Christmas 2014

Just as I was blessed throughout the year, the blessing just continued the month of December. We did start Christmas the week Chad and Tara were here before Jenna's wedding and the festivities just continued for the month of December. We had lots of family time, Christmas events, and just some "home" time to enjoy my decorations and Christmas movies.

Our Davis/Ferguson family did our Christmas on December 23 with a visit from Santa. The bummer was that Justin had the flu and did not get to join us for food and games.


 Greg, Lisa, and Anja spent the night with us. She slept all through the night. They flew to Minnesota early Christmas morning to finish out the holidays.

Our Streetman family did Christmas on Christmas Eve at Brandi's.

Papa and I with all the grandchildren. 

The Blessing of November

I get emotional every time I think about how blessed I am, and what a wonderful November I got to experience with family. God blessed me more than words can express; and I give all the Glory to Him.

Thanksgiving at the Cabin

Rick, Mindi, Cade, Cali, Keylyn, Peyton, Abby and I in a rented Tahoe left on Tuesday before Thanksgiving for the cabin in New Mexico. We were packed to the roof with no space to spare. When we got there, Roger had to come to the fire station to pick us up in his 4-wheel drive to take us up the mountain. Two days earlier they had a big snow so a 2-wheel drive would not make it up to the cabins. 

We stayed in Sue’s cabin the first two nights then moved to the other cabin Thursday morning after Roger and his family left. We transferred all our luggage and groceries by sled. 
 

 There was lots of snow and ice so the kids got to sled all over the mountain. I enjoyed God’s beautiful creation of the mountain, snow, deer, turkeys, birds, and trees with my camera. We cooked a full Thanksgiving meal. On Friday we walk down to the station to get our vehicle so that we could take the kids to Red River.
 

 It was amazing to see how patient and laid back Rick was on this trip with his grandchildren. He was actually content not working from sun-up to sundown without any projects going on.
 

 Memories were made with these four grandchildren that will last a long time.

Goodbye, Farewell

After the wedding we had to say goodbye to Chad, Tara, Jerry, and Jenna and Jared. The wedding couple was off to a beach resort in Mexico. Chad went to Nashville to see Dave Dunn, then off to New Zealand for work. Tara went home to Singapore; and Jerry went to Thailand/Bangkok to get away from our Texas winter. It was sad after a week of so much family time with all the family and cousins together to say goodbye. It will be the Fourth of July before we will all be back together again.

Jenna Married HerMann

On November 21, Jenna and Jared got married. The 6 weeks leading up to her wedding was not your normal wedding activities. Jenna is a supervisor of a critical care unit at Dallas Presby. This just happened to be where the first Ebola patient in the US died. She was highly involved in the Ebola case that was in the news worldwide. She had two of her nurses to even come down with it. Her life was turned upside down for three weeks. During this time, Anja was born and she could not go meet her, she had a wedding shower canceled, she worked many long hours, and was highly involved with the CCC and other important beings.

There were a few things that did get to take place. A Low-Country feast was held at their Mansfield friend’s house. This is the place we first saw the line that “Jenna found HerMann”. We had a nice luncheon at Haitie’s in the Bishop Arts district. We had a bridal luncheon at “The Pantry” and pedicures/manicures before the wedding.

Chad and Tara got to come home from Singapore for the week. We had a birthday meal for Chad on Friday with all the kids when they got to town. This is when they got to meet Anja. 

Saturday we met Tara’s family at Babe’s for a big family meal with the Foleys, Davises, and Fergusons. Sunday we had 24 at the house for a Thanksgiving meal and Christmas crafts. Monday the four kids all went to visit Aunt Bonnie. Wednesday was the pedi/mani day. Thursday was bridal luncheon and rehearsal dinner at Kellys in Allen. Friday was the wedding. We did Chick Fil A at the hotel for lunch while the girls got dress. The wedding and reception was at The Flour Mill in McKinney. Blue Mesa did the buffet. Rick and I sat with my four kids and Dawn and Bill.

The night was perfect - a beautiful wedding with a beautiful bride. Everyone had a great time. May God bless Jenna and Jared Hermann with a wonderful life together.

Anja Elizabeth Davis (a storybook)

Anja Elizabeth Davis

By

Marilyn Davis Streetman

(The following is a shutter fly storybook, minus the pictures, that I created for Anja for Christmas 2014.)

Once upon a time, February 2012, in a far away place, Phoenix, Arizona, a young man, Gregory Carl Davis, and a young women Lisa – Rennekee, met on an airplane.

They had a fairy tale romance and were married November 25 of this same year in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

On April 1, 2014 a great big announcement was made. Greg and Lisa would be having a baby around October 15.  Several weeks later they found out that this baby would be a princess.

Greg and Lisa planned and prepared for the birth of this princess in Dallas, Texas. Baby items were accumulated.

In the middle of September, the doctor told the parents that the princess would have to come early. M.e, Greg’s mother, took pictures of them a week before the birth of the baby.

The baby was supposed to come on Monday, September 29, but the doctor had a medical emergency. Therefore, Tuesday, September 30, would be the special day.

Dad and Mom had to be at the Plano Baylor hospital at 5:30 AM. M.e got to the hospital at 6:00 AM. Dad and Mom were excited in the anticipation of the arrival of their little girl.

At 7:30 AM, Anja Elizabeth Davis, made her arrival into the world CRYING. She weighed in at 6 pounds 3 ounces and was 19 inches long. Anja was the cutest baby!

What a blessing from God this little princess is!

Every good and perfect gift is from above.  James 1:17

Not long after her birth Anja had to go to the NICU unit where she would remain until Saturday. Saturday she was moved to a neonatal room, and then on Sunday she got to go home.

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139:13

Home sweet home!

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. Psalm 127:3

Love begins here.

Welcome to the world, Anja.

I will always love you. M.e

Anja Elizabeth Davis

On September 30 at 7:30 AM history was made with the birth of Anja Elizabeth Davis.  A new generation of Davises was started. Anja's due date was October 15. However, Lisa was low on amniotic fluid and the baby was breach, so her arrival was planned for a C-section on Monday, September 29. The doctor had an emergency surgery so the arrival was delayed one day.

These pictures were shot one week earlier of the happy couple when they found out the baby was one week away.

 September 30, 2014 at 7:30 AM this precious little girl came into the world.

Greg and Lisa had to be at the hospital at 5:00 AM. I drove to the hospital in the dark by myself. I was there by 6:15 AM. Greg and Lisa were great before the c-section. Justin came and set with me at the hospital. Diana had to work and could not be here until after lunch.

Some notable items of this event to be remembered:
Anja weighed 6 lbs. 3 oz. & 19 inches long.
When the doctor cut Lisa open and started lifting Anja out, she was already crying in the stomach. The doctor said this is really unusual. Within the first hour, it was decided that Anja would have to go to the NICU unit because she had fluid in her lungs and was breathing rather shallow. She also had to be given an IV and a feeding tube.

Anja stayed in the NICU from Tuesday to Saturday. On Saturday she got to go to the neonatal floor where Lisa and Greg joined her. She did so well there that she was released to go home on Sunday.
Other items to be noted:
Chad and Tara are living and working in Singapore.
Jenna is dealing with the first American case of Ebola at her hospital.
Rickie is in Orlando, Fl at the sprinkler show.

Disney - Where Dreams Come True

Rick and I had the opportunity to visit Mickey and Minnie a few days before his annual sprinkler show. We purchased a day hopper pass, and did we make great use of it. We experienced three parks on Saturday with a million other people. On Main Street in the Magic Kingdom I did experience that magical feeling of one of the "happiest places on the Earth."  Sunday we did Universal Studios which was another fun day. As I write this post I am waiting at the Orlando airport to take me to another magical experience - the birth of my first son's child.

Galveston, Oh! Galveston

The Friday of Labor Day weekend Rickie came home and asked if I wanted to go on a road trip for the weekend. Duh! In fifteen minutes our bags were packed, my brother was called for "Premium Dog Care" for Abby, and off we were to Galveston. I had never been other than to get on a cruise ship several years ago. We made it to our destination by 10:30 PM.  The next morning we started our touring of the city. We toured Bishop mansion, Moody mansion, an offshore drilling rig, and Alyssa. We drove the sea wall, ate at Fish Tales, stopped at Buc-ees, and watched a movie about the hurricane of 1900. We ended the day with the dog races. The next morning we headed home. We vacationed in Rickie's style - a 48-hour fun-filled road trip.

Luggage - a Legacy and an Adventure

I graduated from high school in 1975. My parents gave be a 3 piece set of Samsonite luggage for a graduation present. This was quite ironic at the time since my family really did not take family vacations. Oklahoma is the only state I had been to before my senior trip to Florida; and going to Oklahoma was really just going to the lake.
When Greg and Chad each graduated from high school I followed suit and gave each of them a set of luggage. We did take family vacations, ski trips, and mission trips outside the state; so I knew the kids would have opportunities to use luggage.
However, I really had not thought much about luggage, until I was on this last trip staring at many pieces of luggage. It was at that point that I realized the symbolism of luggage, travel, and the legacy that Bennie Scoggins started many years ago with the graduation present. Greg, Chad, and I all travel more than the average person with our luggage to different places with different purposes, but each with an adventure (or job) just waiting to be experienced.

Alaska - The Last Frontier

August 9, I lacked one state on my bucket list item to visit all 50 USA states. I really started this adventure the year, Chad graduated from college. Up to that point, my life (and money) was my kids. In 2007 both boys were gainfully employed and off my payroll. I treated myself that year to a trip to Italy, France, and Spain. I also got married that year. But that is the year, that I started my bucket list. I was on a plane looking at the USA states and started putting x's on the states that I had visited. I believe at that point I had been to about 35 states. I made a list of the states that I needed to visit, and the adventures began. Most of the states were visited with my sister and Cheyrl. We usually would take a spring trip, a fall trip, and a summer trip each year.
In March of this year, Diana and I started planning an Alaskan cruise with Brenda and Dominic Lampe. In June, Diana, Cheyrl, and  I got my 47th, 48th, and 49th states (Montana, Idaho, and Oregon). We also visited Washington and Canada on this trip.
On August 7, Diana, both Rick's, and I started this last adventure. We flew to Seattle. We had a great day and half with a friend. We dug clams and picked up oysters for dinner. Brian cooked us clams, oysters, crab, and steak for dinner. We visited the Ballard Locks, Pike's Meat Market. and a car museum in Seattle. Saturday, August 9, we boarded our cruise ship and off to the Last Frontier we sailed. Sunday was our day out at sea. Monday, my feet touched Alaskan ground in Juneau, thus finishing off this bucket list item. I will do another post with pictures of this great trip.

Spring updates

I do not know where my time goes. It seems that while I was working I would find time at night to blog. Now I never find time to blog. Anyway to catch up the last several months I will just list some of the events in our lives.

• Girls' Spring Break trip to New Orleans
• Greg announced on April Fools day that they were expecting a baby.
• Nascar - Sunday race got rained out until Monday, so we missed it
• Easter - Family meal at our house with Fergusons, Greg, and Lisa's family
• Rick Ferguson retirement from TI with a party
• Chad got to come home for a visit, and he actually got to come to Rick's retirement party
• Jenna got engaged to Jared. YEA! Now there is a wedding to plan.
• Fredericksberg - Rick and I took a road trip Memorial Day/his birthday weekend. We visited the WWII museum, LBJ ranch, and Luchenbach, Texas. Fun get away weekend, but very educational.
• Chicago - Rick and I went to Chicago to cook a meal for Anvil.
• A Wedding - Nic and Emily. Greg and Chad were groomsmen in it. Chad got to come home for the weekend.
• Four funerals (of great people) Ruth Massey, Wes Eldridge, Chuck Glass, and Dorothy Block

What a Crazy Start for March?

I will let the pictures tell the story.

March 1, Saturday, was a beautiful day with 78 to 80 degree temperatures.

March 2, Sunday, during church we had a "Thunder Sleet storm."We all had a surprise when we went outside after the worship service. We already had 1 inch of ice pellets.  (Don't you love Rick and my "selfie."  Look at all the colleges we are wearing. Someone dug out the ski clothes.)

We could not resist taking the riding toy out for a spin or two. While we were out it started sleeting on us. It was like being pelted with BB's. I love living in Texas.

Ready, Aim, Fire

Rick and I each had toys that we took out last weekend and played with. Rick's is a pistol that he had never had out of the box. He is going to get his handgun license this weekend, so he decided he better meet his gun. His time with his gun was very successful, the dummy did die.

Analyzing the dummy.

Loading the gun

FIRE!

I also have a new toy that I got to shoot, just in a different way. I probably was not as successful, because I did not nail the shot. My camera has many more settings and features than his gun, which means I have many more hours of practice ahead. Here are my three models - Abby, the cows, and Rick.

Abby is already used to the camera.

A cow getting a pedicure with Henry.

One of the herd.

 Notice my name in the bottom left corner on the pictures. I am also learning Photoshop. Have I said lately how much I love retirement.

My Online Photography Class

I was serious about learning my camera, so I signed up for an online photograph course to teach me a few things about my camera. I have to say so far, I have learned a great deal. However, I am to the practicing stage where you put it all together to compose a picture. The class is mainly moms with children. For their homework, they have been posting cute pictures of their kids. This is where you can tell I am on the other end of the spectrum. My models are Abby, a sonic cup,  and the cows.