Mixed Nuts: New Year - Time to Blog Again

Quotes

"There is no better way to thank God for your sight than by giving a helping hand to someone in the dark." - Helen Keller
When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me." ~Erma Bombeck
You may never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.- Unknown
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow' ~Helen Keller
Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."- Dr. Seuss
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"God doesn't give children with disabilities to strong people: He gives them to ordinary, everyday people, then He helps the parents to grow stronger through the journey. Raising a child with special needs doesn't TAKE a special family, it MAKES a special family."Author Unknown
I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go – Abraham Lincoln
Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. ~ Benjamin Franklin
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is a miracle - Albert Einstein
The journey of a 1000 miles starts with a single step
Sometimes in the middle of an ordinary life, love gives you a fairy tale
Where there is great love, there are always miracles - Willa Cather
The Difficult we can do immediately, the impossible takes a little longer
Doing what you like is freedom. Liking what you do is happiness
There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings.
Be the change you want to see in the world
Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big Your God is..........
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it
Fall down seven times - get up eight - unknown
Despite our differences, we sink or swim together
Life may not be the party we expected, but while we are here, we might as well dance
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones." -Confucius

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

New Year - Time to Blog Again

I made a decision that I want to restart this blog. It is a record for my children, and of our family, and I have neglected it for too long.

So - I am vowing to try to post at least a few times a month, if not more often, so that I can keep that record going.

The last time I updated this blog it was July 2016. We had just returned from Idaho. A lot has happened since that time. My grandfather, and last living grandparent, died in August at the age of 96. He was an amazing man and he lived an amazing life. I will miss him, but I know that my Grammy was there to meet him in Heaven. Now they will be up there pestering God together.

In September, Arlington started 8th grade and her last year of middle school. Where has the time gone? Finley and Cainan started 4th grade. The school year has been off to an amazing start.

We increased the amount of rental properties Mat and I hold from 1 to 7 this year. Because we have lost our minds. It hasn't been that bad, actually. We have an amazing contractor/property manager. We have a great realtor, real estate attorney and CPA helping us. And we like the changes we are making to my parent's neighborhood. Time will tell how many more we will acquire.

In November Cainan had a major mouth surgery related to his cleft lip and palate. He had a bone removed from his hip and it was grafted into his jaw where he was missing bone from the cleft. It was a 3 hour surgery, but it went very, very well. He only spent one night in the hospital, but has spent the last 6 weeks drinking nothing but liquids. In a few days he gets to go to a soft diet for 2 weeks and then he is FREE. His mouth looks amazing, and I am looking forward to seeing the changes it will make to his bone structure of his face. We are all glad to have that surgery behind him.

Arlington was a lead in her school musical this year. She did a great job, and we enjoyed seeing the cute little middle school show.

We went to Pennsylvania for Christmas this year instead of Hawaii, but it was just as fun. It was great to spend the holidays with our family.

So, now that you are caught up - I will spend the next few days gathering pictures to portray all of those events, and then we can go from there!!