Happy Birthday Calah!!

Today is Calah's 19th birthday...it doesn't seem possible since I have vivid memories of MY 19th birthday :-)
Everyone knows what a great girl Calah is. She is funny, fairly patient, very compassionate and knows herself very well. She has an amazing self-confidence. I thought I'd post some pictures of Calah through the years and add stories along the way.This is Calah and a friend with Scout as a kitten. I got Scout for my birthday from my Mom and Calah LOVED that cat. If you asked Calah at that time "What's the rule?" She would respond with authority,
"Put him down!!" Yep, she heard that a lot!

Calah's third birthday in Oakdale California 1993. She loved Mickey Mouse! We went to Chuck E. cheese for her birthday that night and the next day she broke out with the first of her chicken pox (thanks Miguels! :-) So we are pretty sure we infected half the city of Modesto by that trip to Chuck E. Cheese!

Most of Calah's early years are memoires of times with the Miguels of Oakdale Califonia. They are dear friends to us and we did SO many things together (including chicken pox!) This is Calah with Adam Miguel in his backyard, spring 1994

For Calah's 4th birthday we went to Utah and she had a party with her cousins in Grandma's unfinished basement. It was a Barney party. This is Calah and cousin Kelcey Mecham.


Calah and Mackenzie. She looks cute, but she's probably thinking "Get this thing away from me!" 1995
This was about the time Calah got her black eye. She never walked anywhere. She always skipped, hopped, danced or ran in the house. One morning she was running to get some paper from the printer and as she hurried to grab it, she smacked her eye on the corner of the desk, She had quite the shiner, but she went to school anyway...probably to show off!

Moving to Utah in the summer of 1994 gave Calah an opportunity to get to know her cousins. This is Calah and Meagan Pruden at Vanessa's baptism lunch. It looks like they are enjoying what is to this day one of Calah's favorite meals...Fetticini Alfredo. And I do mean enjoying!!


Calah was baptized in March 1998 in Provo, Utah. Doug's siter-in-law, Lora made her dress for her. She LOVED it, but I think it was the last time she wore anything frilly.
Moving to Indiana the summer or 2000 was a big adventure for us and Calah sure made friends quickly. Here is her friends Amy Anderson and Tara Denkers at her 11th birthday party.


Even though Sarah Spotts was younger they just got along. They seemd to be kindred spirits on some level. Calah and Mackenzie stayed with the Spotts when Doug and I went to Utah one spring 2002 and Calah loved it! That's when Calah was being home-schooled. So she did her school work in a couple of hours and then was free to play with the "little" girls until Sarah got home.


Calah will probably hate this picture but I love that she wore a David Bowie shirt for her junior picture and I love her hair and she still has that Calah smile!
Now she is in her last year as a teenager...graduated on on the road to who knows where. But she will be loved wherever she goes and she is always a good friend and wonderful daughter.
I love you Calah!