ElCloud Homeschool: Walking In His Ways

Jul. 21, 2008

A fun birthday weekend for me ...

We had a great weekend this weekend.  I was able to spend Saturday at church, in ladies fellowship.  First, I spent 4 hours scrapbooking with a couple ladies, and then I attended an ice cream social with even more ladies from church.  It was an enjoyable time, and it was good to get to know the ladies in our new church better.  I came home and Steve took the oldest four to Teens For Christ.  When they got home, they quickly made the Duggar's Ice Cream Cake for my birthday, and stuck it in the freezer.  Then Steve and I watched a movie and went to bed way too late. Sunday, I went to church with the oldest four children, and Steve stayed home with 4 yo M (chicken pox) and 2 yo L (hates nursery and will get chicken pox soon).   Since we couldn't eat out together as a family for my birthday, Steve called in an order for Pizza Hut pizza toward the end of church service, and we picked it up on our way home.  After we at our lunch, the kids and Steve presented their gifts to me.  And then we showed the children our surprise.  Pictures of the Sheltie dog we'll be getting soon.   We found her via freecycle and are hoping to get her brought home soon.  There's some distance involved between where she currently lives, and our home.  The children are thrilled as they have wanted a dog for a very long time. I spent the early part of the afternoon washing clothes and hanging them out on the line while Steve mowed and the kids played in the sprinkler.  I talked to two of my sisters on the phone during that time, too. We ate the Duggar's Ice Cream Cake (scroll down the page to find the recipe) mid-afternoon.  It is double layered in a 9x13 pan, and we only ate 1/3 of it.  It was very easy, and delicious!  It sounds really rich when you read the ingredients, but it wasn't any richer than an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen.  Steve calculated our cost this time to be $12 ... which is probably half of what we'd pay at DQ for a similar size cake.  It definitely costs more than a baked cake, but it's nice for the occasional summer birthday treat.  We used crushed chocolate cream-filled cookies (like Oreos) instead of a crushed candy bar.  When we make it again, we'll try to lower the cost by shopping for the ingredients on sale, well in advance. Steve grilled brats and hot dogs for our supper, which we ate with grapes, and chips.  Then, he and I began working on cleaning out one of the kennels for Molly the dog.  We do not intend to kennel her all the time, but want to have one ready for nights, and times we go to town.  This will likely be most important when she first arrives, so she doesn't decide to wander away. The kennel is in good shape, but there were lots of shrubs and small trees trying to grow up around it that we cut down.  And Steve needed to trim overhanging branches that were reaching into the kennel too far.  Some dead branches needed to come down for safety, as well.  Now, we're in the process of removing leaf and branch debris from the floor.  Then we'll wash down the cement floor, and clean out the dog house.  I'm not sure if we'll add any bedding materials yet (other than a couple blankets) or if we'll wait to add straw/pine chips once it cools off and she needs them for warmth.  My parents called while we were working, so I talked with them while we worked on cleaning up the floor.  We came in at dark, and put the children to bed.  We followed them not too much later.  I was really tired this morning, and went back to bed after Steve left.  I slept until 8, when my sister called.  Then after she hung up, I crawled back into bed to nurse 2 yo L, who was waking up.  I stayed there dozing until 9:00, when kids began to wander in to talk to me.  I didn't get up again until 9:30.  I don't do that anymore, so I felt guilty ... but it felt so nice to get that rest.  Maybe I can stay awake to read this afternoon now.  *giggle* I'm still doing laundry today, so I need to go hang up my first load and start a second load.  Then I think I'll get the children to come outside with me, and work on cleaning up the kennel floor some more.   We're having a variety of leftovers for supper tonight, so I don't need to cook.  But I should start thinking ahead to tomorrow's supper plans. Edited to Add:  M is doing well with his chickenpox.  It seems to bother him less than the poison ivy did.  He didn't get many pox, and he's scabbing up today.  Unless more pox appear, he'll likely be non-contagious and able to go out in public again on Wednesday.  Trusting in Him, April

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Jul. 18, 2008

Oh, my! Chickenpox, not strep!

4 yo M told me he had a sore bug bite on his ankle yesterday.  So I looked, and it had a big blister surrounded by red.  I initially feared poison ivy, and checked the other ankle and his legs up to his knees.  Both ankles had blistered spots, but they didn't really look like poison ivy, which is usually streaks.  I showered him down, just in case, to remove the urushiol oil.  That's when I began to notice lots of other "bug bite" spots.  And then it dawned on me that his Monday symptoms could have been the onset of chickenpox.  Sure enough, this morning the other "bug bites" are now blistered.  It's chickenpox.  I guess I don't have to wonder what his strep culture will show today.  I bet it's negative.  LOL!! Fun, fun, fun!  Well, I guess 2 yo L will get it.  I think the older four all had it 4 or 5 summers ago, though.  It was light for all of them except 12 yo A, but her spots were all very tiny blisters.  So, I still have some doubts.  It's possible they could ALL end up with it now, I guess.  But at least it should be GONE before the baby arrives. Trusting in Him, April

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Jul. 17, 2008

Getting ready for the baby, some of my nesting

A few weeks ago, I spent a day or two sewing.  I made our traditional double-layered flannel baby blanket with the satin blanket ribbon binding.  And then I converted some flannel receiving blankets into double-layered burp cloths.  We also have diaper service quality prefolds that we use as burp cloths. I've also been admiring these teeny tiny pocket diapers that are waiting for baby.  I've never had size small pocket diapers before, so I'm looking forward to using the 3 I have.  Two of them are small FuzziBunz, and the blue snowman one was made by my friend Tina of Heartland Dreams.  The majority of our cloth diapers for the baby are Mother-Ease diapers, though.  We have one small Sandy diaper (the whale tag), and a drawer full of their One-size diapers (on the left).   We started using these when 9 yo C was a baby, and we have acquired a large supply of them since then.  We love how soft they are and that they fit our babies from the time they are a few weeks old, until they are 2 yo.   I like the Sandy's, too, but we mostly use the One-size diapers.   The One-size diapers fold down for smaller babies, and have lots of snaps for adjusting the fit.  Steve loves that he doesn't have to pin them.  I love that they don't have complicated washing instructions.  This last picture shows how small they can be (and yes they are loose when we first start using them), and how big they can be.  Although you can stretch them larger than this picture shows, and this isn't the loosest snap setting, either.  Mother-Ease also sells small liners we use as baby gets bigger, and once we can stop folding the front down, there are snap-in liners to make the diapers thicker.   These diapers are fitted diapers, and do require covers (unlike the pocket diapers I first shared).  We really like using Mother-Ease Airflow PUL snap covers, but we keep some Dappi Nylon Pull-On Pants (NOT VINYL!) around for backups, as well.  We use the Dappis more with our little babies than older kids, though.  They're very soft, and don't leak. (The Mother-Ease link I've enclosed isn't working for me at the moment.  But I was just at their website a month ago, so I'm hoping the link will be working again soon.) Anyway, I was just in the mood to look at my baby items again, and decided to do some blog-nesting ... it's more fun than the closet cleaning nesting I really should be focusing on. Trusting in Him, April

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Jul. 16, 2008

Summer Colds, Strep, the Guineas, and the Baby

Steve and a couple of the children are fighting light summer colds.  They would tell me it isn't that light, but compared to many of the colds they've had, it really is light.   I'd suspect allergies, except Steve is taking allergy medicine daily and still fighting it off. 4 yo M is sick with what I suspect is strep again.  He had strep in late April, although it took us 5 days to realize that was what it was.  He told me Monday afternoon that he didn't want to eat lunch, didn't feel well, couldn't pinpoint how he didn't feel well, but didn't think he was going to throw up.  He then proceeded to sleep all afternoon long, running a fever just over 100*.  While he slept, he was holding his head, as if it hurt.  One of the few times he woke up, he did tell me it hurt.  I asked him if his throat hurt, because he acted this same way last time he had strep, and he said no.  That evening, he woke up, but didn't want to walk anywhere, and threw up once.  Yesterday, he woke up without a fever or headache, but by afternoon, he told me his throat hurt.  I looked down his throat and saw some very swollen tonsils, and suspected strep even more.  Today he's still feverless, headacheless, and up and around ... but his tonsils are still swollen and it still hurts to swallow.  He did the same thing last time.  Fever and sick for 1-2 days, then acted fine for a couple days, then the fever returned with a rash, tummy ache, and headache.  We took him in, with no clue what was going on, and the doctor said strep.  I have an appointment for him later today, although he is acting fine at the moment.  But I'm afraid if we wait, he'll have the fever, upset tummy, headache, and rash return like last time. We finished our guinea enclosure on Sunday, and moved them outside Sunday night.  Except for one roll of chicken wire fabric, we were able to scrounge most of our materials from the outbuildings.  I managed to catch all 5 of them and move them outside one at a time that evening.  It wasn't exactly easy, but it wasn't as bad as I feared it would be.  I didn't get pecked or scratched, for one thing, and none escaped ... although two almost escaped.  Once they were released, they each stood there somewhat stunned and actually let Steve and the boys pet them.  They've never let me pet them before!  Steve went out later that night and caught them each to put them inside the dog house we hope they'll use as shelter from rain.  They were calmer then and he didn't have too much trouble catching them.  They're all doing fine now, although I think they're still adjusting to the wind, as we often find them huddled together in corners of the enclosure.  Our wind usually comes strongly from the south, and that is where we no longer have a tree-line or wind-break.   We need one, but it was cut down several years before we bought the house.  Our enclosure is on the south side of the house, so they get the full brunt of the wind. I'm 31 weeks and 1 day pregnant today.  Just 62 days to go. My due date is 2 months from today.   It's fun to count down.  Baby is active, and growing well by the looks of me.  My prenatal for this week had to be rescheduled until next week, but I'll update after that.  I think I'm handling the summer without air conditioning fairly well for a pregnant woman.  I pray I can continue to handle it well, graciously, and calmly.  I don't want to turn into a complaining grouch.  I know many people live without air conditioning, but it has been so many years since I have lived without it.  My kids have never been without it. I'm still able to carry laundry baskets up and down the basement stairs, and out to the clothesline.  I'm achy some days and evenings, but I just keep going.  I want to stay as active as possible, because I believe it will be better for baby and me in the long run.  I know muscles that are fit and used to working can work better to deliver a baby than muscles that just sit around too much. I've been acquiring a collection of Dr. William Sears' books on pregnancy and parenting from Paperback Swap to add to my permanent bookshelf, as well as several books on natural childbirth (specifically using the Bradley method of relaxing and working with your body instead of fighting the contractions).   I'm refreshing my memory and practicing the relaxation techniques.  The last two births (fifth and sixth births) were very intense.  As I look back on them, it seems as if I was not as calm or relaxed as I was with my third and fourth births.  I'm trying to sort through the hazy memories and figure out how much of that was my own fault, and how much of that was just birth differences.  It's confusing, but I'm praying about it.  If there is anything I can do differently this time, I want to do it.  It's possible that time has just made the 3rd and 4th births *seem* less intense than the 5th and 6th, but they really weren't.  I should ask Steve if he can remember, and what his perception is. We are winding down school this week.  Just two days left.  The children's minds are already on "vacation" it seems, and it is taking lots of prodding to get the last little bit accomplished.  I have begun doing some planning for next year.  I have all the curricula for each child listed on paper ... along with some stuff I'd like to add in.  Now I just need to figure out how much we really can add in, and what's most important.  I don't want to bog everyone down by trying to use too many homeschooling methods and curricula.  So, I need to find a good balance that covers all subject areas without being overwhelming. We have two flat-faced Persian kittens ready to sell, and I need to get them to the vet this week or next for their shots and a health check so we can start advertising them.  We'll miss them when they are gone, but it will also be nice to return to just our 3 adult cats.  It's possible that our younger female is pregnant for the first time, but I am not sure yet.  We're hoping for more kittens in August, though. And that's life here in the ElCloud Homeschool at ElCloud Homestead.  We're winding down our summer reading programs, and enjoying Vacation Bible School each Wednesday night.  The kids seem to be staying out of the poison ivy now, and all is basically well.  What a blessing! Trusting in Him, April

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Jul. 11, 2008

The picture of me using the mei tai, as promised

Here I am at 30 weeks pregnant, with 2 yo L on my back in the mei tai at the county fair.    (Now remember, this was a hot humid day, and we'd been walking around for quite awhile already, so the part of my hair that escaped from the clip in back has gone all curly and wild.  But at least 2 yo L has left her pony tail in.  Oh, and my 11 yo took the picture, so it's a bit fuzzy.) I'm looking forward to using this as a chest carrier and back carrier with the baby.  It's very versatile, but I think it will work even better with someone smaller than my 2.5 yo.  If you looked at the links I shared previously, you can see it has two sets of very long straps that can be criss-crossed  and tied in many different ways to carry different sized/aged babies on your front or back. I still like my slings (especially the unpadded ones) but this is even more hands-free and distributes the weight of the baby differently. I'll have to get a better pregnant belly picture posted later. Trusting in Him, April

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Jul. 9, 2008

Eyeglasses, scoliosis, and the county fair

Today I took the last of the 6 children in for their physicals.  It's been a couple years since each child had a physical, so we decided to do that now that we have better insurance coverage.  Today, it was 12 yo A's visit.  As expected, we learned she needs glasses.  My Dad, 2 of my sisters, and myself got glasses around age 10 and in 5th grade.  We had A's eyes checked at age 10, and they were fine.  But in the past 6 months, she'd expressed that she could not read signs that others in the car could read when we were out and about.  We knew we needed to get her eyes checked again.  Today she tested at 20/70 in one eye.  So, we'll get her in to see an actual eye doctor and get a more thorough examination, and get glasses for her. The surprise of the visit (although I am not that surprised) is that she also has scoliosis.  Since I was also diagnosed with it in junior high, I wasn't too surprised.  So we had x-rays done of her back today to verify the degree of the curvature, and she is supposed to see an orthopedic surgeon in September.  We'll have to go to another town for that visit, though.  I know they won't do anything at this point.  Hopefully, she will be like her Dad and I, and her spinal curvature will remain too small to need any treatment at all.  But we will be discussing how to take care of her back.  I injured mine badly in high school when trying to do 100 situps and crunches daily to "get in shape" for school.  It was then further aggravated by carrying my backpack to and from school.  I don't want her to go through the pain I went through for over a year, so we'll have to teach her proper ways to lift and carry things.  At least she won't have heavy backpacks to carry to school daily. It's county fair time here.  We went last night to watch the mutton busting and do a hay bale maze.  There weren't any animals yet, but it was nice to get acquainted with the fairgrounds when it's less crowded.  We saw some neighbors, and church folk, which was nice.  We'll be going back tonight so the boys can participate in the pedal tractor pull, and we can see the animals.  Last night at the fair, I was an interesting sight, I'm sure.  I was carrying 2 yo L on my back in a mei tai baby carrier (pronounced "may tie").  I had one strap tied above my 30 week pregnant belly, and the other strap tied under it.  I'm not sure they've ever seen anyone using a mei tai at the fair here before, let alone a woman as pregnant as I am.  I will probably be using it again tonight, and I'll try to get a picture this time.  A friend gave me the mei tai (one she had made) to use with the new baby, but I've also found it handy for putting  L on my back.  She likes getting "piggy backs" from Mom this way.  Mom doesn't carry her "piggy back" most of the time.   I usually use a Maya wrap baby sling to carry my babies and toddlers around in these settings, but I was hoping the mei tai would distribute her weight better.  I really think it did help to have her weight on both shoulders, my back, and my waist instead of all on one shoulder.  This was the first time I'd used it out of the house, and the first time I'd used it with a big pregnant belly.  Since I didn't have a mirror or counter or couch to back up against to help position her, I did get help from Steve or one of the older kids to be sure I had the body of the mei tai between her legs and not twisted, and to take her out when she wanted out.  When I tried it out at home several months ago, I was able to do it alone. Now, I think I'm going to try to get a little nap with 2 yo L before we need to fix supper and head to the fair.  And I'll try to get back here later with a picture of me with L in the mei tai. Trusting in Him, April

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Jul. 7, 2008

That probably wasn't a compliment

I'm thinking it's probably not a compliment when you arrive at church, and the first thing someone says to you is "When are you due?"  You tell them mid-September, and they say with surprise, "OH!  You still have quite a ways to go then!"  Hmm.  Does that mean I look larger than 29 weeks and 5 days? And then after church when another lady rushes up to you and asks, "How are you?!?!  Are you ready?!?!"  A question usually reserved for the last few weeks.  So, then you reply, "Well, I'll probably be more than ready before baby gets here, but I'll only be 30 weeks on Tuesday, so I still have 10 or more weeks to go."  A not-so-subtle reminder that you really aren't that close to your due date yet. I was excited that on Tuesday I'll be approximately 3/4 of the way through this pregnancy, with 10 weeks left until my due date.  But now I'm just wondering how big that outfit made me look yesterday.  Maybe that blouse and skirt aren't as flattering as I thought.  LOL!!  Or maybe I really am huge for 30 weeks.  I don't feel huge.  I think I'm about normal for being this far along.  It had to be the outfit.  I'm just used to being told I still look small, until the very last few weeks.  Although I do have to remind myself that this is a new church and a new community.  They don't know what I look like 7, 8, and 9 months pregnant yet.  But they will soon enough.  But then again, maybe I should remind myself of how big I got with both my boys.  If this truly is another boy, I'm likely going to be larger than I was last pregnancy ... and I'm likely going to get many more comments like those. Edited to add:  I am not upset about these comments.  I found it surprising, but also funny.  It did make me take a second look at that outfit when I got home, though.  Trusting in Him, April

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Jun. 18, 2008

You might have outgrown your maternity capris if ...

(instead of a redneck joke, it's a maternity clothes joke) You might have outgrown your maternity capris if ... ... every step you take, you feel them wiggle lower on your hips and belly.  ... they pull your underwear down as they wiggle down. ... every 5 minutes (or less) you have to stop and hitch them up. I started out this pregnancy with practically no summer maternity clothes.  I had several short sleeve maternity t-shirts, 2 short sleeve maternity dresses, and one pair of maternity coverall shorts.  That was it.  I had some skirts I could probably wear through most of the pregnancy, but without air conditioning this summer, I wasn't sure they'd be very comfortable, because they are a heavier fabric. I quickly acquired one pair of capris that are the under belly style ... size large denim.  I got them from freecycle, along with a pair of snug shorts, snug jeans, and loose pajamas.  I knew I wouldn't be able to wear the capris the whole pregnancy, based on them being a tad tight-fitting to begin with.  Think ... must wear with really long maternity shirt snug.  They also didn't come very far below the knee and had a slimmer fit through the thighs than I like. But the only other pair I had was a pair I bought from an internet friend.  They were XL and supposed to come mid-waist.  But they are too BIG!!  Even trying to pin the waistband, they wouldn't stay up.  I set them aside thinking maybe I'd grow into them later in the pregnancy.  I probably will. Anyway, I put the snug ones on this morning, and every step I took I could feel them wiggle lower.  The small pockets wouldn't stay tucked in ... white kept showing from the lining.  And I kept having to hitch them back up ... WITH my underwear!!  I hadn't worn them since COMamaBear and her family visited us on May 31 ... I didn't think I'd grown that much in those 2.5 weeks ... but apparently JUST enough to outgrow these capris.  I took them off.  I'll be putting them away (along with the snug jeans and shorts they came with).    I will not wear them to the Dr. office, or anywhere else, for that matter.  I won't even wear them around the house ... I like my pants and under things to stay in place.  I don't like feeling like a redneck with a beer belly hitching his pants up all the time.  At least God blessed me with three more pair via yard sales in the previous two weekends (May31 and June 7).  The first pair is a very loose pair of long khaki capris that have a draw string waist that goes OVER the belly.  Very modest ... cost me $2.  The other two pair are denim ... also longer loose-fitting capris that go OVER the belly ... but their elastic is a bit too loose and I have to use a diaper pin to tighten it up a bit.  $.25 each.   And apparently, the new capris came JUST in time!!  Thank You, God!! Rejoicing in Him, April

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Jun. 12, 2008

Double Digits, Turkeys, Poison Ivy, Bugs, and Does

I am in the double digits for days counting down to my estimated due date.  96 days to go!  (or a bit more, or less)  I just realized today that I'd dropped to less than 100 days.  Yay!   So far, everything is going really well.  I feel pretty good, although I do have some aches and pains that come and go.  I'm healthy so far, and hoping not to have blood pressure problems this pregnancy.  I see the Dr. next week, and I'll update again after that.  I'll be 6 months pregnant next week, and am excited to be getting close to my final trimester. Yesterday, we went into town for a checkup for two of the girls.  As we pulled out of our driveway onto the gravel road, heading toward the paved road, we realized a turkey was running along in front of us.  We went slowly and watched him run faster and faster down the gravel and attempt to fly over the paved road into the woods on the other side.  I'm glad there weren't any cars on the paved highway, or they would have hit the turkey.  Those turkeys don't fly very well.  It was funny yesterday.  The Dr. walked into the exam room, where all 6 kids and I were waiting, took one look at the boys and said, "Oh, poison ivy!"  7 yo J wanted to know how she knew.  I told him I was pretty sure she'd seen lots of poison ivy before.  *wink*  Most people don't know what has happened to the boys, though, and think it's scrapes, burns, or who knows what they think?  We've had to explain it over and over, it seems. While we were in town, we went to the library.  The kids collected their prizes for the summer reading program, which has a bug theme.  They love being in the summer reading programs, and are happily reading each day.  We have lots of bugs here at the "farm", and thankfully, the kids are taking more of a curious interest in them than a fearful avoidance.  Although we could all do without the ticks and the gnats that keep congregating in the bathroom.  Gnats, not ticks.  There aren't ticks congregating in the bathroom.  Some of the bugs we can't identify, though.  Like the odd green-toothed furry spider 12 yo A found that we think might be a jumping spider.  We aren't certain, although when A released it, it did jump at her.  I wish I'd seen her and 11 yo R run off screaming after that. This morning, around 10 am, the kids and I all gathered around my bedroom window (we moved from the kitchen window so we could see better) and watched a doe eating in the trees by one of our outbuildings.  She spent 15 minutes just under the edge of the trees, moving back and forth, before she walked further into the trees and out of our sight.  2 yo L and 4 yo M both called her a camel, though.  *giggle*  I guess the color and long face are somewhat similar.  I had just watched a doe cross Grandma's pasture and disappear into a different set of trees before the kids woke up this morning.  And last week, while the girls washed the supper dishes, we saw one walk across our back yard into the same trees we were watching together this morning.  Then something spooked her and she ran across our yard, into the pasture, and into the other trees I was watching alone this morning.  I wonder if it has been the same doe all 3 times. We're finishing our final week of Tapestry of Grace, year 2, at the moment.  We're studying the constitution, its creation, early American government leaders, and a bit of the French Revolution.  Next week, we will start Tapestry of Grace, year 3, and continue on with early American history and the French Revolution, as well.  12 yo A has dragged her feet about reading The Scarlet Pimpernel for history/literature study.  She kept begging me to find her novels and was so excited to reach the French Revolution.  I couldn't figure out why she just wasn't wanting to read this book.  Yesterday, I picked it up to decide just how boring it was, and if I should let her give up on it.  I read the chapter she'd just finished, and then sat down and finished the whole book.  It was so exciting!  But we rushed out the door for the Dr. appt. at the last minute, and I didn't realize that 2 yo L had covered herself and ME with orange stains from her cheese curls she ate with lunch.   I told 12 yo A when I was done that the book was very exciting and she should hurry up and finish it.  She did ... staying up after we prayed even (sneaky thing) to read at bedtime.  I guess it just had a slow start.  But hopefully this will be a lesson to her about giving a book some time and not giving up too quickly on a book. We've had lots of stormy weather all around us lately, including tornadoes, but thankfully most of the storms (and all the tornadoes) have passed us by.  That's just a little random update on our family.  We're all doing well, and life is just merrily rolling along. Trusting in Him, April

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Jun. 10, 2008

Crockpots and Guinea Keets

No, the guinea keets are not in the crock pot!!  Those are just my two latest projects.  I'm trying to use my crock pot more often, for several reasons.  Mainly, it won't heat up the kitchen like the propane oven and stove top do.  We have no air conditioning, and it's an adjustment for all of us.  But, when I use the crockpot, I also have to decide on what I'm cooking earlier in the day.  Which means I'm not staring blankly at my refrigerator or into my cupboards at 5 pm, and finally serving hot dogs because it's the only thing not frozen.  Besides, the crockpot makes my kitchen smell yummy all afternoon. I found a neat crock pot recipe blog today, and was perusing it for ideas earlier.  She also has links to other recipe blogs, or blogs that do the Slow Cooking Thursday meme.   A Year of Crock  Potting  I actually saw a link to her blog on another blog last week, but didn't click on the link to open it.  Then the original blog was lost and I couldn't figure out where I'd seen the link.  I finally used google to find "crock pot, gluten free, blog" and it came right up.  Yay!  We don't eat gluten-free, but her recipes are yummy, either way. We also have 5 guinea keets, as of Saturday.  We didn't get chicks this year, although 2 yo L thinks these are chickens.  She tells us "I go batement, see chickens."  They are cute!  They arrived in the store on Thursday, we bought them on Saturday, and by Monday they were already getting their wing feathers in.  I think they're taller already, too.  They either eat alot, or they just waste alot of food by scattering it around the floor of their little tote.  We have to clean out their waterer 2 times each day, because they manage to get food and wood shavings in it.  I know three of them are white guineas, but I'm not sure about the other two. Two of them are white with gray markings on their back; the other 3 are completely white. We can't wait to set these little ones free outside to eat the bugs and ticks!  They are so fun to watch.  Once when I was down there, one of them stepped into the waterer, and came out dripping water off his chest.  Another keet was leaning over and looking intently at those drops of water hanging off his feathers ... you could just see him wondering what they were.  Today, when I was down there, one of them was picking up wood shavings in his beak, and another one was chasing him trying to get it away.  Such a special treat ... those wood shavings.  I wanted to take a picture of them, but the flash on my digital camera is broken.  I do have two that one of the girls took this weekend, so they will have to do. Trusting in Him, April

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Jun. 10, 2008

Every day with every child brings new joys and new challenges ...

Every child is different from the one before it.  Every pregnancy, every birth, every recovery, every postpartum babymoon, and every stage of that child's life is different than the ones that came before it.  Raising each child (and homeschooling them) continues to bring new joys, new challenges, new experiences, and new lessons.  Someone asked me just yesterday about homeschooling, and if we had homeschooled from the beginning.  When I said we had, they commented that we must have it all figured out and under control by now.  I told them that every child is different, and teaching them brings new experiences and challenges.  With each child, we learn something new and deal with different issues.  I don't think anyone ever really becomes an "expert" at this.  Every time I think I've got it all figured out, I get thrown a curveball that takes me by surprise. And it's more than just school.  Each child matures differently.  Each child reacts to illnesses differently.  Each child needs something different from me at certain ages.  Each child responds to difficulties and frustrations differently.  Each child speaks a different love language, or combination of love languages.  With each child, I am faced with something new.  2 yo L is no different.  With her, we faced breathing troubles and breathing treatments for the first time.  With her, we have faced early tooth decay for the first time.  And now I am wondering how to get a 2 yo to cooperate with a dentist for tooth exams and extractions.  I would prefer to do this in-office, and in town ... but we may have to go to a specialist dentist out of town, and possibly even into the hospital setting ... depending on how she handles it.  I've been through dental issues with a 4 yo, and a difficult 6 yo, but never a 2 yo.  But with her, we've also had new joys.  She delights us when she sings "Jesus Loves Me" to her dolls, or marches around the living room singing "I'm in the Lord's Army!  Yes, sir!"  Her hugs and kisses and snuggles are all her own.  Her smiles, her personality, and even her pouts, are uniquely hers.  Her voice, her words, and her laugh are so cute and special.  Watching her interact with her siblings is different than any other sibling interaction ... because she is unique, and her siblings are at ages they've never been at with a 2 yo sibling before. I still have lessons to learn.  I still have challenges to face and overcome.  But I also have new joys to look forward to.  It's hard to remember who I was, or what I was like when I only had 3 little girls, all under age 5.  So many lessons learned since then.   And someday I'll look back at this season and not be able to fully remember what I was like "back then".   I try to remember, because it helps me to understand others and encourage them ... but it's just so fuzzy sometimes.  Certain days and moments stand out so clearly, but the day-to-day realities are harder to recall. This new baby will bring new experiences, lessons, joys, and challenges, too.  When it joins our family, we will all have to adjust to the new reality of a 7th child, a 9th family member.  Life will not revolve around the baby, but there will be adjustments for everyone to make.  Although we are all looking forward to this baby's arrival, I am mentally preparing myself for the reality that the first few weeks will likely be messy.  Things will not go as planned.  There will be challenges I'm not expecting.  But, the blessings will outweigh the challenges, and we will all adjust to the new reality for our family. Trusting in Him, April

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Jun. 7, 2008

Poison Ivy Update

We are slowly making progress here.  We've even identified where the poison ivy is spreading out into the grassy mowed yard area.  We're researching ways to kill it, and instructing children to avoid this section of the yard.  This means they can not come to me when I hang clothes on the line. The boys' rashes/reaction seem to have stopped spreading.  After more research, and lots of people sharing their personal experience (online and in real life), I've learned that it is not uncommon for it to spread, even without any more of the urushiol oil present.  It can (especially with heat) move to other areas of the body.  Also their reaction of fever and vomiting is not too uncommon, either.  I've learned about some of the myths associated with poison ivy.  Breaking the blisters does not cause it to spread.  The blisters have no urushiol oil in them, only white blood cells helping the body to heal and fight against the poison ivy.  There is no way to speed up the recovery, unless you seek a corticosteroid prescription from your Dr. for a severe reaction.  It's just a matter of keeping the person comfortable, stopping the itching so they don't scratch (which can cause scarring and infection), and avoiding infection if the blisters pop.  In our experience, the small blisters that are close together seem to morph into one giant blister ... and no matter how careful you are with those giant blisters, they will eventually pop. Benadryl at night seems to help them fall asleep and sleep more soundly, without being awakened by the itching.  We used Aveeno anti-itch lotion and cream (which has oatmeal, calomine lotion, and something else in it), and we also tried a natural calendula cream.  The boys preferred the calendula cream for soothing their rashes.  Even when the rash didn't itch, it just hurt. They don't look any better yet, and will be quite a sight at church tomorrow, but it isn't spreading anymore.  And that is progress. Trusting in Him, April

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Jun. 5, 2008

I'm getting crash courses in botany and first aid ...

Poison Ivy!  It is driving me crazy.   I have never in my life had poison ivy.  To be honest, I wasn't sure how to recognize it other than the saying, "Leaves of three, leave them be."  Well, thanks to my two boys getting mild rashes of it, I started trying to learn about it.  Half-heartedly.  Until they got a second rash, which has been much worse.  This time, it has blistered up.  This time it just keeps spreading to new areas.  Well, I now know what it looks like ... although that was hard to figure out since pictures on the internet varied.  (By the way, it's very sad how the simplest words and most innocent search can bring up garbage on the internet.)  But I figured it out, and I found where it is in our yard ... three areas, at least.  I showed the children where it is and warned them to stay out of it.  But in the meantime, we're researching what constitutes an extreme reaction, and what is a normal reaction.  I was ready to haul both boys into the Dr, thinking they were having an extreme systemic reaction ... with fever and vomiting and migrating rashes.  But, little 2 yo L has the same fever, and I didn't think she had poison ivy.  Now she does have bug bites that seem to be spreading, although she was only outside for about 5 minutes yesterday, and seemed to have gained a lot for that time period.  And today she has a light rash in her diaper area that was not there last night.  I joked the other day that we had chicken pox, and poison ivy.  Now, I'm not finding it funny at all.  Just frustrating and confusing. So, do I assume we have poison ivy with severe reactions in 3 kids?  Or poison ivy in 2 and some unknown virus in those 2 plus one more?  Or do we really have 3 kids with chicken pox, and 2 of them also have poison ivy?  I DON'T KNOW!!  I just want the poison ivy to stop spreading!!  I've washed their sheets.  I've washed their bath towels.  I've showered them.  Now what?  Why does it keep spreading?  I'm having a hard time separating myth from truth.  One person swears it's spreading because the blisters are popping ... but the websites I found on the internet all claim that's a myth.  One website claims that it can travel UNDER the skin and appear in other places.  Most websites say it only spreads by contact with the urushiol oil being passed from body part to body part, or inanimate object to body.  But we've washed them and it's still popping up in new places daily.  And if it's on something in the house, how am I supposed to figure out what piece of furniture or toy or whatever has it? 4 yo M had a large cluster of blisters on his elbow area that formed into a giant blister.  It was bumped and popped, as I knew it would be eventually.  But the skin peeled back, and now we've had to bandage it with antibiotic ointment and a large non-stick gauze pad.  7 yo J has it on his face!  His cheek blistered up and just popped, so I need to apply antibiotic ointment to it.  But he has it above and under his eyes, and I'm dreading those blistering, and especially popping. If I was confident the Dr's office could tell me what was going on, I'd take them in.  But I expect the Dr would be just as confused as I am.  At least 4 yo M and 2 yo L both are over their fevers, and no one is throwing up anymore.  Although 12 yo A just showed me a suspicious area on her leg.  Please pray that my kids get better, and no one else gets it.  Frustrated but Trusting in Him, April

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May. 29, 2008

Trying to think of something to post ...

I keep feeling like I should post an update here, but can't think of anything to post.  We had a busy week last week with family coming in for the funeral, the funeral itself, and helping to clear out Grandma's room at the nursing home.  It was topped off with a stomach virus hitting the kids.  Not fun! We just got the kids moved back into their bedrooms yesterday, although I did keep the last-hit child (4 yo M) on his bedroom floor in a sleeping bag, just in case.  (We don't like kids throwing up in their beds, or even their bedrooms in the middle of the night, so we usually move them to the living room floor on pallets, with buckets beside them as soon as one of them gets sick.)  After several days of pallets all over the living room, it was a mess.   So yesterday we had to clean up the scattered toys, vacuum most of the house, and basically regain some order in the home.  I played around with figuring out how to fit in two chairs and another lamp that we received from Grandma's room.  In the end, I actually removed one of our wooden rockers (needs repaired) and 3 lamps (no longer needed with the overhead lights we added) to achieve a better arrangement. We've had rain daily for a week.  It's nice to have the cooler weather, but I'd love some sunshine, and to be able to use the clothesline and send the kids out to play without them coming in muddy messes.  Steve was able to get quite a bit of outside yard work done last week and during dry moments over the weekend, though.  The bushes are getting long-overdue trims, and he was able to mow really well last week, as well.   We're continuing on with our schoolwork.  We still have 6 weeks to finish out this school year.  And we have to get at least 6 weeks of school in before the baby is born, so we can take a break afterwards.  We may get a few weeks off in July, but not many.  We have 2 weeks of Tapestry of Grace, Year 2, left.  We're finishing up the Revolutionary War, and beginning to learn about the French Revolution, as well.  I pulled out the Year 3 lesson plans yesterday so I can start looking at what we'll be covering in the upcoming unit. The children are diving into their summer reading programs.  Besides our local library program, they're doing The Old Schoolhouse Summer Splash reading program, as well.  They're glad they can count their Tapestry of Grace reading for the programs, but also sneaking in as much personal reading time as they can.  I signed up for the local library program for adults, but haven't read anything yet.  I need to pick something to read when we go to the library today. We're still battling the barn swallows.  I had decorated our porch with bunches of tissue paper and curling ribbon to dissuade them from landing above the window or door.  It worked for awhile, but they finally found a way to land over the window.  Now, we just go out daily and knock down any progress they've made.  With the rain, they're making steady progress, but have yet to complete a nest.  Life is just continuing on, in a quiet steady way.  We're all taking each day as it comes, learning to do our work faithfully and cheerfully (still working on that part), and learning to love each other as God desires (that's the hard part, right?).  Each day  we have to work through each of those issues at least once with the children, and even ourselves.  But we keep trying, and keep looking to God for strength and grace to get up and do it all again. And now, my 2 yo has asked me to "take me hand" and "come here", so I'd better go help her wash those sticky hands and get her some goldfish crackers, and help the 7 yo with his math.  Just another day in our family.  *heart* Trusting in Him, April

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May. 20, 2008

Leaving a Legacy of Love

Steve's parents and siblings were here a few weeks ago to celebrate his Grandmother's birthday.  It was a wonderful celebration of her life, and her love for her family.   It was fun to pour out our love on her, too. Sadly, she died this weekend.  We are both thankful she didn't suffer, and shocked that she is gone without a warning.  None of us were able to be with her as she passed.  She was just gone. And now his family is returning, including his Uncle and cousins.  We are grieving the loss of the family matriarch, and yet rejoicing in the legacy of love she left behind.  When we first moved into this house, I wanted to make it all mine, to remove all vestiges of it having been Grandpa and Grandma's home.  I didn't want it to be "Grandma's bedroom", but "my bedroom".  I didn't want Grandma's color schemes and decor left behind.  Now, there were many things I appreciated about the home, but the color choices, the carpets, the drapes, and the lamps were not some of those things.   We were able to make some small changes, but have not been able to repaint  as we originally planned.   But over time, I've come to just accept the house as it is.  I'm still looking forward to painting and replacing the kitchen flooring, but I have also learned to love our new home as it is.  And we continually find new ways that our land and home charm us.  We are blessed to be here, and we are thankful.  We are glad to be living in the heritage and legacy that Steve's grandparents, great-grandparents, and great-great-grandparents built for us.  I pray we leave a similar legacy of love behind us:  love for God, love for the land, and love for each other. Trusting in Him, April

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May. 12, 2008

Haircuts, Brunch, Clothing Switch, and Lunch with Grandma

We had a pleasant, but busy, Mother's Day weekend.  It began Friday with showers for all the children (knowing that Saturday was going to be quite packed) and haircuts.  I set up my hair salon in the living room Friday evening, and started with cutting 3-4 inches off the back of my oldest daughter's hair, 12 yo A.  She used to never want it cut, but now she asks me to trim it to her upper back-shoulder blade length once or twice each year.  Then it was time to trim my youngest daughter's hair.  2 yo L needed her bangs trimmed, and we decided to trim the hair around her face also, curving it so the wisps don't end up getting into everything she eats.  We left its length in back, and thankfully, her natural wave and curl makes it look cute.  I'm sure if her hair were straight, it would have been a sloppy-looking job.  But with the wave and curl, it covers my mistakes. The boys both got their hair trimmed.  I do use the clippers, but I never buzz the top very short.  I use the longest "cutting guide" on top, and the #3 around the sides and back.  And then it was Steve's turn.  He'd mentioned having me use the clippers all over his head (like the boys) earlier in the week, but backed out at the last minute, and still had me use scissors for the top of his head. Saturday morning, the three oldest girls and I went to brunch with the ladies of our church.  It was held at a tea house in our town, and was delicious.  Well, I thought so.  Two of my daughters didn't enjoy the meal, and one enjoyed most of it.  I enjoyed *all* of it!  We rushed home from the brunch and did the seasonal clothing switch.  I didn't have all my laundry washed and put away beforehand, as I prefer to do.  But, now that the boxes are stored in the basement, instead of the kids' closets, I have been waiting for Steve to be home to carry the boxes upstairs for me.  When we moved in, I carried many of them downstairs myself, but I wasn't pregnant then. Partway through the clothing switch, Steve suggested I get the boxes organized again.  They used to be divided by gender and size, but that was lost several years ago, and has become worse with each year.  That goal, combined with needing to finish the laundry to pull out more winter items that weren't clean, meant that we didn't get the boxes put away again that day, as we usually do. Sunday, we attended church, and then went to the nursing home to eat a delicious lunch with Steve's Grandma.  It really was a wonderful meal, and Steve and I left there very full (after cleaning a few kids' plates).  We visited with her for awhile, and then we left to do some quick shopping while we were in town.  After a visit to the grocery store and Walmart, we headed home.  The rest of Mother's Day had Steve and the kids outside doing yard work, and me inside doing laundry slowly.  We were working, but not in a rushed way.  It was fairly relaxed.  We went to bed with a messy living room and dining room as proof of our busy weekend, and relaxed Sunday afternoon/evening. I woke up this morning and planned the kids schoolwork for the week, after my devotions.  While the kids were doing their schoolwork, I spent quite a bit of time trying to download the Mother's Day gifts at Currclick.com.  Now, the schoolwork is done and it's time to get the kids moving on chores.  I need to fold the clean clothes, and have the kids put away the items they're keeping out, so I can sort these boxes of clothes and get them out of my living room.  The boxes being here makes every little mess seem gigantic. Tomorrow we have a homeschool picnic and meeting, and some errands to run in town.  I'm not sure how much housework will get done at home, so we'd better get moving today.  I hate to think about it, but I may still be working on this clothing switch on Wednesday.  It never takes me more than two days, and this time it's just dragging on and on.   But it will definitely be better to have the tote boxes organized.  Then if someone gets too tall for their pants, I can go look for larger ones instead of waiting until the next seasonal switch. While the children start picking up their messes, and before I start folding laundry, I need to get the pork chops and rice into the oven for supper.  I won't have a box-free living room when Steve gets home, but we'll clean up the rest of the messes so it looks better than when he left this morning. Trusting in Him, April

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May. 9, 2008

Our 14th Anniversary is Coming

Next week, Steve and I will celebrate our 14th anniversary.  Today we received a gift in the mail.  It's another Willow Tree angel for my small Willow Tree collection.  It's my 7th Willow Tree figurine, I think.  One we bought ourselves when we were expecting our 6th child, one my sisters gave me, four I gained from freecycle, and now this gift. We received the Angel of the Garden, and the inscription that goes with it says "bringing forth a garden of love and beauty."  I hope, and pray, that we are bringing forth a garden of love and beauty in our family, our marriage, our children, as well as our land.   I thought it was a lovely reminder of our goals for our family, and my purpose as a wife and mother. Trusting in Him, April

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May. 7, 2008

So what have we been up to, you're wondering?

Or maybe you're not wondering at all ... but for those who do check in to see what we're up to, I'd better post an update. We've had company for two weekends in a row.  We celebrated Steve's Grandma's birthday with his parents and siblings two weekends ago, and then my sister was here this past weekend.  It's always fun to have family visit.  We'll be hosting a friend of mine at the end of this month, and Steve's cousins and Uncle in June.  We're looking forward to those visits, as well. We're doing well here.  We had a couple interesting weeks with 4 yo M.  He was sick the week before Steve's family came, but we thought it was a fever and rash reaction from his MMR vaccination the week before.  The nurse had said he would run a fever in a week, and we were also told the rash was likely a reaction to that.  Except, then the fever came back, he kept having headaches, and the rash changed in appearance.  So, we took him to the Dr., only to find out he had a strep infection.  I'd asked him if his throat hurt all week long, and he had always said no.  Oh well.  In the middle of that, he also slipped on his jacket, fell into the coffee table, and split his skin on his brow bone.  We ended up super-gluing it together, because he did not want to go to the Emergency Room, but it wouldn't stop seeping on its own.  I gave him homeopathic Arnica tablets from Hyland's to help reduce the bruising.  It did help.  He only bruised above his eye, along the bone.  We expected a total black eye at first. It took him quite awhile to get rested and return to his normal self from that infection.  A sick 4 yo with company is not the most fun to be around.  Unfortunately, his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were treated to a view of his less desirable behavior -- including some major meltdowns caused by fatigue.  Poor little guy.   He's fully recovered now, and his eye looks great, too.  The scab is off, and the bruise is almost gone. We're enjoying Spring here in our new home.  It's fun to look out the window and see a bunny feeding just 15 feet away.  It's wonderful to hear the birds singing all around us, and the mourning doves cooing right outside the living room window.  It's exciting to watch and wait to see what this flower or that will turn out to be, once it blooms.  (Grandpa's extensive flower beds have dwindled down to scattered plants here and there that make mowing a challenge.  We need to transplant them to consolidate them.)  The kids are also enjoying running, playing, and riding their bikes outside in the warmer weather.  I've been enjoying hanging clothes out on the clothesline, and bringing them in.  2 yo L especially likes to "help" me with that project. Yesterday was exciting (in a new and unusual way) because the barn swallows that have nested on the front porch (unused by Grandma when she lived here) for years returned.  They kept flying up to the two previous nesting sites (we've knocked down the nests each Fall for the past couple years).  We kept banging on the window frame, or yelling at them to go away.  I was starting to feel like a crazy woman, hollering and banging every 2-3 minutes.  Finally, the kids started watching them from the window in the door, then running out onto the porch screaming to scare them away.  But just a few minutes later, the birds would return.  I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever settle the children down to schoolwork, but the birds finally gave up (for now) around lunchtime.   I don't mind them building their mud nests on our house; but right above the front door is not a good place, since their droppings fall onto the door, its handle, and the mat beneath it.  Steve doesn't want them nesting on the porch at all, because of their droppings. We have not planted a garden yet.  We've been struggling to get and keep our lawn mowers running.  My sister brought her push mower with her last weekend, so we could make some progress.  That helped tremendously, but now we need to figure out our mower problems so we can keep it mowed.  We need to mow, and then till the garden area.  We did plant annual flowers in the long built-in porch planter two weekends ago.  We planted begonias and impatiens, and they will be lovely once they bush out and fill the planter fully. We decided against chicks for this year, since we don't have a hen house in good working order, at the moment ... and we couldn't agree on a location.  The old hen house and brooder house are on the far side of the property, and I'd prefer a closer one.  So, for now, it's on hold.  We do intend to get guineas as soon as they are available, though.  We need them to help control the tick population. Life is just settling into a normalcy right now.  The unexpected expenses of the winter have eased.  The cars are all running again (although some still have their quirks).  Having our cars all running has allowed us to start to be more involved at church, and have more freedom while Steve is at work.  The house is all settled, although the basement and garage are still disorderly.  The children are all mostly well, and we've begun getting general checkups for each of them with our new family Dr.  The pregnancy is progressing well.  My morning sickness has passed.  At 21 weeks, I'm definitely showing now, and the baby is kicking and squirming on a daily basis.  Steve has even felt one of the stronger kicks. We're keeping an eye on 2 yo L, who is showing signs of having a return of her Reactive Airways from 2 summers ago when she was just a baby.  She had no problems last Spring and Summer, so this is disappointing.  I took her in last Friday because I had heard some rattling in her lungs, but they were clear while we were at the Dr's office.  She seemed okay over the weekend, despite her deep cough and runny nose, but the rattle returned in her lungs Monday and Tuesday.  I can hear it with the stethoscope.  There isn't a wheeze, though, so I'm watching her and trying to decide when to take her in ... I want them to hear what I'm hearing next time, but I don't want to let things wait too long.  Of course, I'd prefer that she recover and we not have to go down the path of breathing treatments and steroids again.  When we moved here, we knew we'd be opening our home to more pollens, since it is not air conditioned and we will be opening the windows more often, through 3 seasons.  But we moved from a fully carpeted home to this house with wood floors, which we knew would be an improvement.  We removed all the old furniture, drapes, and two very old dirty carpets which could have held allergens.  So, now we just wait and see how all the children react.  So far, I would say that the Spring allergies aren't any worse for the kids, Steve and I, than they were the past two years in our old home and environment.  But we're still watching 2 yo L. Homeschooling is moving steadily along.  Some of the children have finished their handwriting workbooks, so I'm printing things from the internet for them until we decide to place an order.  We're studying the American Revolution in the final unit of Tapestry of Grace, year 2, at the moment.  We'll move on into Year 3 as soon as we finish.  Because of our 3 month moving break last Fall, and the maternity break we'll take this Fall, we're planning to school through the summer months.  We've never schooled completely through the summer before, but every year is different. I just started using Before Five In A Row with 4 yo M last week, because I felt he was needing some time with Mommy.  He's excited about it, and enjoying the snuggle time.  2 yo L usually listens in, too.  I need to print some simple handwriting things for him to do when he wants to "do school", as well.  And I need to be sure to read to him and 2 yo L more often.  7 yo J has been asking me to do Five In A Row again.  I'm not sure if I want to do FIAR, B4 FIAR, and Tapestry of Grace, though.  So I may either move 4 yo M up into FIAR and do it with 7 yo J ... or I may just make more effort to read to 7 yo J from some of the Tapestry of Grace books.  He had become bored with them, and seemed resistant to listening, so I had quit trying to read to him ... assigning 8 yo C to read to herself instead.  But now J seems to miss that reading time, so we'll work it back in. 7 yo J still lacks confidence in reading.  He's working through the Bob books, and can read, but is slow to recall the sounds at times, is easily distracted, and just needs more practice for skill and confidence.  He keeps saying he can't read, and I have to keep reminding him he can ... he just needs to keep practicing.  The summer reading program begins this month, so we'll try to find simple books he can read for that. This morning, we have been watching a yellow plane fly back and forth around our house.  I had heard it fly VERY close to our house a few mornings ago, but the curtains were still closed.  This morning, I saw it when it flew right over our tree line.  Then 4 yo M woke up, and he and I watched it together.  It is circling over a field behind a hill across the highway.  We see it every now and then over the hill.  Then it will cross over the highway, fly over Grandma's field, turn around and go back over the highway.  I finally had M go wake up 7 yo J so he could watch it, too.  I sent him just in time, because it only continued for a short time after that.  But in the end, all the children had a chance to watch him. Now the children have mostly finished eating breakfast, and it's time to turn our attention to schoolwork and chores for the day.  As I said, life is just routine for us at the moment, but it's a good routine. Trusting in Him, April

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Apr. 14, 2008

And the verdict is ... drumroll please ...

We went for our ultrasound today.  Technically, I am 17 weeks, 6 days pregnant.  Baby looked healthy, with all its parts in good working order.  Heart rate was 132, once it held still long enough to get a good measure.  Baby likes holding its arms up around its head, and across its face ... sleeps like Daddy, I guess.  It measured at 18 weeks 6 days, and 9 ounces.  Since the dates can be off by a week, either way, my due date will likely not change.  Or I may be having another big baby ... which from the best we can tell, is most likely a boy.  Both my boys were big.  J was nearly 9 lbs, and he was 10 days early.  I always have wondered how big he would have been, if we hadn't induced early.  M came right on time, but he was 9 lbs. 12 oz.  Yikes!  It wasn't easy to tell the gender, at first.  The umbilical cord was running between the legs, blocking our view, although I kept thinking I was seeing a "turtle" to the left of the cord.  We checked again later, and although baby didn't like holding still, it looked like a "turtle" to the technician and me.  She was a little hesitant to declare it a boy, but that's her best guess.  All the kids and Steve were there, so we all were able to see it, and hear the verdict.  We won't go all-out buying blue stuff, but it's probably another boy.  And an active one, at that.  Made me smile because when I was pregnant with 2 yo L, the only gender specific items I bought were a couple girlie outfits at a yard sale.  Last weekend at a yard sale, I bought two gender neutral sleepers, and one boyish one at a yard sale.    Maybe I have some subconscious ideas, after all.  Or, God just provides what we need, even when we have no idea. Then there is our name issue.  We have been undecided on one gender name with the last several pregnancies ... only to not need that name, after all.    God has helped us settle on the name we DID need.  This time, I have had a hard time even making a "top favorites" list of girl names.  The boy list of names is much shorter and I like almost all of them. Steve has asserted this baby is a boy, all along, and has used a specific name a couple different times.  The kids are sure we've chosen that name, but when I asked Steve if he was settled on that name, he just gave me "a look".   So, I guess not. We'll see.  It could be a girl, but ... it looked like a boy.    I keep reminding the kids that we can't know for sure, but they are convinced it's a boy.   Of course, I've had to try hard not to refer to the baby as HIM all through this post.  Regardless, it's healthy so far, and that's most important. Trusting in Him, April

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Apr. 8, 2008

Fleeting Flutters and Tiny Thumps ...

No, I'm not referring to mice in the walls, or any other critters.  Nothing that goes bump in the night ... except a little tiny baby growing inside me.  Just before 14 weeks I was blessed with a "sneak peak" when I felt 4 or 5 fast kicks against an elastic waistband.  But in the past week, I've begun to feel little flutters and thumps.  This morning as I was reading my Bible, I felt several thumps in a row, in the same area, that was definitely the baby greeting me. I'm so thankful for those fleeting flutters and tiny thumps.  I love hearing the baby's heartbeat around 12 weeks, but until I feel those daily movements, I can't help but worry and wonder at times.  Is my baby still okay?  Will my next Dr. or midwife visit still find that heartbeat? But now the baby and I can communicate daily.  If I start to wonder, I just need to drink some juice and lie down to rest for awhile.  Baby will wake up and reassure me that he/she is well.  And I love feeling that new life and new personality growing inside me.  In 6 days we will have our ultrasound, and I will get to see this new little one.  I've lived without ultrasounds before, and I could do it again ... as long as I could feel those little thumps and flutters, and eventually bumping and banging around inside.  (Yes, I've had some rowdy little babies before.) Praising God for this precious gift today, April

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