3 year old!!!

Dear Sweet Lucy Mac,
Today you will turn three years old! I can hardly believe it. As your mama, three seems like such a big number. It seems like yesterday that we didn't even know if you were going to be a boy or a girl. Although your "birthday" was a very difficult day, I know that the Lord had that special day planned perfectly. You came in to this world in a difficult manner and have continued to keep us on our toes for three years!
Some of my favorite things about you right now are:

• The way you love your little brother and try to include him (for the most part ;)
• The way you run out to greet your Grampy every day when he gets home
• The way you love to rough house with your daddy and belly laugh with him
• The way you want to be soo much like your Grammy and like to "help" her
• The way you get so excited and grin from ear to ear so tightly that it looks like it hurts your cheeks, then kiss me, then say "Ohh I love you mama" and grin again!
• The way you love to make people laugh
• The way you sing!
• The way you love to roll the windows down in the car and belly laugh swaying your head from side to side
• The way that you pray for your Nana and Papaw every night...NO MATTER WHAT!!!
• The way you listen in church and are curious about God!
• The way you ask ANY child that you encounter "What's your name" and say "It's nice to meet you" and then turn to me and say "Mama his/her name is ________" (like I wasn't there for the conversation.)
• Your thick southern accent
• The way you want to wear boots or flip flops with everything!
• The way you root for the Falcons and say "U-L-L-A" at ball games.
• The way you say "I'm special to God!"
• Oh and so much more!

Lucy McLean you are a very special little girl. You are so much fun to raise and I feel very blessed that the Lord gave me and your Daddy such a fun and sassy little girl to watch grow up. My prayer for you is that you continue to want to learn about God and that you would take the step of faith to trust Jesus at a young age. I pray that the world's hurt and pain, although is inevitable, is minimal. I pray that the Lord will help you continue to be strong-willed, and that he uses it for His kingdom. I pray that you find godly friends that will be lifelong friends! I pray that you always remain your daddy's little girl and that you always adore your Grampy and Papaw as much as you do today!I pray that the Lord brings a strong man in your life (when you are 30) for you to walk life's journey with. I pray that you grow to love yourself for the amazing little girl that God made you and that you accept yourself just as you are (for God makes no mistakes).

I love you more than you can imagine, and God loves you more than I could ever imagine loving you! WOW, that certainly puts things in perspective. I hope you have a fabulous birthday and that you feel the love that your family has for you.

I love you Lucy Mac!

Mama

Minutes Old on your "Birthday"

1 year old!
2 Years Old

Almost 3 and very excited!!!

I forgot one...

Also when I got home today, my mom was asleep on the couch. Lucy McLean was watching television. She had written all over her. When I say all over her, I mean ALL OVER HER (head to toe). I asked her if she couldn't find any paper and she laughed. My mom looked at her and said "When did you do that?" LM quickly replied "While you were sleeping right there Grammy!"

Lucy McLean's Little Laughs

My mom says I need to record all of the funny things Lucy McLean says and does. I haven't done a great job of it so far, so I thought I would try on here. With that being said, I also don't know if anyone find her near as amusing as we do, but oh well. Atleast I will have a record!

Lucy McLean has a new trick where she smooshes her cheeks together and says "Bus Driver, open the door". My mom told her to "say Bus driver two tices the other day" and LM Said "Bus driver, two times, open the door". It was pretty funny!

And today, I came home from work at lunch to take a nap (been sick with the flu, bronchitis and strep)...I heard my mom tell LM that she couldn't come upstairs to wake me up. She could only come up if she was going to sneak in the bed with me. Well, I heard her SLLOOWWWLY open my bedroom door, then she started reciting to herself (insert her TRYING to whisper) "Tip Toe...Tip Toe...Tip Toe" and then she got to the bed and said "Sneak in bed, sneak in the bed"...then she curled up beside me. I leaned over and she grinned from ear to ear and said "I snuck". Then she gave me a hug hug and said "Now I watch Dora". I convinced her to take a nap instead! Oh how I love this child. Oh and ps...she didn't even fight the nap!!! :) I am sure I will miss these days!!!

Look Alikes

I was looking through pictures tonight and Lucy McLean said "what is HE doing?"...My dad was standing right there and asked why Tripp had Lucy McLean's "B" in his hand. It took them a minute to realize that these were old pictures of LM. This one was my favorite. What do you think?

Friends Like This Are Hard to Come By!

Twenty eight years ago today (March 3rd), a very special friend was born. The Lord blessed Bill and Peggy Godley with their first born, a daughter. She would grow to be a strong woman, with a witty sense of humor, a striking sense of fashion, a love for all things corny, a die-hard Carolina fan, a woman of God, and an amazing friend.

I was blessed to meet this special friend 17 years ago. We quickly became close friends. Sara has seen me through so many ups and downs in my life. She has seen me as I made some horid teenage mistakes that I would like to forget. She has seen me when my heart ached and when my heart jumped with joy. She has been with me on hot summer days, driving with windows down and singing at the top of our lungs. She has been with me on activity buses driving to away games with smelly football and basketball players! She has been with me as we celebrated many of lives greatest journies...high school, college, marriage, kids. She is the sister I never had and a perfect aunt to her "little ducks". Sara, although space is between us...I know that we are as close as ever. The Lord has truly blessed me to have a lifelong friend in you and I am so glad you were born!!!

We love you Aunt Sara!

P.S. As we walked down to the FFA barn at school today, Lucy McLean picked a buttercup and said, "Let's give it to Aunt Sara for her birthday." If only she knew how meaningful that statement would be to her Aunt Sara!

12 months!!!

Dear William Ryan Shelton III "Tripp",

A year ago today, the Lord blessed me with a son. You came in to this world easier than your big sister. You almost shared a birthday with me! You are certainly the best birthday gift ever. Your first year is almost a blur. I blinked and was already planning your first birthday party. You are such a blessing. You run to me every day when I get home from work and it melts my heart! Although you don't like to snuggle, you love to be held and you entertain me by saying "awww" and laying your head down on my shoulder for about 3.5 seconds. Then you pop up for more on-the-go action. You started walking around 9 1/2 months and are practically running now. You adore your big sister and are starting to pay her back for all of the torture you have received over the last year. You go to sleep much earlier than your sister. Your favorite things are water, food, your Grampy, your sister and dogs! You run and fall on pillows and belly laugh. You wrestle with your daddy. You have learned how to throw your hands up in the air every time you hear "touchdown" (West Rowan High School won the State Championship for the 3rd year in a Row and Auburn was National Champions...all during the 1st year of your life). You love your blanket and suck your middle finger and ring finger when your blanket is in your hand. You are sweet as pie and I feel like the luckiest mother alive that the Lord gave you to me.
I pray for you daily, sometimes multiple times a day. I pray that the Lord shows me how to raise you to be a Godly man and that you will grow up to know Him and put your faith in Him. I pray that you stay sweet and that you continue to love your big sister. I pray that you value family (immediate and extended) and love spending time with them as much as I do. I pray that you make wise decisions and that the Lord protects your heart as you grow up in a tainted world. I pray that you make the most of every situation that the Lord puts you in and that you grow from the pain that I know is inevitable. I pray that the inevitable pain is minimal! I pray that you know how much I love you and that you never forget that! I pray that the Lord brings godly friends in to your life for you to walk through life with. I pray that you find that space to "be a boy", but not be of this world! I pray that you realize how lucky you are to grow up in a country that you can love God and praise Him with freedom and no fear! I pray that you realize how blessed you are to be a southerner! I pray that you love growing up in a small town as much as your mama did! I pray that peer pressure doesn't consume you and that you can enjoy your childhood as long as possible. I pray that you continue to want to wrestle on the living room floor with your daddy, belly laugh at your sister and run to your mama....for years to come!
Tripp, I love you more than words can say. You are a very special gift from God and I will never take being your mama for granted! Thank you for being you. Happy first Birthday little sprout!
Love,
Mama

Playdate with Carter

Carter came over and played with Lucy Mac and Tripp while Penni and I had some girl time! Lucy Mac had a blast with Carter (minus having to share her toys)! He was a much better driver on the gator than she is. He was even tempting some rather large hills. Oh how I can't wait for full-time spring weather!