Daddy-Daughter Dance

Shonn took Harper to her third Daddy-Daughter Dance Friday night. She loves going and especially looks forward to the wrist corsage, or “flower bracelet”. He makes her feel so special! (And of course she loves dressing up!)  They ate dinner at the Alamo first and then headed to the dance at Broadway Christian Church. 

Meanwhile, Beck and I enjoyed a night together of pizza, treasure X, and cuddling. 

So thankful. 

Good to be Me

Look what Shonn got me! ;)

It's my push present (irony = c-section) for Harper. For Beckett, he gave me the Tiffany Little Bean necklace. Now I have a little bean (boy) and a little bow (girl) from my wonderful husband. 

He have this to me at the hospital, which is especially impressive because Harper was a month early!

Fishin

Tuesday night was so beautiful that we headed to the park as a family. Shonn was home early enough that he wanted to go fishing with Beckett! We got some worms (they sell them at gas stations-ha!) and a pole and went to Wyman Pond at the park.

I got some great shots of my guys...and they got Beckett's first fish!

Ps: I love that B is wearing his swimming trunks from playing in the water earlier that afternoon. Such a boy! Haha!

How Does Your Garden Grow?

I'm so excited to have a garden this spring! Shonn and Beckett started our peat pots (I think that's what they are called; thankfully, I'm married to a horticulture genius!).  Shonn is such a great dad - he was teaching Beckett all about the seeds and talking to him about growing plants the whole time.  He is so patient and really teaches while he spends time with him.  Warms my heart.

We are going to have carrots, green beans, tomatoes, and cantaloupe.  (And maybe strawberries?)

Home and Garden

Shonn did an awesome job setting up and running a booth for the Home and Garden show this weekend!  He is so good at talking with people, and this was a great opportunity to connect with previous customers as well as continue building his company's reputation.  He worked really hard - setting up Thursday until after 9:00, spending 12 hours a day there on Friday and Saturday, and tearing down yesterday until after 5.  It was a long weekend, and I'm appreciative of his hard work to make his business continue succeeding!

Design

His spot before set up (note the 14,000 pounds of blocks on pallets he had to move and install!)

Set up complete!

Sharpening my Saw

Another thing I appreciate about Shonn is how smart he is.  Part of it is genetics, sure, but another part is that he is constantly learning.  I love how I can say something like, "I wonder what type of dinosaur that is?" and he will look it up and tell Beckett and me.  He is great at researching things and finding out information - and surface level isn't always enough. He really learns a lot, like all of the time.  This is especially wonderful for me because I tend to be a worrier, and when something medical comes up, he is so helpful.  For instance, when we got some questionable test results and I went off into "What-if Land", he got online and read and read and read and gave me the information that would help me feel better.  He also does this when I get worried something might be wrong with Beckett.  It's very calming to me and he is really good at it!

Another way he is smart is he is very witty. You've probably noticed this by some of his facebook posts. :)  He comes up with smart comments that aren't mean, but are funny in an intelligent way. I appreciate how he has smart humor, but not mean humor, and he is QUICK with it.  Sometimes it takes me awhile to "get" his jokes, but I'm blaming that on prego brain... :)

His intelligence definitely sharpens my saw. :)

Protector

When we were first married, I felt like Shonn didn't show enough emotion or get impacted by things as much as I did, and it bothered me!  I wanted to know why he didn't get upset when things happened.  I have come to find out that wasn't (and isn't) true at all. Instead, Shonn doesn't show his emotions to me because he wants to be strong so I can be weak. :)  I learned this after our first dog, Sophie, died.  

Sophie was such an angel - for those of you who knew her, you remember how true that was!  I had my little blond cocker spaniel through a lot of transitions, and she was the most loving, loyal, and consistent companion for me when things weren't that consistent otherwise.  I really believe God gave her to me just when I needed her most!  

Shonn and I were both teaching in Shelbyville and I was chaperoning a dance when Shonn came to pick me up one night.  I'll never forget him saying, "I have to tell you something, and I want you to be okay.  It isn't good.  Sophie isn't good."  He held my hand and I cried even thinking about losing her.  When we got home that night, she was in the garage, and he was right - she wasn't good.  I picked her up and held her in my lap on a white chair in our living room.  And I cried.  I loved her so much that it makes me cry even telling this story.  But it's an important story to tell, because Shonn stayed right there with me.  Did he love Sophie? Yes.  But mostly because he knew how much I loved her.  

He went to the vet with me the next day and he held my hand and hugged me and again, was strong, as I said goodbye.  It was horrible.  When we got home, he dug a grave for her, and when I was ready, we said our goodbyes.  I fell apart, and again, he was strong. 

Months later, I asked him how he could stay so strong during such a heart-wrenching experience, and he shared with me that while he dug the grave, while I wasn't there, he wasn't strong.  But when I was around, he didn't show emotion because he wanted me to have someone to lean on and depend on.  I loved him before that day, but even more afterwards.  

Many times since that experience, which was in the first year of our marriage, I have wondered, "Why isn't he upset about this, too?"  Then I remind myself of the strong man who held my hand when I needed it and cried over the grave of my sweet Sophie when I wasn't watching.

I am so lucky.

Hardworking Hubby

I am so thankful to have a husband that has such a great work ethic!  Shonn is really doing well with his business and it's because he is such a hard worker (and creative and smart).  Monday and Tuesday of this week, he got up by 5:00 a.m. to get ready, take the truck in to be serviced, and get to Springfield for a certification program that will help him grow the business and do more with it.  He was there all day long, and then, instead of staying at his parents' house, which is only a short drive from Springfield, he drove all the way back home to spend time with us.  On Monday night, he had dinner with us and then went out to the office and worked on some paperwork before coming in.  On Tuesday night, after another full day of testing and seminars, he came home and installed additional things in Baby's closet!  And he always does these things without complaining.  I feel so lucky to have someone who does so much for our family!  (Not to mention that when he isn't home in the mornings, I realize how much he does to help get Beckett ready!)

PS) He passed 4 tests with amazing scores, when most people get 60% right, if they are lucky. He got 96%!