2011 flies by

Well friends, things have definately changed in the last couple of years since my last post. (I know I really stink at keeping up with my blog!)
Julian graduated high school in 2011 and has since joined the US ARMY. He completed his training and is now stationed in Hawaii!!! He is loving it and is growing as a man every day! I am so thankful for his choice to be a solider and defend the honor of our country!
Carissa is going into her senior year of high school and is 17. Our independence girl will celebrate 18 this year. Right now, I have three 17 year olds in my house! Ahhhh, jk they are great kids! She is a great cook and fantab hair and make up artist! I love her make overs!!!!!
Nick is going in his junior year! He is also 17 and is still low key. He learned to play the guitar(s) and played in his first talent show this year at school. He is very good at learning to play via the internet and listening to others play the chords!! I have high hopes for him!
Bri is a 17 year old going into her senior year as well! She is driving now and is actually really good at it! Although, I was nervous teaching her, she did well. Now I totally appreciate her ability and willlingness to go to the store and do pick ups from school lol!!!! She is in several AP courses at school which has put her at an advantage for college. Several colleges have asked the school for her transcripts for early admin!!!
Gabby is 11 going on 25. She is still a strong willed child who has such a love for life. She is very outgoing and loves to take people under her wings! She loves to dance, sing and is always on the go. She thinks our family could always use additions because she is always inviting ppl over to hang out, eat dinner or spend the night!! She is going to be a big 6th grader this year. She was the reigning high jump queen her 4th grade year and took home mostly 1st place finishes in all her other events as well. This year she moved up a level and still held on to the first place in high jump and third in the 400 m. She got a jumpers injury halfway into the season, so she would have to bow out to heal.
DJ has had a much healthier year this year. We didn't have any hospital stays and he has grown 3 and a half inches. He is 9 and is going into the 4th grade. He played Cal Ripken baseball and was a fantastic 3rd baseman. He was scouted by the major league coaches for his pitching and fielding talent. He still takes alot of medicine and wears his orthotics. He has become very aware of them and holds a resentment toward them! (poor guy) However, they have benefitted him tremendously!!! Thank God for medical technology!
Zachy is 7 now and is no longer a baby, however he will always be my baby! He is a smart cookie who is going to the 2nd grade. He had a wonderful year growing in academics and grew a whopping 4 and half inches this year. He is catching up to DJ!!! He played Cal Ripken baseball as well (yes, it was crazy busy the whole season). He was a fantastic first baseman! Not only can this kid catch, he can throw and has an amazing swing at bat as well. He has learned alot from his brother through the years. He loves the outdoors yet still loves to snuggle!!!
Dale has had another neck surgery since my last post. We found a new dr who was willing to take the risk of fixing what the other dr broke, which was his neck! For 3 years my poor hubby had broken discs and broken screws which were stuck in his asophogus. Dr. Liker and his assistant were amazing. They superceeded any expectations we had and Dale has been doing great since! He still may need one more surgery but is holding up well!!!
I played co-ed softball for 3 seasons and loved every minute of it! I am hoping to play this summer if I can find a team to let me join (it is a little late in the season)! I volunteered at the school, but this year I limited myself to one day a week and I was there for 4 hours instead of the whole day! It was nice because I didn't feel overwhelmed this year. I still can't believe this school year is over and we are already into another summer season!!
This summer we are going to camp at Lake Lopez again, which we did alot last summer. It is such an amazing place to take the family and is much cooler than the valley!! The rates sure beat hotel prices and we get to have campfires, play cards, play hide and seek through the park, ride bikes, hike and fish. It is truly alot of fun. The kids are going to hang with their Aunt Denise for a week at the beach! WE are going to hang with Jules (my bff) at her farm bc her farm animals are alot of fun to play with!
Well, friends til we meet again. Go and be blessed and find joy in all you do!!

Wow! I totally forgot I had a blog!! Anyhow, since May alot has happened! Grandpa passed away almost 2 weeks later and did so with a smile, dignity and grace! He was one of the most gracious, generous, kindest, and humble men I know! I miss him so much and wish I had one hour of time to sit and talk with him!!! I know he is in Heaven with Jesus so I don't wish he could come back!!! We went to Louisiana and Tennessee over the summer! Unfortunately, vacation didn't go as I had hoped but it was awesome to see how many different views and landscapes God has created in 2100 miles! They were breathtaking at points and some caused curiousity!! I came home to the notice of our rental home being lost to the bank which meant that we would need to move again. I know, but I was tierd of moving and I didn't want my kids to have be uprooted another time! So I had this crazy plan where I tried to convince my husband to move back to Bakersfield! He was not really thrilled, but kindly agreed. By the end of the summer, I still could not find a house to buy (because this is the last time I am moving:-)) Once school started, I had to really pray for peace because I didn't have the heart to tell my children they would need to start their lives over in another city especially one being a junior and 2 being freshmen.... I then focused on moving close to where we lived. Well, long story short, we did buy a house a mile down the street for an awesome price and a whole lot more house. It is 5 bedrooms 3 bathrooms and is 3800 square feet! I love it and so do they. The kids were able to remain in the same schools and the only changes were where we slept at night!! God blessed us beyond human imagination! I have became very close with the friends He blessed me with (Jen and Nikki and Britt and Net)!! I love the network God placed in my life. They have held my hand through some tough battles and gone to prayer war for me! Thanks girls, for everything! Dale is back working in Porterville and is loving it. It is kinda his pride and joy shop! He has expanded his showroom and is very proud of his work there! I am proud of him too! Thanks Babe for all the hard work you do!!

Life "in" death

Life is the gift we bring because it was given to us and death is the gift we take away.
Life brings growth, joy, compassion and blessings. It also brings loss, anguish, grief and many other lessons along the way.
What do you do when you have to juggle the both? I say you Live like you are dying every day. Start livin' 2 love n lovin 2 live!
God commands us to LOVE. If we love who we are in Christ, we emit God's love. If we are busy complaining, being mopey, down in the slumps, or depressed and constantly look for ways to change the way we look, we will never accomplish God's love in our life.
I pray that I am a positive role model for our 7 kids and for every one I come in contact with.

Grandpa was diagnosed with Lukemia a few months ago and has undergone chemo and the attempts to fight the disease has failed. He lost his eyesight today and has been issued his death warrant. The doctors told him that he has about 2 weeks of life left at this stage. When we were talking, he was so positve and upbeat and gave me such encouragement. It was a moment of surreal love that God has granted us. He still joked and we had a short but sweet conversation. I thanked him for all the things he had shared with me over the last 10 years. What a great testament to how God says that even death has no sting!!!! However, please pray for Grandpa to have peace and grace and mercy over the last days of his life.

We also found out that Zachy has a heart murmur. He had to have lots of tests done this morning and was such a trooper. He should get the bravest kid of the year award!!!! We will find out how big the murmur is in a few days. Will keep you posted......