Santa in the CBB

Our neighborhood association, the CBB, puts on a fun Christmas event for the kids each year. We all bring food, the kids decorate a cookie, Santa comes, and we go on a hayride and look at all the lights in the neighborhood. I wasn't sure how Justin would do on our second visitation of Santa. When he saw Santa, he ran right over with his buddy Betsy and was high fiving him. He was so excited to see him again. Then he gave us a big smile when he sat in Santa's lap. Best friends, I tell you. Everyone started putting their kids in Santa's lap and told them to smile for the photographer. I was startled until I realized that they thought I was group photographer for the party. Seems like I always am anyways, so this wasn't any different. :-)



Our neighbor, Gary, took the boys on the hayride while I sat back and chatted with the neighbors.

We had invited Luke Pine to come with us. We rode in the back of Derek's truck on the one street trek home. Justin had stickers on from his Christmas party at school. Baby Jesus AND Santa were donning smiles his on arm. I love this photo of the boys and their matching sweater vest outfits. It was almost 80 degrees, so it's hard to look Christmasy when it's that hot outside.

So I think it's official - Justin is a Santa lover. The irony is that we haven't told him anything about him bringing gifts or anything like that. My parents never promoted it although my brothers and I were swept into the enthusiasm like every other child our age. I haven't decided what role Santa will ever play in the presents factor. But he's fun nonetheless (don't worry all you who think I'm being Scrooge about this).

Merry Merry

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Uncle Steve

ATTN: No children were harmed in the taking of these pictures.

My Uncle Steve came and watched Justin for a little while until Derek came home last week. I was going last minute to a Beth Moore Christmas special with my aunts Kerry & Pam. Aunt Joannie wasn't able to go, so I took her spot. The Christmas program was actually out in Cypress, so we had to leave early and fight traffic.

A little background on my Uncle Steve - he has always been a jokester, but also is great with kids. Justin didn't do his normal cry at the door for 2 minutes when I left - in fact he didn't even look up when I told him goodbye. Having too much fun with Steve.

Here they are hamming it for the camera. JOKING, of course.


Cheese!


There is a video of when I am about a year old in Steve's lap sitting on a piano bench. He plays wonderfully by ear and was playing a popular tune. I was playing one note consecutively over and over, perfect with the beat of his song. So it's fun to see my son doing the same thing with this uncle of mine. We went to Second Baptists' Kids Krazy Christmas Show tonight. Justin was clapping to the beat on every song. I feel a little musician coming out of him (makes mommy so proud).


Thanks, Steve, for watching the crazy kid so I could go have a fresh word from Beth!

Feeling kind of blue...

...because I have been sick for almost a week. As all we mothers know, the world doesn't stop for us when we feel like curling up in a ball and waking up 3 days later. It makes me think back to a section of scripture Derek and I were studying in Sunday School a few weeks back. The passage was from Luke 17 concerning service. The story talks about a servant who is tired, hungry, and exhausted from a long day's work. He then comes home and makes food for his master, and waits on him until he is done. THEN he makes his own food, etc.

The message to be taken was that we never stop serving the Master. No nap, no break, no vacation. We're never done, ever. And we should serve with humility. As a human I always want to hear, "Good job, Shannon. Bravo!" I want to be noticed. Don't we all? Even for something as simple as forgiving those that say they're sorry and not causing others to sin, I still want someone to tell me, "Well done."

Serving kids is like serving Christ. It never stops, even when I'm tired (or sick). Even when I feel like I can't give anymore, I need to realize that after this life is when I get to recline and relax. We need to be like the apostle Paul, a perfect example of a servant who never stopped. To go the extra mile is my duty, not to do my checklist and then prop my feet up expecting my husband to take over when he comes through the door. I want to be a disciple of Christ, not try to be a Super Christian (which there's just no such thing). Serve my family, my friends, people I don't know, and keep serving. Some of you may be exhausted just thinking about this, but it really encourages me to suck it up and keep going. My reward is coming in due time, just not here on earth. How refreshing, is it not?

On a lighter note, I was looking at the multiple posts that I have fallen behind on again. I found some solo photos that didn't deserve their own individual post and threw them all together.

Derek decided to dig up a tree that was never going to straighten itself after Hurricane Ike. I took this photo because of what both Derek & Justin we wearing on their feet during this task. The other photo is from when we kept Luke one evening while his mommy ran errands. Nothing like a good bubble bath to bring smiles to little boys' faces.


A few weekends ago we went to a party with our neighbors at the Rajin Cajun. They had won a party at a silent auction, and the food was actually very good. I'd never been there before and was pleasantly surprised. Anyways, Justin is obsessed with me wearing boots (or anyone else for that matter). He doesn't have any, but thinks that his rain golashes are the same thing. So he sees mommy putting on her boots and runs to put his on as well. The other photo are the wonderful neighbors that live next to us: Dawn, Denise, & Naseem. They are always letting us know if something happens when we're gone, helping with ingredients to a recipe, etc. Such a blessing for us to have neighbors that look out for us!

And last but not least, I spy something in a straight line! I am always rounding a corner in the house to see a crazy arrangement of something random put in a perfect line. I think, "Justin strikes again!" The first photo is a vertical arrangement of spices. The second is one of the many ways he lines up his toys in the backyard.


So as Christmas is only 3 days away, and we all are running ourselves into the ground with mindless errands, remind yourself that we are here to serve, and to keep serving just when you feel like you've done enough. It's what we've been commanded to do. We serve such a Great King that we unworthy to be his servants. But I am thankful that He allows me to be!

Luke's 2nd Birthday

Luke turned two a couple weekends ago. This is the Luke that goes to school with us, not neighbor Luke. I always have to differentiate this with Justin, since two of his best buddies have the same name! It was a Thomas the Train themed party, so Justin had a blast with everything.

The table spread had a centerpiece of cupcakes and trains. Such a cute way to display the cupcakes - on a Brio train track!


All the kids were supposed to wear their train engineer hat (few did). Justin just wanted to play with the trains instead. And what's a party without some pregnant mommies? Leslie, Lori, Heather, & Andrea are all waiting to expand their families.

*Side story: Justin was full of energy at Luke's party (like a kid on a sugar high, though he had not had any yet). He was pushing a toy around and bumped into Leslie. I had to explain to him how we don't ram toys into people, much less pregnant mommies. I was showing him how Leslie had a baby in her belly, pointing to her bump. He looked back at forth at me and her belly. I pointed out the other bellies as well and told him that babies were in there so we had to be careful, etc. He suddenly nodded, as if he understood. He then grabbed one of the only two bumps on his mommy, and said, "Baby." After everyone stopped laughing, I thought I would wait until another time to explain that his mommy's bumps were not the same as Miss Leslie's bump.


Justin was too much of a helper at Luke's party. He wanted to open his presents (notice the little boy in the outskirts of the photo on the left), play with his gifts, sing happy birthday to himself (maybe we shouldn't so that at home as much), and blow out his candles. Maybe the next party we'll prep him by saying that this is not Justin's party. :-) Sweet John goes to school with Luke & Justin. He's a bit younger but hangs with the older crew like a champ.


Luke about to blow out his candle. In the next photo, please notice how out-of-focus and blurry it is. That's because my son blew out the first round of candles. We had to do a redo for poor Luke. I was taking the photo, and it took me a second to realize what had happened. I quickly removed any trace of Michaelis from the spot for the redo candle blowout.

There were fun crafts for the kids. Justin loved decorating his cupcake. And the train that we glued together is still on the fridge.

Isabel playing in the Thomas tent. Justin pinning the number on the train. He didn't want to do it blindfolded - maybe next year.

The women in Luke's life. Another great party, choo-choo theme and all!

Kim's Baby Shower

My crew of buddies threw a surprise baby shower for Kim. It was pedicures and munchies for all. The spread was yummy as usual, especially with our favorite sugar cookie recipe (thanks Caryn, we use it all the time!).

Kim never finds out what she is having, and her last 3 sweet things wear pink everyday. But this time a sonographer accidentally told her she was having a boy. So we are all excited about Carter Michael Hall joining the throngs of children running around.


Katie made these styrofoam monogrammed cups herself. Tracy made this adorable Carter sign.


Kim relaxing while getting her toes done. All the beautiful toes after their treatment. I uncharacteristically did not have my toes done. I had just got them done for New York, it was cold outside, and I was wearing boots. Truth be told, I just wheeled my chair from group to group, chatting and eating the entire time. Priorities!


The whole crew, wearing blue in honor of baby boy Hall. We are so excited about this sweet boy coming soon (in a matter of weeks). Can't wait to meet him!

A Farewell to Mamaw

I really wanted to show some photos of my life with my Mamaw that just passed away. But I only have access to my Snapfish photos, and not the awesome photos from the last 30 years. So the recent ones will have to do.

My Mamaw left 8 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. She was truly blessed in the family department. She traveled to all of the grandkids' weddings. She made it to every great-grandchild's first birthday, as well as a hospital visit or very close to the birth of each child as she could. She was dedicated, faithful, and set in her ways (no one could stop her when it came to her family). She cooked the best chicken fried steak you've ever had, and always seemed to make the vegetables taste good with the leftover bacon grease and a dash of sugar. She made excellent chocolate chip cookies and the only cherry pie that I ever wanted to eat. She was always at church - in heels, hose, and wearing a slip. She was an encouragement to her church body and pastor. Side note for all the First Woodway clan - Andy Pittman is the pastor at her church and officiated her memorial service. So it was a treat to have a connection to the man who got to give her last farewell.

I loved her, and in return I never heard a harsh word come out of her mouth. Ever. She was a great example of how Christ loves us - unconditionally, unfailing, and always guaranteed. The 8 grandkids and their spouses were the pall bearers for the funeral. As we all laid our roses on her casket, I thought how happy she must be that we were all together. It's been her desire for quite sometime to get all the family together at Christmas. Indirectly, she got her wish this year. With so many great-grandkids, in-laws, work schedules, etc. it is really hard to get the complete group together. Much less find enough rooms to house us. It was as if her final wish was granted.


Here she is smiling at Shane & Kaki's wedding with Charles, Papaw, Karen, & Jennifer.



Aaron, Karen, Mamaw, & Jennifer


She came to my baby shower. Like I said, she never missed a beat. Karen, Mamaw, me, & Mom


Dad with Mamaw meeting Justin in the hospital for the the first time.


My grandparents with us & little Justin


Mamaw was always good about giving hugs




When Justin was 2 1/2 months old we got part of the family together before Thanksgiving. Here is the Smith & Durrett clan


She was great about giving kisses as well. She couldn't pick up chunky monkey Justin, so this visit we would just hand him to her and she would hold him for a bit. Justin loved it.


In April '07 we got every family member (excluding one cousin living in Australia) at our land in Jacksonville. Here's Mamaw & Papaw with the great-grandbabies.


All of the grandkids


Justin's first birthday. they drove in for the day and left afterwards. I was so thankful they could be a part of the special day.


We visited Mamaw this past January for the coldest weekend of the year. It even snowed! So she was trouper helping us find things to do inside that chilly weekend.


Mamaw has a keen way of trying to not look at the camera. I know it's a generational thing, but she truly has a beautiful smile.


Justin with his great-grandparents. Such a treat - most kids never get to meet their great-grandparents.



This was the last time Justin got to hang with Mamaw. This visit was part of our trek across Texas during the hurricane. I am thankful that Ike forced us to go visit her again.


I will always wish I had visited more often. Though Justin may never remember her, I am just thankful to have so many memories of the time that he was able to spend with her! Mamaw, hope you're having a blast with your Maker right now!

Little Angel

I pick up Justin from MDO yesterday with him clutching an envelope for me to open. Of course he wanted to open it. When I saw what was inside, I started laughing hysterically. Anything with my son's face on it will be a lasting favorite for sure.

Angels we have heard on high
Sweetly singing o're the plains,
And the mountains in reply
Echoing their joyous strain.

Gloria, in excelsis Deo!