Kayden's 1st bday pics.....

this was at the end of the shoot- she passed out- poor baby was so tired, we were there for 3 hours !
Kaydebug Ladybug- in her ladybug dress
Gotta have red white and blue pics for a July 4th baby !

This is one of the few she was looking at the camera instead of trying to eat the flowers : )

That goodness it is almost July !!!

Wow this month as been so crazy, I am so glad that July is in sight !

Teresa graduated- a day I never thought would come. We had so many end of year events. She received 2 scholarships and we had band concert, award ceremonies, and we even gave her a graduation party ! It was exhausting but well worth it. Sad part was her mom didnt come- not only did she not come but didnt call, email, or send the kid a gift ! Teresa is taking it pretty sad which is pretty heartbreaking ! I told her that I was glad her mom didnt come because that was my moment ! that was my yelling and my argueing that got her across the stage ! We had a nice moment and both cried ! Now I have to get her off her lazy butt and get her to register for college so she doesnt losse those scholarships !!!

Caitlin finished 3rd grade and is off to 4th ! Of course straight A's !!! We had her birthday this month - a sleep over, our first ! The girls were so good that I may even be talked into doing it again ! Caitlin is going several weeks to camp at the gymnastics place- they keep them active and she needs the constant busy !

We had the fund raiser for Kayden and I am happy to share that it did amazing and will be a HUGE helpwith the amount of medical bills ! And it was ALOT of fun ! Teresa even learned to play roulette !

Robert and I renewed our wedding vows for our 10 year wedding anniversary aboard a party boat on lake travis with some friends. It was a really fun time and now we are looking for reasons to get another boat !!!

Kayden turns one on saturday ! Gosh how the time flies ! We did a small party for her this past saturday. With her being born on a holiday most people were going to be out of town so we did it early ! We had a special guest appearance by winnie the Pooh ! she went right to her (him- it- whatever- I say she cause Teresa was in the costume !) We did her 1 birthday pics yesterday ! WOW a year old !

So we have hosted graduation parties, graduation dinners, 2 birthday parties and an anniversary ! Whew ! I am so glad this month is over and I can rest !!! Well- actually no resting, I have alot of stuff to cetch up on that got put to the side. Oh well...........

Where is Mara.........

Well I havent been blogging cause I have been very busy and when I am not busy- I'm on facebook ! I was so anti facebook but now I'm addicted ! We had Teresa's graduation, Caitlin's birthday, Kayden's fundraiser, and this saturday will be our 10 year anniversary and we are renewing our vows on a party boat !!!
But- better late than never- here are the pics of Kayden with Craig......

Kayden update

Didnt think to add this until I read a post that said Kayden looks good. In those pics she looks great but......... yesterday we got a call from daycare that she had 102 and had not taken any fluids. So off to the Dr rob went thinking it was a stop on the way to the hospital ! Our other Dr would have sent us to Dell but we switched to a doctor familiar with special need kiddos. turns out she has an ear infection and something funny with her lung on the chest xray so the Dr increased her neb treatments and gave her an anitbiotic to clear everything up ! And the best is she slept through the night last night !!! Just in time for my 4 nights by myself with her (rob working) she had not slept the 4 nights before that !!!

But she does look GREAT in those party pics ~ smile

Kayden and her first party

Kayden was invited to her first birthday party this month. I couldnt go cause I was getting Teresa ready for Prom, so Robert took the girls. A friend took these and I had to share. She didnt enjoy the slide much (see her face) but she loves that exercise ball !!!

Another poem to share

"My Own Special Angel"
by Norma Henneke
1977

As we walk to your classroom my heart swells with pride
for the children all run to you to walk by your side.
They hug you and greet you; they all seem to know
just how much you need them and love them all so!
You march down the big hall with your most grownup stride
and turn and wave bravely, "Bye, Mommy! Bye-bye!"

Such a big girl, my Misty! You give life your best
though sometimes even the smallest thing can be a big test;
like struggling to run just as fast as the others
or trying your best just to straighten your covers;
things like coloring, swinging or brushing your hair.......
Sometimes Mommy feels that it just isn't fair!

Once late at night as I lay in my bed
I cried just to think what a little girl had said:
"Why's Misty so dumb? Can't she talk? Can't she run?"
I said, "Please be nice to her, please don't make fun.
See, God didn't make her as perfect as you
And I think he would want you to help her, don't you?"
She shook her head slowly and gave a small smile.
She had understood perfectly and that made it worthwhile!

Yes, sometimes it hurts and I don't understand
How God could have done this as part of His Plan.
Yet each time I hold you or we kiss goodnight,
I know in my heart He did everything right!
You're my own Special Angel, and how lucky I was
To be chosen by God to receive your sweet love.

My own Special Angel, sent straight from above!

We met a hero this weekend

I know I havent blogged in a while but things have been so crazy here with the end of school approaching and Teresa graduating !

I do want to share something exciting that happened over memorial day weekend. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet and talk with Craig Blackburn. If you have never heard about Craig, he graduated from regular classes from a school in Louisiana, he holds a job and the grocery school, he is a member fo the knights of Columbus, he helps run a program called best buddies which matches special needs students with typical peers, he is a Motivational Speaker who travels around the world speaking, and he is engaged to his girl friend, Heather. And if all those things are not impressive enough- Craig has Down Syndrome. Take in mind, that I am a GODA- Grandchild of deaf adults- am are aware of some of the limitations of special needs. But I have never met an adult with special needs to the extent of someone with Down Syndrome. I was very impressed with everything that Craig has accomplished. He had just come back from a speaking engagement in Qutar and has been asked to speak in England, Iceland, and Bangladesh. To say he is limited is a misinterpretation- he has done more and traveled farther then most people I know who don’t have “limitations”. Craig had also travel to Las Vegas with his step dad, who was there for work. Craig traveled the strip and even took public transportation. On his own while his step dad was working. Something I don’t even know if I would be willing to venture. My girls all sat and listen to Craig and his mom talk. Caitlin said she felt really good after meeting him- she is so soft hearted you could tell it touched her. And then I spoke with Teresa about everything Craig has on his resume and what could she say. I know that Craigs presentation “We Can” talks about special needs, his new power point is “Don’t Judge a book by it’s cover” . But after spending time with Craig - it gives you a new perspective on your own life. “If he can do it, I certainly can” Not only does Craig show you what people with special needs are capable of, but it motivates anyone without special needs and limitations to apply themselves. Craig is going to be back in town hopefully this summer, where we can actually watch him gives his speech- I can not wait !

We gave Craig Robert’s police baseball cards and Caitlin included a sticker- you could see Craig get lite up over the police sticker ! Boys will be boys ! Any of us who are married can tell you that our husbands are little boys at heart so.... We got the keys to the police car ... yes you know where I am going.... Daddy was upstairs asleep (of course Daddy wouldnt mind)..... We let Craig sit in the police car and Teresa showed him what everything was- but we didnt turn on the lights cause we didnt want to accidentally turn on the siren (didnt think Daddy would like to be woken by his police car going off) And we took his picture in the police car ! LOL Hopefully we were able to give Craig a little “feel good”in return for the one he gave us.