Remembering Clay

Amy asked me a few weeks ago if I wanted to write something on the blog about Clay. I said that I would, but as the past few weeks have gone by, I have tried to get started yet haven’t been able to spit out the correct words. Here goes nothing and it doesn’t even begin to do justice to what the world has lost in Clay.

For those that don’t know, Clay is our step-brother who took his own life on March 30. While many equate suicide with a troubled person, Clay was hardly that. The more I think about Clay the more I think about him as a hero, solider, humanitarian, and fighter…the list can go on.

I have learned several things through the passing of Clay, but the one that that I keep coming back to is that I am a selfish person. In a world that is so consumed with big houses, money, cars, toys, etc… Clay just got it. He spent two tours in the war against terror in both Afghanistan and Iraq. He wanted the world to be a better place and he was determined to fight for that, so much so that he was on the front line.  While many of his fellow brothers died in war he was pressing on to make a difference. Clay took a bullet to his wrist, which narrowly missed his head. While many would say enough is enough, Clay moved on and spent another deployment fighting for freedom.  While I want a bigger house, Clay wanted his fellow countrymen to never be threatened.  I did not realize how much the war Clay was fighting haunted him every day. Clay struggled with PTSD that ultimately he couldn’t get past.

Clay the humanitarian was a guy that helped found an organization called Team Rubicon. http://teamrubiconusa.org/  Team Rubicon is an amazing organization that is a first responder to disaster around the globe. Clay would talk to me about this saying that being a part of Team Rubicon was where he wanted to be and how he felt he could make a difference through saving lives. Clay spent time in both Chile and Haiti after the devastation that these countries faced from natural disasters. He loved being there and trying to put a smile on the face of those that had nothing. Once again, Clay got it.

Clay the fighter was heavily involved in an organization called Ride2Recovery. http://www.ride2recovery.com/  Ride2Recovery’s sole goal is to assist our wounded vets in recovery both mentally and physically. Clay was a poster boy for this organization as everyone looked at him as a symbol of someone who was beating the odds. He appeared in public messages for this organization and was active on many of their rides. He found this as an outlet and understood what these wounded vets were facing as they returned from deployment all around the world. Clay lived the battle that he felt so passionately about. Clay got it.

Clay’s death came as a surprise to me and to everyone who knew him, but his legacy will forever live on through his family, friends, and through these amazing organizations. If you google “Clay Hunt”, articles will pop up on CNN, MSNBC, CBS – he was making and continues to make a difference. I challenge all who read this blog to think about contributing to these organizations as a way to show appreciation for the many that choose to live their lives for others. Another challenge is this – when you see someone who has defending our freedom, go up and thank them for their service. This is a personal goal of mine.  It may be too late for me to thank Clay here on this earth, but I promise to be thankful for those that have served or who are serving from this day forward. I am so thankful that we have people like Clay and the other marines and servicemen who are defending our country. Forget Lebron James, these are modern day heroes.

The amazing part about the funeral was that people from all over the country came and everyone had a Clay Hunt story to tell about how he touched his or her life. That’s who Clay was, he changed lives.

Thank you, Clay, and we love you.

David & Amy

Clay Hunt

April 18 1982  – March 30, 2011

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter celebrating Christ's resurrection.  I am thankful that we have a savior that paid our debt for us and who is alive in us.  We went to church last night and Ryan and Kelly came with us.  We all went to get some dinner afterwards.  This morning we went to Easter brunch at the country club.  As I mentioned in my last post, April's weather is not that great here.  Case in point, today was a high of about 48 degrees and it was overcast the whole day.  There are not many days in Denver when the sun doesn't come out from behind the clouds, but today was one of those days.  The club had an Easter egg hunt and all the kids were hunting for eggs in their coats.  This is still so weird to me after growing up in Texas where it is at least 80 degrees on Easter.  It is crazy to think that next year we will have an 8-month old little guy with us.  :)

On Friday night our friend Veronica organized a last-minute surprise birthday party for Christina and Anna-Lisa at her house.  They were very surprised and it was so fun just to spend time chatting with the girls (while the guys sat around the tv watching a basketball game and talking every once in a while).  I have to admit it was very nice to be able to go to a last minute party with friends without having to arrange for a babysitter.  It's not that I am not excited about having a little one around and I know it will all be worth it, but things will change when he arrives.  :)

Last Wednesday we had our 24-week doctor's appointment.  We heard Austin's heartbeat, which was 140 and normal.  Dr. Corbett measured me and they took my weight--everything looked perfect!  Good news!  At my next appointment I have to do the gestational diabetes test and get the Rhogham shot because I am A-negative blood type.  I am still feeling good and sleeping well.  I can't make it through the night without going to the bathroom at least once.  I am sure that will only get worse in the third trimester.  I am still running about 3 or 4 days a week at 4 miles max each run.  I also do the elliptical on my non-running days.  I feel Austin moving around quite often but I still can't pinpoint how he is positioned inside me (like where his head, legs, etc are).  I am sure I will be able to tell sooner or later.

Here is a picture from Friday night before the birthday party and also a picture from this morning before Easter brunch.  I was pretending that it was 80 degrees in my sleeveless top and white pants.  I am definitely growing.     

Signs of summer

April is a strange month for weather in Denver.  We moved here in April 2008.  It's hard to believe it has been 3 years.  You never know what to expect.  In Texas the "summer" heat is already there and people are already wearing sundresses and white.  Here we could be in a sweater and jeans one day and flip flops and a tank top the next.  Last week we had a little bit of snow and yesterday it was 75 degrees.  Easter is many times rainy and 45-50 degrees.  It's hard to have an Easter egg hunt in a white dress in that weather.  People here joke about dressing their kids in ski jackets over their new Easter outfits.  As of now the weather people are predicting Easter Sunday to be rainy and a high of 62 - not the best for egg hunting.  Although the weather in April can be unexpected, there are signs that summer is coming.

Tulips in our front yard

Aspen trees budding

Summers here are so great!  I can't wait!  Along with summer, comes Austin's debut....another thing to get excited about!  

Austin's wardrobe

At my mom's request, I wanted to share the adorable clothes that friends and family have given Austin so far.

This one is from Aunt Ricki and Uncle Stephen.  There are matching socks too!  Precious....

These are from Michelle (my step-mom) and my Dad.  They came to visit us in Denver last weekend and she brought these adorable outfits.  The first one has cute monkeys and a matching blanket.  The second one will be Austin's preppy look.  Mimi (David's mom) sent the blue bunny rabbit from Houston and it was supposed to make noises, but we think the plane trip in the cargo section broke it. Uh oh.

This adorable orange and blue-striped polo is from Courtney and Jeff.  They are so sweet to send Austin his first polo.

Finally, I bought this kinda "cheesy" outfit at Target as a gift for David the day after we found out we are having a boy.

Short update

It's been too long since I've posted.  We have been going a million miles an hour over the past 2 weeks.  I am still feeling good (besides the sore throat that I have had for the past 2 days).  I feel Austin moving quite a bit, and it is still hard for me to believe that there is a little baby inside of me.  We went to Babies R Us again this weekend and added some "boy things" to our registry.   Here is a recent baby bump picture.  

22 weeks 4 days