Pictures of Jeremy

Hi everyone, I wanted to share my photos of my precious son Jeremy.

This is the series of shots I took of him before he deployed.

I call this one "Hi Mom"

Caleb and Uncle Jeremy.  That's Sarah Kate looking on in the corner, waiting her turn to be tossed around.

This has been her smile lately, since she lost her two bottom teeth.

Gotta get the hair out of her face.

There we go, that's better. 

Caleb goes for another spin.

I love this photo, so good.

Here he is with his sister, Danya.  

When he was little, we told him that she was the big sister, 

so he shortened her name down to "Big".

Jeremy, Danya, Carlos, Sarah and Caleb.

Jeremy is flanked by his twin sister Kristen and her future sil, Callie.

He is one happy fellow.

Pretty, aren't they.

I went to Ft. Riley to attend the Deployment Ceremony, these next few pictures are from that day.

Jeremy and some of his buddies.

This is a picture of him w/his platoon Sargent

This is his best friend's youngest daughter.  The only baby he has ever changed a diaper for.  It was a cute story.   He must really like this one.  I look forward to the day when he is holding one of his own.  He will make a very good daddy.

 

So you ask me if I like him, well I really do.  When he was little he always wanted my attention.  When he went to Iraq he told me to open a myspace page so that we could instant message.  We have been able to talk almost every morning.

I enjoy it very much and always look forward to talking with him.  I wish I could save those conversations because some of them are pretty funny.

I thank God for my children.  I didn't deserve them but He gave them to me anyway, I am so blessed and so thankful.   One of my friends said that while she would like to think that she could give her life for one of her friends she knew that she could not give one of her children for any of us.  Yet that is exactly what God did.  God will see us through this time and Jeremy and all his buddies will come home to their families.  

  

It is all about Christ

For God so loved the world [Today in the city of David a Savior has been born to you;] that he gave his one and only son [he is Christ the Lord.] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rest.] John 3:16 and Luke 2:11, 14.

Our Christmas day this year was quiet, but really nice. I fixed a nice breakfast and had Jason and Brandi and Kristen and Kurt over before they went to the places they had to go. Then Rickey and I watched a movie, he took a nap and I cooked the dressing and warmed the turkey. After eating we drove the pasture behind the house and saw a porcupine and watched as he climbed up an embankment, which was pretty cool. On the way back to house we watched a beautiful sunset.

We've only had one other Christmas by ourselves, but we really enjoy spending the day together. We watched John Wayne movies that day and our plan was to do the same this time. As I type, True Grit in on so I'm having trouble concentrating.

At Sunday School the question was raised "Why do we celebrate Christmas"? I have pondered that all week. I don't know if this date is the actual date Christ was born or not. And I don't know that it matters. Everyday is a celebration of what Christ did for us. Today is the day set aside to celebrate his birth and the greatest story ever told.

Jeremy said this is the worst Christmas ever, I know he wants to be with us and have his special pie baked just for him and I want him here with me to. But there is an enemy who hates us and wants to destroy us and this sweet and kind young man with the sparkling green eyes is doing his part to protect this country. He will be home again soon and if he will let me, I'll bake him that apple pie. I pray that no weapon formed against him will prosper, I pray for protection from the tips of his fingers to the end of his toes that not even a hair on his head will be harmed. I pray. Lord, that Jeremy will come home whole, physically, emotional, and mentally. I pray Father that you will guard his heart and his mind in Christ Jesus. Thank you Lord Jesus. Amen.

I am still new to writing and I am having a hard time getting my thoughts on paper, so to speak. I want so much to tell about Jesus, to write something that a person could hold on to. I have been looking around at other blogs and I am intimidated. They are so good. Witty and funny, spiritual and uplifting, they seem to know just what to write. Most seem to be writing about their day and it feels like a friend just wrote to you. Some can take a subject like their need for coffee in the morning and the best coffee she ever tried, (which, by the way, was Duncan Donuts coffee, regular roast, which I totally agree with).

I am struggling with how to write whats on my mind. I think I just have so much I want to say and to try to get the hugeness ( is that a word?) of God in word ... leaves me speechless.

But, I have one thing I do want to talk about. I have told you that Jeremy is in Iraq but I haven't mentioned that his twin sister Kristen is teaching school. Middle school science. Seriously, this is scary. I feel like I have two children on the front lines of a war. One in the military and the other in public schools. The particular town she teaches in is bad. I don't know if the "town" is bad but the kids are hopelessly lost.

They are so hurt and angry and who could blame them. Several have told her it is nothing for them to see pot and cocaine in their houses. One of the boys was in car wreck with his cousin and his cousin was killed. He was in the eight grade, driving, hello no driver's license! Then his little brother was killed a couple of weeks later and his sisters boyfriend was arrested for the blunt force trauma to the 18mth old's skull and the sister is pregnant with the boyfriend's baby!!? This is seventh and eighth graders! The truth is still the truth, I don't care how "enlightened" we are. Thirteen and fourteen year olds are still are not old enough to make adult decisions because ... they are not adults! They should not be out driving a car. They should not be use to drugs as common place in their homes.

Parents, please don't be your kids friend, be their parent. Make rules and stick with them (that's where the fun is). Oh heck, who am I talking to here, the choir! The ones I really want to read this are too busy being lazy sloth butts smoking butts!!

But you know if God can change me, he can change them too. He can, he's big enough. I know, God's big, really big. He is bigger than the troubles this family is facing or hiding from.

How, in a society that doesn't care about it's children are we going to teach the sanctity of life. The sacrifice of children to the harsh god's of convenience, ecomony, and whim happen all across this land. This applies both to babies on the ground whose parents are to busy being self-absorbed in the things they want and babies that are killed in abortion clinics.


At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. Titus 3:3-7 Wow, there it is right there in scripture. The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

So we do need a change in this country. We need more Jesus. Not more welfare, we need more get off your butt and do the thing (as Beth Moore says) walk this thing out. He's coming, no doubt, time is running short, now more than ever we need to reach the lost and the hurting.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:12-17


For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17

Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Revelation 22:12

I guess I had a lot to say about this too. See ya soon, sweet sisters.

Hi everybody, I want to introduce you to the family.  I have learned a lesson in downloading pictures, I guess I should put the one I want to be first, last. Anyway, these are in no particular order.

Meet the girls, Danya and Kristen 

My grandmother.  Isn't she beautiful.  Her name is Sara and my granddaughter is named Sarah after her.  This is a picture of Mamaw's 97th birthday and she is holding the present that Sarah picked out for her, a box of Barbi Doll band-aides.  In her lap is a bunny rabbit stuffed toy that Caleb, Sarah's brother, picked out.

This is Jeremy and me.  

I am working on some bracelets and Sydney is holding them,  I just love the little chubby baby hands, she did not want to let go, she had found a treasure.

This is an earlier picture of Sydney, she is 6 months here, the "Gerber" baby.

Look at those blue eyes.

These are my dogs, Molley is the black labradoodle, Ellie is the one sitting on Booker.  She does that all the time.  Booker doesn't seem to care.  It's as if the concrete is too cold or hard for her to sit on, so she sits on Booker.  

These pictures are a couple years old of Sarah and Tyler but my favorites.

I wish you could see Tyler's face, all determination, "Do not let the girl win!"  

We had a sand pile in front of the construction site for the house,  I think this is the dirt the rock layer was using.  The kids loved playing on this mountain.  This is Caleb aka"K-Bob" rolling down the side of it.  they play with such abandon.

Humm, taste like ... dirt!

This is Tyler and he loves stickers.  This picture is suppose to be a couple of pictures down, you'll see why in a minute.

Back to Caleb and the dirt.

What?

Pappaw and the grandkids, this was all the babies at the time this picture was taken.  

Yes, Tyler the sticker monster struck again.

They had a hard day.

And my handsome honey.  This is his serious face.  Sometimes he is the wise man and sometimes he is the 9 yrs old boy with a crush on me that wart's me for my attention.  I like the 9 year old and miss him when he is gone but the man, hmm, he's nice too.  

I couldn't sleep again last night and came in the studio and played with these pictures.  I downloaded a bunch off my camera and I have a bunch more I want to share with you.  I think this is probably enough for now.  Still to come some Jeremy pictures, my favorite places on the ranch, a great series of Papaw and the boys, and a fun one of Sarah and water.  Thank you for taking the time to look through someone else's family photos.  

 

Christmas Tour

My last post talked about building this house, so I thought maybe some photos would be fun.  Plus it helps me see what I am doing in the decorating and making it home.  The decorations are simple this year.  Great time to host a Christmas open house.  I hope you enjoy.  

I have a burro collection and  I just  love them in art.  One of my first nativity's was this one with Mary on the burro holding Jesus and Joseph walking beside them.  I also seem to have an affinity for cardinals.  I am not showing all my cardinal decorations, I didn't want to bore you.  

my favorite nativity, their robes are really pretty.

I saved the best for last.  This is Tyler holding his present for me.  His Dad said he really worked hard picking this out.  I think this is so precious.  

Thank you for coming to my Christmas Home Tour.  Merry Christmas