Shelly Family

Fall / Xmas Pics

2009-11-27T22:03:00.015-06:00

Here are some of our latest pics taken... enjoy

Long Overdue

2009-08-22T22:03:00.009-05:00

This comes very overdue as far as updating the blog. We have had a very busy year with lots of changes. Michelle was laid off back in Feb (if you remember we worked at the same place). That was a very hard challenge for me. To many people making jokes about losing their job, when half of them do less work in 8 hrs than Michelle did in the 3.5 - 4 hrs she worked part-time.

God has his ways.
We had recently started visiting a church close by in Collierville. We first visited Grace Crossing back in Dec of 2008. We immediately fell in love with the church and have been attending ever since. We made it official in May and became members. Feb thru mid May... I think I faxed 40 + resumes and emailed about the same for Michelle. She literally had 1 call back the whole time. After we placed membership.... I applied for a job off craigslist which I hadn't had much luck from. Seems like they were all scams on there. None the less, I figured it couldn't be much more than another spam email. As you can guess it was the real deal. It was 2 weeks later that Michelle was starting a new job in a new field. She is now the office manager for Primary Eyecare in Arlington.

Michelle starting back fulltime work was not only a change for her, but for the whole family. Caden started school school (daycare) at Childerns Knowledge Station in Bartlett. Caden really didn't know what to think when he wasn't home with mommy all day. In reality I think it was harder for mommy not to know what to do without Caden all day long. We were blessed with it working out with Michelle being able to be home with him during the day for the first 2 years of his life. Now Caden rides to work with daddy and is dropped off at CKS in the mornings. This is a challenge for me. I have been used to dragging out fo bed... showering and walking out the door without saying 10 words. Now its fighting a 2 yr to get awake, dressed, etc and out the door every morning. Work for me has always been pretty demanding. It seems lately it has been more demanding than ever. I struggle to make sure to give my fulltime to the family when I am home. I am still working on this but I really think that Caden starting school was a good thing. I rarely stay over past 5-5:30pm now. If I do have to login for work I try and wait until after 9pm once it is bedtime for Caden. I may be taking some classes in the near future for CISCO. These will prepare me for the CCNA test for CISCO. I am excited and yet scared at the same time. This is a totally new area for me... but I feel I am up to the task.

This past year has been very hectic and challenging for us. Thru it all we have come together as a stronger family, couple, and parents. We are anxious to see what the future holds for us. We are excited to get back into church and where God will lead our family.

Enjoy a few pics from this past weekend..... If you need a great photographer email me and I'll get Laurie's info to you.... I'll edit this post later with her contact info.

Our Little Angel

2008-05-14T10:55:00.000-05:00

Here are some pics we had made 2 weeks ago. Hard to beleive he will be 1 yr old in 2 weeks.

New Caden Pics

2008-03-27T16:41:00.008-05:00

As usual... I am lacking in posts lately. Here are his latest pics from his 9 month old shots we had taken. I have some snow pics & video that I am working on getting uploaded as well.

Enjoy!

Caden figures out he can scream..

2008-01-29T22:23:00.001-06:00

Here is a video I shot last nite... enjoy!

More Pics

2008-01-27T14:00:00.000-06:00

A couple from X-mas morning....

See my new teeth??

Picture Update

2007-11-30T13:36:00.001-06:00

Here are the latest pics we had made. Enjoy!

New Caden Pics

2007-10-07T21:03:00.001-05:00

It's been a while... so here are some updated pics of the little guy. He is up to 16 lbs and a little over 25 inches.

Beating the Heat!

2007-08-12T20:25:00.000-05:00

So it has been a while since I have blogged. Today we took Caden over to my Aunt Pam and Uncle Pat's house to take a dip in their swimming pool. We were pretty sure he would take to the water ok since he seems to love his bathtime. Although we werent sure how he would like the cool water. Needless to say he LOVED it. He loved it so much and was a very good boy. Here are a few pics from today..... He is getting so big!

A Celebration of Life

2007-06-26T20:57:00.000-05:00

My paternal grandpa passed away on June 14, 2007. His body finally gave into the emphysema that he has been fighting for many years. He smoked for 40 something years I think and one day he just up and quit cold turkey. I think at that time he knew he had the on set of emphysema. If my memory serves right I think that was probably 15 or so years ago. He had been on oxygen for 5-6 yrs? maybe more... but it never slowed him down. He still had his garden. He lived a full and good life.... He was 83.

He was a WWII Navy veteran. Serving our country on the USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier. His ship is now a museum on Staten Island in NYC, someday I would like to go up there and see it. Here are a few pics of his ship.

This pic was taken Nov 1944.

I was hoping that he would get well enough to see Caden before he passed, but that didn't happen. I went to visit him on the Saturday before the Thursday when he passed. I printed out about 5 pics of Caden to show him. He was very alert that day. He was watching golf and was very happy to see the pics of Caden. He had a full face oxygen mask on so he wasn't able to talk very much at all. My aunt went up there later and said that he was pulling the pics out for everyone that came in his room.. nurses and all... showing the pictures of Caden. That made me very happy that even in his last days he was still proud of his family.

We will all miss him, but we know he is in a better place now where there is no pain and he doesn't need that oxygen tank anymore. Here are a few more pics.

My grandparents at my Eagle Scout ceremony (1994).

And then him at my wedding...... 2005

I love you grandpa.

I know I'm bias....

2007-06-07T13:43:00.000-05:00

but isn't he the cutest?

I know we all say that about our own little ones! So we are getting adjusted to home life now and so far we have been really lucky that Caden is giving us about 5-6 hr sleeping spells during the night. We are very grateful for those since we can all get some good rest.

We had our check up Tuesday with the pediatrician. We loved Dr. Snapp. She gave him a full clean bill of health and we are good until he is 2 months old unless we need her for anything. He had gained back the 4 oz he lost in the hospital and another 3 oz. So he is 6 lbs 13oz. He also grew a 1/2 in from birth and is up to 20 inches now.

Enjoy more pics....... the boys catching a cat nap

Mommy getting ready to come home.....Looks like we might have a thumb sucker on our hands!!

Presenting.....

2007-05-31T22:14:00.000-05:00

CADEN........

You Decide!

2007-03-19T18:51:00.000-05:00

Ok... So everyone is trying to decide who the baby looks like. So here are some side by side pics to let everyone draw their own conclusions as to what body part we each have passed along.

Michelle

Chris

Meet Caden

2007-03-18T18:52:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we went and had the 4D Ultrasound done. Let's just say that Caden is just like both of his parents.... He hates getting his picture taken! Every ultrasound we have had he has not cooperated at ALL! Yesterday I was hoping he would be a good little boy and play nice. The insurance still won't pay for the 4D Ultrasounds yet, so we shelled out cash for it. He wasn't having any part of it. He had his face towards Michelle's placenta so the angle wasn't the greatest to work with. And as you can see from every pic, he had his arms and hands up in his face the whole time.

There was one moment where he yawned that was really cute but the woman wasn't quick enough to snap a pic. We have a VHS of the whole thing. ( Again... 2007 and we are using VHS?? come on Doc's... spring for the DVD upgrade) We are getting the VHS switched over to a DVD. So once I get that I can screen cap my own pics from the video.

The whole experience was truly incredible. It was amazing to see the lab attendant push on Michelle's belly to jiggle him and around and try to get him to move, and then actually see the movement on the screen. We can't tell much from the pics but for now we can say that he has Michelle's cheeks... and possibly a combo of our noses. He still has 2 months so all that could change. All we know for sure is that he will be very loved no matter what and we can't wait for him to be here.

44:22

2007-03-07T20:38:00.000-06:00

As you might guess from my title I finished my latest 5K in 44:22. That is about 4 mins quicker than my 1st Race back in Dec. There was some good hills over there in Little Rock. There was one BIG hill that was pretty tough, but on the flip side I made up alot of time flying down it. Hopefully next year I can try for the Half Marathon or Half Marathon Relay and see some of you guys working the water stops on that side.

Once again I was the only wheelchair in the 5K. Let me get on my soapbox for just a minute. I know everyone means well.... but I wouldn't pay and enter a race if I didn't think I could do it. I have plently of people who passed me. I was 155/191 for the men and 356/534 overall for the race. I know I'm not winning this thing. But the whole race I have people telling me "You're doing great" and "You're awesome keep it up". Like I said I know they mean well but it just makes me feel like it is all in pity. I don't want anyone's pity. NO I dont want anyone to PUSH me. If you entered a race would you let someone carry you? NO! All I want (and most people who are in a chair would probably agree) is to be treated the same as you would an able-body person. Think about that the next time you see someone in a wheelchair.

I am trying to find my next race... So as soon as I decide on it I'll be back to the training. I think I'll take a couple weeks off.

Headed West

2007-03-01T20:20:00.000-06:00

I'm headed west this weekend to Little Rock. Time for another 5k race. I had my 1st 5k Race back in Dec at the St Jude 5K in downtown Memphis. The weather hasn't been my friend lately which has made it hard to train. I am hoping for another 45-50 min finish. I'll hopefully have some pics from this one as well. I'm looking forward to the good challenges that the hills of downtown Little Rock will give me. ha ha... After this one ... we'll see about working on getting that fancy racing chair. If any one's company would like to be one of my corporate sponsors let me know!

Later

I Got New Legs!!

2007-02-11T20:28:00.000-06:00

I know sounds funny... but it's the truth. Without my leg braces I would be forced to be in my wheelchair permanently. I have had the same braces for over 6 years now. Supposedly I can get new ones every 3 years, but if I don't "need" them I'm not going thru the drama with the insurance to get them.

It is actually pretty cool how they make them. They cast both my my legs from the knee down then cut the cast off and use that as the template for the braces. Seeing as how this is a "not one size fits all" option... they tend to run over 1000.00 per leg. I guess with all the drama with the insurance I'm coming out on the better end having to shell out the 700.00 for them. I have a 500.00 deductible and then another 200.00 "external appliance deductible". WHAT?? a separate deductible for that? They will find anyway to get a dime out of your pocket.

Chad I don't know how you live with yourself sometimes... ha ha ha ha We pay for a service in case we ever need it. Then when we need it we have to pay to use the service that we have already been paying for. And when you do have to use it you are scared to because they might raise your rates. So you end up paying out of pocket to not use the insurance you are paying for just so you can afford to keep your insurance that you are paying for. OK... that was my soapbox for the month.

Well since I am all paid up on my deducible for the year. I think it's time for a new wheelchair.... mine is 10 yrs old... well past it's prime.

Which one? Sporty? or All Terrain?

Holy Kick!

2007-01-24T20:51:00.000-06:00

So last night was and extremely cool night. We were laying in bed and I finally got to feel our baby (Caden .. as of now) kick pretty good. I must say a couple of them were pretty big. We are counting down the last 4 months until June 1st. It is such an amazing feeling that I know a lot of you have already experienced. I have felt my brothers kick when I was younger and my niece and nephew's kick from my sisters 3 kids. But man it's totally different when they are your own little limbs in there.

We are really looking forward to the 4D ultrasound in a few months. I will have some cool pics for that. The insurance doesn't cover them yet so we have to fork out 200.00 for it. But for that we get a VHS (Really it's 2007 and they can't upgrade to DVD???) of the whole ultrasound... and cd with many high resolution still pics.

I'm hoping in the last month I can catch a picture like this. I am pretty sure all of these pics have been modified in photoshop, but I am hoping Caden will come thru for us. ha ha. Hope this finds you all doing well.

Oh and congrats are due to my freinds The Bewley's on their 10 lb 2 oz 21.5 inch boy Nathan Cade Bewley.

After All the Gay Jokes were gone?

2007-01-14T20:28:00.000-06:00

Ok we have all gotten used to Jake Gyllenhaal as the gay cowboy in BrokeBack Mountain. The jokes have finally come to a halt. Then he host SNL this week and what does he do? How about dress in drag... singing to "cowboys", and sing a song from Dream Girls! Personally I thought it was hilarious. But if you are going to sing that song... no one did it better than Will Smith's lipsync on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Watch the two videos for yourself and you decide.

It's Official!!

2007-01-09T20:31:00.000-06:00

The news everyone has been waiting for was answered today.......

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

We went to the Dr. today and everything is going good. The heartbeat was good. He weighs in at a HEFTY 11 oz. I was hoping for the 12 oz mark to match all the coke cans I consume. His little kidneys are functioning good. He is taking after me already... He wasn't cooperating when the tech was trying to get pics of him. First he was face down... then when he turned of course he turn his back to us. Enjoy the pics below... If you have small children in the room you might want them to leave the room... these pics are Rated R... ha ha ha

The last pic is the "money shot".....

Man I bet that Hurts!

2006-12-31T16:31:00.000-06:00

So Thursday nite I got a lovely surprise. I was taking off my socks to get in the shower, and I was greeted by a lovely Black and Purple Big Toe. Somehow that day I had managed to break my big toe. I did notice that my foot/toe was kinda hurting that day but I figured it was just nerve pains. Most all of you are aware of my accident 10 yrs ago. Well it's really hard to explain what it "feels like to be paralyzed". The closest thing I can describe it as is when you have put your hand or arm totally to sleep and that tingling sensation that is almost painful when it is getting it's feeling back. That is how my feet have felt 24/7/365 for the last 10 yrs. That being said.... what a blessing it is to break a toe and hardly feel it at all. I have broken about 3-4 toes since my accident. This time and one other are the only times I wasn't aware I had probably broken it. I remember tripping and jamming my foot into a door facing... I assume that is when I did it. My neurological osteoporosis doesn't help the situation, but we are working on that.

(not my foot)

My New Years Resolution is to try not to break any bones this year and get these 3 screws out of my leg from the last break!

Wanna Race?

2006-12-09T21:53:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday morning Dec 2nd.... It was about 26 degrees and I was sweating like crazy. I participated in the St Jude / Grizzly House 5K. I started training about 2 months prior since I haven't used my chair that much over the past few years, except around the house. I was pretty nervous getting down there since I have never been in a race before. I got a 5 min start on the runners, which didn't make that much of a difference. It was pretty cool they gave me my own count down and the Mascot for the Memphis Grizzlies was out there. I was the only wheelchair for the 5K race.
There where a few that did the Half Marathon, but they had the nice racing chairs.

About 5 mins into the course I picked up 2 motorcycle cops that flanked me the whole way. That was really neat. I shot the bull with them in between sucking in air. The hills of downtown Memphis gave me a good challenge... but catching those down hills were alot of fun. All in all it was tough... I was tired afterwards... sore the next day..... but I had such a blast. I would like to get a racing chair and someday build up to a full marathon, but that will be down the road if at all. I do think regardless of anything I would like to atleast do this 5K every year. It is for a GREAT cause.www.memphismarathon.com I am trying to decide if i would like to tackle the Little Rock 5K in March. I have a feeling the hills will be worse there!... I'll keep you updated.

Enjoy the pics.....

Approaching the finishline

Almost there....

Crossing the line.....

Cooling off and tired....

My GOLD medal.... ha ha

The chair I would like someday....

Do you really want to hurt me?

2006-11-30T22:17:00.000-06:00

How can you not think of that song at a wedding after seeing the movie "The Wedding Singer". I love that movie.

So this past weekend we went to Michelle's good friend Melissa's wedding. Now by "we" I really mean me because Michelle was in the wedding. So I was outed to sit by myself and take pictures. I was sitting with family so not like I was really alone, just not with my better half. Although I enjoyed watching the wedding with her up there... I imagined what it was like sitting at my own wedding. I dont know about others but it made me reflect back on my own wedding. Revisiting those vows you promised to each other in front of everyone that day. Wondering if things will every really be as happy as that one day. Then you have days like we have been experiencing lately....Days of joy and worry as we are expecting our first child.

Then you realize no matter how happy you were on that 1st day of marriage... that is only the 1st part. It's like when you are on a rollercoaster and you are anticipating that first drop.... then the next turn and the loop....That first day is when you are just peaking the top of the first drop.... you spend the rest of your lives .. watching for the next turn.... and the next loop.... and there will be some low times.... but you will always have another turn or loop until the end of the ride.

Enjoy a few pics from the wedding... Congrats Tim and Melissa!

The 3 M's .............. Michelle, Melissa, Melissa(2)

Michelle lovely as usual... I clean up pretty good...

And the Happy Couple... Congrats!

Baby Time

2006-11-14T21:58:00.000-06:00

It's......BABY Time!!!
So today I went to the Dr w/ Michelle for the first time. We went anticipating being able to hear the heart beat for the first time. The Dr. said they had new fetal heart "doppler" monitors. These new great gadgets sent the Doc out looking for one of the "old trustworthy" monitors which they couldn't put their hands on at that moment. Michelle was getting a little nervous that they couldn't find a heartbeat and me being the "techie guy" figured a problem w/ the device over the baby.

The Doc then decided to just do an ultrasound to check the heart beat. This was a great treat for us because we didnt expect one of these until next month or the Jan visit. The girl that does the ultrasounds even bumped us ahead of a woman because she said Michelle "looked nervous", which was very sweet. All in all... Everything was just fine. The heartbeat was good and strong and we got to see the little guy/girl. Still to soon to know the sex.... But we got pics!!! You can see some of the bone growth and the little hands and feet.... It was amazing.... He/She is approx 6 inches long. We have been truly blessed with this child. People try and try and can sometimes never have a child, and we could have been that couple easily from everything I have been thru. The joy overfills my heart.

Veteran's Day

2006-11-11T16:54:00.001-06:00

Today is the day for Americans to remember the past and current veterans that have and are currently serving our country. Despite what you think about politics and the war we are in right now, these men and women have fought and are fighting and losing their lives for our freedoms.

It was a special day for many in the Bartlett area of Memphis. A few years back they started selling bricks for a memorial in one of their parks. They dedicated the memorial and unveiled the monuments and allowed loved ones to see the bricks with their family members names. Michelle's grandpa pasted away in 1999 and he served our country in the Air Force during WWII and her Great Grandpa served in WW1. They purchased a brick in their name.

The City of Bartlett did a great job with the ceremony. They had the Navy Band there to play and the mayor was there to speak along with some higher level Military. I just found out about all of this a week or so ago. Otherwise I would have gone about getting my grandpa a brick. He served in the Navy on an aircraft carrier in WWII.

More pics from the ceremony....

They even had a flyover from a military plane.....

They ended with a 21 gun salute... Sorry for the shaking I was cold and trying to hold the camera over my head and balance at the same time....

Our Chicago Trip

2006-11-07T21:27:00.000-06:00

Ok so I am going to try the "REAL" blogging... since so many of you don't consider Myspace a real blog. I have been wanting to blog about our trip to Chicago / St Joseph, MI back in August.

So we went 800 miles for an engagement party back in August. Michelle's cousin Ashley got engaged a couple months prior and we thought if we could make the trip it would be a great getaway before I started back school at nite for the fall. We got to stay in a great place. Eddie is a member of the Chicago Athletic Association and got us a great rate in the hotel there. It is right on West Michigan Ave. (which is a big deal ..Especially to the ladies for all the shopping).

Let's take a small side trip to learn a bit of Chicago history that I learned while I was there. The "C" for the Chicago Cubs actually came from the CAA. Not the other way around that most people would think..... so we actually stayed in a big piece of Cubs history.

Now back to your regularly schedule blog.... oh and GO Cards! ha ha

So our first night we ate at a Tapas style restaurant, which was a new but GREAT experience. Tons of small portions so you get a little of everything... If you are ever in Chicago I would highly suggest this place:

Ok this is getting really long.... So I better wrap this up... We went to St Joseph, MI and had a great party on Lake Michigan. For all you people who spoil your pets like a child you need to stop in to Fuzzybutz if you are in the area. They have all natural doggie /cat treats and all the other things you need to spoil them from toys to clothes and what not.

We didn't get to do a lot of the tourist things. But hey.. now we have a excuse to go back!