A Life of Gratitude

The past few days have been a bit of a blur. I woke up Wednesday morning with the worst pain I've ever experienced. I honestly wasn't sure if I was going in to pre-term labor, had a kidney stone, or who knows what! As soon as I could I called my doctor and they wanted to see me right away. I thought I was going to drive myself but while I was trying to get dressed, I realized there was no way I could make it. So, Bryan and the boys drove me to the doctor's office. I'm honest when I say I'm not sure how I made it up to the second floor and into the office. As soon as the receptionist saw me she rushed me back to a room. I couldn't sit or stand or lay because the pain was so severe. I was throwing up in a trash can that I carried around the doctor's office. When the doctor came in, she took one look at me and said, "You're going to the hospital!"  Bryan and the boys helped me walk into the hospital. The nurse took me straight to a room and w...

My best friend, Valerie, and I both have 3 little boys, we both homeschool our kids, and we both found out in October that we are pregnant. Although we love our little boys, we have both been hoping to have baby girls this time around! I found out on December 1st that our baby is a girl and today, Valerie found out that she is also having a little girl!!!! When you've given birth to three little boys, its hard to believe you're finally carrying a little girl! We are both shocked that we are having girls but, seriously, we couldn't be happier!!! This is going to be SOOOOO much fun! We've already been sending each other pictures of girl clothes!! Can it be true?? Are we really going to get to pick out lacy pink dresses!??!! I'm so excited! Today I am grateful that I get to experience something so special with someone so special! I am thankful that God knows the desires of our hearts and has blessed us both with daughters. Raising three boys and one...

A few years ago Bryan and I decided to start a new Christmas Day tradition. It has quickly become my very favorite thing we do to celebrate Christmas! Since Jesus has shown us so much love, we thought it would be a good idea for our family to visit some folks that might not feel very loved on Christmas. Did you know there are MANY elderly folks that have no visitors on Christmas day? It breaks my heart to so many sweet men and women spending this special day alone. I'm so glad our little family can bring them some joy! We started visiting Brookdale nursing home on Christmas day three years ago. We enjoyed it so much that we began visiting other times throughout the year also. We were thrilled that so many of the residents remembered us today! Many of them were overjoyed by the news that we will be having a little girl! One lady showed us that she has been saving all the cards we've brought. It touched my heart so much! She has them taped to the door where she can see t...

A couple of weeks ago we found out that our fourth bundle of joy will be a baby girl! If you know my story, you know that this news was exciting to hear but also VERY hard to believe! Our third child was supposedly a girl also but came out very much a BOY! So, even though I was thrilled to hear that a DNA test says that baby #4 is a girl, part of me wondered if the nurse I spoke with told me wrong or if maybe she read the wrong test to me, etc. My mind has gone crazy thinking of the things that might have happened because I've been really afraid to believe its a girl and get another big surprise when this baby is born! Today at my OB appointment, I got to see the results of the DNA test with my very own eyes! Do you see the picture below? Do you see the word "FEMALE" in the top middle of that picture? I do!!! The baby's DNA reveals that she has two X chromosomes, meaning she really is a girl!!!!!!  Today I am thankful for technology that can tell with...

"Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:7 Sometimes when I read the verse above, I sort of nonchalantly agree with it....the peace that exceeds anything I can understand.... I mean, unless you've experienced it, you probably can't really relate to that verse. I've experienced it several times in the past but honestly, as life goes on, you sort of forget what that peace feels like.  Today I was given the opportunity, once again, to experience God's peace, which exceeds anything I can understand. I must admit, there is nothing like it, and I am forever grateful that my God is so active in my life, flooding me with peace right when I need it. My boys and I were at a birthday party when I was informed that my Mom had been taken by ambulance to the hospital. All I knew is that she had been driving but they picked her up...

 Would you believe me if I told you that life with 3 boys is wild??  You probably would, huh? I'm telling you, just an average Wednesday night in the Shaw household is full of all sorts of craziness! I did hear a first tonight though!  Bryan was wrestling with the boys and suddenly Dylan starts yelling "Please don't give me a wedgie!" Now by those words, you would assume that he didn't want a wedgie but the way he was shaking his booty in front of Bryan and laughing, proved that he really did want a wedgie! HA! Then, of course, Evan and Tyson started saying, "Please don't give me a wedgie!" (One in English, one in toddler language) So we had three little boys running around shaking their tail ends and begging for wedgies.  There. Is. Never. A. Dull. Moment. As you can see from this picture above, they got their wedgies! They thought it was hysterical! And I just had to show you the picture below, just to give you an id...

Today was such a fun day!!! Dylan and I went on a field trip with his Grandma, Aunt Darcie, and Cousin Levi. For the first time, Dylan got to visit the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. I enjoyed watching him take in this grand, elegant home! He learned a lot and had a great time!  The Biltmore House! Levi and Dylan eating lunch Dylan loved the audio tour! We had so much fun together! Grandma, Dylan and Levi Headed to the bowling alley and pool! Dylan taught me that the reasons these lions are outside of the Biltmore house is because the Vanderbilt's lived in New York first and they loved the lions at the New York Library He said, "This is the best field trip I've ever been on!" Riding the shuttle back to the car.... Today I am thankful for an exciting field trip with my oldest boy. It was nice to spend the day with him. We don't get much time just the two of us these days so it was a special treat! I am al...

I can hardly believe it but this is our 8th year visiting Santa Clause with the Almodovar family! This has become one of our favorite Christmas traditions! When we started this tradition 8 years ago, there were just two little babies in tow,  Dylan and Hugo. Now, we have 6 kids in total and another on the way! It's a whole lot of fun and very noisy! Dylan and Hugo right before visiting Santa for the first time! 8 years ago! Dylan and Hugo today, right before visiting Santa! Evan and Sergio opening gifts! Sweet Fiona...the only girl in the bunch (not for long though!) The whole gang! Our fellas sitting with Santa. Tyson wasn't too sure about sitting on his lap! The parents.....I still can't believe we brave this adventure every year! Today I am grateful for fun Christmas traditions. We look forward to visiting Santa with our friends every Christmas! Its so much fun to go to lunch together and then take the kids to see the Big Guy! I am ...

Today was an amazing day!!! It started at 1am in the morning actually! That is when I promoted to Associate Director with KEEP Collective. I've reached this goal before but its been a year since my team has been able to reach that level again. This was a huge accomplishment for my team and for me. Since my life-long friend and the Star Designer on my team passed away, my team has struggled. It has been so sad and hard but we encouraged one another and kept moving forward and we finally made it back! I know Lauren is smiling on our team, the Victorious KEEPers!    I woke up this morning exhausted from staying up too late working towards that promotion but I quickly became alert when my doctor's office called with the results of my recent DNA test for our sweet baby. I've been waiting over a week for these results so I was so excited to get this phone call! I was the only one the new the results when did the reveal! We gave the boys cans of silly string and ...

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 It's God's will that His children be thankful in all circumstances. That is really the point of this blog. It's hard to believe but I started writing A Life Of Gratitude in 2011. That's five years of being more aware of God's goodness and continuously sharing all the things I am grateful for. Honestly, it has changed me. Searching for things to be grateful for, in all situations, will make you a happier, more content, easy-going person. Looking for beauty in life instead of things to complain about, will make you more positive and light-hearted. Maybe that's why it's God's will for us. He wants what's best for us and He knows that gratitude changes things! Thanksgiving Day is a time for us to ponder all the things we have to be thankful for and to spend time with the folks that help make life so special. For me, ...

I had my 12 week check up today. All was going well until the doctor couldn't find the baby's heart beat. My heart nearly stopped beating as I listened but didn't hear that sweet little thumping sound.  I prayed and prayed as I waited on the ultrasound technician to do an unscheduled ultrasound. My mind was whirling, playing out all sorts of scenarios, worrying about how my boys would react, and struggling not to let fear take over. Out of nowhere I felt a peace come over me. I know the Holy Spirit was right there with me. Suddenly I wasn't afraid, just excited to see my baby on the ultrasound. As she started the sonogram, I saw my teensy baby wiggling all around. And then, that amazing sound....the heartbeat!!! 170 beats per minute to be exact!! My heart nearly burst with excitement as she measured the baby and I watched its legs kick around.  Today I am incredibly grateful for my baby's heart beat! As an expecting Mommy, you always wonder how things...