizabeth, and Rebeca shared a room. While Grandma Nena was here, she shared the room and one of the girls slept on the couch. Then Fito and I slept on a futon in the third room, where I also had my office set up.

We are buying a custom made latex bed which will be done next week. We have never owned a new bed in 32 years of marriage. I am so excited; I feel like a little girl at Christmas!

The children, of course are happy to be back home and have their own rooms. We pulled up all the carpet, have been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning, cleaning (yes, I meant to repeat it that many times…my level of clean is completely different than many other people’s level of clean) and have been painting, fixing things, weeding, working on the house, and so on.

It appears that we may be able to keep the house, but several miracles will have to occur. But even a month ago, I didn’t have any hope, but now I do.

Some other things that have happened in the past year is that Matthew joined the National Guard. He did so for several reasons: college, opportunity, security. To have insurance for Ashley. Poor Ashley. She has been so sick and in pain for so long. She keeps getting kidney stones and/or infections and with a new baby and a toddler to take care of…a mother doesn’t need to be ill or in so much pain.

Benjamin and Michael are soooo cute, though, and Michael is constantly trying to climb everything! He even caught a squirrel one day playing outside. Ashley heard a scream (from the squirrel) and just as she looked over…it was running away from Michael.

Besides those two, we also have Miriam: Tony and Colette’s little girl and she has blond hair and porcelain skin. This new generation is just as mixed up as their parents were. I used to tell my children when they were little that they were Twists (an ice cream treat) because they were vanilla and chocolate mixed together. My grandchildren are the same!

The Army transferred them to Washington state, and Tony is soon to be deployed to Afghanistan.

Douglas and Ary are still in Houston and doing well with their pretty girls: Celeste and Bella. Both are growing up and are so much fun because now they talk to me on the phone, they're not in diapers or trying to run away. They love Grammy Tammy and are just great girls.

 

 

 

Michael on a trike acting like a big boy.

Benjamin swinging.

Xander, Greyson, Maria, Bella, Rebeca holding Victoria, Abby, a cousin, Celeste and Elizabeth, me at the end.

Ary, Celeste, and Isabella.

Miriam, Tony, and Colette.