Wow, What A Week!

We had a mini-family reunion.  

I say mini because Jeremy wasn't here, so it wasn't a full blown reunion.  

Yes, he's in this picture.  

Third row back, third soldier in.

Frankly I can only say that it was a lot of fun and a lot of work.  Something I am going to work on for next time.  Husband says to assign family members times to fix the meals and then for me to get out of the kitchen.  I think that sounds like a good idea, but I am a bit of a control freak so it will be something of a challenge for me to follow through with.  He promises to remind me next time, and with his elephant like memory I know he will.

 

Shana and Quang started the week off Monday when they got here from Virginia with Nicholas, who you all saw last week, one tiny little melt down, that's all. 

This was some backyard fun with Tyler.  And Papaw.

  

Next, Chad and Sydney came in Friday morning;

Then Danya surprised us by making the trip up.  What fun that was.

If you can't tell from this Papaw is in his element with these kids.

Ahh, baby Anah, the kids check her out.

Uncle Kurt finally holds her.

Kristen approves.

Darcy checks her out.

Quang is a policeman in Virginia, so he likes to be involved in something here that is unique to Texas.  He's got stories to tell when he gets home, you know.  So, here is his adventure and his big kill on the ranch.  He had the choice between hunting and pregnancy checking a cow.   For those of you who don't know what that takes, ... well I'm not gonna tell you here, find a rancher or a cowboy and ask them or google it!  Anyway, back to the story ...

This isn't a diamond back rattle snake, it looks like maybe a timber rattler, five buttons, which Quang took home with him as a trophy.

see the dog walking up behind the girls,

she wasn't feeling so comfortable with her people looking at that snake.

so, she step in the middle to keep watch over them.

Saturday is party day.  Chad stepped in the kitchen and was a great help.  Thanks Chad, totally loved cooking with you.

The guest of honor, Jason, and his love Brandi,

and Bob

"National Holiday" birthday celebration.

The spread

 Today is Titus 2 Tuesday but this post has taken me two days to get all the pictures downloaded and last week's adventure is to be continued. 

 I hope you see love all over this story in pictures because there is nothing but love here.  We are a blended family, it wasn't always easy but it has been worth it.  RS's ex-wife stayed with us and she is in the background in the blue shirt.  Maybe she is my Titus 2 women this week.  Maybe together we are Titus 2 women.  

Their marriage broke up with out me, so don't get the wrong idea here, but I am not jealous of the life they had together.  I didn't think that his life was lived in a vacuum before I met him and I didn't want us to go through what I have to deal with with my ex, so together we built bridges, leading our families to choose love and triumph over distance and separation.  

It is a beauitful picture, isn't it.