Soccer Has Begun.......Again!

Soccer is in full swing at the Miranda house. Clayton is playing his second season. We should have played 5 games as of tonight and we have only played 2. Welcome to Spring soccer. This season we have been cancelled due to rain and SNOW! Clayton is having a ball! He has picked up so many new skills from Coach Mark. He loves his 5 other teammates and enjoys every minute of it. We have practice about 2-3 times a week and then games on the weekends. Ray has some video from his first game. I need to upload it. Tonight Clayton scored 3 goals and boy was he pumped! If you have a chance come catch the festivities. Off to put the next Pele to bed.

Happy Birthday, Sweetness

Today, our baby is 5 years old. Happy Birthday, Clayton! Mommy and Daddy wish you the best year ever. Turning 5 brings a lot of things with it....kindergarten, a new class at church, a growth spurt (if your eating is any indicator) and fun, new adventures. I am simply amazed at what a young boy you have become. You are learning to take on responsibility for things and behavior. You are learning to read. You can carry on quite a conversation. You are like a little sponge. You have become the little soccer pro and loving every minute of it. Mommy and Daddy love you very much. We look forward to what God has in store for your life.

On his birthday we wake him up with cake and singing of "Happy Birthday". The pictures are from this morning. He was absolutely pumped! I hope he has the best day ever! I have a little processing to do...it is a big deal for me that he is five. I just want to remember all of his precious moments. I smile at the memories of him as a baby. I get teary remembering him in my belly (quite active....very fitting). But most important, I rejoice in the blessing that I have been given. Clayton makes my life fuller and richer. Thanks, my sweetness!

Happy Anniversary 2

After seeing what Jazen (who I'll refer to as Bubbles per her post) wrote I figured I'd reply.
I think that this past year has been our best. This may surprise many of you but words don't come as freely to my mouth as they do to Jazen's. As a result I have been kind of a tough nut to crack (so to speak) for Jazen. I'm not as good at expressing my love for Jazen as I should...but I think it has gotten quite a bit better. This year we have had the best conversations I think we've ever had. Not an opening up type fella (prideful, that is) it took longer than it should have for me to open up (still a long ways to go). But I've sought to set pride aside (good rhyme) and move forward in this. I think our growth in conversation is what has helped us grow relationally. I also think it is this year that I've been more impressed than ever with Jazen's strength, fearlesness, her wisdom and her mad Mom and Wife skillz. She's cute too. So, I love her and I'm learning to express it more and more. I would go on but I've just run out of wor...

Happy Anniversary

Today is a wonderful day! Ray and I are celebrating 7 years of marriage. We met in August of 1999 and began dating in October of that year. We then got engaged on April 1st, 2000 (ray had no clue what the day was). :) Then came the big day....March 10, 2001.

I know this is not going to sound right, but I will explain. It seems like we have been together much longer than 7 years (almost 9 total). To me this is a good thing. I look back on all that we have done in these years and feel like I absolutely picked the perfect partner for me to do life with. I definitely know him and myself better today than the day we walked down the aisle. Our love is very different today and that is a fabulous thing! We have been through building a house, the loss of a grandparent and other death, having a baby, job change and job loss, moving 3 times, having another baby, dealing with our parent's health issues and many other things. I don't know that we have moved through these things as gracefully as possible, but I do know that we have clung to each other and sought God in all that we have done.

I am pumped about the years to come. I know we will endure many more ups and downs, blessings and hard times. The thing that has me pumped is the fact that I have Ray to lead me along the way and walk beside me when needed (carry me on some occasions). He has a heart for the Lord and seeks Him in all that he does. What better way to spend life?! I have been blessed far more than I can imagine or deserve. My two boys have a wonderful example of a father and that makes me excited, too.

Ray, I love you deeply and more than I express. You are such a complement to me and my "bubbly" personality. You are perfect for me! Happy Anniversary, Honey.