Goodbye 2024...

We are coming to the end of 2024 and I'm thinking about everything that's happened this past year.  Very early on in the year one of my oldest and dearest friends past away suddenly.  It was so unexpected and is still such a shock even now as I think about it.  

In the midst of that loss the first half  of the year was filled with travels back and forth to see Scot's dad up until he passed on May 16th.  Our losing the family patriarch was so very hard.  He was the glue that held the family together.  He was the reason for every family gathering.  His grandchildren and great grand children loved him dearly.  To us he was the world.  There's not a day that goes by that his presence isn't missed deeply but his suffering is no more.  He's with Jesus and feeling no pain in his body for the first time in nearly 50 years of his life.  

Not too long after we lost Pop I lost my Aunt Joyce to lewy body dementia.  She had suffered a lot the last year of her life.  No one should have to go through that kind of suffering.  I just hope that she's in heaven with Jesus.  I don't know if she ever made a salvation confession.  I can only hope and pray that she did.  

The good that came out of this year was that it was such a huge growth year for Tim in olympic weightlifting.  He won gold at his gyms weightlifting meet early on.  Then he came in 4th at Nationals in June.  For his first time at Nationals with Olympic Weightlifting that was a very huge placement for Tim.  He closes out the year having won gold at our States (WSO) Weightlifting Meet.  He won gold in his -61kg weight division for the youth male division, gold in the Junior male division (because his lifts qualified him for it) and gold in the open male division (because his lifts qualified him for it).  Then he also was awarded the Best Male Youth Weightlifter plaque as well.  He swept up at States (WSO) this year.  With just being a little over a year into this sport these wins were so huge for Tim.  He's looking forward to 2025 now and wants to make his last year in youth a bang up year.  We love seeing Tim so happy in what he's doing.  The only sadness is that Pop is no longer with us for Tim to share all this with.  Pop was such huge supporter of all that Tim was doing in the sports he was competing in - 1st TaeKwonDo then Olympic Weightlifting.  This was the best change Tim ever made when it comes to sports.  He looks the healthiest we've ever seen him.  His olympic dream has not changed just the path to get there has and that is ok.  Just because you start out with one path in mind to get where you want to go doesn't mean you have to stay on that path.  Paths can change as long as the dream you are going after stays the same.  Tim stands a better chance of getting to the Olympics in the sport he's doing now than he ever did in the one he was doing before.

So many folks are just glad to say goodbye to this year.  For some it's been a rough year and for others it's been a good year.  We've had a little of both this year.  Tim's accomplishments have been the silver lining in all the heartbreak that this year brought to our family with the loses we've had.  God has been good to us though.  He's always watching over us in all the circumstances of life and we are so incredibly thankful for His presence in our lives.  That's how we will go into next year too - Thankful to God for His many blessings in our lives, thankful to God for His hand on our lives and thankful to God for all that He's yet to do in our lives.  We love Him so much and are so glad that He's at the center of our family.  So....

Last Workout of 2024....

Tim did his last workout of 2024 at Athletic Lab today.  He ends the year having officially done a 177kg total for the year in the -61kg weight division in Olympic Weightlifting.  His training sessions have been incredible leading into 2025.  He is so looking forward to the North American Open Series 1 in Ohio at the end of February/beginning of March.  It's one of the biggest Meets of the year and as a last year youth Tim is looking to make a huge splash to end his youth years in the sport.  Later on in the year they will be making some slight changes to the weight divisions so it will be interesting to see where Tim and the other male youth weightlifters come out in the wash.  Some of the weightlifters are already at the top end of their divisions so we'll be watching carefully to see where everyone lands.

New Weightlifting Shoes Coming Soon...

Tim has new weightlifting shoes coming soon.  He's been wanting them since they came out.  We told him he'd have to pay half and he did so they are on their way and will be here by January 8th.  Tim is so excited and can't wait to start using these shoes.  

Tim Graduating in 2026!!!

This handsome guy adjusted his schedule so that he does the rest of this school year doing 10th and part of 11th grade and next school year he will do the rest of 11th grade and 12th grade and graduate May/June 2026 right after he turns 18.  If he really attacks his school work he could technically be done by December of 2025 but that's totally up to him getting on top of it and getting the school work done of course.  He's so glad to have a plan in place to graduate on time instead of having to be a year behind everyone.  So proud of this kid and how he pushes himself everyday.  The skies the limit for this kid.  There's no telling what God's got in store for him but we are looking forward to watching God work in his life.  

Stella's Window Bed....

Stella loves her window bed where she can rest and look out the window at the birds.  Today she loved it until the storm came through.  There was so much wind that the rain beat on the window and she was not a fan of that at all.  Her window bed is right bedside my desk and she loves being close to her humans whether it's by me at the desk or by Tim in his teen cave at his gaming computer desk.  She is certainly well loved and at three weeks in she and Tucker get along so well.  We just got done doing her registration for her microchip.  We've never done microchips before but the rescue that we adopted her from does and so we got her with a microchip already in her.  We sure love our pets though and even though she will be an indoor cat I'm glad she is microchipped incase she were ever to escape.  

Gym Life...

The last day the gym was open before Christmas Tim was the lone athlete left in the gym.  As he and his coach were leaving he raced to get out the door ahead of him so that he wasn't technically the last one out of the gym...LOL! It was so funny that I had to get a shot of the moment.

Tim and Coach Jarrod

Stella Bella....

We've had Stella for several weeks now and she's settled in quite nicely and is getting along with Tucker so well.  She loves her window bed by my desk and will lay there for hours while I work at my computer.  She loves her humans and is so lovable.  She loves to get between me and the keyboard and the mouse to keep me from working but I gently put her back on her window bed over and over again...LOL! She stays there until Tim is awake then she follows him everywhere he goes.  In the evening she goes back and forth between me and Scot laying on us while we watch tv.  Here's some new pictures for you to enjoy.

Stella is crazy long.

Our Annual Christmas Picture...

When we got home yesterday after Christmas at Cross Assembly we took our annual family Christmas picture.

Happy Birthday Jesus!

 

We never forget the importance of Christmas.  It's not the gifts we receive or give but it's the birth of the son of God who came to save us all.  Always remembering and never forgetting that Jesus Is The Reason For The Season!

The Rest of Tim's Christmas....

Aside from Tim's computer upgrades we bought him another Virus Performance outfit and some new headphones to go with his computer upgrades + the usual stocking stuffer candies and steam gift card.

My Assistant This Morning....

As I made posts this morning Stella saw fit to hang out with me to give her approval...LOL! She is so spunky and sassy but also so affectionate.  She is also purrs big time.  When she gets her engine going it is very loud.  She is the most happiest kitty ever though and loves her humans.

Tim's Christmas...

In Kentucky Tim received several lounge pants, three sets of Virus Performance clothes, steam gift cards (IYKYK), and $.  He was so happy.  He especially loved the lounge pants and Virus clothes.

While here at home we upgraded Tim's computer.  We had to give him that gift early so that we could have the tech guys put it together for him while we were in Kentucky.  We got it back here last night and he has been having so much fun with it.  We shouldn't have to do anything with that system for 3-5 years.  At least that's what the tech guys told us.  

Christmas in Kentucky...

Christmas with the Neal family was little different this year because our Patriarch is with Jesus.  He went home to Jesus in May but at this time of year you feel the loss all over again.  It was Pop's favorite time of year getting to see all the little ones open their gifts.  This year we all brought gift for Nan too.  We wanted to bless her extra special this year.  Her memory isn't what it used to be so even a part of her is missing from the family gatherings but we do our best to keep her busy and a part of everything.  So thankful that we still have our Matriarch with us but none of are certain for how long so we make the most of every moment that we get with her.  The kids were so blessed this year for Christmas.  My favorite part of Christmas is getting to see the kids open their gifts.  I didn't get pics of them opening their gifts this year but I got pics in front of Aunt Elaines Christmas tree.  Here are the pictures:

Yesterday at Weightlifting Training...

Yesterday at weightlifting training Tim did 100kg Clean Complexes 5 times. That's huge for him. It's heavy week this week and Tim has naturally been pushing himself. His coach is trying to find his ceiling again and Tim's not hit it yet. He's been getting so much stronger in training and we are so proud of all that he's been able to do in this sport in the short time that he's been doing it. 2025 should be a bang up year for him. It will be so cool to see him end his youth years in this sport on the top of his game. He loves this sport so much and he loves training at Athletic Lab.

Christmas Came Early for Tim...

We usually wait until Christmas morning to let Tim open gifts but some had to be opened yesterday because we have an appointment for drop off today to have some upgrades installed on his gaming pc that way when we get back from Kentucky he will be able to enjoy it over his Christmas break with his friends. Of course we will be taking his other parts and putting together another computer for me because my iMac is 12 years old and it is starting to give us issues again and this time we won't be repairing it because it's so old. So there's that. Here's two pics. One of Tim beginning to open his gifts and the other is of his Christmas haul. He's so excited to be getting this.

I'm not a gaming pc gal but anyone who knows gaming pc's will know what all these parts are...LOL! Let's just say he will be set up for a long time to come.  It's been a process these past couple of years to get his gaming pc the way he wants it and I think after this part swap out he will have all he's been needing/wanting in a gaming pc.  

Happy Pawlidays....

Stella and Tucker just wanna say,

Our new cat, Stella, and our old dog, Tucker, are getting along quite well now.  It only took a week and a half's time to get them used to one another.  That was faster than I expected with how she hissed at him when she first came here.  

Stella loves it here.  She has her favorite spots that she likes to lay.  One of them being one of my dinning room chairs which I'm not too thrilled about because I don't want them tore up...LOL! So far so good though.  She loves laying on top of the short book shelf that's by the window by my desk too.  She especially loves laying there when the sun is out.  She's our sun bathing girl.  She is Tim's shadow.  We go around the house singing Me And My Shadow...LOL! Even though she has a break away collar with a bell she still disappears on us at times and we have to go hunting her...LOL! 

Tucker wants to play with her so bad and will pounce at her and she still aint having that...LOL!  When he pounces towards her to try and play with her she will hiss at him for that and of course in short fashion he backs the heck off...LOL! 

Stella and Tucker hope you all have a very blessed holiday because they certainly are!

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season....

It’s getting closer to Christmas. Are you ready? While I love giving gifts at this time of year my favorite thing to do is spend time with my family and friends + spend time remembering the real reason for the season, Jesus!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” ~‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭9‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God Bless You All Durning this Advent Season and Remembering the real reason for this season which is Jesus! To Him be all glory forever!!!

Beautiful Sunset Yesterday....

On the way to take Tim to the gym to train yesterday we saw this beautiful sunset.  

I love when I get to see God's handiwork.  No man made this.  It's all God.  Only our creator can make such beauty for us to enjoy to be reminded of the fact that He and He alone created all things!  Thank you Lord for showing us your majesty in such beautiful ways.  

9 Years Ago and Now....

It's amazing the difference 9 years makes.  Tim was a read belt in TKD back then and now he's 1 1/2 years into olympic weightlifting and absolutely loves it.  We thought he loved TKD but it doesn't even compare to how much he loves weightlifting and doing PR's.  Love both of the pictures though because they represent different times in Tim's life.  In the one we were still calling him Timmy and now at 16 years of age it's Tim.  Right before his grandfather, Franklin Neal, passed away he began calling him Tim and then Tim wanted everyone to call him that so that's what we have been doing.  He will always be my Timmy though😊.  

Tim's Favorite Place To Be...

 Tim would rather be here than anywhere:

That's the weightlifting floors at Athletic Lab (Click on Athletic Lab).  It's Tim's favorite place on earth to be.  With Christmas and New Year fast approaching there are several days they won't be open and he's already disappointed about it😔.  I can't wait until the day we can build him a climate controlled weight room that he can do all his workouts in on our property.  He will still want to go to the gym but it will give him an alternative for when they are closed or his schedule is too busy for him to get to the gym.  Having options is a good thing.  This is a need for this kid for sure.  It's our hope and prayer that we will be able to start building a house with a climate controlled weight room attached to it on our other piece of property by the time he turns 18.  God's word tells us to set up an inheritance not only for our kids but for generations to come and that is our hearts desire for Tim and any other Neal's that come after him.  We are looking to the future while being thankful for all that we have learned along the way.  God is so good!!! 

Random Pics of Stella....

The first picture is a Christmas pic of Stella with Tim in front of the Christmas tree and the other is just a random pic of her.

 

My Desk Is No Longer Mine....

Stella has taken over the space where my keyboard and mouse go because the sun is currently shining there...LOL!!  I'm sure this will be ongoing thing because she loves being near her humans and she goes back and forth between me at my desk and Tim at his...LOL!  Plus she loves the sun!

Playtime with Stella...

 Stella loves playtime.  Tim has such a great time with her.  She is the sweetest thing ever.  And anytime I get to typing she becomes my typing partner...LOL! Here's a pic of her and Tim playing:

The fuzzy ball is her favorite toy.  

Blast from The Past - TBT...

Back to a time when our (one of my best friends) kids where still young.  It seems like forever ago that these pictures where taken but the bottom picture was taken Christmastime 2018.  They have all changed so much over the years.  

Tim is 16 and we just made a plan to graduate him in 2026 instead of 2027 from HS.  Charlie will be 21 in May of 2025.  He's all grown and working.  Andie is 16 and going to be graduating HS two years early.  She's such a smart young woman.  Soon it will be just Scot & I and Paula and Doug when they come to visit because all of our kids will have their own lives they are living that don't include us...LOL! 

Here's a recent picture of my best friend with her husband and Andie (included a pic of Charlie but it's a year old):

This is Charlie taken in 2023.