The Tooth Fairy Part II

Well, it's been a few days since Julia lost her first two teeth. Now Janna is getting a visit from the tooth fairy as we speak; her first visit ever! The squeals of joy when I picked her up from her Nana’s tonight were enough to tell me it was a red letter day in the Shaw household once again! A mere two days before she started first grade she has now acquired a much prized gap in her lower teeth. I hear rumor that the tooth fairy will bring her a brand-new shiny gold dollar. Here's a pic of my precious child and her newest dental extraction!

Here is a picture of the girls at the end of the year party for their softball team.

Today is a good day! I broke down and paid the extra fee to find out my scores to the SLLA test early, and I passed. I have been worried about this test since before I took it. I couldn't wait any longer to find out my results. YAY ME!

On another note the girls have been having a great summer. They just got back from spending time at Gammy and P-Paws. They have a beautiful tan that I'm jealous of.

Gordon turned 35 yesterday. One of his presents was getting his girls back from his parents. It's amazing how two little girls can make a grown man so weak.

The start of summer!

Well, summer has officially been here for about 27 days now. In these 27 days a lot has already happened. First, mom and dad finally found a home and moved into it. I think they are really going to like it. However, there are still some projects they are working on. They do have a pool and that is going to be a major plus since the temperature is already getting in the 100's. Second, Janna and Julia have finished kindergarten and are moving on to 1st grade next year. Where does time go? They did really well this year and are even reading well above their grade level. The finished their first season of coach pitch softball with a lot of wins and very little injuries. My babies did really well considering how hot these games were. Next, I took the SLLA about a week ago. This test is the test that the state of Mississippi requires for someone to become an administrator. I hope that I passed and I will not have to take it again. If so, once I graduate in December with my masters in Ed. Leadership and have this test under my belt I will be one step closer to being an administrator. Finally, I have just recently had shoulder surgery. Getting older and playing softball for so many years has finally paid a toll on my body. The surgery went well. The Dr. just removed some soft tissue and filed down a bone to give me more room to move. The pain is tolerable, but can be uncomfortable. I have had the best nurse that and one could ask for...Gordon. I thank him for helping me through this time. Even though I get fussed out for trying to do things around the house.

Well that sums up the past 27 days. Please pray that we continue to have a safe summer.

 

First game of the Wildcats '10 season. The girls had a blast and even ended up winning. Janna exclaimed "THAT WAS FUN" afterwards like she was surprised. Still a good time was had by all, and Melissa had fun as the High School team she helps with (DeSoto Central) advanced in the state Playoffs by beating Warren Central. Afterwards the girls and I celebrated with a trip to eat Mexican food with the competition. Well, at least it was their friends Gabby and Reagan Smith, and their parents Guy and Kelly Smith, who happen to play for the other team.

Rough day....

Spent with idiot clients and solving their problems and them being ungrateful for the solution. You know it is nice to help someone who appreciates what you did for them, but you just want to strangle those who take you for granted. There are days when my work is fulfilling, but they have been rather few lately. On top of that, in my personal life I am stretched thinner than frog under the tire of an 18 wheeler. Ball games, homes that won't sell, commitments to friends, obligations at my wife's school, a 17 week old Lab puppy that needs training, and my obsession with chasing feathered quarry all leaves precious little time to just hang out, or to clean the house, maintain the yard, get an oil change or take a lunch break at work for that matter. Something has to give, and usually it is the most quiet of them. The puppy or my sleep.

I think I have fallen into a bad habit of staying at the office all day, which seems like a good plan for productivity, but is wearing me down. I am slowly getting burned up...and possibly out at this rate. I just want to say to hell with it all and move to a cabin in the middle of the mountains and lose contact with EVERYONE, except family of course. Oh, well gotta go clean the house and then get started on more work for a client...can't waste time chasing the almighty dollar.

Speaking of Sainthood!

Let's at least give my wife a medal. I am here in Nashville at the NWTF Show, and she is at home with my girls. As usual, one of my strong willed children decided to pitch a total fit thereby ruining the plans my wife had made with her sister. All I could say is "I'm sorry!" I am a three hour drive from home, and she gets to deal with three labs (including a 16 week old puppy) and twin 6 year-olds, and I just thought all the turkey calling gave me a headache. So, at least for now, both of our days are ruined thanks to a 6 year-old. My wife is stressed and aggrivated, and I am miserable because I am feeling like I should have never left to do this. I know it will be better after a few hours sleep, or at least I hope. It is a miserable feeling when you can do nothing to make the people you care about feel better.

Sainthood....

So what does it take again to become a Saint? According to Catholic-Pages.com:
"In official Church procedures there are three steps to sainthood: one becomes Venerable, Blessed and then a Saint. Venerable is the title given to a deceased person recognized as having lived heroic virtues. To be recognized as a blessed, and therefore beatified, in addition to personal attributes of charity and heroic virtue, one miracle, acquired through the individual's intercession, is required. Canonization requires two, though a Pope may waive these requirements. Martyrdom does not usually require a miracle."

Well, my wife is still living, at least I think she is; she might "stroke out" soon this morning. So she does not qualify for the "Venerable" title yet. To be beatified however, she has to exhibit charity and heroic virtue. The charity one is easy she lives her lives for others completely. She teaches Special Education Inclusion in the 9th grade. She is an unpaid assistant softball coach, and she hauls my children hither and yon for their activities with nary a word of complaint. As for heroic virtue if you have ever been in our house in the morning with twin six year-old girls trying to get up, and a husband who rises more slowly than than the dead you will know she is quite heroic. So that leaves only the miracle part missing. Again, I contend that getting twin six year-olds to do anything in the morning is a miracle. There is never anything to suit them. The pants are too tight, the pants are too loose, the shirt has the wrong person on it, the shirt is the wrong color, the pants are too short, the pants are too long, the socks are too short the socks are too long. The list of issues is endless. To even get them dressed in the morning is a miracle, so there is one.

The second miracle is probably more amazing. My wife, has put up with me as her husband for the last 8 and one-half years. Even though I am desperately handsome (those of you who know me will know I am kidding, unless you find lumpy biscuit dough attractive then you might find me attractive), and a hopeless romantic (yeah, I am hopeless alright...there is no hope that I have a clue how to be romantic), I still can be quite a burden to live with. I am NOT a morning person, I love dogs (which means we now have a black 16 week old ball of labrador inhabiting our space along with the other two older labs), I have an insane drive to hunt anything with feathers, and some things that don't have feathers, I am a completely selfish person, I can be insanely stubborn when I make a decision to follow a certain course, and I tend to work obsessively when I am at work and not make time for my family. The fact that she has managed to put up with me for a week is amazing, the fact that she has been married to me for almost 9 years is a miracle.

And what does she get for all this service to others, and burden of living with me? Today, she will be late to her job...again....

Too Much Going On!

Just this week Gordon asked me,"Do you think we have to much going on?". Maybe, but what do you change. Yes, I'm coaching softball again and that takes up time. I also go to Bible study every Monday. Don't forget I'm working on my masters and class meets every Thursday. The girls have Girl Scouts twice a month and tumbling once a week. Oh yea I forgot my job and the girl's school. Gordon hunts a lot and his job calls for him to stay late occasionally. So what do you take away? What do you change? I say nothing.