Important to me...

I know I have lacked keeping this updated, but I felt the need to sit down tonight and post this. Alabama needs our help. these family's need our help. thanks for reading.....

March 17th 2009 was a very difficult day for our family. When Lois-mae was born and called a "stillborn". I thought our hospital in alabama would be more prepared for this then I, so the only thing I worried about was delivering her, and seeing her for what would be the first and last time but not alive. I would never see her take a breath, I would never see what color her eyes would be and I would never hear her goo or gaa or smile. Our hearts were broken. We knew she was with our Lord Jesus Christ. We never asked why. we only knew that she would never hurt, or feel any of the pains of this world or suffer the devils ways. We give glory to the fact that she will forever only know Gods love and Personally I am jelous of the fact that she gets to praise him and spend her forever at his feet. THANK YOU JESUS.

However, one thing that broke my heart, though it may seem small to you. is that the state of alabama refused to issue a birth certificate to us and others that suffer this loss. Yes, the hospital gives us our "fake paper that has her name and info on it" but it's not a birthcertificate . I birthed my baby girl. I labored over her for hours and birthed her just like other children get birthed. there was no difference. When she arrived I was broken, I got to hold her just like I would any other child. I got to feel her skin because she was there. To be told that no birth certificate would be issued was shocking. ANd also since there was no birth certificate issued we could NOT get a death certificate. So that meant that the state doesnt accknowledge these childrens birth nor their death. I ask... does that seem right?

I ran across this tonight and wanted to have others know that it isnt just I who went through this but many other family's do too. It is tragic to loose a child, and no one else knows what it trully FEELS like. But please understand how important this is to us all. Click on this site, read the story and please, please sign it! please help us change this. Please make this one less thing we have to find out and think about at this time when all we really should be doing is praying to our Lord and trusting in his Holyness.
Thanks...
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/2/certificate-of-birth-resulting-in-stillbirth-alabamaCertificateCertificate

It was saturday

This is Joanna she actually ate her breakfast this morning WOOHOO!

Levi enjoyed his breakfast too!

For some reason this morning Grizzly didn't want to get up. Well he did wake up just to put himself on my lovely red couch. No one seemed to mind, we all left him there and he slept for about an hour and a half.. MUST BE NICE!

Ben had actually eaten earlier but when Jena decided she was gonna eat, Ben wanted another bowl :)

I wanted the babies to do something special for the big kids for Christmas so I decided that they could make them some Tshirts, I think they will really like them. They sure do love each other <3

I took a little break, and sat on the couch and watched dirty jobs. Of course Levi wouldn't let me leave his side. I don't mind him sitting on my lap for a bit.

Here we are at the end of the day. Everyone finally getting along, Mr. Potato heads were pulled in all kinds of directions. We do have enough to go around, so it turns into quite a nice activity.

We did so much running around today that we are completely exhausted from and really feels like we got nothing accomplished. Arnt those days great *insert sarcasm here*

It's only a bit after 8 and I think it maybe really close to my head laying on my pillow :)

Just another Friday

Hello to all my friends, how was your day? I hope the Lord blessed you! I pray that tomorrow I will pay better attention as my day goes on so I can see the work throughout the day. Instead of waiting tell my children are going to bed. I want them to see each day how much I feel Gods love and how I can show that to them. I mean if God can Love me and sacrifice himself for me then I should at least be able to show my kids a bit more love, kindness, and patience... right? I'm sure its easier when HE'S first.

So. Today was, as every week, just another Friday.

Jo had therapy and I don't know why I have only a picture of Levi in the playroom at the therapy center and not Jo.

Then here's Levi around 5:30ish just saying Hi! How can you NOT love him?!

"FISH-ES"

How big does he look?

So this was just a bit ago and you can see that Ive had a stressed week, all the were and tear shows on me. I apologize for the mess I am. Yesterday our baby girl would of been 9 months old and with the holidays being here I have been in tears.

AND... Here is my lovely husband taking a beautiful picture of himself :)

I love you honey <3

Of course that wasn't all I did today. But that is all I captured with my phone :) May the Lord bless you and may you see the beauty he places in front of you throughout your day.

From my heart to yours.

Cherry-Ann

pictures from our day

Today we will go backwards through the pictures from our day :) Mainly because the photo's uploaded backwards and I cant figure out how to rearrange them without deleting and redoing... doesn't sound like much fun lol

Meet Jo:

Jo likes her picture taken.

Jo was caught at a weird time...

No Jo is NOT trying to eat grizzly.

Meet Levi:

Levi likes to drink juice

Levi likes to drink juice out of the carton

Levi has figured out how to open that carton...

GO LEVI!

*cheers*

Here is Jo part 2...

Jo likes her long hair

Jo is learning to brush her own hair

Jo DID NOT get her brush stuck in her hair...

GO JO!

*cheers*

Here is Jo and Levi TOGETHER!!! these are the pictures most important in my house, where you see destruction and other things you will probably see them both... Here is Jo and Levi... what do you think happened???

Jo thought that both her and Levi needed to eat the popcorn that was left over from our movie last night. I don't know what happened next because I was folding laundry. That was until i hear what sounded like beads running all over the floor. Nope POPCORN. I must say the plus side to it is grizzly can come help clean it up. However trying to get everyone NOT to eat the kernels is not so fun.

Meet Grizzly:
Grizzly will love you because you are a person
Grizzly will love you because you said something to him.
Grizzly will listen and obey
and when grizzly does...
grizzly gets a car ride and every ones happy.

Picture of the day....

And the winner is?????? I've decided this would be a good idea to keep me posting on the kiddos. So here he is my "little man" isn't he one of the cutest things ever? He'll be 19months next week. I have had a hard time remembering to enjoy all the crazy things this guy does since he is our last. *SIGH* I am so glad of that. I can't wait to have the best time with all the kids and NO BABIES! He has grown 2 inches since the end of September. Hes had the biggest growth spurt in that time amongst all the kids. Jena took second at 1 inch, then Ben with 3/4 of an inch and last Jo at 1/2 inch. Shoot we were just happy that she has grown any! I think the diet they have her on is working great, now we just have to have her MAINTAIN her weight.

Back to Levi. This kid definitely has had the widest personality of them all. One minute he is the most cuddly guy and then the next he is jumping off of the BACK of the couch or trying to fall face first (no hands) onto his bed. I don't know what I'm gonna do with him. He did fall off the alligator today at Jo's OT appointment, got the top of his head on the wall, I went over to check him out (cause you know there are other people around) and he did what I thought he would.... What's that you ask?... got up and went moving on. Yah he was a bit tearful, but did he want any loves? nope! I think all this biting and beating that Jo does on him is gonna get her back, and sooner then we think. I'm waiting for the day he just halls-off and knocks her on her butt. <3>

He loves to sing and dance. He's got "twinkle, twinkle, little star" down pretty darn good oh and his favorite is "the itsy bitsy spider" He cracks me up when we do "patty cake" his rolling turns into rotating his arms in some WEIRD fashion while saying "woooh's et" Don't you just LOVE the way little kids sound when they learn to talk? trying to get it right and they think they are but they are just off a tad. I find it amazing how all the kids sounded different yet I still could tell you what they said.

I've been pretty down and out about being a mom and a parent lately and I am now very glad I took the 10 minutes to do this. I got a smile out of myself and the Lord has blessed me through a not so great day! "THANK YOU JESUS"

"Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life and rest, and joy and peace."

~'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus~

today is tuesday

Yep, that's right it is Tuesday. I even KNOW it's Tuesday which is a shock because I can never remember what day it is, actually I can never remember anything about the days. They all seem to run together. I know that is normal for a SAHM of 4 who is busy with everyday things, and all our daily life.... stuff....

I have not been so good at keeping everyone posted with life. I seem to do better in keeping individual contact with people. I guess that comes with not being a people person... HOW?? I do not know, but I think that's my excuse.

I am exhausted. I am over whelmed. I am Cherry-Ann Laird. My lord loves me, I him. My Daniel loves me, I him. My children love me, I them. And that is all that keeps me going each day.

I need to get my Christmas cards out. Yes, they will be cheesy, they wont even have pictures, and they may only say Merry Christmas. But will everyone know I am thinking of them? Well I certainly hope so. I enjoy listening to people, I do not like talking to people, but my ears are always here and open. I am that shoulder others need, but I do not have a shoulder when I am in need. That's OK. I know this loneliness will only be for a short season.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-14:
"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. he has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil -- this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."

Anyways I've just been really lonely way over here with my life and I know that with God he will help me to not be so lonely however my earthy human self is being very selfish and self pity is getting in my path. So please keep me in your prayers as you go through your day, that God will give me the strength to make it through with him, and the wisdom to ASK him for it!

~From my heart to yours~

Everyone as shocked as I?

If you are reading this you are probably as shocked as I am that I am here typing this :) It has been a while. I know. I got to a point of being overwhelmed with being so far behind. It's that darn snow ball effect! Why must you be there snowball?? why?why?why? So why am I back? well I had this epiphany as I was catching up with an old friend tonight.... I do not have to share every waking thought (i mean who would really want to hear those?) And that is what I was thinking, for some reason that and the lack of time to share those thoughts were overwhelming me. SOOOOO I figured I will start out tonight with something about what happened at thanksgiving and that would be enough.

Thanksgiving was a blast people!!

I will admit I LOVE to please people with food. I feel like people should love food as much as I. I am not a fan of people but I love me some food! I had so many things that morning/night before that were going wrong I just thought it was all gonna be a flop. Wrong... WHY?? partly I am sure because my mommy was praying for me, she knows me and knows how crazy and blown up I can make things :) LOVE YOU! <3 Now, I have a few food traditions... I am not talking about anything fancy and of course we still have the turkey and potatoes, and stuffing and cranberry sauce. I am talking silly things like #1 I always make dinner rolls from scratch. I can not tell you what a blessing it was for us to get a bread maker two years ago. I think the thing was used every day for those two years. well the problem was when we moved, mom and I made sure the paddle for the bread maker was put somewhere that was easy to remember, we both knew where it was. We even saw it once we got moved in... however... I could not find it Wednesday and I still have not found it. Unfortunately we did not get home made dinner rolls :(

Bad incident 2: I am a big believer in "children should not be in the kitchen when using very Hot items" My biggest problem is having children running THROUGH the kitchen when I am cooking. I do not mind if we have planned for them to help cook and they are there, and following instructions. Jo has always had trouble feeling things that are Hot and we have dealt with many burns with her, and i like to prevent them as much as possible. I do not have a regular metal roasting pan, so I have to buy the little 99 cent aluminum ones. NO problem. This however was my first year making a 20 pound turkey and lets use the excuse I had mommy brain for a moment! Of course lets also not forget the 5 sticks of butter I crammed through-out the turkey :) what does that equal? anyone? I went to pull the turkey out of the oven and the pan bent. Not even really bad. However, it was just enough to cause a bit of the 8 cups of drippings to slide down my legs which then splashed onto Daniel (who is also not allowed in the kitchen when mom is cooking lol) and poor poor Levi. I must give a shout out to my Jesus for being our protector! no one got burnt. He is good isn't he?! I mean that could of been a serious.... serious incident!

Bad incident #3...as dorky as this may sound..... I am still learning our refrigerator.... what does that mean you may ask? well I will be happy to elaborate! we have a side-by-side fridge... I AM not nor am I sure I will ever be a fan of them. it is very difficult to fit platters in a side by side *hand raised* can I get a witness??? lol anyways. that is not even the point. I have had an unlucky finger that is so missing its lovely skin! every time I take something out of the 3rd shelf on the door I seem to rub it pretty darn hard on the shelf right above it. Apparently I am not one of those humans that does something once, learns from her mistakes, and moves on never to do it again. I did it thanksgiving eve or morning, SHEESH i cant even remember! i do remember how much it hurt and that I had to take some time to then clean up the blood... awwww... what a nice treat!

bad incident #4 which I know does not technically have any business of my own.... technically :) In the process of finishing up our glorious meal we hear sirens. OK we do live near a fire station because I hear them all the time, no biggy. Well, WRONG-O! Daniel comes down the stairs and out the door, he comes in and says there were 2 cop cars speeding down to the opposite corner of the street, they hop out of their cars with guns drawn. what the heck-o? turkey-dispute? still do not know what happened. but have thought about moving... been here what 3 months and have had this on the street, a robbery across the street WHICH, wouldn't you know their last name is the same as ours? whats the chances of that? well I am sure if your last name is like smith or something else pretty common the chances are pretty high but LAIRD??? most people have no idea what that says :) Oh, now do not forget the father down the street who decided to give his one year old MARIJUANA for his birthday!! yeah that one was all over the news.

I will give you a bad incident #5 and I think I wont need to say more after this. fair? I thank so :) Of course if you know me, you probably know that me , myself, and I do not agree with stairs. I swear they are out to get me! I fell down them last week. yep that's right. I seem to also not be able to remember that yes, there are hand rails, yes I do use them, however, sometimes.... just sometimes... its important to LET GO of the rail when you are falling! otherwise you now have a very bummed shoulder, a very, very bummed shoulder. I give props to the one armed and one handed people who cook on a regular basis because it is NOT easy and can cause problems such as... having trouble holding and maneuvering a 20 pound turkey!

Stopping on just 5 pretty good/bad incidents [taking my advice of not sharing every detail :)]. I will now continue with the GREAT and awesome turkey day!

Are you not wondering who came? or did you think i was gonna eat that turkey myself?? bwahaha
Pat, Skip and Carrie-Anne [Daniels mom, dad and sister ] grandma Mary. Aunt Maureen, and uncle bill [pats mom, sister and brother].
We had a blasted. Everything was so pleasant. No one fell asleep lol. good conversation. great laughter, even some baby tears, great food [thank you , thank you *bowing*]. everyone left around 8ish and I have heard from almost all of them how they had a great time! what a blessing to be a part of giving such a great day to people :)

Now tomorrow is Jo's birthday party and I cant WAIT to hopefully have everyone [including myself] feel blessed again! If my camera was not broken I would have a lot of pictures so thank you skip for providing us with a picture :) However I can not seem to download it today :(

I hope everyone else had a blessed and awesome day!