Kentucky pictures and Lucas' bd!!!!

Our trip to Kentucky was a fun time with sooo many wonderful folks! The Lindsey family, the family we went to see has 11 children and they live in an elementary school, (they got a great deal at an auction) so that is why you see alot gym of the pictures. We definitely did not have a problem with space!! :) We got there Thursday morning at 5 am, they showed us our beds and we all slept til 8am or so since we drove all night! From the time we all got up, it was part-tay til we left!!!!!! We cooked together, played together, sang together, read scriptures together and played jokes together. Saturday, the fun continued with chariot races on blankets in the gym!! Terry had told our children about this event from his past youth minister days and we have never had a place to do it, but finally our children got to experience it!!! Sunday, the Lindsey family invited close to a 100 people over, most of the families we had met when we went to Illinois back in August to Danielle's wedding, so it was great reunion to visit with them again!!! Lots of volley ball, games and fellowship and later in the evening we gathered and sang and shared and prayed, then more volley ball before the night ended and we had to say our good-byes! Monday morning we loaded up and headed back OKC, arriving safely that evening!! And guess who was here to welcome us or really to welcome Bethany.......Lucas!!!!! I was wondering if they would make it being apart for 4 days!!! ;) She did, but while we were in Kentucky, Bethany disappeared alot, talking on the phone.....so cute!!!!

Been a busy week trying to get things back on track. I do not think our lives will ever be the same when it comes to schedule, routine as it was say prior to Joel. Not only was our hearts turned upside down, but our daily routine is out the door!

Yesterday, Thursday, was Lucas' birthday! 24 years old for him! We had a little party for him, "Superman," was the theme. He thinks he is Superman!! hahah!! What guy doesn't ??? He's Bethany's superman anyway!! We had cake, ice-cream and played some games and as usual acted crazy!!! A fun night!

Today, Saturday, Terry's folks are coming for a visit, so getting ready for them! The guys are working on their land, I need to finish some town stuff quick before they get here. So hope you all have a great weekend!!!

rememeber these ?????

Remember these pictures????

.....this is Lucas

......this is Lucas on floor

......this is Lucas on piano



WELL............
















......this is Lucas and Bethany!!!!!!

Aren't they cute?????? Ummmmm, I guess you wanna know the scoop, huh????? Well, two weeks ago Lucas went and had the BIG talk with Terry!!! Lucas's supporters, Caleb, Daniel, and Elijah were there for support! We are very excited for the official courtship of Lucas and Bethany! No dates as of yet, Lucas is waiting to get a secure job with a local police department. Interviews are underway for that and we are praying God will provide quickly! Right now they are enjoying spending time together with each other and with us as a family and getting to know each other, discussing ideas, goals for marriage, and making sure Lucas gets chocolate cake at the wedding!!! :)

Its a wonderful "season" in our family right now! God is so good to bless us with meeting so many new folks!

Soooooo, hope you all rejoice with us and we will keep you posted with any further updates!!!

................................And aren't they cute????????

................oh, his name is Lucas Armenta!

we r home!!!

We made it back from Kentucky!!! A great, uneventful road trip, so thankful for that!!! Today has been busy getting things back in order, including 2 trips to OKC, orthodontist stuff and I had to pick up my belated bd gift from the dear husband! Plus the girls helped me take down Christmas stuff. It looks so blah around here now!

Just saying hi, hope to be back tomorrow! Now.......coffee, a Vision Forum movie and relaxing!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas

from the Morris Family!!

now a short post.....hahah!!!!

Well, I hope you all are getting ready to enjoy family, friends, fellowship with others as we celebrate Jesus! Hopefully we are celebrating him everyday!! I love Him more in my life than I ever have. I feel like I know Him more than I ever have and yet, none can comprehend all of HIM! I feel like I call out to him more than I ever have, yet my words are so inadequate. I feel like I need him more than ever in my life for direction, for peace, for hope, for mercies, for blessings to be given unto my children. I am so thankful that whatever my need, it is HIM that will fill it! May HE, do that unto you, that Christ Child, the Holy One, the Savior!!

I had a interesting birthday yesterday, it was all good, but I spent much of it at the Verizon store getting a new phone which I am super excited about, but it took way tooo looonnngg!!! Bethany and I dashed back home and Terry suprised me with coming home from Ada and taking me out to dinner! We had gone to this one restaurant and it was a great experience the first time so we returned but it was not as great the 2nd time. We just kept sitting and sitting and they finally brought our salad and fnally brought our meal. The manager asked how it was and well......I guess it always "pays" to be honest!!! hahah!!!! Because of our mild complaint, our dinner was on him!!! So it turned out alright! Came home, got some coffee and snuggled in our warm house! All good!

Yall are a fun bunch to write to. I really never tire of blogging, sometimes I just get so busy to gather my thoughts but I really enjoy writing. But I have made observations about all yall! When I write about more generic things yall interact more, when I write about Joel, yall are so tender to comfort me, when I write about what we are doing yall seem to like that, when I share scriptures, there is small response but when I write about something like my previous post, kinda serious, yall go silent! I know your out there! Like Buzz in Toy Story says, "yall are a strange little bunch (man)!!" Anyways, just my observation, no big deal! :)

Well, gotta get the day going, lots to accomplish in a short amount of time.......

Kentucky bound....
(Lord willing)

granite installed today!!!

Yesterday, the 14th, was the day we brought Joel home from his first round of chemo in Dec. 06. Today he was enjoying catching up on playing with all his brothers and sisters! Its such an unusual feeling to reflect back and know the certain days of what was happening. Its sad, but I am wholly confident that God's plan is perfect and right. I don't question that at all, I just miss him on days as these that are poignant dates.

On a cheery note, we had the first phase of the granite installed!!! It looks so beautiful!! Its coming!! Hopefully Terry will get the sink/faucet all hooked up this weekend and we can "move." I remember the Lord giving me a verse like last year and it was talking about Solomon building the temple and it took 7 years, so it has helped me to try to be content and try not to complain about the progress. Its amazing that the Lord has even provided for us to do this and he is using the means of the Ada job, and it is a huge blessing!! I hope someday I can host all of our grandchildren in our BIG kitchen!!! Still things on the list; north wall cabinets, 8 foot island, trim out windows with wood, back splash behind counters, electricity over there, and eventually tile on the floors, and lights, ceiling fans and such!! But hooray, its moving forward!!!

Well, tomorrow, Thursday, I am going to a funeral that had a baby boy die in utero at 6 months, the cord had a knot. Some of you might remember them from the Joel's Journey DVD, the couple that spoke, the Lathams. So if you think of it, pray for them!

Also an update on Kelley. I only get 2nd hand info but this is all I know as now. She has squeezed her dad's hand and had tears in her eyes, so she is likely hearing them. They are now giving her a 60% survival instead of 10%. They are weaning her off the meds that has kept her in a coma. Keep praying for her!

Have a great evening!!!

Christmas tour......

Over at Kelly's she is having Christmas Tour of Homes!! I did this along time ago with the living room tour, I think it was! But I have enjoyed looking at all the links to the beautiful decorated Christmas homes! Hope you enjoy ours!

We are blessed with 13 children so two big tables are needed!
and we are getting new kitchen cabinets, so its not finished yet!

some sparkly snowmen!

our wood stove keeps us toasty!

our theme in our home decorations is western

my husband blessed me with this rustic shelf for our 24th anniv. in Nov

a western Christmas!

I think I can use these other than Christmas!

we have two large trees, the one here is a western themed tree and the
12 foot tree in the background is my great craigslist buy!!!
only $100!!

I made these just recently, glass boxes found at Lowes,
put 50 count lights in and wrap a wire bow
and you have shimmering gift boxes!

Merry Christmas
and
thank you for stopping by!!!

christmas party pictures!!!

ready for the party!!

all the deer antler folks!!! hilarious!!!

Lucas!!!!

Josh, a pay back from all his "youth games!!"

donut game!!!

my friend Natalie and my interior decorator.... :) her husband
Paul had to work and their oldest son Dalton was not there either!!!

new friends from church, vb folks!!!

us, with a few extras, Jessica, Kristen and Sid!!!!

our dear friends the Burnetts!!!!

Dave and Kate and Lilian

Chappell family, we play vb with them and this is Lucas' family!!!

our dear friends of 24 plus years!!

Jessica and the donut game!!!

Bill Stinson....u figure em out!!! ahahha!!!

Josh....minister of students at our church!

"gifts" they got!!!
Dave, Caleb and Sid!!
a head band, a necklace and a hat!!
i think they traded with other people!

this is our pastors family!!

girls enjoying the party!!

The Christmas party was alot of fun!!! Our friends, Jessica and Kristen made it in from Dallas and Maryland!!!! We had I think bout 60 people here! What a blessing for the space to host it! We ate first, and wow, a ton of food!!! Everything was so delicious! Then teh crazy games began. I will tell you about them in case you want some ideas for your party! I found them on line under group Christmas games! One was "reindeer antlers." We had 7 teams and I gave each team a pair of panty hose and 8 balloons! The winner would be the first team to blow up the balloons, putting 4 in each leg without popping any! And of course we had to get crazy pictures wearing the antlers!!! It was hilarious! Another game was a relay, unwrapping kisses with mittens on and racing back and putting the kiss in the next ones mouth. The last game was with a donut tied on a string and hooked to a dow rod and one team member had to feed the dangling donut to the other team member laying on the floor and no hands allowed!!!! Not easy for sure. If played, I would suggest the person not to lay on the floor but sit on the floor. It almost had a gag effect!!! LOL! We also exchanged gifts with a story that was read which had the words left and right and everytime the word was said, you passed the gift that direction until the story was finished.

What a great time and great friends!! I made posters for each family to hold up with silly things that represented their families and we took pictures!! So thankful for the friends the Lord has brought into our lives. Some are new friends we have met in the fellowship of our church here in town that we have joined and several of the families are long time friends! The Stinson family we have know for 26-27 years and the Burnett's we have been hanging with them for 10 years! Our family is blessed with amazing brothers and sisters in Christ!

We had a great weekend with Jessica and Kristen's visit. I will post some pictures of that another time!!!

Have a great Monday!