Our Big News!

No, I'm not expecting, our big news is that we are moving!!! Crazy isn't? Andrew has accepted a job offer which will take us to Fairfax, Virginia! This is such a bittersweet thing for our family. We are so excited about the job opportunity and what the future holds for Andrew and his career and we are excited to be in that part of the country as well. We will be close to my brother and his wife (Dave & Jenn), who have two little boys the same ages as Bradley and Beck, which will be such a blessing. It's just so hard to leave this place! We are closing a chapter and starting a new one - and that is the hardest part ... to close this chapter of our lives here in Centerville. Truthfully though, I don't think it will ever fully be closed. Andrew and I have burial plots right by Jared, but aside from that, these years here and the memories in this home and neighborhood; and how our ward, and family and friends lifted us up during such a difficult time in our lives will always be with us and never forgotten. How interesting it's been to look back at our life and see how things have happened. We are so grateful and can see our Heavenly Father's hand in having us here "home" these last 3 1/2 years with all that has gone on in our little family. What a blessing it's been and will always be to have experienced what we have here at home. I was telling my sister what a hard thing this is going to be for us and she said it perfectly, she said, "You are going to have to say goodbye to a group of people who held you up during one of the most difficult times ..." but I'd like to think, and I truly do feel, that we will not be truly saying goodbye. This will always be home, we will always come home, so I don't want to say goodbye, because we will always be back!

10 years

Andrew & Jaime

February 23, 2001

We celebrated 10 years this past month. This first picture is us celebrating. The following pictures are a few of my favorite pictures with my sweetie. I never would have imagined all that has happened in these first 10 years, I try to imagine about the next years to come ... I'm just grateful to be with him.

Valentine's Party

Bradley received a Valentine from one of his Grandma's and opened it up and disappointedly said, "Oh, I thought there was going to be money in it."

Me: "This is better, it's a card telling you how much they love you."

Bradley: "I think money is better, you get to buy something with it"

From the mouth of babes ...

Yesterday, I got to help out with Gabrielle's School Class Valentine's Party. I also got to help out at Jared's school class Valentine's Party his 1st grade year so my thoughts were on that memory as well. I didn't let my thoughts go there too much because I didn't want to be crying as we played "the really super fun game" I was in charge of but I loved thinking about Jared and Gabrielle and just how different they are, were at this age.

On the way home I picked up sugar cookies for our family night treat. I knew if Jared were here he wouldn't like the sugar cookies so I picked up a snicker doodle for him as well.

Happy Heart Day Everyone!

The Big 30!

So ... I'm officially 30! I had a great day celebrating. I felt very loved, remembered and spoiled! Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes and friendship. It means so much. My cute husband and kids decorated me a very cute cake -

If you look closely I'm the lego girl on the "lounge chair" relaxing. They had a fun time doing it - very fun. Thanks family! And here are more pictures of the celebration ...

Christmas 2010

A Wishing Place

So we went to the Make A Wish Place. We arrived with this sign at the door. What a wave of emotions that came. We stood in the lobby and reminisced of Jared's night there. We searched and searched and searched for Jared's star and found it. And we got to visit the wishing tower again. A hard night - that place will always be so special to us.

Festival of Trees

So our dear family, friends, and Taylor Elem. all worked together in bringing this big project to reality of funding, decorating, and contributing to this beautiful tree in honor of Jared for the Festival of Trees. The theme was super heroes and legos - two things Jared loved. It was such a neat tribute to our boy and we loved it! It just so happened that this event took place the same week of Jared's passing and services one year ago. The week ended with a great big surprise. Someone purchased Jared's tree anonymously but had it delivered to our home! We were speechless and still are ... how excited and grateful that we get to enjoy this tribute for years to come! Although we will never be able to thank them, we say it anyway - thank you! And a great big thank you to all who contributed and played a role in this special project. Thank you. Especially you two Liz and Marilee - we just can't say it enough!