Conan's First Camp Meeting

Bloys Camp Meeting holds a special place in my heart. Having attended since birth, it was even more special this year to introduce Conan to this incredible week of the year. Each August, over 2,000 people come together for one week to worship the Lord in the beautiful Davis Mountains of west Texas. Bloys was started in 1890 to provide church services for cowboys working the sparsely populated ranches of west Texas. Today, some of the families of those first attendees still come and join together during a week I like to describe as church camp, a family reunion and vacation all rolled into one. 

Unfortunately, for the 6th year in a row, Jon was unable to attend due to work, but Conan and I enjoyed lots of time with the Catlins, Hicks and our many friends. 

Conan and Boulan

Laurel and the Blue Boys

Having missed the past two years myself, I was so thrilled to return to Bloys and catch up with many friends and spend lots of time with my dear cousin, Macy.

Macy, Laurel and me

Conan and his "Bumpa"

Conan and his "Cha"

Conan at 3 months

Lunch at the cook shed

One of my favorite aspects of Camp Meeting is being surrounded by the gorgeous scenery. I enjoyed lots of sunset walks, bouldering, and even a sunrise mountain climb.

Davis Mountain sunset

Davis Mountain Sunset

Davis Mountains

A climb rewarded with excellent views!

A climb rewarded with excellent views!

Davis Mountain Sunrise

View of Camp from the mountaintop

One afternoon, we trekked to the nearby town of Marfa to browse the shops and explore this adorable, artsy town.

El Paisano Hotel 

El Paisano Hotel

Welcome to Marfa, Conan!

It was a wonderful week to get away from TVs, telephones, computer and all other technology and simply enjoy family togetherness and most importantly, focusing on God's many wonders. I'm so happy  that we'll be able to attend more frequently now that we're Stateside again. Until next year, Bloys!

A Texas July 4th

Three weeks after returning Stateside, we made our way back down to Texas to spend the Fourth. We were hoping to host the Catlin crew at our home for an un-packing weekend, but as our household goods were not due to arrive for another two weeks, we decided to all gather in Bryan. Though it was so much fun to participate in 4th of July festivities in the USA this year, Jon and I were missing our annual "Rock, Flag and Eagle" bash we hosted each year in Sittard. We will always cherish these memories of our US friends and Dutch neighbors coming together to celebrate all things American!

On the morning of the Fourth, we attended a children's parade and festivities at a neighborhood park. Though it was hot, hot, hot, we enjoyed a patriotic morning and fun music with the kids, before spending the afternoon cooling off at the swimming pool. And of course, no July 4th is complete without an awesome fireworks show. That night, we drove out to a great viewing spot of the George Bush Library on the side of the highway, popped the tailgate and were wowed with a spectacular fireworks display that seemed to be shouting, "Welcome back to America, Cathleen and Jon."

Nothing says July 4th like watermelon!

Braxton loved pushing the babies, Conan and Boulan, around the park

Clough Family photo

Boulan and Conan hangin' in a tree

The Catlin gals and boys

Conan's first swim in the pool

Two days later, I celebrated the second anniversary of my 29th year. It was such a treat to be surrounded by my entire family on my birthday as well as some very special friends who drove up from Houston to spend the day with me - the Spencers! It was so much fun to have both our families together even though it was a bit chaotic. We enjoyed a Tex-Mex lunch before hitting up the pool and some much needed catch-up time. I'm so appreciative to them for making the effort to load up the kids and road-trip to Bryan to spend the day with us. We always have a blast with the Spencers and I can't wait for them to visit us in Norman next month!

Birthday lunch at Papa Perez

That night, Jon had arranged a birthday dinner surprise for me at the local Messina Hof winery. Located in the beautiful countryside just outside Bryan, he treated us kids (myself, Laurel, Jason and Mandy) to a fantastic dinner! We discovered we love their gewurtztraminer wine and we're thrilled to find a place to replenish our stock of European gewurtztraminer we shipped over.

The meal, wine, company and setting was absolutely divine, and I'm so grateful to Jon for being so thoughtful to surprise me with this wonderful evening. He really is the best at planning surprises and in the midst of all the craziness happening in our first month back, I'm so impressed he pulled it off. 

An after dinner photo shoot in the vineyard. 

Showing off our wine buys 

After dinner, we enjoyed a night out on the town and were joined by the Polkas who were also in Bryan this weekend. I'm so bummed we don't have any pics of us all together, as it turned out to be quite a memorable night. This was such an incredible weekend filled with lots of fun times with family and reunions with friends. It's still somewhat bizarre knowing that I can see my family so much more often now, and that the "goodbyes" are only for a few weeks at a time instead of several months. We're certainly trying to take advantage of our proximity to Texas as much as possible and are having a blast sharing in these special occasions with those we've missed for so long!

We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know when....

Sitting in my house in Norman on a rainy summer afternoon, writing this post and seeing these pictures from our final days in Sittard almost seems like a lifetime ago. So much has happened over the past two months and the more time that passes, the more our time in Europe seems like a distant fairytale. Did we actually live there? I guess we did, because we certainly have the pictures (and countless souvenirs and wine) to prove it. Partly we feel this way due to our incredible send-off we were given by friends and neighbors. How could we not be depressed looking at these pictures knowing that we are an ocean's distance away from these wonderful people and our home for three monumental years.

Our final weekend in Sittard, we took part in two evenings of farewell with dear friends. On Friday night, our favorite neighbors, the Hilkens, hosted a dinner for our fellow neighbors on Pater Schreursstraat to say farewell to us. We enjoyed hamburgers, delicious sides, cake, and the company of all our wonderful Dutch neighbors we've had the pleasure of living near the past three years. Everyone was so thoughtful to bring gifts for Conan in addition to two very special presents for Jon and me. One was a bronze replica of a statue in the Sittard square and the other was a photo book of our three years living in Sittard. Pia was so sweet to create this and we will treasure these pictures of Sittard, our street and various festivals and parties greatly. It truly was the most thoughtful farewell gift we could have ever received!

Beautiful cake (complete with pirate details) made by Nadine Hilkens

In addition to the surprise of two outstanding farewell gifts, we were also serenaded to a custom-written song about our time in Sittard by the entire group. The song included 5 verses, written by Nik,  to the tune of Irish ballad, "Wild Rover." We were blown away by these kind and thoughtful gestures that made this evening so very special.

Jon holding up the sheet music to our customized Farewell song

Everyone taking part in the serenade

After dinner, we enjoyed a sing-along with Hans. My favorite part was hearing everyone bust out to old Dutch folk songs. Although obviously unfamiliar to me, hearing them sing reminded me that although we come from very different places, they have displayed the true meaning of being a neighbor. Although I have cherished the friendships made with our American friends from GK, I feel richly blessed by the many Dutch friends I have made through church and by living on Pater Schreursstraat.

Thank you, Peter and Pia, for being such wonderful neighbors who have helped to make our time in Sittard so meaningful. Being your next door neighbor has been one of the best parts of living in the Netherlands and we appreciate all that you have done for us during our three years there. We look forward to visiting you on Pater Schreursstraat in the future, as this street will always hold a special place in our hearts. 

Farewell to Pia and Peter Hilkens

The next night, we gathered with our favorite GK friends for a farewell dinner on the square. This evening was special as it was a joint farewell with the Grimms, who were leaving a mere week after us. I have mentioned this countless times, but we truly could not have been more blessed with outstanding friends during our GK assignment. Right from the start, we met the McKiernans and Grimms who we became fast friends with. A few months later, our friend-base expanded with more and more fabulous ladies who I ended up having some of my favorite times in Europe with. Through countless Bunco nights, girls trips, and partying at local festivals, we have maximized our time as ladies-of-leisure in Europe. Now that I am back in the States leading a very different life, I know that I will look back on this time with these incredible ladies, as some of the best times of my life. 

Dinner with the Moones, Kelehers, Cavanaughs, and Grimms

Though some of our dear friends moved a few months before us, I was so happy to have this evening with those of us remaining to have one more night for the books. And what a night it was! After dinner, we searched for a fun place to dance, and having no luck, ended up at the "Belgian bar" with some colorful characters. Needless to say, we ladies managed to have a great time dancing to the oldies and interacting with the locals. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics with Cara and Erin as they left before the camera came out.

Breakin' it down with Katy

Oh how I'll miss these ladies!

The guys hanging outside with Conan

Saucey ladies!

The following day, several from our group were supposed to run the Maastricht run, only to find out that registration was full. So, we made our own plans to run around Sittard. Unfortunately, I couldn't take part in the run as I was on Conan duty, but we managed to have a picnic afterwards in the park in order to have one last gathering of friends. It was an emotional farewell leaving the park, but was the perfect culmination to a perfect weekend spent with those who mean so much to us. Although I don't know where or when, I know we'll meet again. Tot ziens!

Ahoy.... it's a boy! - Newborn Photos

Before I get too far updating the blog with State-side activities, I wanted to post Conan's newborn photos taken at 3 weeks of age. It's hard to believe that he's now 3 months old! Time truly is flying by too quickly. I had no idea how complicated newborn photos were to take, and thought I could maybe manage to take some cute shots on my own. Boy was I wrong. Not only did our basic "automatic" setting not cut it in the quality of the photos, but also the elements that have to be considered such as a warm room (heating lamp required for this), adequate lighting and a creative eye were all missing. 

Luckily, my talented friend, Katy Moone was up for the challenge and took some outstanding photos! She helped create my vision of a pirate-themed photo with a "treasure chest," pirate flag, and hat and eye patch that did not want to stay on.  Thank you, Katy, for the time you spent with us to create these beautiful and magnificent photos. They are greatly treasured!

Six Weeks of Conan

After the busiest 10 weeks of my life, I'm finally getting around to updating this blog. We've been just a little consumed with caring for a newborn, managing a transcontinental move and settling back in to life in the States. It's hard to imagine that the last time I posted was the day Conan was born. In some ways this major event seems like a lifetime ago thinking about all that's happened since his birthday. Our world's been flipped upside down, and we're loving it! Below are the chronicles of our first six weeks with Conan.

Taken in our orchard exactly one week before Conan was born

THE BIRTH: After a routine doctor's appointment on April 30th (5 days before his due date), I was asked to stay overnight for observation as Conan's heart rate was very low and needed monitoring. Later that night after another monitoring session, a decision was made to take him out via an emergency C-section, which was one of the scariest moments of my life. I went from feeling fine and watching the "Princess Bride" in the hospital room, to being prepped for surgery 30 minutes later. Unfortunately, Jon was not able to be in the room as there was no time for him to be prepped as well. I was put completely under and awoke in a very groggy state to Jon holding a bundle of blankets, later to be known as Conan. It all happened so fast and though it wasn't the idyllic birth experience I had been hoping for, the end result was perfect - a healthy and beautiful baby boy who stole my heart the moment I met him. Conan Ashely Clough was born on April 30th at 11:32 p.m. weighing 7.76 lbs. and 21 inches long.

Taken in hospital at 2 days old

Not imagining in a million years that I would need a C-section, I had no idea what to expect regarding the recovery. I was blessed to be in a hospital with wonderful nurses who gave great care. After a rough couple days, I immediately started feeling better and couldn't wait for my mom to arrive in a few days time and the possibility to go home. After 4 nights in the hospital, I was able to go home and was thrilled to be able to have 2.5 weeks to enjoy our house before the packers arrived. This time was spent adjusting to becoming a mom, enjoying visits from family and friends and snuggling with my baby as much as possible. 

At home, 4 days old

THE MOVE: The two weeks of my mom's visit flew by entirely too fast and before I knew it, she was on a plane back to the States. I was sad to see her go for multiple reasons - but mostly because I was scared to death to have to manage a newborn on my own while also prepping for our move. Jon was a huge help, but also had all the logistics of our move to take care of including numerous trips to the dump, Bis-Bis, Thrift Shop, final cleaning of the house, selling our car, shipping two cars, obtaining Conan's passport, etc. We were running on nothing but pure adrenaline until our house was completely cleared out on May 24th. (On a side note, don't ever try to move with a newborn baby..... just sayin').

Taken in the orchard at 2.5 weeks

Our final Dutch souvenir - a bakfiets!

THE FAREWELL: After our household goods were packed and we turned over the keys to our house, we could breathe a sigh of relief and relax a bit while enjoying our final two weeks in Europe. Luckily, we were able to enjoy our final days in an actual home, thanks to our generous friends, the Zinneckers. It was so wonderful to have the comfort and space of a house, rather than staying in a guest house. Also, we loved being able to stay in Sittard our final days as well. While friends were going on last minute trips around the continent, we were staying local taking part in many final farewells. I will have to add more pictures in this section as we were blessed to have numerous farewell gatherings at church, with neighbors and our favorite friends. We truly have met the most incredible people during our 3.5 years at GK and I am so grateful for the friendships made that have forever changed me for the better. 

4 weeks old

4 weeks old

In addition to saying good-bye to all the wonderful people we have known, we also had to say goodbye to one very special place..... Wiesbaden. Our first home as a married couple, this city will always hold a special place in our heart. We managed to spend an afternoon here an introduce Conan to  our first apartment and familiar haunts. I became very emotional leaving this city as it hit me that after 6 years in Europe, we have no plans to return. Of course I know someday we will, but it's still a hard reality to face after having so many possibilities for travel for so long to no longer have these opportunities available at our fingertips. I have become so accustomed to traveling back and forth between the States and Europe for so long, experiencing the best of both worlds, and now that reality is about to change. We will be firmly planted in the States, making a new life that will be vastly different, but I have no doubt, still as wonderful and fulfilling. Here's to the next adventure....

5 weeks old in Wiesbaden

THE HOMECOMING: On June 11th, we landed in Dallas and were greeted by my mom at the airport. Balloons in tow, we felt very welcomed home. Conan was a champ on the plane and slept pretty much the entire time except for the final 10 minutes. During the descent he screamed bloody murder, but at least it was only the bitter end that he was a toot. And let's face it, he was just vocalizing what we were all thinking after 11 hours - get me outa this thing now!

Arrival Day in Texas

We stayed in Dallas at Mandy's for two nights, where my dad joined to take us all back to Bryan. Mandy, Laurel, Jason and the Blue boys all met us there that weekend for one fantastic family reunion over Father's Day. Braxton has been dying to "hold Tonan" for weeks now and was so precious when he first met him. I got on the floor with Conan in my lap and he rushed over screaming "baby Tonan, baby Tonan" and kissed and hugged him all over. Baby "Tonan" is indeed so lucky to have such a loving big cousin and though he doesn't know it yet, he's going to be best friends with his cousins Braxton and Boulan. When we all joined together that first night, I remember thinking that I wouldn't trade all the trips in Europe for that moment of togetherness and utter happiness. The best part about it was that there was no impending tearful goodbye hanging over my head after the weekend or two weeks or even a month. Because though we won't be able to see each other all the time, it will be so much more often than what we've been used to. 

The Three Cloughs at the Catlin house

The Catlin family all together again

As two have become three, a new beginning is underway for the Cloughs in Clogs, but what shall it be? Stay tuned, please!

Oh the Places He'll Go...... Baby Shower Extravaganza!

"Baby, oh, baby, the places you'll go! The worlds you will visit! The friends you will know!"

This Dr. Seuss quote inspired a beautiful travel-themed baby shower by my dear GK friends on April 13th. I'm so blessed to have four ladies offer to host a shower for me and they did an outstanding job spoiling both me and Baby C splendidly. 

My Hostesses with the Mostess - Beth, Julie, Missy and Cara

As soon as I walked in to Missy's house, where the shower was held, I was blown away by the colorful decor, beautiful flowers, and travel-themed details; complete with vintage suitcases, a globe, pinwheel maps, and lots of yellow accents. 

The ladies organized an outstanding brunch with breakfast casseroles and Tex-Mex inspired dishes. The food, drinks and dessert cupcakes were all so delicious!

After indulging in the yummy food, we played some fun baby games incorporating personal information about me and the letter "C." Cara did an outstanding job planning the games!

I felt so honored that most of my closest friends from GK could attend. These ladies mean so much to me and I am going to miss them dearly come June. They were so sweet to give up a Saturday afternoon to shower me with so much love and generosity. This was such a special day to spend time with some of my favorite people while also reveling in the excitement of Baby C's upcoming arrival. He sure did receive some stylin' Euro outfits and I can hardly wait to meet him and start using all my goodies. I am truly blessed!

Shower Attendees (Missy, Katy, Cara, Julie, Michelle, Beth and Liz)

Shortly after leaving Missy's, it was time for my second Baby Shower of the day. The ladies at EBC  were insistent upon throwing me a baby shower, which I thought was so incredibly sweet. They organized a lovely evening with snacks, desserts, a devotional time, games and presents.

This church has been my home away from home the past few years and I cherish the friendships I have made here immensely. It has been wonderful to interact with so many people I never would have met otherwise. I have loved being a member of the praise team and children's ministry and will miss being a part of such an international congregation when we move back Stateside. These ladies have touched my heart in so many ways, and it meant so much to me that they wanted to honor Baby C and me with a special evening just for us.

Leena made the most adorable cupcakes for the shower. Her cake-baking and decorating skills truly are amazing. The best part of the cupcakes was the verse attached that reminds us children are a reward from God. He has blessed me in so many ways, and I can't wait to train up my child in the way he should go - the Lord's way.

I feel so honored to have had not one, not two, but THREE baby showers! With the upcoming move and the many other logistics that have distracted us over the past few months, these special occasions have allowed me the time to focus on the excitement of my most important upcoming job - motherhood. I have been waiting for this day for a long time, and although the task can seem daunting and frightening at times, I'm ready to embark on this new adventure in life. I'm so grateful for the opportunities I've had to share my excitement of this life-changing events with my dearest friends.

"You'll find that this world's a great place to begin, but it could use some help - which is where you come in.... It's a scrumptulous world and it's ready to greet you. And as for myself.... well.... I can't wait to meet you!" - Dr. Seuss