I don't really use Lamaze per se as a labor/delivery tool but I do have the "hee-hee-hoo" breathing patterns pretty firmly embedded in my psyche since first learning them almost 16 (!) years ago.  It doesn't take too much contraction activity for me to lapse into some form of that relaxation/breathing technique.

I usually start having contractions fairly early in my pregnancies and sometimes I'll wake up from a sound sleep with a "heeeee-hooooo."  This pregnancy, for the first time, my brain has been following up that "hee-hoo" with "began a good work in you.... ."  So my Bible verse for this pregnancy is:

"For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus."   Philippians 1:6

Or as the Steve Green's song says, "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it in you."  I've been singing that song a lot too!

Labels: 2012 Pregnancy, Natural Childbirth, Pregnancy, ♪ Psalms-Hymns-Spiritual Songs ♪

There are three biggish things looming ahead of me with regard to this pregnancy that make me feel really unprepared:

1. We don't have a vehicle yet that will fit our new family of 8
2. We haven't settled on names yet
3. I haven't figured out yet what to do about my doula's unavailability

I'm still working on just trusting God to sort it out and to provide what we need when we need it. I struggle with knowing what my own involvement should entail, but overall, I realize that I can trust Him!

Number 3 on my list is the hardest. I don't even know my own mind on this one. I really want to have that support person there whom I can trust to be my advocate in the hospital setting. If I were at a birthing center or birthing at home, this wouldn't be so much of an issue to me, but our situation is that we're doing this at the hospital... again. The cost of a doula is somewhat of an issue but the idea that I'd have to get to know someone new is more daunting to me. Part of me wants to just skip it this time, but I think I'd probably regret it. Meanwhile, time is slipping away and I've made no decision. I feel like I'm kind of cruising along in denial. Not my usual approach and I need to do something about that. I don't like making decisions by default. I'm praying for wisdom and decisiveness!

10 weeks and counting....

Labels: 2012 Pregnancy, Pregnancy

I've been in need of spoons. We've lost a couple to the garbage disposal over the years, we've added a couple of people over the years, and my pattern (Amadeus) was discontinued YEARS ago. I watch eBay and I've picked up a few that are similar but not quite as nice and they're about $3 PER spoon!

Fast-forward to today >>>>>> I'm cleaning in the garage, organizing my canning jars, etc.... I come across a box I have no recollection of. It's a 45-piece set (UNOPENED) of MY silverware! What an unexpected blessing. I must have bought it some time ago and put it away for later. Well, it's later. I pilfered the spoons and put the rest away... for later. Hopefully I'll remember it's out there.

Labels: General

Some people say that motherhood, that parenthood, is a sacrifice. On one hand I disagree with that sentiment because it implies that since it's a sacrifice, there's something better or more desirable that I could be doing with myself and that I'm giving it up. In my heart, there's nothing I'd rather be doing than being a mother.

Okay, once in a while I wish I could just sleep in, just be sick and have no one depending on me, just do what I want to do without having to consider someone else. But that thought just brings me to my other hand, my other thought. Motherhood IS a sacrifice. But let's think about what's being sacrificed.

In my list of things I sometimes wish, I find some pretty selfish wishes. Seems to be the only real sacrifice to be found in parenting is a sacrifice of self. But isn't that something we're supposed to be doing anyway? This life isn't about us. As Christians we are to live for Christ, reflect His image, die to self and let His life become our own. What a profound gift parenting is. What an opportunity for Christ to accomplish His work in us. What a blessed vehicle for us to be molded into Christ-likeness. It's a very rewarding way to do what we're supposed to be doing anyway: decrease so that He might increase.

My opinion is that it would probably be much more difficult to die to self if one didn't have children. I would likely be much more selfish than I am if I didn't have the constant reminder that it's not about me.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

Labels: Devotionals

Labels: 2012 Pregnancy, Pregnancy

It's been well over a year since I've posted anything on this blog. Sad. I was just saying on Facebook that I miss blogging but I love FB more and I don't have time for both. But within 5 minutes here I am....

I'm sure the links on my sidebars are outdated and broken. Maybe I'll get around to fixing that... maybe I won't.

Facebook sure provides me with connections to people, daily, that I wouldn't otherwise have. That has an instant gratification element to it that blogging doesn't provide. But blogging provides a digital diary of sorts that I can't achieve at FB. Hmmmm. What to do... Maybe try both again. We'll see.

Anywhooo, nice to be back. For a minute anyway! ☺

Labels: General

My 6.5-year-old son is on a mission to save our neighbor's life. The other day Adam said, "I don't think Jantzen's dad is very healthy." I asked why he thought that. He said, "Because he smokes." I agreed that wasn't a very healthy thing to do.

Several days later Adam entered our house saying, very dramatically, through clenched teeth, "I'm doomed!" Then he hid out it a darkened room. I asked why he was doomed. Adam explained that he was trying to save Jantzen's dad's life. "How?" I queried. He went on, "Well, I asked Jantzen if he wanted to save his dad's life. He said, 'Yes' so I told him to tempt his dad not to smoke." I interrupted at this point to say that USUALLY we are tempted to do something that we SHOULDN'T do not something that we SHOULD do, and then Adam continued. "Well, Jantzen went to his dad and said, 'Adam doesn't want you to smoke.' So I'm DOOMED!!! Those weren't the words I wanted him to say!" When I asked Adam what he did want Jantzen to say he said he didn't know but not THOSE words. I guess Adam wanted Jantzen to talk his dad out of smoking but to leave Adam out of it! :-) Adam thought he was doomed because he figured that Jantzen's dad would be mad at him. I told him that he probably wouldn't be mad.

Today, Rebecca brought me a picture that Adam had requested that she deliver to the neighbors. She delivered it to me instead. Good call, Rebecca!

Labels: Kids