A Day Out with Thomas 2009

Clay with Thomas after our train ride



Clay on the train ride

Clay as the train begins to move

Clay watching and waiting to board Thomas

Clay playing with Percy at the Imagination Station

Clay with Daddy after getting his Thomas tattoo

Clay's Thomas tattoo

Clay and Daddy before leaving for David's birthday and water fight

Clay and Daddy playing in cabinet. Clay begged Daddy to play so he did.


Clay taken at some point this week

Water Fight 2009

WOW!!!

WOW!!!!! I can't believe how fast time has flown by. August was just day after day of wondering if Matt would be home to spend any time with Clay and I. We have gotten to the point where days seem to disappear one in to the other here. His job has turned into our prison. This constantly being on call is for people that have no family or anyone in their lives. We never know when the phone will ring or if it will. We have to stay within a certain radius of the airport in case it rings. We can't go anywhere where we spend money to do anything like a movie or space center or anything else cause the phone could ring after we pay and before even half way through and then we just wasted alot of money cause a plane broke down. Our only outings unless Matt demands time off is out to eat and to the store. It isn't good for any of us. HOWEVER, God is working. We have a new job offer contingent on drug test and security background check. The drug test has been completed and fine which we knew and security should be, too. We have been told we should know something by tomorrow. HOME!!!!!!!!!!

I am still trusting John 16:33 and Romans 8:28.

Well, we had to go home for the weekend of my birthday so we could do some things and then on the 29th!!! We celebrated my 11 year old nephews birthday and we couldn't miss it. It was the day of the annual water fight!!! Yep, you got me right. Every year we can make it there is a water fight on David's birthday. This year, Clay took part. He did well. His Daddy accidentally got him and at first was about to get upset then just let it go and started trying to get everyone else. He is such a cutie. After the water fight, he started playing in the mud for the first time. Alice got those pics as I didn't get there in time. I will have to get them and post on here.

For the month of September, I got sick with the flu, from where I have no clue and then Matt got it. Just thank God Clay didn't. Even through all that Matt had to be on call. He only had one or two calls. After all the sickness was over we took off Saturday the 12th and took Clay the only place we have been able to take him all summer and that was to see his favorite, Thomas the Train. OMG! We got up early and he kept wanting to watch Thomas. I kept telling him we were going to see him but I dont think he really understood until we got to Nashville, TN and we were walking to the main gate and I pointed out Thomas as he was leaving to take kids on their ride. He saw him and from that point on he was only interested in Thomas. Since then there are two questions always asked. We go to pick Daddy up or take him to work sometime and he will see where and start asking "go plane again?" " Eventually, we will" the other, "go see Thomas" "We will next time he comes right now he is busy at Island of Sodor doing stuff for Sir Topham Hatt" so now whenever we aren't going to see Thomas he asks "Thomas at Sodor" "Yes" Needless, to say you now know what he is doing. Since then it is just work. We only took a few hours off that day. We get back to AL and he is back at work.

Please be praying that the news we hear this week is good!!! I will be posting water fight videos and Thomas pics soon. My pics with Thomas aren't great but only ones have till can order the really good ones.

Time has flown by and here goes..

Where did the time go? I really don't know. May went by in a hurry and we got to go to my parents once. It isn't easy being on call 24/7. We have to remain within 20 minutes of the airport and since July 4th Matt has been getting close to 60 hours a week and 40 of them before Wednesday. It isnt easy having Matt come home and turn around and leave for another 10 - 12 hours or more at times. When we came here we were told that we could work our own hours as along as 40 in and all Ground eqpt up and running, answer all calls for planes during the days and then one weekend a month because there are three people to cover nights and weekends besides Matt. That all changed when we got here. The people on call other than one decided they didn't want to do it any more and so Matt is now working 24/7 except when we force the issue which we have done the two weekends before this and will continue to do so. Matt and I had finally found a place away from our home that we could have made home. We can't do that here, though, because we have no freedom. I have no freedom. Matt can't stay and take care of Clay to give me time because he could get a call to leave and have to go and we can't afford to hire a babysitter to stay with them and it wouldn't be right to do so. We go some where we have to take two vehicles in case Matt has to leave. He can't get time to himself outside of work cause he wants time with us too and he can't have both being on call. Church is a time we just turn phone off and they can wait they dont like it, oh well. So are we happy here no!!! Could we have been, yes!! We have taken this to our manager and boss and he don't care he has basically made it clear he would rather have the ones doing nothing at work than the one doing all the work. Once again we are looking for a job and we have now learned that if people say your their friends it isn't always the case sometimes they are just keeping you as that to use you. You have to be careful what you tell people and get to know people REALLY well before trusting them. We have REAL friends but we have learned to be careful as to who they are.



We are trying to stay content and calm for Clay. He is ok here he enjoys the apartment and space and time in the pool. He has no fear of the pool or water which is good in ways but can make it dangerous at the same time so I have to be very vigilant. I am glad he isnt afraid of it as will be easier to teach him to swim and that is a necessity whether we have a pool or not. June was Father's Day and when Clay got his Bubble blowing lawn mower from Aunt Deborah (It was a present for Christmas and he found it plus Deborah didnt want to wait to give it to him). July we went and visited some friends I met on here that adopted their child from Guatemala as well. At this time we realized Clay loves to fly and keeps asking when we are going to do so again.



We are hoping to get to travel back to St Louis soon to see all our friends there!!!! I need to do some shopping for Clay for winter clothes while there as my favorite stores are there. We were hoping to be able to take some more of our vacation time and go to San Diego but it doesn't look like it will happen as the airplanes come first!!!! If an emergency occured while Matt was working on a plane he would have to quit to leave to come home and we know that from a minor incident. So praying nothing major ever occurs we need the job we have here until we can find another. That is the way things are here. They will get better. God said we will have troubles but He has overcome them (John 16:33) and we know that all will work out God promised that in Romans 8:28. We are going to be ok no matter what. Well I know that what everyone really wants to see is the pictures and videos so here ya go..........

Dentist Visits and Mother's Day!!

Weird title and combination, I know. Well alot has been going on since my last post. Matt and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary and it was amazing. We went to TGI Fridays and split their vanilla bean cheesecake which we both enjoy. We received word that we got the contract at Matt's job and we moved into a bigger apartment. Clay is having to re-adjust to his own room but is going well!!! Friday, May 8th, Clay had to have a filling and caps on his two front teeth. I followed the advice I received for dental visits and now wish I had taken him when he came home as this could have been avoided and two fillings instead, but is all ok. He was such a trooper. I explained everything I could to him so as not to be afraid and when he came out he was a little whiny but fine. He was back to 100% after his nap and would never know they haven't always been there. I am so proud of my boy!!!!!! He is growing up so quickly.

Mother's Day started out with a really great comment from Matt on my Myspace page and Clay telling me Happy Mother's Day (his Daddy having him repeat it) and that was really cool. We then went to my Mom and Dad's for a few hours. Her birthday is today!!!Oh yeah I got a raincheck for a nice dinner on payday! I get to choose. We haven't been to Red Lobster in awhile and I think that is where we will go not 100% sure yet though.

Today, I had to go to the dentist and underwent a root canal. Yikes, but no complaints as no pain. First time in almost a year, too.

Clay is something else. We have to watch him really close. He is tall enough and knows how to lock and unlock the dead bolt on the front door and here it has a lever handle so we had to buy a new type of lock. What a pain to install!!! The only thing I have to say there is Thank you Lord they exist. For now, he can't go out the front door without us being right there. The only time he gets cranky is when he is tired and then he will sometimes pitch a tantrum. Very rare is it when he has enough sleep. It does occur, though, but not to bad. He has started a love for motorcycles and the one for his train continues. He has a really big vocabulary, too. He can say Pterodactyl and when I am reading him that book he will point and tell me what it is and every other animal to. He has two favorite books right, now. Two runner ups, also. His favorites are "Cookies Week" by Cindy Ward and Tommy DePaola and "My Creation Bible" by Ken Ham. When I bought the Ken Ham book I thought at this age he would only love it for the pictures and I did because it is a board book, but I was wrong he likes to hear it read, too. That surprised me as I figured that would be something older kids would really like. The runner ups are Dr. Seuss ABC's and Elmo's favorite words or something like that. He loves to wear Daddy's shoes and walk in them. We have to look for Daddy's shoes when time to go somewhere. The only thing we are having to learn is how to deal with him hitting us for no reason with something as hard as he can in the head. Time Outs are the main thing right now and I was thinking was really working until he hit me in the head, today. Then not ten minutes later he comes over climbs in my arms gives me a kiss and a hug. What a sweetie we have. Yesterday had me really just thankful to God and Clay's birthmom and Veronica. Veronica was as much his mom that first year as anyone cause she is the one that cared for him that whole time and I know she misses him dearly. Please continue to pray for them.

The doctor continues to tell us that all we are doing with therapy is prolonging him being able to continue working in his present job. Once it is over that is going to start declining and sooner than later he will have no other choice to have another occupation. Needless to say, I am looking for a full-time permanent job making as much or more than he does right now. I am an accountant and until I stopped work and started taking care of my family had ten years experience. My employment gap is the only thing right now I can see that is keeping me from that position. Please pray I can find a job. If I cannot find a job making more than Matt then I need a job in GA so that we can get Matt back in school. The plan is for me to go back to work and Matt to stay home with Clay and go full time to school. He is going to go after a Civil Engineering degreee. Once he is finished with school then he will go back to work and I will stay home.

We are going to start researching our options for another child as soon as we can get to San Diego to talk to Carol. We would like to bring home a baby girl this time, Lord Willing. Only God knows. He will let us know when the time is right. I appreciate all your prayers and will keep you updated. Your prayers have brought us this far and will continue to carry us to the end of our journey here on earth. Praise The Lord for all of you that care about us and pray for us so diligently.

I will try to post pictures soon.