Merry Merry Christmas!

Here are a few shots from our 4 day Christmas extravaganza...


Uncle Pat, John Paul, and Therese in the wagon...


... pulled by Mimi!


Isn't this the best? My mom and the kids in front of the home where she grew up.


The Dawson's four!


Therese's "Awww" face

Couldn't have said it any better myself...

http://hertyhouse.blogspot.com/

Time to elf ourselves again...

... your favorite time of year and mine!

The first tabernacle...

... was our Blessed Mother. Today we celebrate HER conception- her sinless conception. I think if we (despite our religious beliefs) reflect for a moment of the magnitude of Christ's life- His love, His mercy- we will not be able to help but reflect on the magnitude of His mother. Oh Mary conceived without sin, pray for us.

Pic- chas as promised!

PRECIOUS FAMILY, SWEET BABIES (CHILDREN AND HUSBAND), & OUR GALVESTON TRIP. ENJOY. MAKE IT TO THE BOTTOM, AND YOU GET A VIDEO!

Where have all the Dawson's gone.

A classic song from high school days... one of many songs that had no meaning, yet was played as loud as possible in my little purple altima.

Sorry, that was not the reason for this post.

I am checking in with blog world to let whoever is wondering know that we are here, we are well, we are healing, and we are joyful! I have not posted a single picture in about 2 months- two laptops that we have had over five years would be the reason. A new-to-us computer is on the way (thanks Mom and Daddy Darbonne).

John Paul's vocabulary has sky-rocketed, making any and every conversation with him a wonderful delight. Therese is currently hitting the following developmental milestones all at once: cutting her first tooth, cutting her second tooth, scooting, crawling, pulling up, pincer grasp...ing(?). Hence... a long posting absence.

Pictures are coming soon! For now enjoy a video from John Paul's 8th month... no it's not Therese. Don't be fooled.

Safe in the arms of God

Yesterday we miscarried our precious baby. I'll spare the details except to say that while we are so broken hearted, filled with confusion, experiencing some guilt, fatigued, and asking questions, God has been so present. He has provided us with peace, He has allowed us closure, He has brought us closer as a family, and He has not left us alone.

We named our child Andrew Thomas Dawson. Our family now has a saint in Heaven who is experiencing the eternal peace of a God who, in His mercy, allowed us to love Andrew into existence and be blessed with the gift of his life, even if it for just a short while. The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD.

Well that was a first...

In my entire life, I've never been to the ER... so to bring my child was certainly a first. But this weekend, in general, was a series of firsts!

Wednesday evening, while playing in the back yard, Therese threw up (blew her groceries if you're my father-in-law). To keep it less icky lets just say that after baths and clean-ups, this continued throughout the next 3 hours and totaled 9 times before we decided to go to the ER. It sounds crazy now, but at the time, she was happy in between the "episodes" for a while, and I didn't want to be that crazy mom who brings her child in for a little spit-up (and maybe because an ET trip costs $100 on our beautiful health insurance plan), so I waited. I couldn't get in touch with ANYONE, I even called my pediatrician at home (sorry Dr. Thompson). When the throwing up totaled nine times, we got John Paul to my parents for the night, then brought Therese to the ER. Long story short... we were home for 11:30 with a diagnosis of strep throat, my shirt full of you know what, $100 swiped onto the credit card, and sweet Therese with a shot in her leg and asleep for the night. That was a first. With babies her age/size, the cooties from the strep in her throat drip into her little tummy and it can't handle it- so if your child has cold symptoms and begins throwing up, you can almost bet it's strep- FYI.

Thursday, John Paul and I went to the children's clinic to have our throats swabbed because we were told that we both probably had it as well. Another $100 later, 2 negative strep tests and a suggestion to keep John Paul away from Therese for the rest of the day, we brought John Paul back to Granny and Grandpa's house. This was hard for me. They brought him home when it was time to go to sleep.

Friday at 1:30am... I wake up with blowtorch-like heart burn (which isn't totally abnormal for me - GERD and Pregnancy combo is deadly). By 3 am - you guessed it- I was also purging, shall we say. Nursing Therese in between, because she was still not feeling well and could only have pedialyte and breast milk from her tummy episode. I never really went back to sleep for the flames in my esophagus, and I was THAT girl at CVS at 5:45am - bed head, pj pants, the closest pair of shoes which never seem to make you look any sort of good- buying tums, maalox, pedialyte, etc. I also had so much cramping that I thought I was miscarrying- some miscarriages, I'm told, are accompanied with nausea and vomiting- and I now know that I wasn't, but I was obviously a little sleep deprived and worried.

Here's the fun part: David had long been scheduled to be flown (on someone else's dime) to Pensacola to speak at a conference for jr high kids... after much prayer we both decided that he still needed to go. So even though John Paul had been returned to us the previous night, by 11am he was back at my parents. David left at 10:30 for the airport, my nurse-mother was at work because her partner was in Atlantic City that day... my parents were scheduled to go to Galveston for the weekend, All aunts were unavailable, in-laws live in BR, sister moved to CO last February, you name it- no help available besides my dad for John Paul (praise GOD). And so weak, dehydrated mommy "took care" of weak, dehydrated Therese until my precious mom arrived and spent the night/day with us (they postponed their trip for us). John Paul stayed with my dad again. Saturday afternoon my precious mother-in-love came to help and I was feeling better. John Paul came home too... oh the tantrums. David returned home this afternoon and we had him for about 30 minutes before he left for work (Youth minister, it's Sunday... sigh).

I will save the effects of the "extended absence of mommy and Daddy" on John Paul's behavior for another post. Did I mention that the extra hour tacked onto our clock meant that the kids were both up before 6?

GOOD NIGHT!

God's Latest Idea

Coming to our house July 2011...

BABY DAWSON #3! We are thrilled (and not at all surprised)!

Andrew Peterson - Dancing In The Minefields (Official...

Another blog...

http://daniellebean.com/

Danielle Bean is a mom of eight, part-time writer, editor, speaker, and she homeschools! She has websites, blogs, and is precious!! My dear friend and family photographer over in LEWISLAND gave me a book of Danielle's, and I am in love!! Check her out! Get inspired!

Want to laugh? Want to shorten your cold?

I know this is a bizarre post title, but just hear me out...

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/



Cake Wrecks is a blog dedicated to photographs of cakes gone wrong. Today's post is particularly funny. They are always making me laugh. They are appropriate for the most part, and I don't feel like I'm laughing at someone else's expense... I'm laughing at a cake...right? The comments are hilarious, and I would love to find a cake myself and send it to this lady to see what she has to say about it.

Next...

Airborne


This is a miracle product. When David or I even sense a scratchy throat, we buy two or three tubes and begin taking it 30ish times a day. This latest cold, I caught from Therese. The soar throat began Saturday afternoon. I began taking Airborne. By Sunday (which in normal cold time would be more soar throat and runny nose) I was already in to runny nose, but not so bad that I had a box of kleenex with me at all times. Monday was the bad day... one day. I kept taking Airborne, and by Tuesday, I was up, spirits were up, and today (Wednesday) I am feeling like you would around day 6 or 7 of a normal cold- pretty much gone, and a few sniffles and tissues here and there. The cold still comes most of the time, but the intensity is less and the duration is usually half!! Worth the investment for sure. Also there are off-brands that usually cost half the price- Walborne, CVS air shield. Worth it, y'all. Seriously.

Isn't She lovely?

Thanks to Maria Lewis... again.

It's Therese's turn to make you smile! Enjoy. We sure do.

Therese is 6 months... cathing you up (lots of pic-chas)!

Well, it's no surprise that the 6 month check up revealed that our sweet Therese Marie is OFF THE CHARTS for her height (27 1/2") and 75% in weight (17.1 lbs)! She sits up like a champ and her preferred position is standing while holding onto your fingers. Her pediatrician says she'll be an early walker (how else will she keep up with John Paul- who is her favorite person).





We were able to see Sarah and her family when they came to Louisiana (Ruston) and we met them in Alexandria at the zoo (quite a zoo; worth the 1 1/2 hour drive). It was just for a moment, really, but it was worth it. We won't see them until Christmas (they live in Denver, CO).







Because Therese is able to sit so well, she and John Paul are now playing in the tub together. This is such a joy to see (unless John Paul decides that he doesn't want to bathe, then it's funny because Therese doesn't seem to notice that the decibel level will surely damage her tiny ear drums).




(Yes, he found her nipple in this last one)

Aren't you so in love? For more pictures (yes there are more), I made September's and August's pictures easy to get to. See "Our Family Pictures" on the right column. Enjoy!

A little John Paul to fill your heart!

Thanks to Maria Lewis, the family photographer and cherished friend!

Please see Maria's Post about our trip to the park!

A new perspecitve on Christ...

I will hold Him and I will love Him until He's big enough to walk.
And even then, I'll pick Him up and I will teach Him how to talk... to say the words that will save all the people of every nation. I will feed the Flesh that will bring about salvation. And when He kisses me goodnight, I'll be living my reward. Be it done as You have said, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

I will walk these roads behind Him, and I will follow where He leads. And I will be in His good works, and I will love the mouths He feeds. I'll be a mother to my Son and a mother for the world. If You can set them free through Moses then You can do it through this girl. And when He brings the dead to life, I'll be living my reward, be it done as You have said, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

What is this You've called me to, to watch Him lose His life. I am bending but will I break, how can I just stand by? All of Heaven be with Him now, He's my only Son. Help me pray that prayer with Him, "Father let Your will be done!"

And when He walks that lonely road, my heart will go with Him. And when He falls, my spirit dies, and when He bleeds I hate this sin. And when He utters those last words, and when He finally hangs His head, I'll be planted in the ground. My whole life, my soul is dead. But I will stay here at this cross where He brought you your reward. Be it done as You have said, I am the handmaid of the Lord... Be it done as You have said, I am the handmaid of the Lord.

Three Years and Counting...

Three years and two children later...






I am so in love!!

John Paul is 2!

3 weeks before our 1st anniversary, We welcomed you into our family.


7lbs 5oz, 22inches. A tall, skinny, perfect, little man.


You survived your first hurricane before he was 3 weeks old!




You were baptized... after the handyman climbed through a window to unlock the church for us!


You were always such a happy baby... all those faces you made. Where did they come from? I just don't know.




Watching you as a big brother has been the best part!




Happy birthday, John Paul! We are so grateful to have you. You are quite a gift!