SHAWS IN T
RAINING
RAINING
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Thursday, December 28, 2006
Christmas Photos
I am in the process of uploading some Christmas photos to share...please bear with me!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Christmas Photos Collage
I was going to try and be creative and use these pictures to tell the story of our Christmas 2006 but it is all I can do just to get the pics uploaded on this site. Here are some of our CHristmas morning photos...in no particular order..enjoy & HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Monday, December 18, 2006
Year in Review- January
This time next week we will be celebrating the birth of our Savior. I cannot believe this year is almost over....and WE SURVIVED!!! We were so anxious about Britton's arrival this past January and how in the world we would be able to manage two very young children- but we did it. We worked more as a team (Derek and I) than we ever have- we would not have made it through this year without each other.
So, January- We celebrated 3 years of marriage on the 18th. Sweet little Britton was born (given the name "Benjamin" for about 5 hours) into a room full of loved ones- Derek, my mom, Derek's Mom, My Dad, Stepmother, Sister, Aunt and Cousin. His birth was the best moment of my life. It was a complete thrill and seconds after he came out, I would have done it all over again right there. I say this because Tate's birth was the scariest moment of my life. When Tate came out and we did not hear a cry and then they wisked him away to the NICU, it was heartbreaking really. He survived, of course and is now in full throttle as a 2 1/2 year old boy. So, we were definatley blessed when Britton's birth was without incident.
...to be continued...
So, January- We celebrated 3 years of marriage on the 18th. Sweet little Britton was born (given the name "Benjamin" for about 5 hours) into a room full of loved ones- Derek, my mom, Derek's Mom, My Dad, Stepmother, Sister, Aunt and Cousin. His birth was the best moment of my life. It was a complete thrill and seconds after he came out, I would have done it all over again right there. I say this because Tate's birth was the scariest moment of my life. When Tate came out and we did not hear a cry and then they wisked him away to the NICU, it was heartbreaking really. He survived, of course and is now in full throttle as a 2 1/2 year old boy. So, we were definatley blessed when Britton's birth was without incident.
...to be continued...
Friday, December 15, 2006
Christmas Ramblings
Derek and I did most of our Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, but today I finished it up. Man, it feels good to know that I will not be scrambling at the last moment, scouring over picked-over toys and half-filled racks of clothes. The only thing I wanted this Christmas was to ENJOY the season, and that has already been happening.
I did my baking and homemade gift giving two weeks ago and the house has been decorated since the day after Thanksgiving. There are still the inevitable messes- laundry, a dish or two and some toilets that could use a swipe from a wand. For the most part though, I feel free to enjoy the Christmas parties that lie ahead- talking with friends, reminiscing with family and sharing the joy of the season with my children.
Aside from reading a children's version of the story of Christ's birth, Derek and I are trying to figure out creative ways to share the true meaning of Christmas with the boys. We filled two shoe boxes this year for Samaritan's Purse. One was for a 2 year old boy and the other for a "tween" girl. I wish we could have done more this year. We did have an opportunity to give to a family whose home burned down last week though. I want Christmas to be about Christ's love and when my children look back at our family traditions and memories, I want them to remember GIVING and SHARING and LOVING...not GETTING.
As a child, I LOVED...I mean LOVED Christmas. One of the perks of being from a divorced home is that Christmas gets multiplied by two! (Even more if you count Christmas with grandparents) My parents always made Christmas fun and special. I must admit though, growing up I was more focused on gifts and Santa and all of that instead of Christ and His miraculous birth. It is hard though, because I want to shower my children and those I love with gifts- I want to buy them everything in sight! Our tight budget puts a stop to that though, which may not be such a bad thing.
I know that the most important things I will ever give my children will not come packaged in red & green. No bows will be atop the mountains of love and hours of time I will give them. No greeting card will accompany the empathy I have for them when they are sad or the rich words of praise I will doll out when they succeed. They won't find compassion and unconditional love under a tree; nor will their stockings be filled with the hours I will spend driving them to sports practices or band concerts or watching them compete in karate matches. The best gifts are always the ones that come from the heart. It is that thought that gives me comfort when I realize that no, we cannot afford the toy kitchen that Tate would just LOVE, or the Fisher Price bouncing, spinning Zebra that Brit would giggle himself silly on. The Lord has made sure that the Shaws remember the true meaning of Christmas...not to say we don't lose sight of it now and then.
We didn't send out Christmas cards this year for several reasons. I hope that we are able to do that next year though. To our friends and family who may read this blog, we wish you all the blessings and joy and magic that this Christmas Season has to offer. Some of you we haven't seen in years, but know that you are thought of, and most certainly are loved.
Happy Season, dear friends and Merry Christmas.
I did my baking and homemade gift giving two weeks ago and the house has been decorated since the day after Thanksgiving. There are still the inevitable messes- laundry, a dish or two and some toilets that could use a swipe from a wand. For the most part though, I feel free to enjoy the Christmas parties that lie ahead- talking with friends, reminiscing with family and sharing the joy of the season with my children.
Aside from reading a children's version of the story of Christ's birth, Derek and I are trying to figure out creative ways to share the true meaning of Christmas with the boys. We filled two shoe boxes this year for Samaritan's Purse. One was for a 2 year old boy and the other for a "tween" girl. I wish we could have done more this year. We did have an opportunity to give to a family whose home burned down last week though. I want Christmas to be about Christ's love and when my children look back at our family traditions and memories, I want them to remember GIVING and SHARING and LOVING...not GETTING.
As a child, I LOVED...I mean LOVED Christmas. One of the perks of being from a divorced home is that Christmas gets multiplied by two! (Even more if you count Christmas with grandparents) My parents always made Christmas fun and special. I must admit though, growing up I was more focused on gifts and Santa and all of that instead of Christ and His miraculous birth. It is hard though, because I want to shower my children and those I love with gifts- I want to buy them everything in sight! Our tight budget puts a stop to that though, which may not be such a bad thing.
I know that the most important things I will ever give my children will not come packaged in red & green. No bows will be atop the mountains of love and hours of time I will give them. No greeting card will accompany the empathy I have for them when they are sad or the rich words of praise I will doll out when they succeed. They won't find compassion and unconditional love under a tree; nor will their stockings be filled with the hours I will spend driving them to sports practices or band concerts or watching them compete in karate matches. The best gifts are always the ones that come from the heart. It is that thought that gives me comfort when I realize that no, we cannot afford the toy kitchen that Tate would just LOVE, or the Fisher Price bouncing, spinning Zebra that Brit would giggle himself silly on. The Lord has made sure that the Shaws remember the true meaning of Christmas...not to say we don't lose sight of it now and then.
We didn't send out Christmas cards this year for several reasons. I hope that we are able to do that next year though. To our friends and family who may read this blog, we wish you all the blessings and joy and magic that this Christmas Season has to offer. Some of you we haven't seen in years, but know that you are thought of, and most certainly are loved.
Happy Season, dear friends and Merry Christmas.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Update on Derek's Mom
The surgery went well and she is now recovering. Thank you for the prayers and well-wishes. She faces a challenging recovery but is a strong woman so we are hopeful that she will be good as new within a few months.
Derek got home about 4:30 and is now catching up on sleep.
Derek got home about 4:30 and is now catching up on sleep.
bye bye baby
I recently posted about the arrival of Britton's first tooth. I don't know why, but the first little bud of white appearing in the mouth of my little babies always makes me so emotional. It's like, I am forced to recognize that their true days of babyhood are ending and the toddler phase is just around the corner. This emotion struck me by suprise with Tate, but it was expected with little Brit.
What can I say about my youngest boy? He is everywhere now! Officially cruising and climbing everywhere. Yesterday he was holding on to Tate's "Big red car" and started checking out the inside, peering over into the driver's seat. All of a sudden I look over and see two little socked feet flailing in the air!! He had toppled over onto his head and into the car. I think he was too shocked to cry. As soon as I knew he was ok, I had to laugh!!! He is so sweet and so precious but is still getting me up from one to three times a night. I know I need to break him of this but I am too tired to try. I think I will dedicate myself to weaning while Derek is offof work so we can trade off sleepless nights.
What can I say about my youngest boy? He is everywhere now! Officially cruising and climbing everywhere. Yesterday he was holding on to Tate's "Big red car" and started checking out the inside, peering over into the driver's seat. All of a sudden I look over and see two little socked feet flailing in the air!! He had toppled over onto his head and into the car. I think he was too shocked to cry. As soon as I knew he was ok, I had to laugh!!! He is so sweet and so precious but is still getting me up from one to three times a night. I know I need to break him of this but I am too tired to try. I think I will dedicate myself to weaning while Derek is offof work so we can trade off sleepless nights.
Monday, December 11, 2006
Prayer Request
Please pray for Derek's mom. She fell over the weekend and broke/cracked some bones in her upper arm and shoulder area. She has an appointment with an orthopedist tomorrow- hope she gets encouraging feedback and is able to manage the pain. She can hardly do anything for herself (let alone others) right now which is hard on her. Thank you for remembering her in your prayers.
Be Blessed.
-M
Be Blessed.
-M
Long time, no blog. We have been busy with all things Christmas. We went to the chior performance last night- I took Tate into the sanctuary with me so he could see Daddy sing. He was PERFECT for the first hour and a half and then things went South...FAST!! Anyway, we got to see some singing, handbells and the orchestra which he was fascinated with. It was fun to see him mesmorized by the instruments.
Britton finally has a tooth!! YEAH!!! Now we know why he has been keeping us up so much latley. I hope they are not all as painful to cut as this first one was.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Don't Quit
Sometimes I am so tired. Especially during a period of night after night, interrrupted sleep as has been the case these past two weeks. I long for somewhere that I can drop off my kids and just SLEEP!!!! I think I could sleep for two or three days straight if given the chance.
But that is not an option. I have to resolve myself to this challenge/marathon that is Motherhood. I cannot quit for so many reasons but the number one is because I love my children. I will press on, each day- knowing that one day there will be 8 consecutive hours of sleep. When that happens though, it will be bittersweet. My children grown, the house quiet and my days will be whatever I want them to be. I will miss the little voices, the laughter, the art projects gone haywire, the potty training toddler's tt on the toilet, the spilled cereal, the half-eaten cookie found under the couch...yes, I will miss it all...
Don't Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will.
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill.
When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about.
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
But that is not an option. I have to resolve myself to this challenge/marathon that is Motherhood. I cannot quit for so many reasons but the number one is because I love my children. I will press on, each day- knowing that one day there will be 8 consecutive hours of sleep. When that happens though, it will be bittersweet. My children grown, the house quiet and my days will be whatever I want them to be. I will miss the little voices, the laughter, the art projects gone haywire, the potty training toddler's tt on the toilet, the spilled cereal, the half-eaten cookie found under the couch...yes, I will miss it all...
Don't Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will.
When the road you’re trudging seems all up hill.
When funds are low and the debts are high.
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don’t you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about.
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Thanksgiving Pictures
I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving- we did. We went down to south Georgia to visit Derek's family. Below are some photos that were taken during our visit:
Brit & Grani Barks (Derek's Mom)
McKenzie, Tate and Uncle Michael play spin art. Tate says "That is so AWESOME!"
Mama & Bitsy
Tate helps PaPa blow out candles (Derek's Dad)
Brit Plays
Brit & Grani Barks (Derek's Mom)
McKenzie, Tate and Uncle Michael play spin art. Tate says "That is so AWESOME!"
Mama & Bitsy
Tate helps PaPa blow out candles (Derek's Dad)
Brit Plays
Monday, November 20, 2006
Who's WHo?
I was organizing some digital photos and came across these...can you tell which ones are Tate & which ones are Brit? You can leave your answers under "comments".
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Thursday, November 16, 2006
Heath Issues Continue
Well, it looks like I just cannot seem to stay well. I will spare my readers the details, but because of some problems I have been having, I will be getting a CT scan on Monday. Let's just call it "girl stuff". I am in a lot of pain, but I am managing with double doses of Aleve. The doctor prescribed Lortab but I am going to try to stay of the real stuff as long as possible. We will know more next week.
We went to have our family pictures taken today. The boys were FABULOUS, the pictures, not so much. There were a few good ones that we purchased though which is all we could really hop for.
Tomorrow the boys will visit Santa Claus. Tate is sooooo excited!! He keeps talking about it and asking me when we are going. We look at pictures of Santa and of Reindeer and he says "I want to go there." We will see what happens though, when he comes face to face with the jolly ol' man.
Blast from the past....Oct. 2005
Be blessed!!
We went to have our family pictures taken today. The boys were FABULOUS, the pictures, not so much. There were a few good ones that we purchased though which is all we could really hop for.
Tomorrow the boys will visit Santa Claus. Tate is sooooo excited!! He keeps talking about it and asking me when we are going. We look at pictures of Santa and of Reindeer and he says "I want to go there." We will see what happens though, when he comes face to face with the jolly ol' man.
Blast from the past....Oct. 2005
Be blessed!!
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