Unthinkable accident - Prayer request for Chapman family

At approximately 5pm on the afternoon of Wednesday May 21st, Maria Sue Chapman, 5 years old and the youngest daughter to Steven and Mary Beth Chapman was struck in the driveway of the Chapman home in Franklin, TN. Making the accident even more tragic was the fact her 16 year old brother was driving the SUV. Maria did not survive the accident. For more information please see the following links - http://stevencurtischapman.com/ - and a video of Maria with her dad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn8ajucsXr8&eurl=http://www.spirit1053.com/ For those who don't know Steven Curtis Chapman is an amazing Christian muscian. Please keep the Chapman family in your prayers. It absolutely breaks my heart to think about what they are going through right now. Only God can provide the peace, and the healing the family will need to see their way through this terrible accident.

I can't tell you how many times in the past few days I've kissed my little girl, told her I loved her and thanked God for blessing our life with her. Steven Curtis Chapman recently wrote, and recorded an amazing song called "Cinderella" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLYxtuC0oRk&feature=related an amazing message.

I've been reading through the thousands of comments left for the Chapmans . This was one of my favorite pieces that someone wrote:

The stroke of midnight came too soon.

The grand ball came to an expected and unexplainable close for yourCinderella.
And like the story-book Cinderella, the magic came to an end,but in a different way.
Your Cinderella exchanged her beautiful gown, not for common clothes, butfor a spotless, white robe.
Her glass slippers for a street paved with gold.Her tuxedoed attendants for a host of saints and a chorus of angels.
Her distant prince for the ever-present Prince of Peace.
Her bejeweled chariot for a heavenly mansion prepared since the foundationof the world.
And she exchanged her gleaming white horses for the reality that she neverneeds to rush off again - she is now home.
Really, the grand ball came to a close for those left behind.
But for Cinderella it is just beginning.

Guess what?

Our precious lil noise maker can touch the floor in her walker and has figured out how to push herself backwards! I am not sure she really gets what she is doing but knowing how quickly she catches on she will be FLYING around the kitchen in no time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mauk_P5YZYc

Daddy is going to be so surprised how much his girl has changed. 4 more wake ups until we pick daddy up from the airport! We are so proud of our guy -- he's tied with another guy he works with for # 1 in his class!

Off to get a few things done while LeAnne is naping. I've gots lots to do to get ready for John to come home on Saturday. Being a mama definately keeps ya busy. It's the hardest yet most rewarding job EVER! I also have an interview with a staff analyst at Express Personel on Thursday. I'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers. I wish there was a way we could make it work out so I didn' t have to work because I have really enjoyed being home with our girl but I realize we have to pay the bills. I never imagined it would take this long to find something but were in a smaller town and the economy isn't the best. I am praying I will find a job where I can make enough to pay off our debt, and a job I can leave at the office at the end of the day and hurry home to my family. I have faith God will provide in His time. :-)

Future American Idol contestant

Stop the presses we may have a future American Idol contestant on our hands! LeAnne has learned how to say La la la la la la. Mom and I are always going say Ma Ma, Da Da, La La, Ba ba and then yesterday mom was singing her a song that and was singing La la la la la and were in the middle of Super 1 grocery shopping when LeAnne figure out she could sing La la la la. She was pretty proud of herself and continued to sing loudly all through Super 1 and then Walmart. She's so adorable! ** We are HAPPY to be home! I can't believe how much everything has changed in a week. The flowers and trees are beautiful! I'll take some pictures once I get the lawn mowed. I'll tell ya there is no limiting where LeAnne will crawl these days -- time to get the baby gates mounted and the house baby proofed. Yesterday she discovered the movie shelf and the tile floor. EEKS! Look out! ** 5 more days until John comes home!!! SWEET! I MISS him so much! Today is our 7th anniversary and I really wish he was home today more than ever. He's not going to believe how much LeAnne has changed. Well speaking of LeAnne she's starting to wake up so mama needs a cup of coffee. Enjoy the video! Lets hope she gets her grandma and daddy's singing abilities. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOjyJHOpVkU

GREAT to see everyone & teething woes

It was so great to see all my work friends, my second family on Wednesday! Jerrie thank - you so much for organizing! I miss you ALL so much!! I would love time with each of you to catch up! You're all in my thoughts and prayers. Oh how I wish a virtual job would work out so I didn't have to leave the family and could make good $. Come visit us in our little town anytime you are in the neighborhood. LeAnne hadn't napped so I thought for sure we were in for a really fun time but she was a star. Ya'll wore her out. She was asleep two blocks after we got in the car. She took 2 good naps that afternoon. Then poor girl her teeth started to bother her again so she didn't sleep more than a few hours that night. Yesterday was rough too. I can't even imagine how bad teething must hurt. The only decent nap she got was when I took a drive to Issaquah and we drove around for about an hour. I think she must be working on a tooth on top. If anyone has any tips on how to ease the pain I'd gladly listen!! Kristin -- girl dinner was AMAZING as usual. I MISS you so much my friend and it was great to talk. Thank-you and PLEASE do visit when you can. I am so thankful our friendship knows no distance! Okay LeAnne is back down for a nap so I am off to nap too. I am learning. Great knews John got 100% on his written test this week and got 14 pts out of 16 possible points on his physical fitness test -- did all that with an ear infection. Were in the home stretch now! He has one more week - which I think will go by fast cause he's in his comfort zone - fire arms training. Well back to bed but first here is a cute picture of baby and I that mom took of us this week. LeAnne's been having fun bathing in grandma's sink. Love ya'll TONS!

7 Months old - First Tooth - Mother's Day

My mama & I discovered LeAnne's first tooth today! It's on the bottom left side. This could be why she's been so crabby the last few days. I can't believe our little girl is 7 months old. She's my bright eyed girl; full of energy, and smiles. She loves music, and carrots are her favorite. She is on the move - if they was a race for fastest army crawling baby I know she'd win given the right motivation. :-) My mama and I are wondering where the volume is -- she's been one noisey girl these days. Hee hee! I think she's transitioning to only taking 1-2 naps a day now. She's got way too much to do, she might miss something if she naps. Oh boy this is a transition for mama! We attempted to have some professional pictures taken this week and it was a wreck so I am thinking from now on I will take the pics with my digital camera and only take her in to have pictures done once a year. That was frusterating! She wore the most adorable dress that she got from Auntie Katie. I will take more pictures next time she's in it. By the time I took this pictures she was done for the day. No more pictures!

Mother's day has taken on a new meaning this year. I waited and prayed for our little girl for a long time. Being a mama is the hardest yet most rewarding job EVER! John made mother's day special all the way from Arkansas. He sent me the most beautiful card and then ... he had a beautiful boquet of flowers delievered to me! He's a keeper! I was also thrilled to get a text message from Amanda today wishing me Happy Mother's day. I miss our girl so much. Well I am off to mom's tomorrow so I must go get ready.

First hair cut

Not many babies need to have their hair cut 3 days before they turn 7 months old. Grandma Marcia and I took LeAnne to Creative Design today to have Christine cut her hair. We thought we were in trouble when she was being very crabby while we waited our turn. Thankfully though she was a very good little girl. Grandma held her so mama could work the camera. She had toys but her favorite toy was Christine's comb. She looks so cute!!! Christine put some hair conditioner to help maintain those curls and showed us some techiques. Bad mama confession -- I forgot to keep a little of her hair -- ooops -- I'll grab some from the next trim and she'll never know it wasn't her first. Were off to get her pictures taken today.

Spring Firsts & such

It's official LeAnne has been apart of her first campfire at Clear water Springs with the H***** tribe). We had a cook out with them on May 2nd. LeAnne was busy staring at her Uncle's (Greg & Stan) She also got to sit on her first big horse that night. She sat in the saddle with S*****and her mare. LeAnne also attended her first Dayton Garage sale event. Uncle Greg gave mama a break and had a blast pushing the stroller. Mama had a few great finds -- a couple of toys and a grab bag of baby proofing essentials. Oh can't forget that last week Auntie Kim put baby in the tall grass on her belly -- EEKS not in the face. Auntie also gave her a drink of water from a couple and LeAnne sat in a big kids high chair at a restaurant for the first time. I don't think I've told ya'll either that she's ventured over to eating veggies now. So far baby food wise she's eaten pears, apples, applesauce, peaches, bananas, squash, prunes, sweet potatoes and carrots. She loves bananas and loves her veggies. She's not good at eating her Oatmeal so I experimented a bit and may have found the ticket. She likes her oatmeal mixed with juice not milk. Watching LeAnne experience her firsts is awesome, such a cool blessing and I feel like I am seeing through brand new eyes. We had a blast with Uncle Greg and Aunt Crescent visiting. Thank-you two so much for spoling mama a bit. My lawn looks awesome Greg!!! It's so much fun watching you two with LeAnne. My prayer for you is you'll have your own lil ones when YOU TWO are ready. The best piece of advice I was given when LeAnne was little -- Do what is right for your family and don't feel pressured by others! Grandma Marcia is coming for a visit this week and then we will go back to Renton to stay with her for a week. Then the count down is on for daddy to come home! John is doing SUPER in school. He's working hard and as of Friday he's #1 in the class. He's headed into a tough week of studies -- It's law week -- he's been studying this weekend to get a jump start. I know he'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers for this week. We miss him so much around here! Let's about all from our neck of the woods. Love ya'll!!