Funny Faces

Jack loves doing these funny and sad faces these days. (Be sure to click the pause button on the music player to hear the audio on these clips.)

Happy Birthday, Jerry

For a few days every year (11, to be exact) Jerry & I are the same age. He turned 40 today while I will be 41 on January 9. We met when I was 20 (started dating a year later) so we've known each other 20 years now. Unbelievable. We've been through so many ups and downs our relationship could be the model for a roller-coaster at a theme park. We have good days and bad days and days we want to kill each other but it's all worth it. We have 2 fantastic children and we have so much HISTORY... we remember each others' fathers and grandfathers and grandmothers and know all the crazy stories. We know just what buttons to push to drive each other over the edge, but we also know how to laugh at ourselves. We have learned to compromise. We appreciate each other most of the time. We realize no one else would put up with either one of us!! We know what a gift it is to have our little family together!

Happy Birthday, Jerry. I look forward to the next 40. I love you.

Playlist

I added a playlist to our blog. It has songs that have significant meaning for Jerry & me from the length of our relationship and a couple that are just special to me. I hope you like them!! (If you don't want to listen to the music, click on the pause button on the black playlist box on the right side of the screen.)

Cookies & Milk for Santa

I wanted to post these pictures all by themselves. Jack was so excited to leave cookies & milk out for Santa this year. He went to bed saying "Santa coming tonight". Of course, he woke up Christmas morning and seemed disappointed that the snack was "all gone". I will post more about Christmas day with pics (we had a lovely day) but for now, here's Jack, preparing for Santa.

Dear Jack

You are growing so fast. I look at you every day and see the little baby I once held changing into a busy preschooler so fast my head spins. I want to remember every second of the last 2-1/2 years but I know I'll forget things. I don't want to forget how scared we were those first few days when you were in the NICU and we didn't know how long it would be until we could hold you, much less bring you home. It made me realize what a GIFT you are to us and how very, very much I wanted you. I don't want to forget how you hopped around on your knees before you could walk. It was so cute! I don't want to forget how Daddy and I referred to you as "Junior" before you were born and we didn't have a name picked out for you. I want to always remember how Daddy & Keegan wanted to name you "Hondo Jack" and how we settled for Jackson Dallas (Jackson after Andrew Jackson and Dallas after the Dallas Cowboys). I remember taking you to Moe's Southwest Grill when you were just a few weeks old and how we put your infant carrier on the booth beside me. You went to several restaurants that way (by the way, it was much easier to take you out to eat in those days!). I remember how you first called me "Be-be", not "Mommy" or "Mama" and kept that up pretty regularly until a few months ago. I guess it's because I tend to call you "Baby" a lot. When you were VERY little, I called you Baby Jack. I want to always remember how your warm, little body feels when you snuggle up for a story or to watch T.V. together. How excited you are when you ask us to read a book "One more time" (you don't understand that you can't just keep saying "One more time" over and over again!!). I remember how brave you were about the playground and climbing up to the HIGH slides when you were not even 2 years old. I love the way you say things are "BIG" in that deep,gravelly voice ("The BIIIGGG Jack", etc.). This Christmas you have enjoyed the decorations on everyone's houses so much... you point them out and say, "Mommy, lights on Daddy's side" or "Mommy's side". You LOVED pumpkins this fall and we must have read the book, "Five Little Pumpkins" 100 times or more. There are so many more things but I will add more later. For now, I love you, sweet boy. So very much. Finally, I have to include this picture of you from Christmas 2007. My sweet angel boy.
Always and always,
Mommy

Jack & Santa, ca. 2008

Well, today was the Christmas party at Jack's Mother's Morning Out program. It's so much fun to see all the wonderful presents he has been working on for Jerry and me... we got an adorable Christmas ornament for the tree with a picture of Jack dressed as an angel (okay, it's a bit of a stretch at times) and some homemade soap and a jar of cookie mix. Jack's MMO program director, Ms. Karen does a wonderful job with the children and is such a blessing... we love her!!

Anyways, Santa was there... Jack was uncertain, but wanted candy... he finally screwed up the courage to get close and here is the resulting photo plus a few others:

Yes, that's our boy on his belly hiding his face at Santa's feet. And it's the BEST shot I got. Can't wait to show this one to his girlfriends one day!!

Keegan's Choral Christmas Concert

He's so handsome in the tuxedo!! The concert was wonderful and even Jack attended (we did videotape a few songs but they didn't turn out well, sorry...). Keegan's chorus teacher has stated this is the best advanced chorus she has ever had and we completely agree!

I can hardly believe Christmas is right around the corner. Jack really loved decorating the tree this year, even though he put all the ornaments we gave him on 2 branches! He is so funny these days... he gets himself into precarious situations, like balanced between the sofa and coffee table, about to fall, and says, "Jack's in trouble! Jack's in trouble!" It's really cute. He also has very nice manners and says, "No, thank you" and "Please", etc. Even Keegan noticed it! Keegan is pretty busy with school but ready for a break, I think. Jerry is trying to get a job working overseas as a government contractor starting in January. We really need this to work out and are praying diligently for this to happen. He would be going to school online while there and trying to finish his degree. Please pray this will work out for him.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Christmas is coming

Gosh, I am bad at this! I had a little outpatient surgery the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and time has just FLOWN since then. I have pics to post and updating to do but all is well here. We are busy getting ready for Christmas and Jack is in LOVE with all the Christmas decorations he sees. Keegan has been very busy with drama and music activities at school and we are really proud of him. I'll get some new pictures posted SOON.