Family Reunion Cruise

A couple of weekends ago the three of us packed up our bags and headed out for a Family Reunion/Birthday Bash for my Gramma's 70th birthday. It was a great opportunity to catch up with family I hadn't seen for years, some of them it had been 16 years. It was so funny to be greeted "little jacqui" but it really just had been that long :)

At the blowhole La Bufadora. We got to do some bargaining and got to eat some delicious authentic Churros. The ocean view was amazing.

The evening after we got back from Ensenada we had our formal dinner. The boys looked so handsome. Thankfully we took our picture when we did, because as we had finished dinner and were leaving the dining room, poor Sam got sick and threw up all over himself and Daddy, and even managed to get some in Steve's mouth-yucko

Our day at sea. Steve and Danielle climbed the wall that overlooked the ocean- it was really neat.

On the way home- We were POOPED!!!!

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. T

What a whirlwind of a weekend we have had. Friday Samuel and I joined with My Uncle, Aunt and Gramma to travel up to Wa to see Danielle get married. Sammy is always such a great traveler. He does so well waking up so early and being totted everywhere, and he was sick, so he was the best! The wedding was absolutely amazing. Totally stress free. Danielle looked so beautiful. Her dress was just perfect.

Me and my sister
Jonathan and His mom
My Uncle Jeff and Dan
Aunt Teresa and Danielle
Gramma and Dan
My Gramma was just tickled by this one

We also got to squeeze in quite a bit if sight seeing. My uncle is a firm believer in doing as much as we could in the small amount of time we had, I was so impressed. I think we got to see just as much as we would've if we had a week there. We went into Seattle by the most amazing ferry (it held 100 cars), went to Pikes Place Market, did a tour of the old underground, and got to see the Locks. The locks we a kind of elevator system for boats very similar to what happens in the Panama Canal. It was an amazing weekend.

Uncle Jonathan gerbel Fransisco, Sammy's new best friendOn the ferry to Seattle. It was so beautiful up there, I truly feel like my pictures don't justify it at all.Seattle

My new Brother-in-law. He is also Sammy's 4th Uncle Jon!

The Newlyweds

All of us on top of the Space Needle

The Locks, looking out toward the Puget Sound

Facing the Giants

We are so bad at watching movies. There are plenty that we want to see, but it's just kinda hard to find a couple hour stretch to sit down and watch a movie- undisturbed. The other evening after Sam went to bed Steve put on the movie Facing the Giants. For those of you who haven't seen it, it's amazing, and I would highly recommend it. The movie dealt with a lot of different topics and struggles that one family was going through. It brought up many emotions and feelings that I haven't had in a long time. Steve and I are "trying again" which is going to make many people so excited- us too! Although it comes with many doubts and uncertainty. It took almost 2 years to get pregnant with Sammy, and even then it was quite a miracle to finally see a positive result on the test. It kinda scares me that it will take that long to get pregnant again. In the movie a couple is faced with the same issue with conceiving as we did, the husband asked his wife "if God chooses to not give us children, will you still love and serve him?" I know on first response many would say of course, hands down, but being in that situation I can truly say that it is very hard to say yes. Not that my faith is dependent on what God can do for me, but truly being able to surrender to His will and say "Lord I trust you with my life, and I will love you through any circumstance." It was such a difficult time in our lives, we just wanted a child to give back to the lord, so that He would be glorified in it all. Samuel: asked of God. Please pray for us as we enter down this new path in our lives. That even if Sam is the only child God chooses to bless us with, that we will "still love him", and that if he does choose to give us a baby, that it would be fast, I get discouraged fast :(

Lesson 2
I have been nervous about Sammy's upcoming Igg tests and the results. Feb 14 was supposed to be the date in which we get the answer of yes or no to the blood transfusions. God has done such amazing things in Sam's life already, sometimes I just feel like maybe this is when we will not have the miracle in his healing like we have had before. I know that it is my lack of focus, and I need not to fear anything. In FTG there was a football team that really just stunk and then the coach (the husband of the couple I had mentioned before) had committed his team to Praise God if they win or if they lose. Wow did that speak volumes to me. Lord I know that if you heal Sammy then we will praise you, and Lord if you chose not to and we have to do transfusions, Lord we will praise you even more! This movie seriously was made just for me, I really needed to learn each lesson that was addressed.

So the morning after we watched the movie I got a call from the Dr. and the nurse had said that The Dr. wants to wait till after Sammy has turned 2. Another month might just be what we need! Please pray that this extra month will just make his levels skyrocket and the idea of transfusions would be a joke, but also please pray for our strength if that is not the case.

Praise the Lord no matter what the outcome!!

Sweet Tea

Kinda funny that I am posting recipe fpr "sweet tea" in the middle of a snow storm, oh well. I stumbled upon this recipe the other day and decided to make it for Steve. He has always loved tea, and heard about the wonders of southern sweet tea and after our layover in Atlanta in Oct. he has been hooked. I had some Luzzianne tea bags that some friends had brought back from the south and it just made it that much more authentic.

For Simple Syrup:

4 cups sugar (Don't worry - not all of that goes in the tea!)

2 cups water

For Tea:

4 cups water

8-10 regular-sized or

3 "family sized" bags orange pekoe tea (preferably Lipton or Luzianne)

Pinch of baking soda

Additional water

Pour 2 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar into a saucepan and stir together. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and stir until thickened. Turn off heat, and set aside.

Strip tags from the tea bags, and tie strings to the handle of a wooden spoon, near the bowl. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, and place the tea-tied wooden spoon in the pan with a pinch of baking soda (It smooths out the tea's tannins.). Once it's suitably darkened, and still hot, pull out the spoon. (Refrain from squeezing the teabags, as that clouds the tea.)

Stir 1 cup of the sugar syrup into the tea until it's thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon glass or metal pitcher, and fill to the top with water. Stir, and chill in the refrigerator. Pour the remaining sugar syrup into a glass jar, and cover. Once the tea has cooled, serve it in tall glasses 2/3 filled with ice, with sugar syrup on the side so that guests may sweeten according to their personal taste.

Unlike what the recipe says, I used almost half of the simple syurp :)

"The storm of the Decade"

Well at least that's what everyone is saying about this round of storms that is upon us. It has snowed about 2 1/2 feet since last night and is still coming down like you wouldn't believe. Cabin fever is starting for me already, so pray for me.Sammy also has a bit of cabin fever also, but Steve rescued him for a little adventure.

My sister is getting married!!

My little sister is getting hitched! We are so excited for them. Sammy and I are going to fly up to Washington for the wedding in a couple of weeks. I came as to quite a suprise, but I am so happy for them. Jonathan is such a great guy. He is currently serving in the Army, and just got back from Iraq last year. Congrats you guys!

Sledding is so much fun!

My friend Kelly and I were talking the other day about how we are getting a bit older and how your likes change with the years. We talked about when we were kids, nothing excited us more than playing in the snow for hours at a time, only to be called in the house soaking wet and super cold. Now, we both agreed that the snow is pretty to look at, but to play in it is not really like it once was. After our Sunday sledding with my brother's family, I feel like my eyes have been reopened to the joy of snow. Matt bought a sled for Sammy and Conner to use, and for him and Steve to destroy. It was great seeing the little boys run down the hill and flop on their bellies- I guess it's more fun that way! My brother almost got himself killed by accidentally jumping his saucer down a steep hill, but boy was it funny to watch.

Remember the movie "Christmas Story" where the little brother Randy gets bundled up for school and can't put his arms down?- poor Conner, he was just like Randy.

I think Conner's face sums up our day-so much fun!