Being Busy...

The girls have been very busy since the beginning of summer...here is just a small glimpse of the "Goings-On."

 First we have the girls, helping mom, babysit Serena's adorable twins EJ & Frankie while mama got some much earned R&R.

Next we dressed up like "Cow's" for Chickfila's Annual Customer Appreciation Day with the Vasquez and Flores Families. It was  a lot of fun and we got to eat some delicious food! 

Early summer we went to visit my long time dear, dear friend Betty Dovalina and her little miracle...Jeffery! Betty has the most special place in my heart. She gave me a chance when I needed it and chance turned into a treasured friendship. We have been friends over twenty years. Betty has seen the hand of Jesus transforming clay from brokenness to beauty. What a sweet, sweet friend!

July 4th we turned our attentions to the flag and foundations of our country. We made a beautiful flag cake with the Flores Family. We read, ate treats and made American Flags as we celebrated the birth of our nation and the freedoms we have in the United States. Thank you Lord for the mercies you have shown to our country. Forgive us for not living out your ways and help us to turn our hearts to you so our land may be healed and you may receive all the glory.

Jorgie having some cooling off summer time swimming with "Old Faithful"...her long time buddy...Athan. How sweet these little ones have each other and build such sweet memories. Truly friends!

May brought my dear brother and his precious family to San Antonio. Although we were happy to see them we wished it would had been for better reason for them to make their visit to SA from Oxford, Mississippi. Sadly, Sadie, Lexy and Little John had to come because their sweet mom passed away. It was such a hard loss. I know I will always remember their mamma and I know these kids are blessed to know where she is. This is a photo of most of the cousins as we watched fireworks at Fiesta Texas then we took pictures with area Firefighters. Love you kids.









In May Jeri was awarded the first place prize for winning, regional and state in the local Immigration Council's Annual 5th grade Essay Writing Contest. This years topic was "Why I am Glad America is a Nation of Immigrants." She was

nervous to read her poem in front of 900 immigrants being sworn in as American Citizen but in the end she rose to the challenge and was successful. I am so super proud of her! :)

Jamie also found herself exploring new territory. In May she interviewed and was accepted to partake in the Blue Jay Volunteer Program at Methodist Hospital. She is amazing. She has escorted patients all over the hospital, worked in Labor & Delivery, Gift Shop, Information Desk, SICU and now she is on the "Popcorn Committee." Next week she stands in for her boss while she is on vacation. Jamie is growing in time management and responsibility, which were my goals for her through this program. Love it!!!

Jorgie was busy too! Ever keeping us on our toes, this time she was busy making the perfect Father's Day Gift for Daddy! She made a striking tie for Daddy to wear and she posed for a picture in front of a mural that has her orange hand print in the design. Love you "Jorga"...we will be celebrating your 4th birthday very soon. Our lives are fuller because you are in them. What kind of family would we be without you? I shutter at the thought!

Finally the girls and I were given some sweet Missions Tickets to see San Antonio's Minor League Baseball Team. So we set out on a Sunday evening to watch our first ever Missions game...and it was soooooooo much fun. We can't wait to do it again! Thanks Nana, Popo and Marcus!

It was Amazing!

Lone Star Classic Volleyball Tourney 2011

It was an awesome experience. There must have been 400 volleyball teams from all over Texas and surrounding states last weekend at the dallas Convention Center.  The courts went on and on. These girls were all 14 and they all came for one purpose... to win!

It was so exciting to see Jamie be apart of something so great. Her team arrived Friday afternoon and they played against four other teams on the same court. They were ranked 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th. Jamie's team placed 2nd. From there they were placed in the winners bracket..woohoo!! Saturday they started playing but lost all their games. Going into Sunday it was win or go home. We went home. The competition was good. Her team fought but in the end it was a great experience. What does team sports achieve? I believe it has a great potential to achieve so much more then a competitive spirit or poor sportsmanship! I have seen great growth in Jamie. And for the first time all season I saw her try and try in her last game to win. It was the first time I saw her really make an extreme effort to rise above and fight the good fight, regardless of how it ended! Yes, there is a lot to learn. Commitment! She has learned to stay committed even when the team is losing and you want to quit! She is realizing that her mistakes don't make the game, neither do her achievements make the game! She works as a team with seven other girls to accomplish the same goal. So she is learning teamwork, a skill she will need as a wife, mother, nurse or friend. She is learning to be physically fit. Jamie has been working hard these past few months on her diet. She is finally becoming aware of what she is eating, how much and which foods fuel her or defeat her. She is growing a desire to try hard things. She wants to continue on in this sport and see how far she can go. And most of all she is learning to develop socially. She is growing more and more confident and less and less shy. She has grown some beautiful friendships with her sweet teammates. All the girls are uniquely different from one another and that has been great for Jamie. I think it is a valuable life lesson for Jamie to see that we are all different. We are created for different purposes by God. It has been a wonderful year in club volleyball for Jamie. We look forward to all the great things God does in her life through this sport.