Covered By His Hand

Baby's First ER Visit

2012-02-07T07:49:00.000-06:00

I had one of the biggest scares of my life yesterday.

Baby Jeremiah was dropped on the hard wood floor (by Josiah - age 2). I took Jeremiah immediately to ER as he was not responding in his usual way, he was not crying enough, and his eyes were only turning one direction (before fluttering shut).

We were there four hours and had a CT scan. There is no swelling and no bleeding in the brain, and his skull seems fine. He has a concussion (a family first), but he should be okay. I had to wake him up every 2 hours during the night and I have to continue doing that today. And, the Baby is getting Tylenol every 4 hours for his headache.

It was a very frightening situation. We could have lost our little man. I was hysterical with fear before I left for ER. Jeremiah could have died. And I still feel the extreme weight of that reality.

Mothers - Love on your children today. Give them hugs and kisses when they don't expect it. You just don't know how long you have - accidents happen in the blink of an eye.

P.S - Josiah is not traumatized over having dropped the baby. And we are all going to make sure that Josiah gets plenty of love and kisses today too! He was not trying to hurt the baby - he LOVES Jeremiah... he just needs a lot more guidance and supervision (along with obedience to our directions).

Added 5 minutes later: Just for clarification for those of you who don't know me very well - I do NOT blame Josiah. I place all responsibility for this on myself. (Which is why I said "I still feel the the extreme weight.")

Baby Jeremiah update

2012-02-04T16:29:00.001-06:00

The new baby is about 5 1/2 weeks old now.
He is developing more "personality" by the day.
He is trying to smile.
He is cooing a little.
And, he can occasionally put himself to sleep (miracle of miracles!).
He is still suffering from "colic" after 3 pm. I feel bad for him, he seems to be in great pain.

We introduced a "plug" today (AKA pacifier). He is only our second baby to even try a plug. Rebecca, our other grumpy baby, tried it but did not like it. Oddly enough, for all of her fussiness, Rebecca never took a plug or sucked her fingers. All our other babies have sucked their two middle fingers. Jeremiah has been gnawing on his knuckles lately, so I decided to buy a plug to test it out.

(Click the pictures if you wish to enlarge them)

Here is a pic of our little baby in "tummy time" this afternoon.

Smell the popcorn cooking

2012-02-02T11:31:00.000-06:00

With some of our Christmas money (a gift card to Macy's) we bought an Orville Redenbacher Hot Air Popcorn Popper. I gotta say that this machine is definitely worth the money!!! It pops the corn in less time than a microwave could (about 2 1/2 minutes)! The design of the machine also allows you to melt butter while the corn is popping - very cool.

We are really enjoying the ease and speed of this machine.

The (Almost) Whole Truth

2012-02-01T13:15:00.000-06:00

An update regarding my postpartum health:

I am tired...very tired. I am living on caffeine. If it wasn't for the screaming of a certain 2 or 4 year old every morning I would not get out of bed.

That about sums it up. (I forgot to mention that Baby Jeremiah is quite the screamer himself every evening!)

So, given my physical fatigue and other behind-the-scenes issues - I need a pick me up. Enter "YouTube therapy." I love to cruise through YouTube and find encouraging songs to bless my day. I hope this one is a blessing to you as well. "He's Been Faithful," by Carol Cymbala, recorded by Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.

Look What We Got

2012-01-28T12:01:00.004-06:00

Our new addition -

Great Grandma Meets Jeremiah

2012-01-27T10:06:00.001-06:00

We made a trip to IL last week to see family and friends. Here is a picture of my grandma with Jeremiah (about 3 weeks old).

In Christ Alone - Booth Brothers

2012-01-15T18:16:00.000-06:00

An awesome rendition of "In Christ Alone", by one of my favorite Southern Gospel Groups, The Booth Brothers.

Two Weeks Old

2012-01-12T11:00:00.000-06:00

Baby Jeremiah turned two weeks old y-day.

To celebrate, I lazed around in my pajamas until about 2pm.

(If you know me - in real life - then you know

that such an occurrence is simply unheard of!).

You can click the pic to enlarge it.

Review - Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2012-01-10T19:17:00.001-06:00

We were able to borrow the movie The Voyage of the Dawn Treader from our library, it made for an entertaining afternoon.

First, you have to know that I am a book lover, and The Chronicles of Narnia is among my favorites. So, when Paul picked this movie up from the library I was pretty leery. BUT, I was happily surprised by this installment of the Chronicles movies. As you would expect, Hollywood took some big liberties (as they did with the other Narnia movies...) but I liked the changes they made. It was clean and entertaining. No bad language. No adult themes. No silly romances (like in the previous Narnia movie).

For accuracy to the book, rent the BBC version. But, for creativity and entertainment value - this newer version gets two thumbs up from our family. (Everyone but Joshua liked it. He was scared... it is a bit "dark" for a four year old.)

Have you seen it? What did you think? Do you like the BBC version better or this new one?

Jeremiah's Birth Story

2012-01-09T12:32:00.000-06:00

...The Condensed Version...

I was scheduled to be induced first thing Wednesday, December 28th. I began having regular contractions after midnight the night before. I lightly slept through them, but knew that this was "the real thing." I got up and showered at 4:30 after a restless night. We planned to leave at 5:30. By then, the contractions were about 8 - 10 minutes apart. We arrived at the hospital just before six and were taken to a room.

6AM - Upon entering the labor and delivery room - I panicked - big time. Paul was beside himself, ~~because such irrational panic is reserved only for sightings of mice~~ because I rarely have such unreasonable fear. But all the sights and smells of the room made me remember my last experience (read Josiah's Birth Story here.) ... which we see now was more traumatic to me then we realized at the time. I knew that I feared labor, but we did not know how intense my fear was until I went into the room. I cried. I refused to get on the monitor. I refused to start the Pitocin. I wanted my doctor... and I thought I would demand a C-section. I was seriously, seriously out of my mind with fear.

7:30 - My own OB came in and talked very calmly with me, telling me that she understood my fear. She and another nurse explained that "there must have been some gross misunderstanding" regarding my last birth. She apologized that I was left to sit in fear for hours on end, afraid that my water would break and Baby Josiah would die. I gave Paul a look like "did I imagine the whole thing?", but no - Paul too had very real fear during Josiah's inducement as well. She left us alone to talk over what we wanted to do... would I go home and come back later???

8AM - Lllllooongg story short - My OB calmed me down enough to be able to make a rational decision. I was still scared of having something go wrong. I really do think I was traumatized by my last experience there. So, Paul and I (with the advice of my OB) decided to have an epidural put in. Not only would I be ready in case of any emergency, but I would have no pain if we had to use Pit to speed up labor. I have never done an epidural, and I felt a little like a failure. But, Paul told me that I was being proud. (He was right, by the way.) After talking it out, Paul and I both felt at peace about this decision.

By 9AM - The epidural was put in place and medicating me. I immediately felt my body relax. It was a wonderful feeling!!!

By 10AM- There was talk of breaking my bag of waters, but the baby was still too high and bouncy. So, we decided to go ahead and start Pitocin to aid my body in the process. I was not upset by this decision, because the epidural made me feel very relaxed. I did have an unusual response to the epidural. (not uncommon, just "abnormal") My blood pressure plummeted and I passed out. The quick fix was to give me more fluids through my IV. I had to wear an oxygen mask for 15-30 minutes, but I was feeling like myself again very quickly.

11AM to 1PM - It is all a bit of a fog... I slept some. Paul ordered lunch and read a book. They checked my progress and added more Pit every 20-30 minutes. Somewhere just around one they broke my water.

1-2PM - Immediately after breaking my water my labor went into "transition." I was very grateful that I could not feel the pain of it! They came in often and asked me how I was feeling. I was actually feeling very well... no pain, all relaxed... wonderful!

2:15PM - The OB said I was fully ready, though I could not feel as much pressure as I expected. I was truly amazed at how well the epidural worked! The OB called in the attending physicians and asked me to push. I did push - once, twice, three times and out popped a Baby.

2:20PM - A painless birth - we finally got to meet Jeremiah. They wrapped up my messy little man and placed him in my arms. I was crying for sheer joy over finally meeting him!

The clean-up was quick and uneventful. And, in no time at all I was nursing my little man in my recovery room.

All in all - it was a very good experience. I now think that epidurals are the best invention ever! (HOWEVER, I am not advising any first-time mom to use one! My body already knows how to have a baby, and even when numb I already know how to push. A first-time mom would not know how to push and your labor could end up drastically longer than if you went drug-free. But, for you natural birth veterans who have already done the drug-free thing for your first five babies - do give it a try! Epidurals are wonderful.)

My recovery time in the hospital was the best ever. I was able to get around and walk and use the toilet much sooner than usual! My body had been so relaxed during labor that I had significantly less muscle pains in the following week than I usually do. By 5PM the same night I felt like I could take over the world! I felt that good!!! I am very pleased that Paul talked me into the epidural. And, I am still at peace with our decision. I know that not everyone has a good experience, so please don't take me as the final authority. I am just saying that (for me) the epidural proved to be a wonderful procedure! If we have another baby I would plan to do another epidural if there was time! It made all the difference. What's more - this birth experience was so pleasant that I do not think I would spend my entire pregnancy worrying about the birth, as I did with this baby. There were moments when I could tame the worry, but for the most part, my pregnancy was marred by my constant fear of labor and delivery. Oddly enough, the epidural helped to relieve my fear. And, Paul and I (who were there) agree that the epidural was actually an answer to our prayers for peace and a pain-free delivery.

This was just a condensed version - if you have any comments or questions feel free to ask. I am usually an open book...

Baby's First Night Home - pics

2012-01-07T22:52:00.002-06:00

These pictures make me laugh, because they show how much was happening all at once. Rebecca could not get one single good picture.... Yet, these are precious pictures. All of these were taken on Baby Jeremiah's first afternoon home from the hospital. Click any pic to bring up the enlargements page. As you can tell, Josiah LOVES the new baby.

January Family Photo

2012-01-07T22:09:00.001-06:00

Time to set up the tripod!

Our new and improved family picture.

Rebecca - 9
Nelson - 8
Lydia - 6
Joshua - 4
Josiah - 2
Jeremiah - 10 days

Click any picture to bring up the enlargements page.

After doing our serious family photo, we did our fun photo. We allowed each child one "prop." Their choice of prop tells you a little something about each kiddo.

Paul zoomed in on individual children for cuteness' sake.

This one is our favorite!

Did you notice how Joshua is always looking to see what Nelson is doing... and then imitating it?

Too tired to post much

2012-01-03T09:50:00.002-06:00

Just a quick post, because I am too tired to be a good blogger right now :0)

Van Update - We have not found a big van yet, we have not sold our truck yet. BUT, Paul is buying a "third row bench seat" to replace our captain's chairs with. So, we will be able to sit one more body in the van. The only down-side (from a grown-up point of view) the children will have to climb over the seat to get to the back row. Hopefully this will be a short-lived experiment.

Baby Update - He's great. Y-day he weighed 9 pounds 3 ounces. His color is great. All is well. He is getting days and nights figured out! He slept more last night than he has yet. It meant that I laid there sweating to death in a "hot" house, but Baby slept well.

My Health - Tired. Bought some mommy supplements to try to help control all my hormonal ups and downs. (Evening Primrose, Iron Complex with Red Raspberry, Magnesium Citrate)

One of these days (after I get to sleep more than 2 hours together) I will write out a birth story. No rush on my part. I know that you would all be scolding me to rest ; )

More later...

Just Checking In

2011-12-31T16:41:00.001-06:00

Hello Friends!

Just a quick note to let you know that Baby Jeremiah and I are doing well.

We enjoyed the sunshine and warmth today!

Mid to high sixties in MO (in December!) - a nice change!

A few pics

2011-12-29T20:03:00.000-06:00

Bethany and Jeremiah are doing well and are at home now. Here are a few pics.

Jeremiah Ransome

2011-12-29T08:27:00.000-06:00

Rejoice, unto us a son has been given!

Jeremiah Ransome was born @ 2:20 PM on December 28, 2011.

He and Mom are healthy and strong. Mom is exceedingly joyful as well as Papa.

He weighed 8lbs. 15oz. and was 22 in. long.

Pics will come later, I left the camera with Mom.

Not Long Now

2011-12-26T19:53:00.003-06:00

No Baby Yet.

Unless baby appears first... and if the Lord wills...

I have my 40 week appointment tomorrow at 3:20. My parents are coming from IL tomorrow. We plan to celebrate Josiah's birthday (now age 2) with them tomorrow night. Then, first thing Wednesday I am scheduled to be induced. I have to be there at 6am.

Please keep the prayers coming for me, Baby 6, and the rest of the family. I don't know if I will post again for some time. Paul will take over after Baby comes.

Still Expecting

2011-12-24T08:09:00.004-06:00

No Baby yet.

Y-day we ran errands for hours. I walked through Wal-Mart, Sam's Club, and even Lowe's. Still no baby.

I know he will come in God's Time. This post is not me complaining, it is just me updating because I was not online y-day.

Ultrasound

2011-12-22T19:13:00.003-06:00

It is a little unusual to have a 39 week ultrasound, but we did it nonetheless.

Baby appears to be 8 pounds, 8 ounces ("give or take half a pound"). I do NOT have too much fluid, so that worry is no longer a concern.

I am thinking (at least today, right now) that if Baby does not come on his own I will go ahead and go in for the inducement Weednesday morning. We are praying that Baby would come before then, but NOT on Saturday. Paul will be working ALL DAY (until evening) delivering packages. He cannot get out of it unless I go into labor before he leaves that day (and even then UPS would not be congenial). He will be completely unavailable to me that day. So, we are praying for a Friday baby... or a Sunday baby, just NOT a Saturday baby. (I have made other arrangements just in case. I wouldn't go in alone...)

Thanks to y'all for your prayers.

Pictures by Rebecca

2011-12-22T12:01:00.000-06:00

Posted by Rebecca (with help from Mom)

click to enlarge

Updates

2011-12-21T09:16:00.002-06:00

Van Update: We still have not gotten a bigger van. We have been looking at ads and searching a few car lots. We need to sell Paul's truck to buy a van, and we have not gotten any "bites" on that yet. Keep praying. We know that God has something for us somewhere.

Paul's health: His pleurisy has not gone away, it will be 2 weeks today. I am wandering if he was misdiagnosed, but surely with a chest X-ray that is impossible... right? He is not gripping and clutching at his chest (the right side) the way he was in the beginning, but he says the pain has spread to a larger area. He is still working... but probably hoping the Baby will come soon and give him some time off.

School: I said that I am on maternity leave a few weeks back. But, we read a LOT! We go to the library several times a week and get dozens of books. I am glad the children love to read and be read to! But, no math or science for a while. I just don't have the physical and mental stamina right now.

Two Pics of Almost Two Year Old

2011-12-21T09:09:00.001-06:00

Above: Josiah before breakfast. Wearing an apron made 7 years ago for a 2-year-old Rebecca. Joey loves puzzles!

Below: Josiah after bath time.

39 Week Check Up

2011-12-20T18:29:00.000-06:00

Baby is healthy. His heartbeat was 126.

No dilation. Nothing happening.

I have scheduled an elective inducement for next Wednesday, the 28th. I don't want to do it, and I can still cancel... but I had to reserve a place early. Anyway, we won't know for sure until we see an ultrasound this coming Thursday, but my measurement jumped by 3cm in one week. Either the baby is huge, or I have too much amniotic fluid... either option is not happy.

I was induced with Josiah - you can read his birth story here. It was the same hospital almost exactly two years ago. I am scared. I don't like the pain of being given too much Pitocin. I don't like the pain of one contraction on top of another without break. And, I didn't like the fear of them telling me that if my water broke before baby's head was down that we would need and emergency C-section. All of those painful memories are right in my mind... though the worst did not happen.

I was starting to get a handle on my fear. I was starting to be at peace, instead of constantly anxious. But, now I am a ball of emotion again. I came out of the office crying today... inductions scare me! Anytime we try to make things happen in our timing, it seems like there is more possibility of trouble.

If I do not do the induction Wednesday (and the baby does not come first) then she wants to for sure induce me the following Wednesday (Jan 4th). She does not let patients go past one week late (which is why Josiah was induced 2 years ago). So, I have some praying to do.

Prayers for peace and wisdom would be greatly appreciated. Horror stories of labor/inducements would NOT be appreciated. I am a bit of an emotional wreck, so please pamper me with nice comments. ; )

GREAT Baby Shower Idea!!!

2011-12-20T11:43:00.000-06:00

One of my dear friends, my former next-door neighbor, threw me a special kind of baby shower.

A FILL-MY-FREEZER baby shower!!!

Last night, my friend delivered two coolers full of pre-prepared, frozen meals for my family to heat up when we need them. We are SO blessed! Not only is it FREE FOOD, it is free COOKED food!

What makes this even more special to me, is that I do not even know most of the ladies who cooked the meals! My girlfriend attends a different church gathering than we do. (A great example of what the church is supposed to be/do!!!) And, these ladies went all out. And, since each of them is used to cooking for a large brood (as many as 10 kids) the meals are all B.I.G.

One lady contributed 2 large chicken pot pies. Another made 4 pizza kits with homemade dough and store-bought sauce included, toppings already cooked. Another gave lasagna. Another gave large portions of "Mexican Bean dip" with tortillas....ummmm. Someone also gave us cookies and another contributed elk meat (burger) and farm fresh eggs. There were also some side dishes included.

We are SO blessed! If you have a friend who has had a baby recently or is about to give birth, consider a fill-my-freezer party! It will be a gift from God to their family!

Setting Up a Nursery - sort of

2011-12-20T11:23:00.004-06:00

We don't have a baby nursery in our house, as our babies room in for about a year. But we have been getting our bedroom set up for the new arrival. Don't you love how I put things off until it has to be done? Ignore the paint on the walls, that was not my choice, it came with the house.

Our changing table was ruined in a "flood" in our last house (don't ask...). So, I am working out a new system. For the toddler, changing on the bed has been our standard operating procedure. But, with a newborn... no way. Babies poop like 5 times a night. They whiz while you are changing them. And, my husband does not need me turning on a light on the bed every three hours.

So, I am going to buy this diaper changing table pad (or one very similar) and set it on the pretty nightstand. It is shorter than will be comfortable for me, but it will be a great height for the girls. And, yes, Rebecca changes cloth diapers. Lydia can change disposable diapers, but she will learn the cloth trade soon!

And, since we don't have a diaper changing table with storage, I am using the white plastic bin for diapers, covers, pins, burp cloths and anything else. The little light on top will not be too bright for middle of the night changes.

The garbage can is my diaper pail. We put cloth diapers, soiled clothes, and burp cloths in this pail until it fills up and we wash them about every other day. (I intend to write more about cloth diapering later.)

And did you notice the Boppy Pillow on the bed? That is a necessity for nursing mamas!

So, there you have it - my nursery. Now, all we need is the Bubby!

Do NOT Buy This PlayPen for a Baby!

2011-12-20T11:03:00.001-06:00

We bought this Evenflo Playpen when our last playpen had to be retired. At the time we only needed a play pen for our toddler to sleep in at Grandma's house. For that purpose the playpen is just fine. BUT, we bought it also thinking that it would be used as a bassinet for the new Baby. We finally got around to looking at the bassinet feature and we are VERY disappointed! The little bassinet that hangs inside the big playpen sinks in the middle... I mean, it really sags! Paul and I were actually frightened at the thought of using it! But, we cannot afford a new bassinet now so we had to make do. Here is what we HAD to do to make the bed functional for a little baby.

First we had to put in a firm foundation. We used a baby corral panel, as we already had one on hand. (Waste not, want not). Plywood would likely have worked just as well, but we really did not want to spend money if we didn't have to.

Then, we had to add some squish-factor to the hardness of the baby gate. I used two old bassinet mattresses side by side. (again, we don't throw away what might be useful later.)

Lastly, we added the playpen's own mattress. We will have to buy a few more sheets and waterproof covers, but it will work out fine.

This was a somewhat simple fix, but only because we already had some extra junk on hand to work with. If you want a bassinet for your new baby, do NOT buy this product.

Two Pics of Josiah

2011-12-20T09:05:00.002-06:00

Day two of my week of pictures of my soon to be two year old.

This is what Joey does while waiting for breakfast. (He had a little help on the tower from Nelson, but he's really good at knocking towers down!)

Who Is Jesus? - Part One

2011-12-19T21:00:00.000-06:00

Our culture has many ideas about who Jesus is, and who He is not. As Christians, we need to know who Jesus is (according to the Bible) and we need to be able to clearly tell others too. This series is meant to encourage and strengthen your faith as well as give you Scripture verses to help you teach others the Truth. Because, in all likelihood, you will have someone come to your door this year who holds an opinion of Jesus that does not match the Scripture. Can you refute their views?

Part One will focus on the seven "I am" statements that Jesus makes about Himself in the Gospel of John.

Part Two will be other things that Jesus says about Himself.

Part Three will look at what others say about Jesus.

As I write this post, I am expecting Baby #6 any day. I might not get to the rest of this series for weeks. Thanks for your patience.

WHO IS JESUS? What does He say about Himself?

In the Gospel of John, there are seven statements that Jesus speaks of Himself. Many people refer to these as the "I am statements." They are worth memorizing or jotting down in your Bible for quick reference. I will primarily let these texts speak for themselves.

1 -"I am The Bread of Life"

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst." (John 6:35 ESV)

2- "I am The Light of the World"

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV)

"As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5 ESV)

3- "I am The Door"

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:7-9 ESV)

4- "I am The Good Shepherd"

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:11-14 ESV)

5- "I am The Resurrection and the Life"

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. (John 11:25-26 ESV)

6- "I am The Way, The Truth, and the Life"

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV)

7- "I am The True Vine"

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:1-5 ESV)

Praise God that we can know who Jesus is through the Bible. He has stated these truths very plainly. Your choice is to believe them or find an excuse not to believe them. My prayer is that you will believe that what Jesus says is the Truth!

The "Baby" is Turning Two

2011-12-19T15:03:00.002-06:00

In honor of Josiah turning two this week (Friday, the 23rd) - I will attempt to post two pictures a day of the little fellow.

Josiah's favorite activities are: reading snuggling, and sucking his fingers.

Today

2011-12-18T16:22:00.000-06:00

As opposed to 12 years ago today... (see previous post)

Due Any Day with #6

Still Losing Weight

12 Years Ago

2011-12-18T16:08:00.000-06:00

Hoping for a SLOW day

2011-12-17T08:57:00.000-06:00

Paul is delivering Saturday Air packages today and will be occupied until very late this afternoon (so far as he knows). So, I cannot have this baby today. Not that I'm having any contractions yet. I just feel anxious and a little helpless. So, I am planning to sit and read all day. I don't want to do anything that might possibly break my water. (My water has broken first with most of my Babies.) Yep, I'm gonna put my feet up and watch the kids tear up the house. (And, maybe clean it... then tear it up again.)

Last night's date was fun. We did the appetizer sampler at Applebees' and brought home leftovers. Then, we bought me a slice of cheesecake at HyVee grocery store. It was a good date. We also drove downtown and looked at the lights around campus. It was actually kind of pretty ...

We had a good time!

Going on a Date

2011-12-16T11:14:00.000-06:00

Paul is taking me out tonight!

This is a special occasion - we get only 1 to 3 dates a year!!! This particular occasion is even more special, because we are going out for our anniversary. We celebrate 12 years this coming Sunday. Our baby sitters (Paul's parents) will be here at 5:30.

What are you doing to kick off your weekend?

Nelson Health Update

2011-12-15T17:40:00.001-06:00

Nelson seems fine today. He did not throw up again (after y-day at 9:30 am). No headache, no pain. And, he played. So - looks like that might have been a bad migraine or just some nasty headache. Everyone else seems healthy.

Paul went back to work two days ago, and he says that his pleurisy chest pains are worse... but he plans to work through it. The doc said that exercise and work would help.

I am tired today. I took two naps. You would think I was really big and pregnant or something... I feel so lazy, but I just can't get up and work. Hopefully, my sons are learning compassion for future wives, and my daughters are learning something positive too. But, I feel for all the world like a lazy bum.

Power of Influence

2011-12-14T11:19:00.000-06:00

I want to remind all of us parents how much influential power we have over our children. I think that sometimes we forget how often our actions are "caught, not taught."

I was in the OB office y-day afternoon and there was a young grandmother, a very young mother, and a newborn baby (likely 6 weeks old). The whole family was a little odd and unkempt and had no problem with talking loudly to anyone and everyone in the waiting room. After sharing the young girl's labor behavior and bragging about how she cussed out the doctors, kicked her own mother, and used the birthing ball as a weapon - they moved onto other topics. Turns out, this VERY young mother also has a toddler at home. Grandma made much of how cute the little boy is to emulate his father. (Oh, she didn't use that word... she didn't even use the word "imitate"... but she somehow got the point across with her choice vocabulary.) Anyway, Grandma is bragging about how the little boy has cowboy boots just like his father. And, then she goes on to add, "And, he even has his own empty chew cup to play with, and pretends to spit just like his daddy. It's real cute."

At this point, I was looking out the window, biting my lip to keep back either laughter or tears - whichever would surface first. (I cried on the drive home... I never could laugh about it...)

Here's my point - do we parents realize what power of influence we have over our children? For good or for evil?

Does your little one pick up good habits by watching you? Does he/she see you praying, reading your Bible, hugging your babies, loving your spouse, eating healthy foods, etc? Or, is he starting to show that he is imitating your not-so-healthy habits?

Here is my story of what this same example of chewing tobacco could look like in the Christian family...
Mother is known to have a bit of a temper. She is not proud of it, but at times she might use fatigue as an excuse for her sin. Little Girl seems to be a "chip off the old block." She is a bit high-tempered herself. One day Mother is talking to a friend sharing a story. "The other day Little Girl had a terrible temper tantrum when I wouldn't let her have her way. Oh my, but she wailed and stomped her foot, it was so cute."

You see where I am going with this. Some of use are appalled by the idea of a toddler pretending to spit chew, because we can pretty much foretell that child's future use of the product. The poor kid will have stained teeth (if any at all left) by high school. But, don't we Christian parents sometimes overlook (or even brag about) the sinful behaviour of our children? If the Little Girl in the story above has her sin excused as "cute" as a toddler, you can imagine what a wreck she will be by the time she has the real challenges of hormones and adulthood!

I trust that we will all remember the story of the boy that pretends to chew to be like his daddy, and that we will keep working on our own behavior accordingly.

Something is Wrong with Nelson

2011-12-14T10:34:00.000-06:00

Weirdest thing...

About 4 or 5 this morning, Nelson thought that he was hit in the head twice with a big stick and he saw a bright light. There is no mark on his forehead. His eyes are dialating correctly. But, he has a headache, blurry vision, and he has thrown up once. Our normal doctor is out of the office today. And, Paul thinks it might just be some kind of "flu." Paul prayed for/over Nelson. Will y'all pray for him too?

I don't need to tell you how much I don't want another sickness to run through my home right now! I have a pretty bad attitude right now, so please pray for me too.

----------

5:20pm update - Nelson has slept on and off all day. He has not played at all. He did eat a very small lunch at about 2. No more vomiting. I asked him if he has blurry vision still - he said "no." And, he says that there is no headache either. (We are a little concerned that he would lie to keep from going to the doctor). Overall, he seems to be feeling a little better. No other child has similar symptoms yet. If his head aches tomorrow, or he speaks or vision trouble again, we will likely take him to the doctor or ER. (Because, we realize that there is a minor chance of a serious neurological condition.) Otherwise, we hope this is a minor temporary affliction.

38 week update

2011-12-13T18:28:00.001-06:00

Nothing happening right now.

No dilation.

All is good.

Paul has Pleurisy

2011-12-13T10:34:00.000-06:00

Please pray for Paul. He has missed many days of work now (Friday through this morning). At first we could not get a good diagnosis, but he had a chest X-Ray y-day and the diagnosis is Pleurisy. He is not taking antibiotic, as the condition is not supposed to be bacterial (according to Paul's D.O.). His only treatment, for now, is Advil. I would like to go by the health foods store and pick up some supplements, but when your husband has missed several days of work is not a good time to experiment with costly treatments.

Do you have any suggestions for natural treatments of pleurisy or of prevention for other lung problems (remembering that Paul gets pneumonia every year... not yet this year)?

Also, be sure to take the poll in the top right corner!

I'll have a Baby 6 update later, I go to the OB at 3:20.

Analogy - The Holy Spirit

2011-12-12T19:54:00.000-06:00

First of all, you have to understand that sometimes my sweet, nearly-perfect Rebecca likes to put on airs with her younger siblings. ; ) So, we had just finished eating a smallish kind of meal and I asked, "Did everyone get enough to eat?" Simple question, right? Well, Rebecca says something along the lines of "I think I am full, but the human body cannot really know when it is full." It sounded even sillier, because she was using a snooty-know-it-all kind of voice. I replied, "That's a lie! Of course you can know you are full, but sometimes we don't listen to our bodies."

Then it hit me - teaching moment - here is an anaolgy for the Holy Spirit, and I shared it with the chlidren. There are people who think that the Holy Spirit will not speak things to their hearts, will not give any impressions, and is not moving in Christians today. What I think is that many of us have quenched the Spirit, the way we suppress our knowledge that our body is full. My body tells me it is full, but I might choose to over-indulge anyway... Over time, I will become overweight/unhealthy, because I ignore the signs my body gives me.

Are you listening to the Holy Spirit, letting Him move in your life? Or, have you blocked His "voice" so many times that you no longer sense it at all?

Book Review - What He Must Be...

2011-12-10T14:08:00.001-06:00

This week I was able to "put my feet up" and "take it easy" while reading Voddie Baucham's book, What He Must Be... If He Wants to Marry My Daughter. This is not a new book, people have been recommending it to me for a few years. But, I was finally able to find it through inter-library loan and get a copy to read (for a nice bargain of 50 cents!).

I liked the book, but I would NOT recommend it to just anyone/everyone I know. The topic of the book, for those of you who don't know, is (in short) courtship. The main theme of the book is how to help fathers guide their daughters through the difficult decision of who to marry. The reason I began by saying that I will not recommend it to everyone is that the book contains some radical views, by "normal Christian" standards. In addition to that, he chases quite a few rabbits and unearths some other doctrines that not everyone would agree on. I LIKED the book, but I did not agree with all of it. And, I see some definite considerations (to be discussed later).

I will not tell you all the specific requirements that Baucham lays out for this future daughter's husband, you can read the book for that. I have NO trouble at all saying that Christian daughters ought to marry Christian young men. And, I completely agree that young women ought not be thrown to the dogs and allowed to date every young man that comes along - just because he is cute or they like the same kind of music. I also agree that fathers need to do more to protect their daughters from unworthy mates.

HOWEVER, how can I recommend this book, and its "radical" ideas of courtship to my SIL whose children all go to public school, and whose husband is a new believer? First of all, their children are away from the house all day long spending their time outside of their parents' supervision. Secondly, how can a newly saved father, who would not even know what to do with the idea of "patriarchy," lead his daughter into something completely foreign to himself? These are my first considerations. (Not that the book is bad. I am not saying that. I am just saying that the book will not reach everyone.)

I think most anyone in the Reformed Baptist, family-integrated, homeschooling circle would love this book. I would have not qualms recommending it to anyone in that camp. And, people - like Paul and myself - who are somewhat on the fringe of that group would likely find the book to be enlightening as well. But, I'm thinking 90 percent of Christians would not get through the first few chapters. Baucham is a great writer, and I love his perspective and his stories... they really hold my interest. But, even I have to admit to getting a little lost when he had long block quotes from the London Baptist Confession of Faith, Puritans, John Calvin, etc. Granted, I was very tired and sick when I read the book... but I am no dummy.
Also, I mentioned that the author chases rabbits. Maybe that is not the right way to put it exactly, but he delves into material that could have been worked into whole other books. For example, he writes about the role of women in church. I am not sure that the topic relates to courtship specifically, and it was one of the chapters that most normal Christians would find offensive. (I am not saying that I was offended. I was not. Though I did not agree with every sentence.)

There is a lot of good in the book. As I said, I like his requirements for the man who my daughter should marry... I hope there is such a man available when my girls come of age. I will certainly be praying for such a man. And, Paul and I are all for protecting our daughters as much as we can from "unworthy" men. But, the idea of courtship assumes that children will be homeschooled and that girls will not go to college. And, if one of my daughters wants a college education for what she feels is God's leading in her life, I do not think we will keep her from college so that we can protect her longer. (Though we currently have NO intention of ever sending ANY child to live on campus!!!) Courtship also assumes that ladies will live with their parents until they are married. And, at this point, I do not think Paul or I would want to hold our girls captive at home if they wish to leave. We want them to stay home, of course, until they are married. But, we are not going to put them in a position where they would feel like they had to run away to have their own individuality.

NOW, let me clarify... I DO NOT THINK THAT VODDIE BAUCHAM'S BOOK WOULD LEAD TO ABUSIVE PARENTS RULING THEIR DAUGHTER'S LIVES! In fact, I have some quotes in a minute to show that point. BUT, I do think that there are unfortunately some fathers who have a mindset to CHOOSE a husband for his daughter and not let her leave until she marries HIS choice. We know... we have seen this. We have seen what I call "hyperpatriarchy" in action. And, it scares us to pieces!!! We have been greatly tempered by seeing the misuse of power of fathers we know. It shows us what we do not want to be. But again, I am NOT saying that this particular book leads to such actions.

Here is one quote to be considered:

Secondly, any man who overvalues male headship is likely to abuse my daughter and/or my grandchildren. (page 96 - original emphasis)

I couldn't agree more! There are, unfortunately, Christian men who are looking for a woman to be a doormat in the name of "patriarchy." We have seen in real life and read in blogs, books and articles - of whole families who seem to exist merely to serve and bring pleasure to the fathers and sons of the family. Hopefully this is NOT the norm, I really don't know. But, we have seen it enough to cause us fear of the very word "patriarchy." But, I digress. Here is another quote:

Thus we see in this instance the complete equality of the man and the woman (made from the same substance) and the distinction between the two. My daughter is no man's inferior. Any man who thinks of her as such is certainly not worthy of her hand in marriage. She is no less valuable to God than any man. She is no less an image-bearer. She is no less a servant of the King. (page 99 - original emphasis)

Amen! I chose this quote to again show that I do NOT think that Baucham is at all a hyperpatriarchal kind of guy. I think he makes some very solid observations.

I chose this last quote because it seems to sum up a lot of the theme of Baucham's book. I think this quote should help you understand what he is all about, and whether or not you are interested in reading the book:
Speaking of instilling a healthy focus in our daughters he says,

We must help them establish kingdom-minded relationships. We must help them develop and employ the gifts God has given them. And we must help them use their time to prepare for the man whom God will bring them as a husband or - for those with the supernatural gift of singleness - for a life completely devoted to God. (page 172)

I like that. I agree with that purpose.

Overall, I really did like the book. And, it gave me a lot of positive ideas to ponder regarding my daughters' futures. I am not writing this post to dissuade you from reading the book, I am just trying to be honest in my "review," so that you know what to expect if you do decide to read it.

I realize that some of my personal, interjected thoughts about patriarchy were tangents a little bit off the topic of this one particular book, and I do not mean for that to reflect on Baucham's book. It is just hard to write a review on a book of this topic, without hedging myself in a little. I kind of wanted to offer some of those thoughts as disclaimers, knowing that some people are violently opposed to any form of patriarchy because of what they have seen or what they imagine could happen.

I am glad that I read the book. And, I will be praying that the Lord will help me keep in mind the positive applications that were made. And, I will pray too that Paul and I will be guarded from any over-exuberance towards this idea that might be more damaging to our family. We want to be a healthy family, and that usually means taking bits and piece of a lot of books and mixing it into a melting pot for future use. Rarely will any of us read a book that we agree with 100%. But, we want to be open-minded and discerning too.

It is my prayer that this post has been helpful to you to decide whether or not you should read this book. I hope that you do. And, I hope that it grows your family together in love.

If you found my review unfair, please leave a comment to let me know - others will read it and it might be beneficial to them.

Full Moon Tomorrow

2011-12-09T18:21:00.001-06:00

Did you notice that there will be a full moon tomorrow? Maybe Baby will make his grand entrance during the night... though it doesn't feel like it right now.

I am still feeling well. The water cure seems to be working for me. I am drinking about 100 ounces of water a day. (No caffeine either)

We went to the Mizzou campus today for a retirement party. And, we had to walk about 15 minutes from a public parking garage to the student union... that was a work out. But, still, no baby. I do still have about 19 days to go, you know.

Tomorrow I hope to post a book review, something a little meatier than these Baby-has-not-come-yet updates.

Till next time...

37 Weeks (and counting)

2011-12-07T08:46:00.001-06:00

Y-day was my 37 week check up.

My blood pressure was fantastic.

Baby's heartbeat was great.

Baby is measuring one week ahead.

All is well!

Rebecca Writes - First Snow

2011-12-06T08:57:00.001-06:00

POSTED BY REBECCA

Our first snow looks like a snow globe!

I woke up this morning to Josh saying, "Becca Becca it's snowing!" It was funny.

I took the Pictures!

Daddy's truck after snowing a couple of hours.

The Boys are Ready

2011-12-05T14:31:00.001-06:00

Sweet things the boys said this weekend:

Joshua (4), when I came home from the baby shower: "Mommy, Where's [Baby]?" It was all the more cute, because he used the Baby's name. He was disappointed when I said that the shower was only presents for the baby, and that we have to wait longer for Baby to come.

Nelson (8), in the van two nights ago: Oh WOW! Mommy's going to be able to play soon: soccer, football, frisbee, races. Oh Boy!" Poor Nelson, his love language must be sports play. (I think that would fall under the category "quality time.") He sure misses his mama teaching him and practicing sports with him!

I am very eager too. Both to have a little baby and to run and play again.

Prenatal Advice

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-06:00

Advice For Pregnant Mamas

When packing your bag for the hospital remember to toss in some Vaseline/petroleum jelly.

This lovely goo can be slathered on Baby's behind to make cleaning meconium poopies MUCH easier.

I Choose to Praise

2011-12-05T04:52:00.001-06:00

It is almost 5am. I should still be sleeping. But, I had some unfortunate early morning cleaning to do... the kind that follows every mother's least favortie sentence, "Mommy, I think I'm gonna {{splat}}." Yep, I've got another kid sick.

But, I am choosing to find things to be thankful for in the midst of this. It doesn't come naturally, I am not one of those always happy, glass-half-full kind of people.

I choose to be thankful for:
- Sprite for kids to sip
- running water, electricity, washing machine, dryer, Charlie's Soap
- easy-to-clean wood laminate flooring!
- energy to clean floors and wash laundry before 5 ((shudders))
- a nine year old who, after getting sick at 3 am, brought up her own dirty sheets and put them in the laundry room!
- not all 5 had this on the same day
- Paul has not been sick
- Josiah has not been sick
- we might have this all through our "system" before Baby 6 comes

That's a good start. I am making every effort to bring a "sacrifice of praise" to the Lord. He's heard my grumbling. Let Him also hear my rejoicing!

Sick

2011-12-03T08:32:00.001-06:00

I realize that if I go a day without posting that you all are likely to think I have delivered my baby.

Not yet. We are still praying for a full-term baby.

I was VERY sick y-day. I said in my last post that I am NOT on bed rest, but I am supposed to "take it easy." (Whatever that means when you have 5 under 10!) Anyway, I went to Wal-mart for groceries and got VERY sick... in the parking lot. Paul rushed me home and I laid down the rest of the night, but I had the most painful contractions ever! I told my mom this morning that "they weren't the real thing, they hurt too bad." That might not make sense, but the contractions were one on top of another. Paul was panicked and begging me to go to the hospital...but I couldn't. I was in way too much pain. During one of the contractions I was holding a plastic cup in my hand... and broke it. (The pain was similar to being induced into labor and having the Pitocin levels set too high, so that your contractions have no space in between and hurt like crazy.)

I was sick again before bed, but slept without any more episodes. And, after my last trip to the bathroom, my pains subsided some. I woke up every hour to sip some water or clear soda. I kept all that down. I am moving around a little this morning, but I have NO desire to have a repeat of y-day. I think I learned my lesson. If I do get sick again today, I will let Paul take me in for an IV, I know that I am terribly, terribly dehydrated.

The good news -and this might make you laugh... remember how I was asking you all to pray about labor, because I was so scared? Well, the pain last night was so much worse than labor that I am no longer as scared. How is that for a peculiar answer to prayer?

Please pray for my health (and Baby's). Please pray that the kids will eagerly work more than what they consider to be their fair share. Paul could not get out of driving today. But, they promised him the local route, and he hopes to be home by lunch. And, I have a lady from church coming over this morning with a few groceries. I wouldn't be surprised if she helps clean something while she is here - she is that kind!

Thank God for His many mercies - and may we always be able to see the mercies through the troubles.

Not on Bed Rest

2011-12-02T09:25:00.001-06:00

I went back to my OB y-day afternoon. I was told to "take it easy," "be nice to myself," "drink more fluids," "put my feet up," and not go Christmas shopping. But she did NOT say bed rest.

I really am trying to take it easy... to the point of irritation. It is really hard for me to sit and watch everyone else do the work! I do want my children to pick up more of the work load, but I am NOT one of those mothers who spends all day "supervising" while the children clean, cook, and keep on top of everything. In fact, I am occasionally scolded by such mothers that I am doing too much. **sighs** We are always trying to find moderation.

I will try to "take it easy." And I will drink more water. And I can promise not to do any Christmas shopping (haven't bought a gift in years...).

I will try to put my feet up more. My library is helping me ; ) I was able to get a book through inter library loan (for only 50 cents) that I have been wanting to read for years! Expect a review soon.

That's all for now. I am going to leave my seat here for my seat on the couch.

Making Ministers of Inmates

2011-12-01T12:04:00.001-06:00

Here is a link to an article from Leadership Journal, summer 2011. I hunted up the article on the internet so that y'all could be blessed by it too.

Making Ministers of Inmates

I just keep thinking, "this is what church should be... this is what it's all about."

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.
Heb 13:1-3 (NASB)

Concerns and Praise

2011-12-01T09:00:00.001-06:00

First the concern - Paul made the decision to step away from the UPS driver's helper job. He was helping on a route at one of the hospitals and Mizzou every day. But, due to my health/fatigue he has told them that he can no longer help this season in that job. He IS still doing his other jobs: pre-load (very early morning) and Saturday Air Driving. I heard Paul talking with a couple at church last night and he told them that I get up every morning "completely debilitated." It was a little hard to hear myself described in such a way (because I want to be SuperMom), but it is true.
But, even in this - God is very good to us! Because of my fatigue, Rebecca has had to become chief cook. And, because of my fatigue, I had to re-vamp the chore chart and make the kiddoes pickup some slack. (Not necessarily my slack... I should not have been doing so much myself. They picked up jobs that they should have been doing anyway.)
Also, I let Rebecca teach science y-day. That was good for her. She really is a gifted teacher, we just need to train out some of the bossiness.

Other praise - One of the ladies at church bought Joshua (age 4) a brand new winter coat! He really needed it!

Potential praise - I cannot tell you details right now, but Paul is talking with someone about an old 15 passenger van. We praise God whether this is the van for us or not, because we know that He will provide for our needs according to His riches... in His Time.

Giving Good Gifts

2011-11-30T09:38:00.001-06:00

When considering Christmas gifts and cards, consider buying/giving a gift that gives back to a good cause.

Haiti Orphan Project has a Christmas shop with some cute cards and ornaments.

Another option is World Vision, which gives useful gifts (cows, chickens, soccer balls, etc) to families in need in other countries.

And, if you know of any other organizations that are trustworthy and reputable, please leave a comment and link.

Hat tip to Arthur, for linking to the Haiti Orphan Project Gift Shop.

Dehydrated

2011-11-30T07:49:00.001-06:00

I am very, very dehydrated - and I didn't know it.

I realize that my body has been having symptoms of dehydration for some time, but I was blaming these discomforts on pregnancy, vit d deficiency, winter, or thyroid issues. Most of the healthy living gurus says that the best/easiest way to check for dehydration is watching the color of your urine. Clear urine indicates plenty of hydration, the darker the urine - the higher concentrated it is... the more dehydrated you are.

Well, my water softener system has been broken or in the shop for over a month. I have red water stains in every water basin in my house (toilets, sinks, stainless steel sinks, tubs, dog bowl, etc). I did not know my pee was dark... until last night.

I started my 24 hour pee collection late y-day afternoon and it was nearly red. I am ALARMED! The only time in my whole life that I have had dark, dark orange pee was the first time I baled hay with Paul's family. I was totally "green" to farming and didn't have the sense to drink water. But, other than that one time, I have NEVER had such nearly-red pee.

No wonder my skin is dry. No wonder my joints and muscles all hurt. No wonder I am so tired and having daily headaches. Of course my pulse and BP are sky high! I truly had no idea.

So - today I will kick up my water consumption quite a bit. And, if my hydration level does not change, then we will KNOW that I have a more serious water retention issue. For now, I am trusting that God will set things to right if I drink more water.

I'll keep you posted.

(Remember when I discovered the Water Cure doctor? Well, he recommends a formula for drinking enough water. Take your weight and divide it by two. Then, drink that many ounces of water a day. If I do that, I will be drinking a LOT of water today! That reminds me, I need to gather all my old posts from Wordpress and consolidate them... some day.)

36 Week Appointment

2011-11-29T17:42:00.001-06:00

My 36 week check-up revealed a potential problem - high blood pressure and protein in my urine.

So, I am had some labs drawn, and I am doing a 24 hour pee collection to check for hypertension. I am going to attempt to "cure" the problem by drinking more water.
If I don't hear anything before weekend, then "no news is good news." And, if I do have hypertension, I should know before Saturday.

Baby is measuring right at 36 weeks, head down, but still "bouncy." Baby heartbeat was 138. All is well with Baby.

More Baby Prep.

2011-11-29T08:26:00.001-06:00

Okay... I think I am ready... maybe...

I got our Baby Boy 0-3 month clothing out and put it into Baby's little drawers. And, I put one of his warm little sleepers and hats in my hospital suitcase. I got out the small cloth diapers, but I don't have a place to set them out just yet. I need to get a changing table or a real chest of drawers.

The ladies at church are giving me a shower this coming Sunday. I never thought Baby 6 would get a shower! And, I'm not sure what they are getting, since I have almost everything. But, I am hoping there will be refreshments!

All we really need now is a big van to carry us all in.

Otherwise, I think I am ready. I thought about writing a "birth plan," but I know from experience that it would be of no use to the hospital staff. Then, I thought that it would be a fun post to write about how useless a birth plan is for a hospital birth. But, in reality, that would frustrate me and NOT help me prepare for labor. (It is Paul's desire to have another hospital birth, and I thought I was okay with that until about last week... now I am remembering how little I get my own way and how pushy some of the nurses were... but I better just not think about it at all right now... OR, maybe I could have a home birthing kit ready, "just in case" *winks*. Oh, just kidding, Paul, didn't know you were going to read this, heehee... I'll be a good girl.)

I think I am ready.... maybe.

Observation about Family Integration

2011-11-28T12:50:00.001-06:00

We currently do not go to a "family-integrated" church, but neither are we opposed to them (so long as they practice their conviction with love and not judgement towards those who disagree). Our family has spent more time together in worship services than apart from one another. Even when we have tried to put the children into "children's church" the arrangement did not work out. Either the children were extremely dissatisfied or we were (or both).

My recent observations are based on the situation that we are in at our new church. We have been attending here since mid-summer. We allow our children to go to age-segregated Sunday School classes, and this is not a problem for us. Our trouble is in regards to the worship service arrangements... and with "helpful" women who will not take "no" for an answer.

When we first started coming to this church, we kept our children with us in the worship service, even though the children are dismissed for children's church after the music portion of the service is completed. Then, we felt some pressure from the regular church attenders because our children weren't "allowed" to go to the children's church service (which consists of singing, hearing a story, and playing). We decided to let the children go to children's church, thinking that we were being too legalistic (or something like that...). After a few weeks, the children all decided that they preferred adult worship/preaching, and we were delighted.

But, there is one little person with which we seem to have little say - Josiah (almost 2). If he makes noise or seems to be unhappy any number of helpful women will run to rescue him. (And, maybe they mean it to be a rescue for me as well?) So, thinking that it was not worth the battle, I let the well-meaning ladies take him to the nursery to play. (I need to add that Paul is usually busy teaching, preaching, or leading music. And, while he will step away from the pulpit to correct a child, he cannot hold the baby.) After all, I conceded, I will soon have my hands full with a new baby. So, I kind of thought, "what can it hurt, he's only 1."

I was wrong! It has hurt our family.
Here is today's observation - Inconsistency causes trouble!!!

So long as you keep your baby in family worship at home, then he will typically do okay at church (not counting teething times, hunger pains, etc). And, if you keep your child in worship with you at church, then he will likely be well-behaved at home in family worship. BUT, inconsistency will lead to trouble! I now have a baby who thinks that church is all about "play." Yesterday, I tried to keep him out of the nursery, and he squirmed mercilessly, and whined "play... play...play." It is no wonder that one of the young ladies forcibly took him from me and took him to play in the nursery.
And, then, at home for family worship - I now have a miserable squirmy little man who refuses to sit still!

In my past experience, it only takes a few days to train a little person to sit still through family worship. Only days! But, since this little man knows that he can play at church, he is too smart to want to accommodate for family worship. (And, don't try to tell me that it is not a reasonable expectation - because I know from 4 other children that it CAN be done, and it is not at all an abusive expectation. In fact, in general, we expect way too little of our little people.)

So, there you have it - by trying to keep from having a "battle" with the ladies at church, I have started an all-out WAR with my little man. I just didn't trust myself to be diplomatic enough with the ladies. I did not know how to be firm with our conviction, when they completely disagree. The norm for our church is family separation, not family integration. And, I did not want to create a scene... there are already people who think Paul and I are trying to "take over." I didn't think that this battle was worth fighting...

I was wrong.

Friends, you can train your children to sit through services (and quietly at that). But, you have to be disciplined about it. And, you have to be CONSISTENT!

(And, if you are asking yourself "why is it such a big deal anyway?" Go ahead and ask... I would love to write another whole post about the value of staying together to worship.)

Warning: Controversial Post

2011-11-26T12:43:00.001-06:00

Understand as I begin, that I want to do my best to write in love. We can disagree with brothers and sisters in Christ without being ugly. So, I am going to ask myself as I write and re-read this post:

What would I say to this author in person? (Because, we can all be very bold on paper)

How would I want someone to criticize my understandings, that I have written about, when they strongly disagree with me?

(Paul has previewed this post, and while he may see some things a little differently than I do, I have his permission to go ahead and publish this post. Paul has been listening to and discerning the following author's sermons for many months, and is a little more slow than myself to "make judgement." He says that I am making a hasty judgement. So, I am trying to be careful not to harden my heart against such foreign teaching.)

I have just finished reading a book by Andrew Wommack, called Sharper Than a Two-Edged Sword. I have not read Andrew Wommack before, and I have not even heard one of his sermons. I read this book because Paul is a big fan of Wommack's preaching, and he ordered the book. This particular book is a short summary of 16 other books that Wommack has written. Each chapter is based on a book by the same title. And, each chapter is very brief and choppy... that would be expected in such an abridged work. I am sure it would be a daunting task for any editor to compile so much information into such a short work, and keep it's literary integrity. So, I assume that his other books are very well-written and answer objections with more depth.

Before I go farther: Let it be known, I believe that God CAN heal anything: cancer, leprosy, gluten intolerance, vitamin D deficiency, ANYTHING! But, I do not always think He will - for reasons that I cannot understand in this life.

The first chapter of the book was not controversial. I was vastly encouraged by his talking about how a person comes to salvation - that it is all about God's Grace, and not about our earning a thing. I completely agree with that! And, I like how he talks about God's love for us, and that we need to see ourselves through God's eyes of Love. I agree with those things. Beginning in chapter two I had some concerns and disagreements with the author's theology.

I know that Andrew Wommack has a huge ministry and a huge following. I also will not deny that my own husband has been greatly strengthened in his faith through Wommack's preaching. I am not going to "throw the baby out with the bath water."

Long story made very short - Wommack believes that all Christians can (and should) live without sickness and without poverty. For those who say, "Where does he get that?," he bases his claims almost entirely on the verses in Isaiah, Matthew, and Peter that speak of Jesus, that "by His stripes we are healed." I believe that these references seems to be speaking of a spiritual condition. And, I do not see how "His Stripes" applies to poverty and all physical sickness, deformity, etc.

Also, Wommack says that God ALWAYS wants to heal a person and that if you are not being healed it is because you are either 1) praying incorrectly, 2) lack faith, or 3) have a hardness of heart. By his very examples of incorrect prayer - I am guilty of number 1. By my seeming lack of results in past prayers I would be guilty of numbers 2 or 3 as well.

This book flies in the face of so many godly men and women who are seeking healing, but not being healed. This book is also hurtful to people who are living below the poverty level (such as myself), though they work really hard AND pray for provision. (Let me also say that God HAS and IS providing our needs according to His riches in glory. We are fed, clothed, etc - the Bible tells me to be content with that - I Tim 6:8.) And, what about our sisters and brothers in other non-western nations? Explain what this means to the people who live in Africa? They see demons overcome. They see lives renewed. They see the Holy Spirit at work... AND they see people starve to death. They see children die of diseases (some we consider to be "preventable.") Explain this.

My personal experience with my unknown (and recurring) disability causes me to be very hurt by this teaching. But, I trust that my feelings are not clouding my judgement. I did read the whole book - with a Bible in my hand. I did read the proof texts. I have prayed "Lord, am I the one who is way off base?" Because, frankly, I would LOVE to be able to heal everyone, every time I pray! I would LOVE to believe that there does not need to be sickness in the world, and see everyone I know cured of cancer. But, as much as I want to see this - I cannot use the same texts Wommack does as being proofs to the point.

In short, I do not recommend this book. I think it has hurt me more than it has helped me. I will continue to pray and ask the Lord to show me if I am wrong. But, I have serious concerns about Wommack's teaching. I would like to go through chapter by chapter and share all of my Scriptural reasons for not agreeing with his main theses. But, I don't want to spend that much time on the computer.

But, I will remind my readers that the Apostle Paul had a "thorn in the flesh" that God would not take away. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10) And, I will point out that Paul ASKED God to remove it! He did NOT speak to the "thorn" and say - "in the name of Jesus Christ, by whose stripes I was healed - be gone." No, He asked God. And then he submitted God's decision.

Also - when Paul told Timothy to take wine for his stomach (1 Tim 5:23), he did not tell Timothy to speak to the ailment and command it to leave. Why treat something that can be made to go away?

I am not a "fatalist." I know that God does not tempt men to evil (James 1:13). He does not send destruction, sickness, or poverty to crush us. Whether you say God "ordains" these things or whether He "allows" such things - we can agree that He intends them for our GOOD and for His glory. Nor am I saying that we should accept sickness and disaster and not pray that it be taken away.
Wommack has an argument that if you believe that sickness is being used by God, then it follows that you ought not ask to have it taken away, or look for a cure. But, I say, we don't know to what end God would use any catastrophe; be it cancer, earthquake, death, or dismemberment. But, we can and should say in all circumstances that God is Good. And, we can and should pray for deliverance from all such problems. God might want to heal you. He might want to give you a brand new car. He might want to save your sister from cancer. BUT, we don't know. So, we pray for God to take away our problems, and we praise Him for what He has done and what He will do. And, if He chooses not to take away our physical problems in this life - then we have even more pleasure in the next phase of our life - eternity.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.(2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NASB)

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18 NASB)

If you have comments to share, I am open to reading them. But, please use charity with me and with the author of the book. I think that sarcasm and irony often reveal bitter roots, and maybe pride. So, try to talk with straight tones, as you would want someone to use with you. Sarcasm will not win anyone over... it will only hurt them.

Looking Ahead to L&D

2011-11-26T09:46:00.001-06:00

Prayer Requests for the labor and delivery that we anticipate in the next month:

- As in the past, it is my utmost desire to be a good witness to the nurses and doctors (Gentleness and Self-Control)
- That I would have nurses and doctors that I like and work well with (Love)
- That I would be brave and not a big baby (Peace)
- That the docs would not try to talk me into anything I don't want to do (Patience)

In short, pray that the Holy Spirit would be obvious in me as we enter into a physically demanding event.

Thankfulness

2011-11-25T09:09:00.001-06:00

I have so much to be thankful for!

- salvation!, that is not contingent on my performance, but on the Great Big Love of God!
- a nice, big, mold-free house
- five healthy kiddoes
- My little girl, Lydia, was saved from near dying in May 2008, of unknown causes. Now she is still small, but very happy and active.
- dry beans
- children who LOVE to learn!
- Nelson is really starting to read well (He has been reading for a while, but it just did not "click" until last week. I love it when the lightbulb gets switched on!)
- The children are making friends at church
- brown rice
- Four of my children are believers! (Joshua- age 4- was not baptized, but he is quite the little Christian!)
- Three of my children are baptized
- My husband loves the Lord
- fresh bread, cooked by Rebecca or Paul instead of myself
- My husband loves me and my children with great passion
- I get to meet Baby 6 in the next 5 weeks (or so)
- dairy products in my fridge without having to own a cow
- Paul weighs less than 200 pounds again!
- We all have plenty of healthy food to eat, we never go without
- Our family dog, Daisy, is a very nice pet... and very low maintenance
- Praising God IN ADVANCE that one day soon my well water will be going through a filter again, and I will be able to do my laundry... (Please, Lord, make it soon!)
- We have an internet connection in our home
- My cherished piano, flute, and guitar are all standing ready for service whenever I want them
- In-Laws nearby who want to take care of me, and who have agreed to be "on-call" from 3am to 3pm every day until Baby 6 comes.
- Yummy food... oh, did I already say food? Well, you see, I am pregnant, and food is very important to me just now :0)
- Transportation - we are trusting God and praising Him IN ADVANCE, because we know that He will get us a BIG van just when we need it.
- Books. Bibles. More books.
- Great sermons streamed through our computer.
- Getting to hear Paul preach again!!! (And, soon you can too. He bought a digital recorder and is hunting for the right sermon hosting site.)

I could sit here all day and come up with many, many more ideas. But, I think you get the idea. We are grateful for all the Lord has done for us! And, we are thankful for all His is going to do!

Great With Child

2011-11-23T14:13:00.001-06:00

About 5 weeks to go.

Best Choral Piece Ever

2011-11-23T11:36:00.001-06:00

I have been looking for a video for what I consider to be the best choral piece ever... Far Above All, arr. by Mark Hayes. But, I cannot find a good version anywhere.

BUT, I did find an audio-only sample on a website. The "sample" is the entire song. I cannot hear it without streams of tears covering my face. It is truly the best contemporary choral piece that I have ever heard.

Go listen to it at this link.

Without Apologies (Food Expenses Part 2)

2011-11-23T10:46:00.001-06:00

Disclaimer: This blog is about growing in the Lord. And, I want to distinguish that I am NOT saying in any of my "healthy living" posts that eating better gets me in better standing with God. Healthy eating is a good thing, but it does not improve my relationship with the Lord. I post about this topic, because it is important to me as a homemaker. You have liberty to eat as you will... eating Oreos and McDonalds will not send you to hell... I am never, never saying that.

I was woken up during the night and I could not get back to sleep. So, I pondered my food expenses again. (Please tell me that I am not the only person who lies awake in the middle of the night solving the problems of the world?)

Anyway, I thought of more expensive foods that I buy... without apology. Paul and I are definitely on the same page here.

We sweeten our foods with honey (the best that we can afford). We use REAL, pure maple syrup on our oatmeal and pancakes. These items are pretty expensive (since we cannot keep bees right now... though it is a long-term goal! And, we are not likely to start tapping trees for sap this year.) But, no matter how cheap sugar/brown sugar is (REALLY cheap) we only use it if we have to. Occasionally we buy succanat to replace the brown sugar in recipes.

We buy cheeses that are milk based, not oil-based. We eat a lot of cheese, though I no longer serve it by itself as a snack. We use our food processor or a grater to shred cheese for many meals. And, it is wonderful how a meal of rice and beans is transformed by cheese!!! Yep - we will not be cutting out this expensive item either.

Butter - ummmm.... butter... We LOVE cooking with butter and slathering it on our fresh bread. But, unless we find really good deals, butter can be really expensive. We tried to make our own, but our raw milk comes from a cow with a lower butter-fat-content. It is still my dream (make that OUR dream) to have our own goats or cows... the higher butter content the better!, some day. But, this is another LONG-term goal. We have not bought margarine for about 3 years.

So, this post is the results of my midnight ponderings. We choose to buy some expensive foods. And, I am okay with that. Still, we don't want to go overboard on our food expenses goals or our healthy eating goals. We will keep praying that we will keep a good balance on these issues. (Fortunately for me, my husband excels at moderation!)

How about you? Do you feel balanced? How would you like to see change in your family? Are you very little concerned about healthy eating? Are you too concerned about healthy eating? Maybe someone else here can learn from your comments.

And, in case I don't see you again, Happy Thanksgiving!

Food Expenses

2011-11-22T11:20:00.001-06:00

I have been totaling all of our food expenses for November and I am still a little discouraged by the numbers. I counted the 1st of the month through the 21st of the month as 3 weeks. And, I subtotaled each week, then averaged the expense per week. I am a little sorry to say that we are still spending an average of $134 per week on food (for a family of 7, not counting unborn Baby).

Honestly, maybe this is not so bad...

Here is the USDA's guidelines for Oct. 2011, for the cost of foods for individuals. (You can see the whole chart, for other months here) I tallied my family, using their "thrifty plan" amounts and came up with an estimate of $219.8/week.
Even my highest weeks were not that high. So, maybe we are not doing so bad...
All I know is that is seems like too much for our family!

Considerations:
-I did have to make some purchases that will not be made every month - like 50 pounds of oats (week 1) and 50 pounds of flour (week3). But, I just keep thinking, "what else can I do?!" Meat is usually the most expensive food per pound. But, I buy very little of that. And, fruit is sort of costly per pound, but I buy whatever is on sale. And, we cut back our fresh fruit intake significantly!
- I had to buy pecans this week... ouch! (Nuts cost far more than meat, per pound.)
-We are buying water right now, because our well water is non-potable. But, we are only paying .38/gallon, for a refill at Wal-Mart. (And, we hope that our Culligan water system will be fixed soon...)
-If we give up the raw milk delivery we would only be saving about 50 cents per gallon. And, I would likely not give the kids near as much milk - because store bought milk constipates the children and makes Paul's so-called "lactose intolerance" act up. But, without milk, they would need to eat more food... So, this is not a good option.
-We also have family/friends over for dinner at least twice a month, usually more. But, this is something that we do not plan to cut out! In fact, we wish we could host more meals! (Sometimes our shared meals are potluck style, with other families helping carry the load.)

The good news is, we still spend less that the "average" American family.

And, all of this food money was spent on actual food at the grocery store. We are not eating out at all.

So, we are doing much better than we were! I am writing this post, largely, for my own "memory." I want to be able to look back and see how we are doing. But, if it helps encourage/challenge you to review your own family's expenses, I will be happy to have helped!

I'm So Mean (Mwahahahaha)

2011-11-19T08:56:00.001-06:00

We have finally decided on a name for our soon-to-be-born little man. But, I am so mean that I am going to keep it a secret a while longer.

Hey, at least I told you the gender! The rest will be our special surprise!

I Love You, Jesus - By Rebecca

2011-11-18T07:30:00.000-06:00

A Song by Rebecca, Nov. 16, 2011

O Jesus Christ, My Savior, Lord, King,

I Worship and Adore You.

I need You in my life.

O Jesus Christ, I love You. I love You.

O Jesus, I love You. I love You and I need You.

O Jesus I need You in every step of the way.

I need you, Jesus.

I need you in every step of the way.

O Jesus, I need you each and every day.

Am I Nesting?

2011-11-17T20:12:00.001-06:00

It hit me tonight - "I don't have a suitcase packed!" and "I don't have a list of helpful information for caretakers!"

So, I wrote a list. And I packed my suitcase. And, I hung up all my non-maternity skirts and blouses in the closet.

Okay... I think I'm ready to go now... sometime in the next 6 weeks or so.

Love - By Rebecca

2011-11-17T08:28:00.001-06:00

Written by Rebecca on October 29, 2011

Girls, God loves us even if we can not do all the things we would like to do. The most important thing to do is love your brothers and sisters and parents, which can be hard. We need to love more then anything. We sisters need to love more than MOST sisters all over the world. Most sisters hate each other but we have to LOVE just like Jesus does. We need to love one another.

Proverbs 15 :1 A soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Love is like that verse. You can not speak soft words unless we love one another. I have a hard time trying to love. Loving people is hard. I love but it is hard. We can not love with out God's help and love. We need God and I hope you have accepted Him in your life. He has totally changed my life. I would not go back and change it for the world. I was 5 when I was baptised by my dad. I love God very much. Love is AWESOME. You love every person you meet, even if it is hard. Love is GREAT!

What an Amazing Girl!

2011-11-17T08:12:00.001-06:00

Both of my daughters amaze me. But this post is about Rebecca. A few weeks ago I found a notebook that she was writing in. I opened it and read it. I was blown over. She was writing to other young ladies about the importance of loving your family. I did not tell her that I found her book. I did not think on it again until today.

Then, last night she was in her bed but came running up the stairs to get a pencil and paper. I said, "What are you doing?" Her answer, "Working on something," and ran back to her room. Less than ten minutes later she came back with a song she had written. I read it, it is very sweet. And, I heard her sing it to her Daddy.

Then, this morning, she is planning out a Bible Study... to teach the girls at church Sunday, after church is over. She has chosen a text and songs. Who is this girl?! She amazes me!

At age 9, I was boy crazy. Rebecca is crazy in love with Jesus.

I would like to give Rebecca a voice on this blog. She has written on the blog before, under the label "Rebecca Writes." It has been a very long time, because typing is a real challenge to her. But, I asked Rebecca if she would like to write her magazine article or her song on our family blog. She seems excited. It might take a while to get it typed out and misspellings corrected. But, it will be coming soon.

When you think of it, please pray for Rebecca, as she will be working really hard to "publish" her thoughts on the blog.

"Are you a glutton for punishment?"

2011-11-16T10:31:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago we were in Sam's Club pricing some items for my comparison pricing chart. As you already know we are becoming more frugal in our grocery shopping every day. We were at Sam's on a Friday night, just before closing time, and the store was surprisingly empty. Since the aisles were barren of shoppers, we allowed the children to wander from the cart more than usual. (Generally we have a "hands on the cart" rule for the littlest three children and the older two are expected to walk very nearby.) That night we had children wandering up and down the aisle.

I had stopped to write down the price of Foldger's coffee, because the sorry-excuse-for-coffee at Aldi is a disgrace to the word "coffee." (You should see my poor husband standing over the coffee pot at church waiting for it to finish on Sunday mornings!) Anyway, I was writing down the price and did not notice until the last moment that there was an older couple walking down the aisle. Our kids were all near the cart, but sliding their feet on the concrete floor and doing their best to be patient with Mommy. Anyway, we let the couple around, but the gentleman stopped and looked at us. He counted the children and pointed at my bulging belly and said:

"Are you a glutton for punishment?"

This question he addressed mainly at Paul, but included me in a piercing look. Paul smiled amiably. I made some unnecessary comment about the children's behavior (which I did not think was at all "bad.") And, the man spoke again - something about how can we afford to feed them. Looking around at the shelves of Sam's one of us jokingly, yet seriously, said "we buy in bulk." And usually when we get this question (about once a month), I answer that "we eat a lot of oats." I can't remember what else we said that night, because I was still amazed that the man had the audacity to call children "punishment." And, then he went on to say something about how we must do it for the tax deductions. I must have been 10 shades of red, but I said "I hadn't thought of it that way before." Paul was still just smiling... and trying to keep the children still.

The interview was then over. As you all know, I internalize every criticism ever laid at my door. But, I did not cry. I knew with a clean conscience that we are not a burden on any tax-payers funds. I did not need to defend myself to him. But, still the conversation stuck with me.

It wasn't until a few days ago that I came to this conclusion - "I am so glad that man was not my Daddy!" My Daddy never made me feel like a burden. He never complained about the price of food, clothes, or medical procedures - at least not in front of me. Yes, we all knew that he had to work a lot, but he did not complain to me about the price of flute lessons and other extras.

And, I started to realize that though I would never say that "children are a punishment," there are little ways that perhaps parents make their children feel it. Paul and I have talked about this at length this week. And, we are more resolved than ever that while we are doing our comparison pricing - we will NOT let the children feel that it is a burden to feed them. We can be honest about the price of food. We can look together for good deals. And, we can rejoice in bargains. But, we need to do it in a way that does not begrudge the children for eating.

And, if someone needs new glasses... again... we will buy them without the usual complaining. And, I will try much harder not to remind the children of the cost of glasses every time they scratch them.

And, I will stop being such an electricity nazi "Hey, don't you know someone has to pay for that light you left on?!"

It is right and good to teach children the value of money. But, I have been doing it with the wrong attitude - the wrong approach. I am always coming at it from the negative, instead of the positive.

But, I do not want my children to feel like a burden to me. I do not want them to resent the day they were born, because they think it somehow hindered mommy's happiness. I want to raise them to know that they are loved and valued - more than money! I don't want them to ever think that they were a "punishment" to me.

The comments of the stranger were not meant to be helpful to me. But, the Lord took them and showed me some areas where I can improve.

What about you? I know you love your kiddoes, but is there room for improvement? I truly mean to work on this! Even so much as how I let my face reflect my feelings at Wal-Mart. I don't want people to walk by me with an expression of pity for my circumstance! I am BLESSED beyond measure! True, I cannot always buy meat - but I have 6 (counting baby in my tummy) wonderful treasures of great value! I want my face to reflect the joy of my life... rather than the momentary afflictions. I want people to look at me and say, "What a happy family." And, I want them to see the Light of the World in our faces.

This is quite a resolution. Please God, we will all attain to it more every day!

Last week was a good school week

2011-11-15T09:23:00.001-06:00

I am simply amazed at all the homeschool hours I was able to "log" last week!

Mon through Sat, including an hour a day for chores:
Rebecca had 48 hours, for an average of 8 hours a day
Nelson had 37 1/2 hours, for an average of 6.25 hours a day
Lydia had 40 1/2 hours 6.75 hours a day
Last week was an exceptional week. Generally we stay around 4 hours a day (per child), which is why we do school 6 days a week, year-round...excepting sickness, baby births, vacations, etc.

Was it because I was more disciplined than usual? I doubt it. Was it because my kids were more interested than usual? Maybe. But, the single greatest factor is that Paul had my van at work all week. I have been "stranded" at home for about two weeks now, while Paul's truck sits awaiting gasoline... some day. But, it has been really good for us! I am NOT complaining. Well, I will complain that I lack the self-discipline to stay at home all day, every day if I have a car at my disposal. You just never realize how much those "little errands" add up to time spent away from the house/school.

How about you? Do you find a mystical connection between hours spent in school and days your car is unavailable to you?

The Puppy Era is Over

2011-11-12T14:29:00.001-06:00

The Puppy has gone to a new home.

She will be living on a 160 acre cattle ranch.

I think she will be happy there.

Did I Do the Right Thing?

2011-11-12T09:02:00.001-06:00

I was obeying my husband's orders, so it must have been the right thing to do...

I put our new puppy on Craigslist. She has been such a burden to us. So, why do I feel so, so guilty? If only I could be sure that she would go to a Good home, I would not feel so bad. The biggest reason we took the dog was so that we would not have to post her on Craigslist for my FIL... not knowing who would take her away. Now - we face that dilemma anyway. Argh.

I think I better go read my other post and see all the very good reasons for getting rid of her. Oh... if only she wasn't so stinkin' cute! I saw her sleeping in a ball today, it just about melted my heart.

Here's her ~~going away picture~~ Craigslist picture. I said she was "Free to a good home."

Why do I feel so, so guilty? Really, I think I might cry.

One more difference between boys and girls

2011-11-11T13:08:00.001-06:00

It's unbelievable how different our little ladies are from our little men!

Just one more evidence to the fact:

I ask Nelson to take a shower and he will cry for several minutes while he's looking for clean clothes. He even cries in the shower. (Such an inconvenience it is to the boy to be clean!) His shower lasts all of 2 minutes. And, I guess he uses soap.

But, the girls beg to take showers. They would happily take two a day if I would let them! And, then they stay in the shower for about 45 minutes with my constant pounding on the door saying, "It's time to get out." They come out looking like prunes and smelling like they have been rolling in flowers.

Tell me I'm not the only one with quirky kids.

I ordered...

2011-11-11T10:25:00.001-06:00

Rod and Staff Science Curriculum for 2nd grade this morning!!!

Happy day, I love to order new curriculum.

We were doing a more "classical" approach to education. So, we were not doing any science books in the elementary stage. But, I was reading A LOT of natural science books. Still, it seemed that the kids were always wanting more. And, I felt that I needed some kind of system to follow. So, I did it... I actually bought a science program. I chose 2nd grade, because I can modify it to serve 3 kids at once - don'cha just love homeschooling?! (I bought 1 teacher's guide and 3 workbooks, so I am not breaking any copyright laws... in case you care - all for only $20!!!)

Praise God for a little extra income from UPS "peak season!" Go on, friends, keep buying Christmas presents! And, ship them all with UPS ; )

Stay tuned as I plan to order social studies and math in the coming month!!!

Questions for Abeka Math Users

2011-11-10T12:32:00.001-06:00

Okay Homeschool Moms and Dads, I need your help (again)!

I am switching to A Beka math as soon as I can afford to order it! I am considering cutting out some items to save the final cost.

So, these are my questions -

Do you/did you use the Drill Cards Set A often enough to make it worth the puchase (I would be using it for both 1st and 2nd graders). I think they look good/useful, but $28.50 is a lot of money. I am leaning towards buying them.

And, do you/did you use the charts and games enough to make it worth the money (for first and second grade)?

And, I am assuming that since this is first and second grade math that I should not worry about answer keys? Or, are they set up in such a way that it could be a useful tool for children self-grading?

Thanks for your assistance!

I just looked at the A Beka site and found that there will be a opportunity to view materials in my area on the 15th of this month! Hot Dog - count me in! Only problem is... what if I fall in love with every other subject they offer too... oh my...

Veteran's Day Homeschool Pages

2011-11-10T11:46:00.001-06:00

Today and tomorrow my kiddoes are doing activities that I found on the websites listed below. If you do a google search you will come up with many fantastic activities to reinforce your children's appreciation for service men.

Apples for the Teacher

Teacher Vision - unfortunately some of the worksheets on this site require "signing up" (no thank you)

ABCTeach (for reading comprehension)

Most of the other sites I came across required some kind of mysterious "signing up." So, I did not link any others. For my young students, this was enough.

What is your homeschool doing for Veteran's Day? I would love to hear your ideas.

Problems with the Puppy

2011-11-09T12:57:00.001-06:00

Laugh with me.

I mentioned in a previous post that we would be getting a Great Pyrenees puppy from my FIL last week. We took her on a trial basis... and for this I am glad!

The puppies were named "Laddy" and "Lassy" by my MIL. I like original names. So, we decided to change our girl dog's name to "Diamond" (which means "bright shepherd"). Only thing is - the dumb dog will not respond to her new name OR her old name! Do you know how vexing that is? My kids are more obedient than this dog!

But, I am jumping ahead... Let's start from the beginning. My in-laws decided to buy two pure bred dogs from an Amish man who buys their hay. The dogs were born around March and my in-laws adopted them in May - one boy and one girl. Paul and I kindly pointed out some of the reasons that having two such dogs might present. But, my in-laws seemed to want both dogs.

As time passes, the dogs got bigger. One day they ran off together. No significant harm done... luckily. But, from that point on, my FIL decided to tie up one dog at all times. We felt sorry for the dogs, but had no interest in doing anything about the situation.

Then, a few weeks ago, Paul's dad asked us to put the girl dog on Craigslist to give her away. I liked the dog just enough to want to see it go to a good home - and not to a dog fighting ring. (Large breed dogs are often going missing in our area...) So, Paul and I discussed whether or not to bring the dog here. My pros and cons list was very lop-sided... with the CONS getting the majority. We knew that having a puppy around would be trouble.

But, what we did not realize:
- The puppy is already larger than our full grown lab
- The puppy will NOT respond to any name (including "hey, stupid!")
- The puppy does not like to stay at home, like my FIL bragged about, but rather she runs away
- The puppy wants to live inside, though it never has before!, and she likes to force her way in the door - nearly knocking over full-grown humans in the process
- The puppy would set a bad example for our old dog. Suddenly our six year old lab is chewing up baseball gloves too!!! We expected it from the puppy and kept everything out of reach (we thought). But, we did not expect Daisy to become puppy-like!

All in all, this new puppy is a pain in the neck. Since she runs away and does not respond to any name, we have been forced to tie her up. OH - did I mention that she is not yet fixed?! Yeah - we got troubles. Today a boy dog was in the yard and I ran out quickly to sequester the puppy into the locked garage... you know, just in case the boy dog is so determined that he learns to turn the door knob ; )

I still want to see this dog go to a good home. But, I do not think that our house is the good home. I think this ~~beast~~ puppy needs many acres to roam and some livestock to keep her from getting bored. (Hmmm, I think that these are two of the reasons we counseled Paul's folks not to get two herd dogs!)

So, there you have it... don't ever get a second dog.

Now, in typical Bob Barker fashion - "I'm Bethany, reminding you to have your pet spayed or neutered. Good bye."

Only 7 More Weeks to Prepare!!!

2011-11-09T10:46:00.000-06:00

Oh dear, only 7 weeks until Baby 6 comes! I hope I start "nesting" soon, so that I can get everything ready!

My primary concern is making sure that Rebecca is ready to cook a few days worth of meals AND that we have the ingredients for them on hand. She has recently mastered making bread by herself. And, we rarely run out of those supplies, so at least the family won't starve. Rebecca and I made up a list of all the recipes she can cook beginning to end all by herself. We were very happy with all the options she has there. But... having ingredients on hand for those meals is another story!

Paul and I have talked about buying "convenience" foods for the freezer: hot dogs, frozen pizza, ravioli, etc. But, I just don't think I can bare to see those foods come into my house again after we have worked so hard to cut them out. Plus, they are SO expensive! We are buying our food with cash now, accounting for every penny - and I am becoming more frugal every day! What's more - my family is all losing weight and I don't want to regress into old, unhealthy habits (again). So, let's hope that I get a sudden burst of nesting energy that lasts for the next 7 weeks. Because if the freezer is going to be filled, then I am going to cook the meals myself!!!

I don't know yet who will be here to watch our children when Paul and I are both at the hospital. Paul's folks are 20ish minutes away. So, they will likely be the babysitters.

But, you see, this is the problem - my mom and Paul's mom did not have quite so many kiddoes under foot when they were mamas with kids at home. So, when they come to my house they find it very hard to prepare a meal (and keep their sanity). This is completely understandable!!! However, they think that since they cannot do it Rebecca cannot do it either. But, Rebecca was born into this -and she does it VERY well. She is more efficient in the kitchen that I can ever hope to be. She is even able to incorporate the kids into cooking - I don't know how she does it ; ) But, my point is, if our mothers can agree to let Becca do the cooking, everyone should be well fed.

Let's hope they like our menu options...

I need video suggestions

2011-11-08T09:42:00.001-06:00

Okay, Friends - I need your advice!

Some days I am just too tired to pull off a full day of school. On those days I would love to put on an educational video that I can count as school credit (history, geography, science, music, creation, etc). My kids are all under age 10. They LOVE anything about natural sciences or geography. They will watch documentaries about people if they are not "scary." Please add a warning if something is particularly evolutionary in its thinking, so that I can be forewarned.

We really like the Incredible Creatures that Defy Evolution series. So anything along those lines would be especially appreciated. We do watch the National Geographic films - and enjoy them - I just like to be forewarned of the world view represented.

Please let me know any suggestions you have! My kids and I need your help.

Real Struggles

2011-11-06T19:48:00.000-06:00

He enters my home and sits down comfortably as though he isan invited guest. My fatigue and irritation are written all over my face, butrather than make a move to leave he settles in all the more. You would thinkthat he is all the more resolved in his visit after seeing my noticeableagitation.

His name is Rage. He often enters my home with the desire ofdisrupting all my well-laid plans. My plan is to act in a loving way to myfamily, to my friends, and to everyone I meet. My plan is to be patient and kind,forbearing with those who are irksome to me. But, Rage does not pay any heed tomy plans. He thinks he has a higher authority. We are constantly bickering backand forth. He points out all my flaws and short-comings. Then he proceeds topoint out all the weaknesses of those surrounding me. At times in theconversation I become quite provoked. I lash out and use words with the othersin the room that are entirely inappropriate. Rage is pleased. He is starting topace now… like a lion on the prowl. It is becoming more clear in my mind everyminute that this visitor is my Adversary. He is waiting to devour me. And, ifhe has his way, he will use me to devoureveryone around me.

The fur on the back of his neck is now sticking up. He wentfrom being a seemingly innocent bystander to being a constant source ofcontention within my home. In response, I am perturbed within my own self.Another visitor has entered the room, he is closely acquainted with Rage. Infact, they serve the same master. This new unwelcomed visitor goes by the nameof Condemnation.

Rage and Condemnation and now working together with a willto steal, kill, and destroy all my good intentions at godly living.Condemnation is quick to point out each and every way that I have displeased my Master. He speaks with authority, asthough he knows my code of conduct better than I do myself. The constantprodding of Condemnation is causing me to further conduct myself in a patternof behavior consistent with that of his companion Rage.

I see how things are spinning out of control. So do they.Rage is cheering me on. Condemnation is reminding me that self-control is afruit of the spirit, and I am clearly not acting like a person who is filledwith the Holy Spirit. He goes on to tell me that perhaps I am not a Christianat all. With weeping I agree that he is right. I am undone.

But, wait! What’s this I remember reading in My Master’sBook about Condemnation? I remember now! There is no condemnation in Christ. There is no condemnation in Christ. Thereis no condemnation in Christ. Condemnation is not welcome in my home,he must leave at once!

Condemnation leaves and I see that he too was truly a liontrying to devour me. He never intended to build me up and help me to live amore godly life. I see now, as he turns to go, that his tail is between hislegs. He was acting strong enough for a while, but he knows he is no match forMy Master’s Word! He cannot be welcomed in a home whose motto is – There is nocondemnation in Christ.

But, who is that prowling behind me. It is Rage. He is stillhere. He thinks that I am still under his influence, because I spoke with suchvehemence to his friend Condemnation. But, my anger is something that Rage hasmisinterpreted. He will soon see that the power of anger within me now is thesame as that Righteous Holy Anger burning in The One who turned over the tablesin the Temple. That’s right, Rage.The power within me is the same power that was within the sinless One, Jesus.

Rage begins to back away. He sees a light in my eyes thattells him that he has lost ground. He has seen this light before, it is areflection of the Light of the World shining from inside my very soul. With onelast offensive effort, Rage jumps at me again. But, I am holding my shield offaith now! I have at last remembered that My Master gave me armor to fightagainst such enemies. While my shield deflects his sharp teeth, I reach for mydagger. I stab Rage again and again:

“No weapon formed against me will prosper.”

“I am the righteousness of Christ.”

“Put away bitterness, wrath, and anger.”

“I am a new creation in Christ.”

I feel strength from within me. Clearly my master isfighting from within my own self. He is waging war with his foe. My Master’sHelper – that is the Holy Spirit – has given me strength and armor for thisbattle. And, now, Rage is stumbling out the door.

I sit down to look at my own wounds. They are many. Thelions never leave me unscathed. But, My Master’s Helper is here to tend to thewounds. He speaks kind words to me. He reminds me that My Master loves me somuch that The Son came to die for me. He reminds me that I am the apple of MyMaster’s eye. Such words of love are a balm to my soul. The stings of my enemy’ssharp teeth are no longer so evident to me. I am immersed in remembering thelove of my master.

I get up. I now have renewed strength to face the day. Yes,I made mistakes. Yes, I have a lot more growing to do. But, My Master loves me.He looks on me and sees the righteousness of His Perfect Son. He looks at meand sees what He knows I will become. My Master knows that He will finish theGood Work that He has begun in me. He has perfect confidence in this… and Hewishes to share some of this confidence with me. Warmth, joy, peace, and loveare all abounding now within my home. My Master’s Helper has left a blessing inthe place of the conflict that was here just moments ago.

I can hear my Master singing over me from afar. He is stillreminding me of his love. He is delighting over me! He is singing over me! I amquieted by His Holy Love and I return to the business of my day.

Peace is restored. Joy is restored. Love is restored. MyMaster loves me and He sent His Helper to restore unto me the joy of mysalvation.

His Mercies are new every morning, and I have a reason tolive. Praise God to whom all blessings flow.

If I hadn't seen it...

2011-11-04T12:21:00.000-05:00

I would NOT have believed it.

Nelson (just turned 8) was running out the door at recess and knocked over a box of dog treats. Without my saying one word he picked up the box and all the treats and then went on his way.

Can you believe it? Seriously, I am not making this up!

32 Weeks and Counting

2011-11-02T10:31:00.000-05:00

My 32 week check-up went great.

I am measuring at 33 weeks.

Baby's heartbeat was 134.

All is good.

Only 8 weeks to go!

A Day on the Farm

2011-11-02T08:26:00.000-05:00

We spent all day at the farm yesterday. We were very tired at the end of the day. Paul could hardly get out of bed at 3 to go to UPS. Paul's Dad had a lot of odd jobs that would not have been too overwhelming for 3-4 grown men, but our hay team consists of Paul, his Dad (who has a hernia), his mother (who can only drive the truck), my two eldest children, and my own pregnant self. It was some day!

Most of the time, I watched the kiddoes and took pictures. But, when it got to be late afternoon I knew that I would have to help. So, I pulled on some heavy gloves and started stacking hay bales in two long lines. The purpose of this is that the men who gather the bales do not have to walk so far from the trailer each time to pick up the bale. Also, the bale(s) on top of the stack are higher off the ground and the men do not have to bend down. It was a small thing for me to do, but it helps them a lot.

So, without further ado - pictures. As usual, click any picture to bring up the nifty enlargements page.

Did you notice the big white dog? He is a Great Pyrenees. We will be getting his sister this Friday! She will likely eat more than she is worth for a while, but we could not pass on a "free" pure bred livestock dog with such a great disposition.

Number Two Turns Eight

2011-11-01T09:05:00.001-05:00

Nelson turned eight years old today!

Eight of my favorite things about Nelson:

1- He is becoming mechanical like his Daddy. Give the boy a screw driver or a drill and he is in his element.
2- He is becoming a farmer like his Daddy. Just set him in the tractor seat and watch him go!
3- He is FULL of energy... though, admittedly, this is not always my favorite trait in him...
4- He loves the Lord (and will be baptized Nov. 20th).
5- He is very protective of his little sister.
6- He compliments me on my appearance a lot.
7- He brings me flowers.
8- I see great potential to be a truly great man!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NELSON!!!

Stocked Up on Apples

2011-10-29T08:31:00.000-05:00

I wanted to post a picture of my apple jars ~~to show off~~ to help me remember that I really did it!

The picture does not show all that we successfully stored (because they were already eaten or given away):
- 25 qts apple sauce
- 2 qts apple butter
- 12 half pints apple butter
- 6 large Ziplock bags of sliced apples (for desserts) in the deep freezer

As I said before we started with 5 bushels of apples. We ate some of the apples raw. Paul wants to put up two or three times this amount next year. I concur... even though I ration the apple sauce, I do not see it lasting for even 6 months. As for the apple butter, I enjoy eating it, but I REALLY enjoy giving it away and seeing other people smile. And, did I mention that I made it with honey - so it is sugar free. (Though a lot more costly per jar).

I am not writing out how much everything costs per jar, because I don't think that my system would make sense to anyone but myself. And, I had to purchase some jars - a one-time expense. But, we are still saving money on food. (So long as you have the time to "spare")

Josiah is Becoming a Big Boy!

2011-10-25T11:17:00.000-05:00

Baby Josiah seems to have grown up over night! All of the sudden he has a favorite book and wants to have it read to him a bazillion times a day! This definitely means that he is no longer the baby... just don't expect him to give up his footed pajamas any time soon!

(As usual, click the pic to enlarge)

Getting Involved

2011-10-24T06:41:00.000-05:00

I haven't talked much about our church activities lately, and I know that some of you are curious about our transition into a new environment.

I said in a previous post that Paul and I were not very involved when we first started coming here. Some of our resistance to getting involved was intentional - to keep people from thinking that we were planning to "take over." We tried to be very guarded and always support the pre-existing work. But, God had other plans...

For example, our church has home Bible studies that meet on weekdays. Paul was originally planning to visit them all in turn. But, within a few weeks of our coming he was asked to become the teacher of one of the groups. So, he has been doing that on Tuesdays for about a month.

And, I was not offering to do much in the way of music... but then the (other) pastor's wife got sick. She is able to pick out the melody line on the piano, thus she is the usual piano player. But, she was sick for a long time - so I have played the piano for our services for about a month. (I did not play y-day, because I was at home with a very sick little boy).

Then, there was a shared meal one week and everyone forgot except for me. So, not only did I get to provide food for all of us, but I got to play hostess too! I was super excited for this breakthrough! Up to this point I have been pampered and kept from helping in the kitchen. But, that day all the ladies were asking me "what can I do to help?," and I got to delegate the jobs. That was a good day!

Then this most recent thing... we have been planning for a fall festival for this coming Saturday (not Halloween, but more like harvest festival). There was supposed to be some kind of musical group coming in, but they are not able to make it. So, I will be providing the musical "entertainment" on Saturday. I plan to lead the group (on guitar) with some familiar choruses and hymns, and "perform" some of my original songs for them. Just so you know, I do not think that praise and worship is entertainment or performance, but I use those words because it is less wordy that saying what I really mean. (You know what I mean?)

Also, the other pastor and Paul have split up the preaching responsibilities. Paul will now be preaching on the first and third Sundays. And, he will be able to baptize two of our own children on Nov. 20. In addition to all of this, Paul has been making a lot of home visits. He has also been on a hospital visit at least once a week. And, right after we moved in here our former landlord died from cancer - and she asked him to do the funeral. Overall, Paul is VERY happy and fulfilled ministering in this capacity.

Thanks for all your prayers during our time of adjustment.

What am I going to do??? (Croup update)

2011-10-23T16:20:00.000-05:00

Josiah woke up from his nap in very bad condition. This was more or less to be expected.

BUT, I was not expecting Joshua (4) to wake up croupy!!!

And, though Nelson (almost 8) is way too old to have croup, he coughed and sounded like a seal. And, since he didn't even touch his lunch, I know he is very sick too.

Paul leaves for work at 3:30ish am. What am I going to do with 1, 2, or 3 (or more?! - heaven help us!) croupy little ones?!!!! I have no one nearby to call to stay the night with me... there is no one who is not scared of sickness.

I have further resolved my decision that when I am an older mother and my youngest ones are grown, I WILL help mamas with their sick babies!

Oh, God, please help me!

Worst Case of Croup Ever...

2011-10-23T09:48:00.000-05:00

(at least in my experience). Josiah is very sick with Croup. He was up most of the night unable to breathe. Knowing that cold mist is better than hot humidity, we took him outside in the cool night air to breathe. We also tried a steamy bathroom - that only made him worse. We also slathered the poor thing in Vick's Vapor Rub. By 5:30am, after a few hours of restless sleep, I was too tired to get us both dressed to go outside, so I just sat in front of my open window. By 6, I was too tired to even answer Paul's questions about the baby's condition and Paul took over the next hour until Joey finally fell asleep again... until 7:30.

I have never seen such a bad case of croup. I don't want to take him to the ER, as I am afraid that we might pick up something even worse there.

Please, please pray for Josiah. In all my 9 1/2 years of mothering I have never seen a case like this.

On Cutting Back the Food Budget

2011-10-22T10:18:00.000-05:00

I mentioned about a month ago that we were going to cut back our food budget in a major way. While we are making this decision from financial necessity, we also knew that it would benefit our health.

Here's my report:
- We have not been eating out at all!

- I have made a comparison pricing chart for foods in town. I have four columns: Aldi, Sam's Club, Dutch Bulk Foods, and other. I am eagerly filling it out when I am in stores hunting food bargains.

- We found "farm fresh" eggs in a neighboring town for only $1/dozen! The cheapest Wal-Mart carries are $1.88/doz, and the farm fresh are better! These of course are not given special (non-GMO) feed, but we cannot afford to be that picky at present ; )

- We are back on raw milk! We are able to get it delivered TO OUR HOUSE in glass jars for only $4/gallon! What a steal! Our milk man sells reasonably priced hormone-free, antibiotic free beef as well... we hope to begin purchasing that soon. And, we are having cream delivered to make butter.

- In the last month I purchased 5 bushels of apples for canning/freezing. I haggled with the owner of the Dutch Bulk Food Stores to give me a reduced rate on Golden Delicious and Jonathon number ones. I ended up getting four boxes for the price of three! And, then a girlfriend called saying that she had some cheap Red Delicious from an Amish auction. So, I got just one bushel of those for only $10.50.

This was us processing the last 3 bushels y-day. (Click any pic to bring up the enlargements page). Nelson did a fantastic job helping! He ran the peeler/corer/slicer for hours! Rebecca watched the little ones and read them books. We did not let her help with the cooking, because she is sick.
Baby Josiah wasn't much help...

We made a vast amount of apple sauce.

And, today we have apple butter cooking in the crock pot.

Here is me filling the jars this morning.
I will can them when Paul comes home from work.

I can't imagine why I look so tired...

- We are baking our own bread again. I took about an eighteen month sabbatical from such work. But, between Rebecca and myself we should be able to keep the bread box filled. I did also make a trip to the bakery outlet a few weeks ago, but I would MUCH rather cook my own, thank you.

- We were able to get free pears last weekend. I have not processed them yet, because we have had our hands full of apples. But, we have been enjoying them raw! And, they are still plenty hard and will keep till Monday.

- We are buying very little processed foods at present. Again, this is largely from necessity. But, still, I am happy that we ran out of taco shells and tortillas. We know how to make tortillas, if we get desperate enough.

- We are not buying any soda or juice. We are only drinking milk, water, and coffee.

- We are all eating much smaller portions to make food stretch farther. This has significantly helped my heartburn! In fact, I intentionally leave the table hunger every night so that I (hopefully) won't have to take any antacids before bed. (Antacids deplete my vitamin D.)

- As you might expect, my chubbiest little man (Nelson) has really slimmed down! He has noticed and he feels good about it. The rest of us are looking more healthy too. And, don't worry, I am still gaining just the right amount of weight for the new Baby.

- Another less expected result of this dietary change is that we are making FAR less trips to town for groceries. So, we are saving gas too. Woo Hoo!

All in all, I am VERY happy with our progress so far! Leave me a comment to cheer me on!