Daniel and Ren

Our ladies Bible study group is studying Daniel this year. We completed the first half of the book last fall. Last night, we started the second half. I am so excited about Daniel. I love having a study to do each day in my book. I only wish there was more information so that I really could have 1o or so days worth of work. We have spread out the lessons and videos so that instead of being a 12 week course, it is taking us 9 months. I really feel like I get to know the information so much better that way. We have a great group of ladies who come and worship together. We pray for one another and enjoy visiting with one another before and after our study. I am so thankful that God has given us His Bible. What a treat! I love how I have read something many times, and yet something new always pops out when I read.
We are deciding to send Ren to Veritas starting next week. This is a HUGE step for me. I have always had him at home and it is a little daunting to think that I am sending him out to be under someone else. Not that I think that someone else can't teach him, just he can be such a difficult student. I haven't ever wanted to subject anyone else to that. I will be praying that he will listen and learn and really love being with other kids and really love the learning. He is SO smart and has SO much ability. I want to see it put to good use.

Catching Up!

It is so fun to be finding friends in lots of places on Facebook. I am finding people that I haven't talked to in YEARS! There are also those that I would love to find, but can't. It is amazing to me how important it becomes (as I get older) to find those who are able to "remember" with me. I know it seems silly, but getting older brings with it a wanting to be around those who spent time with you when you were younger. It seems when you are young, you spend your time wanting to "get away"- to prove that you don't necessarily need anyone. You want to establish yourself and become independent. Then, you grow up, get married, have kids and watch the kids grow. Then, you discover that you crave finding your old friends. You want to connect with those who shared your "back then" life. I am so thankful that God has placed so many wonderful friends in my life. I am so glad that He is bringing so many of those friends back into my path. Thank you, Lord.

2009!

I am starting the new year with a praise to my heavenly Father. Without Him, I am nothing. Without Him, all would be naught. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him all above ye heavenly hosts! Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen!

Thankful for.....

The children have been making a "Thankful Tree" this year. We made a huge tree on the wall and each day, they are adding leaves with "I'm thankful for...." written on them. They are enjoying it and I am reminded of the things that I am thankful for. There are many who have done the "1000 things to be thankful for", and while I haven't done that, I am so thankful everyday for what has been given to me, to my family and to those that I love. We are so blessed to live somewhere where our faith is free, our bellies are not empty, and we can choose an education if we want. Those are only the top of the barrel of thankfulness. I am thankful for a sweet husband who has a wonderful job. I am thankful that his work ethic is such that I am able to be home with our sweet Littles. I am thankful for parents who are still living. I am thankful for those who have "gone before me". I am thankful that those who come behind me will find that they were loved and wanted. I am thankful that I have Someone who cares about my every breath. I am thankful for each day that is given. And I am especially thankful right this moment for the two little boys sitting in my floor playing UNO - they are such a blessing to me.

A Word to the Wise

Never ever, and I mean NEVER EVER let your children share hats, helmets, brushes, bows, or anything else that might mean that you get a case of head lice! YE GADS! We discovered our "friends" about a week ago. It has been a week of endless lice searching. We have washed the sheets, pillowcases, blankets, comforters and towels EVERYDAY! We have vacuumed the car, the house and the mattresses. We have shampooed with every thing that there is to shampoo with and we comb our hair every night with the tiny little comb that gets out lice eggs. There will be at least 9 more days of this. I am not sure I EVER realized the complexity of head lice. I truly live in fear of seeing crawling little creatures in my own or my children's hair. Himself shaved the heads of the boys and I cut off about 5 inches of MG's hair.
Traumatizing is a good word for the last week.

a new post

I haven't actually written anything in a while. We are busy, but Himself would say that is what I always use as an excuse. I am just not feeling very "writey". There are so many things out there to write about....politics....religion....I generally feel inadequate when I write about either. How about this? There was a mother at our class today. She was nursing her daughter (6 months old). I am thrilled whenever I see anyone nursing out in the open. Here is my question. The mother had on a shirt with an elasticized neckline. Instead of nursing the baby "under" her shirt...not hiding...just at her waist, she had the neckline pulled down and had her entire breast exposed to nurse the baby. Ok...the question....would you not be bothered by all the 12 yr. old big brothers that were standing around waiting for their little sisters to be finished with ballet? I don't want to sound hypocritical. I am SO pr0-breastfeeding. I want everyone to do it. I, myself, am certainly not a "hider" when it comes to nursing. HOWEVER, it seems awfully odd to just pull out an entire breast from your shirt to nurse a baby. This was not a small woman.....understand?

In Honour of Labour Day!

How long were your labours?

Baby #1 - 32 hours and then a c-section!
Baby # 2 - no labour at all
Baby#3 - well, I spent about 24 hours in preterm labour and then a month later, about 2 hours and then a c-section
Baby #4 - no labour at all

How did you know you were in labor?

Baby #1 - I knew because I had every birth induction known to man
Baby #2 - I didn't have any labour
Baby #3 - um, well, I started having contractions with the pre-term labour, and then the morning of his fast delivery...contractions started and he was born about 2 hours later.
Baby #4 - no labour

Where did you deliver?

Three in Tennessee, one in Washington - at hospitals, although I would have preferred home

Drugs?

Well, if you call Delaudid, morphine, duramorph, etc. drugs, then yes.

C-section?

All four were c-sections. I still would like to have an unmedicated home birth, but.........

Who delivered?

Well, my absolutely wonderful midwife took me all the way through the first pregnancy and stayed with us even as her partner did my c-section.


Baby #2 - we had a midwife until two weeks before the birth when I decided I didn't like her, so we switched to a wonderful ob/gyn. She delivered and we were thrilled.


Babies 3 and 4 were delivered by our family practice guy here in town. We really liked him and I got a tummy tuck (smile) as a result of that last section!!!