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Carl & Sheila aboard Carnival's
cruise ship, Ecstasy.
This is just one of the many excursions Carl and I
have been able to go on, thanks to his agricultural connections.
Carl is self-employed as an agricultural consultant.
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Our
Family
This
photo was taken in July 2002. We need to have a new one
done. Pictured are (Back Row - L
to R) Carmen, Sheila, Holly, and (Front Row - L to R) Curt, Carl
and Faith.
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The purpose of this
page is to share the joy of my beautiful family and the
greatness of God's love with you!
I have a wonderful
husband, Carl, and two beautiful
daughters, Holly, age 27, and Faith, 5, as well as two
step-children, Carmen, 22, and Curt, 19. I am
extremely proud of my family. Holly
is married with two beautiful little girls of her own, Sydney
and Elizabeth. She attended Wesleyan College in Macon prior to
marrying her husband, Kevin, who is enlisted in the United
States Air Force. I marvel at what wonderful parents Holly
and Kevin are. Both of their daughters are happy and
healthy, well-adjusted, and in "Grammi's" eyes,
absolutely adorable. At
42 I became pregnant with Faith. During the 16th week of
the pregnancy, we learned that she would have Down syndrome.
Shock, anger and fear are just a few ways to describe how we
felt,
but God has a way of preparing us for the unknown.
We began to research her condition, and came to understand more about it
as the pregnancy continued.
Faith is one of the most loving (and most loved) children I have ever seen. Faith is very smart. She has come a long way in her three years of life. She is making great strides. She can talk, feed herself with a spoon, and go potty like a big girl; and walk, run and climb all over the place. She has learned to say her ABC's all by herself, and she can count to 12. She can also tell you how old she is, where she lives, the name of her Mommy and Daddy, and can spell her name!
She is very good at remembering things once she has learned
them. Recently she amazed her aunt when she began reciting
nursery rhymes one after the other!!! Faith is in AWANA (Approved Workmen Are Not Ashamed - a Christian Bible training group at our church) and
she has just completed the Cubbies level that lasts for two
years. She finished along with all the other Cubbies and
earned as many if not more patches and awards as any other
"typical" child. She moved up the Sparks
level in the fall of 2006 and earned her vest in the second week
of club. In order to earn her vest she had to memorize and
recite the club motto, John 3:16, and both the pledge to the
American flag and the AWANA flag as well as attend two club
meetings in a row.
Faith
began kindergarten in public school this fall. She is
learning many new things this year. At the end of her first
month she was recognizing sight words (they only began working
on sight words in the fourth week of school). Her teacher
said Faith is like a sponge -- continuously soaking up
everything! Sounds pretty much like a "normal"
kid, huh?
I am a watcher -- I watch parents with children and wonder what they are thinking and feeling when their child accomplishes something -- anything -- great or small. You see, with my first child I think -- no, I know, I took many things for granted. I knew she would walk, talk, and do great things -- and she has!
With Faith, I have been humbled. I cried when she first pulled up all by herself and stood by a chair ottoman; and the waterworks were even greater when she took those first steps alone. I watch parents snapping at their children and telling them to be quiet. I want to go over and say, "Be happy they can talk!" I hold my tongue! I have learned never to take the little things for granted.
Do as I do when your child walks across the room saying "Mommy, Mommy" over and over just because she can!
Without a doubt, God has truly blessed our lives.
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