Happy Birthday, Dearest Jen!

To my sweet, hilarious, unique, fun, creative, holy, beautiful Jennifer Bayhi Gennaro: Happy 25th birthday, lovely! You are such a gift in my life, and I am grateful for you! You are an amazing mother, and adoring wife, and a cherished friend!

Do the Shopping Cart!

John Paul is getting a little closer to walking than I would like (mostly because I want his grandparents to be able to witness it for themselves). Here he is pushing a shopping cart on his own. I had been helping him by placing weight on it so that he wouldn't face plant while walking himself. Then, when I wasn't looking, he pulled up and he started on his own... here we go!

Rainee the Lifesaver!

Meet Rainee Bourgeois! She is counselor here at camp this summer, and for the July session, she has been assigned to John Paul... that's right. See, I posted earlier that God is "withholding sleep from my eyes" (yes, it's in Scripture) but He gives me Rainee in the daytime. Not only is she so wonderful with him, but she loves loves loves him! He loves her as well. So on days like today when I am too tired/depressed/fatigued/pregnant to think clearly, God gives me Rainee.

I just wanted to add my 2 cents to that whole "God will not give you anything you can't handle" bit.

Third Time is Not a Charm... we need sleep help!

This one is for moms! What do you do when 1) your 11 month old wakes up as much as a newborn- 3 times a night if not 4 2) he's 3 feet away from you, and letting him cry to realize he's not going to be picked up is becoming less and less of an option 3)he has object permanence so he knows we're behind the sheet that is hanging from the ceiling 4) he ends up nursing 3 times a night because it's the only thing that gets him to sleep 5) you're PREGNANT and don't sleep anymore!

I'm sure his constant exposure to lots of people and activity is the culprit, and though he gets his 2 naps in, he's still overstimulated. We may just have to be without ANY sleep until we get home... in a month... then he'll get re-used to his old bed and house... then we'll move again. I'll sleep when I'm dead.


More positive posts to follow, pending more sleep.

NATIONAL COW DAY!

Today is National Chick-Fil-A Cow day. If you (and anyone with you) dress as a cow FROM HEAD TO TOE, you can receive a free meal from Chick-Fil-A!

At camp- we fully support this day, and all day long, we are filling 15-passenger vans with kids dressed as cows... just picture it!

Happy Cow Day

Oh... and we're moving to Lake Charles

That's right. God has decided that the Dawson family needs to move to Lake Charles. David has accepted a job with OLQH- not kidding. He will be the youth minister/young adult minister/retreat guy/who knows what else-er for the Church and school and high school. This has been something that we admit we would not have said yes to on our own, but through prayer and discernment, it has been made very clear that we are to TRUST and OBEY. God is faithful and He will provide.

He pretty much has to because now we are 1) trying to put our house on the market while at camp in NC though the house needs some serious help 2) trying to find a new house in LC that is reasonably priced but has enough space for both babies and for my in-laws who I can't bear to think of parting with 3) and not to mention that we are having a baby in March.

If you think to send some prayers our way it would be much appreciated. If any of you Lake Charles ladies want to start a play group, my house can be it... we just have to find one first.

John Paul will be a big brother!!!

We are pregnant and due in March-ish.