Wow! I know...I know. I have been negligent in updating this blog. But a new year brings new goals. So let's start by catching up a bit.

This is Tony, Colette, and Miriam. They are in Washington State (too far away for GrammyTammy). Tony is still in the Army...engineer officer...and spent a year in Afganistan, then came home and was sent off to fight all the wild fires in the West. Colette, is the strong wonderful mother that is giving sweet Miriam one of the best childhoods ever...eating berries...climbing, running outside, lots of books...actually...ALL my married children and their spouses  are doing an incredible job of loving and raising their children.

We miss them so much. They did come for Thanksgiving and it was so much fun to see cousins play together and start to build those wonderful, life-long special relationships that only cousins and siblings have.

Next, is Douglas, Ary, Celeste, and Bella. They are in Houston. Not so far away ( a 7 hour drive). So we see them more frequently, but certainly, not enough. Celeste turned 8, so she is our first grandchild to be Baptized which was a wonderful experience. One, that I hope and pray, is repeated again and again. Ary is a teacher, and Douglas is doing really well as a Construction Specialist for CDM Smith.

This above is Michael on Ashley's lap, with Benjamin on Matthew's lap. Matthew is number 3 son. They live in Oklahoma City and are both in college and working. I will share another time, but they really have suffered a lot this past year...so it is nice to see them in this picture from December, happy and healthy. Ashley is expecting again, and this will be grandchild number 9.

Benjamin (# 4 son) and his girlfriend, Ariana, also live in Oklahoma City, so they are close by. We absolutely love Ariana. Fito loves that she speaks Spanish (Ashley and Maria are learning...and Douglas is almost there...)

This picture is from their trip to Costa Rica. Ariana is a teacher, Ben works full-time and goes to college at night.

Maria, my first girl, after 4 boys, is child number 5. She finished school to become a dental assistant, and is back in school taking business classes, and planning on becoming a dentist. Here she is with Travis, and their 3 children: Tori, Greyson, and Xander. They live in Moore, OK, which is part of the OKC metro. Travis works hard in the oilfield and has done really well this past year.

Felipe Joshua is child, number 6. He lives in OKC with Benjamin. They also work at the same company: CLEAResult, which is a really good company that does  good and is good to their employees. He is dating a teacher (my grandmother and Fito's grandmother were teachers, Several of Fito's relatives are teachers, Fito, me, Ary, and Ariana are teachers, ben wants to be a teacher, and Felipe is dating a teacher).

I love this picture of Felipe with Grandma Nena, Fito's mom.

Child, number 7, is David. David has lived in severe pain for almost 5 years. Not being able to do many of the things that normal young adults do and having to give up many of his dreams. But then we found a new doctor (we have gone from doctor to doctor for years in search of relief) and David finally has the pain to a point it is manageable. He recently just went out to Utah, where he is living with his cousin, Nick, working, and hopefully, will be able to finish college.

Isn't this a great pic? How the nieces and nephews love their aunts and uncles!

Now we have Elizabeth, who is 18, and living presently in Houston with Douglas and Ary.

She is working and getting ready to go on a mission, hopefully, leaving this summer.

We miss her; but I know Douglas, Ary, and the girls love her cleaning and playing!

 

That just leaves Beca, who is 14. She will be with us for awhile, but thankfully, she is not alone as we have one of my former students, Sarah Lynn, living with us at present as well. Sarah is in her senior year of high school and plans to go on a mission, too, in June.

Beca is organized!! She cleans the pantry, the drawers, closets, etc. She and Elizabeth have been the sweetest ending to many years of raising children. (Although, it's not an ending at all, as the family keeps growing and growing!)

This is Sarah, Elizabeth, and Beca. Great girls!