It's here!! The new year is already upon us and we are off and running. As I reflected on the last year and what I want to see happen in this new year, I am again reminded of God's love and faithfulness for us, his children. With the challenges that this life throws our way (such as the very soon coming... year long deployment), I can't imagine doing life with our Christ. This journey that we are on sometimes takes us to places we have never imagined but with Jesus, all things are possible.
My prayer this morning during my quiet time was that this coming year my walk with the Lord would be closer and grow deeper. That he would use the challenges, unknowns, issues, etc. that I will face to put me exactly where He wants me, for such a time as this. I want God to use me to minister to the lives of those I come in contact with, I want others to notice something different about me....to see Jesus in my life. I don't want to just survive this coming year, but I want to THRIVE! I want my children to grow in their faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ, to know God more than yesterday and to become beautiful young ladies, both inside and out.
What is your prayer this new year? Do you have a list of resolutions that you are hoping you don't forget about yet again this year? Is there a relationship in your family that needs some mending? Do you have a child that has walked away from the faith and you want to see him/her serving God again? How's your devotional life? Are you making time for God each day? Are you in a marriage where you are walking this faith walk alone and you would like to see your spouse saved? We are all in different places in this journey that we are on, but God is still the same....yesterday, today and forever. Don't start this new year off with ruined hopes and desolate dreams but trust God today to do a new thing in your life.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Thursday, January 1, 2009
The end of 08
Wow, I can't believe that 2008 will be over in just a few hours. Where has the year gone? This month alone has been a busy one.
We started off the month with a Brigade Ball. This was the first military ball that Angel and I have attended since he graduated from Chaplain School. I'll have to add a picture later, since we took Angel's camera to the ball and I have not seen the pictures we took yet.
The next week was full of Briefs (a meeting to give info), Coffees (basically an officer's wives get together) and a Hail & Farewell (an officer/spouse dinner and meeting welcoming new officers to the unit and saying goodbye to those leaving). On top of that Angel was teaching a Marriage Retreat for about 15 couples from his unit. The retreat was held at Lakeway Resort and Spa on Lake Travis outside of Austin. It was a beautiful place!! Even though I did not attend the entire retreat, I came for the couples dinner and spent the night with the girls.
On that Saturday we headed out from Austin, TX towards Tampa FL. With the approaching deployment, we decided to take a nice family vacation so we were going to Tampa FL to catch a cruise to Grand Caymen and Cozumel. This was not our families first cruise...but our 3rd one!!
Upon our arrival in Tampa, we stopped to visit with some old friends, Rainy and Paul. We went to their house for a short visit since they had sick kids and our kids needed a good nights sleep before boarding the ship the next morning.
On Monday, we met up with my parents (Mom Mom and Pop Pop) and my aunt and uncle who live in Fort Wayne, IN. All of us were cruising together and we had a great time. Just getting away, not worrying about cooking, cleaning, etc was a nice break for me. The girls enjoyed swimming everyday and attending the Children's Camp the cruise line offered. They even were able to participate in the ship's Holiday Show.
After the 5 days were over, we jumped in the car and made a marathon trip from FL to PA. We left Tampa at 12 Noon on Saturday and arrived in Hanover, PA on Sunday morning at 6AM. Thankfully my dad joined us on our drive and we split the driving between three drivers.
I was excited to be back in PA, even if only for a week. I hadn't seen my sister in over a year and it was great to see her and her family when they came over for lunch on Sunday afternoon. Wow, her kids had really grown in the last year. Victoria (almost 4 yrs old) and her cousin, Ilayna (3) got themselves into Mom Mom's makeup (see the picture ) but they had a good time with their cousins.
The week in PA was extremely busy, catching up on the last year, visiting family and friends we hadn't seen in quite some time and taking time to remember the reason for the season. I feel bad that we could not fit everyone into our schedule. Hopefully next year the girls and I will be able to visit again for a longer time. While in PA I got a very nice Christmas present... a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is so nice to have a dependable vehicle :) that has a warranty!
Last Saturday we left PA and started our trek back to Texas. When you Mapquest the trip, it is 24 hours of driving and that is without stops. After the marathon trip to PA, we decided to take our time and even stop and stay overnight. We didn't quite have enough time in our schedule to do any sightseeing, but the trip was very managable.
This past week has been busy too, taking care of registering the van in Texas, getting our wills completed and tying up loose ends before the end of the year. I don't know about you but I am ready for a fresh start. I am glad that His mercies are new every morning!
As we enter this new year, expect God to do great things with you...expect God to do great things through you!!
We started off the month with a Brigade Ball. This was the first military ball that Angel and I have attended since he graduated from Chaplain School. I'll have to add a picture later, since we took Angel's camera to the ball and I have not seen the pictures we took yet.
The next week was full of Briefs (a meeting to give info), Coffees (basically an officer's wives get together) and a Hail & Farewell (an officer/spouse dinner and meeting welcoming new officers to the unit and saying goodbye to those leaving). On top of that Angel was teaching a Marriage Retreat for about 15 couples from his unit. The retreat was held at Lakeway Resort and Spa on Lake Travis outside of Austin. It was a beautiful place!! Even though I did not attend the entire retreat, I came for the couples dinner and spent the night with the girls.
On that Saturday we headed out from Austin, TX towards Tampa FL. With the approaching deployment, we decided to take a nice family vacation so we were going to Tampa FL to catch a cruise to Grand Caymen and Cozumel. This was not our families first cruise...but our 3rd one!!
Upon our arrival in Tampa, we stopped to visit with some old friends, Rainy and Paul. We went to their house for a short visit since they had sick kids and our kids needed a good nights sleep before boarding the ship the next morning.
On Monday, we met up with my parents (Mom Mom and Pop Pop) and my aunt and uncle who live in Fort Wayne, IN. All of us were cruising together and we had a great time. Just getting away, not worrying about cooking, cleaning, etc was a nice break for me. The girls enjoyed swimming everyday and attending the Children's Camp the cruise line offered. They even were able to participate in the ship's Holiday Show.
After the 5 days were over, we jumped in the car and made a marathon trip from FL to PA. We left Tampa at 12 Noon on Saturday and arrived in Hanover, PA on Sunday morning at 6AM. Thankfully my dad joined us on our drive and we split the driving between three drivers.
I was excited to be back in PA, even if only for a week. I hadn't seen my sister in over a year and it was great to see her and her family when they came over for lunch on Sunday afternoon. Wow, her kids had really grown in the last year. Victoria (almost 4 yrs old) and her cousin, Ilayna (3) got themselves into Mom Mom's makeup (see the picture ) but they had a good time with their cousins.
The week in PA was extremely busy, catching up on the last year, visiting family and friends we hadn't seen in quite some time and taking time to remember the reason for the season. I feel bad that we could not fit everyone into our schedule. Hopefully next year the girls and I will be able to visit again for a longer time. While in PA I got a very nice Christmas present... a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is so nice to have a dependable vehicle :) that has a warranty!
Last Saturday we left PA and started our trek back to Texas. When you Mapquest the trip, it is 24 hours of driving and that is without stops. After the marathon trip to PA, we decided to take our time and even stop and stay overnight. We didn't quite have enough time in our schedule to do any sightseeing, but the trip was very managable.
This past week has been busy too, taking care of registering the van in Texas, getting our wills completed and tying up loose ends before the end of the year. I don't know about you but I am ready for a fresh start. I am glad that His mercies are new every morning!
As we enter this new year, expect God to do great things with you...expect God to do great things through you!!
November 2008
You may be reading the title and thinking...why is she giving a November update when it's the last day in December? I am trying to break out the last 6 weeks into more managable, bite-sized pieces and doing a November and December post separately sounded better to me.
The last week of the month, Angel's mom Sara came for a visit (the girls call her abuela). It was nice to see her since it had almost been a year since the last time we were together. We had lots of things planned for the week that she was here. We all went to breakfast bowling at the bowling alley on post. They have a great deal...breakfast and a game of bowling for $3.50 The breakfast includes two eggs, hashbrowns, toast, bacon or sausage and a drink.
The next day was Thanksgiving and Breanna's 2nd Birthday. Since Angel was serving Thanksgiving dinner in the BlackJack Dining Hall, we all decided to eat dinner at the DFAC (dining facility). It was a nice spread, including shrimp coctail! And if you know me, I love my seafood :)
We came back to our house with some friends and celebrated Breanna's 2nd Birthday. I can't believe she is two years old already. She had fun singing and opening presents.
We ended up with a sick kid Thanksgiving night, so some of our plans of things to do with abuela got put on hold. We wanted to make sure that we took Angel's mom to see Nature in Lights at BLORA and even though we postponed it due to sickness, we made sure to get it in. This year we stopped for popcorn and hot chocolate to top off the night.
I can't believe how quick our time with abuela came and went. Next thing we knew, she was packing her bags and we were off to the airport.
The last week of the month, Angel's mom Sara came for a visit (the girls call her abuela). It was nice to see her since it had almost been a year since the last time we were together. We had lots of things planned for the week that she was here. We all went to breakfast bowling at the bowling alley on post. They have a great deal...breakfast and a game of bowling for $3.50 The breakfast includes two eggs, hashbrowns, toast, bacon or sausage and a drink.
The next day was Thanksgiving and Breanna's 2nd Birthday. Since Angel was serving Thanksgiving dinner in the BlackJack Dining Hall, we all decided to eat dinner at the DFAC (dining facility). It was a nice spread, including shrimp coctail! And if you know me, I love my seafood :)
We came back to our house with some friends and celebrated Breanna's 2nd Birthday. I can't believe she is two years old already. She had fun singing and opening presents.
We ended up with a sick kid Thanksgiving night, so some of our plans of things to do with abuela got put on hold. We wanted to make sure that we took Angel's mom to see Nature in Lights at BLORA and even though we postponed it due to sickness, we made sure to get it in. This year we stopped for popcorn and hot chocolate to top off the night.
I can't believe how quick our time with abuela came and went. Next thing we knew, she was packing her bags and we were off to the airport.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, November 7, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, October 31, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
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.
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.
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