Our Lil Lovebug is Almost 10 Months Old!

Makayla is almost 10 months old! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by, and my sweet baby angel will be one years old in only 9 weeks! I’ve already been looking for birthday party ideas online because I know it will be here before I know it. I am cherishing every moment with her and love watching her grow. She is doing so many new things now that I want to share with everyone (especially my out-of-town relatives that don’t get to see Makayla very often). So here we go…

Makayla still loves, loves, loves looking at books! She can even point to some things on the page correctly like car, ladybug, and banana to name a few. She has been crawling for about 3 months now, and really wants to walk. She can also stand all by herself! She tries to take a step, but lands cLuPlUnK! Lol, She will get it soon enough. She claps her hands and squeals very loudly when the music is on. She seems to have a favorite singer already, and it’s not her Mommy…it’s Kari Jobe….but I’m perfectly okay with that. 

Makayla Stats  for the 9 month well baby visit

21 lbs 12 oz

29 inches

That is the 90% friends! Yay for my healthy baby!

What is Makayla Chatting About?

Mama

Dada
Hi
Bye-bye (with a wave)

Granddad

Nana

Jazz

And a whole bunch of other stuff I haven’t quite figured out yet, but it is so darn cute. 

According to Aunt April, she can also say Cincinnati. It’s okay, I laughed too.

Well, there’s the update on Makayla Grace; she is my happy, active, snuggly, cuddly, bright, joyful, beautiful, smart, adorable, giggly baby girl.  She is our little lovebug and a true blessing from God.

God Bless,

Shawna 

Craving More of a Servant’s Heart

As I watched Tim mow our neighbors yard the other day, I began to think about what a servant’s heart really is. It’s about showing Christ’s love through your actions and words. It’s about touching the lives of those around you with a gentle kindness. It’s helping that person with a need; God put that person right in front of you for a purpose…to serve them.  The Bible tells us that Jesus served ordinary people; He changed their ordinary lives, and sacrificed His time on earth to save us. Matthew 20:28 says, "…The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus is the ultimate example of a man who desired to serve others. He did everyday jobs that were commonly left to the servants, like washing feet. John 13:5 describes an event where Jesus served His disciples: "After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." On this Good Friday afternoon, I meditate on the life of Jesus, and pray that I will have more of a servant’s heart for people; those in my everyday life and the ones who ever-so-quietly cross my path. This is not for my glory, but for the Lord’s glory; not only for what He has done for me, but what He has done within me.

God Bless,
Shawna

A Simple Conversation

Yesterday I was so excited to get my Shutterfly photobook in the mail, only to find it was damaged during shipment. I called Shutterfly and ended up speaking with a kind man named Mike. Mike’s real name is Ameesh, and he lives in India. We had a little chat about the weather, and then I asked him if he had to work tomorrow since it was Good Friday (there are Christians who live in India). This was his response, “There are many different religions here in India. We do have some Christians and we try to let them have the day off. If you ever come to India, we can show you all the different religions and what we believe. We have many festivals.” I knew right away that Ameesh was not a Christian. Ameesh was done with the new order and was ready to take another call; our conversation ended as quickly as it had begun. The simple conversation got me thinking about just how many opportunities I have to share The Gospel every single day. It might be a phone call like the one with Ameesh, it may be a chat with a neighbor as I’m out for a walk, in the line at the grocery store, at the gas station, or even with the waiter at the restaurant. Do I always take that opportunity? The answer is sadly “no”. Not because I don’t want to, but usually because I don’t make time to; I may be in a rush or just focused on what needs to be done at that given minute. While my personal relationship with God is a priority, I need to rearrange my thinking to make expanding God’s Kingdom a priority in my life.  I heard a great saying on the radio which said, “God instructs us to be fishers of men. If we catch them, He will clean them.” 



In Awe of God’s Love and Mercy,
Shawna 

Makayla is Already 8 Months Old!

 

Look at those teeth!

Makayla Grace is getting so big! She is 8 months old and learning so much everyday. She started crawling and pulling up a few weeks ago. I love watching her crawl across the room with her little bottom up in the air. She couldn't be cuter. She is a big talker and a smiler (of course she's been smiling since the day she was born). She is a long baby; she can already wear 12 month clothes! I have made thousands of pictures and taped hours of video over the last 8 months. I know the baby years are so precious and she will grow up so fast. I love being a mom, and I'm finding it more enjoyable each day. I recall being very paranoid about everything when Makayla was first born. I guess that is normal. Now I feel a lot more relaxed and confident about motherhood. I look forward to watching her learn and grow more everyday. Makayla's hair is growing really fast. Oh that reminds me...MG's Nana said her hairbows may be a tad bit too big...LOL! Well, I think she looks adorable. Contrary to popular belief, Makayla doesn't wear a big bow ALL the time. Love to all! xoxo. Soon, the smaller hair bows will stay in her hair better...but the big bows are here to stay. I will leave you with some pictures of my very sweet baby girl...

 Makayla's 1st Valentine's

An Update From Shawna's Desk...(this will be long)

Busy as a Bee...

 Me at work

It is hard to believe we are already into the month of March! Work has been super busy getting my students prepared for Benchmark Testing and now getting ready to review for the ever-so-loved TCAP Assessment. Some days it feels like I will never catch up with the never ending amount of papers I have to grade. While other days I feel so proud of myself for getting it all done. Either way, I know there will always be something more for me to do tomorrow. It can get really overwhelming at times. However, I am often reminded just how rewarding my job is when I get a hug, a note, or a pretty picture from one of my students. As cliché as this may sound, I really want to make a difference as a teacher.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you about my new writing job. I have started writing website articles in my spare time (lol) to save up some extra cash (lol again..cash is not extra...it's needed). So far, I've written 5 articles in one week and made $75 bucks! I've been staying up late to do it, but we want to pay off our cars and take a fun vacation, so I'm gonna stick to it. Actually, I really enjoy writing. I hope to start writing articles on education soon!

On Marriage...

Tim started college in January so we have been adjusting over the last few months. He is going to be a teacher! Woo-hoo! He is great with kids and loves math, so I know he will do a great job once he graduates. I am not bragging (okay maybe a little) but I am so blessed to have the best husband ever! He helps me with so many things around the house. We are a team. After being together for 8 years, we still talk to each other on the phone everyday during our lunch breaks. Tim's co-workers tease him about this but he just tells them that he enjoys talking to his wife (that's me!). Tim makes me feel special, and I do my best to make him feel special too. Our marriage is not perfect by any means. It bothers me a little when he plays his video games until 2 am Saturday, and then sleeps in late. But I have to remember that 'playing video games' is his recreation, and at least he does it when Makayla and I are sleeping. And I know I drive Tim absolutely nuts with my obsessive compulsive behavior. And he wishes I would cook dinner more often and opt out of the frozen pizza 3 nights a week. I know..I know. LOL! But of course these are all little bothers, and in a marriage you can't let the little bothers bother you a lot. We try not to dwell on the negatives but think of the positive attributes that each of us brings to our marriage. We forgive each other (Think about it...God forgives us and we don't deserve it). I am reminded of these beautiful verses...

Ephesians 5:23-32


^"23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. ²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself."

My prayer tonight is for marriages all around our nation be strengthened. Also, that couples will put God first and not sweat the small stuff.

God Bless,
Shawna

The Big Snow -January 2010

I have been bogged down with a cold and school stuff over the last week. I am just now getting a chance to write about the Knoxville Snowstorm of 2010! Well I consider it a snowstorm because it's the most snow I've seen here in a very long time. It started snowing Friday evening, January 29th and continued over night. By Saturday morning, we had about 5 inches of snow! I don't really like cold weather at all, but somehow the snow makes it bearable. The view from our back porch looked picture-perfect. Everything was a blanket of pure white beauty. I loved it! I was most excited for Makayla to see her first big snowstorm! I put on my boots, mittens, jacket, and hat, and like an excited child exclaimed, "Let's build a snowman!"  I rushed to get Makayla dressed. She was so adorable in her fluffy snow snuggy! We had so much fun making a snowman, and I took a ton of pictures of Makayla. My parents surprised us with a visit while we were outside. I can honestly say that it was the most fun I had in awhile! The snow play was topped off with a big mug of hot chocolate with whipped cream. Here are some pictures of our fun times! Love it!
 

 

  

  

  

 

All Those Things

 There was some worry that I had an appendicitis so I was sent to the hospital for a ct scan this week. I couldn't help but think how completely inconvenient it would be if I had to have any kind of surgery. I am a wife, a mom, and a full-time teacher. The funny part is that I said to Tim, " I really hope I don't need surgery because I have my last evaluation at work Monday. I don't want to be in pain while I'm teaching!" Tim told me that I was nuts. Later, I realized how silly I must have sounded. So many other thoughts raced through my mind:  Would I be able to hold MG, give her a bath, feed her, wash the laundry, clean the dishes, play with the dogs, cook dinner for Tim?? Wait a minute...my cooking usually consist of popping something in the oven and I could still do that. Anyhow, I did not have an appendicitis. All those little things that make me tired sometimes are really things I welcome everyday. I love every moment I can do something for someone I care about. I thank God for all the blessings in my life.

p.s.    My CT scan did find cysts on my right ovary and inside my kidney, cervix, and uterus. This could be causing my pain. However, my pcp doesn't think these are a real concern considering all my blood work is okay. The cysts should go away on their own in 1-3 months.

God Bless,
Shawna

Thankful for Good News

A few months ago, I noticed a ridge on Makayla’s forehead. I didn’t think much of it, until it became more visible. I brought it up to her pediatrician who said we would watch it over the next few years. He eventually referred us to a neurosurgeon here in town. So today, Tim and I took Makayla to Children’s Hospital. Makayla has Metopic Synostosis. Metopic Synostosis is a type of craniosynostosis, in which the joints (sutures) between the bones of the skull close prematurely, resulting in abnormal growth of the skull and sometimes the brain. Many children end up having surgery on the skull in order to correct the problem. Thankfully, Makayla has a very mild case and will not need surgery. Of course, it will be monitored over the next 5 years, but the neurosurgeon is pretty sure the problem will correct itself. In other words; her brain will not be affected and the ridge will smooth out. Praise Jesus!!!!

Next week Makayla will be getting an allergy test. There have been two different occasions, during the last two weeks, that she has gotten very sick. At first, we were told she had the stomach flu, but I wasn’t buying it. The second time it happened I knew it wasn’t the stomach flu. Next week we should find out which food she is allergic to. Other than that, Makayla is doing very well! She has started rocking back and forth up in the crawl position. I think she’ll be crawling here in the next few months!  She is a very happy baby, and babbles all the time. Just the other day, it sounded like she said “Dada”…of course you know Tim is eating that up. She absolutely loves our two dogs and two cats! It is so much fun to watch her pet and talk to the animals. I know that I say this all the time, but the days seem too short! I feel super blessed to have such a wonderful husband and daughter. I love being a mom, and feel God has given me so much to be thankful for.

God Bless,

Shawna

The More I Seek You

The days seem to be going by so quickly these days. Some days, I am positive someone hit the fast forward button….and at the wrong time. I am still trying to organize my time. You see, I was so sure of my priorities…God, family, friends, and work. So why did I often not have a quiet time with God?

A QUIET TIME (in my own words):

A time when God is truly first.

A time when I am 100% focused on Him.

A time when all the worries of the world slip away.

A time when everything else is second.

I do strive to seek Him first, yet many days I fail to ask for guidance, for patience, for forgiveness, or for strength. As always, I am reminded that I cannot do this alone. I need to seek God every day. At the end of 2009, I made a commitment to myself to study God’s word on a weekly basis. Tim bought me a wonderful devotional that I began on January 1st. The book is a 52-week devotional, Into the Word. So far it has been a wonderful spiritual study guide for me. I have discovered something so beautiful over the last few weeks: The more I seek Jesus, the more I find Jesus. The more I find Jesus, the more I love Jesus.

My prayer is that we (you and me) always find a quiet place to go; a place to feel God’s presence, to hear Him speak, to open our hearts, to thank Him, to love Him, and to realize we need Him!

Lyrics | The More I Seek You lyrics

I have made this my song for 2010.

2010 Resolutions

As I embark on this continuous journey in 2010 I am embracing God's incredible love. I resolve to be more patient, more loving, more compassionate, less bossy, to cook more, not take things too seriously, to trust better, to listen rather than speak, to devote more time to God and His Word, to worry less, to eat less (lol), to lose weight, to read more, to wash my car, to make more friends, to pray more, to plan better, to spend more quality time with my family, to be a better wife and mom, to laugh more often, and to realize more each day that God is for me.

I haven’t been a blogger for very long, so I still consider myself a newbie to it. Honestly, I’m not even sure if anyone at all reads my blog page, but I still want to write it. I enjoy taking the time to think about special moments and capture them in writing (or typing). This year, 2010, I am resolving to slow down and enjoy every single moment. I am reminded of the most important things in my life; God, Tim & Makayla, family, friends, and my job. Basically in that order. This blog is about my journey in life as a mom, a wife, and a follower of Jesus Christ.

A little about me…

  I am first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ. He is my joy and inspiration, and the reason I am here. God has blessed me with two incredible gifts; my loving husband, Tim, and our beautiful daughter, Makayla. Tim is a very loving and supportive husband with compassion for others that I wish every man had. He is the love of my life and my very best friend. He gets me and loves me unconditionally…no matter how hard that may be sometimes. Makayla is such a sweet baby, with giggles and grins that always light up the room. She is a gift from God! She has opened my eyes to the tiny miracles and inspirations around me,that I often fail to see. My journey hasn’t always been an easy one, but I am learning so much along the way. Please join me as I continue this journey as a wife, a mom, and a follower of Jesus Christ.

God Bless,

Shawna