#38: The man just oooooooooozes awwwwwness

[laljeterfan]

to Perma and YChrome!

Perma, your entire post was beautiful, and made me cry. I've spent the last however many hours since the news broke trying to process all of the information, and your post has helped tremendously. I can't say that I really understand all of the decisions made, but your post went a long way toward making me realize- his life, not mine- and that quite a lot of thought and prayers and soul-searching went into the decision.

(meanwhile, is it wrong for me to hope that the scenario that Thankful4Clay and you alluded to is true? I confess that part of the sadness I was feeling yesterday was the thought that he was shutting himself off to romantic love. And I want him to have that too!)

(see, Perma, someone commented on your post even without you bringing one of your beautiful pictures to share! not that I would have minded one...... )

[FearofH2O]

Playbiller, I believe Aiken is his maternal grandparents last name.

I was trying to think of an adequate name for Clay and Jaymes relationship as we know it. Finally I came up with commitment. They have made a lifelong committment to each other which cannot ever be broken for the lifetime of baby Parker. And like wandacleo said sometimes marriages can have spouses that are not as loving as their (Clay and Jaymes) relationship. The baby comes first now in their lives.

I reported a hateful comment on the OFC, I only wish others that disagree with her post would not keep quoting it. It could go on forever. Ignore is my favorite action in these cases.

[Cotton]

Playbiller, I believe Aiken is his maternal grandparents last name.

I was trying to think of an adequate name for Clay and Jaymes relationship as we know it. Finally I came up with commitment. They have made a lifelong committment to each other which cannot ever be broken for the lifetime of baby Parker. And like wandacleo said sometimes marriages can have spouses that are not as loving as their (Clay and Jaymes) relationship. The baby comes first now in their lives.

I reported a hateful comment on the OFC, I only wish others that disagree with her post would not keep quoting it. It could go on forever. Ignore is my favorite action in these cases.

I love the ignore button over there!

Sadly, when someone quotes a post - the content is reposted and visible. *pffft*

ETA:

anybody who can find something hateful to say about this beautiful birth is a sad, sad sub-human, IMO.

[justclay12]

Perma, . I don't do much praying but hope the hugs help.

And I was over at the OFC yesterday, as well as several other boards because I was excited, and I saw that one of the mods actually went off on a poster after deleting her post, because it must have been really offensive. Actually posts like those only show the world what kind of a miserable person they are, they do nothing to sway people's opinions about Clay. Thankfully most of the fans posting have been happy and excited about the news. Hopefully those who can't get past it will just leave instead of inflicting their same tired spiel about how disappointed/disgusted/disillusioned they are. It gets old after awhile.

Wanda, I sure wish I had your way of getting to the point so succinctly.

[Couch Tomato]

Heading out ya'll. While I'm incommunicado Clay will blog and show a picture of his baby. Count on it. heee

RIP Bernie Mac

[cindilu2]

Dang, I just read about Bernie Mac on my homepage. Isn't sarcoidosis that is the same disease that Ray had? And Jerry Lewis? Very sad - and it somehow always seems strange to me that someone can die of pneumonia in 2008. (My mother also died from complications due to pneumonia).

I'm sorry, but I am just not sympathetic to people who are 'disappointed' in Clay over his choice to have a baby. I understand feeling disappointment in your own dreams for him - but in Clay as a man? Does not compute for me. Of course the usual suspects are getting their jollies baiting those who simply can not ignore them. Those people are trolls, pure and simple. Whatever. But people who are posting that they can no longer enjoy him as a singer/entertainer/human being, because he and someone he loves had a beautiful little child together? I don't get it, and I don't want to.

[keepingfaith]

{{{Perma}}}

I was shocked to hear about the death of Bernie Mac. The last I heard he was improved and scheduled to leave the hospital in a few days. The world is losing laughter these days and Bernie will be so dearly missed.

As far as some of the stuff I read briefly at OFC yesterday, I'll just say that there are some so-called Christians out there who don't seem to understand the meaning of brotherly love. So sad that too many proselytizers and cheerleaders for religion are themselves lost souls trapped in the darkness without a clue -- clinging to structure and oblivious to content.

And in opposition to my predominant Mary Sunshine attitudes ... all I could think of when watching the Olympics Spectacular yesterday was that this was the biggest show that American jobs and American dollars could buy. Hardly a fair trade in my opinion.

[justclay12]

I don't understand the holier than thou attitudes either and would hate to be part of their families and listen to their crap if and when I did something not up to their standards. And I know I would do something, if for no other reason than to flip them out.

And I didn't watch much of the opening ceremonies yesterday but what I saw was beautiful, however what kept crossing my mind was how a country that could show such beauty could also be one that tramples on human rights the way they do.

[Ansamcw]

Heading out ya'll. While I'm incommunicado Clay will blog and show a picture of his baby. Count on it. heee

RIP Bernie Mac

Bernie Mac? He isn't very old is he...too bad...RIP

((((Perma)))) good thoughts for you and Hubby...

love your summary of his blog...my thoughts exactly.

I only peaked at one other board that had some members going ballistic. I do believe that the issues people have are quite complicated and are pretty much driven by their personal issues and needs and wants from Clay. I do hope those struggling with this will be able to accept this in time cos this is not going to change and really not going to change what we are here for...this wonderful talented singer. I suspect he is not really thinking of his career right now but that does not mean he will be giving that up altogether. So many other artist has been able to integrate a career with family life and I do believe that it can enrich him and his artistry. So for people worrying about his career and his future...I just look at how much coverage he got with this news and how positive mainstream media has been I think this is just going to help him not hurt.

[claytonic]

I trully, TRULY don't understand why anyone would feel anything other than happiness for Clay and Jaymes, and their precious son.

When Clay created BAF, he created something that can be summed up in one word. Inclusion. Inclusion for all children, typical or otherwise because everyone is different. Even a 'typical' child may not be so typical when all is said and done because everyone is unique.

I have so much respect for Clay and Jaymes because they had the COURAGE to follow their dream and be unique, rather than follow stupid traditions. OMG, so many couples who start out with a nice white wedding end up hating each other and creating sheer hell for their kids, some of whom are totally screwed up because their father and mother have screamed the most hateful things about each other. People usually get married because they are in lust, not love. Lust, in almost all cases, has a used-by date. Love doesn't. Parker Foster Aiken was created out of love, not lust. What a lucky, lucky little boy.

ETA:

I suspect he is not really thinking of his career right now but that does not mean he will be giving that up altogether. So many other artist has been able to integrate a career with family life and I do believe that it can enrich him and his artistry. So for people worrying about his career and his future...I just look at how much coverage he got with this news and how positive mainstream media has been I think this is just going to help him not hurt.

Further to this, there are many fathers with jobs that take them away from home for weeks at a time, and they are still wonderful fathers. It's about quality time, not quantity. And now... with technology the way it is, staying connected across the miles is so much easier.

[spikesmom]

I have so much respect for Clay and Jaymes because they had the COURAGE to follow their dream and be unique, rather than follow stupid traditions. OMG, so many couples who start out with a nice white wedding end up hating each other and creating sheer hell for their kids, some of whom are totally screwed up because their father and mother have screamed the most hateful things about each other. People usually gat married because they are in lust, not love. Lust, in almost all cases, has a used-by date. Love doesn't. Parker Foster Aiken was created out of love, not lust. What a lucky, lucky little boy.

ETA:

I suspect he is not really thinking of his career right now but that does not mean he will be giving that up altogether. So many other artist has been able to integrate a career with family life and I do believe that it can enrich him and his artistry. So for people worrying about his career and his future...I just look at how much coverage he got with this news and how positive mainstream media has been I think this is just going to help him not hurt.

Further to this, there are many fathers with jobs that take them away from home for weeks at a time, and they are still wonderful fathers. It's about quality time, not quantity. And now... with technology the way it is, staying connected across the miles is so much easier.

claytonic - I tried to say several things last night and just couldn't put my words together without feeling like I was putting others down for their feelings. Thanks for saying what I was trying to say and doing it so well!

And I agree with so many others who have stated that he hasn't been gone that long? I don't get the worry at this point. Clearly others have gone away for much longer periods of time and come back just fine. Why can't he?

[claytonic]

aikim , my apologies, I just realized that you are excitedly preparing for your daughter's wedding. I didn't mean to sound rude about weddings, because there is a flip side as well where people do get married and live happily and love each other. However, it doesn't work for everyone and for those who are not comfortable with it (and Clay understandably isn't, given his parents' marriage), no one should judge their personal decisions if they want to have children without the usual traditions.

[FromClaygary]

It's a dreary day in central ON, but in my world there's a LOT of sunshine....I can't imagine it being any other way after the healthy birth of a most-anticipated and already well-loved baby, to two of my favorite people. Today is my first weekend off in many....and I intend to just roll around in the joy like a pig in the muck. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

Here's a bit of a lesson in "private message boards", not that it will stop the trolls. In fact, I'm sure it's their intention. MY intention is to stay as clear of them as possible.

News and Observer

luckiest1, hope you're camping somewhere it ISN'T raining!

My hat's off to wandacleo, as it often is, and claytonic.

[Cotton]

I just love this from Rainlover at CV.

Photobucket is being pookie to me, so I can't move it to my photobucket.

I hope somebody will snag it for FCA.

So cute!

[playbiller]

FromCalgery . when I post a stgory that has negative implications for Clay, forget the swtupid comments, I like to identify it as such so people who don't want to encourage such stuff can avoid it.

Unless thisis just a story about trolls, I already heard this source insulted Clay, so I want to avoid it.

Negative feelings about the baby, I can understand mixed emotions. There are always mixed emotions about unusual things and the way this baby was handled is unusual, normally baby's are acknowledged and celebrated before hand. I am not going to hate someone for honest confused feelings, but direct insults to the people involved is unneccessary. I like to tread a middle ground where I can acknowledge how I feel honestly without being rude.

O/T Heh, I just cruelly confused my dog. She was barking her head off for a while now, walked over and was barking in my ear, so I grabbed her head made her look at me and barked my head off for a minute, now she is wandering around, barking under her breath, unenthusiastically.

[FromClaygary]

FromCalgery . when I post a stgory that has negative implications for Clay, forget the swtupid comments, I like to identify it as such so people who don't want to encourage such stuff can avoid it.

Unless thisis just a story about trolls, I already heard this source insulted Clay, so I want to avoid it.

Negative feelings about the baby, I can understand mixed emotions. There are always mixed emotions about unusual things and the way this baby was handled is unusual, normally baby's are acknowledged and celebrated before hand. I am not going to hate someone for honest confused feelings, but direct insults to the people involved is unneccessary. I like to tread a middle ground where I can acknowledge how I feel honestly without being rude.

If all of this is directed at me, playbiller, I have no idea what you're talking about. The story I linked doesn't have anything to do with Clay himself (except peripherally, IMO), it's about watching what you post on a message board.

Re your second paragraph....I have absolutely no idea where you got the impression I was rude. I've complimented two people on their posts and referenced a post from someone else about rude posts on another board. As I said, I don't feel that's being rude and I don't appreciate yours or Iseeme's posts naming me, and treating me like a 4 year old that needs to be put in a corner. THAT is rude. THIS is direct....just so it's clear.

[bottlecap]

O/T Heh, I just cruelly confused my dog. She was barking her head off for a while now, walked over and was barking in my ear, so I grabbed her head made her look at me and barked my head off for a minute, now she is wandering around, barking under her breath, unenthusiastically.

Maybe Holly was trying to tell you "Timmy's down the well!" [tm Lassie] and she can't figure out why you responded in Dogese with a recipe for bananas foster.

Babies are exhausting, y'all! I spent the morning with my family carting my almost 6-month-old great niece to the mall and back. I don't think that invasion of Normandy required so much equipment and material to accomplish. I hope Clay has been lifting weights, because the baby carrier plus the growing baby gets heavy really quick.

[Cotton]

Babies are exhausting, y'all! I spent the morning with my family carting my almost 6-month-old great niece to the mall and back. I don't think that invasion of Normandy required so much equipment and material to accomplish. I hope Clay has been lifting weights, because the baby carrier plus the growing baby gets heavy really quick.

Ooh!

Maybe that's the reason for the muscle shirt . . .

What?

[playbiller]

FromCalgery . when I post a stgory that has negative implications for Clay, forget the swtupid comments, I like to identify it as such so people who don't want to encourage such stuff can avoid it.

Unless thisis just a story about trolls, I already heard this source insulted Clay, so I want to avoid it.

Negative feelings about the baby, I can understand mixed emotions. There are always mixed emotions about unusual things and the way this baby was handled is unusual, normally baby's are acknowledged and celebrated before hand. I am not going to hate someone for honest confused feelings, but direct insults to the people involved is unneccessary. I like to tread a middle ground where I can acknowledge how I feel honestly without being rude.

If all of this is directed at me, playbiller, I have no idea what you're talking about. The story I linked doesn't have anything to do with Clay himself (except peripherally, IMO), it's about watching what you post on a message board.

Re your second paragraph....I have absolutely no idea where you got the impression I was rude. I've complimented two people on their posts and referenced a post from someone else about rude posts on another board. As I said, I don't feel that's being rude and I don't appreciate yours or Iseeme's posts naming me, and treating me like a 4 year old that needs to be put in a corner. THAT is rude. THIS is direct....just so it's clear.

I didn't click on the article, I didn't know what it was about, my post was probably poorly worded, it was meant as a question. I just wanted to know if it was that was the article that insulted Clay or not. My apologies for the way the wording came across as an attack rather than a question. It seems like a lot of posts have links that are not clear to me and some times they get me. I am still mad at that paper for their special $4 Clay sections when the fans are near.

The rude comment was about Fear's comment about the OFC post that was deleted. My communication skills really suck don't they?.

BC Holly just barsks, she has not barked out loud for a while now. I wonder if I did more than conjfuse her, she is oddly quiet not. Did I commit dog abuse? Last night she got to me because she kept going to the back door to go out after she barked at me. I thought she might have urinary infection or something, but finally, she sat in front of the fridge and looked up and I realized she was leading me to the treat box I had on top of the fridge which next to the back door. The dog is getting smarter by the minute and I, apparently, am getting dumber.

Akim good luck with the shower.

[annabear]

[PSA] For the record, when I read this post, I didn't relate it to being directed at anyone in particular, so my quoting & commenting on it is not directed at anyone in particular. [/PSA]

Negative feelings about the baby, I can understand mixed emotions. There are always mixed emotions about unusual things and the way this baby was handled is unusual, normally baby's are acknowledged and celebrated before hand. I am not going to hate someone for honest confused feelings, but direct insults to the people involved is unneccessary. I like to tread a middle ground where I can acknowledge how I feel honestly without being rude.

I think this is the crux of A LOT of the tention surrounding this situation. We all come from different places and have different life experiences. I can't fault someone for feeling how they feel. I can't fault someone for respectfully stating how they feel. I can even sympathize with their reasoning sometimes. BUT. When it comes to calling names and making moral judgments, that's where I draw the line. <- No pun intended! You don't have to agree with someone's decisions, but not agreeing doesn't mean you have the right to belittle them, nor does it give you the right to belittle and cast stones at those who choose to be happy for the other person.

Again, this is not directed at anyone in particular, but I have experienced the exact situation I described above. I think some people must truly be miserable deep down in their hearts if the only way they can approve of something/someone is if it meets with their exacting standards. They're going to end up awfully lonely someday.

:thbighug-1: to you, Perma, and good thoughts sent out for hubby's safe & quick return.

Hope the shower goes well, aikim! Can't wait to hear about it!

I'm home from a great evening of a lot of Clack and a little junk food. :F_05BL17blowkiss: to my lurker friend, if she's lurking! Now I must clean up my mess of an apartment & hit the grocery store.

[cha cha trusty]

Time out for one tiny poor.me.whine. I took my DH to the airport this morning. I helped him drag his duffels that held his clothes, a combat helmet, a flak jacket and a kevlar vest. Also his dental records. He's going to be on the other side of the world where bad things happen to Americans, and I won't see him again until November, at the earliest. So I was feeling kinda sad this morning.

Until I heard the big news!! I wish every joy to Clay and Jaymes, and little Parker. What a wonderful blessing for all of them.

I believe that all babies are miracles, but some births are a bit more miraculous than others. I know that Clay believes in Divine Providence, but in this case he must also believe that God helps those who help themselves. I am so thrilled that something they both obviously wanted very badly has had such a wonderful outcome.

You know, life takes some pretty unexpected twists and turns sometimes. Five years ago neither my husband nor I would have pictured him working in such a hostile environment and spending such long periods away from home. But life doesn't always go the way we plan.

Five years ago Clay probably did not envision that he would become a father in quite this way. But I am very happy for him that he was able to make that dream come true with someone so incredibly dear to him. Because he refused to comment when the news was leaked, I felt pretty sure that it was true. But I figured that he wasn't going to comment even if they held a gun to his head until that baby was safely born. Tempting fate indeed. I think having Faye call Linda Loveland was the perfect media contact. I think that Clay's blog was timely and perfect.

1. "My son was born today and these are the particulars"

2. "I couldn't say anything until the baby was safely born"

3. "I am the father of this baby, and I am proud and pleased to claim him."

4. "We are a family and all of our extended families are delighted today"

5. "I am not going to shut you all out from this wonderful part of my life".

It has quite a bit of a take-it-or-leave-it tone to it.....but done very nicely. He invited all the fans to share in his joy and excitement. If anyone didn't want to....their choice. But it was clear that he didn't plan to go into the why's and wherefore's. Good for him.

{{{Perma}}}

and btw WORD to your post :F_05BL17blowkiss:

{{{{{{{{{{perma+hubby}}}}}}}}}}} God Speed to your hubby, give you strength to endure, and may the PTB keep him safe. :F_05BL17blowkiss:

[Gibby]

Good Morning Everyone,

Bridal Shower today, I am excited, nervous and freaking out a bit, it is starting to hit me big time that my daughter is actually getting married...it doesn't seem all that long ago that I was planning my own wedding.

Kim

Good luck, Kim! I hope you'll come back tonight and tell us how much fun you all had!

Perma - *HUGS* to you and YChrome.

[Thankful4Clay]

Hello. I'm still grinning from ear to ear about Clay's being a daddy. I'm beyond thrilled for him.

I'm watching the Olympics and I'm actually going out this evening. My daughter is a fan of Idina Menzel. She was the original Elphaba in Wicked. She is playing in St. Paul tonight. We looked at tickets on Thursday and the only ones showing were in the balcony. I told my daughter that more seats would open up. Buying Clay tickets has taught me that. We ended up with main floor, center tickets.

[jamar1700]

m

[Bookwhore]

Well sht....I just posted above and realized that JaMar hadn't logged out on my computer Sorry y'all.

Just popping in to say how exciting the news is! JaMar and duckyvee and another Clay friend are here for the weekend.....we drank to the baby's health all day yesterday. And to Clay's health. And Jaymes' health. And Faye's...and the Olympics....and......

Oh well, you get the idea.

Thank God for new life! :F_05BL17blowkiss: