February, According to Facebook

"Am I always a little melancholy on Wednesday evenings?" I asked Jeff tonight.  I don't think he knew quite what to say to that; maybe it falls in the category of Questions a Wife Should Never Ask Her Husband, right up there with, "Does this outfit make me look fat?"  ;-)  But I wasn't trying to trick him--honest!--so I didn't force a long-winded answer from him, but instead sat in my favorite rocking chair and silently contemplated it further.  

Truth is, I think I do sometimes feel a little down on Wednesday nights.  I suppose that's because Thursday is coming, the day of the week when Jeff has to leave really early for work, and the boys don't see him in the mornings.  That makes Thursdays seem very long; and after Thursday comes Friday and then Saturday, of course--both days in which Jeff works.  The work-on-Monday-and-Tuesday-and-then-have-Wednesday-off routine spoils us for the rest of the week when Jeff has to work for three days straight!  ;-)

The other thing playing into all of this is that I always have such high expectations for what I'm going to accomplish on Wednesdays.  This morning, for example, Jeff took all the boys to the dentist (Shav didn't have an appointment, but Jeff kindly took him along anyway, so I could have the house to myself), and I just knew I was going to get so much done here in the peace and quiet!  ;-)  Well, no surprise to anyone but myself, I didn't accomplish nearly as much as I was hoping.  And then the rest of the day--as always--got busy with violin lessons and other activities.  It's no wonder that Wednesday evenings roll around; and when I see my to-do list almost as long as when the day started, I'm a little discouraged.

However, rather than continuing to sit in my rocking chair and feel down, I decided to do something to be productive and make myself feel better:  plan!  :)  I pulled out my homeschool planner and got the calendar down off the wall and whipped out my pen, ready to mark upcoming events and projects.  So even though I didn't actually accomplish a whole lot more tonight after my question to Jeff, I convinced myself that it will get accomplished--and made myself believe that I'm really on top of life more now than I was earlier today--and then I felt better.  ;-)

There's one more thing I did to console myself.  I realized that I was actually feeling pressured by my original plan (mentioned in this post) to organize the upstairs of the house in the month of January, organize the middle level in February, and the lower level in March.  Here I was in the last day of February, not even close to finishing the middle level!  When I finally figured out that my lack of completion in that area was weighing more heavily on me than it should, I made a simple adjustment to my plan and told myself that I can really use the month of March for the middle level, too, because I don't have to get the downstairs in good shape until April 18 when Jeff's mom arrives to stay with us after the baby is born.  The other rooms on that level are fine...well, let me rephrase that...the cellar and the laundry room are fine...the garage is not, but I'm not exercising dominion over that sphere right now, so I don't care a bit.  ;-)  Even if April 17 rolls around, and we have to do a mad stash-and-dash in the lower level so Jeff's mom can stay comfortably in our guest room/library, we can pull that off--no problem!  So, according to my new plan, January was for the upper level, February AND MARCH for the middle, and April for the bottom.  See?  It's all working out beautifully!  ;-)

Before I post my Facebook statuses for the month (so that when this is printed as a book, I'll have a record of the tidbits I jotted down there), I'll throw in some random pictures from the past few days.  The first one was what I saw one day as I was standing upstairs and looking down into the kitchen (on the right) and the living room (on the left).  How wonderful to glance down the steps and see three of my boys busy with books!  I love raising bookworms.  :)

One time as I was folding and putting away laundry, Tobin and David were pretending to sleep in my bed.  Knowing the challenges they've had in the past with rubbing each other the wrong way, I am particularly grateful for their increasing times of peace and harmony together.   :)

Josiah and David continue to spend time working on puzzles, and David especially has gotten quite good at them.  I've discovered that the dollar store is a great place to find new ones!  :)

OK, take it away, Facebook!  It's your turn now...

Feb. 1 - If I wasn't expecting a baby in a couple of months, I would have been begging Jeff for one of these puppies! The only pet I've ever wanted is a collie...sigh... But now all the puppies are sold. That's OK. I'd rather have a baby any day. :)


Feb. 2- Josiah this morning: "I wish I could have an ostrich." "Why?" I asked. "So I could ride it, of course!" he exclaimed. He didn't SAY "duh," but it was strongly implied. Except for maybe five seconds when I was watching The Swiss Family Robinson years ago, I don't think I've ever wanted to have--much less, ride--an ostrich. It just goes to show how differently his brain works than mine, I suppose! :)


Feb. 3 - Before Jeff left for work this morning, he made bacon and eggs for our breakfast. At one point, all the boys had finished eating and were upstairs playing in Josiah and David's room; and it was just Jeff and I together at the table. It almost felt like a date! :) I'm grateful for unplanned times like these--an unexpectedly good way to start the day. :)


Feb. 3 - This little girl is like an earthquake in my insides! She's been doing convulsions on my right side this morning; and when she gets moving, I feel like my whole body lurches in response to her. Josiah and David were each standing on one side of me this morning as we reviewed James chapter 1 which we're memorizing this year. They put their hands on my huge tummy and were both able to feel their baby sister. When she moved, their big eyes and shining smiles were delightful to see. :)


Feb. 5 - Tobin, at breakfast this morning: "I'm so tired I could eat a reindeer!" It never ceases to amuse me, how he tries to use the expressions he hears others use, but unwittingly mixes them all up. ;-)


Feb. 6 - Shav's newest favorite phrase: "Mommy," spoken in the most pleading voice, "I NEED you!" The first few times he said that to me, I melted. The melting effect is getting less and less pronounced, however, as he uses (abuses?) it more and more. Even a two-year-old knows how to manipulate. Or maybe I should say *especially* a two-year-old knows how to manipulate!! ;-)


Feb. 10 - Shav, when I got him out of his crib after his nap: "I need you!" Me: "Who taught you to say, 'I need you," like that?" Shav: "Jesus!" Me, incredulously: "Jesus???" Shav, jubilantly: "Yeah!!" His happy smile brightened my own face tremendously. Little cutie pie. ;-)


Feb. 13 - David's question to me this evening: "You know how, after you run a while at super-sonic speed, your throat starts to feel itchy and spicy?" My thoughts: "Well...um...no, I can't exactly identify with that feeling. Maybe because it's been a while since I've run at super-sonic speeds. But you keep talking, David Dear, because I want to hear what goes on in that sweet head of yours!" ;-)


Feb. 14 - ‎"This is true joy in life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy." - George Bernard Shaw, quoted in Crazy Love by Francis Chan - I still have my moments of being a "selfish little clod," but I do want to be used up for a mighty purpose - right now, that "mighty purpose" seems to be potty-training Shav - mighty, indeed ;-)


Feb. 15 - My big project for the evening: email reduction. I got it from 367 down to 290...woohoo! Now please don't send me an email to congratulate me. ;-) Seriously, WHEN will I ever figure out how to stay on top of emails, rather than letting them pile up???


Feb. 16 - From the cries of despair coming from him, you would have thought Shav's heart was absolutely broken. He had woken early, heard Jeff leaving for work in the Jeep, and stood watching him from the window of his room. Shav pronounces "daddy" as "daggy," and over and over he called, "Daggy! Daggy! Daggy! Daggy!" Even though it was 6:30, a full half-hour before I wanted to get up, I couldn't be too upset as his pathetic cries aroused my sympathy, and I went to him to comfort him. The boy loves his "daggy," that's for sure. :)


Feb. 17 - I took a nap this afternoon and slept deeply. I also had a dream in which I gave birth--to a baby girl--but she was very premature and obviously had major health problems; it was a bit bewildering, trying to know how to help her. When I woke up, I discovered that I'm still pregnant. Boy, am I ever glad of that!!! :)


Feb. 17 - Before we eat supper, we sing a song together: a short-n-sweet Sunday school type of song. Always-popular favorites are Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho and I've Got a River of Life. Tonight Jeff said that David could choose the song, and I had to laugh when David said, "Is Ring Around the Rosie available?" :) No, my dear boy, it most certainly is not. Even at my most creative, I can't come up with any way to spiritualize that song! :)


Feb. 20 - I realize, of course, that Isaiah wasn't *exactly* thinking of homeschooling when he penned these words (in 54:13): "All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace." But as a homeschooling mom who sometimes worries about the gaps in my children's education, it IS reassuring to remember that ultimately, God is the one in charge of our lesson plans...and sometimes He interrupts the lessons I'm trying to teach in history and grammar and multiplication, so that He can teach something far more important in character and life skills! :)


Feb. 21 - Tonight in his bedtime prayer, Shav said, "Thank You, God, for Mommy's thumb (while touching my right thumb)...and Mommy's thumb (he reached for my left thumb)...and these fingers (touching all the fingers of my hand)." I never know what he's going to come up with in his prayers, but you know, it's really good for me. After all, it's been quite a while since I specifically thanked God for my thumbs; and I don't want to take any part of this body God gave me for granted. "A little child will lead them"...and Shav does. :)


Feb. 22 - The best part of my trip to town this morning (besides hearing my baby's heartbeat and having Melody, the midwife, say she thinks she's head-down) was standing in the greeting card aisle of Walmart and having an older lady come up to me to say, "You have the nicest smile!" It's amazing how encouraging a simple compliment can be. :) I want to grow in my ability to reach out and speak encouragement to complete strangers--as well as friends--in that way.


Feb. 23 - Read something interesting today: "Our public schools spend a fortune on each student. According to a May 2011 U.S. Census Bureau report, it costs (on average) $10,499 per student, per year to put a child through public school. If those figures were to remain steady during a child's twelve-year journey through public school (excluding kindergarten), a whopping $125,988 would be spent on each child's public education. Think about that: for the average family with two children, a quarter of a million dollars is being spent to put those kids through school." (from an article in Home School Enrichment magazine) My goodness! For all the money I've saving the system by not having my children in public school, don't you think the government ought to at least send me a thank-you card...and maybe a box of chocolates??? ;-)


Feb. 24 - What made me smile tonight: Shav, standing on a stool by the bathroom sink, "brushing" his teeth until I came to help him finish up...and Josiah brushing his teeth at the same time. Josiah has this routine where he walks diagonally through the bathroom a certain number of times while brushing, stopping occasionally to spit in the sink. Tonight, every time Josiah spit, Shav said admiringly, "WOW!" And then, every time, Shav tried to spit as loudly and forcefully as Josiah had just done. I suppose to his two-year-old mind, Josiah's spitting ability is quite impressive. :)


Feb. 25 - One of Shav's recent cute habits is coming up to me, snapping his teeth together, telling me that he just ate me, then informing me that our new baby is in HIS tummy now. When I ask when she is coming out, he always says matter-of-factly, "A few minutes!" If only it really were that quick and easy to birth a baby! ;-)


Feb. 27 - Windows open on February 27? Yes, please! :) Although I'm frankly disappointed in our lack of snow this winter, I have to admit that spring-like days like this one help to ease the disappointment. ;-)


Feb. 27 - This can go down in history as the first article from Runner's World that I've EVER read. Although I have dreams of someday completing a couch-to-5K program, I'm a LONG way from that now and (currently) can barely hobble around my living room because of this heavy uterus pressing on some nerve in my lower back. HOWEVER, the title of this article grabbed my attention immediately, and I couldn't resist reading it...in part, to find out the answer to the first question that popped in my head upon seeing it, "DO the Amish run?" Well, I learned something new tonight: they do. Fascinating article! :)


Feb. 27 - Tonight as I was helping Tobin get ready for bed, I mentioned to him that my back is hurting...which isn't unusual these days, given the advanced stage of this pregnancy. He very kindly wanted to pray for my back, and I smiled when he said, "Thank You, God, for Mommy's back feeling better." Ah, yes, pray in faith! And then after we finished praying, he got a very serious look on his face and said to me, "I'm sure it will feel better in May." Yes, my dear boy, I'm sure it will, too, since that will be a month after Baby Girl is born. But tell me, Tobin Bear, where did you get your wisdom?? :)


Feb. 29 - ‎"They who would grow in grace, must love the habitation of God's house. It is those that are planted in the courts of the Lord who shall flourish, and not those that are occasionally there." - John Angell James

Wordless Wednesday {The Blurriness Doesn't Hide the Love}

It Helps to Remember

When February days seems a little bit blah...and the schedule feels a little too full...and too many dinners are prepared early, left on the stove, then eaten hastily when we rush in the door from a music rehearsal or lesson...and piles of dirty laundry tempt me to cancel school for the day, just so I can get far enough ahead that I'll know that we'll all have clean underwear and socks for the next week...and history lessons have lost their zest, and I'm abandoning the extra enrichment activities so we can make it to the end of the book...and some days are pleasant enough, but more days than I'd like have to be slogged through...it helps to remember that every February feels this way.

Every year in late winter, I find myself stretched by the time demands of extracurricular activities...but that doesn't mean those activities aren't worthwhile, or that they should be abandoned.  Every year as we see the end of the official school year approaching, though it's still a ways off, I feel the tension between devoting myself to homeschooling or devoting myself to homemaking...but that doesn't mean that I should raise my hands in surrender and give up either pursuit.

It helps to remember that swimming lessons will come to an end, as will choir rehearsals and violin lessons.  It helps to remember that before too long, we'll be back to our peaceful pattern of evenings at home without rushed, late suppers.  It helps to remember that, even when we do some educational stuff in the summer, it's totally different from our regular school schedule; and the break does us all good.  It helps to remember that there's a legitimate reason why I have a hard time keeping up with all the housekeeping things I'd like to be doing during the school year: school takes time, and even though our lifestyle of homeschooling takes much less time than a day away from home in a traditional school, it still takes time.  And sometimes that means that the homemaking projects I'd dearly love to do have to be pushed aside for a while and ignored, all because spelling lists and art analysis and science facts and Bible memorization rightfully take priority for a while.

I'm well aware that one thing that leads to mental weariness is unfinished projects.  I look around and see scores of things I started and didn't finish...or even in some cases, didn't even begin but wanted to and intended to.  It's so discouraging, and I tell myself, "I know it wouldn't really take that long to finish this particular project.  Why can't I seem to carve out the time or summon up the mental focus to complete this? What's wrong with me?"  At times like that, it helps to remember that it will get done.  Definitely not today, probably not tomorrow, maybe not next week, but eventually...the papers and books on the foosball table will indeed get sorted and put back into the homeschool closet where they were residing until I, in a spurt of energy, pulled them out to organize them...the CDs in the kitchen that are supposed to be nicely arranged in a big black case will finally be returned to order so that we can actually find particular CDs when we're looking for them...Tobin's room that has been in a state of chaos while being painted in preparation for Shav moving over into that room so the baby can have the nursery will be restored to pristine condition...and so forth.  It will all get done--maybe not in my preferred timetable; but one of these days, it will happen.  If it's truly important, it will get done.

It really does help me to remember these things.  So if you see me during the next few weeks and my lips are moving and I'm mumbling something under my breath, it just might be what I've written here.  I have to preach it to myself often, since my memory seems to be short these days!  :)  But when discouragement hovers over me like the dark cloud that follows Eeyore around, it helps to remember.

The Busiest Day of the Year

...but I don't have a single picture from it.  That's because, in all the hustle and bustle, I completely forgot to grab my camera and take it along.  Oh, well.  I'll have to try to use my words to capture a sense of what the day was like.

The day I'm referring to was yesterday, and it was one of those days that comes along every once in a while and somehow gets more crammed into it than the usual sort of day.

For Jeff, rather than his normal Saturday routine of go-to-work-and-come-home-and-go-out-on-a-relaxing-date, his day included going to work an hour and a half earlier than usual, leaving work in the middle of the day to attend a wedding of one of his co-workers, eating at the reception, returning to work, still managing to do 13 haircuts despite his time away from the shop, coming home, and fixing spaghetti with bear meat in the sauce for our dinner.  I believe he also shot his rifle a few times, although I wasn't at home for that particular activity.

For me, my day looked like this:  drop off David and Tobin and Shav at my parents' house, take Josiah to a violin festival at a nearby university, attend his masterclass and an Orff class, bring Josiah home, pick up David and Tobin and Shav at my parents' house, throw a quick-to-prepare lunch on the table for them, welcome our next-door neighbor girl to our home, give her instructions on caring for the boys the rest of the afternoon, grab a bag of tortilla chips and eat them for lunch in the car on the way back to the university with Josiah for the rest of his violin festival, attend a parent session about how to have effective practice times at home, walk up the hill to another building for Josiah's fiddle class, wonder how things were going at home with the boys and their babysitter, walk down the hill for Josiah's group class, walk back up the hill for the end-of-the-day play-in, come home with Josiah, sit down gratefully to a spaghetti dinner already prepared, do dishes and clean up the kitchen with my mom's help, have a heart-to-heart talk with Josiah about preparing for marriage (Premarital Counseling for Nine-Year-Olds was the topic, followed by sessions in Why It Doesn't Work to Say Marriage Is 50/50 and How Your Parents Can Help You Spot Warning Signs in a Prospective Spouse), put freshly-bathed-by-Jeff boys to bed, sit down on the couch for a relaxing few hours of reading.  Errr...scratch that last one.  Sit down on the couch, read a few pages, then let gravity force me into a lying-down position where I promptly fell asleep by about 9:00 PM.  Wake up at 11:00 PM, think about blogging and then decide not to, put some wood in the stove, and go upstairs to bed.

It was one of those days that was beyond me.  There was no way I could be everywhere and do everything, and I was so grateful for my parents' help in the morning and my neighbor's help in the afternoon and Jeff's help in the evening.  My dad even took David to his swimming lesson yesterday morning while my mom kept the younger two at their house.  I thought, "How many people does it take to care for these boys today and get them where they need to be?"  Apparently, a lot!  :)

It was a wonderful day, however; and I was so grateful for the time to focus on Josiah, riding alone with him in the car and chatting about everything from how salty the tortilla chips we were munching on were to how proud I am of him for the spiritual maturity I see developing in him.  It was pure joy to watch him throughout the day and listen to his playing; he's come a long way--both in musical ability and in confidence--in the few years he's been taking lessons.  And it was great fun for me to have time to talk with some of the other moms there, without having to be distracted by Shav or Tobin or even David and their various needs.

While I was sitting in the parent session, I heard a clicking sound behind me and wasn't sure what it was.  When I casually peered over my shoulder after a little while, I discovered a mom with a bag with a number of skeins of yarn in it, knitting faster than anyone else I've ever seen.  Now I understood the noise!  I got a chance to talk with her later; and after complimenting her on her speed and beautiful work, I discovered that she has an Etsy shop:  Little Bird Lucy.  I came home and checked it out and started drooling over the adorable infant hats and photo props for baby photographers.  Lisa, the owner, is one talented lady, that's for sure!

I'm so glad yesterday worked out for Josiah to participate in the festival and for David to still make it to his swimming lesson and for Tobin and Shav to have happy, special days with grandparents and a neighbor.  But as thankful as I am for all of that, I'm also very grateful that every day is not like yesterday!  To compensate for that busy pace, I'm going to have a lazy afternoon and lie down for a nap now.  Right after I read a page or two in that book I was trying to read on the couch last night...  ;-)

Puzzlers in the Morning

David and Tobin were the first two boys awake this morning; and as I sat on the couch for my quiet time with God and admired the unexpected skiff of snow outside the window, I watched them working together--peacefully, for the most part--on a puzzle.

David, of course, was doing the majority of the work; but Tobin could turn over pieces and lay them out flat in a single layer.  He also found pieces that had pictures of hot air balloons on them, per David's request.

Since these two are still the Sandpaper Boys more than any other combo of boys in our family, it was a delight to see them interact with calmness and respect.  

It was also a delight to see their little piggies sticking out from the bottoms of their pajamas.  

Little feet are adorable.  :)

I know that, as they mature, they'll leave the Sandpaper Boy stage behind; but sometimes the process of growing up and out of that phase seems to stretch on interminably.  Mornings like this one give me a glimpse into the future of David and Tobin's relationship:  a more peaceful, loving, respectful future.  It sure looks good.  :)

Their Faces, Today

It started at lunch today when Josiah and David asked me to get out the camera to take pictures of the "faces" they had created using their food.  Josiah used curried lentils for eyes, banana chunks for ears, string cheese for a mouth, rice for a mustache and beard, and his spoon for a pipe!  (Why a pipe?  I have no idea!)  

David's was a little different: curried lentils for the ears, rice for the mouth, a multivitamin for the (very small) beard, two vitamin C tablets for the nose, pieces of the gum he was chewing before lunch for the eyes, and some string cheese and goldfish crackers for the hair?  Or maybe the crackers were a hat?  I'm not sure; but oh yes, he also used a spoon for a pipe.

Before I snapped the shutter, both of the boys leaned down so that their own faces could be in the picture, too; and that's when it hit me.  These faces are precious.  This day is irreplaceable.  I want to capture this moment.  I want to remember what each of my sons looked like on Thursday, February 23, 2012--an otherwise ordinary day, but extraordinary because my eyes were suddenly opened to the treasure of this time that we have together.  Today.

After lunch, Tobin was glad for me to take his picture...

...and so was Shav.  They love having their picture taken; and the best part for them is when I immediately turn the camera around and let them see the back of it so they can see their picture right away.  :)

With these kinds of thoughts rolling around in my heart today, it's no wonder that the Aerosmith song, "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," was the soundtrack I heard inside my head.  I'm not a big fan of the screechy parts of that song.  ;-)  But the words express what I feel inside:

I don't want to miss one smile.
I don't want to miss one kiss.
I just want to be with you,
Right here with you, just like this.
I just want to hold you close,
Feel your heart so close to mine,
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time...

Because of that, it's no surprise at all that I had no choice but to capture their faces, today.

The Invader

Countless times a day, a thought invades my brain waves:  I'm having a girl.

Of course, I think about this when I'm doing specific preparing-for-my-daughter's-birth stuff, like putting clothes in her armoire.

But even among other tasks and activities, the thought is never too far from my mind; and as consistently as ocean waves hit the beach, a word pushes into my consciousness:  GIRL.

When I do a spelling lesson with my boys...

...or record something in my homeschool planner.

When I put away clean dishes...

...or get out a pan to start cooking.

When I start a load of laundry and reach for the soap...

...or open the refrigerator and reach for some yogurt.

When I sit down at the computer to type...

...and especially when I lay down wearily to sleep.

"Girl...girl...girl..." the invader echoes.  "You're carrying a daughter.  You're going to have a girl!"

Of course, along with that joyous refrain comes another one:  her name.  Like a schoolgirl in the midst of a crush, I say her name over and over, rolling it around on my tongue, getting used to the way it feels.  But I can't seem to find the right blocks to spell that precious word.  Too bad.  I guess her name will just have to be a secret for a while longer...  ;-)

Wherever Daddy Is...

 ...the boys want to be, too.

 Even if the couch gets a little crowded...

 ...they don't care...

...as long as they can be close to their daddy.  :)

Wordless Wednesday {M Is for Magnificent Marriage}

Even More Eager

Ever since my talented friend Lisa posted about this book on her blog (11 months ago today, as a matter of fact!), I've known that--if I were to be blessed with another baby--I wanted this book.

And now I have it, and it is every bit as good as Lisa said it was.  Maybe better.  :)

I wasn't sure it was possible to be even more excited about this sweet daughter on the way, but the thought of trying out the ideas in this book as I take pictures of my girl makes me positively giddy.

As if I needed another reason to (im)patiently count down the days until she's born!!!  :)

6 Out of 7

These days, thoughts tumble through my head and words beg to be spilled.  Ideas need to be explored and expressed, phrases want to be expanded, and my fingers ache with the desire to sit down and open the floodgates for the words that press on my mind.

And then, night comes, the boys fall asleep, calm settles, and I?  I seem to be made out of nothing but cardboard.  My strength gone, I collapse gratefully into the nearest chair or couch and allow my body to relax.  Just to sit.  To be.

Here in these hours of darkness when I could be pouring out my heart, the minutes slip by and I only want to rest.  The words stay inside, still contained, unspilled.  For now...

This is why my weekly Arise update did not get written last evening.  This is why this Arise update will be succinct.  This is why I'll immediately fall into bed as soon as I post this.  :)

So, in a nutshell, how did I do this week?  Last Sunday I wrote of my desire to achieve 7-for-7-at-7.  In actuality, I managed to hit 6 out of 7--the one day I missed was because of an early-morning wake-up call from Shav who, from his window view from the crib, saw and heard Jeff leaving for the barber shop during the one day of the week that Jeff has to leave early for work  Shav was so very sad to see his daddy leave; and I needed to comfort him, of course.  So my early morning time was devoted to that; but the good thing is that later in the day, I did make time to spend with God rather than just feeling defeated and waiting until the next morning to try again.  Which reminds me...

I am keenly aware that after my baby is born, life will be turned on its head for a while, and my strict adherence to a 7:00 a.m. wake-up would be unrealistic.  I know that and accept that.  But for now, in these last weeks/months before she is born, I treasure the opportunity to enjoy this stability in my schedule, without putting pressure on myself to duplicate this in the early days of having a newborn.  I'm sure I'll be blessed with plenty of time (mostly in the middle of the night) to pray and meditate and read (if I can glue my eyes open) after Baby Girl is born!  :)

This past week I continued to read and study the book of I John, which I'll finish soon, and Crazy Love by Francis Chan, which I am almost done with, too.  I also started going through Praying God's Will for My Husband by Lee Roberts, a book which had sat on my shelf gathering dust for too long.  After Crazy Love, I want to dive into Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize, a book I've read before but would like to read again in preparation for my upcoming delivery.  I feel like just by mentioning that book, I should write a whole blog post about it, but I won't.  Not tonight...  That whole feeling-like-cardboard-and-collapsing thing, you know...it makes it quite difficult to sit upright and write long, deep blog posts about somewhat controversial books.  ;-)

In my search for a worship song to accompany this post, I came across this one which was new to me.  From the very beginning, the lyrics spoke to my heart:
Father, I see that you are drawing a line in the sand,
And I want to be standing on your side, holding your hand...
It reminds me so much of my favorite chapter in Crazy Love, the one called "Serving Leftovers to a Holy God."  I'm so grateful when the words I read and the songs I hear cut my heart and convict me of changes I need to make.  That's the whole point of this, after all.  I didn't choose to focus on Arise this year so that I could be the same when December 31 rolls around, but so that I could be radically different.  I don't know yet exactly what that will look like, but I know that I want it.  And each day, by His strength, I'm getting closer.

Group Hug!

Every once in a while, the call goes out in a boyish voice:  GROUP HUG!  And then, I see something like this...

Bonaro Overstreet once said, "We are not only our brother's keeper; in countless large and small ways, we are our brother's maker." 

How glad I am that God saw fit to bless each of my sons with the gift of three brothers...

...boys who would grow up together, learn together, play together, practice conflict resolution together ;-), help to shape each other's characters together, create priceless memories together.  Seeing their love for each other...well...I hardly have words for how that makes me feel.

Truly, my cup of blessings overflows.

They Say It's Going to Snow...

...these distinguished weathermen of ours, who are *never*...cough, cough...wrong.  Despite the fact that today felt like the quintessential spring day, with bright sunshine and temperatures in the low 60's, these meteorologists assure us that tonight the temperatures will fall, and tomorrow so will the snow.  To that, I have one thing to say:

LET IT.

For me and for the other snow-lovers who live in this household, this winter has been a huge disappointment, weather-wise.  It started out wonderfully, with the unexpected delight of snow in October; but since then we've barely gotten anything...some flurries here and there, every once in a while, but nothing that accumulates to any depth and nothing that sticks around for a while.  I realize that some (crazy) people who live here in the Valley are actually happy about this!  ;-)  But not me...and not my boys...

Every year after Christmas, I bring out a few snowman decorations--including this snowman family--to brighten the bleakness that January can bring after the festivities of December.  I usually leave them out during the first two months of the year, then take them down when March begins with its promise of spring.  This year, however, I was strongly tempted to take my cheerful snowmen down early, because I was completely discouraged about the lack of prospects in the snow department and I figured I might as well set those hopes aside and get on with the business of spring.

Tonight I'm glad I left the snowmen up.  Tomorrow, perhaps, we'll have some real snow outside to match these decorations inside.  All that's left to say is this:

Bring it on!!!  :)

The New Addition to My Laundry Room

As I was working in my laundry room tonight, I suddenly realized that I had neglected to blog about a wonderful change that was recently made in that room.  Now I won't blame you one bit if you don't get as excited as me about this change; my enthusiasm will more than make up for what you lack, believe me.    ;-)  But here it is, a fantastic new friend in my laundry room...

 A rack.  A laundry rack.  Gorgeous, isn't it?  ;-)

With being a stay-at-home mom, I obviously spend quite a bit of time on household tasks; and because of that, I like to learn how to do those tasks well: efficiently and joyfully.  I'm always interested in reading and hearing how other people manage the "systems" that run a home; and often when I become acquainted with a new idea, I analyze it to see if it would work for me and bring some benefit to my home and family.

So it is with laundry.  I've heard from several sources about a family closet--one room (or closet, if it's quite large) of the home where all the family's clothes are stored, rather than being divvied about in various dressers and closets in all the bedrooms.  With a family closet, you do the laundry, carry it all to one place, and put it away in one fell swoop, simplifying the process and saving time.  I like that idea!  But there's one downfall:  it wouldn't work for us because we don't have a room or closet that we could devote to that.

Another idea I ran across, however, was to have bins in the laundry room for each person in the family, so that the clothes belonging to that person could be immediately folded and put into that bin until the person put his/her own clothes away.  I contemplated that and decided that it could work very nicely for us.  After all, we're blessed with a laundry room that's large enough for such an endeavor; and, even more importantly, having the boys (just Josiah and David, at this point in time) be responsible to put their own clothes away would not only help me out but also train them in one more step along the path to maturity.

When I first ran the idea by Jeff, I was thinking of getting some wooden shelves to hang on the wall to hold the bins...or, alternatively, using some boards we already have and sawing them to the right length before painting them and attaching them to the wall.  Of course, I wouldn't be the one actually doing the work.  ;-)  Since Jeff would, I was eager to hear what he thought.  He came up with an even better idea: using this wire rack that had been out in the root cellar/pottery shed.  Perfect!  It didn't cost anything, and it saved us (him) the trouble of figuring out how to securely anchor shelves into the wall so that if an over-eager boy pulled on them, they wouldn't come tumbling down.

When he pulled this rack out of the root cellar, it was filthy: covered with cobwebs and smelling of mice.  The first thing we did was leaving it out in the rain and letting nature wash it for us.  :)  Then Jeff kindly painted it white for me (it was black originally), and it was ready to move into the laundry room.

I had gotten these bins at the dollar store and had a lot of fun one evening making labels for them.  For Josiah, his name in purple (his favorite color) and a picture of a runner, since that is one of Josiah's latest interests.  David got a soccer player and his name in green (his favorite color).  For Tobin Bear, what else could I choose but a picture of a teddy bear?  :)  Tobin's name is supposed to be yellow (his favorite color), but our printer didn't work very well and spit forth a green-yellow instead.  Shav always says his favorite color is red, so I used that for his name; but since he doesn't correctly identify colors yet with any consistency, who knows whether that will really remain his favorite color.  At any case, it's different than the other boys, so I went ahead and used it...along with a cute picture of a baby tiger.  If you're wondering about our daughter's bin, I'll let you know that yes, she already has one, labeled with her name and a picture of a flower; but in the photo above, I turned her bin around so you couldn't see the label.  Can't give away that secret yet, you know.  ;-)

Where are the bins for Jeff and I?  Well, our clothes are obviously bigger and wouldn't fit into a bin very well, so I just fold them and put them in one of our laundry baskets until I carry them upstairs to put them away.

I've been using this system for a couple of weeks now, and I'm quite pleased with it.  Anything that helps with such a integral part of family life makes me happy; and since, as a family of six-almost-seven, we make a lot of laundry, I might as well figure out a way to enjoy it while I do it!  :)

The other thing that makes me happy about this is the cost: for the whole project, I spent just a little over seven dollars.  A dollar each (plus tax) for the five bins, and about a dollar each for the two cans of white spray paint that I bought.  Without a doubt, it was money well spent!

Baby Blessing: Weeks 31 & 32

If I had written this post a week ago, it would have had a very different tone to it.  Last week was rather difficult.  This week is, for some reason, much easier.  When will I ever learn that the hard times don't last forever but are usually swept away fairly quickly by new strength, new hope, new grace?

Last week, I might have written, "At least once a day, I have this thought: 'I can't believe I have eight more weeks until she's born.  How am I ever going to make it? This is so hard!'  And then I tell myself, 'One day at a time, Davene...one day at a time...'"

This week, I want to be sure to mention that I'm feeling especially grateful to be pregnant, and I'm back to the place of savoring each day and not wanting it to slip away too quickly.

Yes, pregnancy is a roller coaster!

Physically, I am still plagued occasionally by the problems I've mentioned before:  a little heartburn, extra fatigue, random hip and back pain, and an overall feeling of HUGENESS.  Sometimes when the back/hip pain flares up, I actually use my arms to help push myself up from a sitting position; and that really helps.  It does make me feel kind of old though when I have to use my arms to even get up out of a sitting position.  ;-)

Last week I had an appointment with Ann, one of my wonderful midwives.  If I had written this post shortly after the visit, I would have remembered more details; but here's what comes to my mind now...

~ my blood pressure was a tiny bit raised, so they did a protein check; but I haven't heard anything back about that, so I'm assuming that no news is good news

~ my weight was...well, I forget...but they weighed me  :)

~ the baby's heartbeat was...well, I forget...but she had one, and it might have been 143?  or it could have been almost any other number...but there was a heartbeat, and it was strong and steady

~ Ann estimated that the baby will not be as big as my last two pregnancies (Tobin was 8 pounds, 14 ounces; and Shav was one ounce bigger than that)...she guessed that Baby Girl might be in the mid-7 pound range

~ most excitingly, Ann *thought* that she felt the baby in the head-down position...of course, she couldn't say for sure, but she thought she was feeling a little baby bottom up by my navel...the one main concern during the past few months has been the baby's position since she was breech in our last two ultrasounds, so I was very encouraged to hear that Ann thought she was head-down...we'll have a quick ultrasound at 36 weeks to check for sure...it's entirely possible that even if Baby Girl was head-down at my last appointment, she could still turn and get in a different position, so it's still very much a wait-and-see situation...but I was glad for a ray of hope  :)

I keep forgetting to have Jeff or one of the boys take a picture of me, so the only photo I have for this post is this one...

I suppose it's entirely appropriate though, because that rocking chair is one of my favorite places these days.  As a matter of fact, if I could do anything I want in the next seven or so weeks, I would choose three activities: sleeping, eating, and sitting in this rocking chair to watch my children play and the world go by.

It just so happens that my real to-do list for before the baby is born is quite a bit longer than just those three items--imagine that!  But I can dream, can't I?  :)

And now, speaking of dreaming, I'm going to head to dreamland myself very soon.  But before I do, I want to pause to enjoy this little girl's hiccups for a little while.  The hands of time aren't reversing, and the countdown to her delivery is inevitably getting closer, and I want to savor these sweet moments of feeling her inside me...hiccups, pokes, jabs, somersaults, and all.  :)

Wordless Wednesday {A Sweet Valentine's Day Tradition}