15 years...

April 27th

It amazes me how time can fly, I can remember that day like it was yesterday.

 My mom and I had spent the night in a motel in Albuquerque. It was cold and rainy and we woke up at about 4am in order to catch our flight. As we went to check out of the hotel she drove around front, I walked into the glass door face first, rather then realizing it was closed and actually opening it. I assume now that my mind was elsewhere, did I know what would happen that day? Was my subconscious trying to slow us down?


We pulled out of the parking lot and took a left not realizing we had to cross a median to get to our lanes, we drove a few blocks in the wrong lane.
We got to the airport, hopped our plane, it was a little late and we almost missed our connecting flight. We marveled at our good luck for making it onto the plane... We arrived at our destination and called to check in; everything was going great we were told!

We waited and waited for the Rental Car, a mix up made us over an hour late.

When we arrived we were greeted with hugs and love, we sat down for a glass of iced tea before we headed up to the hospital. I was anxious and wanted to go now.... the phone rang, she answered it and her face turned white...

“He isn't Breathing", “it’s time" "We need to go"

these are the phrases I overheard as I felt my hear breaking.


We rushed out the door it wa very quiet on that 5 minute drive to the VA hospital... We arrived, walked down a stark white and very long, quiet hall. We stopped at the door of a room on the left, we went in, he was laying there, with a blanket on and his glasses off.
I can't recall having ever seen him without his glasses before. I knew he was gone but I wanted to say goodbye, I held his hand and then

for the first time in my life I kissed the body of someone who had passed away

for the last time in my life I kissed my daddy goodbye!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Camryn,

Today is your very first birthday. I never dreamed it would be like this, the love you would add to our family is beyond my wildest imagination, greater then I even expected. One year ago I spent the day as I had the pervious weeks, waiting and waiting for you to arrive. Anticipation was high, pain was low ( thanks to the Anesthsiologist) and @ 3:51pm you joined this world and changed our lives forever!

To say we were overjoyed would be an understatment!

You have been a true joy to watch grow up, you love to play with toys, can really speak your mind and yell with the best of them! Thank you sweet darling girl for being just who you are!

Super Sweet

Very Cuddley

Always Smiling

Playful

Full of spunk

I hope you enjoyed your first birthday as much as we did!

Woo Hoo!

What is That?

There is something new going on around here and Camryn is trying to figure out what it is.

IT'S SPRING and we like it!

The Dress

When Anthony and I visited Walt Disney World with Cassie back in January of 2008 she wanted to wear all of the pretty dresses we saw in the stores. When we returned there alone just 2 months later we bought her one as a gift. A Cinderella gown complete with shoes that was a huge hit! Her smile the night she recieved that has only been captures in one other moment of her life, the one I am about to share with you.

She loved Cinderella so much she wore it all the time; it was a key piece in not one but TWO Halloweens. Every friend that has visited our house has gotten the pleasure of a Cinderella Fashion show. So as the time to plan for our latest Walt Disney World trip arrived Cassie begin to talk about another dress. This time it was Tiana's Dress (the newest princess from the movie The Princess and the Frog.) Cassie is at an age now that she is learning the value of a dollar. She began to save all of her money, asking to do chores and help around the house and saving all that she could. Her piggy bank got fuller as the trip got closer. She worked hard and saved her money for 10 straight months. A quarter here, a nickel or dine there. When she received money in a card for a holiday or birthday, it went right to her bank! The day before we left of Walt Disney World Cassie and her daddy headed out to the bank to change all of her money in and she brought home with her almost $80.00. I was amazed and proud. I never learned to save money like that and I was proud of all the things she had given up throughout the year in order to save her money for this dress!




We arrived in Disney on a Sunday and the anticipation was building for the dress. Monday night we sent Grandma and Camryn to the hotel and Anthony, Cassie and I headed down to Downtown Disney to find the Tiana dress. As we rode the bus there we sat across from three older women traveling together. The three of us talked about Cassie's dress the whole ride and I being the proud mother shared with these ladies the awesomeness of what my 4 year old had done in saving for her dress. When Cassie and daddy were occupied in a conversation the lady leaned across to me and asked if she could give her some money toward her purchase. I was dumbfounded and amazed at the generosity of a stranger wanting to share in her moment and the Pride I felt in my daughter for doing something others found amazing was overflowing. I assured her that would be ok and the woman opened her purse and pulled out a one dollar bill and handed it to Cassie. Cassie was please as pie and thanked her graciously. Another couple overheard our conversations and i looked up to see the woman with tears in her eyes, I smiled at her and she said to me " we don't have any children to share in joys like that, she is beautiful" I thanked her and then her husband opened his wallet and handed Cassie a Ten dollar bill. At that point I begin to tear up. Where else in the world would you find people who share a story offering something like their hard earned money to a 4 year old on a bus. The extra money allowed her to purchase a purse and gloves to match her dress and Tiara! I took down the addresses and E-mails of the generous folks on that bus and plan to send them these photos of our daughter’s night of finding, purchasing with her own money and then thoroughly enjoying her Tiana Dress! I hope you enjoy this moment as much as I did that night!

Cassie wants to play too!

Not to be outdone in all the picture fun! Here is Cassie hamming it up for the camera!

Movement

I have fast learned that to accomplish everything I must do in a day and have even 5 minutes to myself I must move fast. This last week I moved fast to find the camera and get it on to catch Camryn's funniest move. I didn't have a lot of success, but try to follow along as she goes from her baby army crawl to a sitting position. it is quite funny!