Anderson Anthology

So Very Thankful...

2008-11-24T14:41:00.007-05:00

SO VERY THANKFUL......
I stood in my kitchen this morning preparing "Thanksgiving" dinner for our family. Rod, Milly and Theo were all in the kitchen with me and Steven Curtis Chapman's lastest CD was playing in the backround. I was busily preping the bird for the oven when I heard sweet Milly exclaim, "Daddy's Song!" as "Cinderella" began to play. Without a word, Rod scooped up our two year old "Cinderella" in his arms and began dancing around our kitchen. I picked up our baby boy and began to sway with him, but I couldn't take my eyes off my husband and daughter. There they were twirling around, all smiles, oblivious to the world around them. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. I hugged four month old Theo close and spun around a few times watching him grin from ear to ear. It was if time had stopped for the four of us in this beautiful little moment!I have to admit that over the past month I have been growing more and more weary. I have allowed myself to let the stresses of the "unimportant" get in my head and depression has crept in. So there I stood in the middle of the kitchen and all that "small stuff" began to wash away. I began to tear up and wondered, "how did I get here?". I am living the dream. Loving husband, fantastic stepson and two beautiful children I was never supposed to have. Rod and I, together, "doing life". We have had such a rough couple of years. Jobs have come and gone, finances have been "challenging" at best. We have watched loved ones suffer from illness, and now for the first time in my life, I am unable to sing! We've seen families broken, lives lost and a scary economy. There have more times than I care to count that our marriage suffered. There have actually been times that Rod and I neither one thought we would make it! But here we are, nearing the end of 2008. We have a comfortable home, wonderful family, fantastic friends, an amazing church and Rod just started a great new job full of security and promise. How did I get here? The answer, plain and simple is GOD! If it were not for His hand of protection and providence, I would have been dead long ago. Jeremiah 29:11 says it best:"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. They are not to harm you, but to prosper you. To give you hope and a future".I have been working hard at not allowing Satan to rob me of the thankful heart, and the joy that comes with this time of year. I am realizing, that there may not be many gifts under our tree on Christmas morning and I may not be able to participate in Christmas music programs this year, but does all that REALLY matter anyway?As we gathered around the table this evening I realized, God has given us more than we could ever ask or imagine. I will enter this week of thanks with a renewed sense of gratitude for my Maker, Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder, Provider, Healer, Father and Friend. If only you could see where God has brought me from. THAT IS HOW I GOT HERE!!!!!My prayer for all people this year is that we can look expectantly to the Christmas holiday and remember what it is REALLY about. The coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The greatest gift came not wrapped in paper and tied with a pretty bow, but it came wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. The Greatest gift of all!

FALL FUN!

2008-11-18T00:03:00.004-05:00

Autumn has become one of my favorite times of year now that I am a Mom.

There are so many wonderful memories to be made. Carving Pumpkins and Roasting the seeds. Long walks in the brisk air viewing the beautiful changing of the leaves. Hot apple cider. Looking at my kids all dressed up to beg for candy. The Circleville Pumpkin Show. Bonfires. Hayrides. Thanksgiving gatherings. All of these things are made sweeter, because you share this time with the ones who are dear to you.

Here we are...best friends, soul mates...doing life together.....acting crazy and having the time of our lives!

Trunk or Treat at the Naz. What a blessing to be able to show God's love as a family...........serving the community!

Here are the greatest gifts God ever gave me. Amelia, Rod, Megan, Alan & Theo!

What could be sweeter.....??????

I'M A BIG SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-21T10:48:00.003-04:00

HEY PEOPLE!

IT'S OFFICIAL.....

I AM A BIG SISTER!

MY BABY BROTHER FINALLY CAME OUT OF MOMMY'S TUMMY!

I LOVE HIM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH.

MOMMY SAYS HE LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE ME WHEN I WAS BORN (EXCEPT FOR ONE MAJOR DIFFERENCE THAT SHE WILL EXPLAIN WHEN I GET A LITTLE OLDER.)

I AM VERY EXCITED TO HELP MOMMY WITH BABY THEO. MOMMY SAYS I AM ALREADY A GREAT HELP TO HER. SO FAR I HAVE HELPED WITH DIAPERS, BATH TIME AND I LOVE TO SING SONGS TO HIM WHEN HE IS SAD.

HE REALLY DOESN'T DO TOO MUCH MOSTLY SLEEPS, EATS AND SOMETIMES HE SMELLS FUNNY.

MOMMY PROMISES THAT HE WILL BE ALLOT MORE FUN IN A FEW MONTHS! I CAN HARDLY WAIT!

SO, UNTIL THEN I WILL JUST GIVE HIM LOTS OF HUGS AND KISSES AND TRY TO TEACH HIM ALL THE STUFF I KNOW!

WE BROUGHT HIM HOME FORM THE HOSPITAL LAST THURSDAY. BOY DID HE HAVE ALLOT OF STUFF.

GOOD THING THERE WAS A BIG SISTER AROUND TO HELP HAUL THE LOOT!

BYE, BYE FOR NOW!

SMOOCHES,

MILLY

INTRODUCING.....

2008-07-18T09:32:00.002-04:00

THEO TIMOTHY ANDERSON

BIRTHDAY: JULY14, 2008

TIME: 8:03 AM
WEIGHT: 8LBS 9OZ
LENGTH: 19.6 INCHES

I'M GONNA BE A BIG SISTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-07-12T16:11:00.000-04:00

HEY THERE EVERYONE! IT'S ME, MILLY!

I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY HELPING MOMMY GET READY FOR MY NEW BABY BROTHER TO GET HERE! MOMMY AND DADDY SAID THAT HE HAS BEEN GROWING IN MOMMY'S TUMMY (I WONDERED WHY SHE WAS LOOKING SO FUNNY...). A DOCTOR IS GONNA HELP GET HIM OUT ON MONDAY MORNING SO I CAN KISS & HUG HIM. MOMMY SAYS THAT I WILL MAKE THE BEST BIG SISTER EVER!

MOMMY ALSO TOLD ME HOW LUCKY I AM BECAUSE I WILL HAVE TWO BROTHERS NOW. I LOVE MY BIG BROTHER, ALAN SO MUCH. IT WILL BE FUN TO HAVE A LITTLE BROTHER TOO!

I GET TO STAY WITH GRANDMA & GRANDPA FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT MOMMY SAYS I CAN COME TO THE HOSPITAL EVERYDAY TO SEE HER, DADDY AND BABY THEO. MOMMY WILL PROBABLY NEED ALLOT OF HELP FROM ME. NO WORRIES THOUGH....I AM A GREAT HELPER!!!!!!!!

SO KEEP YOUR EYES GLUED TO OUR FAMILY PAGE.......MOMMY AND I WILL BE SURE TO POST PICS OF THE NEW BABY AS SOON AS WE CAN!

HUGS & SMOOCHES TO ALL!

MILLY

ROMA PETTENGILL

2008-07-12T11:18:00.001-04:00

As many of you are aware, my longest, dearest friend, Megan and her husband Dave embarked on the journey of a a lifetime several months ago.

I am so proud to introduce their son Roma Ranier Pettengill! He is a beautiful, blond haired boy, who looks surprisingly allot like his Dad!

It has been a long journey for the three of them, but now Roma has found a "forever home" with two amazing parents. I am so very proud of them and look forward to sharing Dave and Megan's parenting adventure with them!

I love you three very much!

To keep up with the Pettengills you should check out

www.wefellinlovewithaboy.blogspot.com

OUR NEW HOME

2008-07-08T18:16:00.000-04:00

Since our family is growing, we realized we were going to require alot more space.

We were so blessed to find our new home. We have been here nearly two months and it really feels like home. We love it!A room only fit for a princess.....

Milly loves it!

SUMMERTIME AND THE LIVIN' IS EASY....

2008-07-04T14:47:00.000-04:00

Well, summertime is upon us. The Anderson family is experiencing change after change, but we are still trying to make time for some summer fun!

We are trying to keep busy to pass time as we anticipate the arrival of our BIGGEST change.....BABY THEO!!!!!
Along with all these changes, I have a renewed sense of commitment to the "blogger world".

So this will be the first of many entries to come as the Anderson's continue to evolve!!!!!!!!

These are just few pics to get us started!

HAPPY SUMMER TO ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Leg of a Journey

2008-03-11T19:25:00.000-04:00

This may look like a funny photo to most. This is my dearest friend Megan, her husband and the very pale looking fellow in the middle is there soon-to-be son.

Dave and Megan are in the process of adopting this beautiful 11 year old angel from the Ukraine.

For legal reasons, we have to keep his identity anonymous until the adoption is final.

Megan and her husband will begin the final leg of this LONG journey at 6:35am on Friday when they board a plane headed to Kiev, Ukraine.

Please pray for their safety. We have recently learned some alarming information that requires special prayer for their time (6weeks) in the Ukraine.

They will arrive home with their son April 24. We can hardly wait to add him to the photo!

I can hardly believe it!

2008-01-30T22:11:00.000-05:00

Wow! Rod and I are celebrating our Four Year Anniversary Today (January 31st). It seems like just yesterday, that Bill Weaver was introducing us in the foyer at church. We have been together everyday since! The last four years have brought many suprises. Good and bad, we have held tight to our faith in God and our love for each other. We are so truly blessed to have each other to share lifes ups and downs, joys and sorrows, laughter and tears, failures and triumphs.

What a blessing to have each other and our beautiful children. For these things we are truly thankful!

My First Birthday .....PRINCESS BASH!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-23T23:06:00.000-05:00

Hi, it's me, Milly again! We have several requests for photo's from my Fabulous Princess Bash! It was a long time ago....but we all know how busy Mommy has been!

Here I am with my cake...It was yummy! I can't believe Mommy let me make such a big mess.

Here I am with Grandpa trying out my new swingset. Grandma & Grandpa got it for me!

I can't believe that so many people came to celebrate my first birthday. I am such a lucky girl!

FINALLY.....AN UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-01-19T14:10:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone! It's me, Milly! My Mommy has been very busy lately, and we have had several requests to update our blog! I decided to help her out.

Here are a couple of Mommy's favorite pictures of me.

Allot has happened since our last post. I celebrated my first birthday. It was a fabulous Princess Bash! All of my friends were there. I am so very blessed to have so many people who love me!

I keep Mommy very busy. I am learning so much about the world and I am learning all kinds of new words! I love music especially the piano.

Last October, I decided that I needed a playmate. I talked to God about it and now Mommy says there is a baby growing in her tummy. That seems kinda weird, I don't know how I am supposed to play with my baby brother or sister when it's in there! Mommy says I can see the baby in July. I can hardly wait!

Well, I gotta go. I will make sure Mommy has a little time to update this blog. Stay tuned for more!

Milly Discovers....

2007-08-24T23:29:00.001-04:00

TOILET PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I left my curious daughter alone for only a moment, only to return to her proud smile. She had, of course, discovered tushy tissue! I could not help but giggle as she ran holding tight to the end of the roll and TP'd the house. (squealing with delight)

I love viewing life through the eyes of my child. She is an ever present reminder to not "sweat the small stuff". She teaches me daily to enjoy simple pleasures. Life does not need to be complicated. As long as we have toilet paper....we are gonna be ok!

TWO DOWN, ONE TO GO...

2007-08-21T00:20:00.001-04:00

My Brother, Tony finally took the plunge last week. His bride Christine was born and raised in Queens, New York. We all made the trek up north to celebrate with them. It was hands down, the best wedding we have ever attended. It was a beautiful day and the celebration was unforgettable!
Here's Miss Milly sharing a moment with her newly married Uncle...
My baby brother, Ryan and I had the honor of standing up with Tony and Christine as members of their Bridal party. Are we good looking, or what???????
Here we all are with our significant others.....
Who will be next...?????????

Something's Changed....

2007-08-04T21:36:00.001-04:00

I just LOVE this picture! I was trying to figure out what made this picture so different from most. (I usually HATE pictures of myself...even the ones with my gorgeous baby girl!). After some intense studying, I realized that this pic is different because I am different. This picture reflects more about my "insides" than my "outsides". I am content and settled. Being a mommy has changed me in more ways than I can list here. I am as happy as I have ever been. I have a loving husband and two great children. God is good! To quote the late Alice Weaver, "I have much to be thankful for."

Years ago, I would never have believed that life could be this sweet.

My Dearest Friend.......

2007-08-02T08:30:00.001-04:00

I believe that in our lifetimes we are blessed to find people that we can connect to on every level. It is a rare find, but it does happen. Megan is that friend to me. She and I have the most marvelous of friendships! We often joke about our lives parallels, but in our hearts we know that God put us together to weather life's storms and share life's joys.

She is the best kind of friend and I love her dearly!

2007-07-18T16:41:00.001-04:00

GREAT NEWS!!!!! Melissa made it to the semi-finals for a local "Idol" type competition. Prizes include a Demo CD as well as a cash prize that would help launch her Music (Ministry) career.

In case you didn't make it, Melissa was AWESOME!!!!! Problem is, the entire group was pretty darn good too! If you get the WHIZ channel on your TV, set your VCR up for Wednesday night at 7:00 to record the show!

Melissa did her job, now here's where we need your help.

Melissa needs your votes. She is currently in 5th on the voting (which opened today). Sounds good, but there are only 5 positions to fill, so we really need help!! Here's what you can do......

Get on the internet - go to whiznews.com.
On left side, find "Y-City Star" and click on it.
Look down a little - find "Click here to Vote" and click on it.
It will ask for your e-mail address - enter it and follow instructions.
It will e-mail you back with a link that will get you to the place you can vote.
Then vote - preferrable for Melissa!!!

I know it's awkward, but we appreciate your help!

2nd way to vote:
Text message:
Phone number is 222333
Text the keyword "WHIZ 2" (for Melissa)
Type "Y"
It will cost 99 cent and you can do it 10 times if you'd like - up side is you get $1.00 off your purchase at the local (Zanesville) Subway.

3rd way to vote is to

COME TO THE FINALS!!!!

Saturday, July 28th at 7:00pm at Seacrest Auditorium in Zanesville!!
Don't forget the signs, whistles, horns, and be ready to do a LOT of yelling and screaming, because it really is a LOT OF FUN!!

After you vote, have your friends, fellow employees, relatives, neighbors vote too! Thanks!

Hope to see you ALL there for a fun evening!
Rod (Melissa's #1 Fan!)

You can only vote one (1) time - per e-mail address.

You can vote more than once if you use multiple e-mail address's

Thank you for your support!

Happy Fourth of July!!!!!!!!!

2007-07-04T15:26:00.001-04:00

Happy Fourth of July from our family to yours!

We had a great time at the OSU amphitheater. We enjoyed great music followed by an impressive fireworks display.
The whole family was there. Alan & Megan joined us!
Milly enjoyed the fireworks and sparklers!
What a Daddy's Girl!!

GUESS WHO HAD A BIRTHDAY?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

2007-06-16T15:14:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated Rod's birthday! What a Party Animal!

Since our lives are always so hectic, we decided to get away to celebrate. We packed a picnic and loaded up our bicycles and headed to Port Clinton, Ohio where we caught a ferry to the Island of Put-N-Bay.
It was a beautiful day for an Island adventure. (more pics to come in a later blog!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED ALL YOUR SURPRISES. WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!

A girl and her Grandpa...

2007-06-09T23:08:00.000-04:00

I have a witnessed an amazing transformation of my Dad since he became a Grandpa... I asked him tonight if it is everything he imagined it would be. He replied, "It's much better than I ever knew!" He and Milly are definitely "in love" with each other.

Here she is hysterically laughing as Grandpa tickles her belly with his hair...

Believe it or not, she really loves lemons..

She even wants to share with Grandpa!

Yep....even more pics!

2007-06-09T22:59:00.001-04:00

You never know what strange creatures you may see during a visit to the zoo....yes folks, this is of course, Megan (Weaver) Hofacker...

A trip to Roscoe Village with Grammy & Grandpa...
Us at Roscoe Village...
Milly loves Grammy & Grandpa...
A monkey in a tree.....

Still more pics...(Boy, are we ever busy!)

2007-06-09T22:50:00.000-04:00

Rod & I are on the Newark Naz co-ed softball team. Rod plays almost every game. I have now dubbed, "Please DON"T put me in coach", my favorite line this season. I admit that I stink, but don't I look cute in the uniform?

Daddy takes Milly to her first race at National Trails...
A day at the zoo with our extended family, the Weaver's...
Milly and Alyssa check each other out... A boat ride with our friend Megian...

More fun Summer Pics...

2007-06-09T22:42:00.000-04:00

Milly at the Huffman's with Aunt Christine & Uncle Tony...

Daddy and Milly In our back yard on Memorial Day...
Does this pic even need a caption???????
Milly experiences grass for the first time...

Grammy, and Milly share ice cream at "Ye Olde Mill" with Godfathers, Pete & Andrew...
WE LOVE SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

Summer Happenings...

2007-06-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

Now that the weather is getting warm, we have been super busy with many summertime activities. Here are few to enjoy!

Milly loves the water. Here we are at "Mommy and Me" swim lessons.

Milly spent a day with her Great Granny...

Milly making friends at the Huffman Annual Golf outing...

Milly with long-time Family friends Lynn & Jorie Hodapp.

ANOTHER BUSY WEEKEND FOR THE ANDERSONS...

2007-05-22T07:31:00.000-04:00

As usual we had an action packed weekend!

Here are Milly and Mommy at the State Sunburst Beauty Finals. Isn't Milly beautiful with her colorful bow?

Friday evening Rod and I attended a "Fiesta" with our choir friends...
On Saturday we did the Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society. Our family walked in honor of my Grandma Huffman who died of breast cancer when my Dad was little.(Our friend Paisly joined us for a few laps!)
Sunday, Amelia was named First Runner Up in the State Sunburst Finals. We think that she is a true beauty!
Milly and I wind down and share a giggle after a busy and fun weekend!

Mothers Day Fun!

2007-05-21T20:45:00.000-04:00

Little Milly had a great time making flower pots for all the special ladies in her life. Mommy, Grammy, Nana & Great Grammy all received "Milly Originals" with flowers planted in them and a special card featuring this photo for Mothers Day.

We hope all our Mommy friends had a wonderful day!

OUR LATEST FAMILY PICS!

2007-05-03T00:12:00.000-04:00

!
Milly just reached her eight month milestone and our

"baby Boy", Alan is turning 21 on May 2nd. So, we thought it would be a great time to have some professional pictures taken. Kids grow up and change so fast. We don't want to miss a moment!

MILLY'S FIRST EASTER

2007-04-25T07:51:00.000-04:00

I have been so busy that I have not had a chance to update lately! Here are a few pics from Baby Milly's first Easter...

Milly woke up early with a big smile. She was glad to spend the morning with "Esther Bunny"

After church we went out to spend some time with her Big Brother, Nana & Papa and Megan
Then, on to Grammy and Grandpa's in Columbus...
She got an Eater watermelon instead of eggs...
No pic's of Grandpa because he was sick....

What a great first Easter!

"Gimme the Mic Columbus"

2007-04-16T07:29:00.000-04:00

My best girlfriend and "fellow crooner", Megan and I decided to audition for Pepsi's Gimme the Mic, Columbus. We got to spend the day together and had a great time!

Here we are killing time while we waited in line for two hours (in the cold and rain).
Registered and rarin' to go!
My gorgeous husband is my #1 fan and supporter!
The auditions went long and Meg ended up not getting to sing...

We had a great time anyway!

WHAT REALLY MATTERS ANYWAY?????????

2007-04-10T23:28:00.000-04:00

I remember way back when life would get crazy and sometimes be too much to bare. In those moments I would often find myself staying in bed with the covers over my head in an attempt to block out the world.

Now, hanging out in bed has taken on a whole new flare! When our lives get crazy it is easy to forget what really matters. It is great to snuggle down in the covers with the ones you love and block out the craziness of the day! The simple pleasures are what makes life worthwhile . I am thankful for these "little distractions". There is nothing more therapeutic than a cuddle from my child!

HAPPY EASTER FROM THE ANDERSONS!

2007-04-07T15:05:00.000-04:00

We are so thankful this Easter for all our many blessings! We have the love of our family and friends, we are all in good health and we have all we need.

As we enjoy the traditions of bunnies, eggs and baskets of candy let us not forget the true blessing of this holiday. It is an observance of the gift that God gave us through the death and Resurrection of His son Jesus Christ. He sacrificed His life for our sake! We cannot fathom all He endured only to save each and every one of us.
We pray that each one of us takes time to acknowledge and accept His perfect gift of Salvation this Easter holiday.

AHHHHHH....SUNSHINE!!!!!!

2007-04-05T23:47:00.000-04:00

Amelia is soooooo blessed! Grammy comes to babysit twice a week so Milly does not have to go to day care while Mommy works! This week we all decided to go to the park and enjoy the gorgeous day! Milly loves the swings and squeals with delight!
Here she is at the slide with one of her God Father's, Peter...
Checking out the sandbox with Mom...
Sharing a giggle with Grammy!

APRIL FOOLS...

2007-04-05T23:33:00.000-04:00

Every year the shopping center that our family business (Huffman's Market) is in hosts an April Fool's celebration. This year marked the 57th Annual April Fool's Breakfast. The merchants served free breakfast to the community. There was much fun to be had! Entertainment included a juggler, music by Yours Truly as well as some farm animals for the kids and MANY give aways! This was Amelia's first appearance at this annual event. She ate a pancake and met lots of new friends!
Some family time.... Yes, this is Milly's Grandpa, dressed up for the festivities...what a NUT!
Milly with Uncle Ryan
Milly with family friend, Tony Andretti

BIRTHDAY FUN WITH THE HUFFMAN'S

2007-04-05T20:34:00.000-04:00

Last week I celebrated my 36th Birthday.

I spent the afternoon with my mom and Amelia getting pampered with a manicure and pedicure. We later met up with Rod, my Dad and my Brothers for dinner at Spaghetties in Columbus. I got lots of cool stuff to assist with my new fitness regime! Running shoes, a Dick's gift card, a YMCA membership and my fee's for the Columbus Marathon (half) paid in full! If I was not training and trying to get into shape, I might have been offended!

Here I am with my cake... (Mom was startled when putting it together and dropped it on the floor.....yummy!)

Dinner with the family...
I was posing with my cake.....Tony is a weirdo...
Milly with Grammy and Grandpa....
All in in all it was a great day (even if I have to be a year closer to 40!!!!)

MORE OF BEAUTIFUL MILLY...

2007-04-01T20:28:00.000-04:00

I am so proud of our daughter. She is so much more than I could have ever imagined. I never knew that I could love the way that I love her. I never truly grasped how much God loves me until I began to experience the love I have for my child. She is my joy!

Here are some of her most recent photos.....

"I'm ready for my close up!"

Hmm....what does Mommy have?

A formal pose...

I think we are getting the hang of tummy time!

I can't believe how beautiful she is! We are truly blessed!

ANOTHER DAY AT THE ZOO!

2007-03-31T18:51:00.000-04:00

At Christmas we purchased a family membership to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. We are already regular visitors. Although Amelia may not understand exactly what the zoo is all about, she enjoys any opportunity to be outdoors. We are taking our time getting to know all the animals and we even know many of them by name!

Here is Milly making a new friend...

... Mommy and Milly hang out with the goats at the Petting Zoo...
... Daddy and Milly try out a rickshaw in Asia Quest...
How does Milly measure up to the Majestic Tiger?

HANGING OUT WITH ALAN & MEGAN

2007-03-28T00:13:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday we got together with our son Alan and his beautiful wife Megan. We enjoyed dinner together and some time attempting to fly a kite. Later we went bowling. Rod and Alan are both excellent bowlers. ( I wish I could say the same about us girls!)

Amelia also shared in the fun. She sure loves her big Brother. She just lights up at the sight of him!

AMELIA SPENDS SOME QAULITY TIME WITH HER NANA & PAPA

2007-03-27T09:32:00.000-04:00

Amelia is blessed to have two sets of loving Grandparents. She loves spending time being spoiled by them! Here are a pics of Amelia having some floor time with Nana & Papa.

Amelia has fun playing with Nana...

Papa helps practice rolling over...

Sometimes I still can't believe she is real!

2007-03-24T06:14:00.000-04:00

I woke up this early this morning feeling so blessed. It seems I have everything I ever dreamed of. I was holding Amelia as she slept last night and I sat watching her truly amazed. She is magnificent. I still find my self needing a reality pinch from time to time. It seems that I waited an eternity for her. She is my joy. Her smile, he touch, her squeals, the way she jabbers DaDaDaDaDa every time I try to get her to say MaMAMAMA...WOW! Is there anything that brings you closer to God? She is most definitely HIS creation. There is nothing better than being a Mommy.

AMELIA HANGS OUT WITH EXTENDED FAMILY

2007-03-23T13:32:00.000-04:00

It is so important that Amelia gets to know her extended family. Here are some pics of us spending time with them. She is blessed to be so loved!

Last Wednesday the Anderson Ladies got together for lunch. We had a great time. We should really get together more often!

Here's Milly with her second cousin Laila.
Milly, Mommy and Grammy drove to the HockingHills to have lunch with Great Granny and Great Tammy. There are four generations of Shriner women pictured here!

HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!!!!!!!!!!!

2007-03-19T09:14:00.000-04:00

We went to Grandma and Grandpa Huffman's for a sleep over the before St. Patrick's Day. Milly is pictured here sleeping with Grammy and Grandpa. (Mom & Dad went out on a date! )

On Saturday Morning we made our way Downtown to enjoy the St. Patty's Day parade.
"Kiss Me, I'm Cute"
Daddy and Amelia check out the parade.
Milly with Grammy & Grandpa.

HOORAY FOR SUNSHINE!!!!!!!!!

2007-03-11T22:06:00.000-04:00

We are soooooooo excited that Spring is near! Today we had a taste of beautiful sunshine and we decided to head out to the Columbus Zoo!

We had a great day. We did not get to take many pictures because of camera issues, but here are a few. We saw lots of animals enjoying themselves outdoors. Kangaroos, Gorillas, Bears, Otters, Penguins, Leopards, and many more fun animals sunned themselves on this beautiful day! We also visited the Manatees and many other Aquatic creatures indoors.

Little Milly LOVES the outdoors! She gleefully kicked her little feet and jabbered away as we made our way through the Zoo.

That Red Fox does not seem to thrilled by his unexpected company!

Mommy and Milly stop to pose for a pic at the entrance to the Wetlands exhibit.

Daddy and Milly check out the River Otter in the North America exhibit.

Milly and Mom get in line to take a spin on the Historic Carousel. Milly enjoyed this experience, while the whole thing made Mom feel a wee bit barfy!!

A Catholic Blessing

2007-03-09T08:21:00.000-05:00

Last Saturday evening Grandma & and Grandpa Huffman hosted a beautiful gathering in their home to acknowledge Amelia's Catholic roots. There was a short blessing ceremony lead by Mon Senior Funk from St. Agatha Parish. It was a beautiful and touching time. Grandma & Grandpa Huffman presented Amelia with a gold baby ring and a tiny Rosary that was blessed during the ceremony.

The blessing ceremony was followed by a gourmet meal prepared by Grandma Huffman and a great time of fellowship. In attendance were Grandma & Grandpa Huffman, Uncle Tony & Aunt Christine, Uncle Ryan, Big Brother Alan, Godmother Meagan and her husband Dave, Mon Senior Funk and his assistant Chrystal.

Here you see Milly and I pictured with my dearest friend, Megan who is also Amelia's Godmother.

More Pictures of our Baby Beauty Queen

2007-03-04T23:24:00.000-05:00

WE ARE SO PROUD OF OUR BEAUTIFUL MILLY!

EVEN AS A QUEEN SHE STILL HATES TO BE ON HER TUMMY!

IF YOU THINK SHE IS BEAUTIFUL NOW...JUST WAIT UNTIL SHE GETS TEETH!

SHE SHOWS HER ''SOFTER SIDE''.

WE ALWAYS KNEW SHE WAS A PRINCESS!

AMELIA'S FIRST BEAUTY PAGEANT

2007-03-03T14:35:00.000-05:00

Today our beautiful Milly participated in her first ever Baby "Beauty Pageant".

As you can see from the pictures below, she was quite excited to be a part the event!

A proud Daddy walks his Princess down the runway.

Yes folks, she is STILL SLEEPING!

Daddy kneels to give the judges a better view.

AND THE WINNER IS..........

Amelia was crowned Miss Sunburst Baby for Licking County!

She also won BEST SMILE, BEST EYES, BEST ATTIRE, BEST HAIR (yes......best hair), MOST PHOTOGENIC, AND BEST PERSONALITY!

Because she slept through most of the pageant, we are guessing the judges used the photos we submitted! Lucky us!!!!!!

Here is Princess Milly and her new friend Princess Emma. Emma Woodward was the winner for her age group!

Milly and Emma will be going on to compete in the Miss Sunburst Ohio Pageant in May!!!!!

MOMMY & MILLY GET READY FOR THE MISS SUNBURST PAGEANT...

2007-03-02T18:24:00.000-05:00

Mommy and Milly had a fun day preparing for Amelia's Baby Pageant tomorrow.

She truly seems to love the camera. She is such a little ham.......wonder where she gets that??????

I' M READY FOR MY CLOSE UP...!

WAIT! I WASN'T READY!

DRESS UP IS FUN!

DON'T HATE ME BECAUSE I'M BEAUTIFUL...

I AM PRACTICING FOR THE REAL CROWN!

Dedicating Amelia Kaylene to the Lord

2007-03-01T23:04:00.000-05:00

Last month we had the privilege of dedicating our precious Milly to the Lord. It was an emotional and wonderful experience. Amelia is a true gift that we know comes straight from God. He has entrusted us with the blessing of her life and it was a beautiful thing to stand with our family before our church family and commit her life to the Lord.

We are so truly blessed to parent this Angel!

We had quite a turn out! Grandma and Grandpa Huffman, Nana and Papa Anderson, Uncle Ryan, Uncle Tony and Aunt Christine (all the way from Syracuse, New York), Great Granny Shriner, Godfathers: Peter and Andrew, and (standing in for Godmother: Megan) Pam.

What a blessing! Four generations!

MEET SOME OF OUR EXTENDED FAMILY

2007-03-01T19:51:00.000-05:00

Grammy & Milly go Trick-Or-Treating

Auntie Della

Great Tammy

Milly with Her Nana & Papa

Milly visits Grandpa at Huffman's Market

A LITTLE FAMILY ALBUM...

2007-01-31T20:45:00.000-05:00

Funny what you might find at the Pumpkin Patch!

Daddy & His favorite Christmas Gift.

Uncle Ryan is in Love...

...So is Uncle Tony!

Am I a Ten or What?

Grandpa's Little Monkey

Alan and his Baby Sis' Share a Special Bond

Long Awaited Blessing

2007-01-25T11:02:00.000-05:00

After three years of trying, we were elated to find out we were expecting shortly after Christmas of last year.

The pregnancy was rough, but well worth all we endured. On August 29, 2006 Amelia Kaylene Anderson arrived via emergency C-section. She entered the world screaming like a banshee and now nearly five months later she is jabbering a blue streak and has grown quite adept at making her needs known. Most people say that she is going to be just like her mom. (I hope they mean the singing....not that I talk too much!)

She is a true joy. It is amazing to watch her change and grow. Everyday we look at her and find it hard to believe she is real! It seems like we waited for her forever.

Diagnosed early with severe Gastric Reflux, Milly seems to always be "leaking". There are days that she has on a half a dozen different outfits. (It's a good thing that she has more clothes than Mommy!) In spite of the fact that she seems to be projectile vomiting everything that goes in her mouth, she is thriving and growing at a normal rate.

Her personality is delightful. She jabbers and giggles most of the time. She greets us each morning with the most beautiful gummy smile we have ever seen! She recently started blowing raspberries and everything she touches goes straight in her mouth. She rolled from her tummy to her back two days ago. (It is funny what will entertain you as a parent!)

We truly believe that the Lord has an special plan for our precious Milly. We overcame so many struggles to get her here. We can hardly wait to see what she will become and pray for the wisdom as parents to nurture her along the way.

Falling in love with TWO men.....

2007-01-24T08:27:00.000-05:00

Rod and I met in August of 2003. We had a wirlwind romance and were married January 30, 2004. We will be celebrating our third wedding anniversary next week!

Rod was good looking, charming and gentle. It was no surprise that I quickly fell in love with him. I was suprised, however to have fallen in love with his handsome teenage son Alan. I knew the two of them were a "package deal", but the love that grew in my heart for him was completely unexpected. I had prayed all my life about wanting to become a mother....God granted me a child in way I never knew possible.

Alan I and I have had some rocky times. Him being a headstrong teenager when we met and me having no idea how to be a parent. The Lord has worked all things out for His good. Alan and I are close and have a strong and beautiful relationship. I never had the opportunity to know him as an infant or young child. I feel like I missed out, but I am so blessed to be able to mother him at any stage of his life. (and I love telling people that I have a 20 year old son!!!!!!)

Almost four years later, Alan is 20 years old and is growing into an amazing young man. He was married in May of last year to his beautiful high school sweetheart, Megan. He recently completed course work to earn his Associates Degree from The University of Arizona. He is soon to begin classes at Mount Vernon Nazarene University to obtain a Bachelors Degree.

He and Megan are both employed by Park National Bank. Alan hopes to be changing jobs sometime in the near future. He is a creative and talented kid with a lot of ambition. His determination will most assuredly catapult him to success in all he dreams of becoming!

Alan is also an accomplished bowler. In right Anderson tradition, Alan developed a love for bowling and he is great at it! He often mentions that he can't wait to teach his baby sister how to bowl. He and his sister share a special connection that is hard to describe.

We are so proud of Alan. I am truly blessed to know him and honored to be able to be his mother.

We are the Family Anderson

2007-01-23T23:41:00.000-05:00

We are proud and excited to launch our new family blog site! We are the Anderson family: Rod, Melissa, Alan, Amelia & Megan.

Rod and I are so proud of our two gorgeous children, Amelia and Alan. We will be sharing more details of their lives in the very near future. We are so blessed and amazed by the beautiful life that the Lord has entrusted us with. He has given so many gifts that we needed a way to share them with the world!

Stay tuned for more exciting news and happenings from the Family Anderson!

2007-01-23T21:00:00.000-05:00