Lance Corporal Promotion

We are very proud to announce the promotion of ...

PFC T. Garrison Sanford

to

Lance Corporal

Here are some pictures from his promotion ceremony on Tuesday, February 2, 2010.

PFC Sanford is standing to the rear of his platoon.

1st Lt. Dombrey walking up to conduct the ceremony.

Corporal Addison (with red folder) calls Garr to the front.

Here comes Garrison! Classic Marine walk!

The white building behind the platoon is the Landing Support Shop (Garr's work place).

Cpl. Addison reads the certificate of promotion.

Garrison picked two buddies to pin his Lance Corporal Chevrons onto the collar of his jacket.

Saluting the 1st Lt.

Here Lcpl. Hernandez and Cpl. Espinoza perform the honors.

Notice the 'red patches' on the LS Marines' legs. This signifies they get to 'hold the beach' and unload ships, trains, helicopters, or airplanes while everyone else without the patch 'moves up'. They are the entry point: responsible for everything that is needed for the battlefield.

"Congrats Marine!"

We are proud of you Lance Corporal Sanford!

Garrison, may God bless you in this new chapter of your life!

Happy Birthday to a wonderful little girl.

This past week Rebecca celebrated her 13th birthday! She is growing up so fast! It's amazing to think that this little bundle of joy and freckles:

Came into our life about 11 years ago! It's just too much! The Lord has blessed us richly with this little girl. Even though she can be a spit-fire at times we still love her very much.

So happy 13th birthday my dear Rebecca. May you grow more and more into the likeness of Christ. And may He always be your hearts desire!

God bless you m'dear!

~Meli <3>

Major catch up needed!!

Wow, where has this year gone? It is already February. There is so much that we need to catch all y'all up on. Let's see where to start...

Well, the first thing we did was go ice skating on January 1st! The Evan's family was amazing. They set-up a time for our church family to go together. Here are some pictures from the event:

Even when you are having loads of fun danger is always lurking. Here Zachary shows the puncture wound from falling on his skates...

Next up we had another ice Skating day on the 23rd of January! Colton Evan's so kindly set up the morning where we could rent the whole building! So this time we were able to skate with only Providentions. :)

Thanks to our Uncle Scott who was visiting that week for all the great pictures!! Thanks also to our Meme who paid for all of us to buy new skates! So this time around no one came home with any blisters.

Here Adrianna looks like she is trying with all her might to turn this corner without falling down.

The little girls are getting really good at skating and are hardly falling down at all now! Next thing we need to work on is stopping without having to run straight into the wall.

All of us skating our hearts out.

My wonderful Uncle who took all of the pictures for us!

Nathan looks like he has an evil plan in this picture where Rebecca looks like she has no clue what is going on.

Even while ice skating us girls always seem to be in the way while we talk. Who says you actually have to skate while on the ice? Why can't we just stand around talking? lol :)

Mom and Dad making it around the turn without any problem.

And thus ends out trip to the ice rink. We had a lovely time and cannot wait until we can go again! The new skates definitely helped a bunch with balance and control. We all want to try them out again soon. :)

God bless!

~Melinda

12th Night Party

Our church throws the best parties! Whether they be birthday parties, graduation parties, or even a cleaning party! We all put our backs into it to make it special.

On January 8th we had a special party that is different than any other party we have ever thrown... The 12th Night Party!!

First off we have a group shot of us kids.

~ I was Lucy Ricardo

~Peter, Zach, and Nate were the Newsie boys

~ Derick was a kid from the 50's

~ All the little girls were the Bennet sisters

~ Mom and Dad were Mr. and Mrs. Bennet.

The young ladies all standing around talking things over.

Peter and I. <3

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet dancing together. :) Check out that white hair Mr. Bennet has!!

What is a party without dancing? Here are a few shots of everyone having a lovely time with their partners.

Me and my amazing father! I love him so much.

Me and my little brother Zach. <3

The parents had a great time dancing! But they also enjoyed sitting out and talking to each other.

Zachary ended up being the King of the night because he found the 'bean' in his piece of cake! Congrats to Zach!

And as all good things must come to an end... the night closed with a few quick pictures of the kids.

Two darling sisters who are from opposite sides of the world yet that only makes them closer to each other.

And that ends our amazing 12th Night Party! We all cannot wait until next years!

God bless!
~Melinda