The Dawson's are alive!

Yes, David is back. Yes, he is safe and knows a few Polish words and had incredible experiences with the people and the life of St. Faustina there... and yes we all got sick last week (not swine flu) and are packing the house.

A crazy schedule does not leave much time for rest, prayer, and recreation, much less blogging. I will post pictures of John Paul's 1 st birthday festivities (that took place 3 weeks ago) at some point when I get my computer back from the "PC DOCTOR" (sound sketchy to anyone?)

David, Come HOME!!!

Here is David with his former boss who invited him to go with her to Poland... the country. Look at that face... she's smiling at him a bit to gleefully don't you think? She either has a crush on him, or she's laughing that her plot to take him away from us for 2 weeks worked. I'm sure some of you are laughing at my antics over this trip, but can you tell that I am ready for him to come home? I just really like him, ok? I mean, look how cute he is. Here is a picture of him at the grave of Saint Faustina- the saint whom Jesus appeared to and asked to have painted what is now called the Image of Divine Mercy. A big big saint in our house. David sent like 40 pictures without explanation of where he is, what's the Polish writing say, or what significance these places had to him, so I am pretending to be on a date with him... by looking at these pictures. Sigh...

Poland... the country

You know how sometimes when you say you're going to Paris or Florence, but you really mean Paris, Texas or Florence, South Carolina. Well, when I say that David is in Poland, I'm talking about the country... the birth place of the latest two popes. Nobody, including myself, should be shocked at this. Didn't you just get back from camp? Yes. Didn't he stay an extra week and get home yesterday at 5 in the morning? Yes again. And aren't you in the middle of selling your house and looking for another one in Lake Charles? Oh, yes, you are correct. You see, God has a great sense of humor and He likes to have lots of fun with the Dawson's. The truth is that we like it! Come on God give us another one... ok, you're pregnant. Oh right.

Anyway, David use to work for a state program called the Governor's Program on Abstinence (I know, he's pretty much the best man on the planet). Well, those people have asked him to journey to Poland (the country) to do a teacher training for Poland... or I guess a few people there. We don't really know a lot of details, and Mr. Full-of-Faith is on a plane to Atlanta, then Paris, then Warsaw. He returns on Sunday. Prayer is the key this week. If you think of it, pray for us... sell the house, find a house (that is free preferably) and that this disastrous mess of a house is all cleaned by a little fairy by the time we get back from Lake Charles. Have I mentioned that John Paul is the best... and is a trooper? Man, life is so worth it when you're married to (to reiterate) the greatest man on the planet and have the cutest kid ever.

John Paul is 1 today!

John Paul Dawson has reached the ripe, old age of 1... I can't believe we survived. What a ride? Huh? Anyone else know that parenting was going to be such a roller coaster of joy, laughter, tears, screaming (you and the baby), diapers, schedules, naps, rice cereal, blenders, smiles, coos, bottles, breast pumps, pulling over off the road, high chairs, passy's, no passy's, sleeping, teething, spit up, milicon, nose bulbs, "the lip", head back-to-prove-your-point drama, "dah-dee," socket covers, onesie extenders, maternity clothes-switching, pregnancy nervousness, pregnancy excitment, pulling up, falling down, bloody lips, passing off to grandma, date night, cry-rooms, burp clothes, cameras, tantrums, sighs, belly laughs, guitars, snow days, hikes, clapping , fakes cries, and on and on... this has been quite a year.

God gives us a desire to give of ourselves completely to someone else- He is certainly fullfilling that desire in my life. He is so gracious. I'm celebrating by having some ice cream (because baby number 2 won't allow for a glass of wine). David is still out of town, and we have had 3 offers on our house (I love those Novenas) in the last 3 days. God is good. I'm going to sleep- what a great day.

Crazy life...

John Paul has loved every minute of camp... bath time was no exception.

He met the love of his life, though an older woman. Anne Marie Flury is the daughter of a dear friend of ours. These two had a blast! What a gift to hear them laughing.

And so we close out the crazy chapter of our life. Did God really think we could do this and survive? No we never slept (ok like 3 times), and camp food puts some pounds on you (which I don't have to worry about anymore- woop woop!), but David changed lives again, and John Paul enjoyed the mountain air and learned so many things from the wonderful people he met! What a blessing. So what now? Well David will stay behind for a week to be with the youth group which he will be serving- the Queen of Heaven youth group is coming up from LAke Charles for this next week. John Paul and I will fly home on the 10th to start making the house a little more sellable and to spend time with our friends and family there. David travels to Poland (yes, the country) to teach the abstinence curriculum at a conference there (no I'm not kidding). He returns on the 23rd of this month, and we are "supposed" to be in Lake Charles by September first. That's a good one, I know. The 11th hour is usually when God does most of His work in the Dawson household. So if anyone wants to take a trip to Baton Rouge, John Paul and I will be a gruesome twosome for a couple of weeks- any takers? Is this really my life? I must admit I pictured it a bit more predictable and perhaps, smooth, but I wouldn't change ANYTHING!

Happy 25th Uncle Joseph!

Sadly, this is the most recent picture I have of him. But our baby brother is 25, living life, finishing school, you know. We love you Joseph! It's a good picture to show how far we've come... look how tiny John Paul is. He turns a year old next week! How did that happen?