Family Traditions

Lately I have really been focusing on what it means to be "family". If I am being totally honest, which I always am on this blog, I have struggled with being family since the divorce from my children's father. I am happily re-married, but something has been missing in regards to what I call "family". I'm not sure what to call us. And, I don't even know how to address my answering machine... "Hello, you've reached the Baylis family."(But my kids don't have the same last name as me anymore.) Or..."Hi, you've reached the Baylis/Williams family...". And now it's just... "Hi, You've reached Lincoln and Angie". (That works, because the kids are grown and don't live here anymore.) That's just one example. I never realized until recently what "family" really means and what makes us a family. My friend has been helping me sort that all out, and we came to the realization that traditions are what make us family!

I was talking with one of my blog siestas this morning, Annie's Eyes. She keeps sharing little bits about what she and her family do for their family traditions. They have Sundaes on Sunday! I was not jealous of her, just very interested in the different kinds of things they do that make them a close family. She wanted to start a meme so we can all get ideas and learn what family traditions people have.

My favorite tradition is our Christmas cards. I started this when the kids were young. The picture below is not the first one. For some reason I could not find that one. I dressed them up and took a whole role of film to try to get one decent picture. I remember the first one I took, Meghan had to actually hold John up. He was just a baby. I've done it every year! Only one time did we do it of our family. Someone once asked me why? I didn't want to tell them the truth, that I didn't feel like a family anymore. But, everyone seems to enjoy the pictures of the kids every year! Maybe this year will be different! I want to get a family portrait taken when Meghan is home for Thanksgiving! It's all in the attitude! We are a FAMILY!


Here is one of the first pictures I took.
Here is the one I sent out last year!

That's just one family tradition that I love. Most of the others involve food! For some reason when I grew up, food = love! I want to tag my siestas to please do a post about your family traditions. Please go over to Annie's Eyes to sign up on Mr. Linky! They don't have to be about holidays... just special things that you do as a family!
Thank you so much!
Love,
Your siesta!

I'm Happy

Okay, so this picture has absolutely nothing to do with this post! This is one of my all-time favorite pictures of my kids. My daughter has always loved her brother and if you couldn't notice, he was so happy! I think today he is feeling just as happy... which makes me happy too!



I got the best news today! My son, John has made a decision. He has decided NOT to transfer to the University of South Carolina after all! He decided that he LOVES Michigan State University and does not want to move. He is enjoying his college life here, and wants to graduate from MSU! He may move down there for graduate school. I will have him living in the state for a little while longer! My daughter, who graduated this past spring thought he was out of his mind for even thinking about it in the first place! He is very happy today since he made up his mind!

I Praise God because he learned that we all supported him in his decision no matter what!
Thanks for sharing in my excitement this evening!
Love,
Angie xoxo

Acceptance

I am so glad Jesus loved to hang out with EVERYDAY PEOPLE like me!
He loves us and accepts us just the way we are!

May I extend His love to you today!
Angie xoxo

My friend is a Grandmother

Okay, so I haven't lost my "touch". He fell asleep in my arms!


My best friend, Sue (Mrs. Reese) from dental hygiene school with her grandson, Maverick! Can you believe she is a grandmother?



This friend is a gift from God! We've been like sisters since we met in dental hygiene school back in 1982. We bonded together during a stressful time! She had a baby and a new marriage and still had time to be my study buddy! We rode to school together and have remained friends forever! She was one of my bridesmaids in my wedding! Her mother was incredible. She taught me so much! She taught me the difference between quality time and quantity time! She was so wise. She took me to my first Bible study ever. I had never experienced anything like it! It was definitely a seed that didn't bloom til several years later! I still think about her mother so often. She made me a Christmas tree skirt that I bring out every single year! Her mother would be so proud of her because...

Now... Sue is a grandmother! I just met Maverick this past Friday for the first time! He is absolutely adorable. He never cried once! I'm sure you noticed how he fell asleep in my arms! Sue is such a wonderful mother to her kids. She is just like her mother! I am honored to go through life with her! We don't have to see each other often, but she is the kind of friend that we can start right back where we left off! We've been through so much together!

John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
I pray you have a friend like Sue in your life!
Love,
Angie xoxo

Patricia

This is a picture of my sister PATRICIA (with my niece Katie, my nephew Zach and her dog "Scout").


This Thursday I am Thankful for so many things! I am especially thankful for all of the love and support I have received from my blog siestas, especially these past couple of days. You really do give me so much encouragement!

I invited my mother, brothers and sisters to all visit my blog to see the tribute to my sister yesterday. One of my sisters, my second oldest (the oldest one living) e-mailed me after she read the the post about Vic. This is the first time she has been on a christian blog, I bet! She wrote this back to me...
"P.S.
Hey, I want a ribbon, I mean shoot, I grew a 10 pound ovarian tumor and was supposed to die. Isn't a miracle worth a ribbon on your blog? ... just kidding... I guess my life is my ribbon."

So... I thought I would dedicate today's post to my sister, Patricia. She is an amazing girl. She is the sister who told me all about being a woman. (If you know what I mean.) I was the 4th daughter so apparently I was supposed to have learned everything, but somehow I didn't learn it on my own. Anyway... I am so grateful for her help back when I was about 13 years old. She was so brave. She loved thunderstorms. I wonder if she still does? She is so smart! She is a therapist and has a master's degree in Chinese Medicine. She does Acupuncture! She is unbelievable at computer skills. Now she has her own business where she makes herbs for women who are having difficulty getting pregnant. She works with women all around the world. It really works! She has lived in San Francisco for years and has recently re-located to North Carolina. There is so much to say about her, but the most important thing I want to get across is that I love her so much and I am so proud of her! She has so much compassion and does so much for people behind the scenes. I would tell you all about what she has done, but she is so humble that she would be upset with me for telling the whole world. She reminds me of Mother Theresa! She has the biggest heart for people and is so accepting of them no matter what their lifestyle is.

Anyway... if you read her words above you will learn that she really did have a malignant tumor removed a few years back. God let the cup pass her by. She is cancer-free. They were able to remove her tumor completely and she didn't need any follow up treatment. God is SO good!

Our family has been hit hard by cancer. But... HE has done some HUGE things in the midst of it! I, for one am SO very grateful!

So, Patricia... Yes, your life is your ribbon! But... here is another one just because I am so grateful that God saved YOU!
You really are a miracle! I give all the praise to God!



I love you,
Annie xoxo

My Oldest Sister, Vic

I love candles! I will burn a candle tomorrow in honor of my sister.
Tomorrow is my oldest sister's birthday. She would have been 53 years old. (This is her with my Dad.) They've both gone home to be with Jesus. She lost her battle to breast cancer back in 1998. One of the things I miss most about her was how she and I loved to go to Mass on Friday mornings together, then out for breakfast. She loved breakfast. I think she was planting seeds in me way back then. I didn't really have a relationship with Jesus, I just went to church because it meant a lot to her.

My sister made me a cassette tape with some of her favorite music years ago. She loved Kathy Trocolli. Before she died, she planned her funeral Mass and her wishes. Obviously, she wanted Kathy Trocolli to be played. So... in honor of her, I wanted to play one of her favorite songs.

Please keep my family in your prayers tomorrow as we will surely remember our sister, daughter and friend!


UPDATE 10-24-07....This was a comment from my brother that must be added to this post!

Chris said...
Hey Annie. Thanks for letting me dip into your blogworld. That song brought lots of great memories of Vicki. Her laugh. Her smile.
Her life had lots of purpose, especially for the Kingdom and the Glory of God. If you recall us sitting around after that big Christmas dinner in her dining room, she said she couldn't wait to see her Creator, her Lord and her Savior. Her faith was deep, solid and secure. A week later she found out she had cancer. Before she died, she told me that if having cancer was what it took to meet Jesus, it was her honor to do so. How cool is that! We will see her again, praising and worshiping our Lord and our Savior, Jesus Christ!
Your brother (and brother in Christ),
Chris
So much love,
Angie xoxo

John

John, Junior at Michigan State University.

John with his very proud mother!



Yesterday was a bittersweet day. This is the last time for me to watch John play lacrosse for MSU. It seems like yesterday when it all began. He didn't start playing until his junior year of high school. He had been a basketball player until he decided that he wouldn't get as much playing time as he would have liked, so he decided to give lacrosse a try. He noticed right away that the guys didn't seem as dedicated to this sport as they were in basketball, but he really liked the game. He received Most-Improved player award his junior year and Most-Valuable player his senior year! We were so proud of him!

The summer before his freshman year of college we found the MSU website to check out the team and he decided to tryout just for fun. He noticed that a lot of the players were recruited, but just thought he'd try his best and see what happened. Guess what? He made the team and learned that there were only two guys who made it who weren't all-state or all-american players in high school. He really didn't even know all of the rules of the game! You have to know John. He is the most dedicated guy I know. He gives his all and is determined to get what he wants and never quits! He told me how awkward it felt at first and didn't feel like he belonged with all of these guys who have played since they were probably eight years old! Anyway... I have been so proud of him. He is now their number one defensive middie as a junior!

It's been so much fun to watch him grow more confident and look like he is having the time of his life! I know he will miss all of the guys when he moves to South Carolina this Winter! I'll have to go a long way from Michigan to see him play again! :)
How exciting!

God has given him the gift of being very athletic! One day, (if he doesn't already) I pray he will realize this and give God all of the glory!

Thanks for listening to me brag... What can I say? I'm just one proud mama!
Love,
Angie