Christmas in Alabama Part 2 (Lori)

Dec. 28- Sunday We anxiously traveled back to Cullman to see all of our church family at Grace on Sunday for the morning service. It was so great to see everyone again! It was sort of overwhelming as we tried to talk to everyone but did not have enough time with each of you and for that we are sorry. We were really glad to get to hear Jack preach and were thrilled that the "silent service" was on the 4th and not 28th!!! Here are some shots from Grace.....

This is me with my girlie-girls Dawn and Meredith....and what a cute picture of Allen and Sandi!!

Mike and Tracy (a little too close up..)

My Tammy was sick on Sunday but we joined her and Jeff for lunch anyway. Thanks for the steaks!! They were delicious!! (I didn't get close enough to her to get a picture together that day)
Jessica and me....(this was not taken this trip but I am trying to get a picture in of all my faithful blog followers!!) Sorry that I didn't get pictures with the rest of you!!

After lunch, we had a birthday party for both Mason and Landon at Grace because they don't really know many kids in CO. They had an awesome turn out so thank you so much for all of you who gave up your Sunday afternoon to spend with the boys. I can't tell you how much it meant to us and especially the boys who were just wanting to see their friends so badly!! I just hate they didn't get more time with them. The boys want to spend their whole spring break in Cullman instead of Gordo to see their friends (Sorry Gordo family!!).....I'm not going to let them ,of course, but Cullman is just "home" to them...

This is Mason's Parkside buddies Hunter Whitehead, Seth Lancaster, Noah Walker, and Austin Scott. Blane Pope was also there...sorry we missed you in the picture Blane! Thanks to all the parents who also stayed for us to visit with. I miss you Parkside guys so much!!!
Landon's friends Anna, Carlee, Devyn, and Tyler Cone

Other friends there included Romie, Caden, and Tyler Syrono, Cameron and Taylor Tankersley, Allie Scott, Hailey and Harris Crumbley, Noah Wright, Chandler Wisener, Dylan Cone, and Libby Pope (please forgive me if I forgot someone!)I really hate I didn't get pictures of everyone so if you took any at the party with kids that I did not post, please email them to me!
These are the faithful girlfriends that were left behind....Taylor and Hailey




Mike got a little icing in the face from Dawn and Mere...thanks ya'll!! It was priceless!!

After the party, we went to small group at Jessica and Jerry's house. It was so great to be surrounded by all of you again! The food was awesome too!!

Mike, Tiffany, Allen, Meredith holding Brian
Tammy, Bonnie, and Jessica

We spent the night with Bonnie and Shane who are presently on a cruise (I'm so jealous!!). Thank you Bonnie for the hospitality and wonderful pizza that she made us, not once, but twice!Landon spent the night with his buddy Devyn and Mason with his buddy Chandler.....

DEC 29th-On Monday, we spent some time at the house, cleaning up a bit and loading up what we couldn't get before. Mason and Landon got to spend more time with the Pope children, the Tankersleys, and their old neighbors Reid and Kara Hollis. The goodbyes were hard again and the boys little hearts were broken to have to leave Cullman again.

DEC 30th- Tuesday Mom wanted to take the boys to Chuck E. Cheese's for their birthday present. My forever friend Appi and her children joined us there along with some of my aunts, uncle and cousins.

Me and Appi

Taylor, my aunts Terry, Gail, Diane, and Big Steve (by the way, Diane, Big Steve, and my mom are going to be our first guests here in Colorado!! Yea!! I am so excited!! They will be here on Jan. 25th!! Jeff, Tyler, and Tammy have their plane tickets for April!! Whoo-hoo!!)

Dec 31st-Wednesday New Year's Eve was spent over at the Owen's with a fun-filled night of games. Mike's Aunt Gail Peavy and cousin Brandon along with his other aunt Faye and uncle Herman...all from Georgia. We played "Big Booty"(it's not what you think!) and I must say that Owen family, your Big Booty skills have certainly improved since last year!

This is mom with the kids and the other picture is Jeff, Gail, Denise, Mike, and Brandon. We had an awesome time and ate way too much! Thank you all for your hospitality while we were there. In retrospect, I regret not taking enough pictures of everyone although I thought I was being very "blog" conscience while we were there. We left with teary goodbyes again on New Years morning with heavy hearts and a mission still before us in Colorado. We flew out at 11:20, changed flights in Dallas, and arrived at Albuquerque at 3pm. Waiting on us there was Cathy and Earl Wilkening and Dan and Shelia Newman to help us transport the luggage (and me!) back to Vallecito without us all having to pile into the 4 passenger Jeep with no luggage room. What a blessing that was and God's provision again. We did not even ask them to come, they just called us and told us they would be there. The people here are truly serving their pastor.

It was a great Christmas trip to Bama, a blessing to our hearts and kind of like a battery charger as we filled up on getting to see the ones we love to last us a couple more months. We love you all and can't wait to be with you again soon (if I can survive this snow!). Lori

A New Year (Mike)

Hello everyone and Happy New Year. It is hard to believe isn't it? 2008 is gone now but what a year it was. We will always remember it as the year God sent us to Colorado to the Church at Vallecito. We will remember it as a time to leave friends and family we loved to settle in a place where we didn't know a soul. That will be our memory of 2008. What will you remember about this year? Many of you will remember the losses of this year. It might have been a loved one who went home this year. For some it will be remembered as the year that everything seemed to fall apart; the economy, your bank account, etc. For some of you it will be remembered for the good things that happened this year. But whatever the year held for you it is over.
One of the things I have been thinking about this week is that 2008 was the year Jesus didn't come back. Have you thought about that? Over 2000 years ago Jesus made a promise to those who loved Him; I will return. In fact He said for all His followers to be ready because you never know when He is coming back. There is a story found in Luke 12 where Jesus speaks to His followers about watching for his return. In verses 35-36 he says, "Be dressed and ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet." This should be our constant reminder this year. He didn't come in 2008 but who knows about 2009? What should we do while we wait on His return?
The word tells us to be dressed and ready for service. Stay busy about the business of the Kingdom so that when He comes He will find us busy fulfilling the mission He left us here to do. Jesus left us the example to follow. When He was a child and he got "lost" from His earthly parents, they found him teaching in the temple. There He told them, "I must be about my Father's business." Then at the end of His earthly life, in John 17 He makes this statement, "I have finished the work you gave me to do." He further emphazied this truth from the cross when He cried "It is finished." That is now our model to follow. Finish the work God gave you to do.
I like the symbolism behind keeping your lamps burning don't you? Have you ever waited up on a child to come home from a date? You leave the front porch light on. I love the commercial for Motel 6 because they always end with this thought, "We'll leave the light on for you." Leaving a light on is a sign to the one coming home that someone inside is waiting on them, looking for them to come home. We might even say sitting on the edge of their seat, unable to rest until the one you love is safely home. Dear saints of the Lord Jesus, the One we love has promised to come again and "receive us to Himself, that where He is we may be also." Why don't you join me this year in preparing for His return. It could happen this year, it might be tomorrow. Until then keep the porch light burning. Your master is coming soon.

I love you all and look forward to seeing you all soon.

Waiting with you,
Mike

PS - We can't have a blog without a picture so here are some shots of our family this weekend on a sleigh ride.

HAPPY 2009!! (Christmas vacation-Part 1) Lori

Can you believe it is 2009?? It seems like yesterday when we were storing up can goods and water, anticipating Y2K....crazy wasn't it?!! We had an awesome Christmas in Alabama and were so glad to get to see many of you again. When you are away from the "familiar", two months feel like two years so seeing all of you again was like water to a thirsty soul! I have lots of great pictures to share so it is going to take me several entries to write about our trip. I'll begin with Christmas Eve......

A winter storm was coming in Christmas Eve night, so at the urging of many church members, we left for Albuquerque at around 11:00 a.m. Santa came that morning and our Landon was up at exactly 1:47 am, ready for presents (that kid!!!!) He and Mason worked on waking Haven up until 2:30 a.m when she arose and the opening began! It's funny.....they all took turns, opening one present at a time instead of tearing them open as fast as they can like I use to do. Haven got a Barbie Jeep and a princess scooter and the boys "big" item was a 4-wheeler (yes, we did make them wait on that one!). Because it was 7 below that morning the 4-wheeler would not crank so they did not get to ride it before leaving for Bama.

Bill and Joy Brooks are members of our church that were responsible for our plane ticket gift and they were also flying out of Albuquerque on Christmas Day but a little later than we. So because of the snow storm, they decided to travel with us which was just God's provision because we were going to have to drive the Jeep Wrangler (no luggage room and only 4 seat belts)! I rode down with them while the kids rode with Mike and the DVD player. We stayed at Days Inn and had a wonderful Christmas Eve supper at Flying Star with Bill and Joy. They were flying to North Carolina to their daughter's home.

Christmas Day was mainly spent traveling to Alabama. We arrived at Mike's family's home around 6:30 p.m., so excited to see everyone and spend Christmas with them. We always have such a fun time together. Here are some shots from the night...

This is all the Owen grandchildren....Kayci, Landon, Carter, Parker, Caleb, Sydney, Haven, Mason, and Brent (ranging from age 3 to age 22).

Jeff and Denise (Mike's oldest brother)

Mark and his son Caleb(Mike's youngest brother)

Angela(Mike's sister-oldest), Jeff, Mike and Mark

Haven and her favorite cousin Sydney! (Jeff's daughter)

This is Brent, the oldest cousin with his fiance Hannah.....

Mama Kaye and Pop

Thank you for a wonderful Christmas and all the great presents!! Our greatest gift was getting to be with you!!

DEC. 26- On Friday, we started out visiting my Dad in Reform and then on to my Mom's for the Richardson family gathering. Mom did an awesome job with supper and had many fun games for the kids to participate in. They had a blast! Landon got a remote control tarantula for Christmas that he kept scaring my sister-in- law Patti with and he then started getting mysterious threats on napkins. The spider was eventually kidnapped, and Landon had to perform several stunts to get it back! Thanks Patti for making Christmas a little more mysterious and fun for Landon!! It was great! Here are some shots from the Richardson Christmas.......
Haven and Brenlee.....

Haidee and Kayla......

Colton.....

Hannah and Landon......

Mike and Chloe

Hallie and Faith........

Colton, Landon, and Mason.....

This is all the grandchildren with Mom in the middle.....

Me and my brothers Robby, Kerry, and Mike

Mike is my oldest brother. This is his wife Jennifer and daughters Kayla and Chloe.....

Kerry is next with wife Renee, and daughters Hannah, Haidee, and Hallie.......

Robby is the youngest boy with wife Patti, son Colton, and daughters Brenlee and Faith.....

And last but not least, these are the jealous "in-laws" that must have their picture taken because they are left out of the sibling photo with mom.....boo-hoo......!

That sums up our Christmas gatherings with family. On Saturday, we spent more time at both my mom's and Mike's mom's house. Because I have so much to share and lots of pictures, I've got to end here with Part 1 and pick up later.....stay tuned!!!