Abigail Jean

We are doing well and are enjoying this new little girl. I'll post our story later when I get a few spare moments!

OB Appointment #13

December 19, 2005 - 2:20 p.m. - Phillip Agrusa, MD
40 Weeks - 3 Days

Weight: -2 ½ lb. / + 13 ½ lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 120/70
Baby's Heartrate: good
Height of Fundus: good

I saw Dr. Agrusa because the nurse practitioner I had the appointment with was out sick. Dr Agrusa was my doctor during my last pregnancy. I like him better than the nurse so that was fine with me.

I had the non-stress test (NST). It was very uncomfortable. First of all I realized that they were going to have me lie on my back. That boggles my mind. You are told NOT to lie on your back past a certain point of pregancy because of the pressure it puts on major blood vessels and the discomfort it then causes. I asked the nurse how long I was expected to be in that position. She said about 20 minutes. I told her that there was no way I could tolerate that. I end up with major back pain and really bad nausea. Could I lie on my side? She said yes. She then strapped onto my belly the two monitors. One to monitor the baby's heartrate and one to monitor my contractions. I had with me a big ol' thick novel that I thought I would read during this time but that didn't work out so well.

It turns out that laying on my side wasn't satisfactory either. They are really not set up for doing this test properly. They need a bigger bed, not just an exam table. They need a bunch of pillows to prop up all the parts a pregnant woman needs propped up. I ended up using my book under my head for a while as a pillow. Later I used it between my knees because my hips were killing me. I just laid there wondering when it would end. I just about said 'forget it' and took the monitors off myself and called it quits. Dr. Agrusa came in and looked at the paper record of the baby's heart rate and said, "You have a perfect baby. Looks good." I really don't think I need this test. Why would they assume there is a problem in the first place? There is no sign or hint of a problem so it irks me that they proceed with that assumption. I hope I have this baby before Friday(12/23) because I'm scheduled for another NST then. Here's hoping.


BTW, I seem to have a mental block against absorbing the rules on how to use the lay/lie verbs. I just don't get it. I am convinced that I am in error where that is concerned in this post. I admit it. I know it's probably wrong, though hopefully, not every time!!

OB Appointment #12

Posting this late. Sorry!

December 13, 2005 - 3:50 p.m. - Julie Stevens, CRNP
39 Weeks - 4 Days

Weight: +3 lb. / + 16 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 104/58
Baby's Heartrate: good
Height of Fundus: good

When she came into the exam room, Julie asked if I was going to hang on to this baby forever. I replied that I probably would at least until the due date. Sheesh! It wasn't even my due date yet at that point. What is her big hurry!?!?!?!???! She also tried scaring me to death by saying that between 40-42 weeks the placenta starts breaking down and becomes less efficient and that the rate of stillbirth increases after 40 weeks. Brother! Like the due date is some magical date that "they" know the baby should be born by. Hello?!? It's an estimated due date. Estimated based on my WACKY cycle. So, who knows, the baby may not even be technically due yet. I say, when the baby is born, THAT was the due date.

She said that I need to come in twice a week now for a non-stress test. They want to be sure the baby is tolerating its environment. She wanted me to come in in 3 days (on Friday, which was my due date) for the first of these tests. Was I agreeable to that, she asked. I was taken by surprise and wasn't ready to argue so I just agreed. However, by the time I had walked out and gone to the scheduling desk, I had changed my mind and decided to make the appointment for the following Monday. At least Monday would be after my due date (still no need to assume there are problems tho').

Stress. Brother. The baby is fine but they are stressing ME out!!

Nothing Yet

There's no baby yet. I did go to the chiropractor today so maybe she stirred something up!! :-)

No Three Things Thursday. I just didn't feel up to it.

The cutest thing I've seen in a while

Let's see if I can adequately describe this scene.

A couple of nights ago I was snuggling with Adam on the couch and I was kissing his curly little head...

Adam: Kiss my head?
Me: Yes, I'm kissing your head.
Adam: Kiss all over?
Me: Yep, I'm kissing it all over.
Adam: My kiss it.

Then he proceeded to cock his head to the right and left, tilting it slightly upward, smacking the air and tried for quite a while to kiss his own head. It was totally hilarious!

Halloween 2005 Flashback

I never posted a picture of what I wore for Halloween. (Oops! I mean the church Harvest Party!) So here ya go:

Still going....

I was able to do all 3 things on my Thursday list. Yeah!

Narnia was GREAT with only a handful of things I didn't like. Overall it was excellent. Highly recommended!

The birthday party was fun (mainly for the kids...I wasn't too thrilled with the noise and chaos. 9 cousins age 10 and under...together! Whew!)

My kids' chimes concert went very well and I was so happy to be able to see them perform. A very Christmas-y event that I'm glad not to have missed.

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 13

I know it's almost Friday, but I AM getting this in just under the wire. I'll blame my pregnant state...

3 Plans I've made with a open mind.... (meaning the baby may come and alter my plans!)

1.) We have tickets to see Narnia tomorrow 4:45 p.m (matinee is cheaper!) I only hope I'll be able to go. Two years ago the final Lord of the Rings movie opened in the theatres the same day I delivered BonusBoy. I didn't get to go. And although we have the 4 hour director's cut DVD, I still have not watched it!!!! Jim has threated to go to the Narnia movie anyway even if I have to go to the hospital I 'kindly' informed him that that wasn't going to happen! grrrrr!

2.) We have a Saturday birthday party to go to for a nephew of Jim's. I hope we can make that as well.

3.) The two big kids have their chimes and bells Christmas concert this coming Sunday afternoon. I hope I will be able to attend that as well. This will be Padawan's first performance ever and I'd hate to miss it. PonyGirl has been doing it for two years now but this is Padawan's first and I have yet to see him at work! PonyGirl reports that he's doing very well. She seems proud of him. (Warms my heart!)

Against my better judgement

Jaymarie wanted a current picture of me since she can't be here this time. So here it is. Such as it is. *Sigh*

OB Appointment #11

December 7, 2005 - 3:50 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder
38 Weeks - 5 Days

Weight: +1 lb. / + 13 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 120/70
Baby's Heartrate: "acceptable" in the words of the Dr.
Height of Fundus: ?

She said my cervix was open "this much" and held up her forefinger and thumb just barely apart. So not too much development there. I was kind of expecting to hear 1-2 cm. because of all the contractions I'd been having. I felt really lousy when I was in the dr. office. I'd been contracting constantly for about 3 hours had a backache (which I still have) and felt nauseated and freezing cold. I was starting to wonder if "something" was happening. Apparently not. Not much anyway. I did get my prescription for Ambien the other day so I've been able to sleep fairly well. That is a blessing!

I'll be back to the doctor next Tuesday unless I see her before then.

Today I get to go for a one hour massage and then a chiropractic adjustment. Woo-hoo, I can't wait!!

Come out, come out, wherever you are

The numbers on my site meter continue to slowly increase but I don't know who is visiting. I know who some of you visitors are because you leave comments but there are more of you that don't. If you visit here very often at all would you mind saying, "Hi, I was here." You don't need to leave a comment per se, just let me know you were here, and maybe how you found me. I'm a curious sort! :-)

I'll leave this post on the top for a while so you may need to scroll down to see newer posts.

For MrsFish et al

A little while back MrsFish (whom I don't even know, I've just come across her through my sister, Jaymarie) mentioned that she was in need of more laughter. I was going to leave this link on her site but I decided to post it here for everyone's enjoyment.

So.. Here's to you Mrs Fish!

Washington Mutual Commercial

OB Appointment #10

For those of you who are interested in these stats, sorry for the late post!

November 30, 2005 (last Wednesday)- 4:10 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder
37 Weeks - 5 Days

Weight: +4 ½ lbs. / + 12 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 110/68
Baby's Heartrate: No clue. The doctor, my doula, and I were chatting and I didn't get the number. Must have been fine.
Height of Fundus: Again...chatting! (Go figure. Me, chatting!)

The doctor did an external exam of my abdomen and determined that the baby is head down. (good). She also did an internal check of my cervix and confirmed the baby's position and said that I haven't started dilating yet. That's fine. I wasn't checked until 39 ½ weeks with BonusBoy and I was at 1 cm. then. I go back in a week. This coming Wednesday.

Today I'm asking for a prescription for Ambien. I'm not sleeping very well at all. I'm not uncomfortable but I just keep waking up about every 40 minutes! Arrrgh! Saturday night I took the last of 6 leftover pills from when I was pregnant with BonusBoy. I love that stuff and I need more!!! I get some REALLY good sleep when I take it. I do pretty good if I take one every other night. Hopefully this Dr. ( a different one from last time) will not have any problems letting me have a prescription.

What's in YOUR wallet?

Don'tcha just love it when your credit card's minumum payment is LESS than the finance charge for that month? Yeah, sure. I'd love to be owing them forever. Not me. Try someone else. Sheesh!

Oh, and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 12

1.) I love the sound of a train going through town. I think I've always lived where I can hear the train at least from a distance. I only usually notice it when I'm in bed but it never disturbs my sleep. Whenever I hear it, I just smile and am thankful I am hearing it. I don't know why. I just do.

2.) I love the sound of an orchestra warming up. The dissonant sounds yielding the promise of good things to come. Makes me feel happy.

3.) I love the sound of a rip-roaring, crackling fire. Makes me feel warm even if it's not yet.

December 1, 2005

When I got into the shower this morning PonyGirl and BonusBoy were still asleep and Padawan was snuggled up on the couch with a blanket. When I got out of the shower I couldn't find any of my kids! After a brief search, I finally found them...





out in this overnight arrival...








(Click on the picture to get a larger view)

You can't see them very well because I took the picture from pretty far back. I still had a wet head and didn't want to venture out from the patio in my slippers!! :-)

BTW, PonyGirl got BonusBoy all dressed in a long-sleeved onesie, long-john type pajama bottoms, jeans, sweatshirt, socks, shoes, coat, gloves, and hat. He had a ball. Looks like she pretty much has it handled. Maybe I'll go back to bed!! ;-) (oh, I better go check about the diaper... I didn't ask about that!!)

The Amish Way of Life

This was orignially going to be a comment back to Julia on this post but it turned into a post of it's own.

That is SO funny. (about us sounding Amish) We are SO NOT Amish but I have an affinity for that way of life. I wish I could truly be happy living that way (except for some of the doctrinal problems I would have). In my healthy imagination I really am Amish. I developed my romantic involvement with the Amish when reading my first Beverly Lewis book way back when. Since then I have read every one of her books except the ones for children and I wait with bated breath for each new one.

One of my favorite quotes is: "Free yourself of things or you will spend your entire life tidying up." Boy did that one hit home with me. I put my book down and started throwing out junk!

I think one of the aspects that attracts me most about the Amish is their sense of community and extended family. I so often feel stranded in my little life. It must come from living too far from my family to really share in their lives and to feel like they share in mine. I like the idea of a "work frolic" where friends and family (your neighbors) all come together and help each other out. For instance, everybody goes to Annie's house and cans a million jars of applesauce. A few days later they all go to Rachel's house and can her million jars. In the end it's all the same amount of work but they do it together for each other. I could use that in my world.

In my world, I'm hard pressed to find anyone on a given day who isn't totally up to their eyeballs in their own "stuff". Admittedly, that is also true of me a lot of the time. I just wish it wasn't so. Usually I AM available when someone from church calls and needs a babysitter, but I almost never know who to call if I am in need, particularly during the daytime hours. I always feel like I'm imposing because I already know how much so-and-so has on their plate. I think about it a lot especially right know when I have a baby coming and I have other children to think about. I wonder how this will turn out if I go into labor in the middle of the day. The middle of the night I have covered (most people ARE home then) but in the middle of the day? I don't know anyone who doesn't have a job or aren't already busy with something. This would be a really good time to consider a home birth if I were so inclined. My hubby isn't so thrilled with that notion and I've had such good hospital experiences that I don't want to change anything anyway.

Now I'm rambling. Sorry. Basically, I just thought it was funny that Julia said we sounded Amish and she didn't even know all this that I think about.

Slave Labor

I wish you could see 23-month-old BonusBoy putting wood into the wheelbarrow. Oh, wait, you can! See there. Isn't he sweet?? No one even asked him to do that!! :-)

In Which I Use Too Many Exclamation Points!!!

I think this baby is trying to learn to crawl while still inside of me! I'm getting poked and prodded in more places at the same time than I think should be allowed. My belly is starting to look like something from Alien! It creeps Jim out to have his hand on my belly while it's contorting. I say, lucky him! He can pull his hand away if it too creepy. On the other hand, I'm stuck!! It'll be nice to be able to relax and feel comfortable in my own skin again. Soon, and very soon!!

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 11

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

1.) I refuse to decorate for Christmas or play Christmas music until AFTER Thanksgiving. I will, however, do Christmas shopping. Especially when I'm due to have a baby on Dec. 16th. I'd like to have the presents all gathered together BEFORE the baby comes!

2.) I prefer dark meat and tolerate white meat. Not so healthy, I know.

3.) I prefer the Thanksgiving leftovers to the original meal. Love to nibble!

How to shorten my life

Having never before heard of a febrile seizure let alone witnessed one, I had about four years shaved off of my life span last Saturday. BonusBoy, my 23-month old, had a barely-noticable-to-the-touch, low-grade fever on Saturday morning. Jim had taken BonusBoy with him to do an errand and although BonusBoy was acting sleepy when they returned, he was acting normally. It was noon.

Jim sat down with him in the rocking chair and BonusBoy seemed to be going to sleep. I came into the room having just finished a call to my sister and sat down on the couch to talk with Jim. Then BonusBoy started acting "funny". He raised his head up off of Jim's shoulder as if to lay his head down on his other cheek but he didn't put his head back down. he just stared. Then he started trembling slightly. Jim and I looked at each other thinking that this was looking really weird. I went over and sat down on the ottoman in front of the rocking chair and tried to get BonusBoy to respond to me. He wouldn't. He just stared with glassy, unseeing eyes.

I asked Jim to please take him to the hospital. I was thinking, initially, that I couldn't go since I hadn't even gotten dressed or brushed my teeth or hair yet. But while Jim was hollering for the big kids to come in the house, I threw on clothes and then took BonusBoy. We sent the kids over to the neighbors house (without even finding out if that was going to be o.k. ... it was, in the end) and raced away to the E.R.

We only live about 3-4 miles from the hospital but we performed about 5 moving violations on the way there. This whole time, I'm holding BonusBoy and shaking him every so often to try to elicit a response from him. I'm talking loudly to him, saying, "BonusBoy, BonusBoy!" I'm also wondering (since I have NO CLUE what is going on) if I've seen the last of my son as I know him. I'm wondering about brain damage and if he will ever be the same again. Utterly frightening!

We pulled up the the hospital and a nurse meets me with a wheelchair. I plop down in the chair with my STILL unresponsive son balanced on my 36-weeks pregnant belly. She whiskes me down the hall and through a back door into the E.R. and hollers for the docs. It was nice that we got to bypass the main entry area and go straight to an E.R bed. When Jim got in there they didn't know who he was asking for because they didn't have our names yet. It all went very fast!!

The doctor immediately said it looked like a febrile seizure but I still didn't know what that was so was not feeling any measure of relief yet. BonusBoy's rectal temperature was 103. something and he was still unresponsive at this point which was a blessing on one hand because he didn't care about the IV that it took 1/2 hour to insert. The seizure makes the veins in the extremities constrict so it's hard to get in an IV.

In the end, BonusBoy was just fine. About 20-25 minutes after it started, he came out of the seizure. He was pretty subdued the rest of the time in the E.R. He fell asleep at one point but woke up screaming when the nurse had to take his temperature again. He also cried a lot when they took off all the tape and removed the IV. The screaming and crying I can take. It's WAY BETTER than unresponsive!

We were instructed to keep him medicated to keep the fever under control and watch him. He's been normal ever since (albeit tired). Since he has now had a febrile seizure he will be more prone to having one again. If this happens again, I won't like it, but I certainly won't be as terrified as I was last Saturday.

We have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving.

"Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." -Elizabeth Stone

OB Appointment #9

November 18, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - Julie Stevens, Nurse Practitioner
36 Weeks - 0 Days

Weight: -8 ½ lbs. / + 7 ½ lbs. overall (I didn't really believe that 7 pound weight gain last time! This kind of evens it out)
Blood Pressure: 104/64
Baby's Heartrate: Easy to pick up and it was strong and LOUD.
Height of Fundus: 37 cm.
Blood Test: None. The results of the last one were fine, so I don't have to have another.

The nurse practitioner felt around on my belly to try to get an idea of how the baby was positioned but she said she really couldn't tell unless she "checked" me. She asked if I had a problem with her doing a cervical exam and I said I did. I just didn't feel up to it. Today I'm not curious enough to know and I'm having enough contractions today that I didn't want to bring on MORE by having an exam. Yikes! Maybe next time.

Beware the Bewildering Rant

Ya know, I love the Uncle Remus story of “The Wonderful Tar Baby”. My kids crack up every time I read it and that’s part of the fun even tho’ I’ve loved that story since even before I knew my kids!

However, right now I feel a bit like foolish Brer Rabbit. I’ve punched that stupid tar baby with both hands and probably a foot by now. But I quit. I’m not gonna kick with the one foot I still have free. I’m going to hop away and take a hot turpentine shower and melt this ridiculous tar baby off of me!

The more I try to work on and extricate myself from my un-named “tar baby”, the more embroiled I become and the less is getting straighted out. Phooey!

"`Tu'n me loose, fo' I kick de natal stuffin' outen you,' sez Brer Rabbit, sezee, but de Tar-Baby, she ain't sayin' nuthin'. She des hilt on, en den Brer Rabbit lose de use er his foots in de same way. Brer Fox, he lay low. Den Brer Rabbit squall out dat ef de Tar-Baby don't tu'n 'im loose he butt 'er cranksided. En den he butted, en his head got stuck. Den Brer Fox, he sa'ntered fort', lookin' dez ez innercent ez wunner yo' mammy's mockin'-birds. "`Howdy, Brer Rabbit,' sez Brer Fox, sezee. `You look sorter stuck up dis mawnin',' sezee, en den he rolled on de groun', en laft en laft twel he couldn't laff no mo'.
-From The Favorite Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 10

1.) For some reason I think it's kind of cool that I was born in the 60's (albeit just barely!).

2.) I'm older than my husband by 2½ years. (He was born in the 70's!)

3.) I had my first child at the same age that my mom had her last child (27).

Overload

I just sat here for at least 5 seconds (which was MUCH too long) trying to figure out how to put the xD-picture memory card back into my cell phone... Five seconds was too long to take to figure out that it belonged NOT in the phone!!!

Who knew...

...that he would bury his face in the little bowl of sour cream!?!?

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 9

1.) I am the oldest of four children.

2.) I graduated from high-school in a class of 7 students.

3.) I had the privilege of knowing all of my grandparents and even a great-grandpa.

Psalm 25:16-31

16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, For I am lonely and afflicted.
17 The troubles of my heart are enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses.
18 Look upon my affliction and my trouble, And forgive all my sins.
19 Look upon my enemies, for they are many, And they hate me with violent hatred.
20 Guard my soul and deliver me; Do not let me be ashamed, for I take refuge in Thee.
21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for Thee.

Please Be Patient...

...God Isn’t Finished With (any of us) Yet!

James 3:1 - Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.

I remember my high school teacher preaching on this verse more than once in a chapel service at school. He told us that as our teacher that he was accountable to God for the training we were receiving. He told us how God was judging him more strictly because of the role that he had.

Lately, I’ve been seeing this verse from another angle. I’m seeing that not only does a teacher/leader incur a stricter judgement from God, but they also receive a much stricter judgement from the people around them. We are SO hard on our leaders. And when I say we, I really mean I.

It’s hard getting older and having more and more of the leaders around me being closer and closer to my own age. It’s weird. I am now the age that my friends’ parents were when I thought they were so old, settled, and had it together! I had certain expectations of adults that I’ve come to realize are a bit high now that I AM one! The same goes for leaders. I’ve had certain childish expectations of leaders that are a bit out of line now that I assess them from an adult perspective. Maybe part of that comes from having an absolutely ‘perfect’ dad who is also a leader in the church. Becoming an adult throws a bit of needed clarity on that delusion.

I have the luxury of doing my spiritual growing and learning in relative privacy. Not many people see me make my mistakes, fail, and generally, um… SIN! No so for the leaders around us. Especially those in the public eye. We seem to expect them to have already achieved a certain level of perfection and don’t have the mercy for them that we expect for ourselves. That’s quite a burden to place on the ones who have taken on the ministry of shepherding and leading God’s people. As if the job isn’t hard enough!

I’m not saying that we shouldn’t hold leaders accountable and shouldn’t ever point out a problem, but goodness gracious, let’s show some patience, grace, and mercy for those around us… not just the leaders either!

And earthly power doth then show likest God's, when mercy seasons justice.
Portia - "Merchant of Venice" Act Four, Scene One (IV,i) by William Shakespeare

Puzzle Ball of Death!

(Click to enlarge so you can read the instructions!)

I just had to share the instructions for putting together this puzzle ball that my daughter bought for a quarter in a vending machine. Those of you who know me and my (sometimes) nit-picky way with language and grammar should appreciate this.

OB Appointment #8

November 3, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder
33 Weeks - 6 Days

Weight: + 7 lbs. / + 16 lbs. overall (I knew this would catch up with me eventually!)
Blood Pressure: 118/76
Baby's Heartrate: ? - sounded fine to the dr.
Height of Fundus: 35 cm.
Blood Test: Antibody titer test...last one.

Had a good conversation with my doctor. I told her that I had hired a doula and I gave her my Birth Plan. She looked it over and discussed several parts with me. It was a great discussion starter. I like this doctor so much better than my last one! It's nice to have a doctor who has figured out how to deal with me J. Plus, she makes me laugh!

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol. 1 No. 8

1.) I don't like coffee

2.) I love hot chocolate... WITH marshmallows

3.) I usually only drink tea if I'm sick, trying to induce sleep naturally, or feeling homey and old-fashioned! :-)

What are the odds...

...that I'd run into two different ex-boyfriends two nights in a row? I must say it was pretty weird. Halloween night, at a church harvest party I ran into T, a guy that I briefly dated while in Bible college. That really wasn't so bad. It was just unexpected and a little strange. I haven't seen T since Bible college which makes it 15 years ago or so (whoa!). I also saw his wife who was a roommate of mine my first semester. That was a fun/strange flashback to another life.

But...

The next night...

Arrrgh! My family and I are out to dinner and we are talking when all of a sudden, over my husband's right shoulder at about 10 o'clock (directionally), I notice H, another ex-boyfriend that I SO don't want to actually run into. The only person that would be worse to run into would be Jim's ex-wife. I about had a heart attack. All thoughts immediately escaped my brain. Padawan had asked me a question and I was in the middle of responding when I had total brain meltdown. Jim looked across the table at me with this look on his face that said "what in the world is wrong with you?" I kept muttering, "unbelievable, what are the odds, of all places, etc."

I recovered fairly quickly and I don't think that the kids noticed, but Jim did and thought I was just weird. He went to get more food from the buffet and I said, "Don't leave me here by myself for long!" Since Jim was gone he was no longer blocking me from H's view. I tried to keep myself very inconspicuous. Hard to do with three kids. H was there with a very large group of family so he was pretty occupied with that and I don't think inclined to notice anyone else in the restaurant. Thank goodness! At one point, I said to Jim that, wasn't he curious enough to even look over his shoulder? He said, "They're still there?", I said, "Yes." When next Jim returned from getting a refill, he took notice and sat down at our table with a goofy look on his face that said that he had seen who I had seen. (We all had worked at Pizza Hut together 11 years ago or so)

When it was time for us to leave, I was aware that H had left his table to refill his plate and I didn't want to leave just yet and risk running into him while he was returning to his table. So I just kept telling Jim that we can't leave just yet... Hang on... When H got back to his table, then I stood up turned around to get my coat on and got the heck out of Dodge! That was SO unsettling. Definitely an unwelcome flashback to a previous life that I wish didn't exist!

I should have gotten up in the middle of the night and posted this. Maybe I would have slept better. What a night!

The End Of Me

When I was at this point in my last pregnancy I didn't feel as good as I feel now. In fact, I felt very overwhelmed, very tired, and very uncomfortable. I played and sang the song below A LOT. It was the theme song for that pregnancy. I was playing it again today, still seeing the relevance in my current situation, but also thankful that I'm feeling a bit better this time around!!

HE GIVETH MORE GRACE

He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength when the labors increase;
To added affliction He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials, His multiplied peace.

CHORUS:His love has no limit, His grace has no measure,
His power has no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

It's only when I get to the end of ME that I can begin to receive HIM.

Halloween 2005

What Obsolete Skill Am I?

You are 'Gregg shorthand'. Originally designed to
enable people to write faster, it is also very
useful for writing things which one does not
want other people to read, inasmuch as almost
no one knows shorthand any more.

You know how important it is to do things
efficiently and on time. You also value your
privacy, and (unlike some people) you do not
pretend to be friends with just everyone; that
would be ridiculous. When you do make friends,
you take them seriously, and faithfully keep
what they confide in you to yourself.
Unfortunately, the work which you do (which is
very important, of course) sometimes keeps you
away from social activities, and you are often
lonely. Your problem is that Gregg shorthand
has been obsolete for a long time.


What obsolete skill are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

A Conversation...

...between my 9 y.o. daughter and me last night:

PG: Mom, can I ask you a favor?
Me: Sure, you can always ask.
PG: Don't say anything when you see my room, I know it's a mess and I don't need the pressure.
Me: Do you have a plan for your room?
PG: Yes, I'm going to clean it tomorrow.
Me: O.k.

I'm so pleased she can talk to me this way.

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.7

1.) I cannot stand having those one or two little leaves caught in my windshield wiper blade arm. I'm driving around, the wind is whipping those little leaves like crazy but they won't blow away. I turn on the wipers and still they hang on. Drives me nuts! Sometimes I have to just stop the car, get out, and remove them. Something is wrong with me!!

2.) I sometimes fear that I will be found out. They will realize that I'm an imposter. They will notice that I'm not really a grown-up and I don't belong in a house of my own with a husband and children of my own. "There she is again, pretending to be an adult"

3.) I got sent home from my Christian school one day in tenth grade for picketing against a new, young teacher I couldn't stand. After I graduated from high-school I dated that teacher.

Sometimes lunch just wipes you out!

BonusBoy ~ 22 months

OB Appointment #7

October 19, 2005 - 3:50 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder
31 Weeks - 5 Days

Weight: + .5 lbs. / + 9 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 118/70
Baby's Heartrate: ? - sounded fine to the dr.
Height of Fundus: 31 cm.
Blood Test: None (yeah!!)

The entire appointment took about 4.5 minutes. Makes me glad I hired a doula for this delivery. It's nice to have someone who shows an interest in me as a person and a mother involved in a God-created event and not as a medical complication waiting to happen.

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.6

1.) I totally detest how much "stuff" we have. Especially how much stuff my children have. I hate how I have contributed to that. I regret how long it's taken me to realize the bondage we are in because of all this stuff. I wish that I had realized this long before my kids got so "attached" to all their things. I sometimes wish for a tornado to wipe out all our "stuff" so we could start over. (Of course I don't really wish for a terrible disaster!) This one really belongs in a rant post but here it is.

2.) I always said I would NEVER marry and certainly NEVER, EVER have children. Be careful what you proclaim absolutely!

3.) I've collected a shot glass from each state or country I've been in. Strange for someone who doesn't imbibe!! :-)

100 Acre Woods Personality Test

Take the 100 Acre Personality Quiz!
Thanks to The Headmistress at The Common Room.

In Which My Uterus Is Irritated

I now have the time to tell you about my Wednesday evening. Last Wednesday (10/12) to be exact. It started about 3:30 p.m. with stronger contractions than I am accustomed to having at this point in my pregnancies. These were not oooh-my-belly's-hard-maybe-I-should slow-down contractions. These were oh-my-goodness-how-can-I-make-it-stop contractions. They were coming about every 3-4 minutes and some of them were lasting about one minute. I tried laying down on the couch to see if that would make them stop. I could hardly get into a lying down position. But I did. So, I'm laying down on my left side. The kids were watching Fiddler on the Roof. I'm not able to be quiet about these contractions. I'm groaning HEE-HEE-HOOOOOO. The kids are turning up the volume for the movie. BonusBoy (22 months) is CLIMBING on me saying, "huuts?". I'm saying (in a strangled voice), "Yes, it hurts. PonyGirl, get him off me!
Hee hee whoooooooooooooooooo." Oh, and Jim is up in the mountains, hunting and isn't due back until Friday evening.

It's Wednesday night. The big kids have chimes practice at 5 o'clock (at the church) and then their Wed. night class at 6:30. In between there is 45 minutes to get them fed.

Now it's 4:15. These evil contractions have been going on for about 45 minutes. I call my doctor's office. The nurse asks how many contractions I've had in the last 45 minutes. I tell her 10-12. She says that's too many and I'm to go to Labor & Delivery at the hospital so they can monitor me. I say o.k.

I don't know what to do with the kids. I have a church friend who lives one street over from me who occasionally watches my kids so I call her to see if she can help me. I almost burst into
tears. She says sure and I change BonusBoy's diapers (somehow!) and drive to her house. She has three kids of her own and I'm not sure if she can juggle it all, getting my big kids to the church,
feeding them in that 45 minute window and cart her own kids around. Is the van big enough? What about car seats? Do I have cash to give her to get hamburgers at Wendy's? Why is her cat
trying to get in my car? Scoot! Hee, Hee, Whoooooo. My brain is so muddled. Lisa is asking me if I want her to drive me to the hospital and her husband can take the kids. I can't think straight. I end up driving myself. I'm hoping that the traffic won't be too bad because now I'm driving on the freeway and it's almost 5 o'clock.

I have a stopwatch dangling from my neck that I'm using to time the contractions. Every 3-4 minutes I'm starting it over for the next stupid contraction. Now, I"m on the freeway. I'm driving. I check the stopwatch. It's been about 2:45 since the last contraction and I brace for the next one. Hmmmmm. I check the watch again. now it's been 5 minutes. 8 minutes. 16 minutes. Dang! Now what do I do? I'm almost to the hospital. Should I go home or should I go ahead and go in? While I DO want the contractions to stop, why couldn't they stop AFTER they have been witnessed by the doctor?!?!? Now I'm just going to look foolish. Crazy lady, you'd think she'd know what's up with the FOURTH pregnancy! I could hear them now. I decide to go ahead and go into the hospital.

Inside I have to sign a paper saying that it's o.k. for them to let any family and friends now my condition if they were to call or show up. I realize that except for Lisa, no one knows I'm here. My husband doesn't know, my sisters don't know, my mom doesn't know. It was a weird feeling. I'm feeling uncomfortable but I still haven't had a contraction in about 20-25 minutes.

It's 5:15 p.m. or so. I go in, I pee in a cup, I get undressed and gowned up and lay on the exam bed. The very nice nurse, Melynda, comes in and straps the fetal monitor to my belly and asks all kinds of questions. She says to tell her if I feel a contraction. I feel none. She gets me all propped up in the bed with strategically placed pillows and asks if I'd like anything to drink. I request water. She leaves me to rest and be monitored for about 20 minutes at which point she will call my doctor with a report. Then a different nurse brings me ice water. She said she wasn't doing anything and told Melynda to go ahead and do her charting and she'd bring the water to me. She hung around for a few minutes and chatted with me. I'm remembering why I like to deliver in the hospital. I feel very well taken care of there. St. Luke's is an awesome hospital! At 6 o'clock Melynda comes back and asks if I'd felt any of the tiny little contractions that she was seeing on the monitor at the nurses station. I hadn't really noticed them. I have those kinds of contractions all the time. She said I have an irritable uterus. I'll say! She goes to call my doctor and then comes back. Dr. Schroeder want her to check my cervix to see if the earlier contractions I was experiencing made me dilate at all. She checked. My cervix was still closed. That is a good thing. She said that I had done the right thing by coming in even though the contractions had stopped. With that many contractions, and painful ones at that, it's better that I come in. She said that then they feel better and so do I.

She also cautioned me not to wait too long if this happens again pre-term. Meaning that if I am before 36 weeks and I have contractions that cause dilation, if I wait too long I can get to the point that they cannot stop labor. "They" also worry about that because I tend to have faster and faster labors. So, in the end, I didn't have anymore contractions until later that night (that was because of the exam that was done). I went back home, to the church actually. I worked in the nursery a little and waited for the kids to get done with their class. Lisa had managed to get all the kids there and got them all fed. Class got over and then we all went home. Rather an anti-climactic end to a crazy, overwhelming evening for me.

Jim ended up coming home Thursday afternoon rather than Friday evening because he had shot his doe and there was no point in staying up there any longer. I was SO happy about his early
return! He called me on his cell phone to tell me he was on his way.

ME: "You're coming home?!?! Awesome! Oh, honey, you
don't know what I've been through."

HIM: "No, but you're going to tell me, aren't you?"

Of Course!

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.5

1.) I have at least one clock in each room of my house.

My room - 5
My bathroom - 1
Kid room #1 - 1
Kid room #2 - 2
Main Bathroom - 1
Hall - 2
Living Room - 4
Kitchen - 3
Utility Room/Computer Room - 2
Playroom - 1

YIKES! That's 22 clocks...I've never counted them all before!

2.) I almost always sit with one foot tucked under my leg.

3.) I had my first kiss December 30, 1987 - age 18

Shoot, Shoot, and Double Shoot!

Guess I shoulda been in Lincoln, Nebraska last night!!!
News Story

Roadmap to my obstetric travels

What's up with this?!?!? Seems like that with the fourth pregnancy one could just reuse the old stretch marks! ARRRGH!!!!!!

States I've Visited

(visited states are red)

gotta go to New Mexico if only to fill in that hole there!

create your own visited states map

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.4

1.) My favorite beverage to have with pizza is orange juice.

2.) Needles & IV's absolutely bother me so I've delivered three babies without an epidural. I'm more afraid of the needles than I am of the pain.

3.) I've stopped at a business to tell them that their reader board was misspelled.

Pumpkin Bars

Shelia's post about her pumpkin muffins made me hungry for my pumpkin bars. My kids and I made some for a church meeting the other night and now I share them with you...
Pumpkin Bars
2 cups flour
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. ground cloves
4 beaten eggs
1 16-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup cooking oil

Combine dry ingredients. Stir in wet ingredients until thoroughly combined. Spread batter into and ungreased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven for 25-30 minutes or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Frost with ½ recipe of Cream Cheese Frosting when cool. Cut into bars. Makes 48.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. package of cream cheese
½ cup softened butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 ½ to 4¾ cups powdered sugar

In a bowl beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Gradually beat in enough of the remaining powdered sugar to make frosting of spreading consistency. Frosts top and sides of two 8- or 9-inch cake layers.

ENJOY!!

OB Appointment #6

October 4, 2005 - 3:10 p.m. - Dr. Harmony Schroeder (actually saw MY doctor this time!)
29 Weeks - 4 Days

Weight: + .5 lbs. / + 8.5 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 110/68
Baby's Heartrate: ? - sounded fine to me
Height of Fundus: 30 cm.
Blood Test: Didn't have one this time but the results from the last one (for thyroid and anti-C antigen levels) were fine

I am experiencing tachycardia (racing heart) again this pregancy. Yesterday my heartrate was 140. But it goes away on it's own after about 15-20 minutes. Dr. said if it lasts more than 30 minutes I'm to go to the ER and have a EKG done. That's what they said last time too but it never came to that. It either went away on it's own or I was able to make it stop myself by laying down on my left side, like they said, and "bearing down". So I rather expect that it how it will go this time as well. It's hasn't been a real problem yet, but it sure is an uncomfortable feeling... I don't like it one bit!!

Next appointment in two weeks.

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.3

1.) I occasionally inhale a bit of my own saliva and end up having a major coughing fit.
I only foist this bit of knowledge upon you because I just did it again last night whle laying on my back in bed. I nearly killed myself trying to get upright in time to cough properly. This is not easy on a 6-months pregnant body. I coughed so hard I had tears running down my face and my husband was laughing at me....it wasn't pretty!

2.) In high school, I used to bite a chicken leg bone in half and suck out the marrow to "gross out" my best friend. I don't anymore because now it grosses me out too! Ugh!

3.) I'd rather shop at Home Depot then at the mall.

This World Is Not My Home...

...I'm just a passin' though...

Today’s dooce made me so sad. I am just so thankful for parents that brought me to a knowledge of a loving Savior. Heather writes, “I don’t know what I believe in terms of religion, and I’m comfortable with that. I’m okay not knowing.” I, for one, would not be comfortable not knowing. I’m thankful for the assurance of salvation that I have.

~ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9~

5 Things Meme

I was tagged by Shelia to do this meme:

5 things I plan to do before I die:
-Lose weight
-See my children happy with families of their own
-Travel and really see my own country
-Discipline myself to journal consistently
-Make more plans….

5 things I can do:
-Make a mean chocolate chip cookie
-Organize
-Drive 9 hours to see my family…with all three children…without
my husband. Although I CAN, I prefer not to.
-Build a basic website.
-Give birth in 2 hours 15 minutes…but not on demand :-)

5 things I cannot do:
-Speak in front of a group of people. To cows I can speak;
to people, I cannot.
-Have company for dinner…it puts me into a total panic…not
a nice experience
-Give blood...it's a mental thing, not a medical thing
-Get my whole house clean at the same time
-Budget my time well (esp. on the computer)

5 things that attract me to other people:
-Quick wit
-Confidence in themselves
-Good conversationalist
-More outgoing than me
-Intelligence

5 things I say most often:
-It’s only been 20 minutes since dinner. No, you may
NOT have a snack.
-Did I ask if you wanted to?
-I was thinking...
-Leave my (personal body part) alone! I’m
making dinner!
-Hey, hon, can you come here a minute?

5 celebrity crushes:
This is a hard one….I just didn’t/don’t have any. There are some I enjoy watching but I wouldn’t say it’s a crush.
-Alan Alda …as Hawkeye in M*A*S*H…haven’t seen him
anywhere else
-Kevin Costner
-Mel Gibson
-Cary Grant
-Jimmy Stewart

5 people I want to do this:
-Jaymarie???
-Hoop
-I don’t know any other bloggers who haven’t already
been tagged

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.2

1.) I sleep much better in a bed by myself (no offense to my sweet husband)

2.) I love the smell of Crayola Crayons in a metal tin

3.) I love a slice of cheddar cheese spread with peanut butter

Where is my fig leaf??

BonusBoy- 21 Months.
There's just nothing else to say!! :-)
(Oh, BTW, he's not mutilated, just pixelated)

Berry-licious

At the risk of blowing my own horn, I have to share a picture of my latest venture. My mom is the veteran pie-making queen and so when I manage to make a pie that looks pretty, like hers, I feel very pleased! And it even tastes yummy! So, below, you will see my very first ever Sour Cream Blackberry Pie. Yeah!!!!

The Fruit of My Labor

Aren't they pretty? I would have had an even dozen quarts but one of the jars cracked in the canner! Bummer. Jim took the kids out to dinner last night and I canned the pears. I can't handle kids AND canning right now even if it IS only 11 quarts!! :-)

Capital One: What's in YOUR Garbage?

Are you tired of Capital One "Bulk Rate Mail" too? I swear, we get about 6-10 pieces of mail from them a WEEK! Arrrrgh!

Three Things Thursday ~ Vol.1 No.1

I’m following Shelia’s lead and posting three random things about me on Thursdays. Like Shelia, I couldn’t possibly think of 100 things without spending about a month on it. So three sounds really doable!! (That doesn’t even look like a word… doable…should it be hyphenated?? Oh well)

1.) I HATE needles. When they are puncturing my skin, that is. It doesn’t really hurt, it just grosses me out and I get all hot and woozy.

2.) I collected stickers in high-school. I still have some of them.

3.) I love the smell of diesel. Not too strong though. . .

Princess & Cindee

August 26, 2005
This is a picture of my sister-in-law, Princess, and I at five months along. It was taken at about midnight the night before my family left my mom and dad's in Western Oregon to head back home to Idaho. Normally I'm too vain to allow my picture to be taken this late at night when I'm feeling my worst, but we realized that it was probably our last chance to have our picture taken together while pregnant. The 8-9 hour drive is too much for me after this point in my pregnancies. Princess (my brother's wife) and I are due one day apart! She is due 12/15 and I'm due 12/16. The next time we see each other we will probably have our babies in our arms!! I sure wish I lived near her so we could share this better!! :-(

OB Appointment #5

September 9, 2005 - 3:00 p.m. - Julie Stevens, CRNP
26 Weeks - 0 Days

Weight: + 3 lbs. / + 8 lbs. overall (Riiiight! Like I'm going to reveal my ACTUAL weight!!)
Blood Pressure: 108/58
Baby's Heartrate: ? Dr. said it sounded good but I always forget to ask for the number
Height of Fundus: She measured but I forgot to ask, as usual
Blood Test: for thyroid and anti-C antigen levels (which so far have been totally fine!)

Next appointment in two weeks. This sounds too soon to me so I'm planning to call and reschedule the appointment for four weeks. THEN I'll agree to being seen every two weeks.

OB Appointments #1-4

Appointment #4
August 12, 2005 - 2:00 p.m. - Julie Stevens, CRNP
22 Weeks - 0 Days

Weight: + 0 lbs. / + 5 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 112/68
Baby's Heartrate: ? Dr. said it sounded good
Height of Fundus: 23 cm.

Next appointment in four weeks.

---

Appointment #3
July 21, 2005 - 4:00 p.m. - Harmony Schroeder, M.D.
18 Weeks - 4 Days

Weight: + 5 lbs. / + 5 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 110/66
Baby's Heartrate: ? Dr. said it sounded good
Height of Fundus: didn't measure
Blood Test: for anti-C antigen levels

Next appointment in four weeks.

---

Appointment #2
June 21, 2005 - 3:00 p.m. - Harmony Schroeder, M.D.
14 Weeks - 4 days

Weight: + 0 lbs./ + 0 lbs. overall
Blood Pressure: 118/72
Baby's Heartrate: heard for the first time, dr. said it sounds good
Height of Fundus: didn't measure
Blood Test: for anti-C antigen levels

Next appointment in four weeks.

---

Appointment #1
May 23, 2005 - 3:20 p.m. - Harmony Schroeder, M.D.
10 Weeks

Weight: + 0 lbs.
Blood Pressure: 110/68
Blood Test: Routine lab work

Due Date: December 16, 2005

Next appointment in four weeks.

My Hero

I quite simply don't deserve him. He takes very good care of me. Even when I'm NOT pregnant!

Milk 'n' Cookies

Today's quote from my 9-year-old, PonyGirl: "Whoever invented milk and cookies is a genius!" I say, "AMEN!!" J
Slightly crisp, hot, gooey, chocolate chip cookies and ice cold milk. Don'tcha wish you had some? Yummmmmmm!

Zero Fallout

The sky didn't fall. There was no flack to be had over my
declining the ultrasound. It was great. The doctor just said,
"So you don't want to have any ultrasound at all then?"
I said not unless there was some particular problem that seems to
warrent it. The end. No problem. I then was emboldend to say that
I would also not be having the glucose screening test that was
due to happen at my next visit. She asked if I'd ever had
gestational diabetes and I answered no. Then she asked about the
weights of my previous babies, she looked at my chart and her
eyes widened and she breathed "oh!" I said she must
have looked at the weight of my last baby first! She had. Here
are the stats:

Baby #1: 7 lbs 9 oz. - 8 hour labor
Baby #2: 8 lbs 15 oz. - 6 hour labor
Baby #3: 9 lbs 9 oz. - 2 hour labor

I kind of figure that THIS baby will be about 10 1/2 pounds
and will be born in the car on the freeway. Guess we'll see.

Bucking the system

I know it’s pretty pathetic that this makes me feel good. It’s really a pretty small thing, but for me, right now, it feels kinda big. I called yesterday and cancelled my BIG ultrasound. Why? Because I don’t want to do it. Because I don’t HAVE to do it. I mean, really, they work for me. Right? Who’s in charge here the employer or the employee? I am all for demedicalizing pregnancy & childbirth. I’m taking my stand (puny though it is). This is my fourth pregnancy and it’s taken me THIS LONG to take control of my own pregnancy. For those who know what I rebel I can sometimes be, this should come as no surprise. Though it surprises me now to see how long this took. I wonder what I'll do next?

Little Boys

a) For those who already have children past this age, this is hilarious.
b) For those who have children this age, this is not funny.
c) For those who have children nearing this age, this is a warning.
d) For those who have not yet had children, this is birth control.

The following came from an anonymous mother in Austin, Texas.

"Things I've learned from my boys (honest - I'm not kidding):

1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq.ft. house 4 inches deep.
2.) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with Roller blades,
they can ignite.
3.) A 3-year old boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate
a 42 pound boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape.
It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls
of a 20x20 ft. room.
5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling
fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A
ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words "uh oh", it's already too late.
8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9.) A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36-year old man
says they can only do it in the movies.
10.) Certain Legos will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old boy.
11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence.
12.) Super glue is forever.
13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15.) VCR's do not eject "PB &J" sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
20.) The fire department in Austin, Texas has a 5-minute response time.
21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.
24.) 80% of Men who read this will try mixing the Clorox and brake fluid.
25.) Women will pass this on to almost all of their friends, with or without kids.

Little boys are certainly interesting as they discover the world!"

If only we just used chopsticks...

Sure wish I could get BonusBoy to pronounce 'fork' correctly. It's sounding like he has a real potty mouth!

Friends

Thanks to my friends Di and Ralph A'Rhea I lost about 5-6 pounds on Sunday. Wonderful friends they are. Soooo encouraging about my weight loss. I'm not so sure of their tactics though, They wouldn't even allow me to drink water! I'm not so sure sure that is very healthy. I was very thirsty and I even snuck a drink once, but Di snatched it right away, the little witch! I realized that I'm pretty thankful that these are friends who rarely visit. In fact, they only stayed about 9 hours but their visit was pretty exhausting and I'm still recovering from it. It's cool too that they have left because now I can have water!! Yeah!! I'm still apprehensive about eating real food because I'm a little worried that if I do, one of them will pop in the back door unexpectendly and take it from me. . .so I'm waiting a little longer to try solids again. Who knows what what Friday will bring? It surely can't be the first OB appointment for someone who's 22 weeks pregnant and now weighs less than she did when she first got pregnant. Oh well, I figure that by Friday, I'll be eating normally again (it's so hard for me to break that eating habit - thanks for trying, Di and Ralph) and that my weight will probably be back to normal. Sigh!

5 Things....

I’ve been tagged by Jaymarie.

5 snacks I enjoy:
cashews, sliced apples dipped in carmel, peanut butter on a slice of chedder cheese, popcorn, red grapes

5 bands/singers that I know the lyrics of MOST of their songs:
Michael Card, Imperials (of the 70's & 80's), 2nd Chapter of Acts, Barry Manilow, Gaithers

5 things I would do with $100,000,000:
Give to friends in need; like Jaymarie, hire a housekeeper; move and buy a slightly bigger house in western Oregon; buy a big motor home; travel with my family

5 locations I’d like to run away to:
Disneyland (of course!); Alaska; Springfield, Oregon; England; Washington D.C.

5 bad habits I have:
Not letting my kids finish their sentences; watching T.V. too late when I should be sleeping; getting involved in too many projects at once; getting swept up in other people’s panic and not trusting the Lord to work out the situation ( I am getting better at this one); making messes and letting my husband clean up after me (I’m not sure if this is a bad habit or a gift from my husband that I should just be thankful for!)

5 things I like doing:
Sleeping in (oh yeah); computer projects; eBay; talking with my family members; watching Adam (19 months) “read”

5 things I would never wear:
a bikini; thong underwear (ugh!); low-riding jeans/pants; a strapless dress; anything with a plunging neckline

5 TV shows I like:
Survivor; CSI (the original one); yeah, Little House on the Prairie (my kids have just discovered it this summer); M*A*S*H; Everybody Loves Raymond

5 movies I like:
Dead Poets Society; Man from Snowy River; Overboard; Harvey; Arsenic & Old Lace

5 famous people I’d like to meet:
I’m just not thrilled by famous people. I can’t think of one I’d like to meet.

5 biggest joys at the moment:
being a mom; being loved by my husband; being virtually nausea-free; being pregnant (it IS a joy for now); being known and loved by the One who made me

5 favorite toys:
my computer; my cell phone; gee, I guess I don’t play much, I can’t think of any others

Sex

Got your attention? Sorry to disappoint, but this really isn't gonna be about sex. Not in the way you might think. Julia made a comment on one of my earlier posts and it reminded me of something my dad said once when I was in high school. First of all, I have to explain the grammatical usage of the word gender:

From dictionary.com:

gen·der

A. A grammatical category used in the classification of
nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and, in some languages, verbs
that may be arbitrary or based on characteristics such as sex
or animacy and that determines agreement with or selection of
modifiers, referents, or grammatical forms.
B. One category of such a set.
C. The classification of a word or grammatical form in such a
category.
D. The distinguishing form or forms used.

Usage Note: Traditionally, gender
has been used primarily to refer to the grammatical
categories of “masculine,” “feminine,”
and “neuter,” but in recent years the word has
become well established in its use to refer to sex-based
categories, as in phrases such as gender gap
and the politics of gender. . .

Second of all I have to explain that I'm in no way complaining about Julia's use of the word gender, I totally get that it has become acceptable, in recent years, to use the word that way. It's just that it reminded me of this:

My dad, the English teacher, was trying to boil down the principles of how and when to use the words sex and gender. He said to me, "Words have gender, people have sex." Then he got all flustered when he realized that he said something that he wasn't meaning to say. It was funny to see my usually unflappable dad flapping!

My Little Fish

PonyGirl (9), Padawan (7), and BonusBoy (19 months). They have such fun together even though it looks like BonusBoy isn't really enjoying it.











Now Adam looks like he's having fun. He so adores Rebecca. (and she, him!)

Tired Boy

BonusBoy (19 months) falling asleep during dinner.

Life is Precious

I'm not sure exactly what say about this article, but I wanted to share it anyway. It's amazing what we are willing and able to do to preserve a life. I totally agree that keeping the mom alive until the baby could be born was the right thing. For the record, that's the decision I would want made on my behalf if ever I were in a similar situation. Blessings to the Torres family.

Halfway

I'm 20 weeks pregnant. Halfway though my last pregnancy. I'm a little bit excited and a little bit sad that it's almost over. Of course I thought my third pregnancy was my final one but I really always did want four. Jim thought three was enough so I prepared myself that last time was probably the final time. However, we were blessed by a surprise fourth pregnancy. This time though, I'm the one saying "this is it!" I'm too old to do this anymore. I was sicker for the first part of this pregnancy than I have ever been for any of the others. That was particularly hard this time having two school-age kids to teach and an 18-month old running around. I think I'll be pretty happy with my four and I don't see wanting to be pregnant again. Now I'm feeling better enough that I am enjoying this for the time being. I know the time is coming where I'll be too big to be enjoying much and if it's like last time I'll be pretty uncomfortable, but for now, I'm happy to be enjoying this.

Overheard

A while back we were driving in the van and I hear Padawan (6), in the back seat, chanting in a sing-song voice, "I am very crazy. I am very crazy. I am very crazy. I am..." PonyGirl (8) finally got tired of him and muttered, "Crazy people should be mute." Cracked me up!

Seen

I saw a license plate frame today that read:

Freedom has a taste that those protected by it will never know

I've been thinking about it ever since. I'm so grateful to those willing to serve in the military. It's such a sacrifice. I don't think I could do it.

Disappointment

Ok. So I decided I'd like to blog. What to call it? Actually I've been thinking about this off and on since my sister, Jaymarie, started her own blog and suggested I do the same. So that makes it, what?, about nine months. Typical gestational period, I guess. Anyhow, today I was thinking about it again and a song I love was running through my head:

AS FOR ME
(Psalm 17:15)
As for me, I will behold Thy face in righteousness.
I will be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.
I want to be just like You, Lord.
So as for me, I will behold Thy face.
©1981 MARANATHA! MUSIC

So, I really like this song. I like it enough that I've wanted an inscription on my inevitable tombstone reading, "I will be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness". That is such a wonderful hope, that I will someday be like Jesus! And I've sung this song for, oh, I don't know, 23+ years?

I decide that AS FOR ME would be a good name for my blog. I go to look it up in my Bible so I can type it word for word into my header as some sub-text. I realize that MY Bible doesn't say what I was expecting, even though it was highlighted (meaning I have actually looked at it before)!! What in the world? Oh, it must be the translation (I have NASB). I look it up in NIV. Nope. King James? Aha!...what?...oh...bummer! Here's what the songwriter or perhaps the publisher did. Left out a couple of crucial commas. Here's what I did. Forgot to really look at what my Bible said. I just assumed that the scripture matched what I thought the song was saying. For 23+ years! Here is how the scripture reads:

Psalm 17:15
As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness:
I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. KJV

This verse isn't saying that I will awake with the Lord's likeness. It's saying that I will be satisfied with what I see when I awake. That I will be content, fulfulled, and satisfied to see the Lord's face. This also is a wonderful hope, BUT... I'm so disappointed to discover that what I thought I was singing for years isn't the message that scripture is giving!

So then I wonder, am I wrong also about ever waking with the Lord's likeness. Even though Ps. 17:15 doesn't say that, is it still true? Then I discovered another highlighted verse in my Bible:

1 John 3:2
Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

Sigh. ...we will be like Him. I'll keep singing the song. I'll have to remind myself what it's really saying BUT in my heart I'll still be thinking "I will only be satisfied when I awake with His likeness."

Have to figure out what to do about my tombstone.

For What It's Worth

I've decided to go ahead and give blogging a shot. I've been reluctant to do this because I know I absolutely do not have the time to do this. I don't even have the time to read all the blogs that I do. . .but I do it anyway. I'm afraid I don't have the time to do this project justice. I don't have the time to be clever, witty, or deep. BUT every once in a while a little something happens and I'd love to have a place to mention it, record it, or discuss it. So here goes. . . .

Blog pics