Happy Birthday Mandy (part 2)

I wanted to write down a few thoughts about Mandy for her 10th Birthday. We waited a long time for Mandy. After we had Erika we had a hard time getting pregnant again. We went to a lot of doctors and they all told us the same thing that we were done having our own children and that we should look into other methods including adoption. Needless to say we were sad at this news. For some reason we never gave up. In March of 1998 we went to Disney World and Erika threw a coin into the pond surrounding It's a Small World and she wished for sisters. In December of 1998 I was feeling funny and I realized that I should get a pregnancy test and it actually came out positive!!! I had always wanted to announce a pregnancy around Christmas time especially on Christmas morning. I had to keep the news to myself for a little over a week but it was worth it, the looks on everyone's faces on Christmas Eve and Morning were priceless!

Mandy was born August 5, 1999. Rani had taken me walking at Scottsdale Mall to see if we could hurry the labor up. Amy Jo came over to practice that night and I was in quite a bit of back pain. That day I had picked up a big box of apricots and so I just thought maybe I had strained my back, NOPE! Mom Crandall came and picked me up and took me to the hospital where they let me check in but I had to keep walking. Mom walked with me for a long time and then Eric came on his lunch break at midnight and took over. Mom went home and Mandy was born about 30 minutes later. Our miracle baby was here! She came out not breathing and I was starting to panic. I told Eric to go over and give her a blessing. He asked me what her name was and I was in such a panic I told him to use whatever name he wanted but just get over there!! He did give her a short blessing and then I heard the most wonderful cry ever. I was so happy, she was ok, she was perfect! Our wait for over 5 years for a baby was over. Erika had the sister she had wished for.

Mandy is a sweet girl. She is determined and strong willed. She is very talented in music and dance. She loves to read. She loves her little brothers and they love her right back. She has a very caring heart. She loves the monkey bars at school and she loves to climb anything. She loves to go to Disneyland ( a true Crandall ). She is a good big sister and is found quite often playing with them and helping them. I, as her mother, love her very much and I am so grateful that she joined our family. I am so glad that Heavenly Father chose to send her to us. I look forward to watching her grow and mature.
Happy Birthday Mandy.