Ginger's Shower

Allow me to vent...

I am so bummed... I had planned on attending Ginger's shower for Cali Capri Lawson's upcoming arrival. That didn't happen. The shower was planned for Saturday, 08/07 at 1 p.m. I bought a ticket to fly up by myself to Flint, Michigan on Friday at 5:00 p.m., to arrive in Flint around 7:40 p.m. Dad and Dolly were going to pick me up, we were heading to dinner and I would spend the night at their place. Mom was going to pick me up at Dad's on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., in time to help set-up for the shower at Roseville. After the shower, I was keeping the night open, to spend time with the Lawson clan and hopefully see Cali's nursery. I would spend the night with Mom on Saturday night, head to church with her on Sunday and then fly out at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Well, that didn't happen...

I ran around like a crazy lady all week, getting ready for the trip. Haircut, toiletries, baby shower card, etc. Closed up shop with work Friday afternoon and after being held up by one more work-related e-mail, I left for the airport. I drove like a crazy woman to get to the airport on time. Phew. Got there in plenty of time. Checked my bag, which included some carefully packed strawberry preserves I made the night before. A little taste of Georgia for family. The suitcase weighed a ton, but not enough for them to charge me for it. ;-) Rush, rush, rush to get through security, was frisked by a very eager and overly-friendly security officer (:-0). I'm in the clear. Got to the gate on time. Noticed the flight was delayed by 20 minutes. No big deal. Saw it was delayed by 20 more minutes. Manageable.

I talked to Doug, who was pumping gas when I called. He said it was raining sideways in Marietta, that he was going to sit in the car while he pumped gas. Hmm, that's strange, it's sunshine and blue skies at the airport?

I called my Dad to let him know about the delay. I told him I was saving phone battery juice for necessary calls, and I would let him know when I was boarding the plane. No sooner than hanging up with him, the announcement came on.... "Those waiting for flight 246, your flight has been canceled due to bad weather in surrounding Georgia. You've been reassigned to fly out tomorrow at 5 p.m. We are providing rental car vouchers for those who need to make other arrangements. If you need to make other arrangements, please get in line and we will accommodate you." Huh?

Nearing the dinner hour, I told the lady behind me that they were going to have some seriously hungry and angry customers at the front of the line soon. One of the attendants came by and mentioned that an Airtran employee at the next gate could help us, if we wanted to go over to the next gate. Being that I was probably 30 people back, I decided to go. The lady behind me, with her son, also went. They needed to get to Alpena for her parents' 50th wedding anniversary tomorrow. Yikes.

The Alpena lady made it to the other gate before me. So, I got to hear the Airtran employee talk to her about flight possibilities, etc. All flights out of Atlanta were delayed by 3 hours, at that point, if they werent' canceled. The 11 p.m. flight was going out at 2 a.m. and was full. The 8:50 a.m. flight into Detroit the next day was full with 11 people already in a standby list. The next flight out, guaranteed, was 5 p.m. the next day. Seriously. I was ticked. I had a major headache. I needed to eat, probably. I just wanted to get to Michigan. So, after many phone calls to Michigan, etc, I decided to get my money back. I wasn't going to DRIVE by myself 12 hours, starting at 8 p.m., from Atlanta to Michigan. As I said, all other flights were delayed 3 hours, anyway. Bummed. I've never gone to the airport, only to return, not going on the trip I intended on taking. Strange.

I had to request my bag be sent back to baggage claim, which took over an hour. I got dinner in the meantime. I called Doug. He was ticked. He wanted me to be able to go. I was really ticked at first, but by the time I talked with him, that subsided and I realized that they wouldn't have upset the apple cart unless absolutely necessary. To deal with rerouting 100+ people and their luggage isn't a small task. I didn't agree with the way they canceled our flight, though. Delay it by 3 hours, but DON'T cancel it. Sheesh.

So I let my Mom and Aunt Linda know on the way home from the airport. I didn't have Ginger's cell #.

For the weekend, I had even bought little treats, etc, for the kids, wrote out little notes, laminated them and was going to have Doug give them certain little things throughout the weekend. Just so they would know I was thinking about them. I bought a Chik Fil-A giftcard and wrote a note, asking if Ava could take Daddy and Liam to dinner. I bought a tube of refrigerated cookie dough, asking if Ava could help Daddy bake some chocolate chip cookies. Liam and Ava both got a magazine and Color Wonder pack each. But I gave it to them myself. :) Hey, I won't shrug away extra snuggles from my babes. :-)

My Mom described the shower to me. It sounds like it was absolutely beautiful. Over the top. She said she thought there were probably 100 people there! :) She said she took pictures of the little details that she knew I would've appreciated. I attached some pictures that were professionally taken. It looks gorgeous! I really wanted to see so many people I haven't seen in so long, and see Ginger's baby bump, too. I am SO happy that Ginger and Cali have been showered with so much love and support. This little girl is already so truly loved by so many. I know they can't wait to get their hands on her and give her a squeeze, but I'm thinking that's not likely, knowing Grandma Linda and Grampa Dan will be waiting in the wings! :-)

Peace, love and baby shower cuteness,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Quick trip to Knoxville

Emily and Benjamin will be welcoming John Thomas Griffith into the world soon! John Thomas will be carrying on the Griffith name. Pa had four sisters, and between my Dad and Tom, Tom had the only boy. So with Benjamin's first, we're happy the Griffith name will carry on. :-) The shower was Sunday, August 1st. I told Aunt Vickie we would be going, and we were looking forward to it.

Friday night, Doug started feeling sick. :( Saturday he slept most of the day. He had a major migrane, nausea and a fever. I can count on only one hand the number of times I've seen Doug so sick in his life. He was REALLY sick when Liam was born. He was almost as sick last weekend. So he rested and we were really hoping to make it to Benjamin and Emily's shower. Sunday morning he woke up, still not feeling well, but he finally decided we could go if I drove the three hours there. We ran into some traffic on the way there, so we were late, but we DID get to see Benjamin, Emily, Uncle Tom and Aunt Vickie. The shower was beautiful and Emily looked great. I'm sure with this heat, she's ready to have John Thomas.

They received so many beautiful gifts! Benjamin's Grandma (Vickie's Mom) made some beautiful blankets and burp cloths. Another woman at their church congregation also crocheted a beautiful white blanket. She mentioned that she wanted to learn how to crochet and had previously tried, but gave up. She mentioned that the family meant so much to her that she really wanted to make a blanket, and reattempted trying. It turned out beautifully. And I thought her comments spoke volumes as to how highly she regarded the Griffith family. Very sweet.

It was a VERY quick trip. I really wish we could've spent longer there, but with Doug not feeling 100%, it was probably best that it was a quick trip. Uncle Tom looked great after his recent surgery. He mentioned he tires more easily, but was standing easily for quite some time. His surgery was only 1 1/2 weeks ago, though, so I thought he looked incredible! The kids, Doug and Uncle Tom went out to the playground while I watched Emily open gifts. Benjamin was the photographer for the event. Due to the summer heat, the kids didn't spend too long outside and soon came indoors. They went to a kids' classroom downstairs, where they were in HEAVEN. Ava immediately played with all things pink. Liam ventured toward fire trucks and cars. Liam was a motor mouth when downstairs, but seemed to clam up as soon as Aunt Vickie, Benjamin and Emily came downstairs. Stagefright, I guess. :-)

Can't wait to see this baby's sweet face in the coming months!

Peace, love and all things blue,
Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Pictures from Dad

My Dad recently scanned in some old pictures. He sent a copy of the pictures to me. These are definitely some memorable pictures!

Dad (not sure when this was taken).

My first day of kindergarten at Thompson Elementary. This picture was taken in front of the big tree in Grandma Nila and Pa's front yard on Hupp. I LOVED. THIS. DRESS. Strawberry Shortcake with matching knee socks. Does it get any better for a little girl? ;-) When I showed this picture to Ava, I asked her who it was. She said "Me." I had to tell her it was mommy when I was a little girl. :-)























Future Tigers, in training? Shelly and Sherry playing in Grandma Nila and Pa's front yard on Hupp.

















Taken at General Butler State Park, Carrollton, Kentucky. Doug and I have camped here, as well.























Playing in the leaves under Pa and Grandma's red maple tree, Hupp St., Warren, Michigan.






















Christmas. Grandma Nila looks tickled that I am so interested in styling this Barbie's hair. :-)

Pepaw and me, most likely taken around Thanksgiving 1976, at their house on Meadow in Warren, MI. Whenever I remember Pepaw, most memories are of him sitting in this chair, or working out in the garage on a huge green car. :-)























Sherry, Grandma Nila and me. This picture was taken when we lived on Mulberry Dr, Sterling Heights, MI. There is another picture somewhere, which shows us looking into a bunny den, just to the right of this area, in the grass.

I love this picture. Grandma Nila, Dad and Pa. When I saw this picture a few years ago, I thought it was interesting how much Sherry smiles like Grandma Nila. Growing up I never thought that, but it's amazing to see now.

Notice how Sherry's smile and eyes favor Grandma Nila's. I've seen pictures where they favor more than this one, but this was the only one I could find easily. This picture of Jordan, Sherry and Daymian was taken at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, July 2009.

Grandma Nila and Pa. This picture was taken at Aunt Freda and Uncle Dave's wedding reception at Van Dyke Church of Christ. I love this picture. They look so happy, Grandma Nila looks angelic to me. She was one amazing and Godly woman. Although no longer with us, her example lives on through those who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

This picture was taken at General Butler State Park, as well, in 1998. Doug and I were newly married at the time. Dad and Dolly thought it would be fun to surprise us and bring Daymian to General Butler for the weekend. He was my first nephew, so you can imagine how my heart ached to see him after we moved away from Michigan! Someone saw me holding Daymian that weekend and thought he was mine. When I showed this picture to Ava, she thought the little guy was Liam! :-)

Dolly and Santa. Doesn't she look like Natalie Wood? I've seen other pictures where she looks EXACTLY like Natalie Wood!

Dad and Shelly, probably taken in early 1977. This picture was taken in front of a townhouse in Center Line (my first residence ;-) or in front of Herb and Donna Akers's townhouse. Which, I'm not sure.

This picture was taken at Aunt Freda and Uncle Dave's wedding, June 16, 1979. I was the flower girl in this wedding. Dave's brother Dan was the ring bearer. Sherry would've been 11 months old at the time of this wedding. When I saw this picture, I couldn't get over how much Liam looks like me. It makes sense, though, as he is around the same age I was, at the time this picture was taken.

Peace, love and great memories,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Swimming Classes!

Ava has really done well under the instruction of Miss Meg at the Atlanta Swim Academy.  I think she took about six months of classes, total. 

She whittled her backpack floatie (Meg decides which one based on their skill level from the previous week) down to a "One".  The #1 floatie is the thinnest one they have.  Meg mentioned to me quietly, before she even put the #1 on Ava, that if Ava could swim with the #1 floatie, she could swim without anything at all.

We LOVE. Miss. Meg.  She had Ava swimming without any floaties.  For some reason, though, Ava doesn't think she can swim without it.  She is amazingly comfortable being in water, is a fish, loves to go underwater, and loves to swim with a noodle out in front of her, but she would prefer not to swim without a floatation device of some sort.  I would bet by this time in 2012, she will be swimming without any floatation needs of any kind.  It is fun to watch her, she enjoys it so much.  :)

I got a video on my cell phone of Ava swimming without any floaties, which she did often in Meg's class. 

We're proud of Ava and are happy she enjoys the water, above all.

Peace, love and agua,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Small Group, August 2010

Last night at small group, Melissa Baillairge snapped this picture at their house. The girls are super girly and, as you can see, Mekhi is the manly man of the bunch. :-)

Alana and Ava

Alana, Mekhi and Ava

Peace, love and all things sparkly,

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam

Ava's School "Summer Camp" Musical

Ava's summer camp program at Lighthouse Academy recently put on the sweetest musical for parents. 

The kids all sang and danced to "I'm Walkin' On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves.  It was so cute.  Ava was right on time with her dance moves.  ;-)  They walked into "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," and then showed us what an F1, F2 and F3 tornado would look like, as they all grabbed hands and spun around the room in a circle, faster and faster. 

Here are some pictures of the fun!

Ava's buddy Mia:

Catching some lunch afterward.

Peace, love and a bona fide "Weather Girl,"

Shelly, Doug, Ava and Liam