Sharing a Tender Moment. . .

Wow! I just looked through pictures of Callie. . . I don't even know how to put into words the range of emotions my heart experienced as I did this and all that I can say, is WOW! She has come a LOOOOOOOONG way, even since leaving the hospital. I'll post a few pictures & try to choose ones that you haven't already seen. Sorry I didn't get the order right.
She's asleep on my shoulder right now or I'd take one of her today. Hopefully we can get up a really good birthday blog!!
Have a restful & peaceful Sabbath!!!
Just a little tidbit for all you Cardinal fans, Jeromehe sp? Urban held Cal at the hospital & wrote down her name so he could add her to his prayer list! So sweet.

NEWS FLASH!

One of our girls has an away BB game at the same time we planned to celebrate Cal's B-day!
We still want you all to join us, but we will do it tomorrow early evening instead!

Hope you can ALL make it & hope it doesn't mess up anyone's plans!
Love to ALL!!!!
Dana

Happy Birthday to Cal. Happy Birthday to Cal. . .

We're so excited to be celebrating Callie's 2nd Birthday

and we want you all to come!

It will be January 20, 2009

from 6-9

here in Show Low.

We would love for you to come.

Give us a call for directions

or email me at butlerfam the #fourteen at hot not cold mail dot com

also to give us an idea on the head count.

We'll eat & play!!!

Hope to see you there!

O, an Uncle, a Nephew & others will be putting on
a benefit concert for Callie!

It should be really great!
They both make good music.

It will be in Mesa on Feb. 27, 2009
tickets will be $20
please contact us if you are interested.

Callie will be there & she loves to dance!
Come & dance with her!

more later

Callie is turning TWO!!!

Before the morning of September 8th, when I held her limp & lifeless,
I never wondered or thought that Callie would NOT be around to celebrate birthday #2.
On the 20th of this month, just a few days away she WILL & I am AMAZED & GRATEFUL!!! It is beyond interesting what life can deal out!
I just want to have a HUGE party with ALL of you!

MUAH! from Me & My gal pal Cal!

BIG First!

For the FIRST time since Callie's accident (while concious) she got her eye ointment in without a peep or even a slight amount of resistance!!! There have been weeks of 24x's in a 24 hr period. We're now down to 12 per 24. So it's a pretty big deal that she finally let us without a fight!
The picture was taken right after, with her playing what else, but peek-a-boo! Too much light I know. I tried but I decided she just glows!
Love to ALL!

Miracles Never Cease

It's hard for me to believe it, with everything that has been happening in our world. . .

if not for the aches & pains and seeing that the van isn't here. . .

I guess it's not just something I dreamed up. Oh the drama!

Last night we were on our way home from visiting the kids in Heber-Overgaard. Jamison turned 22 Saturday, so we went to celebrate with them. We had noticed that a vehicle had gone off the road, so we had stopped to turn around and see if they were okay. I waited until there was not a car in sight & was turning very slowly, when I saw a car coming from behind us. . . Amber was already on the phone with 911 letting them know that the vehicle had gone off the road. . . anyway, the vehicle just kept coming very fast & slammed into us! (9 of the kids, Amber down-in the van,
which is now pretty dead & towed off)

Miraculously the kids were not hurt at all! I am so AMAZED!

I don't know why my life is going so crazy, but today I am so grateful that
all the kids are not hurt!!!

(P.S. Thank you Ashley for the face-lift, blog-lift? It's just another of the very many reasons I'm glad that you are mine for a very long time! I Love You!!!

I'll bet there are many who would like to clone you!
Muah! Mom)

Do As I'm Doing::Follow Follow Me

Our Followers were deleted during some bloggy demolition.

It's back up and running now so feel free to jump aboard!

xoxoxox

This is for our Butler Family!

Yesterday was our "Butler Family" Christmas Party! Yes, you heard me right "Christmas". It seems strange I know, seeing that Christmas was last year & won't be around again for 11 months & 23 more days, but this is the way we've done it for years & it seems to work, so I think we'll stick with it.

Anyway, we had our gift exchange. Most everyone was able to come. It was great to see everyone & have fun with them. Jeff's brother Darryl & his family were the only ones not able to make it of the brothers & sisters. They live in far away Missouri. We miss them & hope to be able to see them before the year is over. I was able to see them this summer on one of my trips to St. Louis. Now they have a blog, so it will make it alot easier to keep up on each others family. Others not able to attend, were Karla's son Josh, our two oldest Justin & his family, Ashley & her family and our #4 Micah for various valid reasons. They all wish that they were able to be there!

So, back to the gift exchange. . . of everyone present, because our gift were on it's way in the mail, we didn't have a gift to open with everyone else. To keep anyone from feeling sorry for us or for themselves, I pointed out that we have already received the Greatest gift already, referring to Callie who just happened to be in the middle of our little assembly dancing. It seemed to me that everything stopped with a hush, all eyes were on her with each reflecting on the events that have transpired over the last few months to bring her to the "present" moment. It lingered for a few moments & we were on to the next gift opening.

We had a lovely time, beginning with good food, plenty of Basketball, Catch Phrase, DDR, a little Guitar Hero & to appease the younger crowd, a good round of "Do you like your neighbor". It all went so fast, even though it nearly ran into the next day! Some are safely home, while many are lingering a little longer & hopefully we will be able to get all together again & enjoy a little more of the above.

These are the moments that seem to give to life it's meaning! May each of you & all of us have many more opportunities in the coming year to make all your own & may we each learn to delight in moments like these & hold them dear!

As for the lovely picture, this morning the UPS man delivered packages at our door! This is the part for the family, they wanted to see what we had received! The beautiful boxes were & partially still are, filled with mouth watering chocolates, cherries & "Moose Munch" (which is very lightly crisp carmel popcorn with cashews & almonds with a random coating of chocolate. Yum!), as well as the "lovely" pears!! Thank you very much Darryl, Tamera & family, we love you, miss you & hope that your Christmas was Joyous!

All Our Love,

Jeff, Dana &

the many Butler children