Friday, January 9, 2015

Happy 35th Birthday!

There has been a lot of celebrating going on in this house. With New Years and my birthday following, it seems a lot of the focus is on me and having fun with what I want to do. 

This morning is different, today marks the day of a very special guy in my life, Marcos, my sexy, hunky, burning love of fire, 35th birthday! And I want to do more than just give him a cake and a present and sing happy birthday! I want to shout to the roof tops, I'm so blessed to have you as mine! I'm thrilled that I can be apart of your life, M. That when a story is written about my life, you are the main character. Because you are! 


The man that that kisses me first thing in the morning while I'm snuggled in the covers before heading off to work. 

The man that waits to call me until 9:30am to make sure I am up and greets me with a Good morning beautiful and to tell me he loves me.


The man that not only tells me that I'm beautiful every day but makes me believe it. 

The man who gets up bright and early before the birds to go into work and comes home late and makes time to get down on the floor with the girls and wrestle or plays hide and seek with them. 


The man who has our girls in tears when he leaves to go back to work during lunch because they know just how awesome and special of a daddy he is that they hate seeing him leave. 

The man who is the life of the party and can not only make everyone laugh but is always making me laugh.

The man who can turn my bad days into the best days with just a hug. 

The man who would much rather spend his off days and weekends with his wife and children then hanging by his self or with friends. 


The man who is dark, sweet brown eyes, and long lashes that was responsible for making two of the most beautiful big round brown eyed girls with longer lashes and has given me the greatest gift in the world, being a mom to them. 


The man who can be sensitive and masculine and look sexy doing it. 


The man who hate cleaning but when I'm overwhelmed with chaos he steps right up the plate and makes me sometime wonder was he a house cleaner in second life because it's immaculate. 

The man who plays hair dresser with the girls and isn't afraid to put on a bow and become a princess for an evening. 

The man who has learned life lesson with me and has the just the right words to bring wisdom to a situation. 

The man who melts my heart when he walks into the room!

The man who started my fairy tale journey with....

your life is worth celebrating today!! 

Happy Birthday to you, my love!! 

Happy Birthday Papi!! 






Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Face of Grace

A few weeks ago I was asked to take pictures for a birthday party. I'm not in the birthday party business of taking photos anymore but for this person, I was going to make an exception.

Lauren is someone I have known probably since middle school. We went to the same church for awhile and attended the yearly Gatlinburg youth retreats. She hosted several events at her house where I remember we were amazed she had a indoor tanning bed that everyone wanted! Through Facebook I've been able to keep up with Lauren, and more so since she got married and was pregnant with Fenley having more in common.

Last year I got a text from Lauren while I was at Northpark Mall letting the girls play and having lunch. I'm not a texter so I decided when I left I would just give her a call. Little did I know that phone call was going to have me back to praying for supernatural miracles.Through the tears, Lauren begins to tell me about her pregnancy with her precious son, Wills. My heart broke for her and all I think to do was to pray for her in that moment. So driving down the road with Natalie talking, I'm trying to muster up a prayer, the promises of God. One of the promises being, Malachi 3:10,11 "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field." "Casting your fruit before its time" refers, of course to a miscarriage. After we hung up all I could do was go home and remember God's word over this pregnancy for Lauren. I knew God didn't give Lauren my name as a contact about just photos, but God knows where my heart stands when having faith in an almighty God.

Lauren went on and gave birth to a beautiful baby boy! Praise the Lord! She did not cast her fruit before its time. I continued to pray for a supernatural miracle, for Wills to be made whole and healthy and to live a long life. Sadly Wills left this earth 15 days after entering. Lauren blogs about her walk with God through this at http://fourbowies.blogspot.com/ if you want to read her journey and read how God is continuing to walk her through this world with a different set of eyes.

So she turned 30 and wanted me to capture this 30th birthday. It was filled with the people she loved and knew her well. They gave wonderful toasts to Lauren's life and shared memories over the years with Lauren. It was wonderful to hear. Lauren thanked everyone and reminded everyone that when she was pregnant she was imaging having her Wills with her on this big 30th birthday. It struck a nerve with me as I was reminded of my lost the pregnancy before Natalie which ended after Christmas and just 2 days before my 26th bday. It is obvious that the joy of the Lord has been Lauren's strength through all of this. Happy 30th Lauren - to many more marvelous years!






Friday, January 10, 2014

The 4 Leaf Clover

Right before Christmas I had a few heart episodes that had me raising my eyebrows. I figured it was time to maybe check it out. Being the day before Christmas Eve it was ghost town to the say least and everyone was out of town. I met with an on call Dr from the heart transplant team and he reassured me all was well but after Christmas to come back for an echo to check things out. He made an appointment in pediatrics - that baby center. (God's at work).

Arrived on the 26th at pediatrics echo room only to be greeted by a very familiar face. Mrs Alex! Well, it's funny to call her Mrs. Alex. You are assuming an older lady. No no no - she's my age and married. We were in school together since elementary. It was great seeing a familiar face but I'm sure she wasn't expecting to see me. I had the echo done and she got to listen in on all the wonderful things about my lovely heart that God has given. We left the appointment knowing I was right where I needed to be and all hooked up to a heart halter. I've a got a new Dr., I've learned I always needed to be with the pediatric group considering my stuff was done back in my baby days. The term heart transplant was back on the table too. 

I got a message a few hours later from Alex informing me to pick up something from the front desk the next day when I return my monitor. I did exactly that! It was a tiny little card the read, "open carefully" on the back. 

"Open Carefully"

Jana, 
- Don't ask me how I remember this - When we were in elementary school, we went on a school field trip to the Ag museum. I found a 4 leaf clover on this trip & you asked me if you could have it. I was being a bratty kid & said no. I went home, pressed it in a book & some how still own this book with the 4 leaf clover. 

I figured now was a good as a time as any to give it you. I know that this journey you are on is entirely in God's hands, but it never hurts to have a little bit of luck on your side. 

Hoping the Best, 
Alex


Wow

I was in tears, my husband in tears. I kept thinking how special is this? How awesome is God! I wanted to write her back immediately. I started my message to her about 4 times before I knew exactly what to say. 

Alex, 

Words can't describe the feeling I felt when reading your card and the story behind the 4
leaf clover. It brought me to tears and was confirmation to myself that God knows what He is doing and to trust in Him. Putting you in my path during this time and reminding you of this clover is not a coincident but something I believe God had planned from the moment you decided to keep it. Now was the time for me to receive it, in His timing not our owns. Thank you for giving up your special clover! I'll take great care of it! 

Love & blessings, 
 Jana

Update

After the monitor, I met with my new Dr. After he reviewed everything he says I can keep my heart! Praise the Lord!! I'm going to be receiving a pacemaker very soon! Well, not a pacemaker but An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) that will react if at anytime my heart needs some help. I keep seeing God at every corner of this journey reminding me of His faithfulness and love for me. God loves us! He truly does.  

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Good Bye 20s...

Only a couple of hours away before I'm celebrating my 30th birthday with my favorite people. As I reflect on the past 30 years of my life, I can only give God all the praise and glory that He is so worthy of. I've lived a blessed life with amazing friends, great stewards and lots of love.

I'm not a glamorous girl, I'm pretty simple. My friends may argue that one on me, ha but seriously, the little things in life mean the most to me. I'm going to attempt to list highlights of my 20s.

Highlights of my 20s:
20 - in college I met Marcos. God showed me he was the one by some of Marcos' 1st few English words. They were; "I love Jesus", "Do you go to Church" & "I'm not Catholic" (haha - just a joke for my Catholic friends). Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14
21 - celebrated my 21st birthday in Brazil. God really broke me during this season as I was already involved in the basketball coach, Coach Barnes' wife's Tuesday night prayer group. It was a very intense group of women where we clothed ourselves in prayer shawls and cried out to the Lord. It was such an anointed time. When I in Brazil I was exposed to a very broken and poverty stricken areas that had me praying for people on the side of the streets. "He himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed." 1 Peter 2:24
22 - graduated college & my dad was really sick. We got together one evening with Brittany & Ramsey Bell where I was filled with the Holy Spirit and received the gift of tongues. God opened my eyes during this time to the "supernatural" realm. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12
23 - married Marcos in Disney World. My dad gotten worse with his sickness and many people were wanting me to change my wedding date. I believed God that my dad would dance with me at my wedding and guess what? He did! Praise God! My daddy ended up getting better that year. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
24 - got a puppy, Sophia & traveled to Greece.  The Lord taught us patience during this season, bc with Sophia she was tearing up our house! Also, being married we were learning a new level of patience. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." 1 Corinthians 13:4
25 - struggled getting pregnant. We had decided to start a family but that was becoming impossible. With many rounds of clomid &. then femara and lots of prayers, we finally go a positive! My blog back in the day talks about this. During this time my verse was "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5. 
26 - my aunt Lisa dies & Natalie arrived! "I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him." 1 Samuel 1:27
27 - my daddy dies. It was soon after Natalie's 1st birthday in June things got worse with my dad. Our believers were standing with us believing in a miracle. That miracle never came the way we wanted it but the celebration service my daddy left behind was something that impacted everyone who came.  His legacy was Matthew 25:36 and a reminder to me why I am here: "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me."
28 - pregnant with Gabriela / and she arrives. This is just a plain out miracle and reminder from God to me that He is faithful. Drs were concerned if I got pregnant my heart wouldn't be able to take it. I was sent to a Maternal fetal Dr who was going to make the call where I could go on meds to get preggo or not. Guess what? I got pregnant April and went to his appointment in June. :) He was shocked and needless to say even brought up the word Abortion to me. I told him, "No way, wasn't' even considering it and that it was the greatest thing since ranch on spaghetti and ketchup on Mac&Cheese. I'm not really sure on a verse for that year. I just kept singing, "Jesus loves me this I know!" God continued by my side up to the delivery when Gabriela turned and I delivered her BREACHED! Yeah baby! Breached! Because I believed God for a perfect delivery - no Csection. He knew my heart and I turned towards him in that moment.
29 -  I was told I needed a Heart transplant. :) Yes, you heard that right. It was really hard to hear. But then God reminded me of Gabriela, my messenger! Trust in the Lord. I called a dear friend, Mayaba Choonga, and her words brought me peace. She says, "Jana, the Lord says, It is well!" It is well..." Praise God, it is well! This last year in my 20s has been nothing short but marvelous (in Lauren's words). "For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God." Psalm 86:10



I'm looking forward to tomorrow - the Big 3-Oh! And I expect God to show up and show out in my 30s in a BIG way! For I believe in a miracle working God! A Great God and greatly to be Praised! 




Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Trick-Or-Treat

Trick-Or-Treat

Happy Halloween!

"What are you going to be for Halloween?" is the latest questions asked to my 3 year old on a daily basis. It's a tough question for her. Why? Because, her mommy has informed her we are not dressing up for Halloween. That we don't participate in Halloween because it is scary. Right now, she seems ok with the response but later? How will it all play out? I am not sure. All I know is I am doing what I feel convicted to do. 

You see, growing up at the Dean house, we always dressed up. Dressing up with the funniest part of Halloween. All the candy and sorting candies was the memories I made with my brother and sister. The swapping Hersheys for Snickers because that is my all time favorite candy! All innocent and all fun, right? Yeah - I would say so. 

As I got older, I learned some people didn't participate in Halloween. I learned that Halloween was primarily a time when evil and witchcraft took place. Well, great - good for them. I wasn't doing it for those reasons. I was just eliminating those facts. I was adjusting Halloween to my needs, my liking. 

I met my husband in college and was all about Halloween. He on the other hand was not. He grew up differently. In Brazil, Halloween is not something many people participated in. Marcos never did Halloween in Brazil. He knew about Satan, witchcraft and the horrible things that took place on that day. But, he adjusted and adapted to my traditions of dressing up and carving pumpkins. 

Now rewind to married and with a baby! Oh, I couldn't wait to dress Natalie up for her 1st Halloween!! She was going to be the cutest sheep/pig or princess ever! And that year, she was! :) I met friends along the way and other adults. I learned more people didn't participate in Halloween either. Again, good for them. But we did! :)

One friend in particular had been a great spiritual mentor to me. I admire her and I always was interested in her opinion or her belief on certain matters. She grew up different then me, she didn't participate in Halloween or dressed her kids up. We got on the topic in 2011 after she was debating on allowing her kids to do it that year or not. I was telling her I'd always participated, like her husband as well, and she was thinking of letting her kids in on the action. She seemed to struggle with this decision to do it or not. I responded that, "everyone has their own personal convictions" I personally had never been convicted in this area. I'm very aware of convictions and when I feel convicted the Lord lets me know loud and clear. So that evening outside of Goodwill shopping with her I boldly stated, "Until the Lord convicts me otherwise, we will always do Halloween - I need a reason for not participating - a better reason than witchcraft and Satan."

Be careful what you say! :)

Christmas had rolled in and everyone day I raced to my mailbox to get a Christmas card. It was such an exciting time. I love Christmas! CHRIST-mas. Right. The birth of my Savior, Jesus Christ! The reason for the season!!! Ohh how exciting. 

On this day, I ran inside the house to tear open more cards. I tore open and pulled out - "Merry X mas!" Gasp!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gasp!!! Oh no they did not!! Oh no they did not send me a card that said,"Merry X mas" !! You see, these dear sweet friends of mine don't know Christ were taking Christ out of Christmas. I said to myself, "How dare they take CHRIST out of CHRISTMAS!" You can't take Christ of Christmas! -- WAIT FOR IT... Wait for it...

"You hypocrite! You are no better than they are! What kind of example are you setting? You are taking Satan out of Halloween but they can't take Christ out of Christmas? You hypocrite!" 

I literally fell to my knees and started crying. (Again my heart pounds and tears fill my eyes writing this) The Lord did it! He convicted me. It was such a profound moment in my life. I hadn't heard from the Lord this strong in a long time. I seriously thought I heard His loud and majestic voice fill my living room with those words! The 1st thing I did was call my friend and tell her the big news!

So, 2012 was our 1st year we didn't participate. For husband, it was no big deal. He never did. But for me - it was hard. But I'm reminded of John 15:19; "If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world..."

So as the world carries on their traditions, I sit back and watch. I'm my own person. I've got my own personal relationship with my heavenly Father. He is always watching over me and always has my back. I needed a testimony - a story if I wasn't going to do something, and on that quiet December day, He gave me one. 

love & blessings

Jana

Friday, April 20, 2012

Oh Happy Day...AGAIN?!

I'm BACK! To blogging! AGAIN!

I want to be FAIR right? Fair to whom we may ask?

FAIR to the little  and oh so BIG news that came yesterday!



YES! We found that I am 7 weeks and 1 day pregnant with a heart rate of 147. Baby #2 will be expecting around the 1st of December. 

Natalie is just thrilled as you can see in the pictures! She loves her baby that will making it's debut in just 8 months. 

I'm asking myself, how did this happen? Ha. You are laughing and saying, well, there is only ONE way for this to happen! Haha... I know I know! However, with it taking my 2 years to get preggo with Natalie and one miscarriage before Natalie at 6 weeks and 2 days - Pregnancy is a long process in my thought process. Marcos and I had started "talking" about baby #2 and had even gone to talk to my Cardiologist about baby #2 getting his thoughts and then following it up with my OB a week later, where we agreed that I would go see A high risk maternal and fetal dr. on May 17th before she we start me back on my meds to get preggo. 

Well, this all happened without meds and sometime between those 2 weeks of appointments. I'm actually excited it happened this way. This way I can say, "It's a God thing for sure!" A God thing that all this happened naturally. An assurance for me from the Almighty saying, "Yes, you can have a baby #2 and Yes, I will be by your side and you will be fine just like you were with Natalie!" 

I will still meet with Dr. Perry the high risk maternal and fetal Dr. at Baptist. I'm looking forward to the next 8 months taking one a second journey with this time a baby, Natalie, by my side. 

Oh, and my OB said, have your ever seen the show, "Pregnant and didn't know it," - YES, Her reply, "You would star in that show!!" My last menstrual was February 2nd! My postive pregnant test was March 29th! And I'm 7 weeks preggo on April 19th?! :) 

Well, that's all for now folks!

Just playing fair. I journeyed through blogging with Natalie and I will with this little miracle! 


Thursday, June 16, 2011

Happy 1st Birthday!

Greetings Friends & Family!

It's 10:04 on June 16th 2011 and in less then 14 hours I'll have a beautiful, healthy, smart and super sweet 1 year old! Oh how the time flies! I had hoped to keep blogging every month Natalie was here but I personally feel that my time was too valuable during the day to keep up with it and at night I was too tired or had something better to do! =)

(--Natalie just woke up and M and I are laying back here in our bedroom as he cradles her and I type away. We will put her back in her crib in about an hour. I think she can feel the excitement of her big day! - ha)

So tonights blog will give you a recap in the eyes of Natalie's first year in this whole new world!

Dear Bloggers - Readers - Followers and what nots,

As my mom stated earlier I was born on Thursday, June 17 2010@ 12:57pm. From that moment on I captured the hearts of everyone around me - especially my mommy and meu papai! There was a lot of crying. I bet you are thinking I was the cry baby - no, I wasn't  - it was my momma! She cried all the way home from the hospital in disbelief that I was her beautiful baby. I kept hearing her tell daddy that it was "happy tears". My goodness she cried happy tears the enitre way home from the hospital and I think for the whole 1st month of my life. She must have been really happy!

I ate alot! Every 30mins I was hungry. I bonded with my mommy because she was the only one who could feed me. If I cried - I got her. It was great - I learned I could always lean on her when I needed something - especially food. The first month really wasn't too exciting as I slept and ate and really wasn't sure what else I was suppose to do. I had so many visistors and my great granny kept telling my momma that she was letting to many people hold me too much. My momma said she didn't mind everyone holding me- because she believed you could never hold a baby too much. This might have been a considered a downfall for them because - I did end up liking it alot and never wanted to be put down. =)

At 4wks (July 16) - @ 1 month I was weighing 6lbs 11oz. I had discovered my voice and would coo all the time. Everyone was pretty impressed that I could already lift my head up from lying on my stomach. My dr. said it was probably bc I was so little that it wasn't much I was lifting. I'd like to believe it was just how strong I was. I started going out. I went to Nonnie's house alot, my Aunt Merle, Museum of Natural Science, El Potrillo, Walmart, Hobby Lobby, TJ Max & Olive Garden. I made friends with Ethan Bradley, Will Duncan and Max Nicholson. They were all in love with me - go figure! ;)

At 9 weeks (Aug 20) - @ 2 months I was weighing 8lbs 11oz. Yup .. 2 lbs in one month! I started sleeping in my swing and would sleep up to 6 hours at night. I started eating less - about every 3 hours. I discovered my thumb and would suck it for a second until I missed my mouth and got poken in my eye. Then I'd scream. I was working hard on hand coordination. On August 21st, I had my first bath without screaming. I realized I wasn't going to drown and the water was warm and I liked the feeling of being fresh and so clean! I finally got to go visit my Aunt Dana at her house! My Aunt Priscila from Brazil came to see me too. I was planning on getting dedicated that month however something really sad happened. My mommy and everyone around me was really sad and said that my Aunt Lisa was called home to be with Jesus. I wasn't really sure why they's be so sad about getting to see the big guy - Jesus. I mean, I know all about Him. He formed and fashioned me in my momma's womb. I entered into this world filled with the Holy Spirit - people that stop my momma tell her, "look at that holy ghost smile or that is one sweet spirited little girl - so pure"! I'm sure they were happy she got to see Jesus but just wished they could have both Jesus and Aunt Lisa together. I'll get to see her again oneday so that makes me happy.

At 13 weeks (Sept 17) - @ 3 months I was 10lbs 7oz. I was really loving life. I could laugh out loud and it was awesome. On Oct 13 , I finally figure out how to roll over one way - from my stomach to my back . I got to go the the MS state fair and smell all the yummy food that my momma kept saying I'd get to eat next year. I can't wait. That elephant ear is so mine. I mastered my fussy frustrated sounds and also could squeal with delight. My momma said I could say, "aaaa-acm". =) Yea, that's me - don't be jealous!

At 17 weeks (Oct 17) @ 4th month I was 11lbs 8oz.  I was sleeping good - waking up at 2am and 4 am. My cousin Fairley Lola Dean was born on the 27th. She was really cute. I love her! I finally mastered the other way to roll - back to tummy. I got my first bad cold that the dr. had to give me medicine. It helped me breathe better!

@ 5 months (Nov. 21) I weighed 13lbs! I could tuck my knees under and push. I had started my army crawl. Meu papai loved when I started saying, "Da - Da - Da". It had a cool ring to it and I got a lot of attention from papai so I did all the time. :)

12-03: slept from 8pm - 845am.
12-05: Say Da Da
12-09: Discovered my hands
12-18: crawled ONCE! ;)
12-23: An official scooter!
I must say I was on a roll that month!

@ 6 months (Dec. 20) I weighed 14lbs and 1 oz. My mommy said I couldn't be stopped. I could go anywhere I had my mind set on. I crawled every where and it was a blast. I also turned into a SuPeRMoDeL. Yes, a SUPERMODL. Well, I know I'm beautiful but that is not the reason why. It was my new pose. The "side pose". You see when I crawled and was finished, I couldn't really sit up. So I'd strike my pose. When I finished scooting I'd stop and lean on my side. No worries people - we've got tons of photos of this. I gained an entire Brazilian community and recieved my passport for my future trip to Brazil.

@ 7 months (Jan. 17, 2011) - 15lbs 2 oz. I was still waking up through the night because I was teething really bad. I had been teething since around 4months but now my teeth were getting ready to break through! I was now taking some formula during the day and only using my mom in the morning and at night. I finally started eating baby foods.  It wasn't that my parents hadn't tried - they tried I just didn't like it. Now I was eating more chunkier foods and just skipped the whole puree thing. I started clapping my hands all the time. I'd clap my hands and mommy and daddy would cheer! Well, because of their reaction I did atleast a 100 times a day! They'd even sing, "Parabens!" which is Happy Birthday in portuguese! Not only did I start clapping but I could do the big girl crawl. Crawling off my tummy and sitting up without support. I also starting pulling up, like in my crib! My newest cousin arrived too - Jordan Leigh and I was so impressed with all that dark hair. You see - I was born with no hair! I also had my first case of the stomach bug. It was gross but didn't last long!

@ 8 months - 16lbs (Feb 17) My two bottom teeth broke through. My mommy and daddy officially put me in my crib. You see I had been sleeping with them in their bed. How did this happen? My argument was this: God created everything - humans and animals. Well, when animals are born their parents don't go put them in other trees or far away from them - do they?! Nope, they cuddle their babies and keep them right by their side. So that's what I preferred. I had just entered this world so why would they want me away from them? I couldn't understand that and they couldn't either. They loved me right by their side and I loved being right there with them. But now I was a big girl. No longer needing mommy- finally on formula 24/7 and had 2 teeth! I was ready for my bed.

@ 9 months - 16lbs 7oz (Mar. 20) I was a great sleeper. I was laid down in my crib around 7pm and wouldn't even cry. Why would I need to cry it out? I was tired and I was used to bedtime. I knew it was time to sleep and I was ready. I met my friend Ethan Frontiera at a soccer game. My momma and his mommy are good friends. They were pregant around the same time but Ethan was born in March! Our daddies play soccer together and they had come down for a tournament. I had started standing alone and trying to walk but just couldn't get the nerve to take a step.

We finally put my passport to use and  I took a big trip to brazil to visit my Vovo and Vov^o! It was really hot in brazil but I loved all the attention I was getting. I was even dedicated in Brazil and had my 1st Easter in Brazil. I went from being SuperModel striking poses to a Celebrity getting cheers and claps and people wanting to shake my hand. I'm thinking I need to get an agent? Tio and Tia were trying to teach me to walk and I took my first steps in Brazil!

@ 10 month - 17lbs 2oz (Apr 20) I'm an offical walker! I can walk everywhere I want. I'm still wobbly and have fallen. When I fall my mommy gets scared and even cries sometimes with me. She prays immediately for my falls and that my bruises leave me swiftly. And Praise God - they do! =)
@ 11 months - 18lbs (May 17) I visited my friend Ethan in Chattanooga. It was a blast. We stayed up way past our bed times. At food all day long and played with his dog Sam. I was really sad to leave me. My two top teeth started breaking through. You can feel them but can't see them quite yet.

And TODAY - June 17, 2011 I am now 12months old!! =) I've made it a full year in the life and so far I love it. God gave me incredible parents that tend to my every need. They love me unconditionally and that is all that matters. Tomorrow is my BIG Party and I can't wait to eat some cake - a cupcake to be exact! Also, my 2 front teeth are becoming more visible! I guess I'll see everyone tomorrow for my PaRtY!

Bless Out!
Natalie