Yay! Its Christmas!

I have friends and acquaintances who in different ways say they hate Christmas!  I just can not fathom hating Christmas!!  They say its the consumerism, the greed, the lost meaning, the effect a broken family has on the day, the way its overdone and over-emphasized...all probably on a day that isn't even Jesus' birthday!  I hear and read all the arguments, but I can not be convinced that Christmas is horrible. Go ahead and hate the way its become a retail store's way of survival.  Hate the way we clamor like idiots to get the biggest and best present.  Hate divorce and what it does to a familiy.  But, for the love of pete, don't hate Christmas!!  As long as I can remember I've waited for the 24th and 25th of December in anticipation.  Its time we remember the birth of the Christ, whether he was born in December or August.  There is something just magical in thinking about that split second it takes a baby to cross from womb to open air and  how,  in that small fraction of timem, our Redeemer entered this world--fulfilling prophesies, changing lives, and setting into motion God's plan of freedom from Adam's curse.  Imagine how long some read the scriptures and the prophesies and waited...and died waiting.  Every generation had those seeking the Messiah, waiting for his birth, and for him to bring restoration.  And while I realize the comparison is lacking, I liken it to being a child and having to wait to unwrap gifts.  They are talked about, wrapped, and under the tree.  But the wait seems like an eternity.  Obviously, no Christmas gift on earth could compare to the gift God gave to mankind, but there's no harm in celebrating.  With most the birth of most babies comes a time of giving gifts, of celebrating, and of resting, and I believe we do all these things surrounding Christmas becuase of a birth so long ago. I am nearly convinced that anyone who says they hate Christmas just does not have the eyes to see what a wonderful time it is to rest and to celebrate.  I will continue on enjoying Christmas--the family gatherings, the gifts, the cards, the celebration--choosing to remember and rejoice! 

On a Cold Minnesota Night...

Yes...it seems that I now only blog on birthdays!  At least that guarantees six blogs a year, right? 

As the blog title suggests, something very important happened on a cold Minnesota night... nine years ago.  Judah Nathanael Turner was born into this world...a chunk of a boy!  Judah was a day shy of three weeks overdue, but because I had a wonderful midwife friend, I refused to be induced.  Perhaps my dates were wrong or maybe he was just really, really comfortable.  I always say he knew the frigid Minnesota temperatures that were awaiting him outside the womb and really just wanted to stay put where it was warm until springtime. 

At 43 weeks pregnant we still did not know if Judah was a boy or a girl.  We did have an ultrasound, but they did it too early to tell the gender.  I am not one for surprises, so while the wait was hard, but in retrospect I am so glad that we did not know.  I did, however, have a hunch that he was a boy and had only boy clothes in his closet. 

My labor began at around 9:00, although I was in denial.  I was visiting Laura when I felt like I had the flu, and she called Dustin to come and get me, telling him "TAKE HER TO THE HOSPITAL".  I had a huge fear of going too early in my labor and being sent home.  So, I went home, took a shower, called my mom, and around 10:30 said we could go just to see what they said.  Upon my arrival at the hospital, the nurses discovered I was dilated to 7 cm, and the baby was well on his (or her) way.  I had great hopes that Judah would share a December 1st birthday with his great-grandpa, "Poppop", but he was still so very patient, and was not born until 12:32 AM.  I will never forget the way Dustin said, "ITS A BOY!" and the nurses took bets on his weight.  It was a fun-filled, ever so joyous night!

For nine years Judah has brought such joy and peace to me.   Those exact words were prayed/prophesied over him at 8 days old when a guest minister at our church stopped over his carseat and prayed and spoke a word from God over him.  That word has come to pass almost exactly in Judah's life.  He is such a combo of Dustin and me, he brings peace into our lives, he is not a hard boy to raise, and he follows after God with all of his heart.  As was spoken over him, the wisdom that comes from him never ceases to amaze me.  He hears God and speaks truth.    Judah is a thinker like his dad and loves life like his mom--a great combination to be! 

Happy Birthday Judah!

Cana's Day

Two blog posts in a row about birthdays!!  Good thing I love birthdays (except for the birthday song!).  October 21st came and went without me actually sitting down to blog about one of my most favorite birthdays ever--the day that we celebrate the birth of Cana Elizabeth Turner!  ELEVEN years ago, at about 2 something in the afternoon, I gave birth to my first miracle...the miracle of Cana.  It was love at first sight, and I often tell people that the reason I decided to keep having more and more babies was because my experience with Cana's pregnancy and birth was so incredible!  Eleven years later, I would say the same about life with Cana...it is INCREDIBLE!  She is a wonderful daughter who has the purest heart I've ever seen.  She radiates with beauty from the inside out and is a great leader for her siblings. Its hard for me to believe that eleven years have passed.  While I remember her infancy and childhood years with fondness, I am so excited to see what the upcoming years will bring.  I love watching Cana become a young woman who loves friends and family, laughs easily, gets lost in books, runs to answer the phone, studies hair styles and wedding gowns, and nurtures her baby brother.  She brings such joy to me.  Happy Birthday Cana Beth! 

Luke4

My brother, Luke, turns 31 today.  Its hard to believe I am 30 (well, OVER 30), let alone that I have a brother is also now over 30!!  I am thankful that my brothers are also two of my best friends.  I barely remember even fighting with them as kids.  I thought it would be appropriate to share today some pictures of Luke "back in the day" and to also tell of some of my favorite memories of Luke as a little kid.

 --Luke and I would play "Chris & Angie".  He was so young at the time, I remember he had to reach through the slats in his crib to hold my hand.

--Luke could take apart and rebuild anything.  I remember various wood constructions,  radios in pieces and then reassembled, and huge buildings made from "construx".  Its no wonder he's a mechanic today.

--When Luke turned 4, he learned to write his name.  He must have also been very proud of being FOUR b/c his name was always written "Luke4" (hence the title of this blog). 

--He had an imaginary friend named Gurge who would come through the window at night and eat our leftover pizza.

--Luke's first song was "chickawakapookachickachickawakapookay", and I still sing it to this day...

And so to celebrate Luke's day...some memories AND some pictures...

I love you Luke!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Wish List 2010

A year ago I posted  House Wants/Needs List, and I thought it would be appropriate to update that list this morning.  We were so blessed this year to be able to cross several items off the list.


House Needs/Wants --August 23, 2009
1) roof--repaired but not replaced.  still desperately needed.  this is the first thing that will be taken care of with any extra money this year.

2) garage door--second to roof.   but considering most people in the world do not have a garage, who am i to complain about a beast of a door that is about to fall off the ceiling?  :)

3) Simone mattress & bed frame--frame received from Cassie 9/18/09 and mattress was purchased shortly after

4) girls' closet doors--closet doors on but still don't have handles, so they pretty much just stay open.  one thing at a time.

5) basement carpet and padding for toyroom/future girls' bedroom--march '10 basement bedroom for girls complete!

6) refrigerator--just purchased for HALF price!  it was an amazing deal.  and for those of you who were aware of my dilemma...i did go with offwhite and LOVE it.  i feel like a chef with such a huge refrigerator.  however the kids were sooooo excited to get ice and water from the door, and we discovered that we don't have a water line that runs to the frig.  bummer.  but, oh well.  we are blessed, nonetheless.

7) toilet seat--bought dec '09. yessssss...

8) kitchen stools--awesome deal on sturdy sturdy stools. purchased from scot's boss. jan '10

9) ceiling fan for bedroom--i can't even remember why this is on the list.  i guess b/c our current fan makes noise and dustin is constanting getting out of bed to mess with it.  the solution has been to just keep it off.

10) sliding glass door with screen for dining room--nope.  maybe sometime in the future.

11) screen for front window--no again.  windows haven't been open as much due to reuben's allergies. 

12) locks for all doors--dec '09 bought lock for one door

13) vacuum--mother took pity on us and let us have poppops old one.  as much as i use my vacuum i am sad to think that this one won't last long either.  i helped poppop pick it out.  so i'm trying to take really good care of it and have not been vacuuming as much. 

14) futon frame--still looking.  in the meantime, the kids just sit on the futon mattress while they watch movies in the basement
 
And for this year's list...
 
House Needs/Wants 2010
 
1.  New Roof
 
2.  Garage door repaired or replaced
 
3.  Other side of basement finished
 
4.  Upstairs painted
 
5.  Decks repaired and painted
 
6.  Cana's dresser repaired
 
7.  Futon frame
 
Sounds like a lot of repairs for this year!!  Neither of us are handy, so it'll be an act of God to get all these things accomplished!  I will post an update on our progress this time next year.

Six Months

Last week on the 10th, Reuben turned six months old!!  I didn't forget about it.  Its just that I had more than my allottment of blogs in that week, so I thought I'd save it for this week.  We did celebrate with many pictures, pizza at Ma Ruth and Pa's, and a Mountaineer win.   Its hard to believe six months of his life have past already.  It seems like it was just yesterday that I was waddling around waiting for his arrival.  Six months later Reuben is as pleasant as they come and as cute as can be.  He's a big boy...weighing in at 20 pounds and 27 inches long.  He has two teeth, some brown hair starting to grow, and a smile that starts with his eyes and spreads through his whole body.  He is one loved little boy!

let's GOOOOO....

one good thing about this time of year is MOUNTAINEER FOOTBALL!   i was so giddy before last week's opening game that i could not sleep the night before.  i know it sounds crazy, but all i could think about was the drive over to morgantown, the cars backed up for miles, the crazy people dressed in blue & gold, the smells of grills, exhaust, and beer, the music (country roads), the beautiful almost-fall day, and the feeling of walking into the stadium.  i could do it a thousand times, and it would still thrill my soul!  the night before the game dustin was very patiently watching me get everything ready and listening to me go on and on, and finally he said, "i just can't relate...i don't get that excited about football...or anything really".   while he was downstairs praying, i thought about what he said.  and i have come to the conclusion that i really am very simple and childlike sometimes.  i am easily excited, and look forward to different events like a kid!!  one of those evens just happens to be mountaineer gameday!  its not just a sports team (because really, i'm not into sports much at all),  its an experience, and i love it!  time to go put on my gold...let's go mountaineers!!  

Christie Martin

When I lived in Minnesota Thursdays were "Girls Day".  The tradition started just months before I moved, and consisted of a group of friends gathering together with all our kids and solving all the world's problems while drinking box wine from mason jars.  At our last girls day, everyone promised to visit West Virginia the next Thursday.  (I have it all on video for proof!!).  FINALLY, after almost SIX years, my dear friend Christie Martin just made her first trip to West Virginia!!    Christie is just a one of a kind sort of gal, and I have missed her so much! 

She most definitely has the gift of hospitality!  Christie is the one who gave me a chair to sleep in and hosted daily gatherings of 10+ adults and 20+children on my trip out there in 2007.

She has been known to gather RVs in her yard so that the party never has to go home. 

Her dog just birthed 11 puppies, and Christie spent weeks caring for each puppy, swaddling and bottle-feeding because Mama Daisy couldn't keep up.

Visits with Christie always include large quantities of coffee and wonderful discussions on God and life.  She asks the questions that most people don't want to ask, and doesn't give up on God even when people and church fail her.  Once, when I was being dumb, she actually yelled at me.  She might have thought she was just mad, but it really changed me for the better.  She addressed my stupidity (like a true friend )when others were staying quiet. 

And a couple of weeks ago, Christie drove for almost 24 hours with her three youngest kids for her first WV vacation!  I'm pretty sure they thought they were NEVER going to get here and arrived all wobbly and glassy-eyed.  But, we had a wonderful time, and I am so thankful that she came.  We just sat around drinking lemonade and talking.  Well, that and feeding constantly hungry kids.  She got me addicted to cracked pepper and olive oil Triscuits, and I watched in amazement as she downed more pickles and hot sauce than any person I've ever seen.  This picture of her sandwich the last day she was here is classic Christie and a good picture of the kind of person she is--a mix of so many good things!!

I love you Christie Martin!!  Come to West Virginia any time...

abc's & 123's

After much internal debate on what to do this year, we have officially started "school" here at the Turners.  I will once again be homeschooling the oldest three--Cana in 5th grade, Judah in 3rd grade, and Eden in 2nd grade.  From the beginning I have said that I would take homeschooling a year at a time, discerning each year what would be the best option for each individual child.  I am not in the "once at home, always at home" camp, and I have never made the claim that homeschooling is always best.  Therefore, I end each year and spend most of the summer in prayer and thought, trying to determine what is best.   I was THIS close to sending Cana to 5th grade this year but opted instead to keep her home another year.  The beauty of homeschooling is the flexibility, so Cana will be in 5th grade math, 8th grade spelling/language, doing a unit study on the book of Job, and her daddy will be teaching social studies in an "unschooling" kind of way.  Judah will be in 5th grade math, 3rd grade spelling/language, learning cursive, doing various theological studies, and will be learning science and social studies from dad as well.  Eden will truck along with her math at grade level, but will work ahead a year in language and spelling as well as begin weekly creative writing.  I'm sure she'll get in on the science and social studies lessons with her older brother and sister.  We still haven't received half our books (that were ordered TWO weeks ago), but we started today anyway, and it was a good day.  I'm sure it'll take a couple weeks to adjust to the new routine--especially considering Reuben and Nadia still require so much of my time as well.  I feel spread so thin right now, but it just takes time to get back into the swing of things. 

Simone will be going out of the house to pre-school this year.  I had a few reservations about sending her, but after two weeks of her being there, I know we made the right decision.  She absolutely LOVES it.  The reasons for sending her are too numerous and complex to go into, but I have confidence that she will have a great year!

As I have said so many times, I am so blessed to be at home during these years.  Everytime I start to think of the grass being greener on the other side and am tempted to wish the time away, I take a look around at my kids and my home and am quickly brought back to the reality of the amazing opportunity I have here to be here at home. 

Joy

wow...two blogs in a day and then NOTHING for a month.  whoops!  there has never been a summer that has gone by as quickly as this one, which is reflected in my (lack of) blogging.  in times like this a short list of updates is more suitable than multiple paragraphs and an hour's worth of writing.  so in the past month...

*we went on vacation to north bed with luke, doug, mom, and their families
*kids had church kids camp
*i went on a maryland overnight
*went to maryland again for a family reunion
*i became an auntie for the 9th time
*nadia is daytime potty trained
*my hanging baskets died due to neglect
*i can now run over 3 miles without stopping
*reuben is a chunk and has two teeth
*kids signed up for soccer
*put my van up for sale for fun of it
*done more laundry that i want to think of (due to multiple vacations)
*judah shaved his head shorter than ever
*left my cell phone charger in maryland--sorry words with friends folks
*simone registered for preschool
*got an awesome deal on diapers and shoes.  140 diapers for $7 and seven pair of shoes for $168.

overall, i have this feeling of drowning.  the days go by, and i am just trying to stay above water.  dustin starts back to school today, and hopefully getting back into our school routine here at home will help me get on track with my life.

in the meantime i will continue to think on what james told the scattered tribes:

"Consider it a great joy, my brothers, when you experience various test and trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.  Let endurance do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing..."

Rollin'

Two blogs in one day??  I just couldn't resist posting the accomplishment of my handsome baby...

on his back just looking around

caught a glimpse of something behind him

a little rotation of the hips

and a brief suck for a power boost

and...what just happened???

i did it??

i rolled over!!

11:27

Over ten years ago when I was in college at Fairmont State, I noticed that very often when I looked at the clock either in the morning or late at night, the time read 11:27.  I don't know how many times it occurred before I realized that 11:27 (November 27th) is my birthday!  Upon that realization, I thought it was pretty cool that I happened to see it so often on a clock face.  Seeing the clock say 11:27 fairly often continued on for several years.  I would comment about it to Dustin, and I'm suspecting he thought I was somewhat crazy!  I would tell him that several times a week I would look at the clock and see my birthday.  Fast forward to about five years ago.   Still seeing 11:27 with great regularity throughout a week, I questioned in my heart what it could mean.  Seriously...was it just a coincidence or was there some "force" behind me seeing this particular time so very very often??   I am not one to boast on hearing God's voice or to throw around the phrase, "God said", but at the moment of my question, I honestly felt God's spirit say to me that He wanted me to know that HE knew me and planned for me.  He knew me in my mother's womb, planned the day of my birth, and has set the course for my life. My life was not an accident.  I was in awe.  So simple.  11:27.  What a cool way for God to communicate to me.  I might have told Dustin about what I felt God say, but I have never told anyone else until very recently (within this year probably). 

THEN...last week when I was in Rockford, I found out that when my brother looks at the clock it very very often says 9:20, which was the TIME of his birth.  He said he sees it so often that he can almost predict it...like the second he asks or glances at the time, he almost KNOWS what its going to say before he sees it.  So, I told him, Rachel, and KayCee about my 11:27 phenomenon.

Last night I was in the bath and had been for quite some time.  I was just reading and relaxing.  All of a sudden I got very tired...so tired that I felt nauseous.  As much as I wanted to sit in the tub and continue my book, I got out quickly, put my PJs on, and brushed my teeth.  I had the thought, "What are the chances that I would go in my room right now and the clock say 11:27?  It would just be strange because I've been in the tub for all this time, and if I chose this exact moment to get out and look at the clock and it say that????  It would just be tooooooo weird.".   So I tiptoed in my room (Reuben was sleeping), peeked over my bed to the alarm clock, and nearly fainted.  11:27.  My toes went numb and my heart skipped a beat as I heard the spirit of God say, "How many times do I have to tell you?"

room by room

according to the description of either of my multiple personalities, i should have a "beautifully furnished and functional home" and would make "an extremely good interior decorator".  hahaha!  i think that is soooo funny.  i am NOT good at furnishing nor decorating my home!  i think the problem lies in my inability to make a decision. i see things i like, but either can't decide or will not spend the money to buy decor for my home.  i also can not visualize color in my head.  i am not creative that way.  so i have to rely on the good taste of others and pictures in books/websites to help me know what i like.    also i find that i really like green.  as much as i mentally ascend to branching out and doing something fabulous with my home decor, i always fall back on green and brown.  brown and green.  green and brown.  hmmm...

my kitchen is my favorite room because of all the color.  green tile.  orange wall.  the best trivet ever.  however, this summer i must paint, and i am paralyzed trying to decide what to do:  change the orange wall or not. 

i despise my bedroom.  for years its been my room/baby room.  reuben is quickly approaching the time where he will be moving into a room with nadia, and i am so ready to make my room MY room.  i want to get rid of all baby bedding, clothing, diapers, bottles, lotions, etc, etc.  i found bedding that i absolutely adore, but dustin says its too "girly".  he said do whatever i want, and i have liked it for a LONG time, but i suppose i'll keep looking.  its the decision thing.  even if i decide that this IS the bedding i love, i will probably decide against spending the money...especially at such an over-priced store. 

i do believe that i am making progress though.  this week i decorated a room in a way that i never have before!  i ordered a nursery bedding set!!  in six kids, i have never done such a thing.  i am not sure what came over me, but i am so thrilled with it.  it started with looking for a crib this week.  ours was broken, and reuben would need to be moving to a bed soon.  amazingly, dustin FIXED our existing crib.  but since i was already online, i ventured to the bedding section, found this set, fell in love with it, and ORDERED it without thinking twice.  its so adorable and perfect for both reuben and nadia!  no real pictures yet, as the valance is a little crooked, but here is a picture from the website from which i ordered...

one room down...the rest of the house to go.  i welcome all decorating tips/ideas!!

Visiting 2

oh no!  rachel beat me to blogging about our trip!  while i was uploading pictures of the trip to facebook, SHE was writing about it!!  oh well...i'll go ahead and post my take on things anyway, hence the title "visiting 2".  you must go and read her blog before you read mind.  (rachellukelijlydindieanawa.blogspot.com)

yes...so as you already know, kaycee and i took all the kids to illinois for a vacation to uncle luke and auntie rachel's house!  while rachel was getting questions like, "how are you going to fit ALL those people into your house?", I was being asked, "are you seriously taking ALL those kids in the van for a TEN hour drive?????"  all i figured was that if i could take four kids 16 hours to minnesota (three years ago), surely i can take six on just a ten hour trip, right??   believe it or not, it was pretty smooth sailin'.  we stopped for two hours near dayton so i could meet up with some of my imaginary internet friends (who turned out to be very real and very cool!).   then we stopped again at a park somewhere near danville, illinois.  we let the kids watch punky brewster in the van and finally made it to rockford with time to play before bedtime!  no problems whatsoever!!  i think kaycee and i are going to make a tradition out of a summer trip with van full of kids. 

i find it interesting that rachel wrote about our "schedule" because i felt so incredibly UNscheduled.  and really, i was ok with that.  it was vacation!!!  so, while i am anal about my morning routine and still woke up at 6:30 for my one egg and cup of coffee, i did not stick to any sort of schedule or routine necessarily when it came to feeding/caring for the children.  so if rachel thought she was watching my routine, what she was really seeing was me just trying to keep up with everyone.  all in all i thought our days ran incredibily smooth for having 10 kids 10 and under...with someone needing something at nearly every waking moment! 

trip highlights:
*meeting four internet friends:  jamie, helen, & briana in ohio and then amy in rockford
*tame squirrel & pizza in danville
*learning bookworm.  just what i needed--a new addiction
*spicy lasagna
*"rupert...i mean reuben"
*discovery center
*cousins of all ages
*having kaycee and rachel to talk to all day long
*hidden gem of a recreational park
*personality discussions
*once
*out to eat with everyone
*our shared life for a week
*rachel singing


trip lowlights:
*earwigs
*vomit
*earwigs
*vomit
*chicago traffic
*trains that stop traffic for an ungodly amount of time

i woke up on saturday morning feeling just a bit lonely and weepy.  why do families have to live so far apart?  sigh...

but then last night i looked  and there was an earwig crawling across my kitchen floor.  although hundreds of miles separate our families, a little piece of the illinois dillamans was right here in my own home.  i watched him for awhile, thought of heart connections, of the joy of being together, and couldn't bear to kill the wretched thing.

Tik is Two!

Nadia is celebrating her second birthday today in Rockford,Illinois!  The kids and I (and KayCee) have made the trip for our first major visit to the Dillamans since 2007.   The weather forecast predicts five absolutely gorgeous days in a row!  Perfect for playing OUTside!   We are just beginning day #3 of our trip and so far, so good.  T'he kids were champion travelers.  On the way out we stopped near Dayton for me to meet some of my "imaginary" internet friends.  Then four hours later we stopped for pizza at a park in Danville, IL.  Another four hours later we were here!  There was little sleeping in the van but not much yelling either, so I can't complain!  So far the kids have pretty much just played in the yard and in the basement.  I overheard a conversation between Judah and Elijah yesterday that went something like this:

Elijah:  Judah, aren't you glad that you are not an earwig?
Judah:  Yes, because I would go in the fire and be burned up.
Elijah:  Yes.
Judah:  (sigh)

They just get one another. Besides discussing all things related to bugs and legos, Judah taught Elijah to flip on the swingset and to jump out of trees. 

The girls kind of switch off playing partners.  Eden and Lydia will be together for awhile and then Lydia and Simone will take a turn together.  Eden did spend a considerable amount of time with Judah and Elijah outside yesterday, but that was only because she didn't know there was a Barbie movie playing in the basement!

Nadia and Indigo look at one another and cry. Indie has a cough thing going on right now where she hacks and then screams.  She does not like to slobber or cough on herself.  Well, then that scares Nadia and Nadia screams!  Its an ear-piercing chorus for sure!!

Reuben and Elowyn just hang out and look cute.  I think Elowyn did grab his head and he protested just a tad, but overall you can see that they are really intrigued with one another!

I just love morning between the hours of 6 and 8.  Its such an alive time--full of possibilities!   Oh...and there's Eden up the steps and looking for breakfast!

Happy Birthday sweet sweet Nadia Abigail!

Alive

SLOW DOWN SUMMER!  The days are just going by too quickly!  I wait and wait for warm weather, and then its here and gone before I know what hit me!  I am trying to take every opportunity to be outside to soak up the sun and fresh air.  Yesterday was what I imagine the weather in eternity to be like...an occcasional thunderstorm, some rain, and then gorgeous blue skies, enormous clouds, and crisp, clear air...all at about 75 degrees!

The kids finished their homeschool evaluations last week, and I am happy to report that they PASSED!  On to 5th, 3rd, and 2nd grade we go. 

Also, the Lindaus came to visit over the weekend.   Amanda always brings so much yummy food and cooks while she's here.  Its strange that a guest would come and do the cooking, but thats just what we do.  We had a nice relaxing weekend. Baseball games were cancelled, so our only big outing was to Lily's 1st birthday party where we had a grand plan to exhaust the kids in the swimming pool so that they'd go to bed early. 

Reuben is quickly approaching three months old and thankfully is coming out of his fussiness!  Everyone says he looks like a "Turner", although Emily is the only one that says he looks exactly like Dustin.  Most people see the brown eyes and brown hair and say he looks like me.  I think he's just a good combo.  He has a full-body smile and is starting to laugh at our faces.  I think he has my non-touchy nature.  For weeks I have tried to hold him, wrap him, carry him, swaddle him, wear him, etc., and I have recently discovered that he MUCH prefers to sit in his little seat and look around.   He will fuss and fuss while I hold him and then settle in perfectly content when I set him down in a seat or swing.  He is so interested in checking out everything that is going on around him.  Go figure.  I guess after having three very touchy feely children in a row it only makes sense that one would finally take after me and my non-touchy ways. 

In other news, we are in the middle of birthday season.  I neglected to write a birthday blog for Eden a couple weeks ago.  Whoops!  Happy Birthday Eden!!  Since then we've also celebrated with Ma Ruth, Dougie,  and Lily.  Next is Nadia and then Simone and Dustin.  Birthdays, birthdays everywhere!

Hoola's In Town

Yes, yes...I know...I am a blogging slacker.  I am so sorry Virginia. 

The days come and go, and I guess I just assume that I can not blog every stinkin' day about my adorable children, homeschooling, and pets.  But, alas, that is my life!!  We are winding down the homeschooling part for the summer.  Cana is taking Westtest at school this week, and the other kids will do their portfolio evaluations.  We will then transition to our summer routine of playing outside, going to the library, and staying up a little later at night!  Fun times ahead!

The exciting news of the week is that Laura is here to visit!!!!!  This is one of the longest periods we have gone without seeing one another.  I was in Minnesota this exact weekend LAST year, so its been a year since we were in one another's company.  We were talking last night how we will be celebrating TEN years together this summer.  Ten years ago I moved to Minnesota and was sitting in church one night when Laura caught my eye.  It was just one of those moments that I knew there was something special about her...that we were kindred spirits.  The rest is history.  We have spent so many hours together...laughing, crying, shopping, sleeping, working crosswords, taking trips, scheming and planning...   We are as opposite as opposite can be, but thats what makes a friendship interesting.   I am looking forward to our SIX days together this week!! 

Oh..and Scot...these capital letters were for you.

Sparrows Nest

Sparrows Nest is the orphanage in Latvia that has been visited by many of my friends and family.  My mom has gone several times.  Virginia and her mom went.  KayCee built a barn there.  My pastor and his family have visited many times.  My friend, Steffi, is planning to go this summer.  Cana dreams of the day she will travel to Latvia to care for the children at Sparrows Nest.  Everyone who goes comes home changed in one way or another.  Alissa, the director, has adopted two children from Latvia and has a heart like no other woman that I know.  She is compassionate and courageous.  She dreams dreams that seem impossible.  She has so many stories of God's provision and protection that it'll blow your mind.  Recently, she had the idea to start a "registry" for the orphanage.   Its like a wedding or a baby registry, except that all the items on the list are needs that Sparrows Nest has...things like cribs, sheets, strollers, pots, pans, etc.  The last time they received many of these items was over TEN years ago when the last container was shipped.  Another container is being prepared to ship out mid-June, and the items received from the registry will go on the container across the Atlantic and down the river to the children at Sparrows Nest.  I urge everyone to take a look at the registry and see what you might be able to do to help out and then pass the word on to everyone you know! 

"Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles and refuse to let the world corrupt us."  James 1 verse 27

Dance & Flip

On Monday night Cana, Judah, and Eden had their first gymnastics/dance recital.  I was so proud of them that I could have cried!   They defy the stereotypical notion that homeschooled kids are backwards and anti-social...thats for sure!  Even at their young ages, they know who they are and are leaders among their peers.  Plus, they're just pretty darn good at what they do.  So, all in all, I couldn't be a more proud mommy! 

Cana was in the older girls hip-hop dance class.  This was the first year she has taken dance, but she definitely has a flair for it that I never had!  It was tough for her to choose between ballet or hip-hop, but I think she made a good choice for this year.   It was so much fun for her, she made a lot of new friends, and she had great teachers!  At the recital Cana won the Kindness Award for her thoughtful consideration of others throughout the year. 

Judah began gymnastics last summer after Dustin and I noticed that he had taught himself how to do a near perfect one-handed cartwheel.  He began classes at one school, but because their emphasis was on cheering, he decided to switch to Fox's in Sistersville where he could focus strictly on gymnastics.  Judah taught himself a back handspring, multiple back handsprings in a row, and a back tuck by watching YouTube videos.  He would learn at home and then go to class to show his teachers what he knew!  By recital time, Judah was able to complete a roundoff into three back handsprings and a tuck.  He also learned an ariel.  He has perfect form, and very appropriately won the Most Determined Award for his class. 

Eden began gymnastics this year not really even knowing how to do a cartwheel.  Her persistance to keep going (and to try to keep up with Judah) really paid off!  I was amazed to see her doing multiple back handsprings across the stage Monday night.  Her skinny arms and legs look like they might not even hold her weight, but once she gets moving, it is a sight to behond!   The spunk she brought to her team was infectious.  As her teacher said at the awards ceremony, Eden has landed on her head way too many times to count, but she gets up and keeps at it and will try nearly anything.  Hence, Eden was given the Award for Bravery for her class.

And last but not least...Simone.  Simone has never been in dance or gymnastics.  She would *LIKE* to go, and I definitely see her having a future in either one.  As soon as the recital was over, Simone ran to the front of the auditorium and began a "show" of her own...twisting, jiving, jumping, laying down and getting up...a dance like no other!  When she thought that she might not be seen well enough, she went ON the stage and continued her performance, complete with shouts and a somersault!  It was absolutely hilarious!  I think I will definitely have to put her in a class next year!

Paid

Virginia and I both have these awesome letters hanging on our refrigerator that state our debt has been PAID!  She and Doug paid their school loans.  Dustin and I just paid our van loan.  Its so wonderful that the loan company sends such a nice, congratulatory letter!  Its like they are proud that we no longer owe them money.  As relieved as I am to be free of that debt, I still feel like I'm caught in the horrible cycle of the "american way" of the borrower being slave to the lender.  If there was ever a way I would hope to separate myself from my culture it would be my hope that I would not be dependant on loans and credit to get the things I want or need.  I want to learn patience.  I would like to save my money and pay cash rather than succomb to the instant gratification of having what I want right now on credit.  Its hard to save for those big things when it seems that every penny has to be in its place just to pay for the everyday things.  But, I'm learning to wait and praying for wisdom.  I have put a plan in place to have the house paid off in ten years.  I will drive my cars until they won't drive anymore.  I bargain shop and wear the same clothes for years.  There is a fine line between being frugal and smart and being of a poverty mentality.  So, to combat that poverty way of thinking, I still make wish lists.  My notebook has a half a page of things I want to buy...some I even think I need, but most are things that I just want and would buy if I had money to splurge.  What stops me from blowing money or spending what I don't have is that I am becoming convinced that all of those things on my wish list will be worth more to me in the long run if they are paid for with money I really have in hand.  The letter on the frig serves as a reminder of the thrill that comes from not owing to someone else.  I am waiting for the day we receive one saying Dustin's school loan has been paid.  And then...someday...the house.  In the meantime, I will live within my means.

music

i've been on the hunt for some new music to listen to.  i search all over the internet and then freeze up when it comes to buying anything because i'm just not quite sure if it will change my life.  i hate to spend money on a song/CD if i'm not sure that it will have the kind of impact that i'm looking for.  i love when i buy a song, and its life-changing either musically or lyrically...something that i can't stop listening to for days on end.  it drives everyone in this house crazy, but its just how i do music.  but, i've become bored with all the songs that have done this in the past.  i listen to them waiting for them to have some sort of effect...kind of like a drug, but i've become immune.  so, i need some new music.  send me your recommendations.

off the top of my head, here is some of the music that has changed my life in recent years, all of which i still listen to on a weekly basis:

--Derek Webb--couple of songs from different albums
--Waterdeep--Live at New Earth
--Leonard Jones--Bless the Lord--video on youtube
--Waterdeep--Sink or Swim--2 songs specifically:  "And" and "Both of Us Will Feel the Blast"
--Various Waterdeep instrumental stuff
--Enter the Worship Circle 4--songs #5 & 6]
--Various bluegrass songs--these are good for cleaning the kitchen and making me feel happy about doing so.
--Misty Edwards--Relentless--entire album
--Stephen Roach--"Deeper" video on youtube
--Hillsongs--"In Your Freedom" (song that inspired my 'rescue' blog last year)

and i *think* that might be all...

although each of these songs/cds in their own way have been life-altering to me, i'm growing weary of the rotation.  i must find new music for the summer. 

fog is lifting

it seems like the fog is starting to lift just a tad, and i am feeling more like my old self again.  not that i have had a hard recovery or anything.  its actually been the easiest post partum recovery both physically and mentally.  i think its just that i am so routine-oriented that in the absence of my usual routine, i feel lost! 

reuben is a month old now.  its hard to believe how fast that first month went...especially considering that the last month i was pregnant seemed to be the month that would never end!!  reuben has been a much much fussier baby than the girls, but even he seems to be adjusting better and staying calm for longer periods of time.  the kids love all the smiles he has been giving them, and he is starting to "coo" and "ahh" when he gets excited. 

at the conclusion of this first month of reuben's life, i have two accomplishments that i am quite proud of! 

#1  i am STILL breastfeeding!  yes...can you believe it??  breastfeeding is horrible for me, and with every baby i try and fail.  my goal was to nurse reuben for a month, and we made it--thanks to the help of some lactation ladies and a great amount of patience from my family!  i am nowhere near comfortable or even confident yet, and we have had to supplement with formula, but i seriously have prayed about this and believe that God has answered my prayer and helped me to reach my goal.   and we'll just keep going...one day at a time.

 on to accomplishment #2...i have resumed homeschooling!! my two weeks of maternity leave just flew by, and before i knew it two weeks had turned into three and then the fourth week was beginnning!!  so, i had to buckle down and break out the books!  as it turns out, the kids were elated to begin their school work again, and it really helped me feel "normal" to be in the kitchen with the school books out.  today will begin our first full week back in the groove, but i am feeling good about it!  we worked ahead so much before reuben was born that the kids will be done with their year in no time at all. 

i feel like i have two months of stuff to catch up on and write about, but if i did it all in one blog, it'd turn into a book.  so, i'll save some thoughts for another day.  until then, i will just say again how thankful i am for reuben's birth, this first month of his life, for my other children and my husband, and for God's unending faithfulness to us.   His presence in my life is a mystery and beyond my comprehension, and yet that presence is my greatest peace and encompasses all that is true.

Welcome, Reuben Matthias Turner

Reuben Matthias Turner

March 10, 2010

10 pounds 2 ounces

21 inches

I guess it was about a year ago now that Dustin and I thought that *maybe* we MIGHT want another baby.  It was a BIG maybe.  The details of the conversation are fuzzy, but the gist of it was that we were ok with just whatever would be.  Six would be great, but we were more than content with our five.  Fast forward to June.  I think it was the third week of June that I got a positive pregnancy test!  There's just nothing like seeing those two lines appear in the little window!!  I was beyond excited and decided then to enjoy every second of the journey, being pretty sure it would be my final pregnancy and baby.  I think it was sometime in the third week of July that I thought I would miscarry and went to the doctor.  They did an ultrasound and found one perfect, little beating heart.  But, my body was partly miscarrying and partly re-absorbing a twin.  I had reason to rejoice and reason to cry, but overall I was so extremely thankful that this little babe was growing strong in my womb.

Fast forward again to the end of August.  I hadn't been back to the doctor, but I knew that I was going to have to be making some choices as far as what type of prenatal care I would receive and where I would like to have the baby.  I had been tossing around the idea of a homebirth for a year or so but wasn't totally sure.  I met with a midwife and also went to see my former obsetrician in Clarksburg.  I continued that way for most of my pregnancy.  The midwife came to my house and we planned for a homebirth, but I continued to see the OB as well for monthly checkups and all routine tests.

The weeks of winter passed, and I became fairly confident that I would have the baby early--early to mid-February.  All along I measured large for my dates, and the ultrasound had given me a due date of February 12th.  At 36 weeks I had everything here at the house ready to go.  All that was missing was the baby!!  The first two weeks of February came and went.  And finally, my original due date, the 28th, and the entire month of February had passed me by.

At this point, I was ready to retire to my bed in a mu-mu.  There are not adequate words to describe how horrible I felt--beyond swollen, exhausted, sore, anxious, etc, etc.  I had trouble recognizing myself and was becoming weary of the comments from people when I went out.  "No baby yet?"  "When's that baby comin'?"  "You look miserable, honey.".    Plus, little Reuben had a hard time getting settled head down in my pelvis, so the constant flipping and jabbing me was just out of control! 

On Sunday, March 7th (at about a week overdue), my midwife called and told me that I would need to see the doctor ASAP for a non-stress test and ultrasound and then we would discuss what we were going to do.   I went in the morning of March 9th with my mid-wife to see a doctor that she knew in Marietta.  The non-stress test was great.  The ultrasound was great.  Except...they said baby would be 10.5-11.5 pounds!  Yikes!!  I had the feeling he was big, but I didn't think he was THAT big! 

The news from the ultrasound filled me with all kinds of anxiety.  If I was to continue with a homebirth it was with the knowledge that I was an hour from any hospital that could handle an emergency labor situation.  I wanted to be 100% sure that I was confident enough to stay home.  But, that type of assurity is really impossible naturally speaking, so I turned to Dustin to tell me what to do. And, of course, he said it was up to me. 

All day we argued about it.  I wanted to be told what to do, and he wanted me to do what was in my heart to do.  We discussed and discussed and debated and debated, and finally at about 8:00 in the evening he suggested we pray.  Why hadn't we thought of that before?? Prayer??  So, pray we did.  And when we were done, Dustin said he really felt like he heard God speak to him...two words..."stay" or "go".  I questioned that, "So, God's answer was 'stay' or 'go'?" To which Dustin, said "yes".  And he said that he believed we would know the answer by the end of the night.  My only response was "GREAT!  Even God doesn't know what I'm supposed to do!!!" 

Dustin left at around 9 for a meeting, and at some point after that I went to take my bath.   I noticed as I began my bath that I felt really sick at my stomach.  It wasn't contractions but rather constant pain in my stomach, and I felt really nauseous.  A little while later, I called Dustin to come home from his meeting because I was afraid I'd get sick and pass out or something, and I didn't want to be alone.

When he got home, he asked if I was in labor.  Of course I wasn't!  But, he suggested we call the midwife because I was feeling so terrible.  She arrived an hour or so later, and by this time, my abdominal pain has transitioned to contractions that were coming every 2-3 minutes.  I was guessing at this point that I probably WAS in labor.  The midwives hung around for awhile to see what was happening, and when I was in so much pain that I was no longer speaking, they decided they'd stick around.  It was somewhere around this time that Dustin came to me and asked what I had decided about home vs. hospital.  He said "so...are we going to stay or are we going to go?"  And I knew instantly.  I would stay.  There was just no place else I'd rather be than right there at home with Dustin...in the peace and quiet of familiar surroundings...with my children tucked safely in their beds just down the hallway from me.   So, the answer was, "STAY", and we knew by the end of the night.  I guess God knew what he was saying afterall!

I continued to focus through each contraction for a couple hours.  I sat mostly in my rocking chair in my room.  I was calm most of the time, but I do remember feeling slightly anxious at some point and thinking that I couldn't take anymore.  Keep in mind, I am NOT a night owl, so to be birthing a baby after midnight was not my cup of tea.  I had always imagned a mid-morning birth!!  The couple hours that I spend laboring is pretty much a blur.  The contractions hit and didn't let up, and I just was doing my best to cope peacefully.  I know someone propped my teddy bear up next to me and took pictures, and at some point I asked for my tooth bruth.  If anything else strange happened, I don't remember. 

At about 1:00 I got up to go to the bathroom.  Standing at the sink, my water broke.  My amniotic fluid was pretty dark with meconium, and the midwife just said "ok, we're going to push him out now."  Shortly after came the urge to push.  Problem was the floor was slippery!!  I remember thinking that if someone didn't wipe the floor I was going to fall over!!  So, they sat me on the birthing stool, and I was very determined to get the baby OUT!  Within minutes, Reuben Matthias was born.  Born into my arms in the middle of our bathroom. 

It seems as if time just stood still.  My senses came back, and I can recall every smell, sight, and feel of him. .  I sensed the presence of God so strongly as breath filled Reuben's lungs and he began to cry.  Here was the son we have prayed for.  Here was a brother for Judah.  We were never separated as he was born, cleaned off, and we re-located back into my bedroom. 

At little while later, in the middle of the night, we woke the kids to come meet their new baby brother.  The midwives checked and double-checked me and finally left.  At around 4 in the morning, we settled in for a few hours of sleep.

The three weeks following Reuben's birth have been a blur!  I can't believe how fast time has gone since his arrival.  The days leading up to his birth were the longest, slowest days ever, and now I wish time would slow down!  We are all just taken with him.  He is scrumptious and gorgeous.  I am a blessed mama of six, and I am sooo very very thankful that I had the opportunity to experience Reuben's birth in the way that I did.  There isn't a second of it that I would change!

Oh...and his name...

Reuben Matthias.  Reuben means "behold, a son".  We figured that if we truly DID end up with a boy after all this time, the meaning would be so fitting.  And his middle name, Matthias, means "gift of God".   It has the same meaning as Judah's middle name, Nathanael.  So, together his name means "behold, a son [who is a] gift of God".  And its an added bonus that both of our sons' middle names have the same meaning!  So, for all who have wondered...that is the story behind Reuben's name! 

Simone just appeared in the kitchen dressed in all kinds of frilly stuff...pink satin, one clicking shoe, one purple ballet slipper, beads on her wrists, and a necklace.  She announced, "I am Evix...Queen of the Placenta".    I thought this was definitely blog-worthy.

 And I promise Wolfie's birth story TODAY...even if I have to sacrifice an hour's worth of sleep.  I will write it out today. 

wolfie

hard to believe its been two weeks since little wolfie's birth.  yes..."wolfie".  he likes to wear wolves on his clothes, hats, and blankets.  and he howls like one.  i promise, if and when he stops howling takes a nap for more than ten minutes, the first thing i will do is get on here and write out his birth story for y'all! :) 

mia

jessie has gone missing.   or maybe she is freakishly attached to her squishy baby boy and can barely pull herself away long enough to give y'all a decent blog entry.  either way...when she is found or can be pulled away from reuben, she will give a thorough update on the past two weeks.  thanks for your patience. 

window shopping

its 3:00 am, and i'm doing what every normal person does at 3 in the morning...looking at appliances online!  we went to lowes tonight to look for a new refrigerator.  i thought i wanted an off-white one because our stove and dishwasher are off-white.  however, the salesman told us that appliance manufacturers are phasing out the off-white appliances, so there is limited availability.  we have replaced the dishwasher since moving into this house.  all thats left to replace in the kitchen is the refrigerator and the stove.  the refrigerator is at death's door, and a new one will be needed soon.  but, the stove is still working (knock on wood).  other problem is that IF and WHEN we have to replace the stove, it is 36 inches wide rather than the standard 30 inches.  for now, there seems to be plenty of off-white stoves that would go with an off-white refrigerator, but not many that are 36 inches.  decisions, decisions....do i get a white refrigerator?  or get the off-white and hope that in years to come a 36 inch off-white stove will be available?  we plan to live in this house forever, so i have to think ahead along these lines.  if only i could sleep...

happy i'm me

when i was a kid one of my favorite activities was playing "school".  i especially loved checking ma ruth's "real" school papers and entering grades in her grade book.  i ALWAYS used a red pen.  for most of my childhood i imagined myself growing up to be a teacher just like ma...using my red pen, being orderly, strict yet respected and liked, and making a difference in the lives of my students.   so...i went to college to be a teacher and HATED it.  after two semesters in the education program, i knew i did NOT want to be the kind of teacher that i was being trained to be.  after much frustration, i resigned from the secondary ed program.  after that i tried accounting for year and didn't like that either.  today, i am basically an uneducated housewife.  BUT, i am doing what i always imagined that i would be doing. 

every morning i wake up and go through my "lesson plans" in my mind.  we eat at 8.  we tend to our bodies and our rooms, and then we start "school", complete with red pens,  graded work, and focused silence.  i never ever ever dreamed that i would be homeschooling my children. 

as i near the end of my second year of homeschooling, i notice that i have grown much more confident in just being who i am as the kids' teacher.  at first i heard a lot of suggestions--mostly centered around my need to "relax" and just "go with the flow".  i was told that homeschooling is grand because its so flexible and that kids will learn what they need to know almost effortlessly.  i didn't jump into any complete curriculums or lesson plan books or things like that, but i was concerned that perhaps i was just a little TOO anal...too scheduled...too particular...too strict.  afterall, don't those who have homeschooled much longer than me know better?  shouldn't i just relax??  but, the more i relaxed, the more frustrated we all became.  by the end of the year last year, i was burnt out and just plain old exasperated.

but this year something has just clicked.  i have discovered that i can be me.  scheduled, particular and organized ME in the way that i homeschool my kids.  and, it has truly been a glorious year!  i love teaching them, and they love learning.  several of the hurdles i was facing with eden have been cleared.  we love our routine and school days.  i have multiple packs of red pens.  between the hours of 9 and noon is SCHOOL, and i rarely tolerate an interruption.  a host of homeschoolers might call me crazy.  some have predicted burnout.  but, thats all ok.  i burnout when i'm trying to be something i'm not, and thankfully i've come to realize this. 

we are quickly approaching my time of "maternity leave" and then the end of this school year.  looking back over the year so far, i am just thrilled.  i am so blessed to be able to be here at home with my kids during this time of their lives.  i know i've said it a million times, and you'll probably hear it a million more, but there's just place i'd rather be than right here at home...being an uneducated housewife.  i don't know of anywhere else or at any other job in which my life could be more influential than it is right here with my children. 

that being said, my clock is reading 7:47.  13 minutes 'till breakfast.

feb 18

dustin &  i skip valentine's every year, choosing to celebrate a more important day instead.  february 18th.  february 18th is our "engagement anniversary" and has become our favorite february holiday!  twelve years ago on valentine's day we talked with my parents about us getting married.  i think my dad asked something about a ring, and dustin said he was going to be saving to buy one.  in response,  dad pulled out $10 and said, "here, start saving".   knowing that we were poor college students I figured that i'd either have a twist tie engagement ring or be waiting a long, long, long time for some sort of diamond.  BUT, four days later, in the basement of our church following a wednesday night service, dustin gave me the surprise of my life!  on bended knee he asked me to be his wife...diamond ring and all!  i had no idea whatsoever and was 100% surprised, which has happened only a few times in my life.  at the time i'm sure there were more than  few people that thought we were absolutely insane.  afterall, dustin & i had known each other just a few months.  on the couple occasions dustin came to visit my family, he was known to do things like climb in bins of bird seed and dance wildly at the court restaurant.  who was this guy that jessie met at fairmont?  and what???  they're getting MARRIED???  ha!  but, it was just something we knew.   as opposite as opposite can be, we are alike in the things that matter and are kindred spirits.  we could see in us what most could not.  twelve years later, we remember that night of our engagement when our plans for our life together seemed too huge to ever come to pass, and we marvel in knowing that we are living our dream. 

"coppee"

nadia had her first "smell association" yesterday. i was so proud. i associate so many things with smell, and i am thrilled for nadia's discovery! i always get up, eat, and have my coffee before the kids get up. about 8:30 i went into her room, opened the blind, picked her up out of her crib to look for the donkeys out the window, and she looked at me and said, "mama...coppeee???" it took a second for it to hit me. she smelled me and was asking if i drank coffee!!!! it was the cutest thing ever! just to make sure thats what she was really saying, i took her to the kitchen and showed her my coffee cup in the sink, to which she replied, "coppee". yes, nadia...coffee. she is just growing and changing so much. i can understand her more than not as she talks throughout the day she puts toys away. knows what she wants to eat. warns me that she's about to poop. brushes her teeth and combs her hair. throws away every bit of trash she sees lying around the house. she knows whose laundry is whose...even the underwear and socks. she has a very strong preference for men over 60. and her love for teddy is becoming even more extreme. she is so sweet. but, its becoming more and more clear...she's not a baby anymore. i can't wait to see her with the new baby. i have a feeling she's going to be a BIG "help".

speaking of baby, at some point in recent months, the midwife predicted a new moon baby. hmmm...

who would win?

who would win a fight between a lion and a grizzly bear?

that is the question of the week. judah asked both dustin and me, and we both told him that we thought a grizzly bear would win. he has analyzed the situation over and over and is still going with the lion. we have researched the topic online and even seen a video, all which suggest that the grizzly bear will always win. judah says the video is not valid because it is not a male lion. he also insists that the hidden claws are an advantage because the bear will not see them coming. i think that no matter what proof is given, judah will always be partial to the lion. since he was a toddler he has loved lions. he sleeps with a lion family: daddy "rowl", momma "rowl", baby "rowl" and brother "rowl". they are always organized in a a particular way...sometimes under the covers, sometimes sleeping in the corner, and last night...at sleepovers with friends, which meant that the lions were spread over various parts of the room. so, while the research and questioning may continue, i'm pretty sure that in judah's mind a lion will always be champion of all.

37 weeks

my midwife is coming over again today. its hard to believe i'm at the stage of pregnancy where she visits EVERY week! it will be this and then two more weekly visits until my due date! i'm still holding out for a february baby, although i have this nagging fear that he/she won't arrive until march. march just seem soooooo far away, and i'm seriously running out of room. i feel like i have a head in my butt and a leg kicking me in the neck. BUT...that feeling is GOOD news in one sense. last week when the midwife came she said that the baby had turned breech. that is not good in my case. #1 because of the kind of birth experience i am strongly desiring. and #2 because there are no doctors that will do a vaginal breech birth. and #3 because i can not have a c-section. my first and only c-section was horrible horrible horrible, and i only had three kids to take care of at the time. i can't imagine having my belly sliced open and then trying to recover from abdominal surgery while caring for six children. what makes a c-section worse for me is that my previous incision is vertical rather than horizotal. it split open and had to be re-stapled, and i can't can't fathom having to recover from that again. SOOOO...to feel baby's head at my butt and feet in my throat is an answer to prayer!! we prayed fervently about it last week, and other family and friends were also praying. in a dream or state of semi-consciousness last Tuesday night, i saw a chicken in a rotissere oven turning and turning and turning and then stopped head down. i took that image as something to encourage my faith and believe that this baby will turn and stay head down. i am looking forward to what the midwife has to say today.

re-model begins

we are just about ready to begin the offical re-model of our toyroom that will be converted into the girls' new bedroom! dustin & i took a very long trip to lowes yesterday afternoon, hoping to get everything we need in one trip. he has already broken a hole through the wall that will become the closet, and this week hopefully a friend is going to come and frame in the closet. after that, a guy will come and re-route the heating. and then, we're on our own. i would MUCH prefer to spend the extra money to hire someone to do the room while dustin is working, but he insists on doing it by himself. on the to-do list is...drywall closets (one in bedroom and one in toyroom), patch walls, put in new light, paint, put up trim along bottom and around doors, install two doors from the hallway into the room, get carpet, put up closet doors and shelving. and...i think that is all. it looks like a short list, but i have the feeling its going to take much, much longer than we think. there are always those couple things that come up that give you trouble. for example, we already know our doors are the wrong size b/c the door openings are the wrong size. so, we'll rig something there i suppose.

after the construction is complete, it'll be time for the girls to move in! they are very very excited. of course, cana would prefer to have her OWN room, but at least in the big room, she can map off some space to be exclusively hers! eden and simone will sleep together on the bunk beds, and cana plans to move her bed and books to the opposite side of the room for some privacy. she picked out green paint for the walls, and if given about a $1000 i'm sure she would be thrilled to go through pbteen and design an entire room! she just thinks like that! me, on the other hand, i'll just be happy to get them moved in. all the toyroom items will then get moved to eden and cana's old room until we can get a family room finished on the other side of the basement. then, i reckon about the time we get that finished it'll be time to start an upstairs project of some sort.

i will try to post some pictures of our progress. in the meantime, pray that dustin's inaugural re-modeling project goes without too many glitches.

snow day

while the big kids were away sledding with friends, dustin & i took nadia and simone outside. it was nadia's first snowday, and by the sounds of her crying in the kitchen right now, it thoroughly wore her out! naps all around today!