Year in Review: 2002 (basically my Christmas letter with security editing) Merry Christmas to all of you! I hope this holiday season finds you and your families all in good health and enjoying the time you have with family and friends. May God continue to bless all of you. It has been a wild year of milestones for us! I’ll start with saying that although it has not been the happiest of years, it has turned out well and I believe things do work out for the best and I will continue to keep my eyes on the Lord as I move on from month-to-month. One big change for us this year was Ashley & I getting divorced. And our next big change was moving back to Amarillo where I can have some of my family nearby for support and help with the boys. We have been living in Amarillo since this spring and are doing very well in getting settled in. Ashley still lives & works in San Antonio. Remy turned 5 this year, soon after he started another year in his PPCD pre-school class. In fact, he is attending the same elementary school I went to *forever* ago, as a child living in Amarillo! He is learning a lot and hopefully he will be able to start Kindergarten next fall. But even if he can’t, he can enjoy another year in PPCD if we decide to do so. His biggest accomplishment this year has been potty training! In fact, in just the past month, he has gone from not-a-clue to almost totally trained! We are all so very proud of him. Guess it’s time to buy big-boy underwear for his Christmas! ;-) Daniel has grown leaps and bounds this year, rushing headlong towards turning 3 yrs old. His language skills have blossomed and he is now using complete sentences and making himself very clear. He has also grown a lot in height, too. There is only about 4 inches in height difference between him and Remy, so they can share a lot of the same shirts, too! Daniel can be quite the troublemaker, figuring out how to get into just about everything. Maybe he will grow up to be a locksmith. ;-) He has also learned how to use a mouse and run some computer games… and that is one of his favorite activities now. No more standing by and just watching Remy play! I’m finding myself being the referee more and more now, but I am still thankful that they are both growing so much with their technical skills. Daniel has given up his pacifier as well as his Bunny-bunny blanket this year. And he has moved from loving balloons to loving trains. It’s amazing to see just how much he has changed in just one year. My Mom went through her second round of chemotherapy early this year, too. Thankfully, it didn’t have such a harsh effect on her this time as the treatments she had a few years ago. She has been finished since fall, and now she’s feeling and doing great. What a blessing it has been for me to have been able to be here for her through it all, even if it was an unfortunate situation that brought me here… I’m faithful that God is in control and His plan is always full of blessings, even if they might seem hidden at first. I’ve been busy keeping the boys going, getting a whole new network of doctors and specialists arranged for Remy, and just being a mom. I plan to return to work when the boys are older, but for now as things are working out the way it has, I want to be here for them while they are still so young. I am very blessed to have family who can help me be the mom I feel I need to be. And I have also been very blessed with a man who I’ve been dating since the summer. His name is Wes and he is the most wonderful and sweet man… a true gentleman. I thank God every day for him as I do for my boys and for all of us to remain safe & healthy. We have also been able to enjoy our first snow of the season already! It was entertaining watching the boys get into the snow and having our first snowman in the back yard. Speaking of back yard… for those who knew Callie, our sheltie of 14 yrs… she is now in her resting place in the yard as well as doggie heaven. It was sad to see her go late this summer, but I know she had a life full of spoiling and love. BJ, our black cat, is still out there, sharing space with the snowman. My wish for everyone this Christmas is for everyone to be happy, healthy, and to enjoy life to the fullest. Live, laugh and have a great time with family and friends while you can, and keep your hearts walking with Christ. And remember to sing “Happy Birthday” to Jesus as well as the Christmas carols. If it weren’t for His birth, we wouldn’t have Christmas. God Bless you all, and have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! Angela, Remy & Daniel Christmas 2002