Silent Sunday

Tidbits for Today

Today is the UF-FSU game. The biggest rivalry for our college town. We are the underdogs but that doesn't usually mean anything in this game. It is a rainy weekend so that has kind of dampened things but come 3:30 there will not be a car on the road or a person in the stores. Well, that is a bit of an exaggeration but there will be a noticeable difference in traffic :)

My sister hung out with my two oldest nephews last night. She picked them up and she and her roommate showed them the town. She hadn't seen either one since my wedding 11 years ago. Sissy and Billy were in 6th grade and Micky was in 3rd! I thought it was pretty cool! I am sure they had a great time!! It is hard for me to believe they are that old! I can't wait to check in on them this morning - ha, ha.

Yesterday daddy and the kids were passing a corner where they had torn down a Boston Market and were putting up a McDonald's. I am not a big McDonald's fan so when I had passed the new building a couple of weeks ago I must have said "Not another dang McDonald's." So yesterday when daddy said to the kids "Look guys they are building a McDonald's right there." Boop said "It's not a McDonald's daddy it is a dang McDonald's."

Last night we had leftover turkey dinner at my brother and sister-in-laws. Another nice family get together. Of course, I left my camera at home!

It is hard to believe that is was two weeks ago yesterday that God blessed us with EG. She is so beautiful and the kids just adore her. I catch myself just staring at her when she is peacefully sleeping in my arms. I tell myself to soak it all in because it goes by way to fast. I love when she is stretching and one arm goes straight up in the air. She sticks her face out and stretches her neck and it makes little wrinkles in her forehead. Her preferable sleeping spot is in my arms. She for the most part is a great sleeper. 5 hours at night and I have to wake her!! She still is not a very good eater so we are doing all we can to work on that. But she seems content for now . . . .

Thank God

I am thankful for my family.

All of the cousins on my hubby's side of the family.

The first and the last.

The younger girlies.

Boop finally has boys to play with.

As a friend of mine said on my last post "Thank God." That is the most appropriate saying that I have today. "Thank God" for family - all my family. What a wonderful time we had yesterday with my husband's family. The kids ranged in age from 24 to 13 days and they all had a blast near as I could tell!! We had great food and soooo much of it. Everyone worked so hard preparing and cooking and making everything so festive. We had about six tables and about 5 tents and there were lights on the tents, candles, flowers and outside fires. It was one of the most memorable Thanksgivings I have had! I just loved watching everyone interact with each other, talking, laughing and joking around. I tried to get good pictures but I need a photography lesson. One of the things we did was take a picture of all of my mother-in-law's grandkids. 17 in all. It was suppose to be a surprise for Christmas but an undertaking of that magnitude was hard to keep a secret! I think that was probably my favorite part of the whole day. How blessed my MIL must feel to look around and see her own children and then all of her grandchildren. To me, I think that is what life is all about. Yesterday was a day of no cares or worries. No discussion of the economy or politics (at least not that I heard). My 13 day old daughter was held by every cousin she has (well almost everyone ;). She was in heaven. She slept the entire time. Occasionally she would open an eye or two and then settle back down to sleep in some one's loving arms. If there is a downside is that it goes by so fast. Before you know it the dinner is over and the kids are exhausted. It seems like it happens all in the blink of an eye. As another good friend quoted on her blog "Breathe this moment." How apropos for this holiday season . . . .

Thanksgiving Prep

We are glad daddy is home but we have hit the ground running today! Daddy's whole family will be here for Thanksgiving. Three brothers and one sister with all of their families. A total of 21 people not including our family and various members of other families. The last I heard is the count is up to 45 for Thanksgiving dinner! This is a special time because this is the first time hubby's whole family will be together since our wedding 11 years ago. So, all that to say, my post on Friday will be lengthier and hopefully with pictures :) Until then . . .

Daddy Comes Home

Today will be one of the longest days that we have had so far. Daddy comes home today!! But his flight doesn't get in until 9PM. We will clean and straighten and organize so that he doesn't walk into chaos after being gone for almost a week. The kids will be bathed and ready for bed and we will just kind of hang out until he gets home. Thankfully his friend's wife is picking them up from the airport. It has been a little chilly here and I can't imagine having to go get him ourselves :) I am sure he will be amazed at how EG has grown and changed in the few days he has been gone. Her face has filled out and she has certainly become more alert. She even smiles occasionally! The other kids will be excited to see what he has brought them. We were joking around yesterday about some of the things he has brought back for them. For the last two years he has brought each kid the exact same Badger sweatshirt. So I think we have at least 4 in 2 or 3 sizes! This year he called me at least twice while shopping to get ideas and run some possibilities by me. He did good and I think the kids will be surprised. He even called back once and asked "What about Ellie??" I was impressed!! She will get a Cabela's bear just like the other kids.

I, for one, will be glad to have him home. It has gone very well here in his absence. Better than I could have expected. Everyone pitched in. The kids enjoyed having Grandma here and Ellie has eased into a pretty predictable routine (even though it consists being held a lot;) But with daddy home things will start to gel into what we will be doing everyday as a family. We have all been on kind of a vacation. So, as with every vacation, it is always good to get back to real life . . .

Picture Day

For the last eight years I have always gotten the kids yearly pictures done the second week in November. I do it early enough in the season so as to avoid the holiday rush. We don't have school pictures so it is very important to me to have these done. We have tons of relatives that don't live near us and it is away for me to keep in touch and show how are family is growing. I include the pictures in our Christmas cards. Plus, I just like looking at the pictures from year to year to see how everyone has changed. This year posed a little bit of a problem. We wouldn't have baby C the second week in November plus I didn't know if it was a boy or a girl. So when I called to make the appointment they always ask the number of kids and gender and name. I think they were a little stumped at first when they got to kid number four and said "I don't know." Of course, I went on to explain myself. But it was a little humorous to hear the pause on the other end of the line.

Anyway, today was our first outing with all the kids and it was to have the pictures done! I couldn't have been more pleased. Grandma was here to help get everyone ready. Our appointment was at 10AM and we started getting ready at 7. I am not joking!! The girls had their hair done and Boop's was actually brushed. The baby was the last to get ready and she was nursed and dressed by 9:30. We were the first appointment so we didn't have to wait. The photographer posed them and told them what to do and the kids listened. EG was a little upset about being handled by someone other than me but she had moments when she didn't cry. The photographer took pictures of it all. It took about 15 minutes and there were plenty of good pictures to choose from.

I really am blessed. Not to brag but there was a family there with just one child and they were having problems. Here I was with my 4 and they were quiet, well mannered, polite and obedient. Honestly, I was just a little proud of my bunch . . .

Silent Sunday

Pizza Picnic

Last night in an attempt to have some fun and do something a little different we had a pizza picnic on the living room floor. Daddy had bought a movie during the week to surprise the kids with during his absence. So, we put a sheet on the floor, popped in the movie and watched the most recent animated movie to hit DVD. The kids had a blast. They love to do things just a little bit different. I had told them the day before so as to give them something to look forward to. And honestly I was looking forward to it too. The days at this point seem to be all the same for me so any break in the routine is quite welcome!! Then this morning (as we are watching the movie for the second time) Grandma had a great idea to have a breakfast picnic. So out came the sheet and the doughnuts. (She had stopped at Krispy Kreme - another great surprise!) So for now all is peaceful and quiet and calm. We are all pretty well rested and ready to take on another day . . . .

A Few Funny Things . . .

that have been done or said in the last week.

Nature Girl insisted on the way to the hospital last Friday that Sissy turn around and go back home so she could get her money to buy the baby something.

Boop in the L and D room while I am writhing in pain: "Mommy, when are you going to be done?"

Hubby during my painful delivery is holding my leg and yawning :)

Saturday while Boop was eating his lunch from Wendy's gets out a napkin and starts putting french fries in it. CoCo asks him what he is doing "Bringing them to mommy."

The second day EG is home, Little Mama is leaning over her bassinet and making the exact same faces EG is making.

The small blessings of a family . . . .

All By My Self . . .

Well, not really . . . . hubby left this morning for his annual hunting trip in Wisconsin. He has gone for the last eight years and was planned way before I found out I was pregnant. It is something that is important for me that he does. He works all year round with hardly ever a break for just himself. He loves to hunt and fish and since we have had kids he barely does either one. I think it is important that he keeps up those hobbies to some extent. It makes him a better husband and father. Don't get me wrong, when he left this morning I cried. I cried because I will miss him and I cried because I want him to be safe but have fun. But, I think I cried the most because he is invaluable to us. You never really know how much a person means to you until they are not around. It is unfortunate to some extent that we don't appreciate people until they are gone. But I suppose I am not the only one who has this unfortunate habit :)

We are blessed because grandma will stay with us and Sissy will be here when she can and CoCo will check in on us. And friends have said they will call and fulfill any needs we may have. So we are covered in that way. But nothing can replace what daddy does for us every day, all day . . . . We love you daddy, we miss you daddy. Have a wonderful time. You deserve it . . .

Honestly Speaking

This is hard! I guess God has us forget how challenging having a newborn in the house can be. Hard, but wonderful. My first baby was a challenge for so many different reasons. The second and the third fit right into the family function. I just assumed baby number four would be a breeze. Actually I have assumed a lot of things about baby number four and so far I am 0 for about 5 :) Anyway, she has been a challenge. She doesn't want to nurse. She is hungry and she knows how but when the time comes she flips. She gets mad and frustrated. We are working on a plan to help her relax and think of feeding time as pleasant. They call it breast or nipple aversion (had never heard of that one before.) For some odd reason between Friday and Saturday she developed this little thing. It is not easy to over come. I have to trick her into latching on by using a syringe filled with breastmilk or formula. Try that at three in the morning!! Once she is tricked she usually does pretty well but it is a real chore to get her "hooked." Honestly other than that she has been a dream. She has those newborn faces that just warm my heart!! Makes it all worth while . . .

Beautiful Baby Girl

The baby girl took 9 months in the making so don't expect this to be a short post :) I am still in the hospital waiting to be discharged with my beautiful brand new baby girl so I thought might as well get started writing down the events of one of the most memorable days of my life.

November 14, 2008, started at about 3:30AM for me. See previous post :) By 9:00AM I had daddy, Sissy and both grandmas on alert. If after a shower and resting, I still wasn't feeling better I wanted to go to the hospital just to make sure everything was OK. Daddy was at work and it was a wet, busy morning for him so I didn't want to drag him away for nothing. Sissy was at work and I didn't want her to waste what ever leave time she had - ha, ha!! Grandma and CoCo were going to get ready slowly just waiting for me to tell them what was going on. By 10:30, I had decided I wanted to go to the hospital. Things were not really happening fast but they were not slowing down either. But I soooo didn't want to bother anyone until I knew for sure what was going on. CoCo came over. Daddy came home, changed clothes, went potty and did a few other things around the house. I blew my hair dry, folded laundry, figured out who needed to be where and when and I would say by 11 we were on our way to the hospital. All the while Nature Girl kept saying "Mommy I really don't know what is going on." She knew we might be having a baby but she wasn't able to keep up with all my plans as to who was going where etc. :) Up until then I was having painful contractions but not real regular. By the time we got in the truck and were headed to the gas station, 5 minutes away, I had had two pretty painful contractions. A few minutes up the road I had had another one. I was starting to get a little concerned. Have you ever rode 40 weeks pregnant in a lifted up F150 4x4?? Holy Cow is all I can say. Anyway, by the time I was seated in the waiting room at the Women's Pavilion, the contractions started to go away. Go figure. I was starting to feel bad because I had created such a fuss for nothing. A few minutes later they called my name and I went back to triage. They determined I was having real contractions and that I had dilated to 5 cm. So I said "Am I staying?" She asked me "Do you want to stay?" And I said "I guess." So we called our helpers: Grandma, CoCo, Sissy, and Shaunna. We let them know that I was on my way to adding to our already wonderful family!

I was able to lay there in triage and joke around and when they asked me if I wanted an epideral I said "Only as a backup." I really wanted to have a natural birth. After being in triage for about 45 minutes, my water broke and they were working on getting me to a L&D room. I wasn't really thinking about it but my contractions started getting a little bit harder and a little bit more painful. We decided to walk up to my L&D room and I had to stop a couple of times because of the contractions but I still didn't really think about it. I figured given past experience I would be at the hospital for at least 10 hours!

In the L&D room, everyone was taking turns coming in and my contractions were getting progressively more painful. All of a sudden I was in big time pain and opted for the epideral as quickly as possible :) I had to wait 20 minutes because I had to get the IV fluids first. Boop had been in the room and the girls never made it in before I made my mom take him out because I was in sooooo much pain - unbelievable pain, pain I was not ready for. It had come on sooo fast and soooo hard and sooooo strong. While I was waiting for the epideral I begged for an intravenous drug to help me through the pain until they could hook me up with the epideral. Everyone was out of the room except hubby. I was literally writhing in my bed from the pain. (They thought the baby still might be sunnyside up) I tried to focus through it but it was incredible. A minute later I had this very overwhelming desire to push. I screamed "I need to push." There was no one there except hubby - no nurse, no midwife - just hubby, who still thinks daddy's should be in the waiting room smoking cigars!!

I am pushing and he ran out to get the nurse. I had dilated from 5cm to 10cm in 20 minutes. She runs in and starts suiting up and I am screaming where are my drugs. The nurse informs me "You are too late for that." "What?!?!" I scream as I am bearing down with just the nurse in front of me. She yells to hubby "Run out in the hall and get all the nurses." She is gloving up and I ask her "What are you doing?!?!" "And she informs me she is delivering a baby." I say "What, no, I didn't get my drugs. Where's Jane (the midwife)?" Nurse yells to hubby "Go out and tell them to get Jane!" Oh my! I am fixing to deliver my baby with a nurse and my hubby. I freaked out (actually I had been freaking out the entire time!!) I started to push even more and Jane finally got there and suited up. I begged, I pushed, I screamed, I panicked, I pushed, I pleaded, I cried, I screamed, I threatened, I pushed, I made idle threats and crazy promises. I wanted to quit but I couldn't my body literally wouldn't let me. I wanted to give up but my body would take over. Everyone was cheering for me and encouraging me - easy for them to do. I said all kinds of crazy things. When I was suppose to be holding my breath and pushing I was screaming "please pray", "pray", "pray." Jane finally told me "No screaming, just breath and push." I complied. It was about 40 minutes until I finally was able to calm down and focus and get the hang of the pushing. I could tell the difference. I was in the zone. 5-10 minutes later baby C was born!!!

Now all this time we were all convinced it was a boy. I really just assumed. I can't tell you why. So as the baby was coming out, the midwife turned the baby up so that we could all see at once what it was. "It's a girl . . . . " we all said in unison. Like a whole room of disbelief - not mad, sad, bad just shocked. Then all at once it was utter joy!!! A BABY GIRL - a beautiful, healthy baby girl -Elizabeth Ann, 7lbs 8oz, 19 1/2 inches.

Well, today is Monday and we have been home for almost 24 hours. So far so good . . .

Post for Posterity Only

I didn't go to bed until 11 again last night because I was having regular, rather painful contractions. But after I had been in bed for about 30 minutes they went away. At 3:30 they started again and so did a massive thunderstorm. Now you ask "What do these two things have in common?" I will be happy to tell you with as few words as possible. The contractions that were pretty painful and coming every 10 minutes keep me awake until about 5AM. At 5AM, my middle child, who is deathly afraid of thunderstorms kept me awake from 5-7. Yes, she actually crawled in bed with me with specific instructions - "You cannot talk." I do not have the brain power today to do any better then this. Yes, I am still having pretty painful contractions but nothing to warrant a trip to the hospital. I am kind of glad it is raining. We plan to watch movies and play Monopoly all day . . .

Last Day of School

Yesterday was our last official day of school until after the holidays! I had decided at the beginning of the school year to start a couple of weeks early so that we could enjoy the first few weeks of having a baby and also all the fun that the holidays bring. Last year I think we stopped Thanksgiving week although I didn't plan for it. We ended up doing school through the end of June. But, this year I planned way ahead. Now we can play, clean, bake, create, shop, visit and do whatever we want to make all the holidays special. The girls are making their Christmas presents for friends. We plan on baking a lot. Going to all of the concerts, ballets and performances we can. Maybe even see a movie or two if any good ones come out. It takes the stress out of the holidays for us to take so much time off. Last year we seemed to have plenty of time to do whatever we needed to do. I suppose we will keep up with math, reading and writing to some extent only because those are skills I believe need to stay fresh. We will continue our free reading books every night which has basically become habit whether we are in school or not. But things will be laid back, no strict schedule. If something comes up we have the flexibility to school around it if I want to. We have done 14-15 weeks of school already and I am ready for the break. Plus, part of the homeschool is the "home" schooling and what better way to teach some of the more domestic aspects of life then around the joy and excitement of the holidays . . . .

False Alarm

So, yesterday after my marathon doctor's appointment (because they had only two nurses for two doctors and four midwives) I began to have contractions. At first I wasn't all that concerned. Hubby was at work so I was on my own for dinner, bath and bedtime. But as the minutes wore on it became apparent that I needed some help. If I was on my feet, the contractions were coming every three minutes. They hurt bad enough that I couldn't speak or walk. To me those are real. But I don't like drama and I hate to get everyone excited over nothing. So I called hubby just to give him a heads up as to how I was feeling. I went and sat on the couch and that would kind of relieve the discomfort so I guess in the back of my head I knew this wasn't the real thing (or as I told my sister "I was in denial.") Anyway, as the early evening wore on, real or not, it was getting increasingly difficult for me to take care of my family. I didn't want hubby to leave work unless I was sure I was going to the hospital so I called my sister. She had plans and I hated to interrupt them but I knew I needed help regardless of whether I was going to the hospital or not. My mom and others were on stand by if need be. Sissy was able to bathe the kids and I was able to sit on the couch. By the time hubby came home and Sissy left, I was sitting on the couch having contractions 6 minutes apart but they were not near as intense as the ones earlier in the evening. I told hubby to go on to bed (he had been up since 4:30 and it was nearly 10). I sat there for another hour. Nothing changed. I finally went to bed around 11. I had one or two contractions that I can remember before falling asleep. And here I am to blog another day . . . .

Chores

I am still struggling with keeping a neat and clean house. A friend told me about Flylady so I have looked into that. There seems to be a lot to it and I haven't explored it totally. I have adopted some of her tricks like cleaning for 10 minutes. We do this about two times a day and that is to just keep the clutter under control. I like the idea of the zones and deep cleaning but I haven't gotten on board with that yet. I just can't seem to get it together. But, I like the concept. So, we clean a lot when there is nothing else to do and of course when someone is coming over :) I keep telling myself I will get serious about some kind of plan after the baby is born and at the beginning of the year when we start school again etc. So that makes me feel a little better. But in the mean time, I need some kind of plan just to get us through. Well, a couple of weeks ago I decided to give the kids chores - I mean real chores. Chores that really help me out. Shake rugs, clean the bathroom sinks, clean mirrors, empty garbage cans, vacuum etc. I tried it about a month ago and was absolutely, positively blown away by the results. They all did a FANTASTIC job. I didn't have to go back over a thing. And the best part about it is they wanted to do it. Now just like everything else I try, we got away from it over the past few weeks. So, yesterday I was telling Little Mama "You need to go outside and play or you will have to clean the bathroom." I was kind of kidding and I just wanted her to enjoy the beautiful day. Her eyes lit up and she was like "O.K., I will clean the bathroom!" So much for my motivation to play outside in the beautiful weather. So, I comprised. She played outside and when it was time to come in she could clean the bathroom. Well, then Nature Girl wanted in and so did Boop. Today we have two clean bathroom sinks and mirrors, a vacuumed floor under the table, and empty wastepaper baskets. They would have kept going but it was rest time and I needed a break from all the cleaning going on - ha, ha! What an invaluable resource kids are. At this age they LOVE to clean. My current plan is to continue to tap into my newly acquired resource . . . .

Friends

As my delivery date creeps closer I have been thinking a lot about friends. Friends in my life have come from all aspects of my life. And at this juncture, a girl needs friends. They are a comfort when your life is fixin' to change. They provide emotional, mental and physical support at a really crazy time in your life. The birth of a child can be so unpredictable. You don't know when the little bugger is coming, you don't have a clue how long it will take, you are not sure what kind of entrance the baby will make into the world and you have no idea what home life is going to be like until everyone has been home for a day or two. But girlfriends understand. Between the bunch of them a lot of experience has been gained. And as women we generally do not hesitate to share our experiences. I have one friend who is willing to drive from another state to help in my hubby absence. Another long time friend gives me wonderful moral support and encouragement from over a thousand miles away. I have had many friends just say "Let me know WHATEVER you need." Three other friends have offered to take my kids on the day of the blessed event (whenever that might be :). Others have offered food and to make trips to the park and have playdates. Then there are the couple of friends that I know no matter what I need, I can call them and they will take care of whatever it is. It is a comfort. It alleviates a ton of the potential stress major life changes can bring. Thank you to ALL my girlfriends no matter where you are!!!! What would I ever do without you . . . .

Silent Sunday

Saturday's Schedule

What a great thing to wake up on a Saturday morning and not have an agenda! Except to watch football and have a relaxing dinner with friends at the local barbecue joint tonight. Having the majority of the day free is such a novelty. It doesn't happen often. Daddy only has every other Saturday off so we usually pack it with all kinds of chores and outings etc. It isn't in my nature to let the whole day go so I do have a few things that I would like to have done today but no pressure. If they get done great but if they don't it isn't the end of the world. My list of chores for the day:


Clean out our van (seriously looks like the city dump in there)
Do a load of laundry (if I don't we are over run)
Work on greeting cards (have a bunch of orders before Christmas)
Take down Halloween decorations (it is about time)
Clean bathrooms (will be last on the to do list)


Totally manageable list. My honest expectations are maybe two or three of those things get done (during the commercials of College Game Day and football games). I love these sunny, fall, relaxed Saturday afternoons . . . .

Nature Study Grandma Style

Yesterday my mom took the girls to one of the bigger, nicer parks in our area. They have ball fields, soccer fields, nature trails, a Frisbee course, playgrounds and much more that I am sure I am not aware of. My mom had found this nature trail about a week or so ago and thought the girls would love it. She could take them on a hike and they could identify some of the insects, plants etc. that they had learned about in school. So yesterday was the day. Of course the girls were excited. My mom brought sausage and crackers and had homemade peanut butter cookies, grapes and oranges and a picnic blanket to sit on. A real outing! About 3 hours later I got them back. Wore out! They had hiked about half of the trail which my mom says is about 4 miles long. They learned that they needed to carry their own stuff, they needed something to carry water in and they needed comfortable shoes. They didn't find any flowers. Apparently they had all died. They didn't see any dragonflies (which is the insect we are studying this week) but we figured that was because they were not near any water or maybe it was too cold. But they had fun anyway and have a plan for the next time Grandma takes them on a nature hike . . .

Marriage

What an interesting institution - marriage. God has placed this topic on my heart this week for a lot of different reasons. I believe marriage is a covenant between a man, a woman and God. I also believe that a woman is to be subject to her husband and that a husband should love his wife as Christ loves the church. Oh, I know some women question the "subject to her husband" part. It doesn't mean not equal or lesser in the relationship. It just means hubby is the final decision maker, the leader, the dude in charge etc. Every good organization needs a good leader and I believe God created the man to be that leader. I personally don't have a problem going to my hubby for guidance. Actually it is kind of nice because I don't have to sweat the decision. If it is something major we discuss it for awhile and then make a decision. If it is something minor he will either give me his opinion or just tell me to do whatever works best. I believe because we have these discussions, we tend to make good choices with our children, family, money etc. Yes, he has the final say but we are usually united by the time the discussion is over and the decision is made. For those of you who know me, I am very opinionated and I have a way I think things ought to be. So, it has been a learning experience for me - a growing of my soul and spirit - to listen to his opinion and realize he might be right or have a better way. Marriage isn't for the selfish. For it to work, it is about the other person. How can I, today, please the person I am united to for life? When you have a family that question gets harder because it seems like you spend most of your day pleasing somebody. But, I can see how negligence in the area of pleasing your spouse can have consequences. Some of what we do as a family during the day is in preparation for hubby to come home. A clean house (well, sort of), a nice cool drink, hopefully a little peace and quiet, usually a decent dinner. I don't have all the answers and I know I make mistakes everyday. And I know there are things that I can do better to please my spouse. I am going to be praying this week for guidance in that area. I am going to ask my spouse "What can I do better? Is there something that is being neglected?" It will be a humbling experience for me. But my marriage is worth it. As our pastor has said over the course of the last couple of weeks (our sermons have been on marriage) he has been married to his wife for 25 years "by the grace of God" . . . .

Wait, Wait, Wait

So, I had my weekly midwife check up yesterday and absolutely, ABSOLUTELY nothing has changed. I am no closer to birthing a baby today then I was a week ago. I just assumed because I am 40 and this is my 4th that the thing would practically fall out. (Forgive my sick humor :) Not so and of course I should really know better. I still have a week and a half and there is plenty of time. We did start to discuss some of my options but she said right now I just need to wait. Patience is not my strong suit by any stretch of the imagination. When I am ready, I am ready. I am pretty sure I don't want to continue feeling like this for the next two weeks. I feel like I am ready to pop. Everything feels huge, bloated although every time I ask someone "Do I look puffy to you?" they say no. I am very short tempered - just ask the kids and hubby ;) I have lost my appetite and at times even feel nauseous. I didn't gain any weight last week and lost a pound this week. So I tell myself, really, how much longer can this go on. I have picked a date in my mind November 17th and that IS THE DATE if nothing happens before then. That gives me plenty of time to be induced, deliver the baby with hubby in the room and maybe even possibly get home before he leaves for WI. As a good friend has told me "Just remember what the end result is." This isn't how I planned it, but honestly is anything nowadays how I plan it . . . . :)

Election Day

I went ahead and voted on Saturday. Hubby was home to watch the kids and honestly I didn't really want to stand in line on Tuesday with a 7, 5, and 3 yo being 38 weeks pregnant. Although I would like to think that fellow voters would have had sympathy for me and moved me to the front of the line :) As it was I stood in line for an hour and a half. But what a privilege it was! In front of me was an Asian couple; a single, older white male; two guys who were friends; and a married female named Stephanie who is now my new best friend :) Behind me was a single, college age black guy; three black women (I believe they were all related) and an older white couple. All that to say, what a diverse group all in one spot. Oh, I know we all had our own agenda but for an hour and a half we got to know each other. Stephanie has a dog and she and her husband each have a beetle bug car. (My girls thought that was way cool.) She is originally from NY and South Florida but has lived in a couple different states. She has a sister who lives in CO. I thought THAT was way cool! The two guys in front of her had to do the office Christmas shopping last year and bought coupons for Krispy Kreme. The guy behind me was waiting on his friend to show up and once he did they talked nonstop about what they had done the night before. I had brought my book with every intention of spending my time reading. But it was just too hard. There were people to watch and talk to. Things to learn, things to share. How often do we talk to people outside our circle?? It was one of the fastest hour and a halves I have ever spent. By the time we got to the polling area I was ready to vote, to do my civic duty with pride. I couldn't help but think at that very moment how truly blessed we all are no matter who we voted for. We live in a country where we have freedom to express our opinions and vote the way each of us wants to. As a writer to our local newspaper put it "there is no voter apathy this election year." And no matter what, that is a good thing!! I saw all ages, all religions, all races standing in line together to do their part. As I walked out, I couldn't help but be a proud American . . .

Last Week's Homeschooling Schedule

Monday: Civics and Government - visit friends and old co-workers at the U.S. Attorney's Office
Tuesday: Health and Hygiene - dental appoints for all three kids
Wednesday: Biology - pre-registered at the Women's Pavilion at the hospital
Thursday: Home Economics - cleaned and cooked for the Halloween Party
Friday: Socialization - lunch with friends

One of the harder things about homeschooling is trying to get all your errands and responsibilities done throughout the week. Most weeks there just isn't enough time to finish my chores and responsibilities. So last week we decided in an effort to get somethings out of the way school would be life field trips. As we were joking about this at the Halloween Party Friday some one said "Well, just as long as their learning." But, if you think about it as a child (even as an adult) aren't we always learning . . .

Silent Sunday

Our Halloween Party

Last night we had our annual Halloween Party. It started out a couple of years ago as a Sunday School fellowship. The adults and the kids dressed up and we had a lot of fun. Over the years it has evolved to the same 4 or 5 families and now it is more about the kids than anything! We were trying to figure out last night just how many years we have been doing this. We figured these same 11 kids (give or take a few each year) have been trick or treating together for the last 4 or 5 years. Hubby usually makes the chili and Mr. Ronnie usually stays behind and hands out candy to the other kiddies that come by. The Harris' for a couple of years have come as the characters from the Wizard of Oz - Dorothy and Toto, Scarecrow, Tinman, Cowardly Lion and The Great Oz. I forgot to take a picture but it truly is a work of art. About two months ago, after reading Peter Pan, my kids were going to go as Wendy, Peter and Tickerbell and I was going to be Nanny and daddy was going to be Capt. Hook. Halloween was too far away and they changed their minds numerous times. Natural Girl ended up being a Hollywood Starlet, Little Mama was a Spanish Princess and Boop was Spiderman (which cracks me up because I don't think he has ever seen Spiderman.) I suppose I could have forced the issue, but honestly I wanted to give them a chance to do their own thing (with guidance of course.) The past two years daddy has gotten out his 4-wheeler and hooked it up to the trailer and put hay in it so when the kids (or adults) get tired of walking they can ride. This year he put a chair in it so I could ride like a queen. I actually chose to walk most of the way and am paying for it today! (Really, all in an attempt to get labor started!!) Everyone had a great time and the fellowship was memorable. Much food and candy was eaten. One thing hubby and I share is a love for "entertaining." And our annual Halloween Party gives us a great opportunity to open our home to family and friends . . . .