11 Years Ago Yesterday ... and LOOK at what My Baby Did Tonight ...

I am SO very proud of my baby tonight ... after a few days of asking Jason removed her training wheels from her bike tonight. It took a bit for her to realize she wasn't very stable without them - and I also have to say she got a bit of an attitude when she realized she needed help but I am proud to say she did it ... with a 'little' help from her daddy ...

(ABOVE: Jaden with training wheels OFF!)
(ABOVE: And SHE'S OFF! Way to go Jaden!

*************************************************(ABOVE: Jason and I in 2004)
(ABOVE: Our 1st Photo as a Family of THREE!)
(ABOVE: Jason and I in 2008)
(ABOVE: Me with my baby Jaden)
(ABOVE: Jason and Daddy's Girl - I LOVE this picture of the two of them)

Wow – How time flies! Do you know what yesterday was? Of course you don’t! But I will fill you in on a little secret that a lot of people don’t know about me … Yesterday was an anniversary of sorts! Yesterday marked 11 years since I logged onto AOL – heard that dial up screeching and ‘met’ the man I fell in love with – and thankfully married! Yup 11 years ago yesterday Jason and I met on AOL 4.0 – I was living at home – he was living in the basement of a friend’s house. What started with a silly Instant Message Chat between me Sm!lesAlot and Jason HORD420 blossomed into a long distance phone relationship. Back in the day when long distance wasn’t 10 cents a minutes … back before cell phones had free long distance … yeah – this was when it was expensive to talk to someone every night for hours at a time … while you lied to your parents about who you were talking to and you beat them home to hide the phone bill – and in most cases pay the balance without them knowing – as if they had no idea right!? Yeah, now that I am a parent too I know that parents aren’t as dumb as you think are they? What started 11 years ago yesterday turned into a 21 year old moving away from the only family I had ever known to be with ‘some guy’ in Minnesota. I moved out here in May 1998 – we moved into a 1 bedroom apartment together – it had a futon for a bed, a wicker end table in the living room and one leather rocking chair – oh and of course a poker table in the dining room … it was a bachelor pad all the way but within 3 years we had that apartment filled to the brim and soon moved into a townhouse – where we only stayed a year because all of a sudden Jaden was on her way … Jason and I had a great young relationship with each other and I would have to say (and hope he agrees) that it has only gotten stronger as we’ve grown together. I am a very lucky person to have found him in cyber space 11 years ago … I am not sure where I would be in life if I hadn’t logged on that night … I know obviously I wouldn’t have Jaden in my life and as Jason put it on our anniversary ‘Another Beautiful Child On The Way’ … she is the best thing that has happened to both of us and honestly she has made us better people … so Happy Anniversary Jason – 11 years – where would we be if it weren’t for that night? I Love You with all my heart and to steal from you – Thank you for 11 wonderful years and soon to be two beautiful children!

Love ~ The Clark Family ~ Rebekah, Jason, Jaden and Baby Charlotte