The Hartfield Files: Day 5- A picture of your favorite memory

Day 5 is a little tricky. I mean a favorite memory?! I don't have just ONE favorite memory and trying to pick one from the millions of blessings in my life is just down right RIDICULOUS. So I sat for a bit and tried to think of my top 5 and then I tried to figure out if I have any pictures to reflect them and this is what I came up with.

#5- I do not have a picture handy to show this, I have some of the week it happened and the events that followed but they are in a box somewhere but it is a very special memory for me. June 27, 1998*
The day I became a Christian. I was at a church camp with my youth group from South Euless Baptist Church out in Glen Rose Texas. I was 12 years old. I clearly remember this week because the camp was on this huge hill and my asthma was brutal, add that to the fact that I left my only tennis shoes at my aunts house and only had a pair of strappy sandals to wear in all the uphill terrain (not fun). The speaker of the camp that week had this funny way of turning popular songs into funny songs about things that had happened at camp and I got to sit with him at dinner every night. On the 4th night, his message for some reason just screamed at me and for a 12 year old, getting and holding my attention ..yeah that's big. I don't necessarily remember the message, but I remember the way I felt. I was shaky, crying, nervous and yet had this warmth inside me that I can't explain. When it was time for dedication I didn't say a word to my youth group but just stood up and made my way to the front of the alter where I bumped into a guy from the cabin next to us, he was crying too and we sat and prayed together. He prayed for me which I thought was odd because after he prayed for me he thanked God for letting me be the person to share this awesome moment in his life that he'd never forget. He became my partner for the 2 days left of camp and we had the same camp staffer who talked over what it meant to be saved. When my youth leader found out I had accepted Jesus into my heart he came into the girls cabin and plopped me out of my top bunk and gave me this huge hug, him and his wife were so happy for me and thought I was already saved so it was a nice surprise to them. Anyways, I was baptised by my uncle who happened to be the Assistant Pastor of the church 3 weeks later and my friend from camp (Nathaniel) mailed me cards and letters for 2 years after that. (last I remember he moved to Colorado our freshman year of HS and I never heard from him again.)

#4- The first time all 5 of my siblings met face to face December 2007- Austin, TX I do have a picture of that night but not available right now so I'll post these.

See any resemblances?

It's no huge secret about my upbringing, My paternal grandparents raised me and my brother Jonathon. My aunt and Uncle raised my other brother. My sister was adopted out to distant relatives and the youngest of us was raised by my birth parents. The 5 of us are a lot alike and at the same time, far from it. Jonathon, Joshua, Jackye & I always knew each other and got to see each other a lot. Desiree lived in Iowa and North Carolina and I wasn't told about her until I was 13. Having us all together some day was a huge dream of mine. After I got engaged to Evan he started helping me search for her but my father didn't know anything about the adoption proceedings or how to get in touch with her parents and my birth mother refused to help me in any way so it was a hard and emotional search. About a year and a half after I was married I started the search again and this time it was my brother Josh who found Desi and of all the craziest places... MYSPACE! After 3 months of emails, phone calls, letters and web chatting we finally agreed to meet up. Desi and I look alike and Jonathon and Jackye look alike leaving Josh this blend of us. I'll never forget the drive to Austin to meet Desi with my brothers and sister and Evan all piled in the car. Desi's father is a professor/scientist at University of Texas in Austin and Desi visits him from North Carolina twice a year so right before Christmas we agreed to meet up. It was like we were never separated! We went to eat at Carinos and laughed and laughed and laughed. After dinner we went bowling and got to know more about each other. It was weird how much we just meshed like there wasn't a 17 year gap of our lives.

#3 My trip to Europe June 2000- I have pictures on my FB of this since this post is getting a bit longer than I had planned but yeah. When I was 15 I went to Europe for 2 weeks through my Humanities class at RHS. We toured England and France, had the best guide and my first sip of wine (a whole bottle) haha Hard to believe it's been 10 years ago. I wish I had paid more attention, taken more pictures and cherished it all more! Another reason it's on my list. I had my very first seizure on that trip while in London. That one event triggered a lot through my high school years full of medications, hospital visits, tests, lab work and being notorious at school for closing down a dance.

#2- My wedding Day! December 30, 2005. Pretty much a "duh" about why I would pick this memory. One of the best (top 3) days of my life. So many little things happened that could have made me go into a hysterical bride but now, those little imperfections are what made that day so wonderful and get me and Evan laughing all the time. I had a great group in my wedding party, some of the best people to have for friends.

And finally.....

#1- December 19, 2008 at 4:49pm. The moment I became a Mommy. I think until you've become a parent and held that tiny miracle in your hands and realized that God truly is amazing with his love for you or how you are now responsible for this tiny beings EVERYTHING that you just can't understand the instantaneous love connection you get or the protection you swear to your child. It becomes an obsession that rocks you to your core. It's also hands down the best job ever even though the hours are long, the emotions are high and you lose a lot of things you once loved (sleep, nice things, clean clothes, regular showers and occasionally your sanity) you'd do it again and again if you could. Ohhh I could go on for days about this! Easy to see why it's my number one right? How I adore you Avery Claire, the world knows that!