Shirtless fun, One Fabulous ARTIST and a Sleepy Princess!

This weekend was busy! busy! for the Shaw family!! I thought I'd share a few fun pics to cover several little life events.... you have to admit I'm really keeping up my end of the bargain! And it's really fun!!
To start our weekend, (well actually during the week), Lilly Ann had a play date with her very sweet "big gurl" friend, Sophie Lee! I just really couldn't resist posting this one.... they were playing so sweet together and we gave them snacks and lunch and they decided to eat up in the "clubhouse"! I LOVED IT! They were previously playing with the water table and Lil's got Sophie's dress wet so she decided to take it off! You have to admit it's really sweet when they're little and just don't care if they have a shirt or not.... this pic prompted me to look back at a sweet baby girl last summer with the same shirtless idea!





We also had a very special Art Exhibit to go to! Forgive me! My camera was left at a birthday party and I had just gotten it back so it was dead moments before we walked out the door... I seriously charged it for like 5 minutes just to try to get any pictures at all! So I started with the recognition of Kaitlyn by the Lausanne Art Department and unfortunately it died just after that! So there is no art pictures - but when she brings them home I'll post pics and you will see SHE ROCKS!! She had two pieces in the exhibit. One was a drawing of an actual person that came and modeled for the class and the second was her first oil painting! It's so amazing!!!!! It gave me chills of proudness....(i'm sure thats not a word but you get the idea) it's totally something you would buy at an exhibit and hang in your home!! Beautiful!! It never ceases to amaze me all the different ways she is so incredibly talented!! Did I mention she's in the National Art Association?? She is!! One day we'll all be saying "remember me!!" and in her very "Kaitlyn" way she absolutely will remember us all! She's so thoughtful that way!! WAY TO GO KAIT!! WE ARE SOOOOOOO PROUD OF YOU!


And last but not least..... after a long weekend of many fun things we still had dinner to go to with Nana and Papa and Uncle Brian and Jack and Lauren (Aunt Tina had to work some) so we came home from Kait's event and everyone wanted to rest! I put Lilly Ann to bed and in her very Lilly way she of course rebelled! I have been just leaving her in the room weather she takes a nap or not - she starts of in her bed with "two books" and milk and poppers... all tucked in and I read her books, give her kisses and "big hugs" and she's off! I feel like it's a big joke but ever since we moved to the big girl bed nap time is a party! Most the time I come back to get her after about 2 hours and her room is trashed and eventually she gives in and does get in her bed and sleep. Well, Sunday it was no different! Same routine and downstairs I go, turn on the monitor and listen for her. I have been telling her "I'm getting my sad spoon and if you get up Mommies coming up stairs and giving you a spanking and you still have to take a nap!" It worked ONE DAY! So, it's time for us to go to dinner, she's been quiet for a while and Jason goes up to get her. He comes back down and says, "you have gotta see this!" We all go upstairs and this is what we saw.... the sweetest little princess ever!! NOT IN HER BED of course but on her sweet little chair sitting in the corner.... asleep.... and I mean we all kissed her several times to no avail and I even kissed her, rubbed her back loved on her lots and lots and NOTHING!! I finally had to just pick her up and lay her on the changing table to get her to wake up! And as always she woke up with a sweet smile!! These are the moments I want to keep in the back of my mind to recall when she's not so little anymore!! I hope I never forget this!


Hope you had as sweet a weekend as we did!
We love you all!!

Cardboard Testimonies

This is so sweet! Click on the link below for a sweet video. Enjoy!
http://www.rhchurch.org/pages/cardboard-testimonies/

Heavenly "Warm Cookies"

I really am just blogging this morning briefly because I have to say, there is just something so sweet about quiet time with the Lord and I have to tell you this morning was precious - God spoke directly to me (again) and I just love it when He hears my heart and meets with me and speaks to me -so clearly that I become so overwhelmed with emotion that He- the creator of all things, loves Me so much! So I have to share.

There is nothing more relaxing than sitting alone in the morning - I could even hear the birds this morning, as I sat in my big, over sized chair and curled up under my sweet Lilly Ann's blanket and opened up the Bread of Life! I thought I'd come in here and make a cup of coffee and open up my computer and read from Beth Moore's blog - she always has great scripture and insight, and then I'd open up my daily devotional that is emailed to me and then I'd feel complete to start a sweet Saturday with my family. Well, as I straightened up the family room I saw my Bible just sitting there next to my favorite, very adorable and comfortable chair and it just made me feel safe and I know that may sound so corny to you but I have to tell you it's like a warm cookie in my soul when I just sit with my bible and pray and spend sweet time with my Heavenly Father. I always know He hears my prayers and I just love it!

Anyway, the reason I'm blogging today is to ask you all to be praying. I found out my surgery date is going to be June 11th. I will go to Rochester, Minnesota on the 7th, get up on the 8th have a consultation with Dr. Nishimara (sp?) and then on the 10th I'll be admitted to the hospital and my surgery is the 11th. Of course as I sat alone in prayer I was overwhelmed by the very idea that I could die! (of course I didn't even consider I could live because that's how twisted my mind is most the time)
I admitted to the Lord of course I am scared.... I don't want to say I'm afraid because I know "fear" is not from (Him) you but I quickly admitted that He knew me - He created me and I was secretly afraid - although I totally trust Him! (So bare with me as I feel like I'm rambling -it's getting good. ) So I was reading through Ephesians about Paul and He showed me very specifically a prayer to pray for someone I so dearly love and then I was just reading here and reading there and in 2 Corinthians He gave me this sweet verse right off the bat:
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4) I knew immediately this fear was my stronghold!
My first jewel of the day - immediate answer to prayer - trust in the Lord and he will help me to battle my strongholds! Thank you, Lord!
Next jewel: I looked over and saw my devotional book and decided I'd find a devotion there because it is scripture that you pray back to the Lord putting your name or whomevers name in specific spots.... so here was my sweet devotion this morning.... absolutely God's word speaking directly to me! And of course in such a sweet (warm cookie) way! You'll see - open God's word and just close your eyes and speak to Him about your heart and ask for scripture for peace and HE WILL DELIVER! I have to preface this by telling you I did not thumb through my devotion book - I OPENED TO THIS PAGE! God is so good!

Enjoying Freedom from Fear
Lord, Your Word says, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4) I see k You this day, believing that You hear me, and I pray that You will deliver me from any fear that threatens to overtake me. You said You have "not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." (2 Timothy 1:7).

Flood me with Your love and wash away all fear and doubt. Give me a sense of Your loving presence that far outweighs any fear that would threaten to over take me.
Help me to rely on Your power in such a manner that it establishes strong confidence and faith in You.
AMEN!!

This is exactly what kinds of "warm cookies" my sweet Savior cooks up for me each time I come to Him for my needs. He NEVER fails, He CAN be trusted and ALWAYS DELIVERS! He loves us and knows our struggles but if we lay them at His feet and pray for help with our strongholds He will give us freedom. He allows us to chose Him or the world to heal our wounds - and if we chose Him we will free us from our "strongholds"! I chose you, Lord!!

Have a fabulous day! I hope you enjoy heavenly "warm cookies" today too!

The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.Deuteronomy 31

Right now is such a scary time for me for many reasons. At this very moment the Swine Flu is in Collierville! I guess it never occurred to me that something from the National news would threaten us too! I feel like it's some 3rd world disease or something and I know I'm just overreacting but I refuse to allow fear to begin my day! I refuse to allow Satan into my mind and heart when I am so very confident in my Heavenly Father!! So I am searching left and right for scripture to cover this fear and Praise and Worship to replace it! I wanted to post some of them and I may add more as I come upon them.... bare with me but this is my prayer over my family and my city and my country and my nation - May God be glorified through all of this!

I was reading this morning a blog by Beth Moore and she was talking about a time she was in India and teaching women with an entirely different life than her, need than her, dialect than her....etc and the barriers were overwhelming and she wasn't getting through to them... she could just feel it. And she began to pray that the Holy Spirit would come into that place and bring clarity to these women in His name. And all of the sudden she began to remember the pain and suffering and abuse of her childhood - memories she could barely bare to remember and in those memories she was able to remotely relate to these women... she cried over them and prayed over them and the Holy Spirit was all over her message!!

From that story I am reminded that we all do go through things in our life that are seemingly devastating so that maybe one day we will be able to relate to someone we may have nothing else in common with in the world but through Christ's love and our freedom from the pain we can share His promises with them that they may be saved! I know I'm rambling but Praise God I've got scripture to cover my fears today and maybe you will need just one of these in your life too.
Enjoy!

Psalm 121 (HCSB)I raise my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; your Protector will not slumber. Indeed the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep. The Lord protects you; the Lord is a shelter right by your side. The sun will no strike you by day, or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; He will protect your life. The Lord will protect your coming and going both now and forever.

"Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling."
Psalm 91:9-10


"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with and inexpressible and glorious joy."
Peter 1:8

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
Matthew 6:21

"The fear of the Lord leads to life then one rests content, untouched by trouble."
Proverbs 19:23

"Your faith should not be in the wisdom fo men but in the POWER OF GOD."
1 Corinthians 2:5

"The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."
1 Peter 5:10

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

"You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed."
John 24:14 (NIV)

Hebrews 11:6 (NIV) And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

"The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment." 2 Peter 2:9 (HCSB)

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever.Psalm 30:11-12 NIV

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.Psalm 143:8

The first weekend in the boat - and it wasn't even ours!

We were so excited to find out that the temperature was going to be in the 80's all weekend!! We have all been chomping at the bit to get to Picwick!! HOWEVER, the last weekend of the last season while we were there the boat nearly ran out of gas and then never really recovered from it! We tried to take it out one more time after that and it really seemed like something was wrong with the fuel injectors or something??( I am obviously not the savvy boat engine words type so just go with me on this one).... it kind of did a sputter thing. Anyhow, Jason has been back and forth trying to get this fixed and that fixed and test driving it and still it doesn't run great! So, we decided to go anyway.... we all had our hearts set on going so Papa said he and Nana would rent a pontoon boat and we'd just go for the day on Saturday..... it was so nice to just be out on the water!! Everything was perfect, the weather, the kids and Kait's knee boarding behind the boat - ROCKED!! She totally got up the first time and did so awesome even behind a Pontoon Boat!!! Great Job Kait!!! Welcome warm weather.... we are ready!! And secretly praying that Lewis and the boys at L&S know how to fix our boat!!

I loved the girls all in a row with their sunglasses! Perfect photo opp!! I think this ones for the frame!

Everybody wanted to drive.... and since when anyone else drove Papa got drenched he too wanted a chance to drive!! It was a really windy - white caps(on the lake?) kind of day and water kept splashing in on everyone for some reason??!! But the weather was actually perfect!! Not too cool or too hot!

Harrison and Daddy drive the boat! He did a great job!!

I loved how serious Jack was about driving - he did such a good job! Very careful to pay close attention!

Even the girls took their turns to drive too!!

Harrison couldn't swim in the water so he brought his remote control boat.... thank goodness Santa gave him that thing.... He and Jack really enjoyed it! But Jack was a little disappointed Harrison couldn't swim he just wanted somebody to get in with him! Hopefully next time we go the cast will be off! I do have to give Harrison props though he didn't complain a bit!! What a trooper!!

And did I mention Kait rocked the knee board?? The very old and not very padded knee board - she paid for that the next day but man she looked so good out there!! Her daddy told her he'd take it home and put a new cushion on it just for her! (Since he's so domestic and everything!) Kait said, "NO! Just buy a new one!!" LOL! I love watching the two of them banter back and forth- they crack me up!

Couldn't pick just one of these.... I love them both!!

Oh yes, and the goats were there!! We went to Goat Island to feed the goats and there were sweet new babies!! And one very hungry adult goat that came onto the boat!! All the kids (except Lilly) ran screaming to the back of the boat and everyone wanted Brian to "get it off!" We're so proud that he was able to do it without hurting the sweet Large Aggressive goat!! At one point I noticed that Lilly Ann still had food in her hand and the goat was looking over at her and she was leaning in toward him and.... I may have lost it if that goat bite her but Uncle Brian saved the day and no one was attacked :) I know the goats seem really sweet but when it comes down to your babies I'm here to tell ya you are not interested in hearing anything about how gentle they are just that they are not coming toward your baby!! Oh well, all is well that ends well and the goats are still on their island until our next visit! (And if Harrison has his way we'll NEVER GO THERE AGAIN!)

Jumpin' into Spring with the Shaw Family

Our sweet spring started off with Palm Sunday Celebration at church. Both Harrison and Lilly Ann's classes lead worship. It was the sweetest day ever!! Lilly's class sang only the opening song , "He's Alive, He's Alive, Jesus is Alive..." Lilly sang it for a week before and hasn't stopped singing it yet! Of course I forgot that i could record from my camera so I missed her performance but trust me when I tell you it was precious! Although Lilly had total stage shock and never sang a word she looked so sweet with her little friends all up on stage moving to the music and taking it all in! The rest of worship was lead by Harrison's group and it was so perfect! I was overwhelmed with emotion as they sang "How Great is Our God" by Chris Tomlin.
It was so perfect! And Sweet! And .... I was just so proud!! How Great our God was through the voices of those sweet angels!! Praise God Jesus IS Alive!

The Saturday before Easter we went to the Easter Egg Hunt at FHCC. It's always so much fun! Lilly had been playing dress up that morning and insisted on keeping her princess skirt dress on so we just found a matching shirt and pants and we were on our way! She ended up looking so precious and very "Lilly" that day! As we arrived the Easter Bunny was waiting to greet us at the door. Lilly was sooooo excited she would not leave that poor bunny alone! She literally had to be moved away from the bunny so other children could get a picture with him. She loved him soooo much!

Easter Sunday we went to FHCC for a sweet service and then to Granny and Papa Jack's and then to Brian and Tina's for dinner. Dad and Susan wanted to have an egg hunt for the kids at Granny's but it rained all day!! Just before the rain Granny had pictures in her front yard.... the kids all looked so sweet!! I'm not real sure what in the world Lilly Ann is looking at but this still is one of my favs!! It just makes me laugh!! I always say she's such a boy with a bow and this is such a perfect example.... one of her new things to say is... "EWWW" it looks like she may be saying that right here! Lunch was fabulous and it's always so nice to see everyone!! And dinner at Brian and Tina's was yummy too!! The kids had fun playing together and everybody looked soooo nice!

I almost forgot to put the Boston pics. All the adults went to Boston for Nan's goodbye - and Kait was old enough to go to. It was such a bittersweet time. We all got to be together and love on each other and the immediate family was even there for Nan's last moments of life here. They loved on her all the way until the very end. We had such a sweet time looking at old pictures and reminiscing about how much we all love her so dearly and how much we will miss her!! What a precious person she was in the lives of EVERYONE that was blessed enough to know her!!
About two or three days into our trip we decided to go shop and enjoy sometime together and Kaitlyn decided she would (last minute) get her ears pierced! We had such a great time laughing and being silly and I think it went over without a hitch! Jason and Brian even got themselves a pair of earrings too!! Or they at least pretended to get their ears pierced! Papa was SHOCKED! They got these magnetic HUGE diamonds and walked out with Kait to the van that Papa was driving... He laughed and thought it was a joke but the boys kept on and on about support for Kaitlyn and how they had to do it so she would and bla bla bla Papa began to believe it! Tina, Kait and I were totally dying in the back seat laughing to ourselves about the whole thing! Finally Papa said, at least you could've gotten something smaller! LOL! It went on for hours until finally Kelly pulled Brian's off at dinner and said, "it's magnetic!" I think it's one (of the 3) earpiercing Kait will never forget! :) Thank you, GP for making it possible for us to go for a week and say goodbye!! Lilly Ann and Harrison were well taken care of!

As the weather gets warmer and warmer the Shaw kids are wanting to spend more and more time outside. We decided to get a water table and give the kids a few more fun things to enjoy.... Lilly Ann and Harrison found some old boots that were Kait and Ashleighs and they had such a fun time in them that they wore them all afternoon!! You gotta love a girl that looks good in her boots and a boy that is just plain cute period!!

Harrison also STILL has his cast on -it's camo now- for 3 more weeks because they found a fracture that is trying to callus and it just needs a bit more time. He is such a trooper! I am so proud of him for sticking it out with barely any complaints at all!! I'm sure this is just one of many breaks in his active life!! Thank goodness he'll be through this by summer!!

This is Palm Sunday, "How Great Is Our God"! Press play and enjoy!

Harrison and Griffin - two of the "Three Blind Mice"

Harrison's Kindergarten had a Nursery Rhyme Day and all the Kindergarten was to dress up as a Nursery Rhyme. Harrison and his best friends, Griffin and James agreed to be "The Three Blind Mice"! It was so cute and perfect for them and everything was going along perfectly and then our buddy James got sick!! Harrison and Griffin went on to school to represent the whole gang! James was missed:(