Emily in her jazz costume: Dance recital May 2007
Waimea Canyon: The grand canyon of the Pacific, Kauai, HI
The kids swimming at Ke Iki Beach, North Shore, HI
Thanksgiving at the Outer Banks, NC
Luke cleans up well doesn't he? Prom 2007
Beautiful Meghan, Prom 2007
What an elegant lady!! Kati - Prom 2007
Kati & Timmy
Proud parents at Kati's graduation.
Kati's birthday 2007
Meghan's birthday 2007
Christmas Day 2006
Luke's birthday lunch: fish fry and lobster
Easter morning: it was about 25 degrees out!
Luke with really short hair: All the men that went on the Mexico Mission trip shaved their heads!
Kati's cap and gown picture
Kati and Timmy in Hawaii
Bopa's and Emily's birthday in Oct. 2007
Emily swimming in November at the Outer Banks, NC
I never seem to have time to send Christmas cards or do the big "letter" so this year I decided to do a recap of the past year on my blog and send out "New Year" cards and direct everyone to my blog. This accomplished 2 things, the annual update as well as letting people check out the Jones Family happenings during the year. As everyone says "I can't believe the year has come to an end." This has been quite an eventful year. Beginning last January my 94 year old grandmother (who had until this time lived by herself) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and her congestive heart failure got worse. My parents stayed with her until April when she died. We made a trip to see her in February. It was a sweet time. She has left a wonderful legacy behind. I attribute my "Christmas Cookie Mania" to her. My youngest daughter Emily has also developed an interest in baking and cake decorating and makes Choclate Chip Cookies just like Grammy J did!
See former posts to view our new addition Fred - a big,goofy German Shepherd that we got the end of March. I must be crazy!!!
May brought about the graduation of my oldest daughter Katherine Elizabeth (Kati). What a proud day May 12, 2007 was. It seems like just yesterday she made us parents and now she is all grown up. What a delight and a blessing she has been. It has been an honor and a joy to parent and educate her. I began homeschooling her in 5th grade and she has excelled all the way to the end. Children are a gift and a wonderful blessing from God and I will be ever grateful that He has allowed me to stay at home and raise my children. I would not trade one second of the time I have had with them, especially when I see how fast they grow.
In June we took a vacation/Kati graduation trip to one of our favorite places: Hawaii!! One of the perks of not having your husband around much during the week is that we get to enjoy the frequent flyer miles, and we all flew for free!!! A few weeks later the 3 oldest kids went to Mexico on a mission trip and had a wonderful time despite the hard work and hot weather. It was very quiet and boring around the Jones house that week. As much as I long for moments of peace and quiet every now and then I don't seem to know what to do with myself when they are all gone. The rest of the summer was relatively quiet. I gor to travel with Richard to Colorado in August. What a beautiful part of the country. We did not take our annual trip to the Outer Banks for Labor Day this year. It seems to be getting harder to get everyones schedules to work together any more. In October we went to Virginia to celebrate my Dad's 70th birthday. All the kids and grandkids were there - what a loud and crazy bunch. We had a great weekend.
In October I also got to go to Montreal to the Best Western Convention. What a great place to visit. It is nice to be able to leave the kids for several day and not worry. Kati takes great charge and keeps everyone in line. Luke also takes over as the "man of the family." What a blessing to reap the rewards of many years of training and raising children, it makes me feel as though we must have done something right. I must brag, that even though they drive me crazy at times (and I know I do the same to them), that they are AWESOME!!!
In November we celebrated Thanksgiving at the Outer Banks with my parents, brother & sister and their families. It was unseasonably warm and most of the kids played in the water. What a great time!! Christmas day was quiet, we stayed home and went to Virginia to see our parents, and Richards sister and her family a few days after. Now its back to running here, there and everywhere. Luke is playing bball and Emily will start soon. Luke has guitar lessons, Emily, dance and piano, Meghan is taking violin, she drives herself - YEAH!! We are looking forward to a fresh new year. I pray that we will love one another well and grow closer to Christ; may we be shining lights to a lost and dying world.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!
