Baby Ramblings...

My sciatic (sp?) nerve that runs down the right side of my body was KILLING me yesterday after church. It was soooo bad. I could barely walk up the stairs. I layed down for a while, Paul massaged it, Ann kept my feet covered (she wanted to help) and the boys were really worried about me. I hate to scare them. I've never heard them so quiet and they kept checking in on me. It was feeling much better after laying down for a while and is feeling much better today, though I'm purposely trying not to lift or move real fast.

The only cure is delivery of this baby! Although, if it were all up to my own timing, I'd like to wait until after Easter Sunday. This Sunday is Palm Sunday and Family First, then on the 11th is David's birthday party (he only gets a big one every other year, and it's time!), then of course is Easter Sunday and breakfast, which is busy at the Corps. And I'd like to squeeze in one more Advisory Board meeting on the 16. Plus be ahead in other areas so I can take a week or two and hole up in my house! THEN... I'll feel all ready to have this baby! But really, I know he/she will come when it's time and I don't have any say. I'm not due until the 18th anyway, and I've been induced every time from going a week or more over my due date. Pitocined the first two times and cervical pilled the last two times.

The thing about a husband/wife running a church (or anything together for that matter!) is that whatever I don't get to, my poor hubby who is already overloaded, has to make up for. That is why I want to take care of all my responsibilities before baby comes or else, he'll be the one juggling me, new baby, and the kids AND my side of the church stuff, on top of all his other work. Talk about marital strain! But we've done it 4 times before and it only seems to get better and easier! God's not going to drop a child into our lives and then say "Your on your own now". If anything, another child drives me to Him even more. His strength is perfect in my weakness. All the more for Him to shine!

On Saturday I got all the baby stuff disenfected and washed up (Bassinet, Car Seat, Bouncer Seat and blankets). Ann and Elijah helped make up the Bassinet and Car Seat. All of the kids are so excited and getting so anxious to meet this one. I love that and am so glad for it. The Bassinet is in our room now and Hannah keeps checking it and asking "Baby?". It's so cute!

Speaking of Hannah, Paul is going to take her to the Dr. this afternoon while the kids and I take David to Baseball practice. Hannah had diarhea for a couple of days and has the worst looking but unusual diaper rash plus yesterday afternoon started getting a fever that has stuck. The poor little thing has been sleeping most of the day too. I packed her with me to the Corps this morning (she can rest just as well there) and she rested a couple of hours on the pew or in Paul's office downstairs while I cleaned up from VBS. Paul even put a movie on for her and she just sat there, eyes glazed over.

Petite Sirlion Steaks, Potato Au Gratin, Salad, and Pears for dinner tonight. Maybe dessert. Mondays need a little help in the excitement area. Maybe I'll make a cake or brownies. Time?!

Oh yeah, one more thing... we've been getting asked a lot lately what our baby's name will be. A boy will be Daniel Joseph and a girl will be Mary Ruth. No use offering opinions now, our minds are made up, save it for next time.

Bye all!

Daily Life Pics

My Hannah, give her a wet rag and she'll clean anything!

Ann asks for chores to do. Here she is wiping down the outside of the fridge.
She does a great job getting the details.

Mommy's chore. Every couple months or so I fall this far behind. The boys dumped the laundry hampers downstairs for me. 6 people times 5 days, not including towels and such which I did keep up on. I'm estimating at least 8 loads here.

My little guitar guys. David has been taking lessons for almost 6 months. Elijah was evaluated, but his hands need to grow a little more so he's not frustrated with the process. Hopefully, he can start after he turns 8 in Sept.

Ann and Hannah LOVE to sit on the counter and watch Daddy shave.

Ho Hum

Not much exciting to blog about today.

Children, laundry, memory verses and game prep for VBS, breakfast, clean-up, dishes, lunch, clean-up, dishes, put dinner in the crockpot. Went to my OB apt. this morning. STILL pregnant, nothing new, but all is well.

The kids are downstairs with me piled up on the floor watching a cartoon. The boys' friend, Orion, got to spend the night last night. They had fun. It's a treat for them to have someone spend the night. It's hard sometimes to fit that kind of stuff in.

We're leaving soon for the Corps when Hannah wakes up from her nap.

Spring Break and more

We are focused on Vacation Bible School this Spring Break. It's hard to believe this is already our 5th one in The Dalles. My how time flys!! God is soooo good and faithful! I remember the first Spring Break VBS we did here in 2005 and I was basically on my own, expect for our few precious Home League ladies who served the snacks. Our DC's even came to help me teach one morning! But each year, we've had more help (more kids too!) and now this year, we had 10 people really helping last night! That may not seem like much to other churches, but to my friends in The Salvation Army out there... you can appreciate it, can't you!

The kids and I and a couple of ladies decorated the building yesterday morning, and my own kids were so helpful! Ann and Hannah helped Zeronda and Pallas stick up a ton of littler decorations. They sat and taped and the girls ran all over sticking them up. The boys helped me carry a few heavy things up and down the stairs and helped move equipment in the gameroom. They are thrilled every year at VBS time and love to be an "insider" helping get ready and reading the material a day or two ahead.

But I was still feeling crabby after a few nights of really bad sleep... SO, my friend, Stacie decided to have her baby so I could feel better. (HA!HA!) She had a baby girl who is so, so, so, precious and at less than 24 hours old looks EXACTLY like her other children. Good thing she has a different name than them, Lilly, that way we can tell them apart. We had just had a great Friday night with them too plus plans for this week. God definately appoints the time to be born!

And Sunday was also good. Our Divisional Commanders came to visit and Major preached and it was really good. It is nice for Paul and I to sit next to each other and get preached at. I loved it.
Also good to visit over lunch. I like being reminded that we are not alone and that there are many, many other Officers out there that face the unique challenges that we do.

We all stayed home this morning to catch up on chores and such. Get some play time in, etc. We'll head down to the Corps soon for afternoon 2 of VBS, which also runs into the evening for us (clean-up, lock-up, drop offs, etc.) AND Paul cooked up a fabulous breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast.

6 years in Iraq

Thursday, March 19 marked the 6th anniversary of the Iraq War. There was a memorial display in The Dalles which consisted of over 4000 flags, each naming a Soldier killed.

I thought it was important that the kids see it. Nothing in life is free, not even freedom. Everything comes at a cost.

Thank you to our Soldiers and their families.

Lord, You Know My Baby

This was the devotion shared with me at the baby shower.

I really liked it and kept a copy.

Lord, You Know My Baby
A Pregnancy Devotional(from Birthing Naturally.net)

Psalm 22:9-10 "Yet you brought me out of the womb;

you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast.

From birth I was cast upon you;

from my mother’s womb you have been my God. "

What a strange feeling to have a baby growing inside you. You can feel the little legs kick and the little arms move, but who is this being occupying your abdomen? Can this random pattern of shakes and wiggles have meaning? What does she know?

The Bible tells us that even before our children are born they know God, and that God knows them. The psalmist claims to have served God since he was in his mother's womb. Have you ever considered that your baby may be in contact with his heavenly father already? What an awesome God we serve that even the unborn babies can worship Him!

When Mary went to visit Elizabeth, John leapt inside her at the presence of his Lord Jesus. If John and the psalmist could worship God before they were born, couldn't any child? What if all those kicks you are feeling come from a baby so in love with God that she just can't keep still. What if he is dancing in worship to his Lord?

Dancing in worship? Well, why not? David danced in celebration of his God. He was even criticized by his wife for embarrassing her with his dancing.

The next time you baby kicks, squirms, rolls, punches or pokes, don't just laugh and say "Oh, she kicked me!" Get out of your chair and dance with your baby in praise and celebration of the Lord God.

Baby Shower Pics

Yay! More Diapers and Wipes!

Cake made by our Shirley, (I call her the Corps Cake Sergeant)