This is what Coby thinks is funny...

Coby thought it would be funny to put the mullet on Pebbles and Neil. Neil thought it was great...Pebbles, not so much.

A year ago...

Coby and I were thinking this past weekend where we were a year ago and what was going on in our lives. A year ago, Saturday was the day we got the call about our first little boy, Andrei and that he was sick with AIDS. Coby and I couldn't believe that it has already been a year.

The last update we heard about him was in August. He is still living in the Baby Home that he was in...the same one as Neil. He was actually in the hospital because he was ill the days that we were there to pick up Neil.

Coby and I think about Andrei off and on and his picture is still front and center on our frig at home. When I look at it, I smile. Knowing how sweet and happy he was and that because of him...we have our Neil. Not to take one ounce of credit from the Lord...but due to the circumstances of his illness, we were given Neil.

I pulled out our Christmas decorations this week and found a family picture with Andrei in it and we put it up just to remember him.

Isn't is beautiful to think that a year ago sitting in our agencies office and hearing this awful news, God was holding Coby and I whispering to us so softly..."just wait, I have something else in store for you, trust me."

That was a hard day..but a great day! I will always remember what my good friend Pat told me that day a year ago. She told me, "When we are in our lowest moments, it could be God's finest moment."

And it was! He opened to door to our Neil!

When is Santa coming.......??

All this waiting is killing me!!!

Thanksgiving and Christmas Tree Shopping

Pebbles and Neil...he thinks he has to feed the dogs

Yes.....Neil has tasted the dog food a few times

Neil feeding Trot

Everyone eating from the same bowl

Picking out the Christmas tree

Putting the lights on

Helping Daddy

Neil tree and Mommy

Neil tree and Daddy

Welcome Natalia Bella!!!

Well, I just got a call from my older brother to tell me that I am an aunt...again! They did not tell anyone the sex of the baby nor did they know before the birth.

Well, around 2:58pm California time, little Natalia Bella Hebner was welcomed into the world! She was 9lbs, 7oz...lots of dark hair and my sister in law Lucy and baby are doing well!!!

The exciting thing about this is tomorrow is my brother and my grandmothers birthday!

Congratulations Dean, Lucy, Ben and Olivia for the new addition to the family! God continues his blessings on your family!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NATALIA BELLA!!!

Fires in California

Some pictures my mom took of the Sylmar fires...

My parents back yard..you can see a little green on the bottom right. The fire stoped at the brick wall.


My mother drove this road while it was on fire!

You can see the fire line going from the back yard back up the hill.

All the ash inside the house.

More of the back yard.

The burn hole from the deck attached to the house. This picture is standing on the deck in front of the french door, looking down to the first floor.

******UPDATE!!
My dad and brother returned to my parents house about 30 min ago and said that the house is still there!!! Praise God! There are some trees in the front yard that were burnt and one in the back yard. My parents have a wooden deck off the back of the house and the furniture on it looks like it has burn damage, but the deck is fine..therefore the house is fine. They are still without power and the smoke is very thick! Oh..Barney the cat is fine. Thank you for your prayers and once again God has shown grace on my family!******

It seams like I have posted something like this once before, but this time the fires are hitting a little too close to home.

My parents have evacuated and are at my brothers house in Granada Hills. The Sylmar fires are right in my parents back yard. If you have been watching the updates at all, you are hearing about a mobile home park that has lost 60+ homes and still burning. Well, there are over 600 homes there and they are reporting that they all might be gone.

My parents live right "next door" to this. They live to the west. My mother evacuated this morning around 4:30am her time. I was awoken this morning to her call to let me know. She parked at the bottom of the hill and waited to hear any more updates.

Then the fire started to come in the direction that she was at, so she decided to return home quickly to grab a few more items and her cat. She was able to grab the items, but not the cat. This is actually my cat Barney. We adopted him right before Coby and I moved to Nashville. We thought it was not smart to bring him across country, so we left him with my parents. He truly is my mom's cat now, but when I go home to visit...Barney and I can't get enough of each other. Barney also got his name in line with Bambam and Pebbles...our next animal was going to be Fred....but Trot was already named.

So on her way out the door, she said she couldn't even see the drive way and leaving the neighborhood, the side of the road caught fire. She had to drive 'through' it but was OK.

At this point, it seams that there could be a possible 2 homes that have burned on their street and we don't really know anything else. My High School- Sylmar High is a rescue center and they are giving the updates about the homes.

Please pray for protection of their home and their neighbors. That God will change the direction of the wind and that my parents will make wise decisions with what to do no matter the outcome. I have evacuated from that home once when I was in high school and it was very scary. The fire came to the back yard fence and the the wind changed direction and our home was sparred. Pray for that again!

I will keep you all updated...brandy

Neil's First Halloween!!!

I went as a new mommy....do I look tired enough? Coby went as a Thrasher Hockey player...mullet and all! Sweet Neil went as a Lion Cub!

So here is the night from dressing him all the way to trick-or-treating..

Trot really wanted to come!!

What in the world are you putting on that baby??

We taught Neil to Roarrr like a lion!

First layer on..

More roarrrring..

Wow mom...what's this??

I'll help you mommy...here I'll put my arm through..

Where do you think you are putting that???

on my head??

OK.... it's not that bad.

Daddy...your mullet is scaring me...

This feels good mommy...I'll sit very still

He was trying to look at what I was doing cross-eyed

Oh yeah...I am the cutest Lion Cub EVER!

Hey...no pictures till I am out of make-up!!

Mommy...you did a good job!

Who's there daddy??

I want to see...

Can I go with them??

Daddy said I have to wait just a little longer to go out.

My friend Savannah and I went out to about 50 houses!

I had soooooo much fun!!

Having lots of fun!

Neil had a blast!!! I was thinking of practicing with Neil and showing him how to walk up to the door, knock and say trick-or-treat and thank you and all of that stuff that a 'perfect' little Lion Cub would do...but we just didn't have time.

So we winged it and Neil had a BLAST!!! Our neighbor across the street Savannah and Miss Becky went with us and it ended up being a wonderful evening!!! We started around 6:30 and came home around 8pm.

Savannah and Neil went up to every door, they both knocked (Neil knows how to knock on the door) and after putting his bucket up there and getting candy, Neil would roarrr like a lion real loud and then say 'bye-bye' and walk away. I think he got the hang of it!

Sorry for all the start to finish pictures, I promised the Grandmas and Grandpa that I would send a lot! Hope you all had fun and your tummies are not hurting too much this morning!!!

Happy 19th months Neil!!!

Mommy, Daddy and I went to Smiley Hollow this Sunday night with our church. It was our first 'Family' outing and we had a blast!!!!

Mommy, Daddy and I went on a hay ride pulled by a tractor! Yup...daddy's allergies went CRAZY!!

Daddy and I looking at all the great things on the hay ride!

Hum....what is that big blue cotton looking thing???

Daddy...are your allergies going to be OK on the hay ride??

Nope!! I smile enough...I am not smiling for this picture!!

Cool!! What is this??

Mommy said that I can eat it...OK...I'll give it a try!!

Here goes nothing!!!

Muuuummmmm!! This is AMAZING!!!

Can I eat ALL of it...I wonder what will happen if I do? Maybe it will give me more energy!!

Mommy....take me off of this smelly thing!! I only ride my doggies!!

Thanks mom...I feel better now!

Nope...still not smiling!

Mommy and Daddy and I went on our first picnic and I think there was a gnat in my food!!

Check out my shades!

This is some of Mommy's BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) group from last year..they all loved on me and we had BBQ for lunch! Thanks Miss Brielle, Ashley, Nesha, Jennifer and Catherine!!! You were a blast to hang out with!

This is my dog Pebbles and I love to climb on her and read her dog tags. She loves me even though she is not smiling in this picture!

I have just figured out that if I lay on my belly and read my book, it is soooo much more fun!!