Cabinet Raider

Ainsley has progressed from pulling toilet paper off the roll to unloading everything out of the kitchen cabinets...and this seems to be her favorite one to raid! I have yet to decide which of the two is worse: toliet paper pulling or cabinet raiding. I certainly do get a workout restocking all that she pulls out. The part that makes me laugh the most is that she is so proud of herself each and every time she raids! It is like she is finding treasure and wants to show it off to everyone. Apparently this time she was a bit tired and decided that my 100 calorie snacks made for a nice seat.

A Weekend of Golf

(Yes...this picture does say "PROOF" across it because we are too cheap to buy one...no really, ours has been ordered, it just isn't here yet. )

The Shields headed to Dallas this past weekend to attend the Byron Nelson golf tournament in Irving. It is safe to say that my boys were in heaven. A weekend filled with golf...and a hotel swimming pool! That was icing on the cake for Andrew. The Byron Nelson is now sponsored by HP, who Wayne (Josh's step-dad) works for. He volunteered at the tournament and then ended up winning extra tickets, so we all got to spend some time at the course. The girls actually did more shopping than golf watching...which is just fine by me!

I about fell out of my seat. While at dinner, Josh noticed that one of the PGA tour golfers was also dining at the restaurant. Josh proceeds to tell me that yes, as nice as it would be to get paid to play golf for a living, a huge draw back is the fact that you are gone from your family 30 plus weeks a year. And when you are home, you need to be practicing and getting ready for the next tournament. Not a life style conducive to having a family. When the children are grown and gone, we have decided that Josh can be a caddie...which he would love to do and I think would be very good at...and I can travel with him! What fun...

Wise Beyond His Years!

Picture Andrew in I in the kitchen preparing lunch.

Andrew: "Mama, did you know that God is the weather man?"

Me: "No I didn't, but I guess that you are right. Who told you that?"

Andrew: "No one. I made it up!"

Oh, what we have to look forward to!!!

I Need an Ashton!

Josh continues to joke that we need to have 4 kids. That, to me, is not even funny! I have a better solution...Cousins! Who needs 4 kids to entertain one another when you can play with cousins...they entertain one another...have a great time...don't get sick of each other because we don't see them all the time...and then you get to send them home with their parents leaving just your 2 to bathe and put to bed! Its great, especially when one of the cousins loves to play/keep up with/look after your little one!
Ainsley and Ashton hit it off beautifully. Ashton is certainly a GREAT big cousin to have. She is smart, responsible, and loves Ainsley...and Ainsley loves her.

Who needs a big brother when you have a Catch? Andrew LOVES Catch. If Catch does something, I can guarantee Andrew will be 2 feet behind him mimicking every move. I am quite certain that Catch is ready for Andrew to go home by the time our visit is done due to the fact that Catch has a new shadow when we are in town. The only alone time Catch gets around Andrew is potty time...and that's only because Catch locks the bathroom door! (just kidding)

Here are the Girls. They are 5 days apart, with Jaekob being the oldest. Ainsley was supposed to be the oldest, but was to fond of the womb and missed her opportunity! I was a bit worried...at Christmas, Ainsley was a bully and beat up a bit on Jaekob, but Jaekob has since started moving and getting around...thus not being such a target for Ainsley. Also, Ainsley has chilled a bit. They just followed each other and laughed!

Back in College Station, when Andrew gets in trouble for something and is sulking, one of the first things out of his mouth is, "I miss Ashton and Catch!" Truth be know, Mama does too!

City Boy in the Country

On the way back from Canyon, we spent the night in the booming metropolis of Lelia Lake with Josh's grandparents. Here is Grandpa introducing Andrew to the new colt that was born earlier this spring. What a treat for this city boy! "He's cute, Mama, but let's not bring him home...I won't have anywhere to play in the back yard."

Reflections!

God writes the most perfect stories...and we get to live them out! No, they certainly do not always go the way we would have planned. No, they certainly do not come without hardship, trials, and troubling times. But, in the end, when one sits back and recounts, they are always full of growth, a gain of wisdom, and love for those who supported us and were used to guide us along...therefore composing the most perfect story!

In addition to Josh's graduation, we celebrated Ainsley's birthday one more time with our family up in Amarillo. While driving home from our big weekend, Josh and I reflected about the past year. Here are some of the highlights to our most perfect story:

1. It was a year ago Mother's Day weekend that we were in College Station buying a house. After redoing 2 houses in Amarillo/Canyon and then selling them after completing all the work, it was nice to have a house that was move-in ready! Praise God for Josh giving in to me and letting us buy a newer home.

2. Ainsley was just 4 weeks old when the move was complete. Now she is getting to be such a big girl. One chapter of her most perfect story ends and another begins. Ainsley is completely weaned from nursery (we made it a year!) and is now on sippie cups and whole milk. My baby is no longer a baby...that's another whole blog in itself!

3. Getting used to being 8 hours away from family that you were once less than 20 minutes from has taken some adjusting. It certainly makes you cherish and appreciate the time spent with them.

4. Andrew and Ainsley now have a babysitter who is not a family member. Her name is Margaret and I was her babysitter when I was at A&M. She was 3 when I started sitting for them and now she is a beautiful 17 year old! (that makes me feel OLD!). Margaret comes one night every other week so Josh and I can have a date night...is it a date if you end up at Target EVERY time?

I won't bore you with any more of my reflections other than to say I am loving living out this most perfect story with the characters God has put in my chapters. May He continue to bless my story and yours as they continue to be written!

You know your tired when...

In response to poor choices made, Andrew gets sent to his room to sit in his "red chair" for a brief time out. Well, apparently this trip was just too over stimulating and just plum wore him out...could be the reason for poor choices, I guess he was tired. What do you think?

Josh's D-Day!

Diploma Day! Contrary to the Gig'em (after this weekend, we have decided Josh's hand will do nothing other than), Josh earned a Masters of Professional Accounting degree from West Texas A&M University in Canyon. He did it...finished an entire Masters while working full time, being a devoted husband, and a very loving father. Whew...I am tired just recalling it all and I was not the one doing the school work.
Josh will say it all started as a cruel joke played on him by the mail surveyors. You all have seen them...these surveys that come in the mail and ask you 100 and 1 questions, the most grueling for Josh being the one where you check your level of education and your spouse's level of education. It just killed him to check Bachelors for himself and Masters for me!!! Now, I just might have to up the ante and go for a Doctorate. What would he think of Dr. and Mr. Shields? NO way...graduate level statistics gives this math girl the willies.
We had a great time in Canyon celebrating! It did not come without its scares. Josh's ornery online professor decided that he could not e-mail Josh's grade to WT in order for Josh to graduate. Praise goes to God who blessed Josh with some very loving ladies at WT who let him walk on his word that he was passing and the grade would be there in time for diplomas to be mailed out!!! Once that was settled it was smooth sailing...even the drive there was not bad. We made it in record time - 7 hours and 50 minutes. Quite an accomplishment since we set the cruise on 75 and stopped twice. A good tail wind I guess!
To say the least, we are all quite proud of Josh. Here is Ainsley giving her daddy some celebratory suggies! Congrats Joshua David...but don't let it go to your head...we are not calling you Master! :)