The Washams

Homeschooling has begun!

2011-09-06T11:09:00.001-07:00

Despite the denial I was feeling for weeks before the big day, it came. I have begun Homeschooling Josiah.

To give a little background, about a year ago, when Josiah was 4, Shane and I begun talking about what we would do for school with Josiah. I just always assumed we'd put him in a public school because we can't afford private and thre was no way I was Homeschooling. As we sat down to talk, Shane began mentioning how he would like it if I could Homeschool him. My exact thought in my head was, 'Um, yeah, I'm not doing that!'. But I continued to listen patiently to him, thinking that it was a nice thought he had but it wasn't going to happen.

But things began to change. Well, God changed things. I thought that if it was something Shane was bringing up, and it was on his heart, then I should pray about it. Within a matter of a couple of weeks, God had done a complete change in my heart. I started to not only be okay with giving Homeschooling a shot, but I actually really wanted to do it and was super excited about the opportunity to do so.

The research, Homeschooling convention, talking to other Homeschooling families and continual prayer started. That process felt overwhelming to me. Do we teach independently, go through a school, what do we do? The options, though there weren't too many, seemed endless.

Just when I thought we'd go through a certain school, God (through a friend's encouragement) got my attention that I was only going that route for the money. Though, that may not be a bad thing in many situations, in this one it was not the way I needed to go about it. With the free money option, it left me without being able to pick my curriculum, going on field trips & play dates that were in a completely different city which would feel very far away and cost a lot of gas money, etc. When I let go of the money, and trusted God that He would provide for whatever materials we needed, I had a great peace.

So, I had to really re-evaluate why I was Homeschooling Josiah. It came down to wanting to be able to invest in him...his character, education, personality, etc. We had already found great resources we wanted to use, and I liked the flexibility idea of me just doing it on my own instead of having to go by what a school was telling me.

That's how we came to the conclusion to just Homeschool independantly. Once we decided that, I felt very peaceful about it. I'm real thankful that we figured out a plan that works for our family.

Here's what most of our days will look like:

7:45 Bible time with Josiah

8:00 Breakfast

8:20 Piano practice

8:40 Character Study (kindness, obedience, patience, etc.)

9:00 Bible verse

9:05 Months of the year, Days of the week, Seasons

9:10 # of the week

9:15 Math

9:25 Letter of the week

9:30 Writing

9:40-10 Reading

Today was our first try at this. It seemed to go by fast and it was a lot of fun. Taking a few minutes to learn something and then move on, was great! We weren't spending a lot of time drilling one thing. For example, this week, we're learning to write the letter 'S'. He traced it about 6 times and wrote it himself another 6. That was it for letters. Next week we'll add in another letter and also write 'S' a few times to keep him up on it.

I have a few fears, that I know are normal and understandable. One, is just how Josiah and I relate to eachother. I need to make sure that later in our day is some fun and play time, so that Mommy doesn't just become a teacher role. Another is my patience with him. Patience is one of my weakest character qualities and it is something I have to rely on God to grow in me. Something else, is Josiah wants to give up easily if he thinks he can't do something. This will require my patients, and also me helping him understand that even if he doesn't do it right or perfectly, it's okay. We'll work on it. The last thing that may pose a problem is entertaining Meghan during these 2 hours of school. I think she'll have fun just being there with us, coloring or painting while we're doing school. She can join in on some 'writing' time as I give her dry-erase markers to play on the white board with. She loves having reading time with us too.

I'm so thankful that God laide Homeschooling on Shane's heart and that He guided me into the decision as well.

Pictures!

2011-05-10T21:49:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day at Lucille's for dinner and dessert.

Playing soccer with AYSO.

At The Children's Museum dressed up as a Police Officer.

His first piano lesson :).

Being silly at the beach.

In mommy's sunglasses :).

Loving her shopping cart she got for her birthday.

Hunting for eggs at Easter.

Pushing her baby in a stroller around the mall :).

Giving her brother kisses!

Ahhhh!!! Brother & Sister!

I found them like this on our couch. I can't believe she got a pillow & blanket too :). They're too funny.

Out for a Family Movie Night.

Meghan and Shane.

Me and Josiah at Disneyland.

Shane and Josiah racing through a bounce house. Josiah caught air!

On the carousel at Disneyland.

Those are some pictures of what has been going on in our lives over the last several months.

It's been a while

2011-05-10T20:24:00.001-07:00

I haven't blogged in 9 months! It hasn't really been on my mind. Life has been very busy. Between church stuff, fun classes for the kids through the city, Disneyland passes, Homeschooling research, doctors visits, and I'm sure much more, I just haven't had the time or brain power to blog.

We celebrated Meghan's 2nd Birthday in January at McDonalds with her cousins and family. Josiah turned 5 in April and he had a 'Jake and The Neverland Pirates' party (from Disney). It is wonderful watching my kids grow up and seeing the things they're into lately.

Josiah:

*He just started piano lessons with Shane. He's had 1 lesson so far, but likes it a lot.

*He just ended his first soccer league through AYSO. Though our overall experience wasn't the best, Josiah still had a good time. He even scored 2 goals!

*He is really into hearing Bible stories and learning about characters in the Bible. I love it! Shane is great at sitting down and telling him about people in the Bible that we can learn from.

*He got a scooter for his birthday and loves riding it.

*His tonsils are HUGE! They got that way during the 2 times he had strep throat a few months ago. We got them checked out and they're a '3' out of '4'. So, the doctor said he would pull them if he wanted us to, but right now he'd like to wait since he doesn't have sleep apnea. We're still thinking about what to do. I hear it's better to take them out as kids than when they're adults.

Meghan:

*She wants to sing with us at bedtime now instead of us just singing to her. She actually hits some correct notes in there a lot of times.

*She really wants to pray by herself...which is adorable. So, she repeats after us.

*She's taking a really long time to go to sleep at bedtime. I might need to start putting her down for a nap earlier. Bed time is at 8, but she's still up there talking & singing past 9.

*She's answering back when cartoons on tv ask her questions...'Do you like balloons?'...she respond, 'yes' :).

Here's Us:

*February marked our 10 years together! That blows my mind. We've been together since we were teenagers. How fun that is! It was been the best experience to marry my best friend and watch eachother grow and change and do life together! In August, we'll have been married for 8 years :).

*Shane just started his new position at work. We are grateful for it! Though it does not come with a pay increase, it got him away from sitting behind a desk. He is now a field technician, so he drives around and installs and fixes computers for his company. He likes it.

*Shane has been playing the bass in the band at church, which he just picked up 3 days before he was asked to play. That just amazes me! He still plays the keyboard some Sundays as well. The talent, I tell you!

*I helped with our church's Women's Conference again this year. That is always a great experience to help with an event that brings women together where they can learn about how to follow God better.

*I was trained in leading a Women's Small Group last month. At first, the experience was nerve wracking for me as I felt at a loss. But, God really helped me to rely on Him and relax as I led the discussion for woman. He came through!

*We'd like to have another baby, and are waiting on God's timing with that.

*A few months ago, we spent over $400 on doctor's visits in 6 weeks. The sickness kept being passed around an it just wouldn't end!!!

*We're trying to decide what to do this Summer with the kids and also our Anniversary. I'm really looking forward to spending time together!

*The biggest thing on our minds right now is Homeschooling.

Homeschooling!...Not something I would have ever imagined myself doing. When Shane and I started to discussing it a little over a year ago, I was expecting him to say, 'We'll put him in the nearest public school to us'. I knew we couldn't afford a Private School and Homeschooling was the farthest thing from my mind. In fact, to be honest, I knew I would never homeschool my kids. It didn't appeal to me in the slightest. But, when Shane brought up the idea that he'd like us to think about it, I did what I knew I needed to: PRAY!!! I thought that if it was something on Shane's heart, I need to see if it is something God wants me to do. As it turns out, He wants me to do it! Boy, have I had a heart change. In a matter of a few months, I went from hating the idea of homeschooling, to now being genuinly excited about it. I'm excited because I get to continue to spend the day with Josiah, teaching him, shaping him, getting to know him more and spending time with him. School will be done in aprox. 1 1/2 hours and we'll have the rest of the day to do whatever we want. So, now we're in the process of researching curriculum and organizations to go through. It's really important to us to keep Josiah involved in things that will still get him around other kids and adults. So, we'll find a place to go through that offers field trips and possibly a class a week for him to build relationships with other Homeschooled kids.

That's all for now :). I'll post some pictures of what has been going on in our lives in another blog.

Old Town Temecula

2010-08-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, the kids & I spent the day at my parents house in Temecula. That evening, we went out for a fun evening in Old Town Temecula. Every Friday night in the Summer, they have sidewalk vendors, music, balloon artists, food & more. It was so nice walking around together. Josiah loved stopping & listening to the bands play music. The first picture below is of us stopping for a dance together :). We 'boogied' for about 5 minutes! He cracks me up! We walked to another corner & there was a balloon artist. He was making animals, hands, swords & more for kids & any adults too. They were even free! I picked a purple poodle for Meghan. She really liked it, but not as much as the swords. Josiah was too shy to ask for anything, so I got him a sword. The balloon artist not only gave us 1 sword, he gave us 5 & a sword carrier. He thought it would be fun for us to all have a sword fight...and it was sooooooo much fun! By far my favorite part of the evening. Josiah & I dancin' in the streets :)

Our swords...they were awesome!

Meghan really got into the sword fight!

I love how involved my Dad is. He plays great with Josiah & Meghan. They love playing with him!!!

Beach, Farrell's, Mulligans & More

2010-07-29T13:44:00.000-07:00

Josiah laughing at the waves...?!!! :)

All cutely wrapped in her towel

Mommy & Sis

Josiah helping Daddy

At Farrell's

Josiah enjoying the fun

Meghan enjoying the ice cream cone!

Josiah got a hole in 1!!!

Getting ready to go in the laser tag room

Drivin' with Mommy

Here we go, Dad!

Riding around the property

Mommy & Meghan dancin'

Josiah dancing with me outside. He wouldn't dance in front of people :)

Here's the explanation of the pictures above...

We've gone on a few family day-cation trips...if that's a word :). We took the kids to the BEACH. It was Meghan's first time and Josiah hadn't been in about 2 years. We weren't quite sure what to expect, but it ended up being a great day. Shane had Josiah carry his own beach chair from the car to our spot on the beach. He was not excited about this & complained a great deal of the way. I thought it was good that Shane had him do that, to teach him to start helping us & that we all pitch in together. At first they said no to the water as soon as their feet hit it (it was pretty cold). But after some ball playing, snacks & running around in the sand, Josiah was up for it. He loved it! He kept 'chasing' the waves & then running from them. They took him under a couple times, but it didn't seem to phase him. Our little messy Meghan just wanted to play in the sand...all day! I love seeing how different my kids are. Josiah hates being dirty & Meghan thoroughly enjoys it :). The day was wonderful & we can't wait to go back. Though next time I will give them showers at the beach instead of waiting until I have 2 sleeping children that I have to wake up & bathe when we get home.

If you & your family haven't had the chance to go to FARRELL'S Restaurant in Mission Viejo, I highly recommend it. The place is full of fun, candy, balloons & ice cream :). We should have planned the evening out a little better. We thought we left in plenty of time to get there around 6. But both our kids had to go to the bathroom a few times on the way down, so we had to make several stops. We got there around 7, but it took us 45 minutes in the line to finally get in. It was well worth the wait though. We ordered scrumpious dinners...hamburgers for us & pizza for the kids. A balloon artist walks around & makes you a hat, animal, or whatever you'd like. Then if someone orders certain ice cream platters off the menu, the staff starts ringing bells, setting off sirens & running around the place with a wheel barrell. They have the customer do some silly things too. Josiah & Meghan got a kick out of watching everyone. We, of course got some ice cream as well. None that would make us sing or push our noses up like pigs though! After the eating was over, we took the kids into the candy shop & let them pick out a few things. When all was said & done, we left at 9:30 pm! I had no idea it was that time. The kids bedtime is at 8, so we had some pretty exhausted little ones on the car ride home.

The next day we headed to MULLIGAN'S Family Fun Center in Murrieta. My Mom met us there & took Meghan to her house. We thought it would be better if we just spent the day with Josiah since there wasn't much for Meghan to do anyway. We got the all you can play & ride pass. We started off playing miniature golf (Josiah's request). Then headed in for some arcades. Josiah kept wanting to go play golf, so we ended up playing 3 times (18 holes each). He was getting quite good towards the end. Shane beat me 2 out of 3 games. We tried to get Josiah to play Laser Tag, but he was very unsure about it. So they let Shane hold Josiah & run around the room with him while I played. He got a little freaked out when he looked at my face under the blue lights. My freckles sure stand out under that lighting! We road the bumper boats only once...they weren't that great. Then we each took him on the Race Cars. He really liked that...though I must say there are some crazy teenagers on those tracks that don't look out for us slow drivers! One fun part of the day was that it started pouring rain while we were on the golf course. The day was beautiful, then just started raining! It was fun trying to finish our last hole & then run inside :).

Some MORE fun we had was spending the day at my Aunt's 50th b-day party. The kids got to ride around in my Uncle's jeep, Meghan played in the dirt a lot & Josiah enjoyed throwing the football around. I took some time to dance with the kids. They enjoy dancing with me, so I take advantage of that time together.

June fun!

2010-07-12T21:44:00.001-07:00

June was filled with a lot of fun things...

*Josiah had swim lessons. He did great at listening to the teacher (our friend). He enjoyed the lessons a lot! Though he can't swim by himself still, he has improved a lot.

*We had our first Family Movie Night. Shane made a pallet on the floor of blankets & pillows. We had pizza before hand, then had candy bars & popcorn during the movie. None of us had seen 'Alvin & The Chipmunks The Squeakquel' before. So, we popped that in & had a great night. Meghan went to bed at her normal time (7:30), but Josiah stayed up until 8:30. He was getting really tired. He said a few times that he just wanted to lay down. He was so cute. What a great time together. We'll be making it at least a monthly tradition.

*We spend an evening at The Pond in Temecula feeding the ducks.

*I painted Meghan's toenails for the first time. I was painting my nieces & asked Meghan if she wanted me to do hers too. She said yes & sat down perfectly still. She kept staring at her feet. I love having a girl!

*I threw in a picture below from mine & Shane's get-away that I surrpised him with in May.

*Then there are some other random pictures of the kids.

I'm looking forward to some other family things we're doing throughout the summer, as well as an Anniversary trip next month.

Surprise Get-Away!

2010-06-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

I surprised Shane and took him on a little Get-Away at the end of May!... My sister's husband was going to be gone for a couple of days & she asked if she could watch the kids that weekend since she'd never had them overnight before. A few weeks later, at my church's Women's Retreat, I won a free-nights stay at the hotel we held our retreat at. So, that's what started the plan... I knew I needed to make some $ for this to be a complete surprise. Shane would have known if money was disappearing from our account, plus I knew we didn't have the money for a trip at this time. I began selling things on craigslist & then had a garage sale at my parents house. I made more than enough money to cover the weekend. So, I booked the free night at the hotel, plus 1 more night to make the weekend even longer. The week before the trip, I was able to get approval from Shane's boss' to get 1/2 day on Thursday & all of Friday off. They were so helpful! They kept it a secret from Shane and got other people to cover his shifts without him knowing. So, it was finally here! I packed mine & Shane's bags and a friend drove me to his work (so we would have 1 car on our trip). I thought there was a good chance Shane had found out somehow, but I was still excited to be able to get away with him & spend time together. He was 100% surprised! He saw me at his work and said, 'What are you doing here?' I told him I'm taking him away for a couple of days. My plan was to go straight to the beach, or go kayaking, but it was raining :(. So, we checked into the hotel, (The Double Tree in Orange), walked around the block at Orange, rented a couple movies, grabbed dinner to go at Lucille's BBQ, then ate dinner in the hotel while watching the Laker game. Sleeping in was so nice! We haven't been able to do that in quite some time :). Then we headed to the beach, which we hadn't been to in quite some time. This beach has a special place in our relationship. It is where Shane asked me to be his girlfriend. Then over 8 years ago, it is where he proposed! So, we love going to this beach! Another fun part of our get-away was that I had a certificate for 2 free breakfasts, 2 free appetizers & drinks and 2 free dinners! So, we had a full day of free meals...wonderful! We went to check out & were supposed to pay $26 for parking, but the hotel waved that as well! What a blessing! It was so fun to be able to have a trip fully paid for & to relax and spend much needed time together away from the kids for a few days. We had a blast laughing about old memories, talking about the kids & just walking side by side. I'm so thankful for that time with him...and I can't believe I pulled it off!!! I love surprises! (I wish I had pictures to show, but we don't have our camera hook-ups right now).

Shots & Stinky messes!

2010-05-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

This week Josiah had his 4 year old Dr.'s appointment. He knew he would get shots (4 of them) so he was nervous, but was taking it well. We got there & they weighed him, checked his height & did his first sight test. I was so proud of him for how well he listened to the nurse & did was she asked of him. He read the eye chart so well too. He did great with the Dr. also, all the while knowing the shots were coming. So then it was time. He started crying & calling my name. So i sat next to him on the table & just held him. They started with the tb test. That's the one where the needle stays in your skin until a bubble forms. That, of course freaked him out! I kept trying to get him to not watch, but he insisted on seeing what they were doing. Then they gave him 2 shots in each thigh, which honestly, felt like it took 10 minutes, which I know it didn't. We headed downstairs to check in to the lab & I had to sadly tell Josiah that he had to get one more. He began to cry again. We went into the lab & had 2 viles of his blood drawn, where once again, he wouldn't stop watching & it freaked him out even more. I felt so bad for him! He did tell me that I said he would get 4 shots & he got 6. So I had to tell him I didn't know they would do so many :(. We got through it, though! I took him to get a Rite Aid ice cream (he chose cotton candy...out of all the flavors, really?) :)!!! He was pretty good for the rest of the day & didn't complain much more. At 1am, though he crawled into our bed & said he needed to throw up. As Shane took him down the hall, he began to be sick :(. I took his temperature & he had a 101 degree temp too :(. We got him some children's advil, some water, a washcloth to cool his body & laid him back in his bed. He asked if I would pray for him, so of course I did! He was pretty much asleep before I finished my prayer...tired guy. Then yesterday he had a pretty hard day. He was crabby & not feeling good. I was trying to be gracious as I knew he still didn't feel good...100 temperature & saying his legs hurt. Today is much better! No temperature, no complaining of hurting shot spots.

Meghan Joy!!! My sneaky girl!!! She went upstairs to 'play'. I called her name & she rounded the corner with a plunger in one hand & the toilet brush in the other...yuck! So I ran upstairs to see what she was up to. Toilet paper everwhere! Trash everwhere...she had emptied the trash onto the floor. Apprantly, she had put the toilet brush in the toilet & then walked around the carpeted bathroom floor with it, so lots of wet spots of toilet water were also awaiting me. I stepped in to the room where the tub & toilet are & there was toilet water all over the floor, washcloths in the toilet, more trash & wet toilet paper! Gross! I didn't even know where to begin. Not to mention Meghan was soaked with toilet water too! So I threw the trash away, yet again. Picked up all the rugs, washcloths & towels to put in the hamper & wash, & cleaned the floors. Then it was time for a bath for Meghan.

Josiah is 4 years old!

2010-04-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

On Monday, my little boy turned 4! For some reason that feels so big to me. Ages 1, 2 & 3 still felt like Josiah was a little kid, but then 4 came & oh, he just seems so much bigger.

On Sunday we had a Wii Birthday party for him. Him & other kids played video games for a while with a break for Birthday cake & opening presents. He had a wonderful time! Then on his actual Birthday, I took him & 3 of his younger friends who dno't know how to video games, to McDonalds. They played & I brought cake & then got them each an ice cream cone. Later that evening, Josiah opened the gifts from Shane and I. We let him pick where he wanted to go for dessert & he chose Rite Aid...my kind of boy!!! So, we ended our evening with a drive around the corner to get a treat.

A few things Josiah is into these days:

*Video games: Fusion Frenzy on Xbox

*Board games: Kirplunk, Yahtzee Jr., Candy Land, Memory, etc.

*Soccer

*Reading his Bible

*Playing with his friends

The best part of this past year with Josiah is all the questions he's been asking about God. He is very interested in wanting to follow God & do what He says. Shane and I think he is really close to choosing a relationship with God! He has told me a few times that he wants to ask Jesus into his heart. Then he gets a little distracted & I'm not quite sure if he gets it yet. But the fact that he is showing so much interest is the most wonderful thing!

Update on life

2010-03-13T16:32:00.000-08:00

Update on our family life after the pictures below... Josiah playing soccer.

Right after he made his first goal!

Fishing

Here we are with the lovely fish...

Playing at Gramps & Grammy's house

Josiah helping me make cookies

His 'kissy' face...

Meghan waking Josiah up from his nap

She said 'cheese' when she saw me with the camer!

"Helping" me with the laundry!

Her cute little hat.

Learning the family instrument already!

What God has been teaching me...

God is teaching me a lot about patience & contentment. What I've discovered is that being patient means to wait without complaining. There have been many times when I think I'm being patient, but at the same time I'm complaining about my current situation. So, God is teaching me to be thankful for the things He's provided for us! He will always take care of us in times of trouble...and in times of joy! This season of our life is tough. Shane's part-time job loss has hit us hard financially. We're having to cut many things out of our budget that are definitely not 'needs'. Each day when I feel myself getting frustrated that I'm having to try & live 'small', I turn my heart towards praise to God. I began thanking Him for everything He has given me & for His promise to take care of me. That He is doing! So, I wait patiently to see when our financial situation will be better. But in the meantime, I am enjoying life & trying to please God with my attitude!

Though finances are tough, I more so am just feeling sad about the part-time job loss. I wish that things could be fixed & go back to how they were. We're waiting for answers from God & trying to be faithful as we move forward in life. I appreciate my husband so much as he seeks God out to try to figure out 'where to go from here'. He has a few things he's praying about pursuing, but still has his love for his old part-time job which weighs a lot on his heart. I'm grateful beyond words for our God. He brings comfort & hope. He's the One we can turn to!

Some fun family times...

We were able to go fishing with some families from church. Josiah was more interested in playing soccer & other fun things they had lying around than he actually was fishing. After a couple of tries, we finally caught a fish! We...I mean, Shane! I thought it was pretty gross, but hey, I never went fishing growing up, so it's new to me. Shane cooked the nice rainbow trout in garlic & butter. I said I wouldn't try it, but I took a bite! I can't believe I thought it was good...who would have thought? Nice job on the cooking, Babe!

Yesterday, Josiah has his first soccer 'game'. I say 'game' because at 3 years old, the kids just learn a little fundamentals of soccer. They did some exercises & a few drills that consisted of kicking the ball to your partner. The last 15 minutes or so, the kids were divided into teams (blue/green). They were then numbered off. If your number was called, you had to run out onto the field & try to score a goal before the other team did. Josiah ran on the field as soon as his number was called & scored both of his goals! That was the highlight of his time! Even at this age he is so competitive. He kept asking which team won :). Of course they didn't keep score outloud, but Josiah's team slaughtered the other guys :). I was so proud of Josiah's attitude. He listened to his couches very well & treated his teammates kindly. He was cheering them on & was being patient for his turn. It's times like that that I know our hard work in raising him how God wants us to is really sinking in for him.

Little Meghan Joy is growing so fast. This morning she said her first phrase: "Hi Daddy". I loved it! She walked into our room where Daddy was just getting up & she clearly said Hi to just him :). There are a few pictures above of some cute things she's doing. She likes to play in the laundry basket of clothes I have just folded...great! :) One day I asked her if she wanted to go get 'Bubba' & she crawled upstairs & went straight to his door. I had to help her open it, but once it was open she walked to his bed & took his covers off. She really was waking him up. She's so funny!

Enjoy the pictures! I pray God is teaching you a lot of things too!

Meghan's 1st Birthday!

2010-01-17T15:51:00.001-08:00

On January 16th, Meghan turned 1!!! The year went by way too fast. I remember back to the day of her arrival. I was laying in a room waiting to go in for my c-section. Shane had given me his ipod to listen to music & try to relax, as I was very nervous. I layed there crying for a few reasons...I was sad that it was my last few moments being pregnant. I loved being pregnant & feeling Meghan move inside of me. Another reason for the tears was fear. I was nervous about the giant needle going in my back & was praying that Meghan and I would be okay.

At 2:05pm I heard the most beautiful cry. My daughter was here!

She cried a lot while they cleaned her up. Then they brought her to me so I could see her for a few minutes. As soon as my lips touched her cheek when I gave her her first kiss, she stopped crying. She knew me already :).

Then about an hour later, she was placed in my arms. Tears began again as I held my baby girl. She was beautiful!

I'd always wanted a daughter but really wasn't sure if God would choose to give me one. I had set my heart to being fine with all boys. Then, the ultrasound day arrived & much to my surprise (and extreme happiness), the ultrasound technician said 'It's a Girl'!

And now, that girl celebrated her 1st Birthday!

Her Birthday was a lot of fun. Shane, Josiah & I went into her room when she woke up that morning & sang her 'Happy Birthday'. We gave her the presents we got her & the started getting ready for her party.

We had our families over & a few friends for teh big day. Our home was filled with pink, purple & green balloons, flowers & banners. Josiah loved it!

The guests arrived & we got started with a few games for the kids...pin the cupcake in the little girl's hand, baby bottle bowling & beanbag toss. Trying to get around 10 kids to patiently await their turn was very challenging :).

Then came Meghan's first taste of cake. She gently stuck her fingers in the icing & tasted it. I could tell she liked it. I then put some of the chocolate cake on her hand & let her eat that. She definitely likes cake :). She was pretty dainty about the whole thing; didn't go crazy, although she still managed to get very messy.

A few minutes later, Meghan opened her presents. She had fun opening her toys and began playing with them right away.

It was a very memorable day.

Some things I love about her:

*how she darts for the stairs as soon as she sees the gate is not up

*that she lights up when Daddy comes home

*she wants whatever we're eating

*her smile & cute laugh

*how she stands up whenever I put her in a cart or high-chair

*how she plays so independantly with toys

*that she gives her babies kisses & feeds them a bottle

*her beautiful blue eyes & gorgeous blonde hair

*how she likes to help me push the shopping cart

*she recognizes her big brother & says 'Bubba'

*when I say, 'Can I have a kiss?', she leans in & lets me kiss her

*how she knows how to hold her bottle but would rather me do it for her

*her way of playing is dumping things out & putting them back into a bucket

*she laughs so hard when you chase her

*she can give high-five's (that of course, Daddy taught her)

What a wonderful 1st year we've had with Meghan. We're so grateful for her & the joy she has brought to our lives.

Happy 1st Birthday, Meghan Joy! Shane and Meghan when she was born!Shane and Meghan on her 1st Birthday!Meghan and I when she was born!Meghan and I on her 1st Birthday!Getting ready to eat her first cake ever!She definitely liked it!She was such a cutie!

Josiah enjoying helping Meghan with her presents!

She loves this toy!

Meghan at 11 months old...

2010-01-15T10:17:00.000-08:00

Though Meghan is turning one tomorrow!!!...I thought I'd share pictures of her at 11 months. She's had a month full of great times, which included her First Christmas and her first steps (on Christmas Day even)! We celebrated Christmas 3 different times with wonderful family. She did great at all of them & liked opening the gifts. On Christmas Day at Shane's parents house, Meghan took her first steps! It was so exciting watching her do that. Since then she will walk a little if I stand her up, but she gets lazy & sits down after 4 or 5 steps. I think it will be soon that she'll walk more. Josiah's doing great with her. He's a big help. He loves to help put her pajamas in the hamper & her diaper in the trash. He likes making her laugh by singing songs & making funny noises. He likes bath time with her...although I have to work on him not pouring water in her face. We're pretty sure that whole milk is not doing good in her system. It seemed to clog her up. So, for now, she's just getting formula. I'll check with her Dr. at her 1 year appointment to see what I can do. Here are some pictures from this past month... Josiah giving her a bottle.

Josiah feeding her yogurt.

First steps! So glad I had the camera ready.

Good job, Meghan!

Mommy & Meghan in Christmas pajamas.

Meghan's first stocking!

Playing with Josiah' light saber.

She has a lot of fun with it. You can't tell in the picture, but the light is on it & she loves that.

She thinks she's so big when she climbs up on Josiah's bed!

Micah & Kelly's Wedding!

2009-12-31T13:01:00.000-08:00

My brother-in-law, Micah married his best friend, Kelly Bass on Saturday, December 26th at 1pm. The wedding was beautiful! It was at the same church that Shane and I were married in 6 years earlier, and also Shane's sister, Bethany almost 10 years ago.

I loved watching Micah's face when his bride came down the isle. He kept taking deep breaths & saying, 'wow' :). They both held it together while they said their vows, though I must say I did cry! I've known Micah for about 9 years now. He was only 14 when I started coming around The Washam Family. He was 17 when he was Shane's Best Man in our wedding. So, as I sat there watching him say his vows to his bride, I couldn't help but get emotional. I can't believe he's old enough to be a husband! What a great husband he will be!

The reception was a blast! Kelly taught us all a line-dance which was a lot of fun. I got the shock of my life when Shane jumped up there to learn the dance with us...'who is this guy, & what happened to my husband?' It was one of the highlights of my day as my introverted husband was dancing beside me! I loved it!

Ever since Josiah danced with his Aunt Pammy at her wedding in May '09, he has been counting down the weeks until dancing with his Auntie Kelly in her wedding dress. He almost didn't let Kelly breathe! He kept running up to her asking her to dance. She was wonderful & had fun dancing with him.

I wish I had more pictures, but I'll post more when I get some from theiri photographer.

Congrats, Micah & Kelly! Kelly, welcome to the family; we love you!!!

It's been a while!

2009-12-23T14:32:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a while. I guess life has been busy (as well as for most people).

Here's a little of great time we've been having...

*We made a Gingerbread House with Josiah again this year. Last year we bought a kit, but this year we decided to give it a try on our own. The house tried caving in a few times, but it held up! Shane started a frosting fight with us, so that was a lot of fun. Josiah of course, was too busy eating the candy to help decorate.

*Visit with Santa Clause. Josiah was uneasy about sitting on his lap, but finally did it when he realized he was giving out lolly pops. Meghan cried :(.

*Meghan is 11 months old now. I can't believe her first birthday is just around the corner. She is precious. I love watching her play so independantely. I love holding her right before I lay her down for her nap. She only allowed me to do so for a few seconds, as she really likes her bed.

*Shane surprised me and took me to Lake Arrowhead for a couple of days. It was so nice to get away, just the two of us. We drove to Big Bear one day & walked around some shops. I had a great time & am so thankful for Shane taking us away!

Just stop...

2009-11-05T13:27:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of my many 'One of those days' as well. I too stayed up way too late the evening before. My son, due to this awesome (sarcasm) time change, woke up at 5am and would not go back to sleep. When this happens, he ends up being cranky all morning because he is so tired. It begins a battle with him...

As the battle began, I realized what I needed to do...I just stopped. I stopped the list going on in my head of all the things I needed to do...laundry, dishes, etc. I spent time with my son. We threw the football around, read books, and colored. I could tell he was too tired to be a good listener for the time being & that I couldn't ask too much of him the hour before naptime. So, we spent it together instead of me just putting on a show for him to watch while I caught up on cleaning the floors.

What a difference that made. I loved him crawling up on my lap & listening to the stories I was reading him. I loved the questions he asked about the characters even pointing out letters he is learning.

And the football playing...that is always a blast! He has us put on our pretend helmets, then he even throws a few 'fake-outs' to me :). With the ball in his hand, he zig-zags around, as if to be dodging other players, and then throws me an surprisingly very spiral ball for a 3 year old. I catch it, and then he runs to me for me to tackle him. Yes, those times are priceless!

If I would rely on God to help me think through situations instead of trying to tackle it myself, then that would probably happen! I am so glad that I did that yesterday. It ended up being a wonderful day!

I wish more often that I would 'just stop' because this is how fast it goes...

Josiah & I the day he was born..........and Josiah & I 3 years later!

Trick or Treating

2009-10-31T22:08:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a lot of fun. My parents came out to spend the evening with us. We started out at a shopping center going to stores. Then we took a break & grabbed some good 'ol In-N-Out Burger :). Then it was off to some neighborhoods to do door-to-door trick-or-treating.

Josiah didn't remember anything from last year's Treat or Treating so it was neat to watch his reaction to things. It took him a while to get into the whole idea of knocking on people's doors. Once he got the hang of it, though he had a great time. After he got the candy from each house, he'd just look into his bucket for about 5-10 seconds, just starring at what he got as if thinking, 'whoa, that's some good candy...can I please eat it all now?' It was quite funny.

Josiah was Buzz Lightyear. He pushed a fake button on his costume & would say, 'To infinity & beyond' and then run! He told us several times through the night that he was having fun & he thanked us for taking him; very sweet! We're glad he got a couple of his favorite candies: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. That brightened his eyes.

Meghan was a strawberry for her first Halloween. She did great at keeping the hat on. I must admit taking her up to the doors to get candy felt weird, but what can I say...I wanted candy :). She did great out with us...being in her stroller or being held. It looked like she enjoyed the time. Next year will be fun when she'll be walking.

I think my favorite out of the shops vs. neighborhoods is the neighborhoods...for now. We ran into a couple scary houses that we passed by. We didn't encounter any scary people who were out to just be creepy & scare kids. We'll see as the years go on if the kids get scared or not. There was just something about being in a neighborhood that felt more like real trick-or-treating. Plus it was quieter & the candy was way better :).

Hope you all had an enjoyable evening!

Sleep...or the lack of...

2009-10-28T16:52:00.000-07:00

I do not react well when my kids wake up early (in the morning, or from naps). Something about feeling like I 'deserve' more sleep, or more time alone :). Shane reminded me this morning that they don't do it on purpose. They don't know it's early & are certainly not doing it to irritate me. I really have to watch my attitude when it happens, though. I get so frustrated & feel ripped off. What is true: They are watching how I respond to them, especially Josiah. He knows that God wants him to make the right choice. He knows that God wants him to be kind to others & treat them with love. So, when I react wrong to him, it is not a good example. I want to respond the way God wants me too! More than anything, I want them to see the kindness & love God shows me, through the way I relate to them. Oh boy, is it hard at 5:45 in the morning to just be ok with getting up for the day & entertaining a 9 month old. What to do with her at that time...I have no idea :). But, the more important thing is how I treat her. I can't get frustrated with her when she has not done anything wrong. The heart issue: I want what I want! But if I can't choose the right response in a little circumstance, such as being woken up when I don't want to be, then how am I going to respond in a real issue that happens that I don't like? I should respond right! So, ideas for what to do when the baby won't go back to sleep that early? *First and foremost for me: Pray for the right attitude...for God to be pleased by the response I've chosen. *Read scripture *Read a book *Watch a movie Any other ideas?

The kids are growing up!

2009-10-20T13:37:00.000-07:00

Josiah is now 3 1/2. The "1/2"...whoa, that means he's on his way to being 4!!! His favorite things right now are... *playing the 'Fusion Frenzy' game on xbox *making up songs to tunes he already knows, based on events in his life :) *puzzles! He's amazing at these. His favorite is the 63 piece Mickey one. *playing with his cousins! *reading his Bible (well, we read it to him, but he LOVES the stories). He is still testing boundaries, of course :). When I raise my voice at him in frustration of his disobedience, he has started asking, "Mommy, do you still love me?" In which I respond, "What do you think?" He in return says, "Yes!". Though it can feel sad that he's even asking me that question, I use it as a great way to relate it to God. "Mommy loves you & will always love you, even when you choose wrong things...just like how God treats us. God loves you so much, no matter what you do!" Here are a few pictures of Josiah: Josiah playing 'Rock Band'.

Josiah & I took a "Little Chef's" class through the city. We made food together.

He doesn't fall asleep places very often, but this time he did while watching a show.

He likes to hold his baby sister. Look how big she's getting!

Meghan is 9 months old now. She is growing up too fast! Something with the second child. I blink & she's almost a year! Where did the last 9 months go? They were spent taking care of 2 children :). With much fun, laughter, and frustration at times.

Some things Meghan likes: *playing. She does great at playing by herself.

*getting into things. She's more destructive than Josiah was!

*making a break for the stairs! I have to keep that gate up!

*snacks! Food, not so much. Crackers or pretzels make her happy.

Here are a few pictures of Meghan:

Getting into the cubboard, chewing on a pack of gum!

There's just something' about bath towel pictures :)! Our big girl at Chuck E . Cheese. She liked the rides...even though they weren't moving! She pulls herself up in her crib now :).

What God is teaching me...

2009-10-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

Life has been hard the past few months. A couple months back, Shane got a pay decrease at his full-time job. Though this was hard, we knew that by cutting back in our budget, we would be ok. Then about a month ago, he lost his part-time job. My first reaction: Fear. I thought, "What are we supposed to do now?" I ran all the worst case scenerios in my head of what life is now going to look like...'How are we supposed to make it?"..."Where are we going to have to move to?", etc. When life throws a curve ball, your thoughts are the first to go downhill. Thankfully, the fear didn't last long!... What has helped take away this fear? God! As I dug into His word, The Bible, I was reminded of His complete love for me...and His promise to take care of me... *Matthew 6:24-33. Talks about how God takes care of the birds...how much more does He love me? I do not have to worry that He won't take care of me! *Hebrews 10:23 "Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful." *Psalm 56:3 "When I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid." *Psalm 25:3 "No one whose hope is in You will eve be put to shame." *Psalm 26:3 "For Your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in Your truth." *Psalm 10:17 "You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them & You listen to their cry." *2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 "May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself & God our Father, who loved us & by His grace gave us eternal encouragment & good hope, encourage your hearts & strengthen you in every good deed & word." The emotion I've been feeling the most lately: Sadness. I am really sad that Shane lost his part-time job. It was one he had for 4 years & enjoyed watching him in that role. Of course it is natural to be sad & perfectly fine! But, I also have to move towards being okay & trusting God to help us through it. God has reminded me that He has a perfect plan for our lives and it might not line up with the plan We thought was perfect for us. A fear that can creep up about God's plan: What if it's not a plan that I like? In reality, that may happen. But He created us, He knows what's best for us & will do only what is best for us. He will not rip us off, He will provide enormous blessing to His children! I can be confident in that! So, what to do now? I have a choice. I either complain & live in fear of the unknown, or I choose to trust God and Pray!!! *1 Thessalonians. 5:16-18 "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." *Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers & requests. With this in mind, be alert & always keep on praying for all the saints." It does not mean that all my fear & sadness are gone & will never come back. There are going to be days when I feel those creeping back into my mind & heart. But I have God's word to hold onto & remind me that I can trust in the God of the universe who Created Me and loves me so much. Because I am His child, He will provide! So, Shane and I will continue to pray. Looking back over our marriage & the life God has given us, we have seen His hand work in His perfect timing. There have been many times where we haven't understood why situtations were happening or why it was taking so long, but God was faithful! Through it, we've learned to trust Him more & handle things the way He wants us to. This is just one more way we can say to God, "I trust You!" I know You love us & will take care of us. Thank You, God for being loving & faithful.

Josiah's Waterslide Fun!

2009-09-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

For Labor Day, we went to a friends house for the day. They have one of the most fun homes. Josiah was able to play pin-ball, air hockey, video games and best of all...go down their waterslide! He was a little nervous at first & wanted me to go down with him, but after that he just went for it. I love that he is not scared of things like this (at least not now). We had a great time spending the day with friends.

Meghan's crawling!

2009-09-03T13:00:00.001-07:00

Meghan is now crawling! She's 7 months old & loves to get into everything!!! She crawls to all those things I would never want her to have...shoes, trashcans, etc. So I have to make sure I 'baby proof' the house now...the time has come :(. I love seeing her grow up, though. She recognizes Shane, Josiah and I. She lights up when Shane comes home & when he & Josiah play with her. She's also gotten into this oh so wonderful phase of crying when I leave the room. It is sweet that she wants her mom, but is tough at the same time. Since she's figured out how to crawl now, she has also discovered she can pull herself up on things. Josiah used to sit on his little couch eating snacks & now he has to sit up higher as Meghan wants to grab anything he has. She is determined to sneak some of his snacks :). Here are a few pictures of Meghan the first time she started to crawl. We were at my parents house & she looked like she was about to do it, so I grabbed the camera. The timing was perfect.

Yeah, Meghan! You finally did it!

She often gets stuck places now...

Here she is crawling up Josiah's couch!

Meghan's pictures: 6 months!

2009-08-02T20:51:00.001-07:00

Our good friend, Shannon, took Meghan's 6 month pictures for us. It was a very fun morning as she played with Meghan and got some great shots.

This one's my favorite...

Meghan is 6 months old!

2009-07-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

Our little girl is 6 months old now! She eats all kinds of baby food now...applesauce, peas, etc. She likes everything she's tried so far & it helps keep her tummy full to sleep through the night. She crawls backwards now & turns around in circles to get where she wants. She still gets mad though because the toys are in front of her & she just can't reach them! She can sit up now, which she loves to do. She's growing up so fast! Here are some pictures of Meghan... She sure loves her Daddy... Not close to walking yet, but has fun when Daddy helps her...

This is what she's like when mommy leaves the room...

Her first time sitting in the shopping cart by herself...

Our 'Staycation'!

2009-07-31T09:13:00.000-07:00

Last week was our family vacation, well a 'staycation' really. We stayed at our home & did fun things throughout the day. We had a blast! I thought it would be hard for me being at home & having that urge to clean & do laundry, etc. Instead, I found it very relaxing and enjoyable. Some things we did included a Quakes baseball game, bounce house, 'John's Incredible Pizza', attempting to take Josiah rollerskating (he didn't quite understand it & it scared him), Josiah's first horse back riding experience...he loved it! Then, Shane and I dropped the kids off at my parents house (where Meghan had her first sleep over). We went to Newport Beach and kayaked for the first time. Our vacation was so nice as we spent time together! Here are some pictures from it. At a Quakes baseball game! Playing drums at 'John's Incredible Pizza'. Attempting roller skating...no such luck! Josiah's first time on a horse!

Meghan's 5 months old!

2009-06-29T14:29:00.001-07:00

Here are a few pictures of Meghan. She's 5 months old now. Still no teeth, but she sure is trying. I started her on rice cereal last month & that went well. She didn't love it, but got it down. She started taking baby oatmeal last week & likes that a little better. I'm looking forward to the next phase of peas & carrots & fruit, etc. I think she'll love it! I found her on her tummy after her nap.

Her first trip to the beach. It may look like she loved it, but she was only awake about 30 minutes. She then slept for about 3 hours.

I love when she waers hoods :).

Here she is watching the Laker game with Daddy...her hands are folded in prayer for the team :).

I love this picture! She fell asleep in her door jumper!

Meghan is 4 months old!

2009-05-29T14:15:00.001-07:00

Time is sure flying by! Meghan is growing so fast. She rolled over for the first time this week. From her back to her tummy one day, then the next day from her tummy to back. She's 'cooing' so much more & has started making cute little bubbles with her mouth. I love playing with her & having her smile so big. Her poor little gums are bothering her so much & feel very bad for her. I wish they'd come in already. It's caused her to not eat so well, but she's still sleeping great at least. Here are some pics of Meghan. The first ones are right after I saw her roll over for the first time. I grabbed the camera & had her do it again.

You can do it...

Almost there...

So close...

Good job, Meghan!

Meghan and Daddy.

Meghan playing with toys.

Such a cutie!

Josiah's been having fun!

2009-05-29T13:51:00.001-07:00

Life with a 3 year old is never dull. He keeps me busy & completely entertained! I love that he likes to help me cook; he's such a big helper. He's so cute around Meghan. He gives her hugs & kisses & lets me know when she's crying. Some of my favorite times with him are nap/bedtime. He brings me books to read, asks to pray & sing 'Jesus Love Me' & 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'. I love spending that time with him. He's such a joy! Here are a few pictures of what he's been up to lately. Josiah got a lovely shiner! He and his cousin ran into each other. Bowling at 'John's Incredible Pizza'! He loved that place!

Playing on a boat at 'Bass Pro Shops'.

He can finally ride his bike.

Josiah and his friend, Ben at the

shooting range at 'Bass Pro Shops'.

Meghan's Dedication

2009-05-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

On Mother's Day, Shane and I dedicated Meghan to God. We said we would raise her up in the way He wants us to. Our prayer for her as she grows up is that she begins to know who He is. We pray that she chooses to make Him boss of her life one day & takes Him seriously. We have a big job to do in trying to give Meghan the right picture of who Christ is & how to live for Him. We're going to mess up a lot, but God is gracious & will help us to follow through with what His word says. I'm excited to see what He does in her life & through her one day!

Our friends, The Barretts dedicated their son, Levi that day as well.

He's only 2 days older than Meghan.

Josiah, Meghan, Katherine & Levi. We're so thankful for The Barretts & all they've invested into our lives.

Little Meghan Joy!

Fun Times!

2009-05-11T15:37:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been fun! We went to our annual church picnic, Chuck E. Cheese & celebrated Mother's Day at Disneyland. Here are a few pictures of those events & some of our growing girl!

Josiah's pictures!

2009-05-04T14:49:00.001-07:00

Here are Josiah's 3 year pictures! We have a scanner, but don't have it hooked up. So, I had to do the weird thing of taking a picture of the pictures as they're on my wall :)! It was a fun session with Josiah. He smiled a lot & was super cute.

Josiah is 3!!!

2009-04-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back, we celebrated Josiah's 3rd birthday! His birthday was on Easter this year, so we did a little cake & singing on that day. The next weekend, was his party at the park.

Josiah has been so much fun to raise! He is so kind to others & has a great sense of humor. Lately, when he does something he shouldn't, he looks to me and says 'That makes Jesus very sad'! I love that he is beginning to understand that how we live needs to please Christ.

His birthday week, Shane took him to an Angel game. Josiah loves baseball & I look forward to the days when I can watch him play on a team.

Here are a few pictures of our big guy!

Pictures of the kiddos!

2009-04-14T15:49:00.000-07:00

I had a free 8x10 coupon from Picture People, so I had the kids pictures done yesterday. My sister pointed out how big Josiah looks all of a sudden! It's so true. The shoot was fun, but very hard to get 2 kids looking at the camera & smiling at the same time!

Life

2009-03-27T16:58:00.000-07:00

Here's a little update about what's been going on in our lives. We've had a busy few weeks that included 2 funerals, a trip to the L.A. Zoo, and a Mom's Spring Tea to name a few. Shane's Grandma passed away at the age of 89. It was great getting to know her the 8 years I've been around. She was a sweet lady who loved God. I'm so glad she's in Heaven with Him now!

Josiah has been full of energy & a lot of fun, as always. We're in the middle of trying to figure out what to do for his 3rd birthday. I've included a few pictures of him. One is him just chillin', reading a book...which doesn't happen often. Another picture is of him when he fell out of his bed at night & stayed asleep...it was so funny!

Meghan just keeps growing :). She's 10 weeks old now & super cute! I broke in and gave her a pacifier 2 days ago. I've never been a big fan of them, but it seems she needed one to calm her down sometimes. It's going well though. She still can play on her mat & in her bouncer without it, as content as can be. It seems to sooth her before nap time, which has been helpful. She's finally taking a bottle now that it was pointed out to me that I had the wrong nipple flow in there! My brain cells have gone! I had a stage 4 in her bottle instead of stage 1...silly mommy. So now that the bottle is correct, she's doing great.

Shane and I are going out this weekend for my Birthday. I'm looking forward spending time with him on a date. I always love when we get to go out just the two of us. It's a chance to just talk & hang out without a kid talking our ear off or crying. I'm so thankful for my hubby & all he does for our family!

So that's the last few weeks in a nutshell. And I'm tired :)

Meghan is 1 month old!

2009-02-16T09:56:00.000-08:00

Today, Meghan is 1 month old! It has been a wonderful month as we adjust to life with her & get to know her more each day. Josiah is doing well with her as he loves giving her hugs & kisses, but doesn't smother her. My favorite thing is to watch Shane with Meghan! He is such a big help. There have been a few nights where Shane knew I was beyond tired, so he stayed up with her trying to get her to sleep. He is so patient! He is an amazing example to me of how to be calm. I am so grateful for him. I am a little more tired than usual, but I do have a 1 month old, so it's to be expected. She's doing great for the most part at night. She only wakes up one time! The harder nights are when it takes her an hour or so to go back to sleep; but that doesn't happen too often. She's started smiling now, which I have yet to catch a picture of it. I'll post one when I capture it :).

These pictures were all taken within 2 minutes of eachother. She started out screaming, then just looking around & then falling asleep. Babies are so funny!

One week old!

2009-01-23T19:09:00.001-08:00

Meghan is one week old today. Today was my due date with her. She is so much fun (ok, as much 'fun' as a newborn can be). We love holding her & looking at the details of her face & giving her so many kisses :)! She's doing great at eating & sleeping. She's on an about every 2 1/2 - 3 hour eating schedule. She's had a few great nights of waking up only every 3 hours. Last night was a little rougher than normal. Josiah asks to hold her a lot & is very gentle with her. We're trying to adjust to life with 2 kids & must admit, we're tired! It's definitely all worth it though! Happy 1 week birthday, Meghan Joy!

Meghan Joy Washam

2009-01-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

On January 16th @ 2:05pm Shane and I welcomed Meghan into our lives! She was 8 lbs 2 oz & 20" long. We were scheduled for a repeat c-section for 9am, but kept getting pushed backed due to emergencies occurring. So around 1:30pm I was finally taken in to begin the process. I was given the 'spinal' (ouch!!!), then tested to make sure I was really numb! Shane was brought in a few minutes later. I laid there talking to Shane and waiting to hear our daughter cry. It was an amazing moment. I heard her strong lungs & I began to cry. She was finally here! They cleaned her up a little & brought her to Shane to hold for the first time. I cried even more as I saw my baby girl & was able to kiss her beautiful face. She was screaming for about 2 minutes as they cleaned her up. As soon as they brought her to me & our faces touched, as I gave her kisses, she stopped crying! That was precious. Meghan & Shane went in to the recovery room while they finished sewing me up. A few minutes later I was able to hold Meghan in my arms! The feeling was indescribable.

Josiah was able to finally hold his baby sister today. We had to keep him away from us because he got sick the day of her birth. What a sweet moment when he held her smiling so big & giving her kisses.

Shane and I are so excited to have Meghan here! Shane has been an amazing help as I can't do too many things yet. I love when he calls her cute names: "girlie", "darling", "baby girl". He is already so protective of his daughter :)! We are grateful to God for a successful surgery with no complications & a wonderful recovery. We are thankful for our healthy daughter & our wonderful son.

Church Christmas Service

2009-01-15T09:34:00.000-08:00

Josiah sang in his first Christmas performance! He had me cracking up :). He got on stage & noticed Shane sitting at the keyboard, so he turned & had his back to the congregation as he watched his Daddy. The teacher did eventually move him & he sang facing the front, but it was so funny. During all the rehearsals, he wouldn't sing his song! He knew all the words, but when it was time to practice on stage he just wouldn't do it. Then the real performance came & he was great! He sang both times through & looked adorable :). Here are some pictures we took at the event!

How I'm feeling about the big day...

2009-01-15T08:50:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow's the big day! I have been so excited this past week as I countdown the days until Meghan's arrival. I think about the first moment & will hear her cry. I can't wait to see who she looks like! I long to hold her in my arms. My heart will melt as I see Shane holding his daughter for the first time! We'll have such a great family moment when Josiah comes in to see his baby sister. I have no idea how he'll react, but I can't wait!

Then last night came & the nerves kicked in! I had a hard night's sleep as I kept thinking about all the pre-op work they have to do to me. I am so nervous about that epidural. When I was in labor with Josiah & got the epidural, I wanted it! The pain was not that bad because I was in the middle of horrible contractions & it was after so many hours of labor. This time, I'm walking in normal & having a giant needle put into my spine. Yes, I am so nervous! My plan for during the epidural injection is to quote scripture. I pray that God allows me to focus on His word & not the pain.

I went into Josiah's room last night (as it was his last night here being an only child). I laid next to him, rubbing his back as he slept & I just weeped. I know it's the hormones & the emotions of being a woman, but I couldn't control it. I was thinking about the day of his birth & what an amazing gift God gave us. I thought over the milestones he's reached these 2 1/2 years & how I don't understand how he's so big now! I thought about how life is going to change for him very soon. Watching him sleep so peacefully, thinking of so many memories we've had together was such a joy. Thank you, God for helping me remember it was our last night with him alone & for giving me those few minutes to sit quietly with him & think over his life. Man, I love him & am so grateful that God allowed me to be his mom!

Tonight is going to be even harder to sleep! We're going to bed at 8pm because we have to be up by 5:30am to get ready & be at the hospital at 7! That will give me 9 1/2 hours to TRY & sleep! I want to be rested as much as possible. It's hard to do that when your mind is going a mile a minute. Again, I will be praying that God allows us to relax & rest to get prepared for the morning.

Things to pray for us: 1) For a good night's sleep for both Shane and I. 2) For my nerves to be calmed & that I can meditate on God's word as they're doing the pre-op things & the actual surgery. 3) That God keeps Meghan and I safe during the procedure. 4) That no infection occurs due to the surgery

Above is our family of 3 as we know it. As of tomorrow, there will be a new addition! Thank you all for praying. We look forward to introducing our daughter to you!

Nursery is ready...

2009-01-10T14:40:00.000-08:00

Well, the nursery is all ready for Meghan! I've had so much fun decorating it. In 6 more days we will welcome her into the world via c-section. A few days later I can lay her in her crib surrounded by all the furniture & clothes we have gotten ready. It's almost here & we couldn't be more excited. The countdown has begun!

My Double Shower!

2008-12-22T16:35:00.001-08:00

About a week ago, our friends threw my good friend, Samantha Barrett & I a Double Shower! It was a lot of fun as we played a game, talked & opened great gifts. Sam is 1 week ahead of me in her pregnancy, has a 2 year old daughter & will be 'surprised' at what they're having in about 4 weeks now! I can't wait to know if it will be a boy or a girl! I'm so thankful for our friends who wanted to throw this shower for us. I got some really cute things for our baby girl that I am excited to put on her. I've enjoyed experiencing this pregnancy along side my friend. It has given us many things to talk about! Soon we'll be taking care of little babies together.

Josiah's pictures

2008-12-22T09:48:00.000-08:00

So, though Josiah will be 3 in April, I thought I'd share his 2 year pictures. We had a lot of fun at this session. It's nice when your kid actually is in a good mood & smiles! We'll see what he's like at his 3 year pictures!

5 weeks to go!

2008-12-18T12:24:00.000-08:00

I'm 35 weeks along now! Here is a picture of me at 34 weeks. It's weird to watch your body keep getting bigger! The pregnancy has been great, but is getting harder. I got back from the Dr's office today & I have to start 'stress tests' twice a week on top of my regular weekly visit with my obgyn. So, twice a week I have to drive 45 minutes to the Dr's & the other day I have to drive 30 minutes. I'm not looking forward to this! I feel overwhelmed that I have to find a babysitter for Josiah 3 times a week. We still have the big decision of deciding between a c-section or vbac. The Dr. said I have to have an answer in two weeks. So, Shane and I are continuing to pray about this. I've been nervous about making the decision since before I even got pregnant again. There are risks either way, so it makes it hard to decide. One thing we have prayed for since the beginning is that God would help us decide. I honestly am not leaning either way at the moment. Sometimes I think 'lets just do a c-section', but we're not done having kids & how many times do I really want to be cut open? Other times I think 'I'll try a natural birth', but there's still that risk of a uterin rupture. So, I really am torn. I pray that God helps us decide that in the next two weeks & continues to carry me & the baby in His arms. We pray for a healthy labor/delivery for both Meghan & I. I do love feeling her move around. I love going in her nursery & picturing her lying in her crib all little & cuddley! I love how into his baby daughter Shane already is. I am so thankful to God for a healthy pregnancy. Please pray with us for the decision we have to make & that God keeps us both safe.

Disneyland

2008-12-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

For Christmas last year, my sister got us Disneyland passes! We have had a wonderful time there with many memories over the past year. We had our last trip there last week & it was so much fun. We saw the Christmas parade & fireworks where it 'snows'! Josiah's favorite rides have changed over the course of the year. It started out as being 'Dumbo' & 'Pooh Bear'. By the end of the year, his favorite rides were the 'Tea cups' (which both Shane and I prefer not to ride...the things you do for your kids), 'Moster's Inc.' & 'Toy Story'. The last time we took him to Disneyland, he was more into the characters than the rides, which was a lot of fun. I will definitely miss taking Josiah to Disneyland, and I'm not sure yet how to explain to him that we can't go anymore. Those passes were one of the best gifts we've ever gotten and I'm so thankful for them. We were able to experience such fun memories as a family! Thank you Aunt Pammy for the wonderful gift! We really appreciate you & your thoughtfulness :).

Congratulations Pamela & Miguel!!!

2008-12-07T15:01:00.001-08:00

My sister is engaged!!! On December 6th, Pamela's 25th Birthday, Miguel had a really special day planned for them. Throughout the day he had her open little gifts that had to do with things she'd mentioned about their future during their 3 year relationship. Some of the events of the day included going to the zoo, seeing a Christmas show that they ran across and going to dinner. After dinner, Miguel found a quiet place where they could be alone. He talked to her about things she's always wanted & said that in his jacket pocket was something he wanted to give her that would make all her dreams come true. She reached in & found the ring box. They both began to cry as he got on his knee & asked her to be his wife. Of course she said YES!!!

I'm so excited for my little sister as she embarks on this journey of marriage to the man of her dreams. It's been a long road & it's finally here! Welcome to the family, Miguel! I've seen qualities in you that will make you a great husband as you guys follow God's word. We look forward to May 23rd when you become man and wife!!!

Congratulations Micah & Kelly!

2008-11-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

Shane's brother, Micah is engaged! On Friday, Nov. 28th he took Kelly horse back riding on a beach in South Carolina. During the beautiful date he got down on his knee & asked Kelly to marry him! Of course she said "Yes"!!! Micah & Kelly have been dating since their Freshman year at Cal Baptist University & are now Juniors. They are currently interns in Washington D.C. until they finally return home next month. We love Kelly! Her & Micah are a great couple as we have watched them work well together, challenge eachother & encourage eachother. They love God & really live to honor Him. We are excited to see them next month as an engaged couple! We look forward to when they become man & wife. Congratulations you two! We love you & are so happy for you!

Halloween

2008-11-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

This year was the first year that Josiah really got in to 'trick or treating'. He was dressed as "Woody" from Toy Story this year. I took him to a shopping center where each store was passing out candy. He quickly got the hang of it as he followed his cousins & friends in to each store saying 'trick or treat' & then 'thank you'. It never failed that he wanted to eat each piece that he got right away! I can understand how he felt when he's handed candy & can't eat it. Later in the evening my parents came down & we took him around a neighborhood so he could experience the good old fashioned way of trick or treating. He loved that. He even went up to one house by himself as he looked at us and said 'I'll be right back' :)!!! It was an enjoyable night as a family as we had so much fun together.

We're Moving!

2008-10-24T06:43:00.000-07:00

Last night I came home to the best message on our answering machine. It was the owner's of this awesome condo we applied for earlier that day. They said 'they love us & when can we move in?'

In May, when we found out we're having another baby, we began to pray for a 3 bedroom. It was looking near impossible lately as everything (buying & renting) seemed out of our reach. I started to think of how to rearrange things in our place to put our two kiddos in one room. It wasn't going to be ideal, but God was teaching me to be content & thankful for what He has given us.

Then on Wednesday, Shane showed me this place & we viewed it that evening. We love it! It's a 3 bdrm, 2 1/2 bath with an attached 2 car garage! It's a beautiful, quiet neighborhood with parks & pools to play at.

Thank You, God for blessing us with this place. Your timing, as always, is perfect & we are so grateful!

'Are you kidding me? We're having a GIRL?'

2008-09-07T09:32:00.000-07:00

We went three days ago to find out if our baby was a boy or girl. I laid there as the ultrasound technician took the sonogram of mine & the babies organs. I wasn't allowed to see the screen yet, so there I laid staring at the ceiling for about 30 minutes. I was praying that God would allow us to get a good look at the babies 'parts' :).

I was preparing myself for her saying 'It's a boy'! Almost all of our friends & family guessed we were having a boy; so I begin to tell myself that as well. The thought of having another boy was actually great. I knew Josiah would have so much fun with a brother; being able to jump off things, crash toy cars & play sports. So I knew I would be excited about a boy as well, if that was the outcome. I didn't realize how much I wanted a girl until people would tell me they thought it was a boy. Something inside of me got irritated a little bit; that's when I knew what my hope was.

So the exam of all my organs was over & I was finally allowed to bring Shane in. The first thing the technician asked us was if we wanted to find out the sex. Of course we said 'Yes'. She went right to that part of the baby & instantly we couldn't see anything in between the legs. We both were thinking in our heads, 'there's nothing in between'!!! I kept waiting for a different angle so I would see the boy part, but it never appeared! She said 'I think it's a girl' (they're not allowed to say 100%). I looked at Shane and said 'Are you kidding me? We're having a GIRL!?' :). We both smiled so big & he said 'I told you'. (He thought it was a girl).I couldn't stop giggling & smiling the rest of the exam. It was so fun to say 'Look at HER arm' or 'SHE'S kicking me' :).

Thank you, God for our little girl. We're so excited to meet her!

The other guy in my life...

2008-09-07T09:19:00.001-07:00

This little guy is such a joy in my life!!! Over two years ago I held him in my arms for the first time & my life has never been the same. I couldn't have imagined the instant love I would have for him. Watching him grow up has been so much fun. From a little baby that I just snuggled & helled in my arms, to a silly, playful & gentle little boy. I was nervous to have a boy at first because I didn'tknow what to do with boys. God knew!!! He placed this guy into my life & he's taught me so much. He's taught me to just have fun & let boys be boys. He's taught me that I am not a patient person & need God's help with that. He's taught me that I need to get past myself & spend time with him. The glow I see in his eyes as we play together is priceless. Thank You, God for Josiah!

I'm thankful for my husband!

2008-09-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Shane and I just celebrated our 5 year annivesary! I look back on our life together so far & smile so big :). I'm thankful for my husband! He works so hard each day to provide for his family. He takes time to talk with me, spend time with me & challenge me to grow in Christ. He makes sure we go on regular dates; which I love. I miss him when he's gone & can't wait for him to come home. I love that we play board games & cards together. I love that I married my best friend! Thank you, Shane for following Christ & for investing in our marriage :).

He is an amazing Dad! Josiah & him have the best time together. They play baseball, soccer, basketball, etc. They build 'tunnels' & climb all over them. Josiah lights up & runs to the door when he hears the garage door open; that means Daddy is home from work :). I'm excited to watch their relationship as the years go on. I know that Shane will be someone Josiah looks up to as an example, not only as a man but as a follower of Christ. Shane, thank you for what you give to Josiah with your time, your love & your example. I can't wait to see you with your precious little girl in January. My heart will melt when you hold her in your arms. I love you & am grateful that God placed you in mylife!