Two years...

It's really hard to believe that two years ago today I was sitting in a hospital room. Surrounded by people I'd known all of my life as well as people I'd never met. The room and hall was filled with people. All there for one common reason...Donna.

You see, Donna was my Dad's girlfriend. I always considered her my step mom because she was the only one who could put up with my dad's craziness. She'd stuck with him for over 10 years. She was a huge part of our lives and two years ago today, we all watched as she slipped away. She'd fought the cancer for 4 years and kicked it's butt. But then she had a cough that wouldn't go away and was hospitalized for pneumonia. She fought that for a couple of days. She was too weak to go any further. She passed around 9pm Saturday March 31st, 2007.

Donna loved many things...her birds, bunnies and flowers were just a few. She always made me laugh because she'd send me emails with funny pictures of my dad and the birds eating ice cream. She made my dad so happy. And that's all that mattered to me. She was my half-sister, Ashleigh, best friend. They looked forward to Ashleigh's visits for weeks.

At the memorial service, as I got up to the pulpit to speak, I looked around and saw the pews bursting with people. I remembered something my dad told me at the hospital and felt compiled to share it with everyone before I read my poem. I looked at my dad and said "While we were at the hospital on Saturday, Daddy told me that Donna didn't have many friends so it was nice of everyone to come and visit her like they had." I then said, "I hate to tell you this daddy but you lied...(insert audience chuckle here)...because this room is overflowing with people that loved Donna." I am glad that they laughed because that is what Donna would've wanted. She was always laughing with someone. She made the everyday better for everyone.

I'm closing this memory with the poem that I read at the service. It stays close to my heart and I hope that if you should need to, you will find comfort in it as I have many times.


Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

Cady's pictures are up!

Here's the link to look at Cady's 6 month pictures. She barely cracked a smile in any of them. She would between shots but not while the camera was "rolling''. Which is a surprise because she is such a ham with the camera! Hope you enjoy!

http://www.photoreflect.com/pr3/thumbpage.aspx?e=4522021

Quick update...

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to give a quick update on Cady's 6 month check up. She weighed in at 19 lbs 12.12 oz! At 27 3/4 inches long! She had her shots and did really well with them. However, during her check up the doctor informed us that she had a bad ear infection. Total surprise to us because she hasn't shown any signs of it. So she's on medicine for it and seems (the best we can tell) to be getting over it. Once in awhile she'll play with her ear but usually as she's going to sleep and her "chicken wing" as Larry calls it is flapping.

We are going on Monday to get her 6 month pictures done. We'll share once we have them!

Love to all!

Happy February!

Hi everyone!

Figured it's been awhile since I updated everyone, but theres not much to update. Not much happening in the Hall household. Larry is back to school a couple nights a week. Cady is going like a weed! She'll be six months on February 7th! We have been trying to get everything together for our Girls Night Out Movie Night at the end of the month. And gearing up for the first group of birthdays for the year. We've got Little David's, Daryl's, Kayla's and Larry's all by the 13th of March! Busy time :)

Cady's getting over a virus that gave her a "rash" of sorts. She seems to be feeling better. At least this morning when we were showing her the fresh fallen snow outside, she was smiling and laughing. Two things that she hadn't done for a couple of days since she wasn't feeling so good. Hopefully she's 100% soon! She goes next week for her 6 month checkup and more shots :(

She's working her butt of to get some teeth in! Drooling and chewing on everything! Madie has to watch out...she might take her bone to chew on!



Here's a picture I took of her a couple of weeks ago. She just loves her dancing bear!

Hope all is well with everyone and here's wishing you a Happy February!

10, 9, 8....

Happy New Years!!!

We rang in the new year like we always do at Tommy and Valerie's NYE party. And as always, we had a wonderful time! This year was extra special because our nephew & niece, Tyler and Hannanh, went with us. They had a wonderful time! And let's not forget that it was extra extra special since we now have Cady to enjoy it with. We were all talking about how "I" announced at this party last year that I was pregnant and this year she's here!! My how time flies!

Here's a couple of pictures from the party.

Cady was a trooper! She hung in there until 5 minutes before the ball dropped and I'll be darned if she didn't wake up 5 minutes after midnight!

Here's Cady with her Godmother, Valerie. Our pastor took the picture, not quite sure why he cut her head off :) Sure she won't mind though, she hates to take pictures.

And here's Ty hanging out with some of the girls at the party. Of course he's like his dad and knows someone everywhere he goes! He knew the girl in the pink.

Here's wishing you and yours a safe, healthy and happy new year!

Tis the Season...

Season's Greetings!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and got everything they wished for! I certainly did! All I wanted for Christmas was to have a wonderful and memorable first Christmas with Cady. And I got it :) Larry said recently that she won't remember her first Christmas, but he would, and he wanted it to be special.

I've been trying for years to get Larry to start some traditions with me at Christmas...to the point I think the trying part was getting to be the tradition! So this year he finally caved and started some with me.

On Christmas Eve-Eve, we made our first trip as a family to the Elks Lodge in Bedford to see the Christmas lights that they display every year. Then on Christmas Eve, we spent the afternoon with my dad and little sister, Ashleigh. After which we ran home and grabbed Madie and went over to my mom's house. Since there is so many people at Mama's on Christmas day and her new dog, Cody...aka Wild Child...and Madie play so "ruff" together that we decided to bring her over early to celebrate Christmas with Nanny and Papa. Mama and I cooked and talked and cooked some more. Once we got home, Cady got to open her one Christmas Eve gift (we always got to do this when I was a kid). She received some Christmas Pajama's! I read "The night before Christmas..." to her. She went to sleep before we got to spread the Reindeer Food over the lawn.

I had been looking forward to Christmas morning for months this year. Not for the gifts but because we got to stay at home this year!! Cady must've known it was a special day because she woke up at 7:30am and was ready to go! We opened presents from Santa and friends. It was really a wonderful time.

This is my sister in law, Tina. She loved on Cady and put her down for a nap. She is such a wonderful person and I'm so happy that she's apart of our family. Cady loves her too!

















And here's Sweet Baby Cady, out for the count. Christmas wore her out!


On a side note, a big Congratulations goes out to our friends, Laura & Matt Lane. They welcomed a son into the world this morning around 8am. Mason weighed in at 7lbs 7oz.
Welcome to mommyhood! It's the best place ever!


Happy New Year! Be Safe!

Happy Holidays!!

I'm a bit behind but wanted to wish everyone a Happy Holiday season! As usual we had a busy Thanksgiving, but really enjoyed it because it was Cady's very first Thanksgiving! We had a great time with the family and of course went shopping on Black Friday...yep, we are part of the "crazies" that get out there at 3am! But it's so much fun :)

We have our tree up and have some decorations up at the house. Christmas parties and wrapping presents...you can tell it's the holiday season! I have made my mind up that nobody is going to put a damper on this Christmas. Larry and I will never be able to get back our first Christmas with Cady and I refuse to let anyone dampen my spirits this year. You always have that Bah humbug pop up and this year I'm not listening to them :)

I'm so very excited this year because for the first time since Larry and I have been married we will spend Christmas morning at home!!!! We always get up early and rush down to his mom's house for Christmas morning, but now that Cady is here we will be having Christmas at home from now on. We have always worked around everyone else since we didn't have any children, but this year things are a' changing :) Not trying to be ugly here, just very excited!!

We recently took Cady's 3 month pictures....she's growing so fast!! Sorry they are so streaky, my scanner is on a downward slope. Enjoy!!

This was her Halloween costume...she was a dragon. We even got her to say "rawh" a couple of times :) And of couse everyone knows "rawh" means "I love you" in dragon! And believe it or not, she was actually asleep in this picture! She'd just finished a bottle and wanted to take her cat nap for the evening.

And this is her monster blanket. Meant to be a Halloween blanket, however Cady loves on it every day. It goes with her to the sitters, on trips, to Nanny's house...everywhere! Plus it's so cute :)