Laura's birthday

[laurasmom]

This is a little late, but I wanted to thank everyone that sent a card for Laura's birthday. All together, she ended up receiving right at 100 cards. She absolutely loves them, and keeps them in her room, and reads them frequently. Thank you so much for making her 16th birthday so special.

And she loved the pics with the pictures. She thinks Christopher is "so cute".

Laura with some of her cards, a little tired and overwhelmed by this time.




Laura with her cake


Another with her cake



Laura in her redecorated room, she picked colors and bed stuff all on her own.

[hannahph]

Looks like she had a great day. I am sorry I missed sending a card, so Happy Birthday Laura!!! I love her new room. Laura is so pretty. I LOVE her hair.

[lorraine]

Yeahhhhhhh I've been waiting for these picture's ;D

It looks like Laura had a brilliant birthday, and WOW 100 cards,
thats amazing and something she will remember for a long time to come I bet.

I was proud to be able to show the photo's to my daughter Paige and say 'hey look here's Laura who we sent
a card to' she was really impressed with the cake, yummy, and the new bedroom too !!!
I'm glad she enjoyed her day ;D ;D

Thanks for sharing
Lorraine

[Emilysmom]

What a wonderful surprise for her!!! Thanks for sharing the pics!

Susan

[mydsgirl]

Wow, and I saw the money starting to pile up on the side of the first photo. Oh, to be 16 again, NOT! Happy Belated Birthday, I'm sorry I didn't know.
Leah

[laurasmom]

Just wanted to thank Bob for giving me the heads up on how to post pics in my post.
Thanks a bunch!

Sharon

[wrblack]

You're welcome, I guess. Lovely young lady, nice cards, good cake. But that 1st photo has an extremely offensive shirt.
LSU got by us, but Saban can make it all up by beating that cow college.
Roll Tide!
-- Bob

[Deborah]

Great pics Sharon...thanks for posting

[CC]

"She thinks Christopher is "so cute"."

Well I know my son and I can tell you as soon as I show him Laura's photos tomorrow he will think the same

So glad our card made it to you in time, Christopher truly enjoyed picking out the card ;D

OMG Laura has the BEST Smiles ever ;D She really is one very adorable young lady ;D

THANKS for sharing.

CC ~

[laurasmom]

Oh Bob!!!!
Say it's not so.

You can't be a Bammer, I just won't believe a person with your intelligence is! Pulling for the University of Alabama at Tuscalooser?

Oh please, I just can't believe it!

[wrblack]

Ah well, as Shoeless Joe said to the kid, I'm afraid it is.
My undergraduate degree is from Vanderbilt, who could become bowl eligible
with one more win. Have a hard time when they play Bama.
My master's degree is from the Capstone.
I, my sister, my father, and my mother, oh and my brother in law,
related to Woody Hayes and an Ohio State fan,
were all in the stands at Legion Field when Bear won no. 315.
You probably know which team he beat to do that.
Dating myself a bit there.
Oh, and I think that was the day that the Auburn people appeared to
be having trouble remembering their alma mater. Their band was playing softly,
maybe they couldn't remember the music either. And their half of the stadium
was singing so quietly could barely hear them.
So, the Alabama student section decided to help them out.
"Old MacDonald had a farm ..." Sung quite lustily and loudly.
That was a good day. -- Bob

ps And just another illustration that Down syndrome does not discriminate,
not on the basis of race, religion, national origin,
intelligence, social nor economic standing,
school affiliation, good taste, good manners,
height, weight, good looks, bad breath,
nor d.a.m.n.e.d. near anything else, expect, of course,
maternal age.

[laurasmom]

When I was growing up, on Dauphin Island, AL, we lived next door to a rabid Alabama fan. I remember my Dad telling him a Bama joke, making fun of Bama, and I remember the man crying. Never quite understood it.
I started pulling for Auburn as a child, because I was always a fan for the underdog, and face it, Auburn was always the underdog. So I stayed with it, and then I married a grad of Auburn High AND Auburn University, and he defines a person that bleeds orange and blue.

So, both girls came home from hospitals with Auburn booties on. When Laura was in preschool, her teacher was a Bama grad. She worked very hard trying to get Laura to say Roll Tide. And bless Laura's heart, her eyes got big, and she said "I no say tat, I say Weeglle".

And so life goes on. And I totally agree..........it is wonderful the DS world is totally non-discriminatory, a place where Tigers, Red Elephants, Commodores, and numerous other animals and such can co-exist peacefully.

Sharon

[wrblack]

Just saw reports that Tuberville may go to Texas A&M.
Don't know how your husband would feel about that,
might depend on how the rest of the season goes.
If true and happens, would be some ironies there.
And to get this back a little closer to topic, another little
ironic twist is that, thanks to my mom, I had an
autographed copy of Gene Stallings' Another Season
about 2 years before I ever thought about having Charlie.
Came in handy. -- Bob

[laurasmom]

To also keep on topic - I also have a copy of that book, I stood in line at the Books A Million in Mobile for 2 hours to get it signed. He really seems to be a great guy. He called a friend of my father in law's in Auburn after this guy's son was born with DS, the guy said he was very down to earth, relaxed, and upbeat, and that he will never forget the phone call and what was said. When I went to the book signing, I couldn't believe the turn out of adults with DS. I remember after Laura was born, I couldn't take her out of the house to places like the mall until after her incision was healed. I remember going to the mall and walking around one afternoon, staring at everyone and looking for another person with DS of any age. I didn't see anyone with DS, felt very alone. And 4 years later, I was standing in the book store, looking at about 40 or so adults with DS, and talking with many of them. Did my heart and soul good to be there.

Yes, the rumors are running amok about Tuberville, or CTT as the AU people call him, leaving Auburn. However, my hubby has heard through his "special grapevine" that CTT is not ready to leave, his wife and kids definitely don't want to leave. For a fact they just finished building a 9,000 square foot home in a beautiful section of Auburn, he has a 2 million/yr contract which increases by 200K each year, plus other "incentives". His buyout for his contract is 6 million this year, and decreases a million each year from now. Mike has also heard that a very lucrative revision to his contract has been prepared and they will meet about this at the end of the season. So anyway, who knows??? And I honestly can't believe I know this much about this issue. Go figure.

We play UGA this weekend in Athens. Their coach has ordered a "blackout", meaning all their fans have been asked to wear black. Apparently AU has responded by asking their fans to wear white. Should be a good game.

Sharon

[danikins]

Beautiful, just beautiful. Love her choices too. Happy 16th Laura.