We love our Family

Today I went on a $500.00 shopping spree for the first time in my life. Of course it wasn't my money, at work we raised the money for an Elf Louise Family that we adopted. It was so much fun and me being the emotional person that I am was so touched by the whole experience. Then I started thinking about it and it made me sad at the same time. Here we are spending all this money on children that we don't even know and my child may not get anything from Santa this year. Things have been so tight over the last few months that we really don't have the money to spread.

While I talked to my mom she, in her loving mother who knows everything way, reminded me that Christmas is not about the gifts. I have been so obsessed with making sure that all of Emily's cousins and all the grandparents and all the aunts and uncles receive the perfect gift that I have forgotten why we really have Christmas. Let me tell you, this is really bad since I claim myself to be a Christian. This is supposed to be a holiday to spend time with all the people we love and remember those we love that cannnot be here. After my mom set me straight, again in her own loving way, I began to think about all my family that I love. I have the absolute best (and craziest) family in the world. I love every single one of them. Even my brother who beat me up everyday until I was 12. In fact he's at the top of my list :).

My family has been through some serious hell over the past let's say 10 years. We have battled Leukemia, Breast Cancer, Lung/Brain Cancer, Divorce, Depression, and Death. Surprisingly we have come through everything together and strong (as strong as possible). I adore every one of them and I love the fact that they are always there. I never have to think twice when I need them. I know that the moment I call them they will be there. I also love the fact that if I need a good cry I can call Aunt Judy or my mom and they will cry with me. Sometimes you just need to cry but you don't always want to do it alone. These people have made me who I am and I look forward to my daughter making bonds with each one of them (even though she cries hysterically when she has to be with them, I told you they are crazy).

More than anything I love Christmas with my family. Since Robbie and Jeanene moved away we can't always be together that often. But Christmas is a time when we are all together. We have so much fun fighting over gifts and drinking margaritas while eating tamales, chili, rice, and beans. It seems like every year our family gets bigger due to marriages or births. I love this because since Stephanie, Chris, and I grew up there haven't been any children during Christmas. Now we have Taylor, Heather, Kaleb, Rowan, and Emily. Children screaming and running around the house make Christmas better.

Unfortunately this Christmas will be our first with out my grandma Claudia and our 7th without my dad. You would think that it gets easier but it doesn't. Especially not this year. I am going to miss her more on this day then I have any other time throughout the year. Everything will be different and change is always hard. I miss her so much and I know that everyone else does too. It is hard losing those you love, especially on the holidays. But i know that we can get through it...together. The same way we get through everything else.

My extended family is awesome too. I have the best neices I could ever wish for and my sister in law is finally a sister my own age that I can actually talk to. Aaron (my brother in law) is great too, he shares in my love for the Spurs and the Longhorns. Otherwise I would be on my own. I also have the best in laws ever. My mother in law is always there for us and watches Emily whenever I need her to. She has also been there to answer any questions I may have during my new walk with the Lord. My father in law is great too. He can always make me laugh and he has filled the void that my losing my father has left. I am so happy that Emily has him since she doesn't have my dad.

So my point for this was to tell all of you that I love you and am so grateful that God has put you in my life.

Here are some pictures of my wonderful family (I don't have pictures of everyone but this Christmas I will get them)

Aunt Judy and Emily on her first Thanksgiving

Grandma Jackie and Emily...5 days old

Granny and Emily swinging in the backyard...about 6 months old

Nene (Jeanene), Papa, and Aunt Judy at Emily's 2nd Birthday Party

Kaleb at Emily's 2nd Birthday

My cousin Stephanie and me at her wedding

My grandma and Emily...5 days old

My grandma blowing out her candles...Christmas 2007

Nana, Papa, my mom, Emily, and me

Taylor and Papa at Emily's 2nd Birthday

Rob(bie) and Rowan at Emily's 2nd Birthday






Jeanene and Stephanie at Christmas last year








Grammy SuSu and Emily at Christmas last year

My Grandma, Emily, Taylor, and my mom

Taylor, my mom, Emily, and me

Emily, Jacqueline, and Madison

Jacqueline

Recent pictures

This is how Emily decorated our Christmas tree. We let her put all the ornaments on first and then Mommy and Daddy went in and changed it all. She had so much fun. We are excited that this is the first year that Emily is old enough to get into the Christmas activities. We haven't decided if she will go see Santa yet. Mommy's not sure she can handle the screaming fit that will follow since Emily is basically afraid of everything. We are going to bake Christmas cookies and make homemade Christmas presents which we are looking forward to.

She was so proud of her decorating. Yes I know she's naked, but look! she's in panties, not in diapers!! YAY Emily!!

This is how it looked once Mommy and Daddy fixed it. Unfortunately the cats won't stay out of it and they keep knocking everything off it.

He looks sweet but don't be deceived, any second now he's going to start tearing the tree apart.

This is one of our nights at home alone without Daddy so it is our special time alone. Emily is at that age where she loves to have her picture taken. I'm just loving the fact that she actually wants to sit with me, since most of the time she's too old for that.

Trying something new

Our family has decided to try this blog page to keep in touch with our family and friends that we can't due to our "crazy life". We love all of our family and friends so much but because of all that we do we can not keep in touch the way we would like to. Wade is working a lot lately. He is currently working three jobs: firefighter at Bulverde Fire Department, firefighter at Spring Branch Fire Department, and EMT for American Medical Response. He works a lot but I love him for it because I know he does it for Emily and me. This past Monday was my first day of working full time at San Antonio Credit Union. It was a hard decision for me to make but it became obvious that I can't stay part-time forever.

I am still going to school full-time also. Next week will be my finals for my 4th semester in school. Surprisingly I am enjoying every moment of school. It does stress me out and by the end of the semester I feel like I can't do it anymore, but I really do love it. I am so excited about going and learning again. Plus I know that in the end it will all pay off. All this hard work that Wade and I have been doing to get me through school will be worth it in the end. I can't wait for the day that I walk into my first classroom. I can't wait for the day that I realize I have made a difference in a child's life. That is what this school thing is all about. I also want Emily to know that her mommy did all this for her. I have already registered for my classes next semester. And yes, I am going to be going full time again. Another 12 hours, my mom thinks I'm trying to kill myself. I just want it to be over with. I am so ready to graduate and teach.

Our family is very happy to anounce that Emily is now potty trained. YAY!!! We are so proud of her and she is so proud of herself too. Everytime she comes running out yelling "I have to go potty! I have to go potty!" Wade and I get so excited for her. She loves the attention everyone gives her when they find out she can go in the potty and isn't wearing diapers anymore. It is so amazing how fast they grow up. I'm going to post new pictures of her so you can all see how big she has gotten. Every once in a while I'll look at her and think "Wow, when did you grow up?" She is so tall and so smart.

Well, this brings the end of our first blog. I could keep going but I want to try and keep these to subjects only. Or else I would just keep writing forever. That's the problem with loving to write, you never want to stop :)