December, December to remember!

Dec. 14th, our twins are born. Dec. 15th - work Christmas party, Heidi, Jackson, and Daphne arrive the 16th, 19th - Stake Baptism, Brendon and Steph arrive the nineteenth, Of course all month we are keeping up with the improving health of my nephew, Jonathon, our amazing friend Britney, my dear dad, Warren Pitt. The shopping continues...the wrapping, the excitement of being together. While shopping the 21st, Cody calls to set up the Christmas day call. He sounded soooo good! The 22nd....Skyler turns 20, Matt arrives, as Trevor Westover returns from 2 years serving our Lord. The 23rd, dad is released from the hospital. No dialysis, no pacemaker, blessings. Dec. 24th, Holmes Family party, more cooking, more wrapping, Christmas Eve at home with all here except our Cody, Warner, and Hannah. Christmas story, Christmas jammies, blessings. December 25th - Christmas day - our Savior - Hosannah. Christmas morning. Pitt Family, food, laughs, cousins, babies, joy. Dec. 26th, Warner is released from the hospital, Dec. 27th - Hannah is released. Dec. 27th - Kennedy is blessed with all the family priesthood gathered round - powerful. December 27th - hold those babies, love those babies!! ALL Five of them!!!! December 28th, baby shower for Stephanie and our next little guy to join the Holmes clan. Adorable gifts, love felt, Breathe. December 30th, Heidi and Matt celebrate their 4th anniversary, attending the temple and off to Palm Springs for a night away. December 31st - we shall ring in the New Year. Wishing you a MOST Exciting, productive and blessed year!

December 14th...a glorious day!

UPDATE! Warner is tubefree! Grant sent me this picture!!

1st..your prayers and love are working. My dad is doing so much better. Not 100% yet, but the pacemaker is gone...and he was doing so much better when we saw him tonight. I told him how my friends are all praying for him, and adding him to their prayers, prayer circles, and prayer books, and he is so thankful to you as well!

Next.....We have twins!

Grant and Julia were over last night for dinner and to play games. It was the first time she had that pre delivery look, and when I told her, she said "oh, what is that...I hope it's good!" Good it was. We got a call from Grant at 11:45, Julia's water had just broken, and they were on the way to the hospital.

Of course I had a hard time sleeping. I was up at 4:00 am, and texted Grant. She was in her room, and dialating. By 8:00 am she was at 5 cm, and fully effaced. I went to let their dog out, and feed him, then off to the hospital. Grant called me as I pulled up to the hospital, and they were going into the operating room, just in case it was a C-section.

Julia's dad and I were waiting for about an hour, when Grant came out at about 11:45, and let us know our babies were here. Warner Russell Holmes was born at 11:07, 5 lbs. 15 oz, 19 3/4 inches. Hannah Marianne Holmes was born at 11:25 4 lbs. 13 oz. 18 inches long. We got to see pictures, and then went in to see Julia at about 12:00.

After visiting with our newest supermom, delivering two babies without a c-section, and looking fabulous, but oh so tired and sore. Grant and I went into the NICU to see our babies.

Dad and his little girl...

And his little man....

Grant has some great pictures of Julia with her babies in the delivery room.

Little Hannah is quite the trooper. She is eating well, breathing well, and all is well with our little petite and sweet beauty, looking like her mommy.

Little Warner, what a guy. He is having a bit of trouble keeping his lungs full. So our guy has oxygen tubes, an IV, and a gastro-tube to keep the air from going to his tummy. The nurses say it should only be for a couple of days.

UPDATE!!

WARNER IS TUBE FREE! I received this picture from Grant today!!

So, a new part of my heart is given to our newest Holmes babies. And as my daddy's heart is healing mine feels so much better. Thank you all for your thoughts, wishes and prayers. We are blessed.

My dad, prayers and blessings

My dad had a heart attack yesterday. I was at work, about 8:45 am, and my brother sent us all a text, that they called 911. I called Steve, and they were at the hospital. Dad was having a heart catheter procedure to see how his arteries were looking. By the time I got to Fountain Valley 45 minutes later, he was still not out of surgery. When the doctor came out a few hours later, he said it was bad. His main right Coronary artery was blocked 95%, and his midline right artery, blocked 100%. They put in 3 stents into his arteries. Dad had a triple bypass 15 years ago, and had a pretty good history since. But his diabetes has not been good this year, and has had complications with his kidneys. So at 76, it is a tough go this time. He had a temporary pacemaker put in.

Steve and his son Chad gave dad a blessing, and so many prayers are being said on his behalf. After a few hours in ICU, his heart was doing most of the work on it's own, without the help of the pacemaker. He was alert, and thankful for the love and support.

Today, he is resting, and my mom is with him. His nurses say he is doing well, and just needs to rest.

I am so thankful for priesthood power, for an amazing family and network of friends who know that the Lord is over all.

Kennedy is a month old!

Our little bub is a month old already!

It is amazing how fast she has changed. She is filling out and is sooo adorable!

Her momma and daddy are excellent parents, and loving every minute of having her in their little family!

Sabbath thoughts

Today was our Tithing Settlement. The Lord surely has in place a financial plan for the care of the saints with earthly and eternal blessings.

Today my Randi spoke in her singles ward about what makes us a Happy People. She is such a blessing to our family, because she shines that Light of Christ always. Many people want to know why she is so happy...she lets them know it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

After Randi spoke Bishop Kirk got up to speak of our dear friend Britney Sander Wardle who was in a car accident with her husband of less than a year, Randy, in the early morning hours on their way to a family Thanksgiving celebration. She was airlifted to Las Vegas where she is having miracles take place in her healing, but she has a long way to go. Bishop also heard of a collegue of his was killed over the weekend in a car accident. Bishop Kirk asked for a sincere and long look from each of those in the congregation to turn their prayers to our Father for blessings of those around us who are in pain and in need. Reminding us of our Fast Sunday approaching.

To add to our prayers and fasting, our nephew Jon was in a head on collision this weekend, and is in critical condition. He is a husband and father of 3 small children. So far they have reattached his scalp, done facial reconstruction, put a rod thru his femur, and tomorrow he will be having surgery on is C2 vertibrae, to stabilize his neck as his back is broken in 3 places. He is on a ventilator. It is hard and it is solemnizing as well think often and deeply about those we love.

My prayers this Sabbath day and this week are going to be more frequent vocal and in the quiet of my heart. These prayers said in behalf of Britney and her family, Jon and his little family, their parents, we know to be our family, as we rally sending our love and pleadings heavenward for continued healing.

31 years and counting!

Who woulda thunk...these kids would turn into these grandparents! Here we are. And life is good. It has been a great journey hand in hand with my best friend and love. Here is to many more sweetest "to Eternity and BEYOND!!"

Our new baby girl has arrived!!

Little Miss Kennedy Layne Holmes joined our family November 3rd at 9:44 pm. She weighed in (only time you can say that about a girl with out a punch in the nose!!) at 7 lbs 6 oz. 20" long. Our sweet baby girl just gazed at her momma the 30 minutes or so that we were there last night. Breana did a great job, and is going to be an amazing mommy!!She looked so much like her daddy to me last night.

Tonight she looks likes a Holmes still, but different (of course, guys don't understand this at all!).

She reminds me a bit more of her momma, but she also looked a bit like my newborn Randi. Daddy is proud, Gramma is thrilled and in love, and Grampa was quietly taking it all in as is his way.

Welcome sweetheart...we love you so much already!