TGIT!

It's Thursday! Yay! TNO (Thursday Night Out/Off) is the cause for much joy in the Willamette MBA program. The Business College doesn't have any classes on Friday's so that the students can have an extra day to meet with their PACE groups and work on their projects. But really, TNO has kinda become an excuse for most of the MBA students to meet at a bar and celebrate the end of another week. For us, TNO is usually the night where we rent a Redbox (or find something on Netflix Instant Play) and relax. Thursday has become my new favorite day of the week. Here's to many more TNO's!

I have a bunch of pictures to post from Claire's birthday with Jeff, Valerie and Janelle and from last weekend with my Mom and Dad, Tara and David and Marcus and Ashley, but my computer is sick... :( So is Claire. I'm thinking it might be because she got her MMR vaccination and her Chickenpox vaccination, all live virus, at her 1 year check up last week... Poor baby girl! So anyway, here are a few totally raw, unedited pictures from the Pumpkin patch we went to with my mom and Tara while everyone else was at the BYU v OSU game (Yay, Cougs!)

I love her eyes in this picture. I can't wait to go to town in PSE once my computer is working again!

All these beautiful gourds were from their fields. I really wanted to buy up their whole supply and bring them home with me, they were just so pretty!

I love this picture. Her face and Dallin's expression are perfect!

The crew on the hay ride! Claire wouldn't look at the camera. And isn't my neice, Sarah just gorgeous?? She's only 14, so any young men out there *cough* Derek *cough* have to wait a couple years ;-)

Unfortunately, this was the best shot we got of us all day... Not my most flattering picture of all time, but oh well, you take what you can get.

My niece, and his older sister, Emiline, calls him "Mr. Chubby Cheeks" but it sound more like this- "Mistowe Chubby Cheeks" Don't you just wanna kiss him?!

Another shot of my gorgeous niece

My beautiful mother!

Claire giving Grandma Henry kisses :)

William coming down the hay pyramid slide

Look really close. See that nice little wet circle on her bum? She didn't want to go potty in a porta potty (I don't blame her) so she just kept letting a little out every now and again which resulted in her pants getting wet and her not being able to go down any slides or riding any of the trikes. Silly girl, I love her!

Love You Forever, Like You For Always

Dear Claire,

You are 1 year old today! That just seems completely unreal to me. People told me that once we started having children, time would speed up. That was the understatement of the year. Time has literally flown by.

I vividly remember every tiny detail of the day you were born. I remember talking to Aunt Rachel on the phone to make sure I was really in labor. I remember the frantic look on Daddy's face as he got home from the gym and saw just how much pain I was in. I remember we hit every green light on the way to the hospital (hallelujah) and trying to walk to the elevator in the hospital lobby. I remember the way my hands shook as I tried to sign all the ridiculous waivers and forms at the L&D sign in desk and telling the nurse that I was pretty sure you were coming RIGHT NOW. I remember the incredulous look she gave me as she checked to see how far dilated I was and announced I was at a 9. I remember the beautiful blessing Uncle Marcus gave me as the epidural finally kicked in and the total exhaustion that suddenly overcame me once the pain was under control. I remember seeing your tiny head crown and wondering if you were a boy or girl, and then not caring as the next contraction hit because I just wanted to have you in my arms! And I remember the most beautiful feeling that overcame me as Daddy announced we had a baby girl and they laid you on my chest for the very first time, softly singing happy birthday to you for the very first time. It was the most beautiful song I had ever heard. I looked into your sweet face and my life changed forever.

I was overcome with feelings of love and gratitude that you were healthy and strong. I remember feeling awful guilt as I realized how much love a mother has for her daughter and painfully recalled every time I was ever a brat to my own mother, suddenly realizing how much it must have hurt her to be treated that way. And then I was filled with a deep appreciation for all that my mother did for me and I knew I wanted to be a mother just like that for you.

October 9, 2010 was the most magical day of my life. It was the day you made me a mother, and I will never forget it. Happy Birthday, baby girl. I love you more than you will ever know.

Love, Momma