I won't get the "Xanga Post Woman Of The Year Award", but here's one more update to last for a while. We've had a good year, a very good year...here's some of the photos to tell about it...

   Tommy and I went cruising from Ft. Lauderdale to Cozumel in January for our 10th Anniversary. We had such a good time, many many times over this past year I've wished I was still there, cruising along over the waters, almost blissfully unaware that somewhere over the seas, there's people rushing around here and there, but we could relax, just letting the wind blow by, not really having a care in the world...but of course it was eventually time to come back to reality. Thanks to the ones that graciously watched the kids we left behind.

Our ship was the one on the left, the big daddy...Royal Navigator of the Seas.

...and yes, I went along too, not just Tommy, but you know how it goes, I was usually the one behind the camera!

"You don't have to be sick." Halleujah Diet, anyone? Us girls took mom here (Concord, NC) for her birthday. It was a very fun day, came home filled with lots of 'healthy' information.

Some homeschool fun...

 Tommy brought this home from the woods one day this summer, cute little thing!!!

Bringing home the bacon....

...and this is how I spent most of the summer...pregnant.

We welcomed a precious, precious miracle, Sadie Beth, on July 30.

Me, Chloe and Carolyn, holding Sadie.

 When Tommy brought the children in the next day, Rodney handed me these flowers and said, "here mom, these are for you and Sadie!" Just made my day!!! Funny how a tiny baby brings out the goo-goo in everyone, even "tough" little boys!

I was blessed with 2 baby showers...this one...

...and this one...Thanks Girls!!!!

First Sunday to Church...

...would you say pink and brown are the 'in' colors???

4 geners...

Remember...you can do ANYTHING with CHRIST who gives you His strength today!!!

   I know, it's been awhile, a long time in fact. Somehow along the way xanga has got placed on the back burner, or maybe even behind the oven. Sorry I never get around and leave y'all any comments but I still love you! I am already getting the winter claustrophobia. I'm such a loser when it comes to cold weather. I just have the urge to hibernate all day. But let the sun come out and I am full steam ahead. That's all the more reason that I am so beyond happy to have booked a 4 day cruise to Mexico the end of January for Tommy and my 10th anniversary. I just love stuff to look forward to. That's half the fun of vacation, for women anyway. I don't think it quites cracks the men that way though.

  I'm thinking a long time ago I saw I was tagged to post pictures of me on here, 5 maybe? I forget. Don't that sort of post sound a little vain to you? Post 5 pictures of me? Oh well, I guess I can handle being vain for a day, lol. Some of you, I know, are going, she never has trouble doing that, ha ha ha! Shame on you. Let's see what I can find....Here's one of me and Morgan and here's the story behind it. Morgan is just sold on Southern Gospel music, she knows the songs and most of the artists. Anyway, we were so happy to hear that the Hoppers and Ivan Parker were coming to little bitty Due West for a concert on the campus of Erskine College. We decided that Morgan and I would have a girls night and her and I would go. Morgan was so excited about it! I called several days before the concert to get tickets and was shocked to find that they were sold out. I couldn't believe that the concert had sold out in this teeny town. I didn't know what to do. I just couldn't break the news to Morgan and kept thinking, "how am I gonna tell her, she'll be so disappointed." About 2 hours later the phone rang and Kenny O. called and said, "hey we are in FL and I had tickets for that concert Fri night and we won't get to go, do you want them?" WANT THEM????? I could have jumped through the phone. Ain't God GOOD!

I played volleyball on a fall league in Anderson this year with these people. So much fun!!! We placed first in the regular season and second in the tournament.

Me with my cousin Esther Troyer. I get to see her about once every ten years or so! Hi Esther!

Let's see, here's one, here's some people that got together on Thanksgiving and went Christmas caroling for some folks.

Here I am, fixin' to smoke the brothers-in-law, Sam and Duane in a game of Sequence. Told you I have no trouble being vain, lol!!!!!! 

Me and Janice. Never a dull moment with this sis.

I'll post a picture yet of Morgan and her buddy Ivan Parker. She looks like, "eeeek, I can't believe that not only have I met this man, but he is actually holding me!!!" 

".....I'm dreaming of a green, warm, sunshiny Christmas....."

Morgan was flower girl in Rhoda's wedding several weeks ago. We bought her dress months ago and she looked forward to this for so long!!! She was excited but the closer it got, she got real nervous. So FINALLY this day came and I took Morgan to the church early for pictures. She looked so beautiful in her white dress and her hair turned out how I wanted. Anyway we were on our way and I started telling Morgan that she has grown to be such a beautiful lady, and that I am so proud of her and I'm so excited about her being in the wedding, etc etc and she interrupted me and said, "Momma, PLEASE, can you just stop talking about it?" Soooo.....my speech came to a halt and I changed the conversation!!! I think I blame the Hershberger blood for the let's-not-talk-about-it-let's-just-smooth-over-it mentality!!!

Here she is with her daddy....

...and here's announcing Mr & Mrs Ryan Miller!!!

Thinking about weddings reminds me of this. I get such a bang out of it when people bless a meal like w  a  y out ahead. Is that a Mennonite thing to do? Like right before the wedding is dismissed the preacher booms, "now before we leave we shall bless the evening meal" and I know why they do it but still, I almost giggle cause there's no food in sight and we don't even eat till way later......it seems sort of like if before Tommy leaves for work in the morning, we would bless the food for the day. Really, I'd be fine to just quietly (or loudly, whichever I feel at the time) bless the food whenever it comes. Just sharing some very deep thoughts on here!!!!

The next day, Tommy and I and the kids went to Myrtle Beach for several days. SOOOO FUNNNN!!!!! We had an oceanfront suite at an awesome hotel.......Coral Beach Resort....

It was nice but also not so nice. The hotel was awesome but they had live karaoke every day and night (it was a band that opens concerts for Tim McGraw) and if you love "wasted away again in Margaritaville" and lots of Lynard Skynard it would be cool, but it just didn't feel too uplifting for a family. So hopefully next time we'll end up somewhere a little quieter and a few less bottles. Here's Rodney taking a plunge!!! He would just jump without warning anytime anywhere and soak anyone around!!! And then get out and laugh and laugh!!!

Funny story behind this picture...we went and rode the ferris wheel one night. While we were sitting there waiting I asked a young gal if she would take our picture. Keep in mind this old schooler still has a 35mm. Anyway, she put it probably a foot in front of her face and looked so puzzled. I told her that it's not digital, you have to look through this small lense. And she still looked confused and she snapped and I didn't figure much, if any of us got on the pic but looks like she did good! I don't think she'd ever heard of a 35mm. Hello??? this younger generation...

One night we all went in the fitness center and messed around, the kids were riding the tread mill and doing all sorts of stuff and then when we walked out the door, I saw a sign that said NO ONE UNDER 16 YEARS ALLOWED. ooops

Kristy here's you some competition.

Tommy and Rodney are looking for shark teeth. We found quite a few. I couldn't help but notice Rodney on here, look at his stance....looks like he's trying to stand just like daddy!

And here's me and my hard working man that slaves all day so we can have fun vacationing at the beach!!! Morgan wanted to take a pic and it was almost pitch dark on the beach. She said she couldn't see us but it looks like we made it in the picture!!!

Happy Dove Season, everybody!!! We grilled burgers at Jason's then I left Morgan and Rodney in the field with Tommy and came home all by myself!!! Morgan said to come pick her up soon cause it gets too loud for her! So I'm just chilling here.....watching some tennis at the US Open, cleaning the yard, yakking on the phone. It's a wonderful life!!!

We had the best time at the beach last week! Can't tell you how great it was to get away for several days...away from the phone ringing, all the schedules, go here, go there. It was AWESOME! Well, I could've done without the jellyfish stings. I've never had one in my life and when they sting, they HURT. BAD. 3 times. You'd think I'd learn but no. A lot of people were getting stung and somebody told us that it was mating season for them the week we were there. What??? So yeah, they were everywhere, even saw quite a few dead ones washed up on the shore. Rodney said, "Momma, I'm gonna shoot them jellyfish!!!" His philosophy is if it's mean or bites, let's just shoot it!!!!!! Such a funny boy! Wish I could say what he said in the bathtub last night but it wouldn't be appropriate to post!!!!!! He absolutely loves life to the full and always has us laughing about something!

Oh, y'all please remember Sam and Bon's family in your prayers. Their sweet, precious, just-turned-4-year-old Megan fell and broke her femur bone last week. (bone between knee and hip). She's in a body cast for 6 weeks. Just please remember them in your prayers. She has the sweetest kindest personality and I can't imagine what she's going through.

Here's two little people that I love more than life itself........... 

Here's a picture of my whole family at the Schrock Reunion a couple weeks ago ~ 

It didn't take no time to get reacquainted with cousins, uncles, and aunts that I hadn't seen in years!!! This is me and my Aunt Grace Kurtz.

5 Sisters ~ Front Row L-R June Hochstetler(IN) my Grandma(OR) Donna Miller(VA) Back Row L-R Mom(SC) Grace Kurtz(OR) Lois Miller(OR).

Tommy and Mark - here's quite the team! 

...sitting around the porch telling jokes, sharing hunting stories, learning lots of marriage advice, and child training advice!!! In case some of y'all are curious I'll go around the circle and introduce these people ~ Janice, Diane, Susan, Mark, Tommy, Duane, and Jeremy. If you're still curious, too bad.

Susan and Morgan

Y'all come see us when ya can!