Well, I stole this poem from Renee's blog(hope you don't mind) that our friend Vonda wrote about her son Noah who also has Down Syndrome... When Jaemen was born Vonda who I met on a message board sent me a CD of songs and a poem and a sweet message of encouragement! Her little boy Noah is an inspiration to me...whenever I get down I just read a little story about Noah and he makes my day better.

I hope you enjoy this poem as much as I did...

Noah's Poem
By: Vonda Weikert

In the spring of 99,
a gift from up above,
was sent to me from heaven
to cherish and to love.
He's not what I expected,
and at first I was afraid,
but who was I to question,
the choice that God had made.
For he gave to me an angel,
so precious and so sweet,
and I thank Him each and every day
that the two of us could meet.
I named my angel Noah,
he's the love that I adore.
He needs me more than ever,
but I truly need him more.
I'll turn my times of sorrow
into happy times at last.
The crying and the heartbreak
will be memories of the past.
We'll look forward to the future
and the milestones that it holds.
We'll battle all the boo boos, the sniffles and the colds.
We're together for a reason,
It was clear right from the start.
I'll be loving him forever, till death our lives will part.

An amazing boy...

I was reading a blog and came across this amazing little boy who's dying wish was to save the homeless...Through my tears I was able to find that I want to be like him...I want to help, and I'm going to...Let this little boy's dying wish inspire you and your family!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r6_ySvrATs&eurl=http://www.xanga.com/fireflysouth

Winter pictures...

Finally we have snow!!! I finally get to go play with the camera in the snow... WOW is it hard! Just figuring out the lighting is a lot more challenging than I ever thought it would be. It's funny, I never thought photography was so complicated! I've really started learning from Judah about lighting and realize that lighting is the most important thing in a shot. I just always thought you pointed, shot and bam you have a picture...WELL, I was so wrong!

Anywho...on to the pictures! If you want to see more go to our business site: www.photosbyjcm.com/blog

Thankful...

Today I thought I would write about who and what I'm thankful for...
First off, I'm thankful for my God, without him I can't be who I'm supposed to be...I'm thankful for my husband, he loves me inspite of my craziness. My children, Jayvier is the most amazing 12 year old I've ever met, he's thoughtful, respectful, smart and a wonderful brother. Beautiful Hailey, who is the little love in my life, she gives and gives and has such a sweet, and she's so good with her brothers! Jaemen, well, he's just my light, he makes everything glow...he's truely an inspiration! I'm thankful for my family...Mom, Dad and Joe who still love me, my sisters who are so swee! I'm thankful for my friends...Shellie, girl I'm so glad that I have you...Noelle, well I'm so glad you're back and for who you are in my life, Amy, Bethany, Jennifer, Ardele, Patty, you guys are all great friends! Our jobs...I think that speaks for itself! I'm thankful for my Mother-In-Law and all she does for us, and that she is cancer FREE!!! Thank you Jesus!!! I'm thankful for Apelles and her family! I'm thankful for our home, our health, this country, our president (only because he HAS to do something good, God put him there for a reason.) I'm thankful for chips and salsa and popcorn in bed. Snuggling with my baby girl. Kisses from Jaemen and the wonderful and sweet things Jay says to me. I'm thankful for my husbands smile, and his great hugs...To all of you out there, I'm thankful for you... HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!

Also...

My husband wants me to promote our photography blog and site so go check out the pics I took of my friend Wendy's boys yesterday!...

http://photosbyjcm.com/blog/

DeYoung Christmas

Yesterday Judah and I took some pictures for our friends the DeYoung's. It's always so much fun shooting Cadence! And Skyler is just as beautiful as ever. They wanted most of the pics in b&w or sepia...Jennifer's parents are in town for Thanksgiving so they wanted some pics with the Grandparents. Also, it will be her parent's 40th anniversary this year, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Attempted Christmas card pictures....

Well today I decided to take my kids out and do some pictures...I was hoping for a Christmas card picture, but these stinkin' kids were so difficult!!! I've gotta talk to their mother, they we're really naughty...lol I only like one for our Christmas card...kinda bummed! Oh well, I did get some good pics of them individually! The third to last is my favorite of them together...I took them to the train car as we didn't have much time because Jayvier got his braces today so I was trying to get some of him before he got them on!

9 years and counting...

Well today marks mine and Judah's 9th anniversary. I can't believe it's only been 9 years! lol We've been together since we were 16 &15 so it seems like forever. So I've almost been with him more than half my life! WOW!!!
I'm so happy that he's my man, my love, my best friend, and my everything! I don't think there is a better person on this planet than that man for me! God knew what he was doing 15 years ago when sweet Chris Kurz placed a bet that we couldn't "go out" for longer than a week...haha I guess we proved him and the rest of the world wrong! It's funny because when I was about 14 I would write my name on my books at school or just doodling and I always would write Carmen Yolanda Morales and just think it was so funny how my name meshed with his so nicely! And BAM 15 years later here we are with 3 kids! So, it was meant to be!!!! Well honey, it looks like your stuck with me forever, I don't think I could find a better last name than yours! :)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!!!
I LOVE YOU JUDAH!

Lot's of things going on...

This past weekend Hailey had her first dance competition of the year. It was exhausting!!!! We went up on Friday night and didn't get home until Sunday night!!! And my cell phone died on the way with no phone charger...ahhhh! Anyways, it was her first time competing her solo...Yeah, that means on stage by herself with no one else to help her if she messes up! I was a wreck (that's an understatement) but she was good to go! She did her solo to Tina Turner's Proud Mary...it's hilarious! She is so full of energy out there shaking her little self it makes me tired just watching her! I was so proud of her, she did amazing for her first time on stage. We were on a make-shift stage that was about 24feet by 24 feet and she's used to a much bigger stage. So, for her to be able to change things in her mind and dance on a smaller stage was a huge step! She got a silver, which wasn't the best and they were pretty harsh on the judging... it kinda made me a little mad as she got the biggest applause out of anyone dancing that night and to me she did wonderful! Oh well, I'm mom and a little bias...:) But, it was good all in all, she has some things to work on and she has so many things to be proud of! It was good to get the jitters out this early in the competition season, her next comp. is in Feb. So, there will be a good amount of time to practice for the next one!

We also are having some issues with Jayvier's soccer club and have been contemplating moving him along to another club here in the Springs. It's been a long drawn out issue...it's so hard when to know you need to move you kid on and not hurt their feelings, their friends, coaches, parents, and family. How do you move to another club and not mess up what friends he has as well as the friendships we've made with the parents? It's so hard to know what to do...I don't want him to lose his friends and for us not to lose our friends. But, I honestly think that it is in his best interest to move on... he needs a change and he needs to get away from the drama and some of his "friends." How do you make a clean break??? Any suggestions would be GREAT!!! Pleas pray we make the right decision for our boy. He's such an amazing kid and he deserves the best and to learn from the best to make him the best soccer player that he wants to be so badly!

Jaemen is doing wonderful...his speech amazes me everyday! Today he said BIKE, PLEASE, EXCUSE ME, DOGGIE, CANDY, DOOR, DOWN, UP, JAAAMEN(JAEMEN), LAYNIE, KATHY, CADE(his BFF who was Tae Tae until today), JENNY(which was neeeeeee), TIMES...all as clear as a bell!!! I had his IEP meeting last week and they are going to up his speech and give him OT as I have requested! I'm so happy!!! His teacher is totally thrilled with him, he knows 4 colors(sign and say) and knows 8 letters and when he is doing his alphabet he always jumps ahead to the next letter...like if your on m, he says n, then I'll say o and he says p and so on...it's hilarious! Smart boy!!! Now let's learn to eat and we'll be set!!!

Also, one of my bestfriends from my online Down Syndrome message board( that I've seen in person so I know she exists) is adopting a little girl from Russia this week!!! Her name is Addison Veronika Balsis...I'm getting tears just typing her name! She's absolutely beautiful and couldn't be coming to a better family! I'm so proud of them and I can't wait to meet her in a few weeks!!! Here's a link to her blog: http://dreamingonanangel.blogspot.com/ so send a prayer their way!

Well that's about all this week!