Christmas Letter 2011

Merry Christmas 2011

Has it really been a whole year since I wrote my 2010 Christmas letter? Where does the time go? I don’t think time flew by so quickly when I was younger.

2011 has been good to the Wommack family. Lee and I continue to be healthy and busy—church activities, nursing home auxiliary, and ambulance for both of us. Lee’s next big project is to build a cover over the trailer at the Playground. Subbing at Bronte and Blackwell (above third grade!!), book club, study club, and Red Hat keep me busy.

LeAnn and family moved this summer—still in Ft. Worth, but in a much better neighborhood. Ryan is Assistant Principle at H.F Stevens Middle School in Crowley. LeAnn is still teaching biology at North Crowley Ninth Grade Campus. Anna is in the 2^nd grade and Ada is in Kindergarten at Dallas Park Elementary.

Jim is just completing a full year as Assistant Principal at Big Spring Junior High and he has enjoyed the year. Carman teaches 8^th grade Language Arts and sponsors the yearbook. Jordan is in the 4^th grade at Kentwood Elementary and Carter goes to day care.

I haven’t gotten brave enough to have all four girls here at the same time. I have the three younger ones for 3-4 days at a time all by themselves so we can spend some quality time together. Big Spring is only 90 miles away so I’m able to spend more time there than in Ft. Worth.

Lee and I would like to say “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year” and may you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends that care.

Lee and Janet Wommack

Christmas 2011

Christmas is truly a time for loving, giving, and sharing!! I thank God that He sent His son Jesus to the earth and then to die for our sins. What a precious gift that was!!

Jim and LeAnn and families got to Bronte on Wednesday, December 21. I was as excited as the girls so we opened gifts that evening. The girls were delighted with the American Girls dolls and clothes that we game them. Marmoo sure had fun making the clothes!! We continued our tradition of homemade pizza for Christmas dinner--of course, our dinner was on December 22. I make the dough and sauce and have lots of toppings--pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, ham, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, jalapenos, and cheese---each person gets a pan and makes their own pizza. Even though our family has grown to 10, we still enjoy this tradition.

All good things have to come to an end so Friday morning everyone loaded up and headed home. Left our house so very quiet and neat!! Our heads and hearts were filled with wonderful memories though.

I don't have many pictures to share--seems like I'm too busy to take many pictures--but these will have to suffice.

One of the pictures is of PaLee and Jordan working on her science project. This summer they spent lots of time in the shop playing with batteries, wires, buzzers, lights, etc., so for her 4th grade science project she chose "Electricity Conductivity Tests". She won 2nd place and will advance to the next level.

Thanksgiving 2011

What a wonderful week we have had at the Wommack household. Jim and Jordan got here Tuesday evening and stayed until Saturday. Carman and Carter came Wednesday and Thursday. LeAnn and family got here Thursday (Anna was sick on Wednesday which delayed their coming) and left Saturday. Carman's Mother, Dad, and brother as well as a friend from Bronte joined us for Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful having all four granddaughters here for a couple of days. As usual, two can play together quite well, but when there are three there are inevitable arguments. I'm not counting Carter because she is too young right now to join in the fray!! But, all in all, they enjoy playing together. I had gotten a name from the "Angel Tree" at our local nursing home and the three older girls helped me fill the wishes--three little girls (ages 5,7, & 9) shopping for an elderly man at Dollar General is an experience. But they did a wonderful job!!

They each had $2.00 to spend on themselves and EACH of them chose a container of assorted eye shadows. What fun they had playing with it. I will attach a picture of Ada with "chicken pops" (eyeshadow dots). I pulled another tooth for Anna--the third one I have pulled for her. Carter has a big smile--I wonder what crinkling up her eyes has to do with a big smile, but it sure is cute!! She also found some shoes in the dress-up bag and had fun with them. Jordan and Anna had fun playing in the tree in the front yard and I managed to get a good picture. After Thanksgiving dinner I got everyone together for a family picture and it turned out really well also.

We are thankful for a wonderful home in Bronte in the USA, a healthy family, plenty of food not only on Thanksgiving, but all the rest of the year, and lots and lots of love.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!!!!

End of Summer 2011

Saw a comic a few months ago that said--"Days are long, but years are short." That pretty much describes the Summer of 2011. Some of the days were long and VERY busy, but the summer is was short and now it's time for school to start.

LeAnn will return to North Crowley 9th Grade Campus to teach Biology, Ryan just accepted a job as Assistant Principal at Stephens Middle School, Anna will be in the 2nd grade and Ada in Kindergarten at Dallas Park Elementary. Besides starting school they will be moving!! Not far--just to another neigherhood and a little larger house.

Jim will begin is first full year as Assistant Principal at Big Spring Junior High, Carman will teach 8th ELA and serve as yearbook sponsor also at BSJH, Jordan will be in the 4th grade at Kentwood Elementary, and Carter will go to day care.

Please pray for teachers as they face a challenging year--larger classes, less money, and higher expectations. Of course, the students will need prayer also.

LeAnn had to have her cat Olivia (16 years) put down this month. She and the girls brought Olivia to Bronte where Lee had a place for her in an "animal cemetery" at the Playground. The girls had decorated a beautiful box for her to be buried in. They are so used to being told to "smile" in pictures that PaLee had to remind them that this was a sad occasion. Hahaha

Ada got to help PaLee drive the tractor.

We had rain in Bronte on August 13-14. It was wonderful!! We decided that Carter had probably never gotten to experience rain so we let her play in the rain. Jordan played the next day.

Jim and I were sitting on the bed in the guest room and Carter was on the bed with us. We both watched as her little bottom slid off the bed and we heard a "thud". We examined her carefully--mostly her head, I will admit. I wouldn't let her go to sleep for a couple of hours. When Carman picked her up I told her about the fall. Later that evening she called and said, "Janet, did you notice that Carter's right elbow is swollen." (I hadn't noticed since I was so interested in her head!!) Long story short--Carter ended up with ANOTHER cast on her right arm. The orthopedist couldn't see a fracture, but he said at her age it was best to treat it as a fracture since it obviously hurt!!

Continuing Summer 2011

Continuing to be a busy (but wonderful) summer!! All four girls have been here at one time or another. One day we found Carter sitting in Blue's bed--she is quite a busy little girl.

Anna's birthday is July 12, but LeAnn was attending a workshop that week so they made plans for the family to go to Great Wolf Lodge, Grapevine, on June 19 to celebrate her birthday. When Ryan was offered an assistant principal's job he was working that week so Jordan and I were invited to take his place. We drove to Ft. Worth on Tuesday, July 19, loaded all of our stuff in LeAnn's car and headed to Great Wolf Lodge. I had gotten a "Birthday package" for Anna so there was a Happy BD poster on the door and she had a "goodie bag" full of stuff--including a pizza, drinks, and birthday cake. We played all afternoon and until about 4 o'clock on Wednesday. Climbing 4-5 flights of stairs to ride the Texas Tornado and Canyon River Run was hard on this old lady's legs and feet. But I loved every minute of it!!

Jim as been in terrible back pain since the first of the first of the summer--finally diagnosed as herniated disc. He went to a neurosurgeon in Odessa on Wednesday and surgery was scheduled for Thursday the 21. We got to Ft. Worth Wednesday a little after 6 and Jordan and I headed for Bronte about 7--got home about 11:30!! Tired and happy!!

Summer 2011

It's been an exciting summer so far- - -

Jordan accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior on Easter Sunday and she was baptized on May 29, 2011, at Big Spring First Baptist Church. Lee and I were honored to be there as were Carman's parents.

I went to Ft. Worth on Thursday, June 2--picked up the girls from Miss Ely's and we made our usual trip to Braum's for ice cream on the way home. That night was dress rehearsal for their dance recital. Friday I attended Anna's end of school class awards and play time at Dallas Park Elementary. How fun that was!!

The dance recital was at 2 pm on Saturday. Of course, my two granddaughters were the most beautiful "Barbies" and "Bunnies" in the recital!!

Ada and I drove to Bronte on Sunday, June 5. Jordan came on Monday so there was lots of playing, swimming, playing, arguing, playing, swimming!! LeAnn, Ryan, and Anna came on Thursday and left on Saturday. Anna will have her turn to stay later in the summer.

We kept Carter June 14-16 (Tues-Thurs). Jim was at a principal's conference in Austin and Carman had the opportunity to spend a couple of days with him--a nice little mini-vacation for them.

Jordan is still here. She swims nearly every afternoon. I finally got brave and most of the time just drop her off and pick her up. Jim and Carman agreed to this as long as she has her cell phone in her box. And her PaLee has had several LOOOOOOOOOng talks with her about NOT leaving with ANYONE!! She also got a haircut the other day--well--just a trim really, but it is cute!!

All-in-all it's been a wonderful summer so far and hopefully will continue. The only downside is the heat and lack of moisture. We had 100+ temperatures for about the last two weeks and our land is so very dry. We pray every day for God to send us some really good rains. Will you all join us in that prayer?

Ft. Worth--February 2011

Thursday, February 17--arrived in Ft. Worth shortly after noon--unloaded, rested and then went to Miss Ely's to pick up Anna and Ada. On the way home we went to Braum's for ice cream--one of our traditions. I went with LeAnn and the girls to gymnastics. Ryan met us there and we all went to Cousin's for supper.

Friday, February 18--I took lunch to Anna at school and later repeated Thursday's routine--Miss Ely's and Braum's. That night we went to La Familia for supper.

Saturday--February 19--Ryan went to school to work on his master's program and LeAnn, the girls and I went to the zoo. We had PERFECT weather!! All of us enjoyed the jaguar, bob cat, and the ride on the train from Texas Wild to the zoo entrance. Then home for rest!! After a delicious supper of fried rice and egg rolls we watched "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone".

Sunday--February 20--I headed for home about 8:30 am--filled with wonderful memories.

Christmas 2010

What a wonderful Christmas!! It was a little busy and hectic because Jim and family moved to Big Spring the week before Christmas. LeAnn and family were here on the 23rd and Jim and family drove over so we had a wonderful day together. That's what Christmas is all about--sharing God's love with family and friends as we celebrate Jesus' birthday.

I gave the girls a trip for Christmas. On Monday, Dec. 27, Carman, Jordan, Carter, and I drove to Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine where LeAnn, Anna, and Ada met us a little after noon. The older girls played in the water park until time for dinner. I climbed at least FOUR stories up to ride one of the slides with Jordan!! I was huffing and puffing when we reached the top, but it sure was fun going down!!

Tuesday, Dec. 28 the girls played until about noon. We drove to Grapevine Mills Mall and had lunch at the Rain Forest Cafe--very loud, but lots of fun. We spent the evening at Embassy Suites at the Galleria where the girls enjoyed swimming and feeding the beautiful swans.

Wednesday, Dec. 29 we breakfasted at the hotel and then went to the American Girl store for shopping and lunch. After lunch LeAnn and girls went home to Ft. Worth and we West Texas girls headed for Bronte and Big Spring--tired, but filled with lots and lots of wonderful memories.