Day 2 of NO SCHOOL!!!!!

Lauren and Jacob want to say hi!!! to MeMe and PaPa Freeman and show them what they are missing up here in Oklahoma. My little angels made snow angels. But the last time I talked to Trista a few hours ago she wasn't thinking so much in the way of angels. Lauren had taken all of the caps off of the markers and the opened markers were laying on the carpet that she just got cleaned last week. OOPS!!!
I hate these days because that means we will be in school longer when I would rather be at Roaring River ;(. I haven't been able to see the grandbabies since Monday but I have been able to talk to them on the phone. Jeremy was able to make it to work today but he called Trista and said that the roads are still real bad. Trista is about to go crazy having to stay at home. She did take Lauren and Jacob outside for a while. Hopefully they did alot of running around and will then be ready for a nap.
Mike is at work so I got up this morning and cleaned the house, washed my sheets and put on a pot of chili. We will probably have to eat it for a couple of days since you can't make a small pot of chili for just two people. It is kind of like the time when Mike and I first got married and I was use to peeling 10 to 12 potatoes for dinner before we got married so the first time I peeled potatoes for just us I peeled 10 potatoes needless to say for the next couple of days I discovered many different ways to make other things out of mashed potatoes, ie. fried potato patties, etc.

More Braggin'

Here is our other beautiful angel, Madilyn Paige.

She got her ears pierced a couple of weeks ago. Aunt Barbie always gets the priviledge of doing the painful job of piercing the baby girls ears. Well, I wasn't there when they pierced them but we did see her later that night at Jeremy and Trista's house. When I walked in and Madilyn saw me she started crying, I guess she thought that I was Barbie. It didn't take long for me to convince her that I didn't cause her any of the pain so she let me rock her to sleep and I just held her while she was sleeping until they left. We have two beautiful GRAND-daughters and two handsome GRAND-sons.

Lauren

Okay, call me a proud MeMe, but isn't she beautiful. She has those big dimples and that beautiful smile and big blue eyes. I know that it is January and she turned 2 in October but we took her yesterday for her 2 year old pictures. She did so good. I will be posting some pictures later of her and Madilyn in their matching Christmas dresses, when we get them taken. ;) Don't hold your breath but we will get them taken.

Looking Back at 2008

Brandon, Ashley, Braden and Madilyn



Brandon and Ashley went from a family of three to a family of four in 2008. Ashley passed the State Medical Boards, got her nursing license and is working for St. Francis Hospital where she is a critical care nurse. I really admire her for being able to do the job that she does and Brandon was promoted at his job to Manager of Surveillance. Brandon also graduated from UNLV with his Masters this year. Aren't they a beautiful family. I am so proud of them both and thank God for the precious new grandaughter Madilyn and for our grandson Braden.




Jeremy, Trista, Jacob and Lauren

Lauren gave up the binky this year although it was not an easy task. All she ever asks for at night is her own bed, her binky and her blanket (with a tag). Well anyway Trista found her several times in her bed with a binky, she must of have had some stashed for "just such an emergency" but she would always tell Trista that it was for her baby. She has several dolls and known of them are wearing clothes. The first thing she does is take their clothes off of them. She even took the clothes off of her life size Barbie and put them on herself so she could be the "Princess." She loves to read, or be read to, dance, sing, and dress up. She is my little Trista all over again. ;) I am going to love watching her grow in 2009.








Jacob started school this year in the 4 year old program. This was also his first year to play T-ball. Here we go again, BORING. Sometimes it looked more like football instead of T-ball since everyone on the team went to where ever the ball was hit and everyone wanted to get the ball. He mostly stood out in the field with his best friends Pierson and Baylor and it was quite comical. They would be talking instead of paying attention to the game. You could tell that Jeremy and Shaun would get a little upset so Trista and Kauleen would take over helping the kids while they were out on the field. Of course they loved it when it was their turn to bat. He is sure growing up fast. Just to think that he will be going to Kindergarten at the school where MeMe works.



Mike, Becky & Jerrod



Mike retired this year after almost 31 years at the Steelmill and 31 years of shift work. We bought a fifth wheel which is our second home during the summer. We spend alot of time at Roaring River, the men trout fish and the women hang out at the pool or go to Cassville to go antique shopping. We have a wonderful time. Most of the time that we are there so is Robert and Carol and the boys, Davey, Robyn and the girls, and Uncle Johnny and Aunt Sharon and on occasion they will have their GRANDchildren with them also. It is a wonderful time of relaxation and fun with family. Our kids sometimes come up on the weekends if we spend a couple of weeks away from home. Most of the time I have Jacob with me and a couple of times Braden has got to go with us. We love to be with out children and GRANDchildren.

Jerrod is doing well. He has his own little house with his pit bull named Pearl. Jacob loves to spend the night with Uncle Jerrod. Jerrod loves his nieces and nephews. I think he probably lets Jacob do what ever he wants when he is with him. He usually spends the night on Saturdays and then Jerrod will get up and get them both ready for church. I know that he will be a great dad someday. He loves kids.

Learning to "Let Go and Let God"

I just finished an awesome book, "The Shack." I have used the phrase alot, "Let Go and Let God," and this book taught me alot about myself and hopefully some of the things I am going to share with you will help you also. It taught me how to truly what you might call, "practice what you preach." I am always telling my kids to, "Let go and let God." Some times there is pain in your life that you thought you had truly forgiven people of but the pain is still there.

If all you see is your own pain you lose sight of God. We are all created to be loved. Trust in Him and know that His power can work through you. All love and relationship is possible for us only because it already exists in God. If your heart is full of pain, anger and confusion you need to rest in the trust you have in God even if your trust is small. God's love is simple, warm, and genuine.

Forgiveness is first for the forgiver; to release us from something that will eat us alive; destroy our joy and our ability to love fully and openly.

If Jesus is the center of our life then together we can live through everything that happens to us. He wants to be the center of our life because that is where our friends, family, and etc. exists.

I learned that I can't build a wall to protect my children and loved ones or to keep them from feeling pain. My wall can keep me from growing closer to God and possibly keep them from growing closer to God also.

We are the pinnacle of God's creation and the center of His affection. Even if you do not always understand what God is doing you must always trust Him. God is an awesome God and all the processes of your life is covered by His goodness.

God bless you all and have a safe healthy, prosperous and blessed 2009.