On the Road Again...

After several weekends at home, we found ourselves "on the road again". (I wonder how many times I have used that as a blog title! It happens a lot, but I guess I need to get more creative with the title!)  However, I have no pictures to document this trip!  I had my camera, but didn't use it.  Our travels centered around Tarleton basketball at Canyon, so we headed west or maybe the wind blew us west! 

We had a great time staying with Courtney in Lubbock, seeing Abbye's and Anson's new rooms, and spending time at Hollye and Gary's new house in Muleshoe!  We also we to church and lunch with Jason, Jami, Jaden, and Jaxon and had a few minutes of playtime at their house.  Then we stopped in Abilene for a quick visit with Bill, Donna, and Granny.

Of course a trip would not be complete without a little shopping!  Mom, Dad, Joey, and I closed down Target on Friday night and then Joey and I made quick stops at Kohls and Bed Bath Beyond in Abilene today.

It was a good trip, but it is good to be home again!

A Taboo Subject

While my brain is on negotiation and conflict as I am working on my class work and paper writing, my heart is on something different this evening.  My heart is saddened and warmed at the same time.  If you are a "facebook"er in the past few weeks you have seen many "In Memory" status updates.  Today's popular "In Memory" is "IN MEMORY of all babies born sleeping or whom we have carried but never met or held in our arms. Make this your profile status if You or someone you know has suffered the loss of a baby. ♥ The majority won't do it, because unlike cancer, baby loss is still a taboo subject ♥ Break the silence, In Memory of all Angel Babies gone too soon but never forgotten* ♥."  While my heart is saddened with thoughts of the precious baby that I carried for a few weeks and never met or held in my arms, my heart is warmed by the fact that this is being posted all over facebook by those that have suffered a loss of a baby or those who know someone that has suffered the loss. 

Deep in my heart there will always be a special place for the baby that I never got to met or hold.  It is amazing to me the bond that is formed between a mother and a baby even in a few weeks time.  While I never saw a little hand or a little foot, I know that there was a heartbeat and precious life.  For weeks, I felt an emptiness when I learned that I would not get to hold my precious baby.  While that emptiness does ocasionally come back, I now feel a since of peace and a special love for my "angel baby".  That peace comes from the amazing support I have had from my wonderful husband as we have gone through this loss together.  Mostly, that peace comes from knowing and trusting God's good and perfect will. 

Through my experience, I have learned that "baby loss is still a taboo subject".  It is not something that we really ever thinking about happening.  The day that I saw the postive result on the pregancy test, I never thought of the chance that I could loss the baby.  I only dreamed and longed for the experience of a healthy pregnancy and for the day I got to hold my bundle of joy.  I have also learned how so many people have experienced a baby loss that I had no idea.  The doctor told me the percentage of miscarriages, but it really did not sink in until I began to hear of other's losses. They told us of their stories as a way to provide comfort and hope to us.  I guess it is not something we often share because it is a sad and difficult subject.  I think it is also hard to talk about when someone is going though the loss because no one is sure what to say.  One thing that I do hope is because of my experience, I am able to be an encouragement and blessing to others who may experience such a loss.

The facebook posts has brought me to these reflections as they have saddened and warmed my heart.  My heart is warmed that people are remembering these "angel babies" and their mothers and fathers.  As I will always have a special angel baby in my heart, I pray that God may bless me with the opportunity for my heart to grow to love my angel baby's brothers and/or sisters.

Happy Birthday Leslye!

Today is my wonderful wife's birthday, and I hope she has a wonderful day!

However, the day does start with a return to school - twice. On this day, Jan. 4, 2010, my lovely wife returns to Santo Elementary School for teacher's work day and such - sounds like fun, huh?

But more importantly, on this day, Jan. 4, 2010, my wife becomes a graduate student working towards her master's degree in educational leadership. At the end of her studies, she will have both her principal's certification and a certification in conflict management.

I am so very proud of her, and I can't say it enough. I think she will make an excellent principal because she is already a tremendous teacher!

Over the weekend, both sets of parents came and stayed from Thursday night through Sunday afternoon. We had a good time celebrating the new year, watching football, eating and doing a bit of shopping. We also threw in Tarleton basketball, and of course, and most importantly, worship on Sunday morning.

On Saturday, we also threw in some birthday celebration. I grilled fajitas (beef and chicken), some vegetables (onions and green peppers) and my hand (my left one, but it is OK minus some pretty blisters - at least it was my left one though).


Then Les opened her presents before eating her favorite cake - Strawberry. For the second year in a row, I baked her cake, and she said it was extra yummy, so I am glad I could provide just one more thing for her.


The last year has blessed us with some ups and downs, but I am more in love with my wife now than I ever have been before. God truly has blessed me with the perfect woman for me. And I try to spoil her and love every minute of it!

Les, I love you very much and I thank God for giving me to you and you to me each day when I wake up and each night before I sleep. I pray that we celebrate many, many more birthdays together.

Just grab "my hand and walk beside me, 'cause you complete my life."

New Year's Traditions

Today we enjoyed a traditional New Year's day - the Rose Parade, good food, and lots of football.  The TV has been on non-stop since the parade started at 10:00 then to the footbal games that are on as I type.  We had a delicious New Year's day meal - pork roast, hashbrown potato casserole, spinach casserole, and of course black-eyed peas and cornbread, plain and broccoli. 

Then for dessert...Flaming Cherry Jubilees!  Such a fun dessert served up with a round of Auld Lang Syne!

It was a great start to the new year!

Ringing in the New Year!

We have had a fun time enjoying our days off!  We went to Ft. Worth on Wednesday and spend them evening with Kristi and her fiance, Nic.  Then we spent the night at the Courtyard Marriot downtown, the official hotel of the Armed Forces Bowl.  This morning, Joey got up and worked in the pressbox at the Armed Forces Bowl and I spent sometime reading and getting ready to start classes next week.  Then I spent the afternoon shopping in Ft. Worth with my mom and dad.

Then the real party began, both sets of our parents are here to ring in the new year!   The party didn't start till late because we all had to get home from shopping in Ft. Worth.  We watched football, played 42, Scrabble Slam, Scatagories, and Swipe and watched the New Year's festivities on TV. 

Happy 2010!