Announcing.........

After taking about a three months sabbatical, I am back to blogging beginning today!

I didn't set out to purposely not blog since Caroline's wedding in June; however, many events were happening that were much more important in my life than blogging and I wanted to fully focus on these and then the time just flew by!

First of all, I wanted to announce we have a new granddaughter!!

This is not new news to all our friends, family, church family and FB friends who have seen her and know she is beautiful!

"C" was born in June and is the primary reason I have not blogged in so long.  I have made three trips to see her!

My son and his wife have chronicled their month by month pregnancy on their private blog. We were told the wonderful news early last fall when they came for a visit.  My son made a video of their pug, Coco, teaching math facts. (He sometimes makes these for the kids at school using the dog.) It was hilarious, of course, and ended with Coco "spelling" out with her puppy chow that "one plus one equals three". Then they showed Coco dressed with her sweater that said "Big Sister".

It took a minute or two for it to register with us what they were telling us.....and then the shouting and crying for joy began!!

What a fun way to announce their new baby coming! We were thrilled!

Papa made a changing table/dresser for the new baby just as he made Harper.  

So in June we loaded up the new dresser, took some vacation time and went to Dallas to be there when the stork arrived!

Carrie's parents, her cousin Ann and Steve's sister Kathy were all at the hospital waiting patiently for the arrival!

The anxious grandparents!

My prayer was for a healthy baby and a safe delivery for Carrie. My prayers were both answered!

We are so blessed!

Steve's mother got to come to the hospital to meet her new Great-granddaughter! It was very special for all of us!

Papa showing off some pictures he made of the baby to his Mama and Sister.

Baby"C" is perfect in every way and Chris and Carrie are terrific parents.  They have ask that we don't post pictures of her on the internet so I am going along with their wishes.  But you will hear plenty about her in the years ahead!

I stayed for several more days when everyone else left for home and it was a great time for bonding with the baby and watching your children be parents for the first time!

I went home and Carrie's Mom and sister came for a week. Then my sister and I went down for a few days.  Then Kelly went down for a few days.  So we all got to have a chance to help spoil the new baby right off the bat!  She is really good-natured and everyone says she looks just like her daddy but also looks like her Mama and she has Carrie's long eyelashes!!

Out for a walk and neighbors meeting the new baby.

I love this sweet family!

A couple of weeks ago school was getting ready to start back in Texas and so I made another trip the first week the teachers had to be back.  I kept Miss "C" while her Mom and Dad had all kinds of teacher's meetings and open-house at their schools.

A whole week of just me and my precious new grand baby. Do you think they had to twist my arm to come???

Meanwhile, between trips to Dallas, we also got to keep Miss Hollis a week while her parents took Harper and went to the beach.  We decided it wouldn't be much of a vacation with a baby at the beach, and besides we really needed some time with our Hollis!

This next picture is Hollis dressed in a little dress her great-grandmother made for me about 63 years ago.  I kept it (along with a couple of others)all these years and wanted to make my granddaughter's picture in it.  It is in really good shape.  My mother was such an awesome seamstress.

Also, Hubs went on his annual trip to India for two weeks. The girls and I met him to welcome him home after his long journey.

So, now you can see I've been busy the past few months!!

I hoped you have noticed my awesome new header! I finally met Faith of http://walkwithmebyfaith.blogspot.com at Caroline's wedding and ask her to give my blog a make-over! I am very pleased with the results and love the crisp updated colors! 

Here is Faith, me and Jenna of "JennaBabe" fame at Caroline's wedding! I have conversed with the girls so many times and was so blessed to get the pleasure of meeting them!

Faith and her sweet husband Chad are expecting twin girls soon and I can hardly wait for her to experience motherhood! They will be terrific parents!

So, that's the story of my missing-in-action this summer! Thanks to so many of you who sent me notes telling how much you enjoy my blog and were missing me!  That really did give me the encouragement to start blogging again!

I have many more things to share but this will be enough to get me back in the blogging "groove" for today!!