National Junior Honor Society Newest Member

Several of Lauren's friends that were also inducted tonight!

Such beautiful girls!

Mom and Dad are so proud of you!

Signing the induction book.

***Proud Little Sister***

What an honor for a student to be inducted into National Junior Honor Society. When Lauren came home and told us she was nominated to be inducted into this special group we were extremely proud and excited for her and also for all of her accomplishments. What makes me proud is that she worked hard for this without knowing this award existed. Lauren has a gift and when she puts her mind to it she can accomplish great and amazing things. This award is proof! I hope that Lauren sees this as something she wants to work hard for, and continue to follow the academic path that awaits her.

Lauren I hope you know that your dad and I are incredibly proud of this award and all that you have done this year. We know if you work hard great things are in your future.
We both love you very much!

Easter Sunday

Russell and I are working very hard to be together as much as we can over the next 12 months. We are looking at each other's calendars; his personal, his business, my work calendar, my calendar I keep for the kids. Sometimes things get complicated or it just can't happen. Easter Sunday was not an option. We have never been apart from each other for the past 15 years on Easter Sunday and this was not going to be the first year. The girls seem to be growing so fast. It seems like just yesterday my girls were still little. Lauren will be 13 in a few short months and Isabella will be 3. Where did time go? Hope you enjoy these pictures Russell.

Papaw and Isabella

There are 77 years difference between my Dad and Isabella. She is probably his last grandchild from his children. I need to make sure we have plenty of these memories captured on film. This year my Dad will be 80.WOW!! I am so lucky my children have their grandfather. Growing up my grandparents passed away while I was a young age and some of them were before I was ever born. My job as a mother is to make sure my kids are exposed to their Papaw as much as we can.

St. Patrick's Day

Russell is Irish and it is a big holiday for him, so we had to make sure and get our shirts ready for his big day. Luckily he was home for the big day so that he could be in our pictures. Lauren was at the mall when Russell took pictures so I did not get one of both girls together with their Dad...there is always next year!

Dallas Stars Practice

Anyone that knows Russell knows he could eat, breath, and sleep The Dallas Stars. One of his first trips home from Germany we were up early at practice. Lauren and Russell have gone to so many practices...this is just one of their things that they do. I love that he brings out a different side to her that does not describe girlie at all. We are now able to include Isabella in these special outings.

Sisters

It is so far and few that I am able to catch a picture of Lauren and Isabella. This is another for Russell that is living part time in Germany. I know how much he misses his girls and they miss him too.

Russell,

Enjoy the sweet smiles of your sweet girls!

St. Paddy's Day Sweeties! :~)

We are ready for St. Patricks Day coming up...when you get home we need a picture of all of us in our matching t-shirts!

MMMM...ice cream

Chocolate Beard!

Hey Dad wish you were here enjoying some Yummy ice cream with us tonight! It won't be long until you will help make our dinner table complete!

These are for you Dad!

Sassy...hands on my hips!

She is not a little girl anymore!

We always get along like this...SIKE!

Like I said in an earlier post, I'm trying to take extra candid pictures of the girls so that Russell can see a few of the things the girls are doing...so here goes! Isabella decided she needed to hide from me in this hollow stool.

Lauren and Bella miss you...but you will be home soon!

Warmimg up by the fire

See mom I can listen..I'm warming up by the fire!

Snow Snow and More Snow!!!

Mommy I want to play!

Getting some snow so she can sample it!
Pretty good :)

Last year I was so lucky I had an awesome snow suit that I swore I would never use and that I lived in Texas and they are useless here...hmmm I was wrong. We used it several times and I wish I had another one from my niece Lily. I have passed it on to my friend Erin and she was able to use it for this winter season. No problem we just dressed as warm as we could and went out for a few minutes to enjoy the beautiful white snow!

Sisterly love

We had some unusual snow this winter. We went about two weeks where we only made it in to school a couple of days. I'm not complaining...I loved the time with my girls and Russell was traveling so not having to go out and run any errand or take them to yet another activity was very nice. Here we are relaxing in our pajamas and watching another movie on a giant palet.

Cozy by the fireplace

I'm always very nervous to turn on our gas fireplace around small children, with that said I hesitated to turn it on around our "busy" 2 year old. I explained the best I could in 2 year old language the dangers of our fireplace. She seemed to understand which was great when we were snowed in for a few days. Here she is enjoying a nice warm fire.

365 days or a mere 52 weeks...

Fourteen years ago...January 25, 1997 Russell and I decided to become Mr. and Mrs. Scott. I am sitting here thinking about our wedding vows that we recited to one another....I, Michelle, take you Russell to be my husband.I promise I will love you and honor you all the days of my life. I take you to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part. Wow!! Those are amazing and strong words...none the less I meant every word of them. Now looking back I don't see anywhere that it talks about business travel....is that better or worse? Hmmm?? Well On February 21st Russell will be taking on a one year assignment in Germany. This will allow him to grow and have amazing opportunity in his career with his current company. One year, that does sound like a long time...think about it like this 365 days or just a mere 52 weeks. I was not excited about making the move with him and relocating our family so the girls and I will still reside here in the great state of Texas, I was also not happy not seeing him but once every 3 months...that is not fair to the kids, so we have a compromise. Russell will come home every 5 weeks for one or two weeks at a time. We know he will be here for the most important holidays and family events. We will even make the trip to Germany this summer for a couple of weeks! I know that we have an amazing support system from family and friends. Will this work? I don't know but we will never know unless we try. I'm hoping to update our blog more often so that Russell won't miss a lot of our daily lives. Keep your fingers crossed or say an extra prayer or whatever you do to make those wishes and dreams come true...we only need it for 365 days or a mere 52 weeks!

Lord Jesus,grant that I and my spouse may have a true and understanding love for each other.Grant that we may both be filled with faith and trust. Give us the grace to live with each other in peace and harmony. May we always bear with one another's weakness and grow from each other's strengths. Help us to forgive one another's failings and grant us patients, kindness, cheerfulness, and the spirit of placing the well-being of one another ahead of self.

May the love that brought us together grow and mature with each passing year. Bring us both ever closer to You through our love for each other. Let our love grow to perfection.

Amen