HOUSE IS TRULY SOLD!!!!

Well, the house in now sold. We close on it this Friday. We will then head to Fort Worth to find a new place of residence. We are all excited and nervous as well. It is hard to move without knowing exactly where you will be parking. Things are made a little more difficult with the animals, but we will make it all work out. I am trying very hard not to stress out about this, but sometimes that is like trying to hold a flood back with a teaspoon. Last night I went into the bedroom and sat in the dark with the TV off. Can you believe it? Me with the TV off. Don't worry, it didn't last long. I got over it quickly.

So we will be moving on to the next step in this wild adventure we have set for ourselves. Manuel seems to be doing well at boot camp and is looking forward to graduating next month. I admit that I have missed him greatly. He always has that great smile that you sometimes want to wipe off of him, but that makes you giggle. I can't wait to see him again.

So now we are all about packing and closing down last minute things. The joys of moving. I'm so over it.

Baby Boy Sommers Has Arrived!!!

Ryan Layne Sommers arrived at 1:33 pm central time. He is 6 lbs 12 ozs and 19 ins long. He has curly brown hair and is doing very well. Kris and Jay are well and happy.

Not sure if he's upset or tired.

Now we are sure he's upset.

Updating again!

Well, we have heard from Manuel in San Diego. He seems to be in his element. He wrote a short note on the form letter they give the recruits, so mom gets at least one from them. He was excited about getting his rifle and they were going to start MCMAPS the next day. Whatever that is. Anyway, he seems to be happy for the time being. His graduation date is August 28 and we are looking forward to the trip there to see him.

On other fronts, Kris and Jay will deliver Ryan Layne on Thursday the 18th. So we and she are looking forward to the blessed event. Not that Jay isn't looking forward to it, I just think Kris is more than him.

Things here at the house in ABQ are the same. Still waiting for God to send the buyer and in the mean time, we are doing some repairs. I'm trying very hard not to be discouraged by the two failed offers, and remembering that God is in control. We will be heading out to TX in the next couple of weeks to see the newest Sommers addition and to look at properties. Hope to spend some time with friends and family while there.

New Update

As some of you know, the deal fell through on the house. So now we wait again. I know that God has big plans and it is best to wait on Him.

We saw Manuel off to boot camp today and I must admit that I have a lot of mixed feelings about it. I am extremely proud of him and yet am scared and nervous for him. I know that he will do great but I am having trouble letting go and believing that he really is growing up. I have put him in God's hands, I just haven't let go while he is there yet. I am sure that this past school year with him gone has been a preparation for him being gone and completely out of my control. I am so very proud of him and want the best for him.

We hope to get to TX in the next few weeks for both looking at places and for the birth of our second grandson. Ryan Layne is due June 18, but reserves the right to come sooner. We can't wait. Jay and Kris are doing well and Kris says that Ryan has dropped already. Maybe sooner.

House is now sold!!

Well, we have accepted the offer we got on Saturday for the house. Now we can start getting ready for the next step. Packing! I am not looking forward to that. Maybe I can throw a lot of the old stuff away. Not Mark of course, but stuff. Andrew is excited, Ashley not as much. But she will make friends fast back in TX. She always does and NM will become a fond but distant memory. All of our friends in NM need to know that they will always have a place to come visit in TX. There are lots of things to do there.

Thank you all who prayed for our house to sell in God's timing. I will work out that we can be here for when Manuel leaves for bootcamp and we close after that. We just have to decide where all of his stuff goes for while he is in CA.

Whew! It has been a while.

Well folks, it has truly been a while since I have been on here. We have been busy with getting ready for the end of the school year and Manuel graduating from NMMI. We are looking forward to the commencment ceremonies and will celebrate the next step in his life. He will then be leaving for San Diego, after a couple of weeks at home, to begin boot camp for the Marines. This will be the beginning of great things for him. Although I have mixed feelings about him being so far away.

We still are waiting for the house to sell. The showings are picking up, but no offers yet. Please keep this in your prayers. We know that the house will sell when God wants it to. His timing is best. (just wish He would clue me in a little) :)
The above picture is of Shanty's hiding place when she is in trouble (for digging in the yard) or when she has her bark collar on. She has the pity thing down.

Spring has finally sprung here and we are trying to keep pretty plants alive so the house looks nice. My yearly battle. I just can't understand why they need water EVERY day.

We are all fine. Mark is back to softball and so far there are no injuries. Track is over and Ashley has returned to skating. Andrew is almost done with homeschool for the year and Manuel has left for Florida for a drill team competition. They are riding the bus and will miss 5 school days. I'm not exactly seeing the logic in this, but am trying to go with the flow. Graduation announcements will go out this week or next.

Update

Samantha Bunch went home to be with our Lord at midnight this morning. We are saddened and miss her smiling face already. She was just too sick to fight kidney shut down and a couple of bouts of cardiac arrest. While I am very sad to see this happen, I know that she is now sitting with Jesus and celebrating her new WHOLE body. She will no longer suffer from the many things she has dealt with. Things that she has borne with a smile and a praise for God. She has been and always will be an example of a Godly woman for me. Anytime I wanted to know about pray and worship, God put her face in mind for me. I will miss her greatly and I wish for prayers of comfort for her parents and family. (extended family as well) We love you, Sammi.

Prayer needed!

Some very good friends of ours in Fort Worth need prayer right now. Their 22 year old daughter is in the hospital with kidney failure. God has already answered many prayers in that she is still with us. We are believing that God will bring her through to recovery as the dialysis continues. She is a wonderful testimony of how good God is and will continue to praise Him in this as well. She is currently in ICU and we are praying for a quick clean out of her system and a good prognosis of any possible damage to other systems. Please pray for the Bunch family and their daughter Samantha.

New Grandbaby!

Well, we have heard from the Dr. that Jay and Kris are expecting a boy around June 24. The baby is healthy and mom is doing well. Reid knows where the baby is, but I don't know if he knows what this means yet. They have not decided on names, but I will let you know when we do.

I can't tell you how exciting it is to see Jay as a dad. Mark brought home a video from his last visit when they took Reid to the park. I was in awe of the man Jay has become. I will be excited to see Reid as a big brother and I am really excited that we will be able to be closer for this grandbaby.

Special Folks

I want to tell you about a couple of people who mean the world to me. My parents are two of the most loving and down to earth people. They have worked hard to provide for and raise us. And they did a wonderful job. Though I haven't always listend to them or taken the well meant advice, I have found that they have wisdom to share and love to give. They have made my life what it is and I love them both. You are great parents, grandparents and friends.

I love you Momma and Daddy.

House News

Well, we are officially back on the market. Hopefully we will get some movement on it this time.

Yes, it is a picture from a couple of years ago.

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful nephew. I remember it well since I turned 18 when you were born. Love you!

Snowboarding Pictures

Well, Mark decided not to ski that day but caught some cute pictures of Andrew and Ashley learning. It seems they spent a lot of time on the sitting down part.
Yet they seemed to have fun and want to try some more.

Not much new!

Well, not much new is happening here. We are getting the house ready to put back on the market. We are hoping the market has bounced back some. We are continually told, that our house is lovely and shows well and that we are in the optimum neighborhood and well priced. But they said that the last time too. But God is in control not me. (thank goodness)

Mark and I have narrowed down the lots he looked at to three. So we started on the quest for the financing. Well, thanks to the economy and mortgage fiascos of the last few years, we are having trouble finding a way to finance the land. Noone wants to loan on land alone and noone wants to let us build it ourselves. We need a third party builder or be in a development. Anyone that knows Mark knows that neither of those things are what we want. We want out by ourselves and Mark wants to do the building himself. We still have a few possibilities that we are checking into, but all is on hold till we at least get the house on the market. That should be next weekend. (yea, showings:(.)

Everyone is doing well. It is a holiday weekend here and the kids have Monday off. So Mark is going to take Andrew and Ashley to the mountain to snowboard. He may even try it as well. This should be fun to watch. Pictures will follow.....

News!!

Well, Mark is back home now from Texas. We are just getting started on going over the information he got while there. Hopefully we will have some ideas for getting headed back east.

In other news, we are expecting our second grandbaby. Jay and Kris are expecting the end of June. We will find out in February what the sex is and how the baby is doing. We expect that everything is fine and we will have another healthy one. We are so proud of how they are doing. I am amazed at how grown up all the kids have gotten. Not sure if I am ready for any of it or not. Just going to go with the flow. Don't they look great???? We are blessed to have such great kids and wonderful in-laws. And don't forget that adorable little guy, Reid!

Happy New Year!!

Well, we were home last night for the ringing in of the new year. We had eggnogg and beans. No, I couldn't find black eyed peas in the store to be had, so I did red and white beans. Kinda looked like Aggie colors when I was done. Could this be a new tradition???

The kids decided to watch a movie at midnight and Mark and I decided to ring in the new year at 11:00 mountain time. (We figured it was midnight in TX. It's the only state that counts anyway.) Just kidding to all our loved ones in the other states. Well, we ended up staying up till midnight anyway watching Star Trek Voyager episodes anyway. But we went to sleep very soon there after.

We are just hanging out today. Manuel decided to go snowboarding again with some friends to the Sandias. Didn't he get enough?? Andrew and Ashley have taken turns on the computer and Mark and I took the tree down.

Not much excitement here. We love you all and wish you the best of new years.

Vacation cont.

After breakfast in the condo, we headed up for the first day of sking.

The pass had only opened the day before at noon. So there were still plows on the way up.We quickly discovered that the suburban is not the heaviest vehicle. We got help from some guys who pushed us up the slick drive. Then the parking lot attendents had us park here. Do you think they were trying to tell us something?

Manuel getting his board ready.

A look at some of the mountain.

After a full day of skiing and everyone hungry, we headed down the mountain back to town.

This house was so neat to look at but check out the road!!

Then God gave us this sunset.

Some more of the wonders of Colorado Rockies in all God's glory.

I loved all the people watching I got to do.

This guy had a great hat. So I thought I would sneak a picture. Shhh...

Well, he caught me and let me put it on for a picture of my own. It is a skunk hat. They had a son who graduated from A&M. We met a LOT of Aggies out there.

We even have our own flag there.

It was not snowing when I took this, our windows were that dirty.

Snow was abounding. Some drivng was nerve racking and I was glad that Mark was driving and not me. It was amazing how many people from Oklahoma went screaming past us on the icy roads. :(

This was the view on the way home after three days of snow fun. This is going down 84 from Pagosa Springs. No cell service but with stuff like this to look at who cares.

Holiday Family Vacation!!

The trip started on the 27th and a clear day. Thankfully the roads had started clearing. Mark decided to take a different route than we ususally take hoping the roads would be clearer.

So far so good.

Everyone decided to read, so it was quiet.

Don't tell the kids that they were not fighting on the way up. They may try to make up for it now that we are back. :)
The roads started getting more snow on them but the roads stayed fairly clear. Pretty pictures.

God's glory all around!!

After an ordeal of sliding around on hills and trying to get the kids' skis rented and an hour wait for pizza, we finally got settled down in the condo to rest up for the next moring.

The view from the condo. That is a lake the rest of the year.
These are the San Juan mountains. Where we are headed.
Lot's of snow!!!!