Well here's me at almost 30 weeks.  We had just got back from the senior banquet.  I'm scarred, very scarred of just how big I'm going to get, lol.

Semester is almost OVER!  DH has decided to stay on summer crew.  So we'll be staying here instead of going back home for the summer.  I'll be going home at 38 at weeks, around the end of May.  I'm going to miss my MIL, SIL and her kids and all the stuff we'd do all summer.  SIL is due the end of Aug.  I miss being PG with her.  These babies are due 7 weeks apart, our last 2 are 7 weeks apart, our boys are 4 weeks apart.  Our oldest aren't quite so close, the girls are a little less than 2 years apart.  There's one other grandkid in there, from my other SIL who comes between my oldest and SIL's oldest boy.  So grandbabies 8 and 9 are coming this summer for my IL's.

Did I mention on here MIL is my MW?  I love that!  I wouldn't want to labour with out her. She was so awesome last time!  She was still in school at that point.  Her teacher was my MW.  But MIL stayed in the bathroom, while I relaxed in the jacuzzi tub and poured water over my belly.  It was awesome!  We'll be having the baby at her house.  I'm real excited about it!  But that's a whole post for another time.

Speaking, well, typing of the baby, lol...Only 8 weeks to go!  8 more weeks til I snuggle another beautiful blessing from the Lord.  Ooooh I can hardley wait!  The kids are getting anxious too.  I've gained 14" of belly!  I'm nearly 50% larger around my waist. I've never been this big before.  None of my clothes fit really.  I have so little I can leave the house in.  DS was 9lbs 15oz.  I'm afraid this one may reach 13lbs!  I'm just praying for under 9lbs.  Just like I did with DD2 and God blessed me with a sweetie just 2oz shy of 9lbs.

My oldest actually enjoys math now.  Praise God, it's a miracle!  She gets it.  It's not a struggle anymore.  I'm so thrilled we switched to MUS.  She's really coming along with her reading too.  She use to cry when I asked her to read something.  Now she's reading boxes, signs, papers, anything she sees.  I'm just so happy for her!  The majority of the year, she really struggled, but now she's really getting everything.  And she enjoys learning again.  That's the best part!

DS, who's just 4 picks up on EVERYTHING.  We're doing Get Ready for the Code with him.  We aren't finished, but he already knows all his sounds of the letters.  He's starting to read basic books just a little.  He's doing Primer of MUS.  But seems to already know everything I'm teaching him.  I started schooling him cause he was coming up to me and telling me what letter words started with and addition questions with the correct number that he just made up in his head.  The other day I asked my oldest "What plus 8 equals 10"  DD was still thinking when DS shouts out "2!" after only a few seconds.  I'm probably going to move him onto Alpha pretty soon.

As for the youngest, she's just a sweet heart!  She's 2, no doubt about that.  But for the most part, she's just a joy to have around and has such a sense of humor.  Much like her older sister.  I tell ya, between my 3 kids, I could just laugh all day.  They are so funny.  Anyway, we're still working on potty training with her.  When I was 28 weeks, I realized my plans for having her trained by baby was slowly closing.  Now I'm leaving tomorrow for 2 weeks and at the end for 2 weeks.  IDK about leaving her in underware while visting someone.  Seems like a bad idea.  Pull-ups really set her back.  We'll have to see what happens.

Well, I really am lousy at daily blogging eh?  Ah well, I do try  

We drove to a small church about an hour and a half away for DH to preach at on Sunday.  What was really cool is we drove up Saturday night and stayed at the parents of a very good friend of DH's.  They we really nice and so hospitible.  DH preached an amazing message on prayer and how we need to pray for people, situations, government issues and everything else instead of complaining about it.  It was DH's 2nd time preaching to a congregation.  It was his first time in front of a congregation he's never met or been to before.  I was so proud!  He has an amazing gift.  I just sat there smiling at him.  I really love him.  Even when he's just encouraging a friend, or debating a topic (don't get him started on evolution, lol) or just discussing theological things.  He just presents himself so well and seems so knowledgable.  I just love listening to him.  We had our senior prophecy a couple weeks ago.  Where the heads of the school and fellowship prophecy over senior students and their families if married.  It was prophecied that he'd be a pastor.  He'll make a great one.  There were some things prophecied over me too.  But that's another post for another time.  Anyway, I know DH will make a great pastor one day and I'll be proud to start behind him.

I'm so excited!  It's so beautiful.  DD1 was asking about it all day as we knew to day was the expected arrival.  We egarly opened the box and pulled out everything.  It's beautiful and soft and just perfect. Now this is my favorite for this baby's gender.  I know if we have more, I will use it again now.  It's always been in my head, now it's in my home.  DD1 wanted to set up the nursery today, but I said we'll wait another 10 weeks.  We'll wash it in baby wash first.  Plus, 15 weeks of sitting around would leave it dusty probably.  But I can't wait anymore than at 35 weeks.  I suppose sometime soon, I'll have to make a trip back home.  My grandfather has been kind enough to let us store our kid's outgrown clothes in his basement.  I can't wait to go through it all.  I'll have to plan a week.  I did this with DD2, i went through all the clothes, sorted out gender and then boxed it up by season for as long as I had clothes available til. 

So the nursery was this months purchase.  Next month is cloth diapers.  Oh I can't wait!  Lots of snuggly little diapers.   The next month after that, I plan to buy everything I need for the homebirth, which will be our first water birth:)  And other stuff I'll need for the new baby.

15 weeks from today our baby is due:)

I went ahead and ordered Explode the Code.  I'm also planning on buying Math-U-See.  Boy I hope these work.  I like that they don't have grade levels attatched.  It feels a little freer to go at whatever pace neccessary.

I've also decided to get Mystery of History for the fall and either Answers in Genesis or Apologia.  We'd also like to do French.  But history, science and French are minors for us.  I'd ratehr just have fun with the kids, ensuring we get reading and math done and do the others when we have time.  We'll see how it goes:)

So these are the things running through my mind.  My oldest, 6 1/2, can only read phonetically correct words.  I tried Learning language arts through literature, but it was too slow.  I tried Horizon's, but it was too fast.  So now what do I buy my lil' Goldie Locks that is just right?  It looks like to really get most programs, you should start at K and follow through 2. But I think we're a little late for that.  She'll be doing grade 2 in the fall.  Can I really jump her into a grade 2 program with none of the background?  Can I really put my then 7 year old in a K program?

I have Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons, but never even started lesson 1.  I've heard Teaching reading at home.   Not sure if it's any good.  I've also heard recommendations for explode the code. I like that Explode the Code isn't a grade number, so I can just put her where she needs to be. 

As for Math...we bought Horizon's at the recommendation of a friend who was a PS teacher before kids and who's DH is a teacher too.  They gotta know what they're doing right?  It moves way too fast.  The whole spiral approach isn't working for us.  I think we need mastery.  She's not mastered addition.  She's getting everything else, but still needs her fingers or a number line to get a lot of it.  With MUS, I think she'd do better with the blocks, feeling and touching the math.   Plus I can order Canadian.  You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find Candian homeschool material! (Unless you are Canadian too).  But then there's saxon, good ol' reliable saxon.  It's what my SIL uses.  I know it's thorough, it's scripted.  I really want scripted.  We want are kids to take accredited homeschool in highschool so they get a diploma.  Would MUS have them smart enough to be able to jump into a grade 9 program when they get there?

And then there's Abeka.  Part of me just wants to say, forget it.  I'm sick of searching.  Let's just buy Abeka, the whole package and be done with it!  No more searching.  They must be good as they've been around so long.  But I heard it's too much work and moves too fast.  It's desgined for a school, so there's too much busy work.

I don't know.  How do I make a decision? How do I know what's right without trying it first?  And how do I get through this without spend several hundreds of dollars?

Sorry I'm so slow on getting on here.  Our internet is down, so I just have DH's laptop when he's not using it at school or work. 

My biggest news is

I'm pregnant!!!!

I'm so  thrilled to be expecting! I'm just about half way through the PG.  Boy time flies!  It gets faster with each one.  Although we'd be thrilled no matter what, we're very excited it's another boy!   DS couldn't stop smiling all day when we told him it was a little brother.  So now we have 2 of each:)

DH has just entered his senior year.  I can't believe a year from now we'll be gone from here.  I love it here!  We live in the middle of nowhere on a bible college campus.  Not much goes on here.  I love it.  I came from a big city and I'm dreading going back.

DD1...well, the homeschool honey moon is over.  We've switched to Horizon's and it's brought much tears.  I'm praying God leads me to a different cirriculum at a low cost cause this just isn't working.

DS- Can't wait to get him out of preschool!  I want all my babies home with me:)

DD2- She just turned 2, is full of smiles and learning to talk.  Next adventure- the potty!

Hope everyone is having a great new year!

How was everyone's summer?  i hope my readers come back:)

I couldn't wait for summer to be over!  DH took a job on the road this summer so he was hardly home.  We're back on campus now and it's great!!  We've joined a home school group for our oldest at our church.  She'll have math, art and gym once a week.  She just turned 6, lost her first tooth and started grade 1 all in the same week.  That's too much for me!  Oh if only she'd stop growing!  The boy, he FINALLY potty trained over the summer.  He was still having a few accidents a week, but now he rarly does.  He'll be 4 next month.  It really does takes boys longer.  The younger one, she'll be 2 in a couple months.  She's now potty training and talking a bunch.  She speaks in 3 word sentences, occassionally 4 and is such a sweet little doll.  DH is enjoying being back with his family and back at school.  As for me, I'm still trying to get everything back in order from coming home.  I've got my MOTH schedule ready to go and I'm about to start working on MOTC chore cards from www.titus2.com 

I'm so glad to be blogging again.  Hope everyone had a great summer!

PS-  if your HSB name is something other than your screen name on a forum we share, could you let me know who you are and where I know you from?  Thanks:)

I drove 5 hours in bad weather to get Ashley to an ENT appt only to find out the Dr is sick. She was able to have her hearing checked. She passed the noise test at an acceptable level. Her left ear had a normal peak, however, her right ear was pretty flat. She said it may be because she was crying. We go back on May 31st. I'm trying to stay optimistic that it was cause she was crying. At the same time though, I flip back and forth from being sad she may not have hearing in her right ear to thankful she can hear in her left.

I'm glad I went though.  When I got there I found out my Nana is in the hospital.  She has dementia and it's taken a turn for the worse.  My grandfather can no longer take care of her.  She's a danger to herself and others.  She has it so that she's almost always angry and makes up the craziest stories.  She's always fighting with my Grandpa.  When I went to see her the second time, she knew who I was who my kids were and just talked to me for a bit.  She told me she loves my Grandpa and that she's really sorry but there's nothing either of them can do.  That is so amazing.  In her dementia, she hates my grandfather.  It was such a blessing to hear her say that and to be able to tell my grandpa she said that.  My grandpa had a break down and cried that he just didn't want her to be mad at him.  They both said one sentence each that will stick with me forever.  All the fighting over the last few years because of the illness and I seen their hearts.  They really do love each other and they've been torn apart by this.  My Grandfather feels like he's abandoning his wife of over 50 years because she can no longer live at home.  They are awaiting her bed in a nursing home.  She's on constant watch as she tries to escape, which she does at home too.  A few times my neighbour has brought her home.  It's so sad the rate of decline.  5 years ago she was such a big help to me with my 1st child, now she can't even take care of herself.  The bright side of this is that it's really drawing my Grandpa closer to the Lord.  He told me he's been praying for her and the situation and we prayed together that they would find the right treatment for my Nana in the right facility and peace for both of them.

I guess things come in 3 as I just got a call today.  A friend of mine back home just had her baby girl at 35 weeks via c-section.  The baby has a large tumor on her spine.  Tomorrow the baby will have a 6-7 hour operation on her spine to remove it.  I don't know anymore than this.  MIL called to give me me the news.

So if you could pray that my 16 month old has full hearing in both ears, that my Nana finds peace in her end days, that my Grandfather feels the Lord's comfort as he adjusts to the changes and that my friend is comforted by the Lord as well and that he baby makes through the surgery fine and there is no lasting effects of the tumor, I would really appreciate it.

Sorry, late again...

I was in Canada for two days, but that's another post.

The truth is, I'm petrified of bees.  I've been known to run away screaming.  I've been trying to be strong for my kids, but it's so hard.  I dont want them to live with this fear.  My MSN name the other day was "My spring is ruined, I seen a bee".  Also, I can't stand it when people dont signal.  It really bugs me.   So, alas, I am a movie talker!  I like talking during movies, so it really doesn't bug me when others do.  I want to talk about what's going on, who that actor is, what other movie I've seen him in.  If it's a sequel, what happend in the first.  Yeah, I'm probably pretty annoying to watch a movie with.  However, I usually dont talk in theaters.

Ok, I'm so not creative.  To think of 3 more hmmmmm.

a) My anniversarry is in June

b) We got engaged in February

c)  I met my husband in the month of December

There...I'm getting really bad at these, lol.

Not perfect, no day ever is.  But it was good.  I kept checking the clock cause it was so early and I already had so much done!  I got all the house work done, all the home schooling done and we made play doh to mold letters, I played with the kids, had one-on-one time with the baby, played a game as a family, time alone with DH, read my bible and read my book.  The kids behaved well, I got along with DH, the baby went down for her nap well and DH said she went to sleep at bedtime real easy too.  The kids were in bed on time and DH and I watched a movie while eating chips and ice cream.  I felt joy all day.  I wish everyday could be that way 

I've been reading my bible just about daily since my birthday and I can feel the change.  I'm growing closer to God and while I have a LONG way to go, I can see that I'm turning more into the wife, mother and women I pray to be.  Oh if only I listened to DH sooner.  Just staying closer to the things he recommend.  #1 read the bible daily.  What a change it makes!

Anyone want to commit with me?  To reading the bible everyday.  Even if you can only get 1 chapter in.  Just t pick up your bible and be feed His word daily.  If you are already doing it.  Great job!!

I was first introduced to the quiverful movement 2 1/2 years ago.  I immediately felt like this was right.  DH not so.  He eventually came around but unsurprisingly, about a year ago, when I started to waiver, he dropped it altogether.  Not that we really did much to prevent, nor has my fertility returned after my last baby who just turned 16 months but he was expressing desire to change that now that baby is getting older and nursing is less reliable. (non hormonal, we're against that)  Anyway, he was saying one more baby.  One more after he's done at college.  He'll be done 12/08.   HOWEVER!!!! on Monday when DS was asking when he could have a little brother, DH said "tomorrow" and later at dinner prompted DS to pray for a brother!!!  I'm so excited!!  I was dreading waiting another 2 years for a baby.  You know, somehow, somehow I feel we will end up QF.  I ponder over everything.  It's quite simple that God told us to be fruitful and multiply.  God says that children are a blessing and blessed is he who's quiver is full.  God is to be in control of EVERY area of our lives.  Yet it seems when you talk to Christians, it's every area but fertility.  For that, we are suppose to use our heads, be responsible, yaddy yah.  Yet in everything else, we are to give over to the Lord.  Why you suppose that is?  I've been thinking that the fact that the "quiverful movement' says something itself.   Look at all the shows like 'Kid's by the dozen"  (We have no cable or satellite, but I have people mail them to me).  So what is behind this movement?  It can't be Satan.  Why on earth would Satan be trying to populate the world with more Christians?  So is it God?  It would make sense that God is calling people to surrender their whole lives to Him.  Is it a calling?  Or should all Christians do this?  Another thing I read once was about how God does things is 40 year chunks.  It's been just over 40 years since on demand abortion and mass consumption of birth control came out.  Is God calling us away from the rejection of the fruit of the womb?  Turning our hearts back to what He call a blessing?  I've hear people speculate on what would happen if more Christian families became QF.  Just imagine how fast Christianity would be the dominate religion if every Christian family was QF and all their children were QF for generations on while the rest of the world continues to decline in fertility having just 1.4 children per couple.  Wouldn't take that many generations eh?

 IDK...sometimes I feel like it would be so easy to just follow everyone, heck even our own pastor says sterilization is OK.  But is it?  I don't know.  I figure, we've got at least 2 years before we need to 'worry' about that.  I'm just praying for God's will.  If it's God's will that we truly turn over this area to Him, then I pray He'll work in my DH's heart. 

In the mean time....can't wait for baby #4!!

Ok, so the truth is....

I did get an entrance scholarship to university.  However, only a week or so after I applied, I found out I was pregnant with #2.  I was already crying in the washroom at school cause I missed #1 so much.  I decided to stay home with my little ones instead of feeding them breakfast, shipping them off to day care, feeding them dinner and putting them to bed.  In the top 3 best decisions I ever made.  The other's would be accepting Jesus and marrying my DH.  My family was upset, they wanted me to go anyway!!  My baby was due in Oct...wasn't gonna happen.  I'm so glad to be home with my kids So yeah, I never made the cheerleading team.  I was sad.  I was a 9er and thought the cool girls were cheerleaders.  Too many movies...Then I learned their rep and was sooo glad I was shot down.  This guy told me I wasn't ugly enough or fat enough to make the team.  I said 'Thanks...I think"  I guess it was a suppose to be a compliment, lol.

This weeks:

I can't stand:

a) bees

b) when people talk during movies

c) when people dont signal

I do not nor have I ever had my nose pierced.  I have a blue and purple butterfly tatoo on my ankle.  I got my toungue piereced right around my 17th birthday and took it out shortly after 18.

Sorry for not posting Tuesday.  Here's another one:

I never made the cheerleading squad

I got an entrance scholarship to university

I was the first person to go to university in my family