God love'em , Kids say the cutest things!

Today out in the backyard, Astrud was playing with Rayn. And as you all know my neices call me "MEME". Rayn was playing with her toy shovel and throwing dirt everywhere and when Astrud asked her what she was doing, she replied "DIGGIN CHINA", so Astrud said what??? And that is when Rayn said, "Diggin China, Meme's baby"!!! And when I walked outside she told me that she saw people!!!! Isn't that just priceless, so I just had to go take a picture or two and post this.

Bubba's Gift to Franceska

Today we went to Megan's sister Gretchen and her husband Johnny's house for a bar-b-que for Steven. And when we left Bubba came out to give me his contribution for Franceskas quilt. He handed me a uniform jacket from his first deployment to Iraq. This is a very emotional week since Steven is leaving and when he gave me this and I read it, it was pretty overwhelming.

It read:

To my baby sister

For my addition to your quilt I chose to give you a piece

of my uniform from the first time I participated in

Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The reason for this is so you will always remember the

sacrifices our family has made for freedom and the

American way of life. Never forget that this is an

incredible gift that you have received and you are

an incredible gift that we have received. And now I

close with some words of wisdom:

Honor thy father and mother

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long

as it is the home of the brave. --Elmer Davis

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their

dreams.-- Eleanor Roosevelt

The order of precedence in our family is God, Family, and Country

never one more than the other and never one without the other. Steven Rodriguez

--BUBBA

We love you so very very much Steven and you make us so proud. Words could never express these two things. Just always know that you are the love of our lives. And may God bless you always. ----Mom and Papa

Introducing Craig and Tracy!!!

This is Craig and Tracy, they are a blessing. This is the first time Tracy has been to our home and it feels like we have never been without her, she is just beautiful.

Our New Family Pictures!!!!!!!

Since Craig was in town, I took the opportunity to take a new family picture, so we all went to the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio. A very special person by the name of Kris came and took our pictures and she did a great job , I just can't tell her how much she is appreciated. There were 83 photographs to choose from and I picked out my favorite two family pics. And then we took a "Friends" picture by the water fountain. Frank and I feel so blessed to have such a beautiful family. I never thought I would be so blessed. Just look at all those handsome men we girls are surrounded by!!!!!!

Our kids are engaged!!!!

Christopher and Amy
Steven and Megan

This was a great weekend, our son Craig and his precious girlfriend Tracy were here from Lubbock, and we were all together on Saturday and then we all went to church together on Sunday. We prayed as a family up at the altar with Brother Dave for Stevens safety. Here are pictures of Steven and Megan right after he announced that he had proposed to her on friday night. And on Easter sunday Christopher proposed to Amy. I have not announced it until now because I did not have a really good picture of them. Well now I do and here they are. We are very blessed to have theses girls in our family. God bless them and their marriages.

A nice surprise!!!

Yesterday morning the dogs started barking and when I looked out it was my friend , Rachelle walking up the sidewalk with a file in her hand. When I opened the door she handed it to me and it was my square from her, Troy and the boys for Franceska's quilt. It is just beautiful, I love ,love, love, it!!! And what she wrote on there could not have been more perfect or more touching and special.

It say's:

Franceska

you are your daddy and mommies

final "PEACE" to

eternal love.

We love ya'll,

Troy, Rachelle,Colby.Ashton & Jayden (Happy Birthday today Ashton and we pray that you have an awesome day and may God bless you always!!!)

I HOPE THIS MIGHT ACT AS A REMINDER TO MY "FRIENDS" WHO HAVE NOT YET GIVEN ME THEIR SQUARES, YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!!!!!!

Our weekend in Corpus Christi, Texas

This past weekend Astrud had a tournament in Corpus and on Sunday we went to the beach !! Here are some pictures of Kerry and I with the girls, Frank and I with Astrud, Frank and Rayn walking on the beach, and Rayn playing in the sand. The picture of Jade and I was taken after we were cracking up laughing at each other, and my "Good Looking Man" walking up to me, isn't he a cutie!!!!! Oh and another thing my hair is not that big, the wind was blowing against our backs!!!!!

We are out of REVIEW!!!!!

It's official, we are out of review!!!!!! We have been waiting for this forever it seems. You ask what does that mean???? Well it means that we are in the last step "PENDING REFERRAL". It means that our paperwork has been processed and all is GOOD!!! No more worries about something being out of place etc. etc. etc.!!! Even though there are 5 months of LID's ahead of us, and it might be a babystep, we are still one BIG, HUGE, step closer!!! Praise God, it is all because of him!!!

What I got for Mother's Day!!

On Mother's Day from Frank I got another little teal blue bag from Tiffany's and it was a beautiful silver beaded necklace and bracelet!! From Astrud I received a choker necklace with a pretty flower on it , a key chain that says, "Each day is a gift from God", a pewter stone that has LOVE written on it, and the movie "Dreamgirls", I just love that movie. From Steven and Megan I got a yard Gnome all decked out in Longhorn attire, it is just awesome and much too cute to put out in the yard so he is on the porch. Christopher, and my Mom and Dad all gave me beautiful cards that always make me cry, and my little sister Kerry bought her and I a yard decoration of a little boy pushing a little girl on a swing , it is adorable!!!! I pray that next year we have our little bundle of joy!!!

Look what I got today!!!!!

Today there was a knock on the door and it was our local "Flower Lady", with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and you will never guess what the card said????? Sorry it's late, Happy Mother's Day,

Love, Franceska

They are just beautiful and what a surprise, it made me tear up!! I knew right away who did it. It was a very good and special friend of mine, Rachelle, she's such a gunch at first she said I did not send you anything, but I knew. Thank you so much Rachelle, I love you big!!!

Our Kiddos!!!

The other day Astrud played hookey from school for half a day so we could go and spend the day with Steven and Megan. It was such a good day , I love watching my kids pick on each other, laugh with each other , and just love one another. They took these pictures for me and I really wanted to share them with all of you. It might not look like they are intelligent children , but they really are I promise, they are just DORKS!!!

A gift for Steven

Last night Steven and Megan, Nonny , Poppy ,Aunt Kim, Aunt Kerry, our nephew Greg ,the Bruners and the girls were here for a bar-b-que, just to get together since Steven leaves Monday for training. And we just really want to be with him as much as possible. This is a picture of him opening the watch that Frank and I gave him. He really liked Franks so we wanted him to have one to take to Iraq with him. It is so hard to send your child away, and everyday we get a little closer and that sinking feeling is starting to settle in.

Thank you Christie and Eddie

I got a package in the mail today from Christie and Eddie from Mississippi. It was a bib that I have resisted from buying for quite some time now. It says "GROOVY BABY", and a beautiful pair of Ladybug earrings. Thank you Christie and Eddie, I love all of it. you have become such a blessing in my life!!! Love you.

Introducing the BRUNER'S

Hi everybody, here are the Bruner's, they are like family, and we love them so much. We have been close friends/family since around 1999, we have went through so many trials and so many laughs and I am sure there are plenty more to come. The oldest is Chelsey,she is the same age as Steven, then Charlie, then Haley, and she is the same age as Astrud, then there is Drake which is the same age as Jade. I just wanted to introduce them to you, all of our kids have grown up together and love each other very much and are very protective of each other. We are so proud of all of them!!!

WHAT A GREAT DAY YESTERDAY WAS!!!

Yesterday was a great day , first I received my Cyber Shower present in the mail from Tracy and Jeremy Meltzer in New York, and I loved it!!! It was a Munchkin bag with a set of disposable spoons and cups with lids and a pack of wipes. THANK YOU SO MUCH TRACY AND JEREMY!!

And a friend of mine from many ,many years ago finally found me. I have been searching around for her for years. Her name is Elise and I just love her. She has a son named Ryan and her husbands name is Mike. I am so excited to have her in my life again!!! Frank has always called her Herme, cause of the little character from Rudolph that wants to be a Dentist. As soon as I get an updated picture I will post it here on the blog. Again I am so excited for her to be back in my life. Thank God for little surprises!!

WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WAIT!!!!!!!

I FEEL LIKE THIS ANGEL , WAIT WAIT WAIT!!!! THAT IS ALL WE DO!! THE PLACES EVERYONE EMAIL IS SUPPOSED TO COME OUT ON THE 4TH OF EVERY MONTH, AND I AM SO ANXIOUS TO SEE IF WE ARE OUT OF THE REVIEW ROOM, BUT RIGHT NOW THERE IS A CHINESE HOLIDAY GOING ON SO WE HAVE TO WAIT!!!!!

This is Kyndall, Garret and Zane!!

I just wanted to introduce all of you to Kyndall (her name should have been Lauren so that is what I call her), Garret, and Zane!! Their mom Amy is one of my best friends and this blog was really created for her. Her husband's name is Rick and he is in the Air Force. They had to move to Virginia so this is how she can really keep up with all that is going on and so she is always informed of what is going on with Franceska. After all she is her Aunt Amy!! We miss them so much and we love them bigger than the sky!!!