Happy Holidays...

I hope you are not looking at my title and thinking that I am being pluralistic....taking the Christ out of Christmas. I am not. There are a few upcoming Holidays that will be here very soon and I am trying be inclusive of all of them without having to list them indivudually in the title.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, just over one week away. Our household is looking forward to a visit from abuela. She will be arriving from NYC next Monday and the girls can't wait to see her. We have been planning this for quite some time now. We have not seen abuela since last December when she came to Fort Jackson, SC for Angel's graduation from CHBOLC, so we are all excited. We are making plans of places to take her and things we want to see with her. BLORA's Nature in Lights is at the top of that list. If you are ever near Fort Hood between Thanksgiving and New Year's, you need to make plans to see this extreme drive thru light show. It is great!

Christmas will be here before we know it. I saw a countdown clock this morning.....only 37 more days until Christmas. I remember last year, we arrived in Texas just days before Christmas. We had been through so much transition that after the household goods ( our belongings) arrived and the kitchen and a bathroom were set up, we put up our Christmas tree. This Christmas also brings change. Angel will be here with us for this Christmas...but not next.
As I was praying this morning, I asked the Lord to reveal Himself to those who are struggling this holiday season, especially those whose homes are missing loved ones due to deployment.
Can you tell what's on my mind?

After Christmas, the New Year will begin and we will be off and running in 2009. I hope that will be just as literal as it is figuratively. The other day we bought a treadmill and I am hoping to establish a routine of using it daily. My neighbor and I used to meet at 5AM, Monday thru Friday and walk 2.2 miles each morning, that was before Angel went away for training. With the deployment coming closer, I need to find a way to exercise that does not involve hauling 4 kids out into the cold morning.

Well, I hope that as the holidays are approaching, you are not only making preparations for your home but also your heart. May you know Christ and the fullness of His love. May this holiday season be a time of recomittment and dedication to serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

A bit emotional

Lately, I have been a bit emotional. Maybe it's because we are on the verge of our first deployment...maybe it's because the holidays are approaching and I haven't seen family (except for a visit from my parents in May) since last December....whatever the case, I have been crying a bit more than usual (normally I don't cry). It's easy to "know" something...meaning to have knowledge of it...but to really KNOW about something describes one who is going through it, wrestling with and or has gone through it. I think when we decided for Angel to make the career move to the military, there was a lot of excitement and anticipation. I knew that we would move away from family, start fresh every few years, and even have to go through a deployment...I was ok with that, but the reality has hit home. I am 1500 miles from my family. I can't just get in the car and go out to lunch with my mom or invite my sister and her family over for dinner anymore. My husband will be gone for a year and I will be a single parent....though happily married.

I know that people are praying and will continue to pray for me and my family. I really appreciate that and covet your prayers. I am learning each day to trust God even more than before...many times during my devotional time the song comes to mind....

"I need you more...more than yesterday...I need you more...more than words can say...I need you more...than ever before...I need you Lord...I need you Lord"

I don't know about you but I am struggling right now. Part of me wants to run back to PA and have my family around while Angel is gone...while another part of me knows that my family (Angel, me and the girls) has a home in Texas where we have been living for the past year. I don't think there is a right and wrong decision about what to do during a deployment but I feel like that's what I have made it into...a right or wrong.

I am going to stick with my inital decision to stay in Texas and trust that God will give me the extra grace that I will need to get through. I don't want to just survive a deployment...but I want to THRIVE. God wants more for us that just to make it through our circumstances, He wants to use our circustances as opportunites for us to grow, in faith and character. To trust Him more and to walk with Him closer than before.

I am a mess this week...but I will be fine. I trust God and His promises that are found in His Word, the Bible. I have told my Bible study class that when they are going through something to go to the Word and find scriptures that lift them up and encourage them...and to write these scriptures on notecards and post them around their house. I think I need to take some of my own advice.

Gotta run and make some notecards. I pray that you are blessed by God and can have eyes of faith for whatever you are going through today.

Young Chuck

A friend of mine posted this on her blog...and I had to steal it. Don't shoot me Denise :)

Young Chuck, moved to Montana and bought a horse from a farmer for $100.00.
The farmer agreed to deliver the horse the next day.
The next day the farmer drove up and said, 'Sorry son, but I have some bad news, the horse died.'
Chuck replied, 'Well, then just give me my money back.'
The farmer said, 'Can't do that. I went and spent it already.'
Chuck said, 'Ok, then, just bring me the dead horse.'
The farmer asked, 'What ya gonna do with him? Chuck said, 'I'm going to raffle him off.'
The farmer said, 'You can't raffle off a dead horse!'
Chuck said, 'Sure I can. Watch me. I just won't tell anybody he's dead.'
A month later, the farmer met up with Chuck and asked, 'What happened with that dead horse?' Chuck said, 'I raffled him off.
I sold 500 tickets at two dollars a piece and made a net profit of $898.00.'
The farmer said, 'Didn't anyone complain?'
Chuck said, 'Just the guy who won. So I gave him his two dollars back.' Chuck grew up and works for the government.

Overnight Getaway!

Since Angel was away at training for the month of September, their unit has been given and extra day off here and there....Today was one of those days. We decided that we would spend it doing something fun with the girls. Since HSM3 (High School Musical) was opening today, we thought it would be a great surprise to get tickets and go with the girls. To add to the excitement, yesterday I told the girls I needed to run some errands and we loaded into the van. On the way out, we met up with Angel in front of the commissary so that he could pass off the goods. What he was giving me was the room key to a hotel room in the next town. We found a hotel that has an indoor pool and made reservations earlier in the week. I "ran my errands" and acted like I was heading toward Walmart....but behind Walmart was the surprise. As I pulled into the parking lot the girls didn't quite get where we were and why. When they heard that we were staying there and there was a pool, they got sooo excited.

The girls and I went to our room and swam while Angel was at a meeting. We then got ready to go out to dinner and met Angel at Applebees. After dinner we headed back to the hotel for more....SWIMMING. We got icecream and let the girls stay up very late (it was 10PM when we turned out the lights). This morning everyone slept in...well at least until 8 or so and we had a nice breakfast...and then you'll never guess what we did again..............went swimming.

After checkout, we headed to the movie theatre. The girls had no idea of what we were doing and when we got close and confirmed their suspicions....they screamed their heads off. They had a great time and we came home after the movie so the little two could get in a nap. The girls are now outside playing with their friends who they haven't seen in a whole day (imagine that).

Hopefully between now and the time Angel heads to the sandbox, we can plan some other exciting family trips into our schedule. I can't believe October is almost over. Marissa's birthday is next Friday and she will be 11...though sometimes I think maybe 19. She is growing up soooo much. Tomorrow she and I will spend the morning together for her birthday.

PWOC

You might be asking...what is PWOC? I initially did. PWOC stands for Protestant Women of the Chapel. It is a non demoninational group of women that meets on Army bases to LEAD women to Christ, TEACH them, help them DEVELOP spiritually and INVOLVE them. At Fort Hood, our PWOC meets on Monday evenings (especially for those who work during the day) for dinner, fellowship, worship and Bible Study and then again on Tuesday mornings. After meeting together as a group, the women break out into small groups/classes of their choice for the semester. There are always many good classes to choose from to encourage you in your walk with the Lord and to help you grow in your faith.

This fall I have comitted to team teach a Monday night class. I wasn't sure which one I wanted to do, but when I went the first night where they present the classes offered...it kind of jumped out at me. Many of you know we are getting ready to face our first deployment in the very near future....the class that I chose is base on a book by Ronda Sturgill called "Wives of the Warriors".

Here is a summary from Ronda's website of this book...."we study a different Biblical Principle that applies to the following circumstances:
Moving frequently
Deployments
Single parenting, yet happily married
Leaving employment
Loneliness, anger, and frustration
Participation in this study encourages interaction with Scripture for the purpose of changing attitudes and actions. Through in-depth study of His Word, we learn God's plans, purposes and promises for our lives."

Well, when I saw the deployment and single parenting yet happily married, I knew this was the class for me since this will be my life for 12 months. It has been a good class thus far but I was very encouraged the other night during class.

Our topic this week was dealing with our Weaknesses. I was very well prepared, as it was my week to teach....we started, but never finished the lesson. We have some newer Christians or those even brought up going to church but did not grow up having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Questions came up about not being worthy...hurts from their past religious experiences...understanding God's restoring work in our lives....and our access to God through Jesus Christ. I walked away from that lesson so excited!! A few of us were even in the parking lot for an additional 20 minutes or so talking and encouraging each other.

You know, this is what it's all about. Leading people to Christ and discipling them! Get exciting about God and His Word. I have a question for you.... where are you in your walk with God? Do you know Him as your Lord and Savior? Are you growing daily in your relationship with Him? Do you meet with your friend, Jesus regularly? We all hit roadblocks or tough times in our lives...but God wants more than anything to have a real and personal relationship with you. He wants you to spend time with Him. If you have become too busy for God, give Him 5 minutes of your time today. Don't start BIG and get overwhelmed. Start small and be consistant! Get our your Bible today and be encouraged by His promises to you and I. As you seek Him, expect Him to move in your life and circumstances.

Fall Texas Fun

I don't know when it happened, but Breanna has chosen her new FAVORITE movie...Barbie and the Diamond Castle....though she calls it Princess Diamond Castle. We watch this movie at least once a day, if not more and everyone knows all the songs! But after the first viewing of the day...the older two would rather not watch it yet again. Yesterday after the first viewing, Marissa talked Breanna into watching something else, Everyone's Hero. I couldn't believe it...Breanna was watching something other than the Princess movie....or so I thought. When Marissa left the family room, Breanna went and found her Princess Movie and removed Everyone's Hero from the DVD and put her own favorite movie into the player. It was so funny and when Marissa came back a few minutes later she asked me why I changed the movie....I told her I didn't...Breanna did. LOL

Later in the day while I was on the computer, Marissa called from upstairs.."Mom, you gotta seet this" Well I obviously didn't get there in a timely fashion because next thing I know, all the girls were coming into the family room laughing loudly. The pictures below describe what I saw...two little marshmellows having fun, courtesy of their big sister.

After some marshmellow fun, the little ones went out in the backyard to play. Next thing I know I see Victoria trying to pull Breanna around in the sled. :) It was so cute.

Once a Month Cooking

It's that time again...to organize and put together a list of meals that my neighbor and I will be cooking. We usually cook between 20 and 25 meals per family...meaning we cook about 50 meals in two days. I have found a new cookbook and we are trying some recipes from there, so this month our preparations are taking a bit longer, since I need to add all the ingredients into my spreadsheet so that I have an accurate shopping list, trust me this is important.

In the past we have averaged about $120 per family to cook the 25 meals...not bad. We have found that it is easier to cook with a friend than to do it all by yourself. We usually shop and then that day put together the meats that have marinades or that need to be cut up ahead of time. The next day we split some of the responsibilities and my neighbor Laurel will take 4 recipes and I will take the same and we double them and cook them at our own homes (we are in a duplex and she is right next door). Right before lunch, we meet together and prepare and assemble more recipes...but together. The older kids are usually playing outside while we do this :)

You may be wondering....is the food good or are you just making cassaroles with Cream of Mushroom soup? Yes, they are good and only one recipe has Cream of Mushroom soup. Here is a sampling of some of the recipes that we have made or are planning to make this time.....
Chili Verde, Chicken Packets, Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs, Buttermilk Herb Chicken, Ravioli Soup, Chicken PotPie, Beef Burgundy, Lasagna, Chicken Broccoli, Tex-Mex Chicken Strips, Chicken Enchiladas, Ginger Beef, Rice Pilaf, Mac 'n Cheese, Sweet Potatoe Cassarole, Pizza Roll Ups, Marinated Flank Steak and Calzones.

If you are interested in more information on Once A Month Cooking, feel free to email me and I'll give you some tips and names of the books that I use. If you feel you don't have time to Cook for a day and eat for a month...try doubling or tripling your recipes when you cook and putting the extras in the freezer. This past week I was able to bless two families with meals from my freezer...a new mom and a friend who broke her ankle. I was glad to have something on hand to be able to take to these two families.

By the way, please pray for my friend who just had the baby. Her husband is a chaplain who is deployed for 15 months. He was able to come home for the birth of thier son but had to leave less than 24 hours after mom and baby came home. This is her first baby and the emotions of a new little one and her husband not being there can be overwhelming.

What are you struggling with today? Do you need God to move in your life? the life of a friend or relative? Do you feel that God is distant? That there is not a single person who understands what you are going through? God understands, He is bigger than your circumstances!! Trust Him today for a BREAKTHROUGH! If you need prayer, shoot me an email and I will join you in seeking God and believing for Him to move in your life.

Sorry It's Been Soooo Long

I was just reminded how long it has been since my last post....almost 2 months. Not that we have not had anything going on but since I have been on Facebook, I have been posting my pictures there and have forgotten about the blog. So Sorry!!

I know that some of you check here to see what is happening with the Perez Family and to keep connected with us, even if it's just reading my ramblings and looking at pictures of the family.

I am actually flipping between my outlook calendar and this blog to remind myself of what has been going on with us. Since my last post we have had some not so exciting things happen and then some....Oh my gosh, things taking place.

The girls returned from their visit up north (to PA) and we headed back to Texas to get into a routine. I started homeschooling both Marissa (6th grade) and Katelyn (2nd grade)this year and we jumped into our studies the second week of August. We had some bumps in the road, but are doing much better now. Remind me next year...not to pick curriculum just because it's a package deal and makes my life easier....but it hasn't and with all the switches I have done...I should have just found what I liked and put the time and effort into planning the lessons myself (that's what I'm doing now).

Our BIG news is that Angel was moved to a different unit, though still here in Texas. Basically, those who have not yet deployed are needed to deploy and are being moved to a unit (in Angel's case a battalion) that will deploy. Wow, that's a lot of words... That is about all I can say on a public post for now. We have had our trial period to prepare for an upcoming deployment when Angel went to training out of state for one month. We got through but I can't imagine when the real thing happens. We will need your prayers!

We are in the process of planning a nice family vacation this fall and hopefully will have something in stone very soon. I wish I could say that we will be back in the PA/MD area, but it is too expensive to fly us all there. Maybe next Spring we'll be able to do a visit.

While Angel was away at training, Katelyn had her 8th Birthday. Thank you to those of you who sent her cards and gifts. I appreciate your generosity! We took our neighbors and a few friends and went to Chuck E. Cheese to celebrate. I have attached two pictures from this party.

Hopefully my next update won't be to far off from this one. I wish I could post something everyday...I guess if I put it into my schedule, it could get done. :)

July 2008

With the month of July came bitter-sweet memories....on July 4th I celebrated my 36th birthday and the next day Marissa and Katelyn boarded a plane by themselves to fly to Baltimore to spend just over 3 weeks with my parents. I was happy for them as they were going to have a great time visiting but I was also going to miss my little girls :) I tried to get things done around the house and planning for our homeschool year while the older two were gone...they on the other hand were camping in Ocean City MD....spending time at Bethany Beach...having sleepovers and just enjoying themselves in PA.

We geared up for our denominational Chaplaincy conference and left Texas for Springfield MO on July 23rd. We enjoyed the conference and reconnected with other chaplains and their wives. Upon leaving Springfield we decided to spend one night in Branson, since we were so close. We took Victoria and Breanna to the Dixie Stampede and they had a great time! We then headed to OK City where it was finally time to meet up again with Marissa and Katelyn. We waited at the airport for them with a big, bright sign....we were all excited to see each other again. The next day was spent sightseeing and visiting the Science Museum in Oklahoma City.

Summer Updates

I have been quite lax about keeping up this blog in the last two months, so I am going to put together a few updates back to back about what has been going on in the last two months.

My last post detailed my parents trip to Texas. Since then we have been busy. While visiting, my mom bought the girls an easy set pool for them to keep cool in during the hot Texas summer. Even though it is only 3 feet deep, they love it.

The girls finished school the first week of June and both of them did very well. Marissa made the A honor roll in her school, while Katelyn excelled in her learning at home. The three older girls attended VBS at one of the chapels on post and had a great week, making new friends, learning new songs....etc. Katelyn and Marissa's friend Katie and her family PCSd (Permenant Change of Station) to a different base and they had to say goodbye after VBS.

In June Angel had LASIK eye surgery, so now he is eyeglass free...but able to wear sunglasses. His vision is great and he loves not having to run each week for PT with eyeglasses. At the end of June, a classmates of Angel's from CHBOLC (Chaplain Officer Basic Leadership Course) came to Ft Hood to get some gear as he was preparing to deploy and we were able to spend some time together eating lunch. Owen and his wife were frequent guests of ours while we lived at Fort Jackson and it was a pleasure to see him again.

Here are some pictures from the month of June.

A little bit of home

My parents were planning a trip to Texas and the girls were excited. They had not seen their Pop Pop since the beginning of December, though Mom Mom had come for a visit at the end of January. They arrived on Saturday and we picked them up at the San Antonio International Airport. The girls and I went to find them as we carried a poster...Welcome to Texas....with us.

After greeting them and getting to the car, we headed to the MarketPlace where we met up with Mike, Ronda and Jake, our friends who used to live in PA. We enjoyed the afternoon together touring the Alamo, walking along the RiverWalk and just spending time together. Mike and Ronda graciously hosted both our families for the night.

The next day was spent at Sea World. The kids had a blast and the adults enjoyed themselves too. Since Angel had to work the next day and Marissa had school, we had to head back to Fort Hood. Pop pop had to return to PA for work and left on Tuesday. Mom Mom stayed until Saturday. We had a great time with them and miss them very much.

Recent Events

I have been so busy lately that I have not kept up with the blog like I would hope. One thing I have learned about Army life (or the military in general) is that people are always in and out of your life. Changes in the unit, deployment and PCS (Permenant Change of Station - moving to another base) keeps people on the go. Already a few of the friends that we have met here are moving on, while others are getting ready to soon deploy....will we be next? For now NO, but you never quite know.

The other week FoodNetwork chef Mario Batali was here doing a book signing, so the girls and I went to meet him. Between my neighbor, who was babysitting another family's children that weekend, it was two adults to 11 kids. Are we crazy!??

Breanna is a little ham and gave me the water goggles and helmet for me to put on her....she looked so cute, I had to include this picture.

The other day the weather was so nice that the girls were out in the spinkler. I caught this picture of Breanna.

I pray that all of you who read this are doing well, serving our Lord and expecting Him to do great things in your homes, lives, marriages, etc.

MercyMe - Bring The Rain

How Cute!

The Church of Oprah Exposed

B I G 40 !

This weekend has been a busy one....Angel's promotion and today, his 40th Birthday! Angel received cards from many friends and family members to celebrate this momentous occasion. Since we are far from family, we celebrated with just the girls and I. Enjoy the pics!

Promotion Day!

Today Angel received his promotion to Captain. There was a ceremony at the Battalion this morning and I got to pin it on him....well it's velcro so I punched it on :) Here are a few pics from today.

In Honor of my grandmother

*

Mildred Ptak

Novemeber 10, 1920 - March 5, 2008

My grandmother went home to be with the Lord the other night. She will be missed by her 5 children, 11 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.

Happy Birthday to you....

Today was Victoria's third birthday. She has been waiting for this day for the last year :) She wanted a princess birthday, so I made a princess cake and she dressed up and wore a crown. She was so excited!! Unfortunately, an emergency came up with Angel's work and he had to leave. Our neighbors shared lunch with us and helped us to celebrate Victoria's 3rd Birthday. Here are two pictures from today.

My little sister...

I just had to post how proud I am of my little sister....ok, she's not that little (she's 31) but she is my younger and only sister. Last week my sister and her family were on their way from PA to Myrtle Beach, SC where she and her husband were running their first half marathon. On Saturday morning at 6:30AM, they were off. Just over 2 1/2 hours later, she completed the half marathon.... and I AM VERY PROUD OF HER!!! This was her first race that she had entered. Her dream is to do a full marathon but the half marathon is a good start. Congratulations to both Natalie and Brent (yes he ran too)!

Do you have a dream in your heart that seems to unattainable to reach? Put a plan on paper with some short term goals that will get you to that larger, long term goal. Trust God and lean on Him. With God on your side, nothing is impossible.

Visit with an old friend

I think we are getting into the swing of things here in Texas. Enough so that we took a drive this past Saturday to visit an old friend.....not that she is old (but she is older than me :) ) Ronda and her husband Mike moved to San Antonio TX about 2 1/2 years ago and since Fort Hood is less than 3 hours away, we met for lunch. It is always nice to reconnect with those who were a part of our lives but maybe due to circumstances or distance, we don't get to see very often. Since Ronda left PA for Texas, we have seen her once a year. I am hoping that since she is so close, we'll be able to get together often.

Here are two pictures from Saturday. One of the kids and one of Ronda and I. Is there someone in your life that you have not seen or talked to in quite some time? Maybe an old friend or relative? Give them a call today or send them a card. Be an encourager in their life and see what God does in yours.

Potty Training 101

The time has come to yet again potty train a little Perez. Victoria will be turning three at the end of February and I have waited too long to start the potty training....but better late than never?! Last week I decided just to do it....start the potty training that is. Day 1 and 2 were the pits. I think I changed 4 outfits before lunch time. Day 3 she seemed to be understanding what i expected from her and we appeared to be on a roll. During this time, Angel was in the field for traning with his battalion for 2 weeks so I was doing this chore alone. Nights were not so good but I was hoping for dry days. And we had some :).....and then we had some more wet ones. Today is day 11 and we have had 2 accidents today. I know, I am a perfectionist mom who expects her just to get it and i need to give her some time.

Maybe Angel coming home today will help encourage her to "go potty for daddy". We shall see how this next week pans out.

My mom arrived on Sunday night for a short visit. We took the girls to Dallas on Monday to have linner (lunch/dinner) at American Girl Boutique and Bistro. They had a great time. The next two days were spent trying to get my house in order....or basically decorated. I had already unpacked the boxes and now it was time to hang curtains, arrange furniture and get things in order. Today I drove to Austin to take my mom to the airport. BOOO HOOO! Too bad she couldn't stay longer, I really could use more help :) Love ya mom!!

Hope you are starting off your New Year on a good foot or two for that matter!

Update

Well, if you haven't noticed yet, I (Nicole) have been posting on the blog lately. Angel has been working hard at his new job, trying to understand how everything works....or at least trying to get everything working (like his office computer :) ) The holiday time was slow since many were on leave and now things are kicking in. Angel is away for 2 weeks with his unit for field training...I guess this means more MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) for him. My mom is coming for a visit, which everyone here is excited about!!! We wish Pop-Pop could visit too but someone has to work.

We are excited about where God has placed us! When Angel filled out his paperwork for the Army, we listed our top three choices of bases where we would want to be stationed. Angel and I prayed that no matter what we wrote on the list, that God would place in where He wants us to be For Such A Time As This, and I can see this being true (though Texas was not at the top of my list) Be encouraged today that wherever you are God can use you. Your attitude in your situation determines more than the place where you are. If you are not sure what the next step in your future may be, place it before the Lord and allow Him to lead and guide you. Just remember, when you are committed to serving God, you may end up in places you never imagined.

Don't forget to continue to pray for our troops and their families. Many are deployed for 15 months and there are thousands of families holding down the homefront. They need your prayer, support and encouragement each day as they do life. Encourage someone today and expect God to move in your life too.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year from Fort Hood, TX! It has been just over two weeks since we arrived to the Lone Star State. We received housing the day Angel signed in and our HHG (household goods) came at the end of the week. We wanted the girls to have the Christmas feeling...so we made sure the tree was put up, even if we couldn't find clean clothes to wear :) This Christmas is the first that we spent away from family and our traditions...it was very different. It really didn't even feel like Christmas..... I guess it's time to start our own traditions or at least take leave and fly home for the holidays.

Since we moved to Texas without beds for the girls, we went bed shopping and found new beds for the 3 older girls. Part of their Christmas gift was to pick out bedding tooo and they were sure excited about shopping....but what girl isn't!

We rang in the new year...already asleep in our beds. Things here in post are running on a modified schedule and Angel is usually home around lunchtime. Tomorrow the girls start public school after being homeschooled for the last 10 weeks ( I don't think Marissa is looking forward to getting up early) Marissa and Katelyn have both made friends already and our house on post (a duplex) is connected to another chaplain and his families.

Well, just a little update from our home to yours. We miss you all this holiday season and pray God's richest blessings in your lives. Don't forget to put Him first in all things and expect a breakthrough this New Year 2008!