Germany...Here We Come!

Amaya walking with her bunny ears on...isn't she just the cutest!

(This picture has nothing to do with Germany...but it was so cute)

Hello All =) In the craziness of this week-we got news that Michael has passed the NCLEX (Nursing Boards) and that we are officially going to Germany! Of course we are thrilled, but we also found out that Michael will be headed of to training in Texas and will only have a couple days back at home before he has to report in Germany. So, we are running around like crazy trying to get things in order...too bad we really don't know what the heck we are doing. One way or another it will all fall into place-a good glass of wine helps to make the reality a little easier...here's to you my fellow wine lovers. Michael and I are already filling up our calendar with visitors' requests-we would love to have friends and family come and stay. Just let us know! Michael will be there in June, we plan on joining him the end of July/early August. We hate to be apart especially with Amaya growing leaps and bounds daily-Michael really dreads the thought of missing out on anything...that is part of what makes him so wonderful =) (Yes, Amaya and I are two lucky ladies) I will continue to keep you posted...

Birthday Girl!

Our precious baby girl turned ONE!!! We are now the parents of a toddler...she continues to be the best gift ever! Everyday she accomplishes something new and we are amazed. Amaya had a very special 1st birthday party. It was wonderful to have our family here to celebrate. Amayacontinues to follow Panama around and try everything she does. Amaya had a special doggiecake-Panama got one too. The cake experience was not nearly as dramatic as we imagined it would be...Amaya ate a tiny bit of frosting and did not care for the cake part. We had a blast at the JumpZone...Panama is a fabulous climber! Amaya had a great time opening her gifts-she quickly learned how to climb and slide on her new swingset. Overall it was a splendid way to kick off year # 2!

Walking Lady

Amaya took a face plant in the snow =) She didn't seem to mind-she loves the outdoors!

Still walking around the neighborhood, even in the snow...

Isn't she pretty!!!

It has been an exciting couple weeks...lots of snow. Well, for Nashville =) We had several more inches on Monday night, which meant I got two more snow days to enjoy with my family. Amaya stared really walking on Michael's birthday (it was better than any present I could have gotten him). It is so much fun to see her grow!

Play in the Snow Day

Well we had our first big snow here-well at least in the past 10 years Michael has been here. It was so much fun dragging Amaya around on our homemade sled (top with shoe strings). She had a lot of fun as did Mommy and Daddy. Grandpa got into the action by building a German town-no kidding-check out his blog =)

http://olehere-olethere.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html#8383322374750687398

--Amaya took her first solo steps today =) She is a very cautious little lady.

Amaya and Panama love playing. Amaya follows her everywhere. Panama is sure one smart little lady. Shas taught Amaya how to push her around =)

Princess Amaya

She still only had 2 teeth-we finally got a picture of them

(Notice my shirt-hand made in Africa-from Nana's Medical Mission Trip)

Orange tights, Velvet pants, Striped sweater

(Grandpa let her pick her clothes)

Wow-the time really flies by...Amaya is now 11 months. She continues to amaze us. She went to her first birthday party. A friend of ours turned 3 years old. She had an adorable princess party filled with crowns, wands, and a dragon (the dragon was destroyed with swinging swords). Amaya had a blast chasing the big girls. Michael and I had a great time watching her interact and play. I know I have said this before, but we are so lucky to have my parents here to care for Amaya during the day. She comes to visit me for lunch everyday. With that though comes Grandpa's fashion =) I have learned to just smile and hope that it doesn't 'sink in.' Amaya may end up with a style 'all her own.'

Happy New Year!!!

Amaya turns 10 months! She loves her 100% fruit popsicles =) 

She is a Daddy's girl in her Raiders shirt

(I need to take a pix in her UCSB sweatshirt)

Avery's Baptism

Hello All! It has been a few weeks since I have been on-we have been running around like crazy since Michael's graduation. We started our Christmas break with the beautiful baptism of our God Daughter Avery. Then we were off to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. It was a fabulous holiday weekend-we could not have asked for a better 1st Christmas for Amaya (we know Grandpa Cleveland is watching down from above). Amaya had a special Christmas with her two cousins. It was so much fun to see the little girls together playing-Amaya was a trooper keeping up with her two older cousins. As always, we all had a wonderful time. She turned 10-months on the 21st-she is not quite walking on her own yet, but she is clapping, high-fiving, and waving 'hello' & 'goodbye.' 

Smiles all around in pretty Christmas dresses

Who would have thought that Big Girl Pants were the best gift!!!

Panama was so excited when she saw them, she put them on right away!

Michael, Amaya, and I went to visit the Gestautas Family-we hiked, ate sushi, and played on the floor with the kids. Alicia is a trooper! At nine months pregnant she is hiking 4 + miles (there were many pee breaks though).

Megan's Birthday and Garth Brooks!!! My little sis turned 27-WOW!!! The big kids left the babies with the grandparents and went out on the town. **Garth was unbelievable!!!!!! It was so much fun to see him at the Encore. It was a very intimate performance-better than I ever dreamed** It was a long time coming-Thank you Michael for making it happen for me =) You are still making my dreams come true-one of the many reasons why I married YOU!

Graduation Weekend

Michael's Pinning Ceremony

Michael's Graduation

Green's Gluten Free Beer! Hard to find-from Belgium 

(One day Gpa and I will visit the Distillery!)

Well, it is official...Michael has graduated from Austin Peay State University.  It was a crazy week, but we all made it through smiling =)  We could not be more proud of Michael! He had his final assessment (final) on Monday and on Thursday was his Nursing Pinning.  The Pinning ceremony was beautiful-Megan, Eric, Panama, Nana joined the two Cleveland girls to cheer Michael on-he was awarded the Sigma Theta Tau International Award (yes, I am bragging on him!).  It was really awesome-of course, Nana says that is the best award! STT is the National Honor Society for Nursing and it is awarded to the student who has maintained the highest GPA and demonstrates impeccable leadership in Nursing. 

Graduation was on Friday-it was a small graduation in comparison to the UCSB graduations our family is used to. We arrived 1/2 hour early with no parking problems (I worked half a day) and we got great seats.  After graduation, Michael and I went into Nashville for dinner and celebrating with friends.  We went to a wonderful sushi restaurant, the Flying Saucer, and stayed at the Historical Union Hotel.  Amaya had a party night with her Nana-I hear they had a blast =) 

The weekend ends today with the Baptism of our God-daughter: Avery.  It will be a beautiful baptism. We are looking forward to a fabulous ending to a very special week.