Well, November...

didn't end in a very good way for us. We lost (my mom, actually) a very dear friend of the family to cancer. My sister also lost a very dear friend to the same thing. That's why I wanted my Christmas gift this year to go to the American Cancer Society (we draw names in our family so we only buy for one person - except for the kids - and our limit is $75, so instead of getting a gift this year, I wanted to donate). I did it in the memories of two people that we lost this year (the friend I mentioned above and my brother's mother-in-law) and my aunt, who we lost almost five years ago from pancreatic cancer.

I wanted to wish everyone a very Merry and Blessed Christmas and a joyous and safe New Year. Please let us remember the reason for the season. I'm hoping and praying that 2008 brings the family adopting from Africa the precious gift they're anxiously waiting for.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Well, a few days after...

we got home from being evacuated from the fires, we flew up to San Jose for a memorial service for my sister-in-law's mom. The service was beautiful and all planned out. May sat down with a dear friend of hers and said exactly what she wanted. She was cremated and buried right there in their church's Memorial Gardens. Out of my three nieces that were her granddaughters, the middle one took it the hardest. Obviously, I know it was hard on all of them though. It was a short trip; we flew up on a late Saturday afternoon and came back on a Monday afternoon.

But, luckily everything's back to normal now. Sunday, my eldest niece is making her Confirmation at her church; and then we're celebrating her 15th birthday with family and friends afterwards. Her actual birthday isn't until next Sunday.

If I don't post beforehand, I want to wish everyone a very Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving. Our family, in particular, has a lot to be thankful for (pertaining to the fires) this year. Thank you, Jesus, for protecting my parents', brother's (and his father-in-law's) and sister's homes.

I'm sure...

you've all heard that San Diego is currently on fire. I wanted to let you know that my family and I are all ok and we just got home (after spending two nights in a hotel). The only ones that I'm asking that you all pray for is my brother and his family; and my sister-in-law's dad. They live in Orange County and their houses are very close to the fire up there. Please pray that God keeps their houses safe as He did for my parents and sister's homes. I (Mira Mesa) was never in the danger zone; but there's no way in hell that I was gonna be stranded up here alone wondering.

There's been...

a death in the family. Just heard about an hour ago that my brother's mother-in-law went to be with her maker this morning. She was ill for a very long time with emphysema and other medical issues. Please pray for May; along with her dear husband Len and the rest of the family. She had two other children along with my sister-in-law and seven grandchildren.

15 years...

and counting. Tomorrow I start the first day of my 16th year of being cancer free (15 years ago today was the big surgery).

I don't usually...

post this soon after another one, but just had to tell you the weekend I had. Again, I went up to Apple Valley and saw my aunt and cousin that are up there (high desert, about 1.5 to 2 hours east of L.A. - little over two hours north of here). Needed a weekend getaway. It was nice. I'm used to having all of my cousins and their families there, but understand that that can't happen very often because of schedules.

Another cousin (the younger brother of the one in A.V.) just bought a house in the mountains. So next month, I'm going up to a housewarming/open house he's having and will see just about the entire family (which'll probably end up being about half the people there). There's a few birthdays in that family in October, so we'll also be celebrating those as well.

If you haven't noticed, I LOVE talking about my extended family. LOL

Ok, so...

today wasn't the best of days. My mom's first cousin died extremely suddenly a week ago Monday. Today was his funeral/memorial mass. It was so cool to meet family that I hadn't met yet; this was on my maternal grandfather's side (Roger, the one that died, his mother was my grandfather's sister). Very cool to meet 'em. It's a shame that we don't see THAT side of the family as often as we should, especially since some of them live here in San Diego County. I did get to see the cousins that I see ALL the time (the ones from my aunt that lives in Apple Valley); a lot of them came down for the funeral.

Other than that, everything's fine. For the last few weeks, it has been HIDEOUSLY hot here; but it started cooling down yesterday - thank god.

My nieces start school tomorrow; one's in high school, one's in sixth grade and the baby's in first. My other niece and nephew started back yesterday. They're in second and fourth grades respectively.

Nothing new to report...