The Clardy Family

Proof of Drama

2009-09-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

Michaela with Great Grandma Jessie.

I am so happy that some family was able to make the party! Thanks Aunt Jo for coming up and bringing my sweet grandparents with you.

Is this not the cutest picture you have ever seen? This is Michaela with GG, her great grandpa. He adores this little girl!

So on last nights posting, I stated that Michaela is quite the drama queen. Well, pictures are worth 1000 words. This is a little dress up outfit that she got for her birthday from the Longs. These are classic Michaela.

Michaela's 3rd Bday!

2009-09-14T21:12:00.000-07:00

At Birthday dinner with MiMi and POp. We went to Mi Hacienda.
Her school party.

Michaela and Ms Amanda, her CDC teacher.

Showing off her birthday dress that mommy made her.

Aunt KT was able to make it. Michaela is sporting her new birthday swimsuit from Aunt Audie, who we dearly missed!!

She was so proud of all of her presents. She told Carrington she wanted a puppy dog, and she was excited to see that her request was filled. She loves everything she got!!!!

Mommy with the birthday girl. Cake was yummy, thanks to a joint effort from my mother in law. I am not much of a baker, so she baked the cake and I did the iccing and decorated it! Yummy chocolate.

MiMi and Pops golf cart was a big hit!

The tire swing Chris just put up was also a big hit for the kids. They also were able to play on the "playground" daddy built. They are all wet from the slip in slide, which proved to be amusement for several of the kiddos!

I know, I know, I have not posted in forever and a day. I have very good reason to post today though. My baby girl just had her 3rd birthday!!!! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. It seems like just a short time has passed since she was born. I have to say that as time goes by, the days just get sweeter and sweeter. We have been so blessed to have this precious little girl in our care during our time here on earth. I am just so thankful that the Lord saw fit for Chris and I to be able to raise her and love on her for this time. It is such a joy! She has just really blossomed over this last year into such a character. Anyone that knows her can attest to the fact that she is very dramatic and full of life. (Usually a good thing, but not always! :) ) I have not decided what she will do in life quite yet, but I do imagine that she could be quite the sales person. People ask me often, how can you say no to that. Well, I have to admit that she is quite convincing, but I have mastered the art of saying no when needed, all to her dismay I suppose. Anyways, I could go on for days about my little Michaela. SHe and her daddy are the light of my life.

I never quite understood or imagined how strong a parent's desire for the best for their child. Our biggest prayer, as parents, is not for her safety, health, and success (although very important to us), but that she will come to know the Lord Jesus at a young age. I desire so strongly for her to live her life in love with the Lord, serving Him!!! It is such a large responsibility for Chris and I to be an active example of Christ in her life, and I know that so many times I miserably fail. I am putting my trust in the Lord that He will call her and that she will be sensitive to His calling on her life. When she accepts Him into her heart, oh what a glorious day! That birthday will be the one worth most celebration!

Thank you to all of you who are reading this who have had an impact on her life, whether it be indirectly through prayer, or directly through pouring love into her. I am so thankful that she is surrounded by so much love from all of our family and friends. We are so wonderfully blessed with amazing people in our lives.

Here are some pics from her third bday party. I will update on past few months soon hopefully. I have a ton of pics documenting all the summer fun we had.

Yards are cool.

2009-05-03T11:48:00.000-07:00

OK. So I am super excited over the fact that I now have a yard free of little dirt hills everywhere. Chris and his wonderful dad worked on equipment all day yesterday to make our yard more "human friendly." NOw it is just a mud hole though, due to the fact that we have gotten so much rain in the past 24 hours. Too bad be dont have any grass planted yet. Michaela has already explained to Chris exactly what she expects from her "playground" that he will eventually build her. I just hope that the whole castle thing works out. Hee hee.

Question... does anyone happen to know a good place where I can get my blog printed into a little booklet. I was looking back and there is stuff in it about the last almost 2 years of life. It is like a nifty little journal. I never even realized how much stuff I have already forgotten about in such a small time. I would appreciate any suggestions you may have. May be a nice mother's day gift from chris. Who knows?

I am back into my reading obsession. I am currently reading a book called "Riven" by Jerry B. Jenkins. I think that I am going to really dig this book. I am only a little into it, but I am already likin it. Reading is just so relaxing to me. I prefer it over TV any day. I will have to say that my TV obsession is about to begin once again. "SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE." If you grew up with me, you would understand that I love some dancin. I may not be that good at it, but it is just a release to dance like a fool. KT and I used to have dance parties, let me tell you... it was a riot. I just came in contact with a friend that goes way way back. He was in on the days of old and will completely understand to what I am referring to. Speaking of dancing, I have a shout out. Are you A2J? If you get this, please message me! So, going back... I encourage each of you to become as into So you think You can Dance as I am. It will premier on May 11th. Ok, now on with things that really matter!

Anyone else into Prison Break? I am loving it. I am just really sad that there are only 2 more episodes.... ever! I know there is only so much you can do with the story line, but I just really like the show. It is getting down to the wire though and I am so nervous to see what will happen...

Alright, I have no clue why I just went on about some of the past things. I just thought I would sit down and write what came to mind. HOpe you all have a wonderful start of the week. Remember, God is in control, even when your life seems out of control. IF you ever run into me, just keep reminding me of that. We all need the pep talk once in a while. Smooch!

sewing is fun

2009-04-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

So, here is a pic of one of the recent dresses I made Michaela. Nothing overly special, but I am just proud of myself for doing it without relying on someone else's help. I just love to make things. I rarely do, but it is so relaxing and rewarding when there is a finished product.

I am loving the warmer weather. Michaela and I have spent a lot more time outside, which makes us both happy. Time goes by much faster hanging outside. HOpe you all have a wonderful, fun week! I will get back to you soon. Bye Bye!

Blessed.

2009-04-24T19:16:00.001-07:00

Pics by www.talleyimages.blogspot.com

Pics by Heather, not so good photographer.

Michaela and Aunt KT

Easter. Like my bunny purse?

Life has been wonderful here lately. The Lord has blessed us in so many wonderful ways. It is so easy to see how blessed we truly are when we go though little bumps in the road. Michaela was sick last week. When you have a sick child, days in which they are well are just such a wonderful blessing.
We started going to the W today to use the pool. Michaela was a little squimish at first, but by the time we were finished, she was a little fish. I am determined to get her swimming on her own by the end of the summer. I just really want her to be comfortable in the water at a young age. I am also trying to go a few times a week to swim laps. It is so hard to get dedicated. I have to say though, I am feeling so good from the extra exercise that this just might very well stick. I just want to tone the not so firm areas, if you know what I mean. Having a child really can do some weird things to the tummy area. I am sure that many of you ladies know exactly what I am talking about.
Michaela got some pics done about a month ago. Addie Talley did them, and I am so pleased!!!! If anyone needs a fantastic photographer, I highly recommend her. Esp for the active child. She got 100 pictures that I absolutely love. If you would have been there, you would understand how much of a miracle this actually is. Michaela is a very active child and she didn't want to cooperate some of the time. Addie got some great shots even during the "storms of uncooperation!"
Still trying to have a baby. Frustrating at times, but we are still confident that this is just not the Lord's timing. It does get old though when people make comments about how I need to have my kids close together because they will not be close if they are too far apart. I am like, "trust me, if I could I would have one every year!" Not really, but I think sometimes people forget that some people have difficulties getting pregnant. It is so true though, that it is the Lord's timing that is the best timing. I can look back on so many things in my life and see that my timing was "screwed up" and that His timing was so perfect. I can only see the smallest speck of the big picture. I know that He can see the whole thing. All I can rely on is faith and prayer. So far, it is serving us well. We are so so so joyous over everything we have and if God decides to grant us another miracle, that will just almost be too much to handle! I will say this though, if I do get pregnant anytime soon, watch out, because I am going to be shouting it from the rooftops!
I am still, yes, still loving our small little teeny house. I keep thinking the new will wear off, but I just like the cozy small area. I guess I just hate cleaning that much. Ha Ha.
Michaela has been stinking hilarious these days. The things she comes out with puts me in stitches quite often. The mind of a child is so amazing. She never ceases to leave me with my jaw on the ground and my mouth sore from smiling so much. I mean, you just never know what is going to come out of this little ones mouth. I am beginning to see more and more of her personality blossom. She is really motherly. Really bossy! Tenderhearted. Really bossy. I could go on and on but you see where I am going. She will be a wonderful big sis and mommy one day. The other day, Chris got on to her about something. She got this pitiful face and said, "Daddy... That made me willy sad." It was so funny. She is trying to work on our more sensitive sides. I have to say though, we just busted out laughing. Motherly side.... We were over at Jenn and Taylor's (Michaela's best friend, she will tell you this if she hasn't already) the other day and Michaela comes running up to Jenn and I and says, "Ms Jenn, I am worried that Taylor is going to get hurt." She was climbing on a rocking chair outside. I still can't figure out if Michaela was really just concerned or if she was being a tattle tale. I guess we will never know. She is a sweetie though. Even though sometimes she makes me want to pull my hair out. Hee Hee
Been sewing some lately. I am really loving it. I will post some pics of outfits soon. I have decided it is a great way to give gifts. I am going to try to start making baby gifts and so forth. I just have to figure out what I want to make first. Anyways, I hope that all is well with all of you out there who may actually take the time out to read this. Have a blessed day. Look for the blessings in life. They aren't hard to find when you actually look. Tah Tah for now!

We are alive!

2009-02-24T18:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. I feel like I have fallen off of the face of the earth in the past month. I am usually good at keeping up with everyone on here and posting periodically, but I just haven't been into it here lately. I think I just have so much to share, that I don't know where to start.

Quick Michaela update:
---Potty Trained in December, We are loving it!!!
---Paci free for almost two weeks!!!! I seriously dreaded this and imagined it would be a nightmare to get rid of her paci. I hate to admit it, but she got it taken away from her for pulling someone's hair. I figured it would make a lasting impression to take it away for a nap. Well, she did so well with sleeping for the nap, that I said, HMMMM I think we will try putting a positive spin on the fact that she did so well without it and try paci free again tonight. Well, I really talked up the fact that she was so big that she doesn't need it anymore. She agreed and told me she wanted to give them to babies. Well, we haven't done that yet, but we are going to wrap them up and give them to baby Thomas and Colin. She hasn't asked for them in over a week and I am just so thankful. I have to admit, it has been harder on me then it was on her. I just loved seeing her sucking on that thing when she was sound asleep. It was so stinking cute!
---Favorites: bunny, baby Helen and Becky, loves putting diapers on all of her dolls and feeding them a bottle, she is always soothing the babies when they "get hurt or are crying," shoes shoes shoes (esp... flip flops, thank goodness it is getting warmer outside,) asparagus, gummies, yogurt, pizza, hotdogs, nutrigrain bars, loves the outdoors (thank goodness, once again, it is getting warmer outside,) step stool for the potty (carries it everywhere,) movies Open Season, Alladin, Imagination Movers, reading books, singing, playing with playdough, stickers, and much much more. I am enjoying her so much. It is amazing how much my love grows for her each day.

Update on Chris:
---building a spec house, still for sale if anyone wants to buy a beautiful house
---finishing up a custom house and possibly starting two more (God is really providing for us in an amazing way even though the economy is not reflecting a good housing market)
---loves his job and I am so proud of the job that he does
---teaching our Sunday school class at church, if you are looking for a church family, come give us a visit

Update on me:
---went to Dr. to get tests run... everything looks great, it is just not God's timing for me to have another child, I prefer His timing over mine
---loving my new house still, the small space is still perfectly wonderful for me
---I am itching to get into some sewing, I want to make some things for the house and some cutie clothes for Michaela
---missing my family!!!!
---taking a cake decorating class. I have really enjoyed it thus far. Chris enjoys the product.

Anyways, there is a small profile of what is up here with the Clardy family. Time flies by so fast because we stay so busy. I am working on getting more out of my day. I really don't know where the time goes. I have tried to upload some pics several times and it is not working! I will put some up soon.

Merry Late Christmas.

2009-01-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

I said I would not wait this long to blog, and well... I lied. Life has been a beautiful whirlwind these past few months. Chris, Michaela, and I are now in our new house. I am loving it. It is very very cozy, (nice way of saying "small") and I absolutely love it. I am still in the process of using the limited space we do have to organize the too many things we own. This has really forced me to clean out and get rid of things that just don't seem as important as they once may have. That is one thing that is great about moving so often, you can't accumulate a bunch of clutter. An update with many pics from Christmas etc... is coming soon. We have limited web access now, so I have to wait until I can actually spend some time on here. I have to shout out that she is officially potty trained now! I am loving it!

Our Hope Endures!

2008-11-06T10:43:00.000-08:00

2 Choronicles 7:14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."

Psalm 71:14 "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

Romans 5:5 "and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

OK, so I must admit. I have spent the last month or so being totally consumed with the election. I have always been somewhat of a talk show junkie and it just became a "close to" addiction of mine to listen to what was going on with the election and such. I believe that it is very important to be informed of what is going on, but I think that I was just a little too informed. I mean, I haven't watched ANYTHING except for Fox News for the past few weeks. I also love to listen to talk radio on my XM Radio. I am saying all of this to point out that sometimes it is easy to get so consumed with what is going on around us that we can easily forget what is important. I don't think it is a bad thing to be interested in the news etc... It is just so vital to keep priorities in tact. So I must confess, I spent much more time soaking up all of the things of no eternal value than soaking up the Word of God and finding what HE wanted me to hear amist all of the uncertainty concerning the election and the outcome.

In the last few days, I have heard the word of FEAR mentioned a lot. 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." Nothing happens that doesn't come through the hand of God first. The wonderful thing about God is that He has given us free will. How rewarding would it be to Him if we served Him like robots. When God's people cho0se to be obedient to Him and glorify Him through our lives, it is so much more rewarding. Although it breaks my heart to see that we as a nation are more concerned about the economy than the precious life of an unborn child, the Spirit prods me and says, "You have the answer, you have the hope, share it with all people!" I have dropped the ball. If we all get real with ourselves, we may be astonished to realize that serving our Lord is indeed not our number one priority. We have cheapened the awesomeness of God. It is like trying to offer someone something of little value. A child is not going to be all crazy about getting a gift that has missing peices or is outdated. We act so many times as if the Lord is "Just OK!" Why in the world would anyone want anything that we represent so poorly?

Jesus is The Way, The Truth, The Life. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is my sustainer, my rock, my salvation, my strength, my song, shelter from the storm, everlasting father, prince of peace.... The list goes on and on. I encourage you to make it a priority to clearly represent the One you Serve to everyone around you. He is the only One in which we can place our trust. Share the hope that is within you.

My Japanese Doll!

2008-11-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

We had a sunday school social a few weeks ago in which we dressed up the kids (some adults dressed up also.) It was such a wonderful time. Audie bought Michaela this outfit when she was on mission over in Tailand before Michaela was even born. I was so excited to realize that it fit her because I am not one to really dig going out and buying a costume. We went trick or treating in the neighborhood and she had a blast. Thanks Chris and Victoria for opening your home up!!!! We had a great time.

Country Pumpkins

2008-11-06T10:15:00.001-08:00

Well, I have to say that the weather has been absolutely gorgeous here lately. I actually feel like we are experiencing fall. It normally seems to me like it goes straight from summer to winter. We had such a great time at the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago. Michaela definitely enjoyed the freedom of running around and getting her hands on everything in sight. I just love getting out with the family and enjoying each other. I know that I take the fact that I have such a wonderful husband who takes time out of his schedule to spend time with us for granted. He works so hard, yet manages to let me know that we are his number one priority. God has blessed me so much.

Birthday Party with Aunt Kelly

2008-09-13T20:06:00.001-07:00

Michaela and Aunt Kelly share the same birthday. This is a short clip of them blowing out the candles. This is going to be great fun celebrating their birthdays together each year. Happy Birthday Aunt Kelly!!!!

Party with Aunt Katie

2008-09-13T19:56:00.000-07:00

Michaela's first birthday celebration was with Aunt Katie. Katie was able to come in town Labor Day weekend, so she wanted to give Michaela her gifts early. Both of my sisters absolutely shower Michaela with love. I am so thankful for the relationship I have with both of my sisters. I miss you and love you Audie. Michaela still calls you on the phone quite often.

Michaela's BDay Party at "School"

2008-09-13T19:20:00.001-07:00

She didn't know whether she liked the hat or not!
Yummy Cupcakes!

Michaela and Mrs. Lucy! She loves Mrs. Lucy!
A picture of Michaela and her class friends.
Daddy and Michaela blowing out candles.
We celebrated Michaela's birthday at CDC last week. She had a great time. She didn't know what to think about blowing out the candles or wearing the hat at first. It did grow on her though. She started school over a month ago, and she absolutely loves it. If it was up to her, she would go everyday instead of just two days a week. She talks about her teacher, Mrs. Lucy, and her friends often. She loves to talk about Ella "Lella" the most. I have been so pleased with the program so far. Mrs. Lucy has been wonderful. She gets a daily report sent home everyday. It states how she ate, her behavior, nap stats, etc... Here are some funnies that have happened.

Last line of a report given to me a few weeks ago, "We did talk about keeping our clothes on at school today!!" OK, so turns out I have a very unmodest child. I am told that she tapped her teacher on the leg while working with another child on an art project. Mrs. Lucy turns around, only to see my "litte lady" in nothing but a diaper. She had taken her shoes and clothing off and placed them in the corner of the room. I got a good laugh out of this, but did have to talk to Michaela about stripping at school. She knows we only do that before taking a bath or getting dressed. Didn't realize that I needed to cover that upon going to school.

About two weeks ago she comes home from school. She had a substitute teacher and received good instead of great on the behavior portion. I decided I wanted to see why she didn't get a great. I say, "Michaela, Did you get in trouble today?" She replies, "Yes." I asked her what she did. She says as plain as day, "I pulled Lella's hayer!" So, of course we talked about using out hands to be gentle, etc... I am thinking for days that my child has become a violent individual. I ask the teacher the next time I saw her about the incident. She looked at me baffled and said, "Michaela didn't pull anyone's hair. She got along great with everyone last week." So I have come to two conclusions: My child either lies to get herself in trouble or she is pretty dang sneaky. I am just glad that I just talked to her about it and didn't get too upset about it. I just was shocked that she answered so matter of factly.

So, to sum this all up, Michaela loves school and I love to give her a chance to interact with other children and I enjoy the time I have to get things done that otherwise don't get done on a normal basis. She is so funny. I love kids at this age, minus the few terrible two traits that come with it!!

Happy Birthday to my Sweet Miracle.

2008-09-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Mommy and Michaela at her birthday celebration at my parent's house.
Blowing out the candles with daddy!
She really enjoyed tearing into her presents.
She was so funny saying "YAY" and clapping very consistently as we celebrated her life!

We have been at Orange Beach this past week, so we were able to celebrate Michaela's second birthday with both sides of the family. This was such a blessing. It was a lot of fun because she actually understands that it is her special day. She sang "Happy Birthday to Daddy..." along with every one else's names for days. She has been singing a lot within the past few weeks which is such sweet sounds to me. I hope she grows to have a love for music like her mommy.

I have had some emotional days here lately. Not because my baby is growing up so fast, but because with each day I realize how blessed I really am. I have a wonderful, loving husband who meets my every need and more. I also have a healthy, darling little girl in which I am so proud of. I know that she is a miracle and I never want to forget what the Lord has done for me by placing her in my care. She showers me with affection and words that make me want to shout praises on a daily basis. How is it that God can bless me in such an amazing way? I don't deserve it, but boy am I thankful.

I really desire to have more children, but I am so thankful for what I have. I never want to desire things I don't have more than things I do have. For God to bless me with another child would be Him working a double miracle in my life. I know that He is more than capable of doing that, but I also know that His plans are higher and more amazing than my plans. I am learning more and more each day to be content with what I have. It isn't hard at all when I focus on all the wonderful things I do have. God is so good.

Just some pics from over the past two months.

2008-08-16T16:43:00.000-07:00

Chris and I love to make her hair wild in the bath tub. As a child, I called this an "orsheegorsheeorsheeoo." Yes, you may call me strange. I think I was and am still a little.

What a cool BB! Michaela was lovin having a "big kid" in the pool with her.

Do you see a pattern? She likes to stand and "cheese" in the mirror.

First Day of "School"

2008-08-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

Michaela started going to the CDC program at Fairview last week. She absolutely loved it. As a matter of fact, everyday since and in between she gets up in the morning and says "Play with Mrs. Lucy?" I am so glad that Mrs. Lucy Crawford is her teacher. I know that Michaela is going to have a wonderful year with her. There are two girls and two boys in her class (including Michaela.) I am so thankful that she is able to be around other kids her age more often. She is around other kids at church, but this is just more of a good thing. I know she gets tired of being around all of us old people all of the time :) (Even though I love having her around!)

I have decided that I am going to allot one day for fun and one day for work. I was able to get my entire houser cleaned on Thursday, which was great. Here is a picture of her on her first day. I will post a picture of her at school later when I am able to get some!!!

First Haircut

2008-08-06T13:42:00.000-07:00

Lookin a little stringy!
BB had to get her attention. For all of you that know Michaela, you know sitting still for any amount of time is not in here vocabulary.

I know it has been forever and a day since I last posted. Reading has taken any free time I have, so I have not taken the time for an update. We have had a fab summer so I will try to post a few to fill in the gaps.

Here are some pics of Michaela's first hair cut. It was beginning to look a little stringy. I am so glad that I trimmed it because it looks a lot healthier now. I should have gotten an after picture.

Michigan Trip!

2008-06-24T11:54:00.001-07:00

Michaela, Megan, and Danny!
A small portion of the sprinkler park they have right down the road.
Kisses!

Here is a pic at the fam get together. We had a great time. Michaela loved her twin cousins, Danny and Megan.
Here are most of the cousins. We missed Steve and the family!
Here are the men at the golf club. They had a great time!

It has been quite a while since I have sat down to fill everyone in on what is going on in the life of the Clardy's. I feel like we have been out of town more than we have been in Columbus for the last several weeks. That may even be the truth! Anyways, we spent the second week in June in Michigan visiting family. We had a wonderful time. This was Michaela's first time to fly commercial and she did exceptionally well. She either slept or looked out the window talking about all the cool things she saw. It was a lot of fun. I especially liked the 2 hour travel time versus about 16 hours driving time! Airplanes are great when you have little ones like Chris and Michaela. I say that because Chris doesn't like spending lots of time in a car. He gets ants in his pants! :) This was our first time to meet my cousin Scott's twin sweeties, Megan and Danny. They are very close in age to Michaela and they had a great time. Unfortunately, Michaela was coming down with something, so she was unusually timid and quiet. If you know my child, you know she is not particularly timid. She is usually a ball of energy. They still had a good time though. They had the neatest park down the street from them. We would practically live there if we were lucky enough to have something like this. They have a community park with the most amazing sprinkler playground. It is free, yet it is more fun for the kids than most any water park I have ever seen. They have the neatest things for families up there.

We stayed at my moms sister and brother in laws house. The have three levels to their house, so Michaela has mastered the art of climbing stairs. Aunt Sandi and Uncle Ed also have two dogs in which Michaela loved to pester! I know she is going to want a dog as soon as she knows how to beg for one. I am trying to hold that off for as long as possible though. I don't want the extra responsibility right now. I would rather add another human to the family first.

We are blessed to have such a wonderful family. I hate it that so much of our family lives so far away, but i am grateful for times in which we can spend together. They are special times.

Pictures!

2008-06-03T20:00:00.001-07:00

Michaela got pictures taken a few days ago. Addie Talley took the pictures for me. I highly recommend her! She did a fabulous job! You can see more at Talley Images. Here are a few pics. I can't believe my baby is getting so grown!

Yeah, Audie has a blog!

2008-06-03T19:47:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to let you guys know that Audie has entered the blogging world to keep everyone updated! She will be moving to Seoul in July. We are going to miss her greatly! I can't think about it too much or I might cry. We had a surprise party for her on the 17th. It was a lot of fun. You can read more about it here. I am so excited to see what the Lord is going to do through Audie's life. She is going to have such a joyous time being right in the center of His will! Love you Audie!

I have been tagged... twice... so here goes!

2008-05-15T20:19:00.000-07:00

OK. If you know me, you know that I don't respond to emails where you have to fill out facts about yourself. I don't know why, I just never find the time to do it. Well, I am sitting up with not much to do for a change, so I thought, Why not?

Angie, I am finally following through!
FIVE THINGS I DO FOR:

Myself:
1. drink a big glass of milk with Ovaltine everynight before I go to bed (I like milk for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!)
2. hang out with Chris everynight before we go to bed. I talk and talk and talk. He many times has to give the, "It's getting late" speech. He talks too. I just want to talk way way too long about way way random things.
3. kiss and hug my baby girl about 100 times a day and I only tell her I love her about 99! :)
4. talk to my family on the phone at least several times a week
5. I LIKE BATHS!

My Spouse and Friends:
1. I really try to encourage Chris and my friends, even in the little things. I like to let others know how much I love and appreciate them.
2. I try to be honest, even when it isn't the easiest thing to do.
3. I make time for them. I get the biggest blessing.
4. I pray for them and ask the Lord to lead them on a path that brings Him glory and them joy.
5. I make them laugh sometimes.

Strangers:
1. I am really shy around people I don't know. (Don't laugh. I know I am obnoxious once you really get to know me.) Anyways, I try to be friendly to strangers.
2. I like to let people in when they are waiting to get out in traffic. How much do you appreciate that when someone does the same for you?
3. Many times I pray for people I don't know. It is so evident that there are many people hurting around us.
4. HMMM this one is hard for me. I know we are around strangers on an everyday basis, but nothing else stands out to me that I do on a consistent basis. I guess that is my mission for the next few days. I will try to do random acts of kindness for strangers. Maybe I will get back to you later! :)

Second tag. Thanks Blair my darling!

Maybe I should... go to bed because I pray at the 2:00 am-3:00am time slot for the Watchmen's Prayer Ministry at church.

I love the smell of... Michaela's hair! (Lavender)

People would say I... can be a little too gullible at times.

I don't understand why... I do the things I don't want to do, and don't do the things I want to do so many times!!!! AHHH.

When I wake up in the morning... I say, "Ten more minutes please!!!" I am not the best morning person.

I lost my will power to... avoid buying lip gloss. I am totally addicted to trying new lip stick/lip glosses. I am not even a big makeup wearer, but something about a pretty, sparkly lip just makes me happy. (I am a total Bare Escentuals fanatic.)

Life is wonderful with... the security of knowing that, He who has begun a good work in me will be faithful to complete it. I also have the most wonderful husband and daughter and rest of the fam. Don't even try to argue with me. I always win on that one. :)

My past made me... realize the things I want to keep in my life and the things that are better to just say, "Hit the road Jack."

I get annoyed when... Chris tells me a party starts at 6 when it really starts at 6:30. He likes to be early to events and I like to be there right on time.

Dogs are... so cute and cuddly, I just don't want one to take care of right now.

Cats are... not my thing. They make my throat itch, my eyes water, and they are just a little too fast for my liking.

Tomorrow I am going to... probably be propped up on the couch hoping Michaela doesn't make me get up too much. I had a small foot procedure done, and lets just say walking it not my favorite thing to do right now.

I have a low tolerance for... weird smells. My mom always told me that I had an animalistic sense of smell. I smell things that aren't even there. (I will share a story about that later.)

I am totally terrified of... loosing my teeth. ( I have dreams all the time that my teeth are loose and falling out.)

Never in my life... did I think that I would be married to the most wonderful person I have ever known. I also could have never imagined having such a perfect daughter. She is still amazing to me. I am so thankful that the Lord allowed me to have a child.

High School was... the hardest time of my life. I went to an all girl school in New Orleans my first two years. The education was great. The rest was not. I moved my Junior year of high school to Foley and did not adjust well. I learned a lot about myself though, so it was worth it.

When I am nervous... I giggle. It is so embarassing.

One time at a family gathering... I was loud and obnoxious along with the rest of them having a dandy ole time. Oh wait, that is at every fam gathering.

Take my advice... be a good communicator. Your husband and others will appreciate it in the long run.

Making my bed... is something I do when we are selling our house and have a prospective buyer coming to look. Well, I am not that bad, but it is not at the top of my priority list.

I'm almost always... silly.

I am addicted to... being around other people. I love my peeps.

I want someone to... come clean my house. It is kind of hard to keep things clean when you can't hardly walk.

Wow, that was kind of fun. I think I will go to bed now. I hope you all have a fantabulous weekend.

The Flying Queen.

2008-05-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

Michaela went on her second flight when we were in Foley. We flew over to Dauphin Island to watch the birds and enjoy the beautiful weather. Here is a pic of Michaela with Dutch and BeBe.
This is the landing strip on Dauphin Island. It almost felt like we were landing on an air craft carrier.
Michaela and Dutch
I love lots of kisses from my sweetie.

So much to be thankful for.

2008-05-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

The new thrill: "hawsie, hawsie"
Michaela was bouncing on my suitcase as I was attempting to pack for our trip to Foley.
Here is another dress we made for Michaela a few months back. She thought she was looking good.
We went to a Japanese steak house in Foley. It was a lot of fun, and Michaela was entertained the entire time. It was pretty interesting though that I don't recall seeing even one Oriental person working in the entire place.

Well, we spent this past week in Foley visiting family. It was a great time. We installed wood floors in my parent's house among several other renovation projects. I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed installing the floor. I couldn't hardly move the next few days, but it was still a lot of fun. I would much rather do that than paint!!! Anyways, Michaela got to spend a lot of time with her great grandparents, great aunt, and BeBe and Dutch. She calls my mom BeBe. She doesn't want to refer to her as anything else. It is really precious to see her interact with family. She is showered with so much love and it really makes your heart go out for kids who don't get the love and affection that they deserve. They thrive on it! Anyways, I have to tell a BOB story for all of you who may or may not know my dad. Calling him crazy is such an understatement. Here is one of the funnies that happened this past week though:

Chris is a CiCi's pizza lover, so since he had been working his tail off in Foley, we decided to go to lunch there. Well, dad had some crusty, paint spotted clothes on, so I highly encouraged him to go change before we went to lunch. He thought that the notion of him having to have clean clothes on at a place like CiCi's was ridiculous. Anyways, we are getting stuff together to head out the door for lunch and dad comes out of his room yelling, "I'm ready to go!" I look up only to see his crack-head self in a full suit and tie. The only time he ever puts on that attire is for an evening wedding, and even then, that is iffy. Anyways, we laughed our tails off, even though he was being a smarty pants. That is just one story among several others I could share with you. I am so blessed to have such a fun dad. He always has us in stitches. Mom needs to get an award for putting up with all of his outlandish actions. If you know my dad, you know that there is noone else in the world quite like him.

Random Pics.

2008-04-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

Michaela trying to share "paci" with her bunny.

I am a fan of the MC Hammer Pants. TOO cute.
Silly Girl.
This is Michaela and BunBun, her "attachment."
She loves to make muscles.

Caffeine to be banned from Heather!

2008-04-27T23:41:00.000-07:00

It is currently almost 2 am and I am still wide awake. I am not one to drink caffeine very regularly and never past lunch time. Well, I splurged and drank lots of sweet tea tonight. Anyone who is ever with me, don't let me do this to myself again. I feel like my eyelids are taped wide open tonight. I will not be feeling so chipper in the morning though. Anyways, I thought I would write a little. Maybe then, I will be able to fall into some sweet slumber! Hee hee.

Life has been really going bye way too fast here lately. My baby girl is already 19 months old and practically becoming a little lady. Her vocabulary expands daily and she is now saying some multiple word phrases. I made a list of words at 18 months that she said on a regular basis and I got to about 150 words before I quit. She takes after the Van Dyke side to say the least. If you know Audie then I need to say no more. We have also discovered that she can be quite the actress. If Chris and I make a big deal about any injury that she has during the day, she is sure to milk it for all its worth. If we make no big deal over it she would bleed to death and barely make a peep. She is just like her mama in that aspect. I can take some pain, but if I think I can get a little sympathy, I become an easy candidate for an Oscar Award! I like to be pampered at times too!

Michaela and I went to Tupelo to meet Audie halfway yesterday. We had a great time. We wanted to go to the park, but the weather was unpredictable, so we basically chased Michaela around the mall. She took her first Carousel ride and it was a big hit. She loves "horsies." Chris and I have bruised knees to prove it. She says "Hawsie mommy!" Of course, I give in and we take a ride around the room. Back to the trip, we had a fab time with Aunt Audie and I was convinced I was going to lose it if I heard the name Audie again for a while. Michaela must have said Audie about 100 times yesterday. I am not even exaggerating. It was even still being chanted as she was in her crib going to sleep last night. Don't worry Katie, we will see you very soon and you can get recognized on here for your Auntie Coolness. Michaela mentions you on a regular basis as well.

I am starting to get droopy, so I will call it a night. I have tons and tons of pics to share and recent happenings to catch up on as well. I need to take about 15 minutes a day on here so I don't get so behind. I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Easter Egg Hunt, a few weeks later!

2008-04-12T18:37:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since I posted anything. I really don't have an excuse, other that the fact that I haven't really sat down at the computer for an extended time period. We had a wonderful Easter in which my parents and sisters all came in town. David and Kelly also came in town for the following week as well, so it was a lot of fun. On Good Friday, we took Michaela on an easter egg hunt at Brickerton. It was a lot of fun. Here are some pics from that.
I believe she got 14 eggs. We were so pumped! The little dress she has on is one of the ones that my Aunt Jo and I made. We had to put a shirt under it because it was a little chilly that morning. It has been so much fun to be able to experience these firsts with our precious little girl. It is like being a child all over again! I will post several more soon to catch everyone up on the rest of what has been goin on the past few weeks. I am way behind and I have way too much stuff to do tonight to spend any more time on here. Talk to you soon!

A Day at the Park!

2008-03-08T20:37:00.000-08:00

It is hard to believe that the weather was gorgeous some last week because it has been so cold and dreary this weekend. Well, we were able to take Michaela to the park last Saturday. We all had a great time and Michaela was grinning from ear to ear the entire time. She really loves the slides! It is so much fun to see the excitement in a child by just doing simple things. You would have thought that we were at Disney World, but this venture was easier on the pocket books. I love pretty weather because I love spending time outside with my sweeties!

Oh, How the Time Flies!

2008-03-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

These are some pics of Michaela exactly a year ago. It is so amazing how fast they grow! She has been such a blessing and I am so grateful for her!

Michaela's New Toy! and BE AWARE of Blog Haters!!!

2008-02-28T11:49:00.000-08:00

Michaela has a new golf cart. Well, not really, but she will get to play with it a lot. Pop bought a new golf cart for golfing, but it will be great to drive back and forth through our back yards, seeing that they only live a few acres behind us. Before we know it, Michaela will be driving it all on her own. :)
BYE the way, I had some CRAZY person post a comment on my blog in which gave my computer some viruses (which were resolved) upon trying to delete the comment. BE AWARE!! If you get a comment from someone unrecognizable do not even try to see who it is. I have reset my comment settings because of this. Bye the way, does anyone know how to delete comments without deleting the post. I would appreciate any advice you could give me!
Have a great day.

Trip to Southaven and Foley...

2008-02-26T14:12:00.000-08:00

We have had a busy last two weekends. Two weeks ago, Michaela and I went to Southaven to visit Aunt Audie. We had a great time. Audie will be going to South Korea to answer a call to missions in July for at least two years, so we are making every attempt to see her! Michaela calls her "Augoo." It is strange how they make up their own way of saying things. She can say Aw and dee, but she wants to say Augoo. Anyways, we had a great time up there. It is such a nice area up there although the population is growing at a really fast rate.

Then, last weekend we went down to Foley to visit my parents, grandparents, aunt joker, and cousin Zach. We surprised my grandparents in which could have proved to be a little bit too risky. They both just about suffered from a cardiac arrest. It was priceless. We just opened the door and let Michaela walk into the house. My grandfather is just about blind, so it took him a little while to realize what was going on. It is so great now because she actually calls people by their name and will run to hug them goodbye.

The climbing has begun. She has always liked to climb on stuff, but now it is getting ridiculous. Our stained concrete floors don't help the situation. I am all about letting your kids experiment and learn to be independent, but not at the expense of a trip to the emergency room. She is way too adventurous to say the least. Michaela is learning more and more words everyday. She comes out with stuff that just leaves us speechless. For instance, at Audie's house, she picked up Audie's bible and handed it to her saying "Bible." Then today, she picked up a book I have and pointed to the picture on the front and said "Jesus." The funny part was that it was a picture of Jesus. I believe I told her that a few weeks ago when she was looking through my books. Children pick up on everything this age. It reminds us of how important our example is.

I am really looking forward to warmer weather because Michaela loves to play outside and I know all of you parents can testify to the fact that it is much easier to take care of a child outside than inside where they want to get into everything and make as many messes as possible.

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-13T19:05:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Valentines Day! We went to the banquet at church tonight and really enjoyed ourselves. The speaker they had for entertainment was really funny this year. We had a great time. Love you all!

Michaela's Maiden Flight

2008-02-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

Mommy and Michaela flying with Dutch. This was Michaela's first time to go up in the plane. She seemed to love it!
Michaela and Dutch, her personal pilot.
Michaela and GG John. She had a great time with him on Saturday!
This was the first time I put her hair in a single ponytail. It was really cute.

We have had a great time visiting with family over the past week and a half. First, Aunt Joker and Zach (cousin) came in town to visit. We had a great time. Aunt Jo taught me how to use my sewing machine and we made Michaela 2 dresses for the spring and summer. They are precious on her. Then GG (Great Grandpa) John and Dutch (grandpa BOB) came and visited on Friday and stayed until Saturday. We had a wonderful time with them. The weather was beautiful, so we were able to take Michaela up in the plane. I really didn't know how she would handle the noise, but she did great and loved looking out the window, pointing at everything. I just love it when family comes to visit... friends too. It is such a blessing to have so many wonderful people in my life. We are going to visit Audie this weekend in Southaven. I will update on that trip later. I have saved all of our Christmas money, and I plan on using some shopping up there! Yeah. Well, I will talk to you all soon. I hope you all have a week full of great things. Hollah!

Just some thoughts.

2008-01-31T20:30:00.000-08:00

Grammy and Dutch bought this for Michaela for Christmas. It has been a big hit. She loves climbing on it and sliding down! I can't wait until the weather allows us to go outside and play on it!
Do not ask me how this happened! I guess she is trying to start a new trend in fashion.

I have been reading other people's blogs and it is just amazing how God blesses each of us in a way that is indescribable. Even through the tough times, God sustains us and reminds us that we are His. He doesn't owe any of us anything, yet He chooses to bless us so richly.

We had a bible study last week at Fairview and it was unbelievable. It was a wake up call and an invitation to be hungry for the Word of God. God is really hammering that into my head and heart here lately. I have spent way to long being satisfied with a luke warm christian life, although it was so hard to deny that it really existed. I always have great intentions, but life gets hectic and many times the most important thing in life gets put into the back seat. There are so many of us that want to raise our children to one day give their lives over to the Lord. I need to be a parent that demonstrates to Michaela that life is not lived to the fullest unless it is lived to serve the Lord. One thing that hit home with me during the bible study was that Dr. Bob Utley stated, "Salvation is free, yet it costs everything once you have got it!" How true.

For those of you out there that know me, you know that I am full of many imperfections!!! It is my prayer, that the Lord will transform me into the person that he intends me to be.

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

Here with the fam update!

I am so excited to say that Audie is following a call to missions and will be leaving towards the end of the summer to do some teaching overseas at a school. Everything is not in stone now, so I will update on details later, but I am so proud of her for following where He has led her. I am going to miss her terribly, but I have a peace that she is doing exactly what her call is at this point in her life. Please pray for her, as many of you know that she does have diabetes and this will be a great adjustment. Also, please pray that the seeds that she plants will grow into great fruit-bearing trees! :)

Katie is in Louisville at seminary and loving every bit of it. She is not a fan of the cold weather, but it will pass in the near future. Michaela adores her aunts, so it is sad not to see them as often as we would like, but we make time whenever it is possible.

I am ready for it to warm up so we can go visit my mom and dad and take Michaela to the beach! It is going to be so much fun this summer because she will actually be able to play in the sand and the water. It should be a hoot.

I will update at a later date. As for you all out there, keep the updates coming! They are so great to read.

Fun times.

2008-01-28T13:59:00.000-08:00

Michaela finger painting with Madison and Hunter. She had a great time.
Ravioli makes wonderful face paint.
Michaela's attachment: "bunny"
Grammy putting on some lip gloss. Michaela already wants to get dolled up!
Uh-Oh! She can climb on just about anything now!

This is just an update for the past few weeks. We have stayed pretty busy although we have spent most of our time inside, due to the extremely cold weather. Michaela has changed a lot over the past few weeks. There are new words everyday. I think that is the most shocking thing yet. She mimics a lot of what she hears and is now saying please and thank you more consistently. Gotta love it. She has a few more dance moves to add to her list. She still is obsessed with waving at everyone she sees. I think it makes some people quite uncomfortable. She is a blessing everyday.

Chris is staying busy. A friend of his lost everything, due to the tornado that hit Caledonia, so he is rebuilding the house there and working on a house in his subdivision. If you know anyone looking for a house, send them our way. We have two brand new ones and we are about to put our personal one on the market. All at great deals!

I have been taking part in a Beth Moore study at church and it has greatly enriched my life. It has really stretched me to spend more time in the Word, which is exactly what I need. I had really been slacking in the most important area in my life, and that is getting to know my Savior better through His word. It is amazing how He will give you a hunger for it when you take the time to spend time reading it. I am addicted to reading fiction novels, so that was taking a lot of my extra time. I still love to read those, but I have made it a priority that the Bible comes first. I encourage all of you to spend more time getting to know the Lord through reading His Word. It makes such a difference throughout your day. I am speaking to myself because I have such a bad habit of getting my priorities out of whack.

Well, I hope that this finds you all doing great. I love to hear from you and I really love to keep up with your blogs and so forth to get up to date. Tah Tah for now.

Visit with Aunt Audie...

2007-12-22T20:09:00.000-08:00

Aunt Audie stopped by for a visit on her way home to Foley. Michaela and I had a great time. Michaela got her first set of fashion jewelry and was a big fan from the first time she sported the set. Thanks Aunt Audie for a fun time and for my presents!!!

Congrats Kelly!

2007-12-22T20:00:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of Kelly for getting her masters at New Orleans Theological Seminary. Her and David have worked really hard! They had to move due to Hurricane Katrina where they lost much, including Kelly's car at the time. They stuck it out though, and for that we are proud! :)

We went down to New Orleans and had a great time! We ate at some wonderful restaurants and got a nightly Starbucks fix, due to the fact that David works there. Props to David! I am so blessed to have become a part of such a wonderful family. They are wonderful to both Michaela and I.

Quick Catch Up Time...

2007-12-18T17:23:00.000-08:00

Dad and Chris went pheasant hunting in Iowa back in November. They had a great time and killed a few! I have to say, I didn't know how beautiful those birds are. The tail feathers are gorgeous.
Grammy has spent quite a bit of time hanging out here over the past several weeks off and on. It is always such a treat to have her around. Michaela really thinks so!
Here is a group pic at Erika's wedding. There aren't any opportunities for many of these now that we all live in different places!

Well, a lot of time has passed since I last posted. I guess we have just been busy. I am sure that everyone knows how this time of the year is. It is great, but just a little faster paced. We went home (FOley) for Thanksgiving and had a wonderful time. I got to shop till I dropped, so that was a lot of fun! Chris and dad basically just did there own thing and all us girls got to spend some time together.

This past weekend, we went to New Orleans to see Kelly graduate from New Orleans Seminary. We had a great time. I will post more on that soon~

Michaela is growing fast and it is just getting more and more fun. I am really excited about Christmas this year. She will really enjoy herself. Especially because we will spend lots of time with family!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas! It is my goal to just be relaxed and enjoy myself. It is so easy to get stressed this time of the year. Find a good book and read over the holidays! That is one of my fav things to do!
Talk to everyone soon!

Life is precious!

2007-11-10T19:41:00.000-08:00

Well, Michaela has moved up in life. She has a box! Why buy toys when you can make them even more happy with a cardboard box? I just want to say that God is too good to me. Take a few moments and ponder the blessings that are showered out from our Lord. It can be overwhelming at times. Even through trials, God always manages to work through us in a way that is incomprehensible. He is a faithful God!

Have a wonderful day.

Just some pics.

2007-10-29T09:14:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Patch!

2007-10-29T09:00:00.001-07:00

Chris, Michaela, and I went to the pumpkin patch in Hamilton on Saturday! We had a great time. The weather was beautiful, which was an added bonus. Michaela especially loved the wagon ride! We are going to carve our pumpkin tonight! I will post pics of that later. Life has been absolutely wonderful here lately! Michaela is more of a blessing each day. We couldn't ask for more. I can't help but wonder if God has another one in our future! For all of you prayer warriors out there, please pray that there is another miracle in store for us. I know though that GOd's timing is always perfect.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. Tah Tah for now~!

So much fun!

2007-10-22T19:23:00.000-07:00

I just thought these were some cute pics. Michaela wanted me to put that headband around her head tonight. She thought she looked so cool. She pulled it off every few minutes and then would bring it back to me to put on. You would think it was Easter time because she was all about walking around with her basket picking things up. So fun! Everyone have a great week!

Michaela and her rocking chair!

2007-10-18T12:23:00.000-07:00

We have discovered that Michaela loves to climb on things. She loves climbing in and out of her rocking chair that Grandma Becky painted for her. It was actually Chris' when he was a little boy. She climbs in, rocks a little, and climbs out. This goes on for quite a while before she wears herself slap out! I am so proud of her little sweater in the above pics. Her GG Jessie knitted it for her before she was born. I am so glad that she will get plenty of use out of it this fall and winter. Grandpa Bob bought her the other sleep outfit. It says NEtJets on it and has little airplanes on the jacket and the onesie! Thanks gramps!

Well, Michaela is officially walking more than she is crawling. I think she has figured out that it hurts her knees much less, and she just looks so darn cute doing it. As a matter of fact, I believe that walking has been the only way of getting from place to place that she has used today! I will talk to you all soon.

BYE the way, the womens conference I attended last weekend was unbelievable! I urge you to go next year if you are in or near the Jackson area. It was an Extraordinary Women conference. Also, if you have not heard, the new Point of Grace CD is awesome!!! I never thought I would ever say that b/c I got a little tired of them through the years, but this newest one is by far their best one yet. (In my opinion) You can go on the Point of Grace website to get a taste of that as well. I will talk to you all soon. Have a fab day!

Just a few ramblings...

2007-10-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Well, we have had a really great past week! Chris' ten year high school reunion was this past weekend and we had a fun time! He was able to see people he hadn't seen in a really long time. I enjoyed meeting many of them as well. It is so unreal that it has been 10 years since we have graduated high school! WOW!
Michaela is doing lots of firsts these days! She started standing up in the middle of the floor when she was about 10.5 months old, so we thought walking was soon at hand. Think again. It wasn't until two months later that she started full out walking around. About a week or two ago she started walking about 5-10 steps at a time. Now she is a pro at this walking thing. It is so exciting to see her learn and experience new things! I love being a mommy! ME want more!!!! :) She is also talking a lot more. It is so fun to be able to tell her to go get her baby, bunny, or whatever and see her go directly to it and bring it to me. It is so amazing that although they cannot verbalize a ton of things at this stage, they know exactly what we are telling them to do. It reminds me of what a responsibility we have as parents to be an example in word and deed. They pick up on more than we realize!
I do not currently have any pictures to upload at the moment. I will post some as soon as I get around to putting them on the computer!
Oh yeah! I am attending a conference this week in Jackson. I am so excited! Chris will have Michaela Friday and Saturday, so it will be an adventure for him as well. I am looking forward to seeing what the Lord will do at this conference!
Nothing but love~!

What a Crazy Few Weeks!

2007-09-25T14:30:00.001-07:00

Michaela likes to get in her pool anytime. Even when fully clothed! I love the ghetto bootie in this picture. It is amazing how much a diaper can absorb!
She is all about mommies sunglasses now. I think she thinks she looks cool.
It is a treat when mommy actually gives in and lets Michaela see the cell phone. She really thinks she is hot stuff then!
Well, it has been a while. First of all, my wonderful mother was here with us for a week after Michaela's birthday. It was an absolute joy to have her here. I just wish my family lived closer. Michaela had a blast with Grammy too! The weekend after Michaela's bday, mom stayed with her for a night while Chris and I went over to B'ham for a night. That was the first night I had away from Michaela, so although it was very wierd and I thought about her very often, it was a treat for Chris and I to be able to get away and relax! Thanks mommy, your the best.

Michaela got her shots right after her birthday and they did not go over well. She has never really had any type of reaction before, so this was all new to me. It took her a good week to start feeling herself again. I am just thankful that there is only one more round left for a long while! At her year checkup, everything looked great. She weighed 20 lb 10 oz and is 30 inches tall. It is amazing how much they grow in the first year.

Michaela is still not full out walking, but as close as you can get. Seven steps is the most I have seen her take at one time before realizing she gets places faster crawling. It is amazing to me that she loves to pick up heavy things and stand dancing like a maniac, yet she still has no real desire to take this walking thing to the next level. It will come at the right time though.

Well there is a lot more to share but I will do this at a later date! I have too much to do today, although I would love to share my life story on here. I love you all and hope that you have a wonderful rest of the week. Remember, life is precious, life is sweet...

Happy Birthday Michaela!

2007-09-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

Our little angel one year ago!

She was a little timid eating her first birthday cake!
Michaela loves her new car. BEEP BEEP!

I can't believe our sweetie is already a year old. We had a birthday celebration for her on Saturday. I think she had a great time although she had no clue what the big fuss was over. It has been a year with millions of blessings. She has so richly blessed our lives. Time really does fly by!

It was great to have a lot of my family in town for the big day. We are so proud to have such a loving and supportive family, whether they were able to make it or not! Thanks to all of you who made it to this special day.

I look forward to what God will do in the coming year. Every day just gets more fun.

Michaela Camille Clardy...Mommy and Daddy's Miracle

2007-09-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

2 Corinthians 12:9“And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

Isn’t it amazing to know that God wants to be a part of each and every one of our lives? He is not a God that just sits back and enjoys the show. He is a God who deeply cares for us and wants to be a part of every aspect of our lives. The reality of this truth became clear to me about five years ago. I was diagnosed with stage 4 (most severe) endometriosis. The doctor who initially saw me wanted to do an immediate surgery to remove the massive cysts that I had developed. God had other plans though. I was referred to a specialist in Mobile to get a second opinion. This simple act of wisdom (on behalf of loved ones concern) was the hand of God directing me on the path that He would use to protect me and my future of having a child. It was clearly evident that this doctor was the man for the job. He scheduled me for the first of which would later be two laparoscopic surgeries. Going into the first surgery, there was much uncertainty. The prognosis did not look good according to what could be seen by the ultrasounds. The doctor was very straight forward in telling me the worst case scenario, which could mean a hysterectomy. I will never forget being back in the prep room on the morning of the procedure. The following verse is a perfect picture of what I felt…”And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 I had an overwhelming sense of peace that God was going to take care of me, no matter the outcome. If I came out of surgery without a hope of bearing children one day, that was OK. God had great things in store for me. He knows better than I do of what is best for me. So many times, we want to control what happens in our lives. If God is your Lord, then you soon realize that He knows what is best for you. He can see your innermost thoughts, He knows the future, He loves you more than anyone, and everything we have is His anyhow. True faith is trusting God and accepting whatever His answer is, even if it is not the answer that we may be hoping for! No matter what we are handed in life, we can praise God and find joy in what he has blessed us with.

On that day, a miracle was witnessed. The doctor could not have been more happy with the results. Don’t get me wrong, I was really messed up, but there were so many things to be thankful for. Without getting too technical, the most fragile parts that are needed to conceive were miraculously untouched by the endometriosis that had basically destroyed everything around it.

Let me add a short side note! My wonderful husband Chris (only a boyfriend at the time) stood by me through all of this. As a matter of fact, a few weeks after the first surgery he asked me to marry him. He didn’t have a clue whether I would ever be able to bear children, but he loved me more than that. In the midst of it all, God gave me a treasure that would never be doubted. The love Chris showed for me is the love that God shows for us everyday. God loves us, broken parts and all!

After another surgery (a little over a month before I would be married), things still looked better than could be expected. The odds of me becoming pregnant without aggressive medical intervention were still bleak, but my motto by that time had taken root. God isn’t bound by science. We all know that He raised a man from the dead and He allowed Abraham and Sarah (both as old as the hills) to be with child. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” Ephesians 3:20 Now, I want you to know, I was not Miss Strong Woman of Faith all of the time. There were times that I found myself doubting that God would ever allow me to have a child. Satan really tries to attack God’s children. Sadly enough, I let him take a hold of my thoughts from time to time. God is bigger than that though. It wasn’t a situation in which I was dwelling on whether God would give me a child or not. It was a situation in which I needed to be willing to say, “God, whatever You provide, I will praise you!” Child or not, You are to be praised.”

Well, it is not hard to figure out what happened. After unsuccessfully getting pregnant for over a year, we consulted with our doctor about the next step. He gave us information on our options. The only options that would still only give us about a 10% chance of getting pregnant and keeping the baby. Well, after months of prayer over what step we were to take next, I got an answer. I remember feeling a peace about doing nothing for a while. I knew that the options available were wonderful options in which one day we might follow through with. I just knew that the timing was not right.

You will not believe what happened! About two weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant. Chris was so shocked that he tried to calm me down from getting too excited. He didn’t want to see me get disappointed yet again. Well, I called my nurse in Mobile and she warned me of the likelihood of loosing the child. We knew that God would carry us through whatever happened. I was just so pumped and overwhelmed to know that I was pregnant. God worked beyond what doctors can explain. He had performed a miracle in our lives. What would follow the next nine months was a healthy pregnancy with an active baby growing.

On September 8th, our perfect miracle, Michaela Camille, was born. There were several complications, which landed Michaela in ICU for a week, but God once again proved that His hand was on the situation. She improved with flying colors and left the hospital as healthy as any other baby. She has blessed our lives this past year beyond comprehension. When I hold her, I am reminded each time of God’s presence in our lives. He blessed our lives so richly with a child, but also gave us grace in which we will never comprehend. We didn’t deserve this gift, but we are so grateful that the Lord chose us to raise Michaela. I can’t wait to tell her about the above story. I want to glorify God in what He has done for the rest of my days. We desire for many more little miracles, so we will see if God has any more great plans for a bigger family. Thanks to all of you who were consistent in lifting us up through the hard times. Your prayers were felt and I firmly believe that God honored them. We love you all and look forward to seeing what God will do in your lives. He is waiting for your surrender, and the rest will be history!

“And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.” Mark 10:27

“For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him.” I Samuel 1:27

Everyday Blessings

2007-08-28T12:32:00.001-07:00

It is so hard to get a family picture these days. We have to work with what we've got!
"Don't even think about getting any of my mac and cheese!"
"I have to pull out every book and CD to see which one I want to listen to or read! Then you can clean it up mama!"

Isn't it a fun game to try to figure out what they are thinking? Many times they will let you know... whether it be by a little pout of the lip or a loud noise departing from their mouth or even a giggle that may make you want to eat them all up! Life is fun! I never have to look for anything to do. As a matter of fact, I have to dig for time to do absolutely nothing. Life is precious. Don't take a moment for granted. I am speaking to those of you who may be childless or have several little kiddos! There is joy to be found in all of life's circumstances.

Side note: It is raining cats and dogs outside! Yee haw! I am ready to see some green grass! Thank heavens for rain.

Anyways, life has been great this past week or so. God has really shown me so much. I many times go through a spell where things seem to be just happening, and then the Lord reminds me to see each day as a blessing and live it to its fullest. So, whether I am mopping the floor, or just plain hanging out with my family, I am happy!

So many things have been happening with Michaela here lately. She took her first step a few nights ago. She still is not walking, but I have a feeling that the time is not far away. We have discovered that the child is indeed an eater. She loves just about everything. Hmm. Like okra, cabbage, grean beans, broccoli, and many other things. She is down to one bottle a day, and honestly couldn't even care less about that. So, I have started giving her some whole milk. She loves it so far. I just hope her tummy loves it as well. We shall see. It is amazing how much she has started talking in the last few weeks. She has always been a babbler, but now she is actually attaching words to the same things over and over again. She says: daddy, mama, juice, thanks, dog, and duck. There is also still a whole lot of babblin' going on.

Well, I hope all of you that read this have a blessed day. It is so great to be able to keep up with you without seeing you. Although we don't all have the luxury of being together often, just knowing how all of you are doing brings a smile to my face.

Tah Tah for now!

P.S. Here is a great website. www.etsy.com It has all sorts of handmade things to buy! I love it.

Trip to Foley!!!

2007-08-19T18:44:00.000-07:00

These pics were taken by my friends, the Trehernes. They are good friends of ours and actually did our wedding pics! Thank you Patrick and Sharlene!
Peek a Boo!

Grandpa, the human motor boat!

We just got back from Foley last night. We had a great time visiting my family. We did a little bit of everything. Of course, the women had to do some shopping. I was excited because we were able to go to Fairhope on Thursday and do some shopping around. I always enjoy all of the cute shops. There are also some really good eating places! We also took Michaela swimming. Last night we celebrated my grandmother's and my birthday! Dad boiled some shrimp and crab legs. Let me tell you, it was FINE! Michaela loved the crab. I was leary to give her some because one of my grandmothers has a severe allergy to shell fish. Michaela apparently does not have any allergy though, because she ate it like a champ and had no adverse affects. Expensive taste my darling!

Chris is in the process of learning how to fly a tail dragger plane. My dad has a small plane that we like to fly in when in Foley. Chris has everything down except for the landing thing. I will post a picture of the plane and him flying it when I get a pic. Above are some pics that we took when out of town.

Hot! Hot! Hot!

2007-08-11T11:20:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember a time when it was this hot? I about die everytime I leave the house. This is a shoutout for all of you strong men who work out in the heat! You are all the "MAN!" My husband is included in this group of troopers. Luckily, Chris has not had a whole lot going on to keep him outside this past week. I am just thankful that I was 8 months pregnant this time LAST year! I feel like a cooped up hermit these past few days. It doesn't even feel good to go swimming because the water is as hot as my bath water. So, off to Leigh Mall (if you call it that) to stroll around Michaela and get her out. Luckily there are not many stores that will tempt me to spend too much money! Now, if I lived in Tupelo... well then we may have a problem.

Since I don't have any recent pics to post today, I shall fill you in on Chris and all of his ventures. He is currently developing a subdivision here in Columbus. It has always been a dream of his to build houses and develop a subdivision. After years of praying, God made it clear that he had opened a door for this to happen a little over a year ago. Well, it has been a whirlwind ever since. He will hopefully have 5-6 houses finished soon after the new year. God has really blessed us in this endeavor. SO, if you or anyone you know is looking for a house or someone to build a house, give us a holla! You can go to http://www.newhomebuilding.net/ to see a little of what he does. He is currently the featured contractor on the website!

Going back to the heat. Everyone stay inside. Thank God everyday for air conditioning. If you get bored, give me a call. I am all about finding something to do out of the heat, and I need a good buddy to save my sanity! Love you all! See you perhaps on a day where it is 99 degrees or less! Tah Tah for now!

Just some pics.

2007-08-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

Here are some new random pics. I promise my child is not always going around in a diaper. She is just at her funniest before and after her bath. Plus, she likes to get around in just a diaper. She feels more free! Ha.

I am in the process of planning her one year birthday. Does anyone have any great ideas? I am up for any suggestions.

For all of you going back to school, my prayers are with you. Give all of those kids some lovin! I miss my little crazies! Teachers are the best!

"Random Recents"

2007-07-31T14:04:00.000-07:00

Michaela loves to play with Madison and Hunter Frasier. We went for a stroll around the block in the cool wagon!
Michaela loves to swim. She even likes to be dunked under the water....Not that she has a choice. Hee Hee~!
Michaela and Daddy. He is already her hero. Don't they look like twins?
We visited Kelly and David while in New Orleans. It was a fun time!

Michaela and Brady just hanging out!

This is Michaela wearing Brady's baseball cap. She loves Brady!!!

This is Kaylen. Isn't she adorable?
This is my munchkin. She has attitude! Just like her mama.
This is Kelly and Amber with there little ones. It was great to see people from the good ole days. We all have little girlies! How sweet!

Well, Michaela and I just got back from New Orleans. We went to visit my best friend Kelly and her little girl Kaylen. Kaylen is three months older than Michaela and we still had not met until just a few days ago. It was really cute to see them with each other. They somewhat ignored each other at times and then at other times had fun passing toys back and forth and pointing at each other while speaking in baby babble. Above are some pics from the trip!

Michaela recents:

She is standing up without using something to pull up on and likes to balance standing. No steps yet though. I am not rushing it.

This child is a dancer. I am not talking the up and down bop. She lets her whole body get involved! She has soul!

Here lately, her favorite thing to do is wave at people. If we are in a grocery store, or anywhere else with people for that matter, she has to wave and get a response before moving on to the next person.

She is just now beginning to like to snuggle with stuffed animals, etc... It is too cute.

HMMM...Always something new going on. This parenting thing is such a blessing. It is a lot of work, but worth every bit of it. I find that it gets more fun the older she gets. I am sure that most of you would agree.

I don't have any funny stories or enlightening poems to share. I would just like to say that God is good. Do I have any who agree?

Hugs and Kisses!

One of those days!

2007-07-17T12:23:00.000-07:00

Dinner time is fun time. She had food everywhere. She has it figured out. If she gets messy enough, she gets a bath!!! She loves baths in her ducky!
It won't be long, and she will be walking everywhere. She is already hard enough to keep up with!!!

Well, today has just been a lazy one. I am normally a person that wants to be out of the house doing something or another. I have several things going against me though. First of all, it is kinda dreary outside. My favorite thing to do these days is to take Michaela swimming. She is already a little fish. Well...not the greatest day to do that. I also have a book that I am totally in to. You can always tell when I am into a great book. Just come to my house. If it is a royal mess, then I am probably in the middle of a great read! Also, I am just plain worn out. Chris had a really bad break out from poison ivy last week, so he was in no position to really do much with the baby. It really reminded me of what an awesome help he is with Michaela. When he gets home from work, he can't get enough of her. What a blessing it is to have a husband who loves his girls. Do I hear an amen from any of you ladies? Well, the poison ivy is almost gone, so we are back to norm again.

To fill you in on fam news:

Audie is in eastern Asia on a mission trip. She will be back on Thursday, and I am so excited to hear what the Lord did through her group. We just pray for safety!

Katie is leaving for seminary at the beginning of August. She will be moving to Louisville, KY.

You all are wondering how I will survive without at least one of my sis's near at hand. It is going to take me a while to adjust!!!

Dad is still flying. He loves his job.

Mom is still back home being the awesome mom and grandma that she is. I love my parents!!!

Kelly and David are back in New Orleans. Kelly will finish seminary in December and David will finish in May I believe.

Michael is earning his masters at State and working full time. Michael is something else with his sweet neice.

Becky and Don still live close, so they are a great help with Michaela. I think they love every minute of it.

OK... now that you are updated, I can keep you up to date every few days on new developments. All I have to say is, What a blessed life! Isn't God awesome? Can I get a witness?

Hugs and Kisses!

I'm so excited!

2007-07-14T11:03:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to finally have a way to keep people updated on what is going on with Chris, Michaela, and I. It is so awesome for me to be able to see what is going on with everyone on a regular basis,so I decided it was time for me to get one of these as well. I am a camera fanatic when it comes to capturing every little thing Michaela does, so when I figure this thing out, I am sure that there will be pictures galore posted. I really need someone to come over here and show me how to do all of this stuff because honestly I am clueless! Here are some recent pictures of Michaela. She is growing so fast. Every moment with her is such a blessing! She is our little miracle... literally. I will fill you all in on that on a time to come though.

Hugs and Kisses!!!