The Shavs in 2013

Once upon a time, there was a bear named Shav.

13 years later, there was a boy named Shav.  The story of how they both ended up with that name is told here.  :)  

When the boy was five months old, his mommy photographed them.

 And when he was 16 months old...

 And when he was 29 months old...

The following year--2012--his mommy forgot!!  :(  (And to tell you the truth, I didn't even realize that until today when I was taking these pictures and then searching for the 2012 "The Shavs" photoshoot and couldn't find it.  Horrors!  The streak is broken!  Must do better next year!)  

But this year, she remembered.  :)

This year, the boy is about four and a half...

...and the bear is about...well...a lot older than that!

But they're still just as cute...

...and precious as ever.

Shav wanted me to take a picture of him "sleeping..."

...but when I did, it made him laugh and he couldn't keep a straight face anymore.  :)

Back in the spring of '96 when I was holding Shav the Bear close to me each night as I fell asleep in the Tomb Room of Jerusalem University College, I couldn't have imagined that someday I would really and truly be married to that bearded dreamer of a guy from California who was also studying at JUC that semester--and that we would give our fourth son the name I had given to that bear.

Sometimes real life surprises in the most delightful way!  :)