2008 Revisited

I plan to send this off to you in the mail - a New Year's Letter. However, in the event that you don't end up on the mailing list or, much more likely, that we never get around to it, here is a pre-screening: (Video and most pictures not included in snail mail letter.)

Hello Friends & Family and Everyone-In-Between!

Here’s hoping that you had a magnificent Christmas and that your New Year is already brimming with hopes and dreams come true. I guess I should point out, first-off, that this is not a Christmas letter. Today is the day after Christmas, and, having been inspired by the influx of Christmas letters that annually arrive on December 26th, I am going to write you a letter that details all of the Valadez family’s comings and goings during 2008.

This year has been one of the more interesting. Valadez life has had its ups and downs and has proved that our family is a lot of things – but never boring.

In February, Mom went to Phoenix, AZ to be with her mother and sisters during the funeral of her grandmother. She had barely returned when she was off to Merida, Mexico (yes, Mexico!) for a USANA Convention with Raymond’s mom, Mary Helen, and friends Veronica and (Mexico resident) Aurora. They came back inspired, and life went on here in Texas until Raymond and Suzy’s 20th wedding anniversary in July. To celebrate, they spent a blissful week in Cozumel, Mexico (yes, Mexico – again!) full of snorkeling, beaches, shopping, Spanish, and blue Caribbean water.

They were back for less than a month, and then we all trekked down to Corpus Christi thanks to Raymond’s job-sponsored family vacation. We spent hours in the surf, got covered in sand, and splashed in the biggest swimming pool in Texas. Fun! Three weeks after that, Raymond and Suzy spent several days in Utah at USANA’s International Convention; their return resulted in an enormous jumpstart for our home-based business. Then, in October, we were all glad to have Grandpa Sims (Suzy’s dad) come down for a weekend to hang out and watch one of Samuel’s football games.

Raymond still works at QuarryTech, a company that surveys and inventories the rock piles of quarries, although he is rapidly working towards financial freedom and the end of a traditional job. He still plays guitar, and he occasionally plays at church, helping to lead worship. He is currently reading a book by the famous Dale Carnegie, and he is appreciating the challenge set forth there.

Suzy is kept busy homeschooling Samuel and myself and “driving people everywhere.” She faithfully devotes herself to housekeeping, as well as finding time to promote USANA’s scientifically-based skin-care. We’ve had a lot of fun preparing for the parties, and the one I attended was full of laughter and giggles.

Samuel is now ten years old, in 5th grade, and in three sports. As the year turned this past January, he was a vital member of the 3rd and 4th grade basketball team that ended up as league champions – undefeated in regular season! He then went on to Little League baseball, where he played in the Minors division and made the all-star team. This was his first year to be allowed to pitch, and he picked it up with astonishing speed. He even pitched in the all-star games!

There were a few weeks off in the summer, and then we were on to football, where his team went undefeated in regular season games and then went to the championship game! He played starting outside linebacker and starting wingback. There were several amazing catches that he made and ran in for touchdowns! He’s opted for a break this winter, instead of playing basketball, but we’ll definitely be back in the swing of things for baseball in the spring.

He also enjoys spending time with his best friend, Sawyer; they are at each other’s houses quite frequently. In his spare time, he likes to play with Hot Wheels cars, guns (especially AirSoft ones), action figures, and the PlayStation 2. During his 4th grade year, he joined me as a charter member on the Fancy Feathers 4-H Club board. We helped educate the local community about raising chickens for egg-laying and fun. We also entered items in the show; three of my photographs got a blue ribbon, and one got red. Samuel’s drawing got a red ribbon. And in the spring, we both took standardized testing in New Braunfels.

I am now seventeen years old and in my senior year of high school. During the spring, I took English Composition I and Trigonometry at the local community college, gaining college credits and high school credits during the same time. During the summer, I took U. S. History I, and I just finished Pre-Calculus and English Composition II. This fall, I also took ice skating lessons and am currently at the level of Basic 4 (out of 8). I’m not sure that I’ll return in the Spring; the rink is an hour away, so there is little chance to practice.

I also work at our church on the technology team, putting words on the screens for Sunday worship and assisting in specific projects, like Easter, funerals, and the National Day of Prayer. In addition to that, I do filming on the side with our V Productions business: I filmed Samuel’s basketball season, as well as this past football season and some other minor projects for friends. Singing brings me joy; I performed with the Wimberley Community Chorus for their Christmas concert, like I did last year, as well as singing three times at the Emily Ann Theatre (our local trail of lights) with friends from past theatre performances.

In my free time, I like to write stories and play around on my photo editing program. I spend a lot of time, most of it on the phone, with a friend from San Antonio that I met when I performed in Fiddler on the Roof in 2006. As for the future, I am planning on taking a year off while I pursue a residual income. There are several colleges that have piqued my interest, all nearby, and many, many majors that excite me. For now, I try my best to keep the blog updated, which brings me to the many ways you can stay in touch with our ever-active family!

Besides calling, writing, or emailing us (get all that info by emailing me here), this blog is a good way to keep up with us: valadezhome.blogspot.com. Also, the best way to see what we're up to would - at this point in time - be through facebook (search for a full name), or click on the links on the left-hand column of this page.

Have a wonderful, Jesus-filled 2009!! I wish you health, wealth, and wisdom!! The 12 chickens (11 hens + Solomon), 2 dogs (Little Phil and Yapper), 2 fish (Chance and Craig), 2 snails (nameless), 2 cats (Purry and Zidgel), 1 sheep (Nancy Drew), 1 donkey (Donkey Hotee), and 1 turtle (Speed Shell II) all wish you well. Love, Melody