This Christmas we were all so blessed. Dawn & her family are now living back here in Texas, Lindsay & David got engaged, Kyle got recently got his Aggie ring and we had almost all our family together! (I'll have to photoshop Michael in...he works tooooo hard). He was there for the later festivities. We've had quite the challenges over the past 18 months and it was nice to get together for a much bigger & joyous occassion, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! We all need to remember that we are to always lay all our burdens at HIS feet and PRAISE HIM for all the joys/wonders in our lives. HE will/does handle all we turn over to HIM. Today as we drove up to our church the message on our sign read 'God gives us storms to remind us that HE too provides us shelter'. Boy is that what I needed to see. HE will provide the shelter our family needs during all the storms we are faced with.

I have to admit that this year is the first year in my 35 years of life that material gifts that I received meant very little to me. As I sat there at the different places we went and opening up each gift, I was happy, but not the deep internal happiness that say a kid might experience. Not that I wasn't grateful for them, I just know that there is so much more to life that brings me joy and happiness in my soul than "things." I've always known this, I just for the first time felt it within me.

This year my New Year's resolution is that I never take for granted any moment with any family or friend. It could all go away in a minute. I resolve to find that balance between what I HAVE to do to take care of my family (work) and what I WANT to do with them to create many memories. May all of you have a blessed year!

Schmidt-Liere Family Reunion

The annual Schmidt-Liere reunion was again a great success, thanks to my in-laws.  My father-in-law smokes some wonderful brisket and my mother-in-law cooks beans as well as decorates the hall, etc.  This year we decided to design a reunion t-shirt.  The Schmidt's & Liere's have been around the Cypress area for quite a while now and have MANY lifelong friends that also are invited.  I have learned in the 14 years I've been a part of the Schmidt family, that friend is just another term for family as far as they are concerned.  That being said, the reunion also includes many friends and family in-laws. 

Every year the Country Knights, featuring Uncle Craig Schmidt, provide entertainment.  Dancing & music is deeply rooted in our family from young to old.  This past summer we lost 3 very special ladies, Aunt's Tudie, Monie & Ruby.  They had all worked hard in collecting family information to pass on our history so future generations to know their roots.  Each one was a fine example of how a woman should be, kind, loving, humble, Christian women.  I could only hope that one day my daughter and I are thought so highly as these women were.  They were great examples of what we should strive to be as women.  I believe they are wearing out the dance floor in heaven at this very moment.  Ronnie's cousin & I are going to try to keep adding to the family info that his aunts collected, continuing on their legacy.  What a wonderful family I married into.  Thank you Lord! 

Michael's Birthday 2010

This past July we celebrated Mike's birthday in his new home.  Congrats to Mike and Laurel!!  They made some wonderful chicken spaghetti, garlic toast and tossed a delicious salad.  As with just about all our family gatherings we enjoyed a great game of hold 'em followed with the initial hold 'em losers starting up a craps game.  Boy are we creatures of habit or what?  Some of us even resurrected a good ole' game of spades, another Ellisor delight.  The guys were out there trading their...quarters back & forth so I decided to come give them a run for their money.  Ronnie kept thinking he needed to take me to Vegas; I was on a roll.  Lots of great company and great fun!!