Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!



Happy holidays from our family to yours!

“Life is not measured by the Breaths we take, but by the moments that take your Breath away.”

As I sit here and reflect on the things that have happened the over this last year I am truly grateful for the blessing that we have been given this year. We have had huge changes in our lives and I am constantly amazed by the tender mercies the Lord shows us.  In a time of hardships and constant change in the world we have been blessed and the Lord continues to provide for our family. May you have a blessed Holiday Season filled with all the joy and love and happiness! May you know the love of Christ and know the true meaning of Christmas this season.
     A year of Change: 
 We started the year with super exciting things! Xander turned 8 and chose to be baptized. It was awesome to share such a wonderful event with some close friends we have come to feel are family.  We found out early in the year that the company Paul works for was going to be closing the plant that he was General Manager of in Benicia, CA. We decided that we would move with the same company back to Texas. It was a hard decision for us to make as we have come to love the area we were in and felt as though we were leaving a part of our family.  The hardest thing for me was I had to stop taking care of my favorite little kiddos for some of my dearest friends.
In April, the kids and I moved to Midland, TX so I could get the kids settled in the new school in hopes that they would make some friends before summer and to see what the curriculum would be like. Paul wasn’t able to stay with us and had to return to California to help finish the closing of the plant. It was eventful being a single parent for 3 and half months. BUT, it was a happy day when he got to finally join the family again...
We were able to do a lot of thing during the summer just me and the kids. We love The Children’s museum! The climate is much different here than we were used to so we spent a lot of time in the pool!  My hair had gotten pretty long, but I couldn’t bear the heat, so I cut 22inches off and donated it to Locks of Love. 
The kids were excited for school to start again, and I took a HUGE leap and became PTA President for George H W Bush Elementary! It has kept me busy but we love the teachers and staff there. The kids have made huge strides in school this year and we are so proud of them!  Zach LOVEs his 4th grade teacher Mrs. Branham (who happened to be my teacher in different town)! He LOVES math, and he has greatly improved in his reading skills!  He loves scouts, and was excited that Paul got to coach his flag football team!  He continues to be my athletic boy and is always up for a good competition. He still has a love for everything dogs and hopes to become either a police officer with a K-9 or a veterinarian. Zach is an amazing boy and is so gentle. He has such a calm and sweet spirit about him and we are so lucky he is our son!
Xander is an amazingly smart boy! He is constantly looking for something to take apart. And generally he can put it back together and it work. He is my little engineer. He loves school and made the AB honor roll this year. He is always getting awards and being recognized for his integrity, honesty, sweetness and loving sides. He loved getting to play flag football this year and is excited to get to play tackle football alongside his brother soon. He is a Pokémon fanatic and loves everything there is to do with Pokémon. Xander is a pleaser and looks for every reason he can find to try to make you happy. He is a big help around the house and was excited to get to learn how to help with laundry! I have never met a kid before that is so willing to sacrifice for others in order to see a smile and expect nothing in return. I am amaze by him daily and feel our family wouldn’t be complete without him.
Haven is excelling in her roll as the Diva Princess. She has her teacher wrapped around her finger and all the girls in her classes think she is the substitute for a baby doll. She is still so tiny compared to all her classmates and Of course Haven loves it! Along with her Diva Princess roll she excels in just about every subject in school. She is on the A honor roll and loves getting to show her brothers that she’s got better grades. Earlier in the year Haven cut her hair and donated it to locks of love so she was happy when mommy joined her in the shorter do club. Haven has begun to lose her baby teeth and she is looking so grown up now.  She is excited to turn 8 and follow in her brother’s footsteps and be baptized. She is a constant emotional rollercoaster and I constantly wonder how my parents did it with 4 girls. Still I am grateful to have her and know that life would be dull without her high maintenance self. 
In addition to the change of locations for Paul there have been many other changes for him. While we were apart he got a gym membership, started running and has lost 75lbs!!!! I am so proud of him for this accomplishment! He ran his first 5K since high school a couple months ago and is looking forward to doing a 10K and possibly a 1/2 marathon. This job has been a little harder on him than we had thought it would be and he commutes 2 hours every day, but he is amazingly strong and hardly utters a word about it. He has been called to our church’s elders quorum, and loved coaching flag football and the kids just LOVED him too. All in all we are grateful for our blessing and Love to live life.
A Blurb from Paul:
I wanted to take a moment and add to Jennie’s words in a way she is too modest to do herself. She has been doing a great job as PTA President. Everywhere we go, students recognize her and shower her with hugs and love. She has an amazing capacity to love and serve. She has been such a great support to me, and has made many friends here in Midland. I can’t imagine life without her and the kids. This year has been a challenge, but with the love of God and family, we have learned more about what is important in life.

From our Family to Yours, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  
 The Lovell Family






Wednesday, April 27, 2011

House!

So I guess we are kinda up to date. So now we are here in Midland and Paul is back in California for a few months.  I have gotten the majority of the house unpacked and ready to go!  yay!  I still have a few spaces that I have not gotten perfect yet so I haven't taken pictures of those rooms.  So here is the house as of now! Enjoy!!!






























Going away Party.


 The Saturday before we left some DEAR friends threw us a going away party.  I Love my friends that we have made. They are all so loving and genuine!  The Bonner family was so sweet and offered to host a party at their home. We were joined by the Rice Family, The Callister's, The Godrey's and The Anderson's who just days before welcomed a new baby boy to their family.  I was so touched that they were able to come!   It was a great night of laughes and chatting and watching the kids play! It was sad to see everyone go and we will miss them all very much!
 The kids had so much fun playing with all thier friends of all ages!
 Thomas and Zach chowing down!




 Xander and his buddies Samuel and Joshua.
 New Anderson baby, Anderew.
 A group gathered in the kitchen for the yummy food that Steve Bonner cooked!
 Leah and Samuel playing footies!  It was to cute!



Haven and her Buddie Lizzy!


My Girls!  Melissa, Carrie, Megan Leah, Me and Pattie (above)



 It was an amazing night and we were so sad to leave! I was able to say goodbye to some of the most amazing women in my life that have made such a huge difference in my life!  You will always be in my heart and on my mind!  I love you ladies!