Hangin' Out at Home

I haven't written anything in a few days because there hasn't been anything really happening around here. We are so happy to have Amy living here with us during the interim time between graduation and starting her job in Atlanta at the end of June. We fixed up the spare bedroom just for her with her computer and everything. We hung the picture that she had at her house in College Station over her bed and it really looks cute! So, we've been going to "workout" sometimes in the mornings, and we've been watching movies at night. We've seen some good ones. Last night we watched Mall Cop (at Fletcher's request). It was pretty stupid, but had a happy ending which is important to me. You can probably imagine how much Amy is enjoying living here with us! I'm still knitting slippers. I just finished my third pair today! Now I'm ready to try something new. I think I will need another lesson. On Monday (Memorial Day), we went out to dinner with Christopher and Laurie Anne and Mary Katherine at Outback Steakhouse! On Tuesday we stayed home. On Wednesday Amy and I drove up to College Station. Amy had some errands to run there and I was just basically along for the ride. We had hoped to see Jennifer, but we didn't get to see Jennifer because she was at work while we were there. Jennifer has moved to a new location in College Station. She is living at the same house that Amy just moved out of, but Jennifer is in a different room. I hope she likes it. Did you know the MSC Bookstore is closed and is moving to a new location while they do renovations? We were unable to go into the bookstore to look at the frames, and that is the only place you can purchase them. On Thursday we stayed home, and on Friday we stayed home. Amy is getting ready to go on a trip next week. She is very excited about it! Dan has been away on a fishing vacation with a friend in South Texas, so we haven't heard from him. Well, I guess this is pretty boring, but maybe something interesting will happen around here soon. I'll let you know.

New Beginnings

Well, since graduation, I have to accept the fact that my children are now adults and fully able to make their own decisions and be self-sufficient. It's not easy to let go, but we have to so that they can each reach their full potential in life. It is our prayer as their parents that they will rely on God for direction, and that will continue to be our prayer for each of them. Now, it's just me and Fletcher just like when we started out together, only this time we are on the other side of our hopes and dreams, trying to put the pieces of our lives back together as a couple in a different kind of way with new goals and dreams. I remember when we first got married how we had our whole life ahead of us with the dream of a family and careers, and home. Some of that didn't work out like we expected, but alot of it did. We are so thankful for all of our many blessings. I have been studying on Matthew 5, the Beatitudes, because I was concerned that we weren't blessed. But, guess what I've discovered, we are! God's blessings and dreams for us are not the same as the dreams we have for our own lives. We are blessed in many ways and we are thankful to God for his blessings which he pours out on us. His mercies are new every morning!

So, here we go on a new adventure to see what God has in store for us in this next phase of our life. We are so thankful that our children are out there making a difference in the world in their own individual ways. We look forward to watching their lives unfold as adults too. I'll keep you updated on what's going on with our family as we experience our new beginnings.

Dan's Apartment Visit

On Saturday evening we visited Dan at his apartment in Houston. We enjoyed seeing him at his home. Then we went to eat at Ninfa's Mexican Restaurant! Yummy!

Amy's Graduation Day!

Our daughter Amy graduated from Texas A&M University on Saturday, May 16, 2009, 9:00am in Reed Arena. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the Mays Business School. After her graduation we all went out to lunch at Cenares Italian Restaurant in College Station. It was delicious!

Congratulations Amy!

Fightn' Texas Aggie Class of 2009!

Whoop!

Jennifer's Graduation Day!

Our daughterJennifer graduated from Texas A&M on Friday afternoon May 15, 2009 at 2:00pm in Reed Arena with a B.S. degree in Nutrition Science. After the graduation, we went back to her house and had a wonderful barbeque dinner. It was delicious! Thanks to Jarred and his parents Jan and Curtis for cooking the brisket, and most of the other food.

Congratulations Jennifer!

Fightn' Texas Aggie Class of 2008!

Whoop!

Texas A&M Graduation Convocation 2009

Last night we attended the Texas A&M Graduation Convocation at Reed Arena. The speaker was Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr., USMC (Ret.) a NASA Astronaut. After the Convocation, we walked over to the Rec Center for the "after party". Then, we went to eat at Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant. Thanks to Pawpaw and Poppy for buying our dinner! It was delicious. We're trying to make a few lasting memories of Graduation at Aggieland.

Gig 'Em Aggies! Whoop!

Moving Day!

"We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we!"

Our College Station days are coming to an end this week! We didn't realize how attached we have become to Texas A & M University and College Station. I guess it just gets in your blood after having one or two children there for the last 8 years. Fletcher and I feel like we are graduating too! Today we helped Amy move out of her house in College Station. She had her last final yesterday, and will be graduating on Saturday with a degree in Finance from Texas A & M University. She has a job waiting for her in Atlanta, Georgia, but she won't start there until the end of June, so she is going to stay with us for the next 6 weeks! We are so happy to have this special time to spend with Amy before she moves so far away. Boy, these last four years went by so fast for all of us. I'll miss going to College Station for school events and to see our children. Jennifer is also graduating this Friday from Texas A & M University (Whoop!) with her degree in Nutrition Science. She will be staying in College Station for awhile, so maybe we can just go for a visit now and then. Now it's time for everyone to go to work and pay their taxes. Oh, how they'll miss those college days!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today Jennifer made the special effort to spend the day with me on Mother's Day! Yay! Daddy and I really enjoyed cooking out and visiting with you this afternoon. Thanks Jennifer for the beautiful "Mother" frame and for putting a picture of the two of us in it. That was very thoughtful, and the sweet Mother's Day Blessing card. I loved the Bible verses in it. Amy couldn't come today, but she sent a delicious chocolate Mother's Day cake and a bouquet of beautiful pink, orange, and red roses. Thanks also for the rose card with your thoughtful handwritten note inside. And, thanks for the phone call Dan. I love it when you call just to talk to me.

I thank God upon every remembrance of you.

Philippians 1:3

I think being a mother is all I really ever wanted to be. Everything I do, think, say, and feel is wrapped around being the mother of Dan, Jennifer, and Amy. I love each one of my children more than they will ever know, and I will always try to protect them from harm if I can. Some people have even described me as "overprotective" if that's possible. It's been a learning process with each child and with each phase of life, trying to adjust and to know what is best for each child as they grow and change. I wish that I could say I've been a perfect mother, and the best mother in the whole wide world, but that wouldn't be true. Of course I've made mistakes. But, it's impossible to live a life without regrets. (I heard that in a movie this week.) Having adult children is really different. I don't get to see them whenever I would like to, I don't know where they are or what they're doing most of the time, but I had to learn to let go and trust in God that He will protect them, and pray that they will make good choices in difficult circumstances. Being a mom requires alot of praying and faith that God will always be there with you and with your children every step of the way (if you ask Him to be there). Having adult children now is fun in a different way because now they are real grown-up people out there living their own lives, each having different experiences that they sometimes share with me.

I am so proud to be their Mom!

Memaw and Poppy's Visit

Mother and Daddy came to visit us in Houston last week to attend Fletcher's 50th Birthday Party. They can still drive for 6 hours and find their way to our apartment in Houston, but still have trouble answering their cell phone. It's a mystery. They are truly in God's hands while they are on the road with mother driving and daddy navigating. We really enjoy spending time with them, and we love them so much and appreciated their visit. We had some fun while they were here, cooking out hamburgers by the pool, shopping, watching "Deal or No Deal" on TV and having brunch in the Clubhouse on Saturday morning. After brunch we played table shuffleboard and pool in the clubhouse. Saturday afternoon mother and I went out to do some more shopping and then she helped me decorate for the party. We topped our visit off with the birthday party on Saturday night (which wore them out), and then they went home on Sunday. We are looking forward to seeing them again at the graduations in College Station next weekend!

We love you Memaw and Poppy!

Fletcher's Fifty!!

Happy Birthday, Fletcher! You finally turned fifty! We knew it would happen one day, and it wasn't as bad as you expected. We had a party with friends and family to help Fletcher get over the hump and into his fabulous fifties! It was a surprise party at Texas Land and Cattle Steakhouse. And boy was it a surprise! We had 34 people there to celebrate. Our close family members and brothers and sisters in Christ that we love. I wish you could have all been there to see the look of surprise on Fletcher's face! Then everyone enjoyed a steak and cake!

Happy Birthday Fletcher! I love you.