recipe request~

Stacey,
I would be glad to share some of the recipes for the freezer meals I like to make. I don't have another way to get in touch with you, so leave me a comment on which ones you would like.

Thanks :o)

interview with the kids~

This is another one of those facebook notes going around. After reading a few of my friends' very funny interviews, I decided to participate :o) I asked Anna 10, Caleb 8, Ethan 7, Moriah 5, and Noah who is 3.

1. What is something mom always says to you?

A~You know that I love you? C~ Goodnight.

E~ Let Anna check your jobs. M~ Have a fun day. N~ Time to clean up.

2. What makes mom happy?

A~When you clean your room the right way. C~Having a new baby.

E~ When we don't lie. M~ When we do what you say for us to do. N~ When we clean up.

3. What makes mom sad?

A~ When we disobey. C~ Lying.

E~ When you ask us to clean our room and we don't clean our room.

M~ When you ask us to clean our room and we lie. N~ When we don't clean up.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

A~ When you mimic me. C~ When you tell jokes.

E~ When you tell me things I did when I was little. M~ Tickle us.

N~ When you scare us like a lion.

5. What was your mom like as a child?

A~ You were cute. C~ You were funny. E~ You acted like a chef.

M~ You pretended you were in a car. N~You were a baby.

6. How old is your mom? (28, 29 next week)

A~ 28 C~ 28 E~24 M~ 30, I mean 40 N~ 5

7. How tall is your mom? (5'2")

A~ 5'2" C~ 5'2.6cm E~ 4'3" M~5'6" N~ Four feet.

8. What is mommy's favorite thing to do?

A~Listening to the ipod while you're cleaning. C~ Going out with the kids.

E~ Spending time with the kids. M~ Typing on the computer. N~ Sit.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
A~ Sit around on the computer. C~ Wait for me to come back.

E~ Fix dinner for me. M~ Fix dinner and do the laundry. N~ Pretend to be a lion.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
A~ For your chicken pot pie. C~ Singing

E~ For reading all the time and being a good actor.

M~ Because you're cool and a good Mom and a good fixer of pumpkin pie.

N~ Because you would be a lion.

11. What is your mom really good at?
A~ Cooking and cleaning. C~ Playing games. E~ Winning board games.

M~ Fixing pumpkin pie. N~ Cook good.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
A~Holding your temper. C~ Dancing. E~ Saying yes instead of no.

M~ You're not good at saying I hate you. (me: well, that's nice to know!)

N~ You're not good at cooking on the stove.

13. What does your mom do for a job?
A~ Take care of us. C~ Do the laundry. E~ Cleaning up.

M~ Clean the whole house by yourself. N~ Clean up.

14.What is your mom's favorite food? (Hibachi!)
A~ Steak and zucchini. C~ Chinese Food

E~Broccoli soup. M~ Broccoli soup. N~ Mashed potatos.

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
A~ You take me to gymnastics and you pay for it. C~ Cooking

E~ Buying me things. M~ Buying this house. N~Cook stuff.

(me: inspirational guys, thanks.)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A~ Odie on Garfield because you're laid back.

C~ Minnie Mouse.

E~ Tweety Bird because that's the only girl cartoon character I can think of right now.

M~ Caillou's Mom because she types on the computer a lot. (me: i don't know how she knows that, they're not even supposed to watch caillou!)

N~ A baby.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
A~ Go get our nails done and talk. C~ Go out together.

E~ Eat together at dinner. M~ Talk. N~ Go get ice cream.

18. How are you and your mom the same?
A~ You and me both go to church.

C~ We both have brownish blondish hair. E~ We have brown hair.

M~ We have blue eyes. N~ We have brown hair.

19. How are you and your mom different?
A~ I go to gymnastics and you don't. C~ We talk different.

E~ You're a girl and I'm a boy. M~ We don't dress like each other. N~ A baby.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
A~ You give me hugs. C~ You say that you do. E~ You let me buy stuff.

M~ You kiss me and hug me.

N~ "You love me, we're best friends a family, with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you, you say you love me too."

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?

A~ He goes to church, he loves God, and he's funny. C~ He's funny and he loves God.

E~ That he does stuff for you and protects you. M~ Because he's funny.

N~ Because you laugh at Daddy.

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
A~ The spa. C~ To get your nails done. E~ Target, no, actually, I meant Publix.

M~ I don't know...Target. N~ When you're where you're happy.

*****Well, alrighty then. Apparently, I like things clean, I like to type, I must cook well enough to impress kids, and my three year old is currently obsessed with lions.

Happy Friday!

so i will bless Thee~

I was reminded this morning of a Psalm I have long loved. I have mostly heard it in a variation of two different songs, so it's hard for me to actually read it, I hear it in song, but nevertheless, it brought a smile, and peace, and encouragement to my heart this morning.

O God, You are my God;

Earnestly I seek You;

My soul thirsts for You;

My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land

Where there is no water.

I have seen You in the sanctuary,
and beheld Your power and Your glory.

Because Your love is better than life,

My lips shall praise You.

Thus I will bless You while I live;

I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My soul shall be satisfied as with the richest of foods,

with singing lips my mouth will praise You.

On my bed I remember You;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because You are my help,
I sing in the shadow of Your wings.

My soul clings to you;
Your right hand upholds me.

Psalm 63:1-8

I have a feeling this one's going to be through my head today.

Happy Thursday!

(Do any of you guys around here know if Todd's version of this is on cd anywhere?)

babies don't keep~

I was recently reminded of this poem when MckMama posted it. As I prepare for this sweet baby, and look forward to holding her in my arms, it was good for me to be reminded of what really matters, even now... That even though I may not physically be able to accomplish all I would like, what I am accomplishing by doing lots of sitting and snuggling is worth more than the cleanest, most organized cabinets could ever be.

Song For a Fifth Child

by Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing, make up the bed,
Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,
Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo
But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow
But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

One thing I have learned over the last ten years, is that babies don't keep. With each baby I treasure that baby stage more and more, with each toddler I laugh more and more. It passes so quickly. I was thinking last night as I was going to sleep that these baby faces that are so familiar to me now will one day only be recalled through photographs.

Though the days are long, the years truly are short.

"...But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
~Luke 2:19

May we treasure all these days up....

week 33baby grace~

I know everyone has just been holding their breath waiting for the next baby update. Since I hate to keep people waiting (and I was actually 33 weeks last Friday or Saturday, I still can't remember which day I change) here you go.

**Still tired. Tired doesn't really describe it. I think someone needs to create a word that is exclusively reserved for the physical and emotional fatigue, exhaustion, weariness, etc. that is common among pregnant women in their third trimester. But there's not one. So you'll have to imagine.

**I am having concerns about having another posterior baby. My midwife assures me that just because my last baby was posterior and my uterus has been stretched out so many times, that neither of those things gives me a greater likelihood of Grace being posterior, but I'm still worried. All I can do is lean forward as much as possible to encourage her to turn the right way, and pray and trust the Lord. So I'm not stressing about it, it's just this lingering thought in the back of my mind. It was nice to not have to actually push out Haven, but I'm pretty sure that was a fluke, and not common in posterior births. Posterior babies make for a much longer labor, and unless the baby happens to turn, makes for more difficult pushing as well. That is definitely one of my major prayer requests!

**We went camping over the weekend. I sat around and enjoyed the beautiful weather while Glen did all the work. Poor guy. We love to go camping, but he knew that if we went now that pretty much all the work would be up to him. He was a great sport, and went out of his way to make sure I didn't have to do much of anything. And all that with a great attitude, he wasn't grouchy or resentful about it at all. I think he knew just going was a big deal for me, so he was just glad I was up for it. Have I mentioned before what a great guy he is? This was yet another instance where it was glaringly obvious to both of us how much harder of a pregnancy this has been. We have camped numerous times when I've been pregnant, several of those being six weeks or less until I'm due, and it's never been a big deal. I felt like a beached whale! Everyone else was running around playing with their kids, and here I am, swollen white ankles and feet showing, laid out in the camping chair with my feet propped up. And anytime I did have to get up to help one of the kids, I had to do the whole "push up with my arms while sticking my belly way out" pose. Lovely.

**Last week my mother in law AND my sister kept the kids for me, so I had two full days to get things done. I managed to actually work on the upstairs. I spent two full days on just the girls' room, the boys' room, and the playroom. And I'm still not done. I think I am moving super slow. But I was also doing more of the deep cleaning I wanted to get done as well as moving some furniture. It feels great to have that accomplished.

I guess that's it. I just remembered we're supposed to have roast tonight, which means I should probably actually get that started. Which means I have to get up. *sigh* :o)

One day I hope to return to more exciting blog posts. One day.

in which i am grumpyweek 32baby grace~

It seems as if all I can think about these days is this pregnancy, how much longer I have, how excited I am to have another baby girl, how uncomfortable I am, and how I feel like my life has currently spiraled out of control. I told Glen I've reached the point where life is on auto pilot. I'm just in waiting mode. I've given up on following our routine as closely I'd like, and that's okay. It's a season. Seven and a half weeks to go! If we accomplish school and we have dinner than the day has been a success. I am desperately hoping that all that wonderful nesting energy will kick in soon.

I had a realization the other day of a good way to accurately describe this pregnancy and how it has been very different than the first six. Always before, I've gone merrily, normally along, living my life...while pregnant. This time, I feel like I. AM. PREGNANT. and I'm getting through every day as best I can. Don't get me wrong, I am very excited, and I would say even more thankful than normal due to how close we came to losing her at the very beginning, but boy am I tired and uncomfortable. Glen, as well as the rest of my family, has teased me in the past saying I have so many children because I love being pregnant so much. And generally, I've agreed. But this time around I'm realizing that while I love being pregnant, I am not enjoying feeling pregnant. This pregnancy is the first time I've realized that there is, in fact, a difference between the two. My midwife was teasing me that maybe it's because I'm getting old(er.) Gee. If I'm having this hard of a time at 28, how on earth do people do it in their late 30s to 40s? I imagine that it has more to do with so many pregnancies so close together rather than my age :o)

So anyway, I've wanted to blog, but I've been short on inspiration. Since I'm sure you guys don't care about how many diapers I change and that ever since I wrote about my great laundry method and how I've never been behind I now feel the need to rebel against my own method and now Glen and Caleb are fighting over who gets the clean socks have been sharing socks I've not had much to say. But I've recently come across several different "pregnancy diaries" that various friends have kept/are keeping. I thought that since the main reason I blog is to have some record of what life is like smack in the middle of my years that everyone says to hang onto, that keeping a little record of these last few weeks was a great idea. Not to mention that it gives me something to write about, so I'll give it a go. I'm learning that the older I get and the more children I have, the faster I forget things I never thought I would forget. Right now it seems as if I could never forget what life is like experiencing pregnancy, toddlers, preschoolers, grade schoolers, wanna be middle schoolers all at the same time. But experience has taught me that it is so easy to forget, and I really want to remember.

Remember when I said I wanted to do a post and just be grumpy? This is it. Modified. I kept having that verse going through my head about not complaining so I never thought I should just blog for the sole purpose of complaining. After all, I AM very excited, and so thankful to be having another sweet baby girl. So under the guise of keeping a record of this pregnancy to go back and reference or just remember when I'm old, I found a way to complain am going to try and write down some different thoughts and experiences I'm having this go round.

Just my random thoughts at this point.

**Physically, this pregnancy has been vastly different. Like I said earlier, I don't know if I've ever really felt pregnant before. I mean, other than the good stuff. I've had the occasional aches and pains, I did have pneumonia at the end of Haven's pregnancy, but that wasn't really pregnancy related. I've had sciatic pain with the last two, but it just comes and goes. And I've had indigestion at night if I've not been careful about what I've eaten.

**Going back to the beginning, my dates were slightly off. I'm still secretly hoping they were right. It would be great if I was due two weeks earlier than I'm "planning" for. My girls were 20 days (going by Anna's first dates, 10 if going by the modified dates) and 15 days early respectively. (hint, hint, baby Grace, hint hint)

**I was freezing cold, even in Florida. That part is normal. I'm always cold when pregnant. Especially the first trimester. My best guess is that my body is diverting all it's extra energy to growing a baby and doesn't have much left over for keeping me warm.

**I had the hemorrhage. Was on full bedrest for two weeks, modified for another month or so.

**Found out at 10.5 weeks it was probably a girl! Later confirmed around 14 or so weeks and then again at 20.

**This time around, I've had lots of new "complaints" that I've never had before.

*****I have varicose veins in my right leg. They bothered me tremendously around the holidays when I was on my feet in the kitchen so much, now it's just the occasional day when they are sore. But they are ugly and I've never had them before!

*****My feet and ankles are somewhat swollen. Again, not a huge deal, but having never had them swell before is bothering me. My legs are the one the one thing that have never changed during pregnancy, so it's bugging me that they are affected this time.

*****Indigestion plagues me almost constantly. There is very little I can eat without it bothering me. Since I've started taking digestive enzymes, they have helped tremendously, but not completely. I do feel that at this point the baby may have dropped slightly as it's not bothered me as much the last week or so. For me, indigestion first keep me from being able to go to sleep, but then, once I do fall asleep, sometime later I will suddenly wake up from a very sound sleep just about to throw up. I usually gag and cough for awhile and then lay back down. I usually nap with Noah, and when it happens at naptime, he wakes up and says, "Don't throw up on me, Mommy! Don't throw up on me!" Which is the same thing he says when I change his dirty diapers. Poor kid, always thinking his mom is just about to puke all over him :o)

*****I have sciatic pain again. I've had it on the right side the last several pregnancies, this time it seems to be on both sides. It's not constant, thankfully, but when it's there, I can barely move!

*****I found out I've been anemic, which explains the extreme fatigue. I've started taking Floradix twice a day, instead of once, and chlorophyll. I can tell it's helped some.

*****I've had a lot of back pain this time. I never used to have any back pain. At all. I always wondered if it was because of the metal rods that were placed in there when I was a child, I kind of thought maybe they just gave me extra support. I don't know, but my back has been hurting a lot.

*****I've been so tired, and uncomfortable, and in pain, that mostly what I do is sit in my chair at my desk and direct traffic. My desk is right in the middle of the downstairs, so I can hear what's going on upstairs, see into the school room, living room, and kitchen, so it's a great central spot. I've begun to wonder though if I'm sitting down too much. I can tell my back hurts lots more when I've sat all day versus when I've been more active. Now, if I could just get my brain and body to agree on a plan of action :o)

*****I take at least two baths a day, sometimes three. The weightlessness of the water and the heat helps tremendously, even if it's only 15 minutes. Once I finally explained to the kids that I took so many baths because it helped me feel better they were lots more sympathetic and understanding than when they thought I was just being lazy :o)

*****My midwife says I'm measuring right on, but from the reactions I get from people when I tell them how much longer I have says something different. I think I'm glad for the sympathy. I think. I've reached the point where Glen gets bug eyed and has to work hard to contain his laughter when he sees me change. You'd think he'd be used to it by now.

**I keep wondering what I did with all my other kids as far as clothes are concerned. I cannot keep my pants up. It is terribly frustrating. I did get a bella band, which works perfectly, but I never had one before so I've been wondering what I did. I guess I just pulled them up all the time. I don't wear the bella band all the time, and when I don't it's so annoying pulling my pants up every thirty seconds. I would highly recommend anyone who is getting quite obviously pregnant to have a bella band. It looks cute (like a layered shirt) and is supportive on my back.

**I know I'm extra tired because I skipped out on my friend's birthday celebration on the women's retreat to go to bed. They had cake. Made by a fabulous cook at our church. Enough said. I was busy enjoying my bed. It was super squishy and I got the best sleep I'd had in a very long time. I even skipped out on the morning session to go back to bed. It was that good.

**My nesting plans, at this point, seem to be falling by the wayside. Oh, I've got lots of plans. Zero energy. I did manage to stock up on the non-perishables (if you read this in a reader, on the blog I kept my list of what I wanted and marked it off when I had purchased them.) Unfortunately, after all those shopping trips, all I could do was come in and crash. That means Glen and the kids took most of it to the basement and threw it on the shelves. My plan is to get down there and organize it at some point. Hmmm....we'll see if that actually happens or not.

**The furthest I've gotten in my food and meal preparation is to make a list of what I want to make. Hopefully I'll get furthur along than that. Oh well. I'm learning lots about patience and letting things go this time around. It's good for me. It really is. But then again, meals for my family would be good too. I'm going to put a list in the sidebar of what I want to get in the freezer as well, then everyone can see if it happens or not. I'm just hoping it will be motivating. Like I said....just waiting for all that nesting energy to hit full force.

**In the meantime, my nesting instincts are on overdrive, but since I have no energy to fulfill any of them, I realized it was coming out in the form of wanting to buy things to prepare. Which is fine. To a point. I realized I had zero summer clothes for the baby. I'm a huge fan of baby sleepers the first months, but with my summer babies I always hit the point where I realize, "Oh. It is hot. I wonder if the baby is hot. Maybe I should get some summer clothes." I realized that early this time. And I discovered etsy. All in the same week. Let's just say for a baby who will be at home 99% of the time, she'll be one cute baby.

(and it's all handmade by moms!)

(This is my favorite. I hope she grows enough hair quickly to be able to wear those barrettes!)

**We knew her name, Grace Rose, from the time we found out she was a girl. Other than Noah, we've never had a name this early. Grace is the first baby that Glen has called by name prior to birth.

**The kids are all super excited. They were so scared when they found out we might lose her, and that has caused them to have such an appreciation and sweetness toward her my entire pregnancy. They each pray for her every night, and they love to watch and feel her moving around. Especially Caleb. It has been extra sweet for me to see his big brother heart growing these past months. I found out the night I was bleeding so much that he went out for a walk, in the dark, alone, and talked to God quite a bit about saving his baby brother or sister.

**I can't help but wonder why she was spared. So many people I know have lost babies. I never realized how common it is. I had two friends due within days of me. We all had problems the same week, they lost their babies, but Grace went on to be fine. Why? I don't understand it all, but I can't help but feeling there was a reason. And her name being Grace. She just seems covered in it. And I pray it just flows out of her and covers our family!

I guess that's all for now. My sister took ALL my kids today and there is a ridiculous amount of organization and throwing away cleaning that is yelling my name from the upstairs...so off I go. If you read the whole thing...wow! (you must be bored!)