Meet Matthew

Dear Familia,

 It is my great pleasure to introduce the newest Neal!

Meet Matthew Timothy Neal, born on November 22, 2011 at 8:09pm, weighing about 6 1/2 lbs.

After spending his first few days in the NICU, Matthew is thriving well on being home with his siblings.

 Mrs. Jackie is so happy to be home and we're so glad to have her back. She is recovering well from the surgery and the days spent at the hospital were restful. Mr. Brock has a week off from work and we're enjoying the time we get to spend together.

I love you!

Love,
~Micaela

Bye bye For The Weekend

Don't mind the 1 finger, he hasn't gotten used to holding 2 up yet :).

This weekend we will be heading to Austin for Dominic's 2nd birthday party. He turned two yesterday and being us, we just have to celebrate :). Food, conversation, and a pinata are on the agenda.

Around this season of life, Nicole has these spurts of crazy energy to do big projects (clean out the garage, for example). And that spurt came pretty recently and so we will also be doing some cleaning in the garage this weekend. I hope we accomplish much.

Be looking for pictures sometime next week.

In Christ,

~Micaela

One

Happy Birthday, Naomi!

We can't believe it was just one year ago that

we took a trip to the Woodlands to see you.

What a day :)

We praise God for you in our lives and look

forward to many more sweet times with you!

With much love,

The Marques Family

Oh, to be 18...

Eighteen things I'm thankful for:

1. God's amazing grace
2. My family
3. Books
4. My church
   
5. Music
6. Lessons learned
7. The Neals
8. Cold weather
9. Friends
10. The Hoods
11. Chocolate
12. Photos
13. Sweet memories
14. True knowledge
15. Paul Washer
    
16. My violin teacher
17. Dark chocolate ice cream
18. Healthy eating and living

In Christ,
~Micaela

{Letter to Dad}

Dear Dad,

As I type this I am sitting across from the Birthday Girl and I'm feeling pretty covert and secretive; I think it has something to do with the fact that I am writing about her and she doesn't know it that it so exhilarating (is this a bad habit?).

At any rate, I was just thinking that this time last year I was walking around sunny, balmy Florida with Mickey while everyone was home celebrating her birthday. Now you are the one a plane-ride away while we are here--I know how you must feel :)

Never fear, we didn't eat a speck of ice cream (or cake) without you, but please hurry and come home tomorrow (at Mia's request-she talked about ice cream and a movie all through dinner tonight).

Today we took the car to the mechanic (hence the above Rockwell-although Mr. Corbs was FAR more helpful than the man in the print), ran some errands, and raced home to find Nicole and the Stickies already in the driveway. Perfect :)

Well, I'm starting to prop up my eyelids with toothpicks so I'd better close. Seriously, we're praying that you arrive home safely tomorrow; as usual Mom REALLY misses you. Thankfully Sophie and Mia are keeping her company tonight :)

I love you dearly,

E

p.s.

Tonight I bathed Dom in the kitchen sink, more for my enjoyment than his; it was so fun to rinse him off with the faucet, really beats bending over the bathtub--and he's just so edible in the sink!

A Birthday

Dear readers,

Well, Mica is "sixteen, going on seventeen" and will be in six days (14, December),

unfortunately I will not be here on her actual birthday.

(Yes, she is a bit sore and I don't think she will ever let me forget it)

Seventeen is a nice number;

it has a great song that goes along with it, and I remember seventeen being a good year for me...that was before braces...

Anyway, please remember to comment and wish her well, tell her she is a jolly, good fellow, and give her some piece of wonderful wisdom that you have learned.

I know she will appreciate that.

Merci.

Picture: Mica and Caro. Thanksgiving 2002

Happy Birthday Elena!

Happy Birthday from all of us!

A Birthday for Mia

Very soon a feisty little girl will be turning three...

One of her favorite books is Sir Maggie the Mighty, and since she greatly resembles Maggie...

We decided Maggie should be on Mia's birthday card...

To My Sister On Her Birthday....

Happy Birthday Nicole! I thought about using "To my elderly sister" as my title but thought twice as I value my life more than my humor (No, the fact that you are half-way to fifty has nothing to do with it).

In all seriousness please read the rest of my post before you go and buy a sniper gun.

(Let me use this as a prelude to the birthday card I am making for you)

The Lord has tremendously blessed our family with you; especially in the past six or five years you have been a very prominent model in my life. I know this is because the Lord has matured and strengthened you not only your walk with Him but also in your character and convictions. Your steadfastness, perseverance, and incredible love have made a difference in my life. You have shown me what it truly means to submit and respect a husband; care for your children (And still keep your sanity); and how to be sensible, upright, caring, and selfless. Whether you intended to show me these things or not this is what you have done; I am reminded and convicted to do these things because of you.

Like I said, I have written down some more personal things to share with you and you will get that when we see you next week.

For now know that I thank the Lord for you and I love you very much.

Your affectionate sister,

Elena