A Life of Gratitude

I haven't written in a few days because I've been BUSY!!!!! I spent the weekend in Dallas for KEEP Collective's first ever National Conference, HOOPLA! I had a wonderful time meeting the ladies that I've been working with online for several months now! We laughed, we cried, and we learned so much! I got honored and celebrated for my accomplishments over the past 5 months and I set some pretty big goals for the future...which is scary and exciting all at the same time!! I got home late Sunday night and then on Monday, Bryan and I got to go on a date to the OutCry concert. It was wonderful! I love worshiping Jesus with my hubby! Actually, I love worshiping Jesus any time, with anyone! We did have a great time together!!! That crazy, busy weekend was hard on me because of my back and my foot. Someone with chronic back pain and a  broken foot probably shouldn't be walking all over the airport and hotel and coliseum but, ya know, you only live once!

In the morning (or the middle of the night actually!) I will be getting on an airplane all by myself! As a Mommy of 3, I don't even get to the bathroom by myself so this is going to be a real treat....a bittersweet treat though because I will definitely miss my hubby and my littles.  I'm flying to Dallas, Texas for the first ever KEEP Collective National Conference, HOOPLA! I am going to be seeing the new fall line, taking part in trainings and toasts, and I'm being  honored in a parade for the Founding Stars of this brand new company! And for the first time ever, I will be meeting so many beautiful ladies that I have been working with for the past 4 months. I feel so honored to be attending this event as it is the first of many to come, I'm sure! I would never have guessed when I joined on February 20th that I would be where I am today! I was one of the first 100 ladies in the entire USA to promote to Star Designer for KEEP. I now have 36 amazing ladies on my te

It may sound silly but I really enjoy power washing. It gives me a chance to think and pray while doing something productive. It's also very rewarding and immediately gratifying. Right before your eyes, you can see something look brand new again very, very quickly! Sometimes the item doesn't even look dirty but when you power wash it, you realize it was disgusting!  God often speaks to me through the simple, mundane things of life. I just love how He speaks to me through whatever I'm doing. It proves to me that He is always nearby, always working in my life, and always eager to teach me. Tonight, as I was pressure washing our fence, I was suddenly amazed by the grit and grim that was being washed away. The water was hitting against the wood, taking the dirt with it, making it look new again, and making the surrounding dirt look as though someone was shining a spot light on it! I felt as though God was saying, "Isn't this a lot like sin, Tori? Sin covers your l

We had a terrific time in Boone today. The real purpose for the trip was to be a part of the 30th Annual Homer Shaw Golf Tournament. Homer was Bryan's grandfather who loved golfing in Boone. Bryan's dad has organized this tournament in honor of Homer for 30 years now and all the money collected is donated to Hospice of Davidson County. Bryan has played in the tournament many times but this was the first year I have been and I really enjoyed it! It was so neat to have Homer's great grandsons there too! My family at the Boone Golf Club Evan apparently didn't want to show his face in this photo! Who knew there would be a balloon fight at the golf tournament? The littlest Shaw was tuckered out! 3 generations of Shaws! Since we drove two hours for the tournament, we decided to make a day of it! We went gem mining and found lots of lovely gems to put in Evan's "rock complexion" (yes, that's what he calls it!) Dylan hopes to get a tum

I had a Norwex party at my house last night (which was so  much fun!) and one thing that the consultant laid out for everyone to look at was a "Before and After" book. It contained all sorts of photos of things before they had been cleaned and after they had been cleaned. Like this: During the party I watched everyone pass the book around and look at the pictures in amazement. Everyone oooo'd and ahhhh'd over the difference between the before and after. Those photos made a great impression for Norwex!  We all love those types of photos don't we? We love to see someone have a make over and then see the before and after photos. Or if someone loses a lot of weight, we want to see what they looked like before compared to after. We enjoy seeing the before and after photos when houses and rooms are renovated or even antiques that are refurbished. The before and after reveals how much work has been, how much has truly changed, and proves that things have cha

This little guy turned 10 months old today!!!! I cannot believe it! Where has the time gone? It seems like he was just born a week ago! Dylan and Evan were celebrating all day because they are so excited that their baby brother is getting close to being one! They begged for us to order pizza tonight in celebration! (and because Tyson LOVES pizza). Once the pizza arrived, Dylan said, "Give some to the month-day boy! He loves pizza!"  I tried to get some good photos of Tyson with his 10 month sticker, just like I have every other month but, it proved to be very difficult! I don't think you can see the 10 on any of them but they're just so darn cute I just had to share! This gives a pretty good idea of how active Tyson is! I took all of these in less than 2 minutes! "What? Are you trying to take my picture?" "I want to play this harmonica!" "OOOooo, I got the sticker!" "It makes a cool noise when it hits the floor!

I heard a song yesterday that I haven't heard in a couple of years. As soon as I heard the first line I remembered how much I love it because I think I could of written it! HA!  I often stop at the end of the day and look back and wonder, "Where did the day go? What did we even do today?" I know I'm not the only one, right? Oh please say you've been there! I guess it could be life as a momma with three little boys but I honestly think I was the same way before I had kids! I just feel like I'm running in circles. I have the best of intentions and then somehow I don't get anything done. I am so forgetful. I find myself exactly where I was, instead of where I wanted to be; focused on the things I don't want to be focused on.  I think that's why I love this song so much. It reminds me that even though I am forgetful and  I am running in circles, my God still loves me. He is the only One that can bring me peace and He does just that....over and

I've cried a million tears today. Even though we've known this day was coming for a while now, it didn't make it any easier.  We have had our sweet puppy dog, Mitch, for almost 16 years. Bryan and I bought him from the pound during my freshman year of college. He was 2 years old when we adopted him. We knew then that he was different, he was the only one not barking at the pound! He lived in Bryan's apartment with him until we got married. Since then (2004) he has been our baby, our first baby actually. For those of you who knew him, you'll probably agree that very few dogs are like Mitch. He was the sweetest, most laid back, easy-going, loveable, huggable, dog ever! He has been with us during the wild and crazy college days all the way through turning our lives around, buying our first house, having our first child, my back injury, having another baby boy, deciding to homeschool, buying a new home, and having a third little boy. He has always been the most gen