A request...

For those of you whose email I do not have, I just sent this out.

To our friends and families,

Some of you may remember an email that was sent to you about 18 months ago asking you for your prayer requests to be offered up while we were in labor for our now 17 month old John Paul. You may also remember a follow up email re-explaining what we meant because I (Kate) am terrible at explaining things.

Well, Baby Dawson #2 (James David or Therese Marie- still a surprise) is due to arrive somewhere in the vicinity of March 11 (what's a due date anyway?) David and I would like to ask you again "What can we pray for in your life?" As you send your replies, we record them and bring them with us to the hospital, where with each contraction, we will offer up your intentions. If you're wondering about the first baby's labor experience... well, we went through the list 4 times. So, be assured that you will be prayed for and that your intentions, if you request it, will be kept between me and David.

Thank you for the opportunity, and we are looking forward to hearing from you!

God Bless you!
Kate and David Dawson

And life goes on...

The Lake Charles "March for Life" was a beautiful success, and Maria snapped these shots... yes the same Maria who has unknowingly become my life's photographer.

David arrived home from Washington DC safe, sound, and sickly from 30 hours of riding in a charter bus breathing the same air as 50 other people. Yeah. He's much better, and in fact, he is now gone AGAIN to run the St. Louis Sr. boys retreat in Dry Creek. Yeah again. But 2 days seems like cake compared to last week. I know I only have one child right now, so no complaints out of me. That one precious child is napping now, and that's just what I'm going to go do. Week 35 is here... so here we go with the "ooh, what was that?" and "uh oh, should I go in?" phase of pregnancy. Woop Woop!

Jan 22nd- Roe V Wade

First of all... I jumped the gun on JP II's Beatification. I was reading an old article. His date of beatification is still up in the air. I got a little too excited too quickly. So sorry if I made you excited too.



Today is the Anniversary of Roe V Wade. Please take a moment to pray for a greater respect and defense of the sanctity of life from conception until natural death. Pray for those who have violated it and do not know it. Pray for those who have violated it and do know it. Pray for those who are afraid and considering an abortion. Pray for the elderly whose lives are being cut short because their "quality of life" (defined by their doctors) is deemed not enough to help them to live. Pray for our president, that he may come to an understanding of the gift of life and that NO ONE is on this earth by accident. Pray for those who have had abortions and are trying to heal.

If you know someone who is in search of healing, click here

If you're in the Lake Charles area and are interested in the March for Life being held tonight (Friday), click here

If you're looking for a great prayer for the sanctity of life, click here

John Paul's John Paul to be beatified!

I recently found an article that said Pope John Paul II is to be beautified this APRIL!!! Why is that so important to us? Well... our son is named after him! A quick tutorial- there is a process in the Catholic Church that some people are brought through after death which leads to Sainthood- called Canonization. First, you are made a "Servant of God" then "Venerable" next "Blessed" and finally "Saint"!! His cause for canonization was started a mere 5 months after his death, which was a special dispensation compared to the 5 years that is normally required. I found the article on Catholic.org if you're interested.

Venerable John Paul II, pray for us!

Not jealous at all...

So I talked to David, and so far they have seen
1) The Lincoln Memorial
2) Arlington Cemetery
3) JFK's grave
4) Tomb of the unknown soldier
5) Changing of the guards

Up next

6) Mount Vernon (Washington's home... I know. I had to ask too)
7) Holocaust Museum
8) Possibly some other museums

9) The March for Life Friday morning!

Instead of being jealous, I've told myself that all these experiences always bring home a man who is even more equipped (as if that's possible) to love John Paul, to love me and our family. God takes care of us. Ok, I'm still a little jealous.

A great weekend!

Well, we sent David off on his DC trip after a great weekend with his family in Baton Rouge. We had puddle splashing with Uncle Patrick (who is 10) and he got to watch his Saints... "Go sits" (complete with a Brees jersey created by Uncle Pat)!

Monday was sunny so MiMi and Uncle Pat let him try out a bike... that's right, he rides a bike! We were able to finish it off with a visit to a dear, precious and wonderful friend Jen and her family (Max - 11 mnths) who said his first word a few hours after we left (it was "chicken"). Now we are home and are trying to appreciate the present... single parenting until Saturday. Here we go!

March for Life 2010- Washington DC

David will be leaving for DC soon with a couple hundred kids and chaperons to participate in the annual March for Life - always held on the anniversary of Roe V Wade. Here is a video to remind us to pray for their efforts.

Life is so sweet!

Here are a few of the sweet things going on at the Dawson House...
Madeline came to play with her Nanny Kate, John Paul found a crawfish hole... and took a bath, and he readily finds and kisses his Blessed Mother!

Baby #2's update..

So I don't have a picture, but our scanner is... uh... I didn't scan it ok?

James/Therese is 31 weeks and 4.6 pounds... so adding an average of 1/2 a pound a week, we're looking at an over 8 pounder. Woop Woop! Think that makes me scared? Heck no! It means that the child will get to 11-ish pounds SOONER and will sleep better sooner too... I pray. I wasn't told a heart rate this time, and it has varied between the 140s and 150's, so who knows. I was thinking it was a girl, then today while watching John Paul play with his cousin Madeline, something felt like this wouldn't be the way things were just yet. Plus, I thought John Paul was a boy the ENTIRE pregnancy. Ergo, it's probably a boy. James David. 2 crazy little boys jumping off the roof together (that's what David said). Somehow that's not so comforting. But we pray that God has many more in store for us... like 12 jumping off the roof together!

Either way we are doing well, growing fast... I have already gained 3o pounds, so I guess ice cream twice a day isn't a good decision for too much longer. Thank you Denise Austin for your pregnancy work out video and that spastic red head who assists you.

10 more weeks... to be with just one little munchkin, to guess what we're having, to dream that it will sleep and eat beautifully, to sleep 9 and 10 hours a night (in a row), to not nurse a baby (though it will have only been a 6 month break since John Paul), and my nesting phase is in FULL THROTTLE... I've swept three times today. I'll leave you with that.

Oh, and here's John Paul at a few days old. I can't wait to do this again!

Before Christmas ends...

So, I am taking Christmas down in pieces, because it's actually STILL Christmas until the Baptism of the Lord... which is this Sunday (and TODAY is the Epiphany, woo hoo!).

So I wanted to give a suggestion for the precious Christmas cards you probably have. I took the ones that have pictures of John Paul's family and friends that he sees pretty often (cousins, aunts, play group friends etc), and I made them into a book.

If I were more creative, I would have done card stock with names in them and oodles of other precious decorations, but because I'm Kate, I put them into Sandwich bags for now. If I get to anything cuter, I'll take a picture of it, but for now, it's a great book for him during church and in the car because he LOVES looking at pictures of people he knows. Also because there are no words, I can hear him making up his own.

This saves you from not knowing what do with your cards- hope it helps!