Merry Christmas 2018!

Merry Christmas 2018!!                                                                 

Howdy, y’all! We hope this finds you in good health and spirits. I’m writing this on a very rainy, chilly, gloomy December day, hoping for but not expecting at least some flurries. Snow always seems to stay on the north side of the Red River. It’s been a few years since we had a nice snowfall.

We’ve had a great year here in Lake Dallas. The kids are all good, and Tony and I continue to enjoy our retirement years in our little piece of heaven. We’re looking forward to celebrating our family Christmas on Dec. 27 at our newly remodeled Lakehouse clubhouse here at Water’s Edge.

Erika, Josh, Leo and Etta are doing very well.  Leo is in 4th grade and is involved in flag football, Upward basketball and piano lessons. He is also part of the school safety patrol at Corinth Classical Academy (CCA). Second grader Etta is in YMCA volleyball, Upward basketball and piano lessons. She is our cuddly Energizer bunny. Josh keeps busy as head graphic designer at Irving Bible Church and continues his freelance design business. Erika is in her second year working part time at a Christian preschool, which she enjoys very much.  They are in the midst of a kitchen remodel project which they began right after they hosted Thanksgiving, We can’t wait to see the finished result! 

Jenni, Dave, Zoey, Ruby, Maggie and Sam are doing great.  Jenni has become a doTERRA Wellness Advocate and is successfully building a thriving business while helping folks learn how to use healthful essential oils in their everyday lives. Dave continues to love teaching robotics and Rover to his high school students at Parish Episcopal School in Dallas. Zoey is in her first year of middle school and is playing violin in the orchestra as well as playing volleyball and basketball on CCA teams. Ruby is in 4th grade and is involved in the CCA Philanthropy Club as well as Upward basketball. This year Dave and Jenni created a second robotics club team for Ruby and her 4th grade friends. They and Zoey’s 6th grade robotics team recently participated in a competition at Dave’s school in Dallas and performed very well.  Maggie is our fun 2nd grader who also enjoys Upward basketball and weaving the most entertaining stories for us. My little buddy Sam is now a big kindergartener! While I miss our weekly Thursdays together, he is very happily enjoying school and is doing great. Ruby, Maggie and Sam are still active in AWANA while Zoey has become involved in her church youth group. The whole family still enthusiastically spends 3 fun and adventurous months every summer at Kanakuk Kamp near Branson, MO. 

Tony and I were blessed to enjoy 3 wonderful trips this year. In June we drove to St. Louis to celebrate the 50-year reunion of his Affton High class of 1968. He enjoyed reconnecting with old friends while I had a blast getting to know many of his awesome classmates. We were also able to spend some time with Tony’s 94-year-old mom, his sister and brother, and his nephew and family.

In July we used our remaining air miles to fly to Jacksonville to see my sister Lisa’s and Bob’s beautiful new house on the river. We enjoyed spending time with them and going out on their boat as well as tubing on the Ichetucknee River. Tony helped Bob a little with the dock he’s building, but mostly we just enjoyed chilling out by the pool and watching the peaceful river.

September proved to be an exciting month as Lisa, Bob, our cousin Pat and her husband Jeff, Tony and I took a phenomenal trip to London, Paris, and Milan. We did all the typical touristy things plus some of our own adventures, and the 6 of us discovered we make a pretty great travel posse. We plan to take more trips together in the future. I’m working on a travel blog with photos from our trip, which I will post once it’s finished on lucysmamamia.blogspot.com. 

Our family continues to love, support, admire, and pray for our wonderful President Trump and his family. Even as his enemies try to thwart him at every turn, he stays true to his convictions and promises. We look forward to the next 6 years as he rights the American ship that has been off course for quite some time.

May each and every one of you have the most wonderful, blessed Christmas and very happy New Year. We pray if you do not personally know the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, this will be the year you make this crucial eternal decision. God bless you all.

Love,

Mona