MERRY CHRISTMAS 2012 Y'ALL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS & LET THE JINGLE BELLS ROCK!

Our family thinks of each of you throughout the year and we wish you God’s choicest blessings this Christmas season and throughout 2013.

Our 2012 Christmas Letter

Our year was long, short, eventful, and uneventful.  Much like each of yours, I’m sure!

EMILY (11)


Our last little ‘chick’ at home!  Where has time gone to!?  Emily is now in 5th grade and continues to be homeschooled.  She loves swimming still, but this year discovered ice skating and loved it so much that she had an ice skating party for her 11th birthday!

Emily set a goal two years ago when she joined Future Generation Chorus (a ‘training’ and ‘feeder’ chorus to Younger Generation Chorus of Plano [YG]).   That goal was to pass auditions to get into YG, and she did!  She is quite happy to be with “the big kids”.  Now she gets to wear their formal and informal costume and she got to perform this fall and did great. 

Younger & Future Generation Choruses - Winter Concert December 2012
Jonathan is tallest in center back - Emily is directly in front of him

Emily continues with piano lessons, and her greatest love continues being art.  We are happy to have found a classical art teacher near our home that seems really good, and Emily is thrilled to begin classes come January. Below are some of her art samples. 

One of Emily's joys is designing "fashions" as you can see above, where she designed the outfit and drew it on the doll. She adds great details to her drawings. The flower drawing below was done on an iPad Art Applicaton.

She even tried her hand at folding towels into animals like on Cruise Ships - here you have a Sea Turtle

We are blessed to have Emily in our family. She brings light and joy into our home and a whole lot of thoughtfulness, service, love, and positive attitude. There is innocence in her soul.


JONATHAN (18)
This year was a full one for Jonathan! He started out by graduating from Homeschool High School on January 7th, and a week later began classes at Collin College. He has enjoyed being in College and has found out that he really likes Economics and English! Go figure!  During class breaks, he and his buddy, Daniel, would take their guitars and just start playing and singing songs.  Eventually people would gather around, compliment them, and at one time a guy even threw them a dollar bill into their guitar case! Haha!  Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing“ was always a big hit! So far so good on college success!

Early Graduation from high school in January

Best friends - Jessica K. and Jonathan, pre-prom photos by Bob

Spring of this year was Jonathan’s last prom as well as his last time in Rising Generation, the high school choir for YG.  Jonathan had another solo (Song of the Mira) and a quartet (Gloria, from Mozart’s Coronation Mass) for the final Spring Concert. He was amazing and you can listen to the videos by clicking on the linked titles.

Rising Generation Chorus of Plano

RG Quartet singing Gloria!, from Mozart's Coronation Mass

Mama hen and her two big chicks - Jessica (left), Jonathan, and me at the end of Spring Concert

At the end of the year, YG and RG had their annual tour, and this year it was to Washington D.C. Where they performed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, at historic St Paul’s Church, and at Knollwood Military Retirement Center for veterans.  They also got to do quite a bit of sight-seeing to include places like the Capitol, Ford Theater, Vietnam and Jefferson Memorials. The highlight for him was being honored to be part of four youth that were chosen to represent RG and YG at a special wreath-laying ceremony at The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Wow. Amazing.

Right after having placed the wreath at the Tomb

On the steps of the Lincoln Memorial - Jonathan is center back, tallest

About a week after tour Jonathan flew to New York to spend a few days with dear and special friends on the shores of Keuka Lake (one of the finger lakes).  He had the time of his life as he went water tubing, driving the boat, visiting a quaint village, having bonfires, swimming in the lake, and just hanging out doing nothing but having fun!  A time he will never forget!

"Driving" Mrs. K.'s boat on Keuka Lake - see the smile!?

On Keuka Lake just chillaxin' - Jonathan has the sunglasses on

He came home from NY just in time to wash his dirty laundry and then escape to High Adventure down by Corpus Christi, on the beaches of Mustang Island with the whole Scouting Crew.  Aside from all the burping, farting, and other “boy stuff” that always takes place during events like this, the highlight was the real Roasted Pig Luau they had right there on the beach!  The best pork he’s ever tasted, if not the ugliest!

Setting up "camp" as they arrive on Mustang Island - Jonathan is center, with sunglasses and a white windbreaker on

Chillin' on the beach

That would have been a great ending to a trip-filled, fun-filled summer if it weren’t for the prepping, texturizing, and painting of the master bathroom that we had him do in place of “room and board” for the summer.  He did a great job and our bathroom has now gone from an ugly wallpaper to a great Spanish Texture and painted with a “golden sand” color.  Love it!  All the cabinets were repainted and the popcorn on the ceiling was replaced with new texture as well.  Good job Jonathan!  (Oh, and he also helped Bob and a family friend put in our new Spanish tile in the back half of the house, including our kitchen!)

Love my tile!

Jonathan's love of music led him this fall to join Plano Men of Note Barbershop Chorus, making his ex-barbershopper father and his barbershopper mother very happy!  He had learned so much during his two years in RG that when it came time to audition for Men of Note he passed with flying colors, impressing the director quite a bit!  After only once-a-week rehearsals for about 3 ½ months, he sang in a quartet within the chorus for their Christmas Show!  It was such a fun and funny show and Jonathan did great carrying his Baritone part!  The barbershop men are quite impressed with Jonathan’s (voice) range - he can sing all four parts perfectly - Bass, Baritone, Lead, or Tenor.  He loves being in Men of Note!

Plano Men of Note - Jonathan is in the back, first from right

By far the most special part of his year was his having prepared himself for and been found worthy to be ordained to the office of an Elder in the Melchizedek Priesthood this fall!  No greater honor or blessing could come to us as parents, and we are so thankful for and proud of Jonathan.  It was a very special and sacred event.  Add to that the exciting news that he is preparing to serve a two year mission for the LDS Church this coming year, and there is a lot of spiritual maturity going on in this young man’s life!  Currently he serves as the Young Single Adult Representative (ages 18-29) for our Ward (Congregation).

Jonathan keeps us all in stitches with his humor and when he’s not busy at school, working (at a restaurant called Artin’s, pronounced Ar-TEENS) or hanging out with friends, you will find him playing his guitar, writing music, watching movies, or playing his guitar more. This young man sure does yank on our heart strings!

JESSICA (22)
Jessica and Nathaniel (“Nate”) Ribakoff (pronounced RIB-uh-cough) were married in our home on March 3rd this year.  They live in North Dallas and we get to see them periodically.  Sadly, on March 12th Jessica had a miscarriage.  She and Nate continue to work at McDonald’s and we just found out a couple of weeks ago that they are expecting again.  She is due around June 24th.  Keeping our fingers crossed all goes well!

Bob, Nate, Jessica, Teri, Emily, and Jonathan right after the wedding was performed

The Newlyweds! At our family Wedding Lunch at The Cheesecake Factory - it was very bright that day!

BOB (by Bob)
This was a year filled with camping, singing, more camping, and more singing.  It seems that comprises the bulk of my life outside of my work.  As you all know, I am the Scout Master in our Ward at Church. As part of that, I go camping every month, rain or shine, hot or cold, along with summer camp, meetings, trainings, etc.  New in my scouting career this year is that I got to plan and carry out the Summer Camp in June.  It’s a lot of work to get those boys to Summer Camp safely, but it’s worth it!  The next big thing in scouting was that I staffed a Wood Badge Course. For those of you who don’t know what that is, it is an advanced Scout Leadership training course.  I had attended in previous years, and this year I was invited to attend as a Staff Member.  It involved many sleepless nights of hard work. The net benefit of all this effort is that we trained 50 leaders who will in turn each touch the lives of hundreds of young men for good, instilling in them principles and ethics, and empowering them to change the world. 

This is Wood Badge Training Camp where Bob had an awesome time

East Fork of the Trinity River where Bob takes the Scouts Canoeing a couple times a year - beautiful!

Our computer geek, aka: Daddy or Computer Whisperer!

Something else that is new this year is my involvement in my daughter’s choir, Younger Generation Chorus of Plano.  I was voted in as President in June to start their new season.  Many volunteer organizations are staffed by parents and different people volunteer with different amounts of time and levels of involvement. I chose to invest many hours (night and day!) to help this choir be successful. I am able to use my business knowledge and organizational skills in this position, and have learned new skills like live-event audio engineering and new leadership and communication skills that are different than those in the “office” environment.

(No picture . . . because he's always behind the scenes doing stuff!) ;-)

There have been big changes at work this year.  My company was purchased by Humana and we have had organizational changes within my department.  Several people that I have known for many years have left, but the Lord continues to bless me and I continue to feel a sense of fulfillment in this position, so I plan to stay for a while. In addition to technical support management, I also get to learn new skills like digital X-ray product management, and training video production. I enjoy the creative outlet that the video production offers.  HERE is the most recent sample, done for a Christmas Origami competition (which, of course, Emily entered!) That's my voice you'll hear.  I don’t know that I'd want to do that full time, but I’m glad that I do get to do it a bit.

On the home-front this year I learned how to install ceramic tile in our kitchen and back area of our home along with a good friend and my good son.  I have also volunteered my time and skills as photographer and have taken photos of weddings, Jonathan’s prom, missionary photos, Santa photos (like this one of my little girl), and more.  I enjoy that creative outlet as well. Photography has always been an interest of mine.

She's at "that stage" - she asked Santa for a lump of coal! (??)

Mainly my greatest joy comes from just being involved in my kids’ lives and being there as they go through their learning and growing experiences in their young lives. It is fun to laugh, be silly, work, talk, and do things together. Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!

Silly, Silly Boys! The make us laugh . . . . a lot!

Had to brag about my husband - he had these flowers planted in our back yard
so I could have something pretty to look at when walking out to the car after
realizing that I never got to see the pretty flowers in the front yard, since I rarely
go out that way! He loves me! :)

ME (Teri)
What can I say? I keep the family running and functioning (with their help!)  I already miss having all three of our kids under one roof, especially with Jonathan leaving for a mission before long, but I am also excited for this time to spend “girl time” with just Emily, our last little bird in the nest. I am a Visiting Teaching Supervisor at church, and the Communications Chairman for YG (webmaster, You Tube, Facebook [go "Like" it!], Twitter [follow us!], some emails, etc). I also did something out of my comfort zone this year and stretched into an area that has always frightened me - I took on a piano student!!  Ack! (a 1st grade son of dear, sweet neighbors/friends from Church).  I hope I don’t disappoint his parents!  It started out as a trial thing, but has been fun and exciting so we continued.  This little boy (6 yrs old) is a joy to have! He will pause between practicing songs to cuddle with me while sucking his thumb.  TOO CUTE!  It’s hard to not just squeeze him and keep focus on the lesson. I might be brave enough to eventually take on more students.

Between those four things I have more than enough to do!  My sciatica, sacroiliac joint pain, and L4/L5 bulging disc continue to keep me from running wild and free, but I count my blessings as I am grateful I don’t suffer from anything that is much more serious or painful.  The biggest inconvenience is having to live on a day-to-day basis, not ever knowing how my “back” is going to do that day. Atmospheric pressure certainly affects the stiffness I found out, but Advil  and great Essential Oils are my little “helpers” from time to time. Could be a lot worse! (And I’m grateful it’s not!)

I am slowly building up my oil painting supplies so that I can start painting again, and I continue to love music, watching my kids learn and experience new things and succeed at others, and being politically active and trying to reach out and help others learn true American Government and History (as opposed to the revised stuff we all got in schools and colleges!) I also have just signed up this year to help do “Indexing” for the genealogical records of the LDS Church (ANYONE can volunteer throughout the world! Join in, it's easy!), and I hope to get back to doing more active genealogical researching for my family lines this coming year. Life is full and busy, but we are definitely blessed more than we deserve!  And to think it all began 24 years ago this coming February with these two kids below!!

Over the years, you have each touched our lives, and we are thankful for that and count it among our blessings.  We look forward to hearing from each of you each Christmas and LOVE getting your news, photos, and more.  We hope you are healthy and happy in your little corner of the world!

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas!

(Click on link above:  Dec 2011, Rising Generation Chorus, Jonathan Nine soloist)
and may
The Lord Bless You And Keep You
YG's "Signature Song" at the end of every performance

and our wish for you!

THE IRONIES OF LIFE

I've been thinking about the ironies of life this week.

For example: we are born into this world as the most helpless of all tiny creatures, a child.  Only to grow up and then be told to learn how to become as a little child.  I was already a child! Why can't I stay a child?  Wouldn't that save so much time and heartache along the way? 

Another example:  when we are children we fight tooth-and-nail to NOT take a nap, and to NOT go to bed on time at night. We might miss something!  We don't want to miss the parties and candy that we are sure we are missing out on while we sleep and everyone else is having a great old time!  And during the day, we're bored.  Always bored.  "Mama, what can I do? I'm bored!"  - and the old stand-by reply "If you can't find something to do, I've got plenty for you to do!" (aka: chores)  So I'd quickly scamper off to avoid those too.  Now, as an adult, I would do just about anything to take a nap and to have time to be bored.  It's like a dream:  to be bored, have nothing to do... just go lie down and take a nap.  Oh the irony of life!

Next: I finally find a friend who is 100% my kindred spirit, my bestest soul-friend... and we spend our entire lives apart from each other.  She has been globetrotting - living in various countries and then in various states of this great nation, and I've been in in two places this whole time. In the 25 years we've known each other we probably have spent no more than a total combined amount of 6 months together!  No, that's not a joke.  Seriously, Heavenly Father?  I can't even have my best friend close by to share our lives together... AS IT HAPPENS?  Nope.  It's not meant to be.  So, lucky for us, our friendship is more like an eternal sisterhood and we literally pick up right where we left off each time we speak. But I MISS her terribly sometimes and wish so badly we could be in the same place at the same time and cry on each other's shoulders and share each other's laughter and go out for fries and ranch dressing at the same restaurant, once a week, for girl's night out!  But instead, we have to rely on email and phone calls.  I'll take it.  It's better than nothing.  But here I thought we had friends in this life to walk beside each other in so many ways, and yet, our friendship is long-distance and invisible while we live miles apart - yet our hearts continue to be knit together.  Go figure!

Getting married:  you get married to spend your life together.  However, you spend less time together married than you do when you're dating.  And it gets progressively worse as the years pass on.  I have no experience with retirement, but for us retirement doesn't look like even a remote possibility, so  more and more I see my husband less and less. Ironic.

There are many other examples.  But these are the ones that came to mind recently. Life is full of ironies. Moments here and there that leave one wondering.  I figure that ironies are one of the "spices" of life.  It keeps us on our toes, it livens things up, it makes us cry and makes us laugh, and it keep us thinking:  What's the purpose?

I'm thankful to know the real purpose of life.  That we lived with our Father in Heaven, we are literally His spirit children, He sent us to earth to exercise our free will (agency) and to choose to become like Him, so that in the end we can all return to live with Him again. He sent His Son to live a perfect life, showing us the way to live, and then to die for us in order to pay for our sins, and finally to resurrect for us so that we, too, can resurrect one day, and ultimately be able to return to live with Father in Heaven, Jesus Christ, and our families.  What a tremendous amount of joy and comfort that brings to me.

There are many ironic moments in life.  I hope we can learn to enjoy them as they come.

MARRIAGE IS . . . . 200%

This story touched me in the deepest part of my heart. I received it through email, and wanted to keep it. So I'm including it on my blog. 

A long and happy life together is only possible through humility and self-sacrifice. It is utterly impossible when one or both partners are selfish in the least degree.  It's not about giving 50:50. It's about giving 100:100.  There must always be 200% if a marriage is going to withstand the tests of time. And when we all have our "down" days, like all will, then the other spouse must make up the difference that day.  So on down days the ratio may be 80:120, or 190:10, always putting God first in your individual lives.  That way, as you grow closer to God, and sacrifice for your spouse, you will grow closer to each other. Not unlike the two sides of the equilateral triangle that grow closer together as they reach for the top.

I have been blessed to be married to my sweetheart and bestest friend for time and eternity in the Temple of the Lord, and we have both had our moments when we are so proud of each other, and love each other so much that we get 'leaky faucets.'  Perhaps this helped me in getting 'leaky faucets' again as i read this article.

Hope you enjoy it as well.

TRUE-LOVE STORY

Annie and John Glenn as Teenagers

 For half a century, the world has applauded John Glenn as a heart-stirring American hero. He lifted the nation's spirits when, as one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts, he was blasted alone into orbit around the Earth; the enduring affection for him is so powerful that even now people find themselves misting up at the sight of his face or the sound of his voice.

But for all these years, Glenn has had a hero of his own, someone who he has seen display endless courage of a different kind:

Annie Glenn.

They have been married for 68 years.

He is 90; she turned 92 on Friday.

This weekend there has been news coverage of the 50th anniversary of Glenn's flight into orbit. We are being reminded that, half a century down the line, he remains America 's unforgettable hero.

He has never really bought that.

Because the heroism he most cherishes is of a sort that is seldom cheered. It belongs to the person he has known longer than he has known anyone else in the world.

John Glenn and Annie Castor first knew each other when -- literally -- they shared a playpen.

In New Concord, Ohio, his parents and hers were friends. When the families got together, their children played.

John -- the future Marine fighter pilot, the future test-pilot ace, the future astronaut -- was pure gold from the start. He would end up having what it took to rise to the absolute pinnacle of American regard during the space race; imagine what it meant to be the young John Glenn in the small confines of New Concord.

Three-sport varsity athlete, most admired boy in town, Mr. Everything.

Annie Castor was bright, was caring, was talented, was generous of spirit. But she could talk only with the most excruciating of difficulty. It haunted her.

Her stuttering was so severe that it was categorized as an "85%" disability -- 85% of the time, she could not manage to make words come out.

When she tried to recite a poem in elementary school, she was laughed at. She was not able to speak on the telephone. She could not have a regular conversation with a friend.

And John Glenn loved her.

Even as a boy he was wise enough to understand that people who could not see past her stutter were missing out on knowing a rare and wonderful girl.

They married on April 6, 1943. As a military wife, she found that life as she and John moved around the country could be quite hurtful. She has written: "I can remember some very painful experiences -- especially the ridicule."

In department stores, she would wander unfamiliar aisles trying to find the right section, embarrassed to attempt to ask the salesclerks for help. In taxis, she would have to write requests to the driver, because she couldn't speak the destination out loud. In restaurants, she would point to the items on the menu.

A fine musician, Annie, in every community where she and John moved, would play the organ in church as a way to make new friends. She and John had two children; she has written: "Can you imagine living in the modern world and being afraid to use the telephone? 'Hello' used to be so hard for me to say. I worried that my children would be injured and need a doctor. Could I somehow find the words to get the information across on the phone?"

John, as a Marine aviator, flew 59 combat missions in World War II and 90 during the Korean War. Every time he was deployed, he and Annie said goodbye the same way. His last words to her before leaving were:

"I'm just going down to the corner store to get a pack of gum."

And, with just the two of them there, she was able to always reply:

"Don't be long."

On that February day in 1962 when the world held its breath and the Atlas rocket was about to propel him toward space, those were their words, once again. And in 1998, when, at 77, he went back to space aboard the shuttle Discovery, it was an understandably tense time for them. What if something happened to end their life together?

She knew what he would say to her before boarding the shuttle. He did -- and this time he gave her a present to hold onto:

A pack of gum.

She carried it in a pocket next to her heart until he was safely home.

Many times in her life she attempted various treatments to cure her stutter. None worked.

But in 1973, she found a doctor in Virginia who ran an intensive program she and John hoped would help her. She traveled there to enroll and to give it her best effort. The miracle she and John had always waited for at last, as miracles will do, arrived. At age 53, she was able to talk fluidly, and not in brief, anxiety-ridden, agonizing bursts.

John has said that on the first day he heard her speak to him with confidence and clarity, he dropped to his knees to offer a prayer of gratitude.

He has written: "I saw Annie's perseverance and strength through the years and it just made me admire her and love her even more." He has heard roaring ovations in countries around the globe for his own valor, but his awe is reserved for Annie, and what she accomplished: "I don't know if I would have had the courage."

Her voice is so clear and steady now that she regularly gives public talks. If you are lucky enough to know the Glenns, the sight and sound of them bantering and joking with each other and playfully finishing each others' sentences is something that warms you and makes you thankful just to be in the same room.

Monday will be the anniversary of the Mercury space shot, and once again people will remember, and will speak of the heroism of Glenn the astronaut.

But if you ever find yourself at an event where they are appearing, and you want to see someone so brimming with pride and love that you may feel your own tears start to well up, wait until the moment that Annie stands to say a few words to the audience.

And as she begins, take a look at her husband's eyes.

John and Annie Glenn, Feb. 2012, celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary at a NASA Luncheon

GREASEWOOD IN THE RAIN

Tonight there was a rather large storm pass through the area. I love storms.  And I'm especially thankful for this one. Our area is in drought mode and we are rationing our water in anticipation of a bad summer.  So a huge Texas storm is very welcomed. 

Growing up in Mexico, we had not real Winters.  At most it was in the 40's or 50's and all we got was rain.  So rain, to me, indicates winter and family time.  I guess that's one reason I love rain.  Another reason is that it reminds me of the wet, desert smells when it rains. Oh my! I would be a happy soul if I could die smelling the scent of wet greasewood as I die. Nothing in the world compares to it.  And that's saying something because I am all about aromatherapy, and I love several different scents.  But wet, rainy, greasewood beats them all. :)

I wish I could push a button sometimes and have life sweep me back to the years of childhood happiness, visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Tucson, and feeling their love and joy.  I miss them.  I miss their house in the mountains of Tucson, surrounded by coyote and other wildlife, and being able to see the panorama of Tucson through their wall-to-wall window in the living room, which made one feel like they were peering out of the canyon into an open valley and one could see all the "twinkling" city lights.  Amazing.  It was beautiful.  And I miss it.

I love the rain.  I love the smell of greasewood in the rain.

Don't take my word for it!  Read all about it rain and greasewood HERE!

IF -- JONATHAN'S FAVORITE POEM

I've posted this before, but in honor of Jonathan's high school graduation, I wanted to re-post, because it's just that good! :)  This is one of the many poems he memorized during his homeschooling days, and it really touched him and made him think about the kind of man he wanted to be.

I am so very thankful for Jonathan being in our lives and family, and I am so very proud of the man he is turning out to be. I love him!  It will be difficult to see this little bird fly our nest, for sure.

"IF"

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream---and not make dreams your master;
If you can think---and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings---nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And---which is more---you'll be a Man, my son!


Rudyard Kipling

MY MOTHER SAYS

 

 

My mother says she doesn't care
About the color of my hair,
Or if my eyes are blue or brown,
Or if my nose turns up or down.
My mother says these things don't matter.

My mother says she doesn't care
If I'm dark or if I'm fair,
If I'm thin or if I'm fat.
She doesn't fret o'er things like that.
My mother says these things don't matter.

But if I cheat or tell a lie,
Or do mean things to make folks cry,
Or if I'm rude or impolite,

And do not try to do what's right...
My mother says that these things matter.

It isn't looks that makes us great;
It's character that seals our fate.
It's what's within our hearts, you see,
That makes or mars our destiny.

And that's what really matters.



Author Unknown

OUR BABY BOY IS GRADUATING EARLY FROM HIGH SCHOOL! - A BITTER/SWEET MOMENT, BUT SO PROUD OF HIM!

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