Feliz Anos Nuevo!

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year with your families!

We are back from our travels and getting back into the daily grind again. We had such a wonderfully amazing Christmas, it was just so sweet to spend it with our precious baby boy. I love seeing it all through his eyes, it really was magical. The Christmas Eve service at Mom's church was so sweet b/c he fell asleep as soon as David started preaching (thankfully! I was so worried the no nursery issue) and so I just held him in my arms. He is still so peaceful when he sleeps and stills has a trace of his infant look with his eyes closed. The service ended with us singing carols by candlelight and it was just so sweet to hold him while everyone sang Silent Night and the other songs. I was thinking of how Mary must have held sleeping baby Jesus (can you even imagine??) and shared my thoughts & emotions of the huge task we've been given as Moms. The sheer gratitude I feel I can never fully express of just feeling so thankful that God picked me to be Sammy's mommy, wondering how I will be able to guide him and teach him the things I feel are most important in this life, how I can nurture his faith, how I will most effectively discipline him, and how I will ever let him go when the time comes, just to name a few. So if we feel like that with our children, it is unfathomable how Mary must have felt with the task of raising Jesus. I am sure she got to the place in her heart, maybe she was already there when He was born, where she just truly gave Him over to God but even with that she was still his Mommy and still needed to make daily choices of how to best raise little King Jesus. I sure wish she had written a parenting book! ha ha! I think it was that realization that I do have a great parenting book.. the BIBLE, the actual word of God, that has inspired me to read the Bible through this year. Pastor Gary guides and encourages those of us who chose to do this each year and I just wasn't ready last year but I have committed to giving it my best shot this year. I'm sure there will be more on that later! =)

Our Christmas morning was just so fun, Sammy gave us his gift of sleeping through the night, yay! He has been a great sleeper, typically 12 hours a night, but for some reason the week or so leading up to Christmas had been rough. I am thinking molars or his new separation anxiety. Anyway, we had so much fun. It is always a little sad for me to not have my Gram sitting there with us as she was every Christmas morning of my life. I have really been missing her so much even though she's been gone for a few years now. I just wish she could have met Sammy and given me her words of wisdom. I know I will see her one day again though, I can't even imagine how much fun we will have together! wow. I am pretty sure we will have matching Ruby Red High heels to dance in (for those of you who don't know, she fostered my love of shoes). Well now Christmas mornings include my little family, Mom, Richard, and my step sister Heather. I have had so much fun getting to know her, and wow.. Sammy is sooo all about his Aunt Heather! Last year he was so new he slept through it all but this year he was obsessed with her. He even tried to say her name, it was really sweet. We have shown him her picture since we've been back and he claps and squeals then calls for her like he did at mom's with his eyebrows raised. She lives in CA so he will only get to see her once or twice a year, which is sad to me.

Sam and I were on a tight budget with Sammy being so young decided was best to give what we would have spent on him to a family our Sunday School class helps out and I know they were blessed by the gifts but I was feeling guilty that we didn't get Sammy anything for Christmas. He sure made out just fine though. Thank you so much to everyone! I think his highlight was by far one of his gifts from Mom and Richard. They got him this little car that he can ride in like a stroller and we push which was by far his favorite gift! He went on many walks and was so hilarious in it. He grinned ear to ear while in it and had to use the little door to get in and out. We dread the end of each walk b/c he still cries each time he has to get out. We even hide it & cover it up when the car is not being used so he won't ask for it. He has fallen asleep while riding in it on a few occasions and it is so funny b/c when he wakes up he instantly starts steering again. I am sure Christmas will get even more special each year as he gets older and can really grasp the true meaning of what we are celebrating. I only wish we had more time to spend up in Jax, we got to see both of our families but still would have loved more time with them and would have loved to see some of our friends too.

Christmas Dinner was fun at Aunt Sandra's. This is a fam tradition we have had since I was born. It was so surreal to have my child sitting there by the tree opening presents and to see all the "little" ones I have watched grow from help him open his gifts and play with him. My little cousins are all so big now, especially my beautiful Julz. She is all grown up, so mature. I just can't believe it. I am amazed by the strong young lady she is turning in to. Sammy just adores Duncan, he follows him around and mimics him. Duncan has grown so much too and he is so smart, he got his Harry Potter books for Christmas and was just thrilled. Quinten and Bryan are so funny to me, so sweet and all boy. It just craked me up how Sammy thinks he is one of them, they would run aroudn and say stuff and Sammy was right behind them babbling and squealing. Wow. We missed having Sherry & Karen and their families with us, if either of you are reading this...you two need to come down for another visit REALLY soon! It just isn't the same without all of us together.

We spent New Year's Eve here in Gville and Linda & Patrick came down to celebrate with us. We had such a good time with them, it is exiting to think that next New Year's Eve they will have their 6 mos old son with them.. ha ha.. just kidding, they don't know the sex of the baby yet, I just have a feelig it is a boy. I struggled a lot with the new year, especially that night. I had a weird feeling and I was really dreading 2009! Isn't that weird? Who dreads a new year??? I was really kind of sad and then New Year's day I had a lot of fun with them and Sam but still felt kind of weird. I finally realized I was bummed b/c I just feel like I have way too much to accomplish this year! The main thing being the completion of my grad program.. yikes! That is a terrible way to start the year, feeling like that, right? I had to do some cognitive restructuring which to be honest isn't totally helping but I now realize that each daunting thing, when broken down into the tiny steps needed to complete it, really isn't all that bad. I just keep reminding myself of Phillipians 4:13.. I CAN do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I don't have to do it alone and I will get it all done and done well. Speaking of.. time for me to get into my office. Here I go.. officially starting the work year with my 2 page To Do list. Yay!

I also have our Christmas pics on our camera that I can't wait to post so hopefully will get that done soon, thanks to everyone who reads our blog, I really have fun doing this.


HAPPY NEW YEAR! FELIZ ANOS NUEVO!

Our Faux Christmas Eve

Each year we have a "pretend" Christmas Eve with Hannah before we head up to Jax for Christmas since she obviously will be with her family on Christmas. She was oh so excited and as we took her traditional picture on the fireplace where we have on Faux Christmas Eves past, it was so amazing to me to see of course how much she has grown but also to see my little guy trying to reach his duckie ornament on the tree and reaching for Hannah and just being his silly self. If you would have told me when Hannah and I first got matched that we would be sitting there taking that picture with my son added to it, I would have thought you were crazy! It made me realize just how much Hannah and I have been through together.
All in all, it was a really fun night. We ordered in some greasy pizza which we don't do much and so that was a treat for her, then Sam read the Christmas Story, and then we opened presents, and then made smores in our fireplace. In my head I saw the Christmas story moment being a little sweeter than it actually was.. I don't know why but I picured us all sitting around the tree, Sammy & Hannah sitting as still as statues of course and us having a lovely conversation about all that Jesus's birth means to each of us personally... reality check: Sammy waddled all over, tried to touch the tree, pet Franklyn, tickled Sam's feet while reading, and he babbled the entire time. Hannah was trying to "help" with him by crawling after him and whispering "Shhh" and trying to get him interested in a toy, then she listend for all of 2 seconds and declared it was boring and began the whining to open presents. Oh well.. live and learn. The moment was somewhat redeemed after Sam finished reading when I asked her why we give gifts at Christmas and she gave an astounding answer that was pretty amazing and related it all to his crucifiction and wow.. it helps to know she sometimes maybe listens to what I say after all! We did have a few good talks today about giving and went to visit my friend Myrtle down the street and then made TONS of Christmas cookies. Hannah named it the "Hannah & Teri Sisters Dough Shop"(?) and she even did all the dish washing/cookie cutter washing when we finished! Yay! We went to the Dollar Store so that she could buy some gifts for her family members.. in the past we have made the gifts, yea not so much this year. I couldn't get my act together to come up with some creative crafts that were different than the millions of others we've made and so dollar store it was! Now that was hillarious. She picked out some interesting things, only wish I could see her grandma's face when she opens her gift. I was very proud of her though, she was so thoughtful about what each person would like and she spent so long wrapping each gift with care. It was really sweet.
Do keep Hannah and her 2 sisters and brother in your prayers over the next few days and especially on Christmas. It is so hard for them to be away from their parents, although they love their grandma very much, it is heartbreaking to hear how EACH child prays EVERY time I hear them pray for their mommy & daddy to come back soon and to love them. Hannah talks a lot about them but this visit was especially rough on those terms. I won't go into details in an effort to respect her privacy but her little heart is struggling and she sure did ask some difficult questions to both me & Sam. So please keep each of them in your prayers and pray for them to have a peace about their situation and most of all to just enjoy their Christmas and have a blast being kids and not thinking about things that kids need not think about.
Along those same lines, pray for our little Cristina too. We got a letter from her last week and we just miss her so much. We have grown so very close to her over the years so it is really hard to only see her for a week or so each year. At least every few days and maybe more either Sam or I will say how we wish Cristina was here to see this or experience whatever we were doing. She had been in my dreams literally every night for the last few weeks so it was really great to get a letter, perfect timing. She seemed extra lonely in this letter, it was sweet though, she said she looks at Sammy's picture and it makes her heart feel happy to know she has us and our family and friends here in the states praying for her. We have given her TONS of pics and so she has pics of all of our friends, our pets, our family members and actually has met several of our friends now and one of my fam members, my neice/cousin (lol) Leslie who she LOVES. Anyway, unlike the Flores kids who do have their grandparents and extened family, Cristina only has her older sister. Now, I know Christmas has got to be fun at Casa, I know they go all out for those children but I also know that it has to be lonely too. One thing Cristina said to me this last August was that she thinks its weird she can have so many girls around her all the time but she still feels all alone. So, please say a little prayer for our sweet Cristina, she is one in a million literally, and for the others at Casa too. We just hope they feel the love they have from all of their "families" in the states & their dorm parents, but most of all, the love of Jesus, the Father of the Fatherless and that His love will heal and fill that void in their hearts.
Well.. we're off to Jax in the morning! I am so excited to see our families again! We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Party Time!

The Community Hospice here in Gville hosted a kids' night for the Big Brothers Big Sisters program and so those of us matched with the Flores gang got together and decided to go as group. Poor little Mark and Samantha waited so long to be matched so it is really great to be able to take them out as a family. Those of you who have hung out with all 4 together know that they don't always get along.. haha! That is an understatement, huh? Well we were 3 for 4, as Krista (the oldest) and Wendy (her Big) already had other plans but we still had a good time. Kim and Haley met us there and the kids got to have Christmas cookies and got to see Santa and Mrs. Claus and then we all went out for pizza. Yummy! Hannah saved her quarter and bought me a ring out of the machine with it , so sweet. She then really needed to borrow it though.. haven't seen it since. Santa was SO sweet with all the kids. He spent several min with each and talked about some serious stuff. Self esteem things, fears, I tell you, after Hannah's talk with him I felt like I had been in a counseling session!
Thought I would post a couple pics of the kids at the party.. look at Samantha's giant grin as she poses with her new Big, Kristen. They are just so cute together and a perfect match! They hang have so much fun together, it is all Samantha can talk about. She LOVES Kristen's horses. Mark is with his Big, Terry. He is also very proud of Terry. Terry is soo good and patient with Mark, just a great guy!
Funny story.. Hannah asked if Sam and I were going to get her a gift this year, when I said yes she said "OH THANK GOODNESS!" she was so relieved! I reminded her that it is rude to ask for gifts and she quickly said "oh, I wasn't trying to be not polite. I have been worried b/c I fight with my brother and sisters a lot so I think I got crossed off and am only getting coal. Teri, you don't understand what it is like to live with those kids. I try really hard but they just get into my bones!" =) So funny! I can assure you, she has done great overall this year and has been just as sweet as can be for the most part and has done really great in school so I doubt she will be getting coal.

I LOVE this time of year!

Christmas is by far my favorite time of year and it is even more fun with Sammy now. He was our early Christmas present last year but he was just shy of two months at Christmas so he couldn't really participate much. This year, wow! We jam out to his Christmas cd mom got him, he LOVES the lights and we have been reading a lot about Jesus's birth and what Christmas is about. We had fun taking him to see the lights at North Florida Regional, the hospital where he was born to see there ginormous light display. They had every imaginalbe decoration and the entire duck pond was lit up with Christmas music playing. So, basically Sammy's two favorites- ducks and lights, all in one spot. All that he said all night was "quack quack, la luz (lights en espanol)!" Too funny. Sam and I both talked about how it was way more fun than we thought it would be, we just have so much fun seeing him enjoy things. Very heartwarming.
Mom & Richard and Joe & Gloria came with us to see the Ganiesville Christmas Festival that our church puts on each year, it was phenomenal. It is something you would expect to see in a theatre it is that good. It has a great mix of dancing and traditional Christmas music complete with Santa and Frosty, but also takes you back to Bethleham and goes through key points in the Bible, all the way through Jesus's crucifiction and my favorite part.. when he rose again. Well.. ok my camels were tied for my favorite part. That's right, camels and a donkey, and Pastor Gary and Mrs. Freda flew through the sanctuary in a horse drwan sleigh! So cute! Sammy did really great, he dances and had his little hand up with me & mom during most of the songs.. again so sweet. I just loved it. We were really lucky b/c when he got bored and fussy and had to slip into hall we were near the animal staging area so he got to meet Fuzzy the donkey and pet him ALOT. He liked his ears and tail best (he laughed at Fuzzy's tail everytime he saw it) and he kept showing Fuzzy where his own ears were then he would bark at him. So.. we totally haven't made it through to what sound the donkey makes yet thus I guess he thought it was a big dog. The camels were cool too but he didn't get to pet them.
Anyway, the Christmas Festival really helped me gain a new appreciation for Christmas. I was already way in the holiday spirit as some have complained mine came a little too early (Kim and Sam) but seeing this play helped me gain perspective. I always try to teach Hannah how important it is that she celebrate Christmas for the true meaning of Jesus's bday and the love he had for us, etc. and Santa and the presents are just fun extra stuff. I realized that night though as the powerful music played during the scene where Jesus arose that Christmas is even so much more than Jesus's birthday, b/c it defines me. His coming to this earth on that night (well ok, not technically on that night) defines every decision I make and how I strive to live my life. That little baby in a manger is not just some great story, he grew into a man who died for ME and who CHANGED my life, who calls ME His beloved. How crazy is that? I surely don't deserve that and I especially don't deserve the intimate relationship I have with Him and the grace and mercy he gives me but I am ever so thankful. There are really no words to describe just how thankful I am.
Ok.. off to bed! Sam's parents are coming tomorrow, yay! I put a few pics up.. the one by the tree is at mom's , he was putting his toys and paper, etc in her tree to help decorate.. lol.

He's Got the Spirit!

Sammy has developed a new dance move over the last month or so that is just the sweetest thing and cracks us up! He started dancing with one hand raised in the air swaying back and forth which I just love. The boy’s got the spirit! He has always loved music and so one of our favorite things to do together is to dance and sing. We turn the TV on to the Christian music station and just have at it. I think this his new move came about after one of my all time favorites- Avalon’s version of “In Christ Alone” had been on. I was holding him and we were dancing but then, as the song progressed I was just so filled with love and praise that I closed my eyes and really got into it, I mean belting it out (my poor neighbors) and it was a very emotional experience. When I finished I just remember looking at Sammy, with tears running down my face and he looked at me, put his little hand up in the air and grinned and then clapped for me. I talked to him a little bit about what the song meant to me and then we went on about our day. Ever since then though, when he hears music.. he lifts his hands up in praise! I just love it! It is a constant reminder of that precious moment we shared. Granted this video was taken after Kim and I pretty much tore my living room apart trying to take some pictures of him in front of our tree for Christmas cards. Totally didn’t work out btw as you can see from the mas chaos of my living room and the half dressed child. At least you can see one of my fav parts of him, his back fat, in all its glory. Anyway, we were in between scenes of our photo shoot and caught him dancing to the Christmas music.

Just for those interested… This song took on all new meaning for me at the Beth Moore conference that I went to in the spring with Linda and some friends from our Sunday School class. I had been dealing with some pretty hard stuff at that point and was really struggling, I was just broken. Beth had given an example of a woman who was going through the same issue I was and she made it through hers by clinging to the promise that God has for us in Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”. I like the message version too, it reads “ 26 -28Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good”.

These words really were true for me, when I couldn't find the words to pray, He heard me and my "aching groans", he saw every tear I cried. Through Beth’s message I realized that I had been holding on to a little tiny portion of my situation, trying to control it and make the end result work out the way I wanted it to and I realized right then and there that God was telling me to relinquish every last morsel of control and admit that I couldn’t do it on my own. I prayed and promised Him that I would put it ALL in his hands from that moment on and that I would trust Him to make the outcome, whether it was what I wanted or not, work together for good, for good in my life. Then they sang “In Christ Alone” and let me tell you.. in a stadium that large with every person in there lifting their voices and the music blasting, it was powerful to say the least. I just felt His presence in that moment and knew that regardless, I had Him. Every day, for all the days of my life on this earth, I have Him to walk through it with and that is enough. He is enough. I was standing there with my sisters in Christ and realized that I had them, my family, and so many others to support me and see me through it and I just realized that life would go on, regardless of the outcome, and I would be ok.. actually way better than ok. I would be happy and full of joy and peace because Jesus would work it out for good in my life and turn this terrible ugly situation into beauty. Now that I am through that and on the other side, I can assure you my friend, he DID work it all together for good and my life is full of more joy than I could have imagined before.

Catching up with my far away friends

Ok, well they aren't actually that far away, just up in Jax but it seems like they are in Egypt sometimes. I miss just being able to call them up and go out for coffee and hang out. Especially since Linda is preggers now.. that's right folks! My Winna Kaye is going to be a mommy! I'm soooo excited and just wish I was up there so we could go baby shopping together. Although Sam and I try to make it up to Jax every 6 weeks or so, it is really difficult to see my friends b/c we want Sammy to get plenty of time with our families and squeezing all that family time into one weekend is rough. So, when Sam and his dad went on their NY trip last weekend I decided it was the perfect time to head home and catch up with everyone. I had a BLAST! I was soo exhausted on Monday but it was well worth it..I blame Cody for that one- she kept me out until 1am on Sat! I felt so young! Sammy and I went and hung out with Linda on Friday and he just loved playing with her sweet dog Jack. Sammy was a big help in pointing out what things need to be baby proofed for her, lol. That night Linda & Patrick invited me to dinner with Tabitha & Rob and although it made me really miss Sam it was just so fun. Sammy stayed with Mom and I felt so free as I looked and saw babies in highchairs and parents trying to feed them. Thanks Mom!

I got to see my long lost Cody on Saturday and Sammy did come to dinner with us and I had to laugh at how times have changed. We still managed to have good conversation amist me picking up the toys from the floor and feeding him, etc. He really loved playing at her house! See, Cody is a big time swanky lawyer now with the cutest new place that has big open space for him to explore. Best of all, Amber was home and she let him play on the stairs and flew him around like an airplane! He was all giggles! Needless to say he was fast asleep before we pulled onto the main road.

Sunday was spent with Megan and belive it or not that was the first time in an entire YEAR that we had hung out with just the two of us! Wow. We had a couple hours together then picked up Marc for his 9th bday celebration! I miss him soo much, he has always been so special to me and I just refuse to believe little pooky is 9 years old!!! ??? Especially since I haven't aged a bit. Hmm.. Marc and I used to hang out ALL the time together, just the two of us. Even after we moved here he would come and spend the night with me and we build forts and go on our "adventure walks" and just have the best time. I turn into a giant kid again when I am with him. We had the sweetest moment when he got to Megan's car, we just hugged and said how much we missed and loved each other and then once he climbed in the backseat he leaned forward and hugged me more and said " I love you Teri, I just can't stop hugging you!!". Awww.. he still melts my heart! We squealed together all the way to the restaurant (see video.. he is so silly, I am his aunt he refers to). He had picked the Olive Garden for his fancy dinner and his Ama (Meg's mom) and his bf Hannah (diff Hannah) met up with us. He was just hillarious at dinner and I loved hearing the things he & Hannah talked about. Best part was when they sang to him, he was adorable. We went back to Megan's for him to blow out his candles and open presents and it was just a very sweet time. Happy birthday Marc! I love you more than you will ever know~ and I will always be your "princess" (cute story there, but for another time).

All in all it was a great weekend! So much fun and just made me realize all over again how truly thankful I am for each of these that God has not only placed but kept in my life. It is so great to know that no matter the distance or how busy our lives get we can pick right back up where we left off and each of them are only a phone call away when I need them. They have all supported me through every step of the way and I just love them dearly, can't wait until we are back up there for Christmas!

Christmas time is here!

So in a recent conversation with Hannah I explained to her that as far as I see it, once you swallow that last little bite of food from your Thanksgiving meal.. it's Christmas time!! We put up our Christmas tree this weekend had fun decorating with Sammy.. he was very helpful and really loved all the ornaments and things to get into. He was barely a month old when we decorated last year so this was the first time he could really take part. Sam lifted him up to put his own "baby's first Christmas" ornament from last year on the tree and of course he helped Daddy put the star on the very top, which was my favorite. I hope every year he will help with that, it can be his special job. Not sure how another child will figure into it but that is so far down the road. Every day now when Sammy comes home he points at each decoration we have up and likes for us to walk him around to see it all. He says "luse" for la luse (lights) and tires to say tree..that's right an English word, ha ha! Here are some pics of him helping us decorate...