Bella's Blessings

Sunday, May 6, 2018

Cambridge Here I Come

I was invited to go up to Harvard for the summer principal's workshop. This was my third summer up there and each time I go, I gain more strength as a principal. This year I was asked to facilitate a small group of principals through out the week. I enjoyed working with my group and have followed their progress all year long. We have to be open to learn from each other. It's one of the few ways we will move education forward.

DISD Principals Collaborating

Boston Lobster Always a Treat!

We Began Each day with a Song - Something Inside So Strong

Harvard-What Else Can I Say

The best university in the world is neither Oxford nor Harvard. The best university is "youniversity". YOU got the lecture halls of thoughts in YOU! You got everything you need to graduate with first class accomplishments put in you! YOU can do it!”
― Israelmore Ayivor

Count Your Blessings, Bella

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Happy 35th Sweetheart

June 5th 2017 was our 35th wedding anniversary. We celebrated with our Costa Rican family and went to Benihanas. We always have a great time. I am so very blessed to have met the love of my life in college my freshman year. We have had many ups and downs as life tends to take you on that journey. I am so blessed and thankful to have a partner to take this journey with. I could not have asked for a better leader for my family in this strong Christian man- Kirk Alan Smith I love you from here to Jupiter and back.

June 5, 1982

June 5, 2017

Be good to each other through the good and bad- there will be plenty of both!

Count Your Blessings! Bella

It's all about Family

Such a special time for our family when Connor and Paige got married. We had family gather together from Dallas, Waco, Houston, Chicago and Costa Rica. Such a love we have for our extended family, I ask why does it take special events to get us together? We so appreciated the efforts our extend family made to come to the wedding. We had a wonderful time at the wedding and afterwards...not much sleep, but lots of fun!

My sister inlaws- love them all so much

My brother inlaws and wonderful husband

After party at the hotel- we had the whole floor

Smith side of the family

Whatley side of the family

My cousin Leigh who came down to help with the rehearsal dinner!

Costa Rica Family

Chicago Cousins

Family is not an important thing, it's everything! Michael J. Fox

Count Your Blessings, Bella

Connor and Paige get Married!

June 5th was a wonderful day in the life of our family. I gained my 8th child- beautiful Paige...we have known Paige since we moved to Austin in 2000. Paige lived right behind us- well across the gully. Connor and Paige went to elementary school together, separate middle schools then back to high school together. They were both in band and started dating in high school. They both ended up at A&M and decided to spend the rest of their lives together. That day came to be on June 3, 2017. It is a special day for me as it is my birthday. We had a glorious celebration in College Station with most of our family there from Dallas, Chicago, Waco, Houston, and even as far as San Jose Costa Rica. Here are a few of the highlights:

On the way to get married!

Dana threw a birthday happy hour for me!

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” ~ The Holy Bible, 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Boy do we count our Blessings! Bella

Connor Graduates

Well it's been over a year blog! I am going to catch up on some blogs of big highlights that happened over the last year.... I like to write to capture the history of our family though my eyes of course. Let's see we have had a graduation, a wedding, vacations, ranch visits, and a new grand baby....they each deserve their own writeup so here goes:

Connor Graduates!

That's right in May 2017 our last baby graduated from College. Connor wesley Smith graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Industrial Distribution. We are all so proud of him, He graduated with honors! Connor will begin work in Houston at a Roofing Distributor Company in June.

The whole family came down for the party after graduation. Paige's parents came as well. I just remember seeing Connor, but also it being very, very hot at the stadium! So proud of my boy!

Connor Wesley Smith

Paige and Connor

" That diploma you hold in your hands today is really just your learner’s permit for the rest of the drive through life. Remember, you don’t have to be smarter than the next person, all you have to do is be willing to work harder than the next person. "

- Jimmy Iovine

Count your Blessings, Bella!

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Ohhh!!! Spring is Here

Loads of activities this Spring-

Houston for Travis' surprise birthday

Baseball, Soccer, and Baseball

Justin's Birthday

Family Life

Love, Love, Love my family!
Count your blessings, Bella

Easter 2017

We went to the ranch for Easter 2017. Abbey and I took the kids to an Easter egg hunt in May, Texas. The hunt was sponsored by the two churches in the town. The pastor did the Resurrection Eggs and my grand children knew all the answers and even won prizes. Such a proud Bella moment! We had our big dinner on Saturday night and went to the Catholic Church in Brownwood for Easter Service. The priest was from Africa and was very enthusiastic and full of Hallelujahs! It was a joyful, glorious Easter. Here are some beautiful pictures: