A Farewell Fiesta

It's good to be an Arrington & Snelson friend!!

"My life will always be richer, for the time I spent there with you."

Thank you so much for ten wonderful years of friendship. I will miss all of you more than you can ever know.

What you don't see is JEANNIE...entertaining the entire crowd with her nail salon you-tube imitations...what you DO SEE is Michelle and the affects that Jeannie had on everyone!!!

The best baby room teacher God ever made, Jessica! I love you Jess!!

Tracy, Erika and I
Onto the next chapter....

MIS Graduation

The 8th grade class of Mary Immaculate graduated on Friday, May 22nd. Craig was invited by his friend, Preston, to go to graduation and dinner afterwards in a limo!! This was an auction item that Preston's family won at the MIS Auction last year! They had the best time! Cole was the biggest 8th grader want-to-be EVER!! He considers these guys his best friends too!

We are so proud of Craig and all that he has accomplished these first 9 years of his education. We know that God has amazing plans for him as he moves on to high school at Jesuit!!

May Crowning

Freshman Jesuit/Ursuline Class of 2009-2010

AJ, Craig, Josh, Chris

Craig and Cassidy, and Craig and AJ

TOD'S HOME!!

Umm, not quite sure how to put this. Cardiac arrest? Panic attack? All of the above?

Nah, just LARRY, WE NEED A ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you busy this summer?

Taking deep breaths, trust me.

Karen, wipe the "spotless garage" tears from your eyes....I know.

From the bathtub...to the stage...and now to college...

Sisters, sorority sisters, that's what Delta Zeta made us!! Jamie was an active when I became a pledge...she was just about to graduate from UTA when I joined Delta Zeta. Never would I have ever dreamed that we would become such great friends...you see, in Delta Zeta, Jamie was IT. Almost an untouchable. The most put together...always perfectly dressed, manicured....drove her little white 350 convertible Mercedes...etc. We (the pledges) looked up to her in awe. Jamie graduated and I would see her every once in a while at alumni/collegiate functions. Jamie and Richard's wedding was the FIRST wedding I attended in my life...glad I don't have the sorority picture of the Delta Zetas at that reception...I had the small little sausage roll curled under bangs and looked 2....anyway...it was a fairy tale. I remember their first dance like it was yesterday...and when it ended Richard picked her up and twirled her around, train flying out behind her...I was in the la-la land of envy!! Years after I remember crying with other DZ's after learning that God had taken their first child, a daughter, to Heaven with Him at 31 weeks of gestation. All good comes from God...and our friendship and our son's friendship would NOT be what it is today had those things not happened. You see, Jamie got pregnant for the second time as I was finding out I was pregnant with Tod. In fact, Tod and Miles are FOUR days apart!! They have been the best of friends for nineteen years!! We have shared so many happy family times together...from vacationing at Disney (they indulged for me...we almost lost Richard...and I'm sorry Marcie that you have never been) together, celebrating holidays/birthdays together, many many nights at the lake...parties...the list goes on!!!

How blessed we are! Not only to have such great friends ourselves, but to have witnessed this steadfast friendship bewteen our two boys!! A gift from God that I am expotentially thankful for.

Congratulations Miles on your graduation! We couldn't be prouder of the man you are, and we look so forward to many more shared family times!! OU look out!!

Coming home!

Hard to believe that Tod has already completed his freshman year of college. Mike heads to Ruston tomorrow to bring our #1 baby boy home!!!

Going away to college is a good thing...especially for them.

Coming home is a great thing....especially for us.

Girls, Girls, Girls

Today was glorious. Not only did we sleep in, but God truly delivered such a beautiful day!! It felt so good to FEEL the sun! The "To Do" list at this house is LONG...but Mike and I both stuck to the outside today! At around 3:30 we all wrapped up to come inside and get ready to go to Mass. Needless to say the kids really were not too thrilled about having to put up the scooters and bikes to come in. Ending the weekend with church can go one of two ways....either you nearly fall asleep because you are so relaxed pillowed in His peaceful house, or it can really focus you for the week's journey ahead. God works in wonderous ways....shortly after coming in Cole and Reed began getting dressed. Mike and I were quietly getting ready in our room while listening to the two of them dialogue about what they were going to wear. (Lord help us if they both are like Tod in that way!!!) They decide. Reed sure has that preppy 80's look, doesn't he?! It cracked me up and made me proud all at the same time. Just as we were about to head to the van to go, Reed turns to Cole ....looks him over, then slowly checks himself out and says,

"Hey Cole, let's go get some girls!"

Guess we should be thankful they are looking for girls at church!!

Mom

Mom's parting words in a letter she left for Karen, Kris, Brad and me...

"Quite simply, I would like each of you to know that it has meant the world to me to be your Mom- I was richly blessed with the birth of four beautiful children. I can not imagine what my world would have been like without you...

...I love each of you so very much. DO NOT be sad that I have gone-be happy that we had the time together that we did. Happy memories heal the heart and soul. Thank you, each one, for your love and your care. You have always made me feel very special."

Mom

I physically ache for you, Mom, and long to have just one more hug or hand hold. I am so thankful for our walk (and your ride) around the hospital. We took you to the sunlight then, but I know the angels took you straight to the Light 3 years ago.

Happy Mother's Day....Kimmy style....a little late.

Silver linings

My wife is a school teacher. Truth be told, she is a very good school teacher. As a matter of fact, she has been told by students 10 years after she taught them that she is still the best teacher they ever had. One parent even said that of all the teachers he has ever known, ever had or his children ever had, Kim was the best he had ever met. Humbling words. She has definitely answered God’s call to be an educator and has been blessed to work with some incredible teachers. Her teaching career spans over 20 years and 4 schools and her dedication to her students has never been questioned.

My wife is also an open book. If you want to know what she is thinking, just ask her. If you need an honest appraisal of a situation, she’s your gal. She will not pull punches, but is also amazingly empathetic. Kim will tell you to stand up for yourself and be strong, then be there with a hug and tissue for the weak moments. She has an incredible network of friends because she can be trusted and is loyal to a fault. The support they give her has brought me to tears.

Unfortunately, it is the latter and not the former that has determined her job status. Please keep her in your prayers as she is currently looking for another teaching position. I have no doubt that everything will work out because when God wants something done, He makes sure it happens! I am quite sure I do not know God’s plan, but I am also quite sure that our family will continue to be blessed.

Have you ever heard the saying, “The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”? The “whole truth” part seems to confuse some people. They will say, “ I offered to take her to the dentist” without mentioning that they are the ones who kicked in her teeth. The growth that Kim and I will experience through this job search will only make us stronger. We do not know where the road will lead, but I know that God is watching over us and that Kim has friends on all sides helping her find her way. The peaceful part of this is that people know Kim’s thoughts, she is an open book. They know her heart, she shares it with them often. They know her empathy, loyalty and friendship firsthand through the way she lives her life, and they will see “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth”…

Confirmation

Craig was Confirmed today. He was anointed with Chrism and professed his faith in God. He received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And I cried.

The overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit always makes me teary-eyed. I am blessed to have experienced it innumerable times in my life, and every time I feel the peaceful presence my eyes begin to fill. Back in high school during Search retreats, at a bible church in Southlake, at First Communions, at an evening prayer service by a lake, singing songs of praise around a campfire and today. Craig has been preparing for 2 years for this day. Over the last 9 months he spent every other Wed. night in prayer and growth, discerning if he was ready for the power and responsibility that goes with Confirmation. He is.

The Mass was great, the presider read from some of the Letters to the Bishop that the Confirmandi (Confirmation candidates) wrote and one was Craig’s. It mentioned that one of the reasons he chose the sponsor he did was because he was able to make good decisions in bad situations. His sponsor was Tod. Watching the two of them approach the altar and Tod place his hand on Craig’s shoulder as he received the Sacrament was amazing. A “proud dad” moment.

Our family has some history with the priest that performed the Sacrament, not all of it good. But as I listened to his homily, I decided to let it go. I felt the Holy Spirit fill me with forgiveness and love. I am always amazed at what God can accomplish when I, “Let Go and Let God”. Kim and I are intensely proud of the choices Craig is making and the way in which lives his faith. Today is his day, we were happy to be a part of it. It was a good cry.