Christmas Card

I worked to try and sneak a copy of a card I made on another web site, but it would not let me copy it on to here, so a picture I took of the Jones clan for the card will have to do.



This year's Christmas Card budget went to this little girl.


Her name is Rosa and she lives in a Chosen Children's Ministries Orphanage in Nicaragua. Brent has met her on a previous visit. We know that she has been abused before she came to the orphanage and that it is very hard for her to open up and trust, especially men. Brent said that since he met her, she has come a long way and that she is just precious.

Brent also said that I could let everyone know that if you would like to sponsor a child in Nicaragua you could just let us know or you can go to the CCM Web Site and contact them.

We hope that each and everyone of you have a very Merry Christmas!

CRAP!!!!

(I have added a few post so you will have to scroll down)

Guess what invaded our home at 7AM this morning??? The stomach bug! Callan woke up saying his tummy hurt. I thought that maybe it was from the junk he has been coughing over for the past week. Nope... 3 hours into it has has thrown up 8 times, and is begging not to do it again.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET US NOT SPEND CHRISTMAS PASSING THIS AROUND!

Kids on the Korner

Thursday was Silas and Eliza's last day of Mom's Day Out for the year. To celebrate, they always put on a little show and have a party.
I happened to take a few shots of the kids before school. Eliza was so stinking cute in the outfit Nommie made for her. (You will be seeing this a lot this week)




Silas was ALL ABOUT singing "Go Tell It On The Mountain". Nommie got it on video and I hope to get it from her to put on here soon!

Eliza scooted back as soon as she took her spot on stage, so this was as good of a pic I could get. Lukily she was sitting next to a cute relative so I did not mind getting some shots of him. I also tried to video her singing her songs yesterday so that I could hear her... I will have to post later.

Af-i-dif-ic Effort

Callan's teacher sent me an e-mail Tuesday telling me that Callan would be receiving an award in an assembly Wednesday afternoon. I made arrangements to be there. Callan we so proud to see me there and so proud to hear his name called. The bonus to getting an award is that you get to participate in a relay race with all the kids who get an award (5 from each classroom). When all was said and done, Callan looked at me and said "What kind of award did I get mom?" and then proceeded to try to tell me "Af-i-dif-ic Effort". Baylor tried to correct him and I hushed him. Only in Kindergarten would Af-i-dif-ic Effort mean so much more than any other award. His teacher, Miss Ross, did say that he is doing so well and trying so hard to do his best. Even when everyone else around him is trying to distract him. ("REALLY???") I am very proud!

Weekend Wrap-up

I could spread these post out over the next several days, but my guess is if I want them on here... I better just get to it.

Let me preface this by saying that I told Brent (my hunter man) that I did not ever want a handgun in our house. Sure I could stand his hunting paraphernalia, but a handgun was entirely different. Then someone in our neighborhood woke up with a stranger in her closet, a bank on the corner got robbed and sent the schools on lock down, and a restaurant that is within walking distance got "shot up" by someone who was just angry. Now, Brent has a handgun. Friday night, he and his dad took a class that would allow him to get his right to carry permit. The class was from 6PM unto about 2AM. And the wee hours of the morning involved time at the shooting range. While he was sleeping in Saturday morning, I found his target. I had to check it out, because if there was going to be a handgun in my house, I had to know what kind of shot he is. I am impressed.

This is 50 rounds! 40 of those shots were right in the center. The other 10 were still in the main circles and the one that is the furthest out (but still in the circles) was due to a gun jam.

Saturday, Brent had a Missions Meeting a church so the kids and I broke down and created our traditional gingerbread structure. The before (yes, it was hot glued... we are not patient enough to wait on the icing to dry enough to hold it together). Then they went to town... it was a gooey mess... but fun for at least 15 minutes. Callan sang "It's a Holly, Jolly Christmas" (those words only) over and over again.
After they were finished and it was sitting proudly on the table we left it to just be, and about 10 minutes later... Eliza came to where I was with her mouth overfilled, grunting. She had raided the train and had about 14 pieces of its decor stuffed in her mouth. Luckily she spit them out and we learned our lesson and put the train up high. When I took their picture with the train, they all agreed that it should be the family Christmas Card. I am not planning on doing a card this year, but there will be a picture coming soon of them all dressed up together. It IS the Jones tradition.






More coming soon.

Surprise Snow

We weren't supposed to get any snow... but we did, and the kids are thrilled.

Maria Elizabeth

I was checking my site meter and saw that someone looked in from Guatemala. Eliza's Foster Mom used to be able to e-mail me and look in on my blog from time to time. I have not heard from her in a while so I do not know if she still has access to a computer. But, I have been thinking a lot about her lately. Fostering was her job and I do not know what she is doing now. How she is making ends meet for her 4 girls? Eliza has not had much face time on the blog here lately, so I thought I would take a quick picture this morning for Maria Elizabeth just in case she still gets to look. I wanted one more of her smiling, but these days with the smile (ahem cheesy grin) you also get squinted eyes, and a mouth full of teeth... so you take what you can get



She is getting so big. She amazes us daily. She really is starting to talk and communicate and even yelled at me this morning, "Mommy, I UP!" and then proceeded to say "Go, Papa's". Everyone she comes into contact with falls in love with her. Not only is she beautiful on the outside, but you can tell she has a nuturing, loving beauty on the inside. I still am amazed daily that I get to be her mom. I love her with all my heart, and then some.