Family Christmas

I am so blessed! Jona, Donna, Wyatt, Trey, Carla, Daniel and Dylan came over last night to celebrate Christmas with me. This was the best get together we have had! Daniel brought his rock star playstation 3 game and the guys all rocked out! It was so rich to watch them enjoy being together. I cooked chicken bog (Jona's request) and chicken salad (Carla's request). The grandsons had all spent the night with me the night before and we made cookies together. We also had a really special time together when Dylan and Trey discovered my nativity scene. We talked about the true meaning of Christmas. Wyatt told them a lot of the facts and I was able to fill in more so that Christmas came alive for them. When we all piled in bed that night, we made up stories and snuggled and enjoyed living large together. Wyatt got his acoustic guitar, Trey his gameboy, and Dylan his artist's desk. They were all thrilled with their gifts. Carla and Daniel got a new set of pots and pans because Carla has burned up the set I gave them as a house warming gift! Jona got a special picture of Papaw and Nanna in a Masonic frame. Donna got a cross stitched coffee scene to add to her kitchen collection. Jona, Donna, Wyatt and Trey gave me a wonderful smelling Yankee candle and Carla, Daniel and Dylan added another ring to my collection. I loved my gifts, but most of all I enjoyed having my family with me! We had our get togther early because Carla has to work and I am leaving this weekend to spend a week with Dana and Mike and families.

Dylan's first public performance

I went to Dylan's school Christmas program this week. Dylan was quite the ham at his first school musical. Look for the picture below to see him looking for us in the audience. You can see all the pictures and read all about Carla, Daniel and Dylan at her blogspot at hilburnfamily.blogspot.com. The program was so cute and ofcourse I thought Dylan was the star. Carla was so excited about her baby's first program. Ofcourse cool daddy Daniel was his usual laid back self, but he was totally into it too. During the program, Dylan discovered his tie and started playing with it. Pretty soon all the little boys around him who had on ties were playing with theirs too. He's going to be a natural mischief maker like his dad and mom!

The Holidays Are Here!

I can't believe my Christmas break from school is almost here. I'm so looking forward to getting together this Sunday with Carla, Daniel, Jona, Donna, Wyatt, Trey and Dylan. They're all coming to my apartment for our Christmas get together. We're getting together this weekend because I'm flying out on the 23rd to Mississippi to see Dana and Mike and families. I'll be there all week. Also, Carla works at Gymboree and is swamped with work because of the holidays. I know the boys will enjoy getting their gifts early.

I wish all of you blessings of this special season. Let me hear from you!

Life Is Good!

Even though I miss my friends and family back in Mississippi and wish I could see them now, I am beginning to love my new life here in Texas. I'm making new friends at work, church and home. I am teaching sixth grade English in a small town outside of McKinney (where my apartment is located). This teaching job has definitely taken me outside of my comfort zone and is stretching my creative abilities to keep ahead of these bright students. Right now, they are involved in using a childhood fairy tale to write a skit about the characters appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show. It should be interesting to see the results.....

I'm teaching with a GREAT team of Christians who keep me inspired. We try to meet every Monday morning for prayer and we eat together in one of the teacher's rooms everyday. My new principal is new and energetic. A note for Monica...he is like a younger version of Ed Harden.

My apartment is beautiful. It's new, so my germaphobic self doesn't oogie over the fact that others have been here before me. I've made friends with a really sweet couple across the breezeway, the Chapmans. They have two girls - a 14 year old and 1 year old. He is a former country singer who opened for some pretty famous groups. He calls me Sis. She is a loving mom and has a bubbly personality. She and I are work-out buddies at the apartment's gym. They are both in sales. They are always inviting me over to eat Misty's good cooking.

I've found a great church home. The first day that I went, two ladies reached out to me and made me feel really welcome. This church works at being a "body" of Christ. There are lots of small groups for fellowship and the groups meet frequently. I'm involved in two now - a singles group and an empty nester group called Serendepity. I was sharing with the Serendeptity group about how welcome they made me feel at a time when I was feeling so lonely and so withdrawn socially. One sweet older guy and a fellow gardener told me, "Welcome back, butterfly." Later in the evening, a lady who is becoming a friend turned to another lady and said, "See, I told you she was really a lot of fun!" When I asked her who she was talking about, she answered, "You, dummy!" So I guess the "glowworm" (as my friends at Southside used to call me) really is hatching into a "social butterfly".

Ofcourse, I am loving the fact that my kids and grandkids are so close by. I'm living halfway between the two families. I went with Daniel, Carla, and Dylan to look at houses for them today. They are working towards owning a home. Pray for them as they come to realize this dream. Last Saturday, I went with them to a "Pumpkin Patch" that Dylan totally loved! This next weekend, I am keeping Wyatt and Trey while Jona and Donna take a short trip. I've been going to Wyatt's football games and I went to both their baseball games last summer.

As you can see, I am feeling truly blessed....more to come later.