The women behind it all

Now that I've gone private I feel like I can blog more openly. It's become more of a family journal now and that's just what I wanted. I've been waiting a long time to write about this and now I finally can!

When I was pregnant with Addie I wanted a girl so badly! Many of you can relate. When I found out it was a girl I instantly knew what her name would be. Adeliade Kay. I love names with meaning and that was the perfect one. Plus, it fits her so well. Adeliade has always been one of my favorite names but after she was born I found it in my family history. Kay has a more personal meaning though. Two women that I admire share that middle name. First of all, Jared's sister, Yvette has that middle name. There is so much to admire about her that made it easy.

(Watch out, Vet! I'm about to get sentimental!)


Yvette is a very strong person in so many ways. I always knew that but she proved it as I watched her with her mom in her last few weeks (she was the only daughter and they were always very close). I remember helping her give Marlene a bath one day. We had to work quickly in order to keep Marlene from getting cold, but not only was she speedy but she was also very gentle.

After Jared and I got engaged we went right over to her house and told her and her husband first. That was only fitting because she was always like Mom to Jared (she is 13 years older). They were so excited and grabbed the calendar to look at dates with us.

Another thing that I love about her is what a great mom she is. If anything can be said for the McCleve family, it's that they have lots of fun! A few weeks before Christmas I took some family pictures of them and on the ride over I watched them laugh and enjoy each others company. She has great kids and all though she may disagree, I always see them obey when she asks them to do something.

I have a funny memory of her and her dedication to all things family. When Jared was called to be in the bishopric we tried to let the family know just incase they would like to come up but figured not many of them would be able to make it because there wasn't much time. He was called at about 9:30 in the morning and our church was at 1:00. We called while Vet and her family were at church so we left a message telling them what was happening. Imagine our suprise when we see Yvette and her five kids walk in to the chapel! They had got home from church, heard the message jumped back in the car and sped to Taylor. And made in less than 2 1/2 hours! I have to mention that they even stopped at the McDonald's drive thru in Payson along the way.

One last thing I will mention (but there are so many more!) is how helpful she is. She is always there if you need any kind of help at all. I have called her with some ridiculous questions (see Mom, it's not just you!) and she is always there and always has an answer!

The other woman that shares the middle name Kay was a young woman's leader that I had when I was younger. Her name was Wendy Nichols. She was always so much fun and loved being with the young women of the ward. I remember one time she called me at home while she was at work to ask me a question but our conversation didn't stop there. She talked and talked to me about this and that. I have always remember that. She made me feel so important. But, the thing was is that she really did care!

Wendy had a great personality. She was super bubbly and always lots of fun. I remember being at a New Years Eve party with her. Our Young Woman's President (a shout out to you, Laurie!) had a party and there were tons of us kids there as well as some of our adult leaders/friends. I can't call them just "leaders" because they were all seriously our friends. Wendy was one of them. I think while we were there we wrote down our resolutions. I wonder what Wendy's were.
Wendy had a hard time becoming pregnant but was eventually successful after many years. I was a Sr. in high school when that happened. Unfortunately, due to complications from toxemia, Wendy died while pregnant. They were still able to deliver her daughter who survived and happens to look just like her!

Both of those women are so admirable. I hope Addie knows what she has to live up to!

Now, onto Kimber. It's kind of a different story but it still has a remarkable woman behind it.

Jared is into guns. In fact he is getting a new one today but he doesn't know it yet. (It's his birthday and it just happens to be a Kimber!) He likes to go down to the gun shop and browse...er dream. One day he brought home a Kimber catalog and when I picked it up I thought that Kimber would be a pretty good name for a girl. But then it dawned on me, it would be the perfect name because I know someone with the name Kimberly that is the perfect person to name a child after.
(Since all of my pictures are still MIA I had to snake this one from another source. The girls and I met up with Kim for lunch when Kimber was a few months old and I was able to snap some super cute ones of them together. But, this beauty will have to do for now.)

During my days at Anasazi, I worked with one of the greatest people I have ever known. Kimberly, or Kim or Kimmy Nuzman, anyway you want to say it, is one of the smartest, strongest, funniest, most charismatic women I know. She has such a wonderful personality that you just can't help but love her once you meet her.

First of all, Kim is beautiful inside and out. She also has the most perfectly groomed eyebrows of anyone I have ever known. She is always dressed so snazzy. She has an eye for colors and things that don't just "match", but "go." That is a true talent and one that I hope to master someday.

Her office at Anasazi was so calming as well, but that is just the way she is. She is so professional but so witty. We spent countless hours (okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration) reciting movie lines, which is ironic since I hate watching movies. But this is not an exaggeration; we did spend countless hours laughing at ourselves, others and funny situations.

One of the most important things that I admire about Kim is that she is truly genuine. She always keeps her word and means what she says. She is such a wonderful and true friend. She is always thoughtful. In fact I have a little note she wrote me while I was on her team at work that I read frequently to remind me of her and to make myself feel better when I might be feeling a little down.

Kimber's middle name is Ramsay. (Pronounced Ram-sey). We couldn't find the right middle name for her but while sitting in the hospital I said to Jared "what about Ramsay?" We said it a few times and it stuck.


His Granny Hatch's maiden name was Ramsay but after her marriage it became her middle name. She was also a strong woman. I didn't get to know Granny very well while she was alive, but since I have lived in her house for the last 5+ years I think I am getting a pretty good idea of who she was and what she was all about. I'm pretty sure that Kimber is living up to that name. Granny didn't mince words nor did she care what anyone thought. She said it like it was and what she said went. She also loved her kids and was very proud of her grand kids.

Shortly after we moved into this house I had gone somewhere with some of Jared's cousins. After Lynelle dropped me off I started to walk to the back door when I noticed a white Chihuahua on the lawn. I was totally thrown off guard! It ran away and I lost view of it as it went around the side of the house. After I got to the side I couldn't see the dog anywhere! It was gone! I looked up and down the sidewalk, across the street and around the parameter of the whole house but I couldn't see it anywhere! I have always joked that it was probably Granny coming to check in on me and how I was treating her house. The color white was fitting and if she was going to come back as anything it would be a Chihuahua! She just had that personality. The family will understand!

I know this doesn't do justice to the women I have mentioned here but I hope it gives you an idea of how important they are to me. I also hope it helps my girls realize that they have a lot to live up to. If they turn out anything like the women they are named after then I know they will be okay.