turnersaroundthetable

13

2012-01-19T08:02:00.000-05:00

I am not typically superstitious, but I would say the 13th had its way with us this weekend. Two of the worst happenings I can not even mention in a public setting, but you can trust me when I say they took it out of me. Third, we found out that its true...our computer is toast. That means I lost about 10,000 pictures and all of mine and Dustin's school work. Fourth, the furnace quit on the coldest day we had had this year. Fifth, I wrecked the car--my first car accident ever. I always thought it would be fun to race a car, but as I did a 180 in the highway at 45 mph, I decided that I prefer slow drives on a dirt road to anything fast and spinny. Sixth, my childhood pet died. Daisy was sixteen years old and my mom's faithful companion. My mom has this way of making pets sort of people-like, so its fairly accurate to say that Daisy was a kind of "sister" to me.

We ended the weekend with a birthday celebration for my grandpa, which helped me put things into perspective. Kids running like crazy, fits galore when candy was denied, playful shouts from the basement toy room, and enough food to feed an army makes for a great gathering to honor Pa. If "all's well that ends well" then all. is. well. I have a new computer, the house is warm again, I was unharmed in what could have been a tragic car accident, and Daisy's life as a dog was long and meaningful.

Happy 83rd Birthday Pa!!

God-willing

2012-01-06T08:09:00.000-05:00

Have I mentioned before that I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up? Maybe a better way to say that would be that I'm now grown up and trying to figure out HOW to do what I want to be!! I am a college drop out. I got married young. I have been pregnant for most of the past thirteen years. In the eyes and mind of many, I put the cart before the horse and now I'm paying the price. I am reading a book that has an excellent excellent quote that I've been thinking about for several days, "It seems as many of us grow older, we come to find out which passions faded away because they were birthed out of our humanity, while what has remained may be a confirmation that it was birthed within our spirits". (from Writings From Outside the Camp by Fred London) Its so true. I can't imagine what I must have been thinking as an 18 year old graduating from high school. Its no wonder I quit college! If I wonder now about my life, my gifts, my callings at 34 years old, how much more clueless was I then? Thankfully, as I have grown older I have discovered more about myself. The problem now is how to make it happen while caring for a young family who need my devotion of time and attention. I have recently enrolled in school to finish my basic degree that I started fifteen years ago, and God-willing I will finish this time in about a year. Beyond that I want to study midwifery. I dream of being stealthy and strong like the Hebrew midwives. I imagine catching babies in mud huts in West Africa and on thatch floors in southeast Asia. I follow a blog: midwife4jesus.blogspot.com that I often have to stop reading for the weight of compassion and prayer I feel for this woman. It makes me dizzy trying to figure out how this will happen. Part of the problem is that I lack patience. I am resolving (or at least attempting to resolve) to rest and to be all here-- where I am right now...to be a faithful and present mother to my children, and in time I believe these other dreams will work themselves out. God-willing.

A Look Back at the Highlights

2012-01-04T07:50:00.000-05:00

Five months later...I'm back!! I tried to just let it go, but I can't seem to continue on into the new year until I've done a proper year end review of 2011. I'll start by saying that my resolution for 2011 was that I would keep my room clean. I really really really want a new bed and sheets. And maybe a wall decoration of some sort. BUT, i vowed to myself that I would NOT buy anything for my bedroom unless I could be a good steward of what I already have, hence my resolution. I have to say, I would not give myself an A...maybe a low B, but not any higher. However, I did do better than what I imagined I would. My room is never really dirty...just messy. I tend to six kids and all their stuff and clean the rest of the house, so I have always figured that if my room is at the bottom of the list that its ok. I will continue on though with my resolution because I have liked sleeping in a neater space. Also, it truly is the desire of my heart to care for what I have, so its good discipline. And as for the bed and bedding...I'm currently taking donations. Ha!

2011 Highlights...
--January snow days
--Reuben's 1st birthday
--Kids in sports--I love going to their games!!
--Superb homeschool evaluations
--Planning trip to Peru for church kids (although it would be nice to actually GO on the trip with them!)
--Sibling Phish concert in Cincinatti
--DeLaney/Dobson visit (except for the poison ivy).
--Taking my kids to Illinois for a week with cousins
--Spring and summer drives in the country
--Anniversary trip to Pittsburgh
--Kids enrolling and for the most part doing well in public school
--My garage sale--I love sitting in my garage chatting with people all day long
--Receiving word that Dustin's grievance was granted
--Birthday weekend celebration with friends in Oklahoma
--Planning and attending KayCee's wedding. (this is obviously the highlight of all highlights, but I am going in chronological order!!)
--Another year of no cavities for the Turner family
--Enrolling in college to (finally) finish school
--Mountaineer football games
--Holidays with my family and with Dustin's family

As far as 2012 goes, the only resolution that I can think of is that I will knit 100 dishrags. That is not really anything spectacular, as I have done this before. But, I've been out of the discipline of quieting myself to knit this year, so I will knit four rags a month and try to use up all my yarn. I will not buy any more new yarn until I use what I have. Oh...and you can almost guess what everyone will be getting for Christmas next year.

Aged to Perfection

2011-07-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

Dustin has often commented that I have too many shoes and clothes, but really I don't. Its just a collection of items that I have accumulated over the past decade +. I seriously do wear things until they fall apart or get lost. In an attempt to "prove"this to him, I took inventory of some of the items in my closet. Some of the highlights...

My very favorite shoes...April 2001-November 2010: Cause of death: campfire

I don't have a picture of them new, but I bought them when I was pregnant with Judah, and I have worn them year-round in several countries and many states--over the river and through the woods. Finally, this fall I was visiting a friend in Oklahoma, sitting around campfire, and smelled a really funny smell. We thought someone was burning tires nearby. Eventually when my feet started smoking, I realized that it was not tires, but rather my sandals that were melting. I suppose I could have kept wearing them, but rather I used it as an excuse to let my mom buy me a shiny new pair for my birthday. It was a good ten year run for the dear old Birkenstocks, and I expect these new ones to last even longer because I will remember not to put my feet too close to a fire.

My very favorite tshirt...January 1996-current

This tshirt was given to me by my first youth pastor, and its what got me thinking about this blog this morning. I still wear it all the time, and this morning I thought, "wow...this shirt is getting THIN!". As the picture indicates, the shirt has faded considerably and its wearer grown larger over the past 15 years!

My favorite backpack...sometime 1994-current

I bought this backpack in 10th grade because I wanted a new backpack for our consolidation with Sistersville. Like my shoes, its been around the world and carried everything from school supplies to poopy diapers. Sometimes I WISH it'd wear out so I could buy a new one, and at the same time I'm trying to convince Cana to buy one just like it so we won't have to buy her another backpack while she's under this roof! Sadly, she doesn't like the thought of not getting to buy a new one for high school here in a few years.

So, yes...while my closet IS full, I am confident that neither do buy extra "stuff", nor am I a hoarder. I simply know what I like, what will last, and I keep things for a long, long time.

Morning Fog

2011-07-20T07:44:00.001-04:00

The windows in my house are fogged because of the heat and humidity outside compared to the cool inside temps. That is a true sign of the times we are living in...late July in West Virginia! Occasionally I like to pretend I am in a remote jungle somewhere. I leave the windows open and fans off, lay in bed and sweat, and refuse to kill bugs. I make rice for supper and wash my hair in the rain. However, right now with THIS jungle weather, I am a wuss with the air conditioning on.

A couple months, a couple trips, and a couple (or rather, a few) birthdays have passed since my last blog about Eden's birthday! Dustin traveled to Peru with the youth group from church, and while he was gone I entertained my "bff" for two weeks and then took the kids to visit with my brother and his family in Illinois. Nadia celebrated her 3rd birthday in Illinois for the second year in a row. We all (including Dustin) arrived back home on the 3rd of July, and Simone had her 5th birthday on the 7th. Six days later we had a wonderful dinner of turkey vegetable soup in honor of the end of Dustin's 34th year. A week later we took the kids for a short weekend vacation to Cincinnati to visit the Creation Museum and Cincinnati zoo. And now we are back home (again) to relax for the next few weeks of summer before school begins.

My pastor has referred to a quote a couple times lately that says something to the effect of "true mental health is a commitment to reality..." I've been thinking about the truth in that statement, and reality for me, among many things, is that I am blessed.

Eden's 8!

2011-05-23T16:11:00.000-04:00

Eight years ago today, I came home from the hospital following Eden's birth. Which means that this past weekend we celebrated EIGHT years of Eden's life! Blogging slacker that I am, I somehow manage to at least give the kids a blog on their birthdays! The weekend began with a slumber party. I can think of about a million things I'd rather do than host slumber parties, but its a small price to pay to see my kids have such fun. Eden and her friends danced and danced, and when I thought I'd heard enough music and smelled enough perfume, we loaded up in the van and went to the park. Everyone came home thoroughly dirty and exhausted. Showers, a movie, ice cream, and sleepbags on the floor rounded out the evening.

Saturday was Eden's day. She took full advantage of it by starting most sentences with, "since today's my birthday can i..."? After a much needed nap, we loaded up to take the party to Uncle Dougie's house. Luke was in to help Doug work on the roof, so they watched the party from up there, but the rest of us had a glorious evening watching the kids play in Doug and Virginia's back yard. I think I was more excited than she was for present opening because I was so excited to see her face when she opened her present. With six kids, its impossible that any one kid gets an expensive electronic (or even non electronic) gadget. Plus, I'm just not into kids having their noses in a screen all day. Cana bought her own IPOD touch. They all share the Wii, and the time spent on both of those is pretty limited. All Eden has wanted for birthdays and Christmas for the past two years is a Nintendo DS. I have looked at them, and I knew there was no way I could ever spend that much on just one kid. Again this year, it was her only request. So, I began looking on ebay, and I finally found one that was reasonably priced and like new! And it was PINK...Eden's favorite color! It came in the mail a week before her birthday, and I was just giddy all week thinking of how excited she would be. And excited she was...

And now to boast on Eden, my little Edie Beetle. Eden is a spitfire of a girl who doesn't have much fear or inhibition at all. Being the personality I am, I sometimes try to curb that temperment in her, but I also am beginning to see that she will get things, know people, and experience things in life that I probably never will because she's not afraid to ask questions. She doesn't fear rejection or being told no. She is bold and full of courage. Eden is as compassionate as she is bold, and has a tender heart especially for animals and children (and men over 60, but thats another story). She can spend hours creating games for her younger siblings, and is very creative. What Eden lacks in size she makes up for in personality and love for people. I am thankful for her life and for God's gifts in her.

Happy Birthday Eden!!

Placenta Tree

2011-05-06T08:45:00.000-04:00

The inspiration for my next tattoo has been the "placenta" tree that grows across the road from my house. I have been fascinated with this tree for six years and have never seen another that so closely resembles the "tree of life" that is found on the inside of a placenta. My original plan was to get the tattoo before I was pregnant with Nadia. My sister in law drew some tattoo ideas for me, and I ended up pregnant sooner than I thought and had to postpone the tattoo.

Plan B was to make a print of my real placenta after Nadia was born and then get a tattoo of my placenta print. I had photographed my friend Brandy's placenta when her son was born in 2006, so I knew what a perfect tree of life could be found on the inside. I studied how to make the perfect print of my own placenta.

However, after Nadia was born, my placenta was less than ideal. It was shredded and had to be fished out of me in pieces with extra large tweezer-looking things. Thankfully it sustained Nadia's life, but there was no way it would make a good print for a tattoo!

My placenta after Reuben was a bit "old" to make a good print, and while I planned to keep it to plant it or dehydrate it, it somehow came up missing from my refrigerator. (Could that be b/c I have a husband who LOVES to throw things away???) So now I'm back to plan A of using the inspiration of my neighboring "placenta" tree and Rachel's creativity to come up with a tattoo design. The tree of life on the inside of a placenta is one of the most marvelous mysteries of God. I have tree of life shirts, earrings, pictures, necklaces, but I do believe it needs to be a permanent mark on my body. To me it represents the miracle of birth and the truly miraculous design of God.

Time

2011-03-17T17:29:00.000-04:00

Time just doesn't stop. How has it been two months since I "blogged"? And how has it been one YEAR since little Reuben was born? Wow. And I FORGOT to blog on his birthday. That mistake is almost unforgivable!

Reuben is as pleasant as they come...content to follow his older two sisters around and grunt out the window at the dogs. He crawls at lightening speed but hasn't fully committed to walking yet. He says "nite nite", "mama", "dada", and his favorite word of ..."ugh". I can't imagine life without my baby boy.

And now as time is flying by more quickly than my mind can comprehend, I find myself in the middle of a transition period. I have been pregnant or with a baby for the past twelve years. That season of my life is done, and I am looking forward to the next season with great anticipation. I will miss being pregnant, but I have been blessed more than I could have ever imagined, and I intend to make the most of these "growing up" years, for they too will be gone before I know it.

Happy 1st Birthday Reuben Matthias!

Photo Update

2011-01-03T08:44:00.000-05:00

i always hate to overload my facebook friends with a million pictures of my family, so here are a few "extras" for my "inner circle"!

little lamb happily walking up the aisle at church...

the other little lamb remained in the hallway...

judah disappeared shortly after opening this gift...

beautiful cana...waiting patiently as the last in line to open a gift...

thrilled with her new school clothes...

lily's christmas at uncle dustin and auntie jessie's

taking in all the action...

nadia and marybell...

picture time that begins at bedtime. always an adventure...

christmas morning in her new pajama pants...

saying "thank you" for the new book...

thanks but no thanks...

hugs and kisses all around...

sitting with daddy like a big boy...

2010 Highlights

2011-01-01T10:11:00.001-05:00

I did not properly say good-bye to 2010, so let me say HELLO 2011!

2010 Highlights (mostly in chronological order...not order of importance)
--LOST nights
--watching kids at dance and gymnastics
--fabulous homeschool evaluations and test results
--refinancing to 15 year loan and saving $48k in interest
--REUBEN'S BIRTH!!!! one of the most amazing experiences of my life!
--the personality test craze
--laura's visit
--finishing the girls room in the basement
--KayCee's graduation
--trip to beach with Ma Barbie & Scot
--roadtrip with kids to see Uncle Luke & Auntie Rachel
--girls weekend in maryland
--mountaineer football games
--kids playing soccer
--week in the hills with family
--thanksgiving dinner
--saturday nights
--birthday weekend in oklahoma
--learning that i will have a new niece/nephew in august
--christmas with family
--doug and virginia moving home
--evenings home with dustin & the kids

it was a good year...

Yay! Its Christmas!

2010-12-23T09:59:00.000-05:00

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...

2010-12-02T08:35:00.002-05:00

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

2010-10-23T14:44:00.000-04:00

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

2010-10-12T15:31:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-15T08:11:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-14T17:04:00.000-04:00

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....

2010-09-10T08:13:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-08T09:45:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-07T15:57:00.000-04:00

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

2010-08-18T07:56:00.001-04:00

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'

2010-07-12T12:59:00.000-04:00

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

2010-07-12T08:18:00.000-04:00

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

2010-07-09T08:53:00.000-04:00

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

2010-07-05T14:12:00.001-04:00

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!

2010-06-30T08:24:00.002-04:00

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

2010-06-07T08:36:00.000-04:00

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

2010-05-19T07:36:00.002-04:00

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

2010-05-03T14:57:00.001-04:00

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

2010-04-28T08:46:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-27T15:29:00.001-04:00

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

2010-04-14T08:02:00.000-04:00

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

2010-04-12T07:59:00.001-04:00

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

2010-03-29T14:47:00.001-04:00

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!

2010-03-29T09:10:00.000-04:00

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

2010-03-24T08:56:00.000-04:00

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

2010-03-15T16:43:00.000-04:00

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

2010-02-27T03:08:00.000-05:00

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

2010-02-24T07:49:00.001-05:00

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

2010-02-18T22:48:00.000-05:00

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"

2010-02-13T07:10:00.000-05:00

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?

2010-02-11T08:27:00.000-05:00

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

2010-02-09T07:41:00.001-05:00

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

2010-02-08T07:44:00.001-05:00

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

2010-02-06T11:30:00.001-05:00

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!

cure for a bad day

2010-02-01T22:10:00.000-05:00

uffda. what a day. there are no words for it. and the kind of crap it brought does not even deserve to be mentioned. so, instead i'll just think about funny things and yummy things and happy things like simone at three years old and cinnamon rolls and baby clothes!! i guess its been awhile since i have given any sort of kid update, so let's see...

cana...this week she made her first ever basket in a basketball game! and it was the game that i MISSED! even though her team lost, it was the highlight of her season.

judah...told me this evening that the government might try to do away with christmas. he said he thinks we should all just disobey because he will be very sad if the government takes over and his kids don't get to have fun.

eden...has written some very fabulous stories this week. i've turned her loose with a given "theme" and just had her write for content. today she wrote about the butterfly queen. we relish for a day in the goodness of content and then the next day we bring on the corrections.

simone...told me this week that "strangers" took the sheets off her bed and her pillow out of its case. she is also packing bags daily to go on sleepovers with whomever might have her.

nadia...picked a movie out of the cabinet, turned around, waved it in the air, and sliced open eden's face with it. eden wailed and was covered in blood! it broke her heart to see that she hurt her sister. what a tender soul little tik has.

babe in the belly...kicking and squirming and getting nice and fat.

Five Years

2010-01-26T12:30:00.001-05:00

Five years from now seems like an eternity away. Cana will be 15! Judah 13, Eden 11, Simone 8, Nadia 6, and Baby 4!! Cana will have her driving permit, and Judah will be a teenager! I will be married for almost 17 years...SEVENTEEN years! My dad will be 60. I will be closer to 40 than 30. It makes my brain quake to even think about it. Yet, I know how fast time flies. Five years AGO seems like just yesterday. Five years ago was the day that my son, Levi, died in my womb...forever changing my views on life, God, family, childbirth...you name it. The anticipation that comes with having a baby is almost unbearable at times--at least it is to me. All the planning, the imagining, the excitment of looking at the baby for the first time. Its all just magical. As unbearable as the anticipation of the baby's birth is, all the more unbearable is the loss of a life before birth could ever be. In a heartbeat, the anticipation turns to grief, and its a situation totally out of one's control Five years may be plenty of time for the pain to become less acute and more like a dull ache, but even a lifetime of years couldn't make me forget. I distinctly remember the smallest details of the night of January 26, 2005...the moment there was no heartbeat, telling Dustin, calling my mom, what I was wearing, the drive to the hospital, the smells and sounds, the faces of the doctors and nurses, the decor of my hospital room, the taste of my toothpaste and color of my toothbrush. In the days following, the memories are a little more blurred as the pain of realizing what I had lost consumed me. That day...five years ago...seems like yesterday. Yet, time has not stopped. I am more in love with my husband than ever before. My children have grown. More children have been added to our family. Grandparents have died. Friends have come and gone. We have settled here in West Virginia. God is faithful, and we are blessed. What choice to we have but to take each day as it comes? We don't forget yesterday, but we move forward into tomorrow. Time just doesn't stop. Today I remember again what will never be forgotten...the short life of Levi Abbott Turner. Because of his life and his much too early death, I am who I am today. Life is precious and hope is a powerful force.

Dustin wrote a poem a few days after I arrived home from the hospital five years ago. It has remained my favorite poem of all time even though he has written many since. What I love about it is how it ends...with the hopeful expectation of things to come.

The Vases

2.12.05

dedicated to my wife

in memory of my son, levi

Windows freshly washed--no streaks

Smell of cleaner fills the room cascading over couches

She bends to place the sympathy flowers away

In view of passers-by who will never notice

Traffic that ignores the cries from inside

They drive by unaware

That through the window tears still fall

Hearts still mourn

Pedestrians on powerwalks offer up prayers

Bathing the roof with rain of requests of heaven

She bears the scar of an empty homecoming

In her arms the condolences of withering flowers

Instead of her son she aches to hold

Momentos call from the grave that

Bears no stone, holds no flowers, bids no visitors

Still she buries her flowers

With bending stems, dried leaves, and remnants of tears

And the missing is like the ache of an empty stomach

She feels him again though his body no longer dwells in hers

Phantom kicks haunt her belly and stalk her frame

Calling from places that humans call celestial

The father watching from the kitchen

Hears his heart break for her again

The vases that held the flowers are empty

Like her womb where life has died

Cut from their homes in the ground

So cut was the son his Father now holds

The vases will hold life again

Her womb will hold life again

The flesh was sliced and so it heals

But no medicine can heal the soul

So we cry the Maker of the flower, the vase, and the soul

For the ground to heal once more and

Bear life in its soil again

Monday

2010-01-25T08:08:00.000-05:00

I can't believe its a new week again already!! And its the last week of January!!!! Craziness! February means baby will come. My maternity leave will begin, so the kids will be off school for awhile. And...LOST will start. So many things to be excited about! There is no new news on the baby front. He/she is just growing and growing...making it hard to eat and move around and get dressed. I bought a nightgown at Walmart last night that I may just wear at all times indoors. Its so comfy to not have something choking my abdomen! I have washed some baby clothes, received my first baby gift (thank you again for the diapers, etc, Virginia & Doug!!), but unfortunately I'm still working on a name for this babe. We *thought* we had decided, but then again maybe we haven't. We'll see...

In the meantime, I'll continue to make my little nest. I have a list a mile long of things to organize. Obviously, the baby will never notice whether or not the hamster food is swept from behind the laundry shelf, but it will give ME peace of mind knowing that there are no stray seeds lying around. I need to clean closets, keep up with the ironing, sort maternity clothes, sell some stuff on Ebay, and get some bills paid this week. I'll make my list and check it twice, and before I know it, it'll be Monday again.

nadia loves ted

2010-01-20T07:49:00.001-05:00

finally i have a kid that loves Teddy as much as i do!! the other kids have been a tad intrigued by him. and simone went through a period of violently removing his clothes whenever she got the chance. but...NADIA...she LOVES Ted. loves him gently and passionately. anytime she catches a glimpse of him on my bed, she gets a really high-pitched voice and says, "aaaaawwwwww...teddyyyyyy...mama...tedddddddyyyyyyyy. she will do anything she can to get him off my bed, but instead of throwing him or disrobing him like simone did, she cradles him gently in her arms and whispers, "shhhhh...teddy...mama....teddy..." it is one of the most adorable things i've ever seen. now granted...because he's 32 years old now, he can't just be carried around by a toddler all day. so he has had to spend many days nestled in his "bed" in the top of my closet, but i do let him enjoy a few minutes every day of being cradled in the arms of his loving little sister.

hot (and mostly free) date

2010-01-09T08:52:00.000-05:00

dustin & i went on a "date" last night for the first time in MONTHS. thankfully it was mostly a free date. we started out at lowes to buy parts for attempt #2 at fixing our hot water heater. to get a head start on the repairs, dustin borrowed a clerks desk and hacksaw to cut pipe in the store and then glued it in the car. i am thankful for the lowes giftcard that we received for christmas! then we went on to the olive garden where i got something different for the first time in my life. forever i have ordered a "luncheon size spaghetti with meat sauce"...never anything different. but, last night, i went out on a limb and ordered spaghetti with marinara sauce--no meat. bill total was about $22. minus a $4 dollar coupon i had, then minus last years giftcard with a balace of $6 and then apply this years giftcard, and we had a free meal! yay! then...on to jcpenneys to return an outfit of edens that fell apart. i took a quick look through the clearance and found a winter coat for cana. it had originally been $100 and was on clearance for $24.99. i had a penney's giftcard to cover the amount, so the coat was...free. next stop...target. target is a bit tricky because i always go in with a list of five things that should cost less that $20 total, and then i end up with over $100 worth of crap. its amazing how things just add up so quickly in that store. but, i DID have a list, and i DID stick to it, and i still ended up with over $100 of stuff. first i subtracted two giftcards i had for a total of $22 off, and then i had $12 cash that i could use, which brought my total to a reasonable amount to pay for necessary items like diapers, baby blankets, photo albums, and blue tortilla chips. so...the date was mostly free. its sad to have to take our whole evening to run errands, but its also nice to get it all done and save myself a trip out alone another time. i just like being in the car with dustin. he tells me all kinds of interesting things concerning politics, theology, and general life. and i just sit and listen, enjoying our time together. so...it was a good (and mostly free) evening. oh...and we paid for gas with our gas giftcard...i forgot to mention that earlier. i love christmas giftcards!!!

32.5 weeks

2010-01-06T22:26:00.000-05:00

simone (as she was rubbing my belly): " i like your big fat belly"

me: (thinking she'd mention the baby)" "why is my belly big, simone?"

simone: "because you're FAT"

me: "but why am i 'fat'?"

simone: "because you eat too much and got FAT".

just think if i would have stopped at three kids. what would my life be like without simone?

2009 Highlights

2010-01-01T08:48:00.001-05:00

In chronological order (as best as i can remember):

--Pa's 80th birthday celebration with brothers and their families in to visit
--Trip to Florida with friends
--Making my goal of running 3.2 miles without stopping
--KayCee winning runner-up in the West Virginia ToughWoman competition
--LOST nights
--The day that i took all the kids to the mall by myself
--Laura's Easter visit and our night with KayCee & Steffi
--Women's Retreat with church ladies
--All kids basketball and baseball games
--Ma Ruth's 80th birthday party
--Doug 28 on the 28th--a very fun day even though the bash of all bashes did not happen due to Lily's impending arrival
--Lily's birth
--Summer evenings
--Positive pregnancy test
--Our anniversary trip--camping in the rain
--All kid birthday parties--Eden--6, Nadia--1, Simone--3, Cana--10, Judah--8
--Saturday nights out
--Camping trip and bike ride with Brandy
--Watching Brandy's baby be born
--Seeing baby 6 via ultrasound
--Tyler County fair
--Dustin's soccer wins
--Titus--our jack russell puppy
--Mountaineer football games
--Midwifery conference on top of the mountain
--Jury duty being cancelled
--Ordering homeschool book
--Kids starting gymnastics and dance & Judah's gymnastics accomplishments
--Elowyn's birth
--Shopping trips with Cana
--Aaron & Amanda coming to visit
--Red Raider alumni parade
--Ultrasound shows growing, healthy babe
--Cana's fashion show bday party
--Mom moving to Paden City
--Luke & Rachel & kids visiting for Thanksgiving
--Dinner at my mom's house with siblings--first time in 10 (??) years
--Thanksgiving dinner at Ma Ruth's
--Stomach being healed
--Christmas with family
--Getting furniture and carpets cleaned
--Knitting and learning to crochet
--And anything I forgot that I'll think of within the hour

the end of the year

2009-12-31T08:33:00.001-05:00

a youth lock-in at the church last night meant a night home alone for me. everything is weird when i'm here by myself. the dogs act crazy, i do not bathe b/c i might not hear an intruder with the water running, i stay up uncharacteristically late, and there are waaay too many noises in the dark. i am always glad to see sunlight! but, on the other hand, i'd much rather be here at home by myself than locked in the church with teenagers that do not sleep! now yes...i love teenagers. i love that we have been doing youth ministry at church for 10 years. BUT, i just can not do lock-ins. i am an old fuddy duddy. god bless dustin for having the stamina to lock himself in the church with 25 crazy people for 12 hours! i told him though...there will be no sleeping all day here at the turner house, so hopefully he managed to squeeze in a few hours of rest in the middle of the chaos! we have one week to get all of our work done, and i am accomplishing sooo much more than usual with him here to help me push, lift, carry, throw away, clean, and care for the kids.

i have no new years eve plans. i remember 10 years ago sitting in our apartment in tulsa wondering if the world was going to explode at midnight. i was curious as to which time zone's cross over to the year 2000 would make it happen. i have a video of dustin and i eating steamed spinach in the dark to pretend that the electricity had shut off and all we had to eat was garden food. its hysterical to watch! for six years i struggled living in central time zone especially on new years eve because it was as if the "real" new year had already happened by the time it turned midnight central time. i am an eastern time zoner at heart and always will be. when i moved back i finally felt like i was on time again and not an hour behind.

farewell 2009.

catch up

2009-12-29T21:38:00.000-05:00

holy crap--its been a long time since i've written anything here. sorry doug and virginia. i know without facebook you probably have nothing to read on the computer except this blog, and you've checked with anticipation every day only to find that i've written absolutely NOTHING!! haha!! but, i do have excuses, and they seem like good ones to me!

christmas has come and gone. so has the stomach illness that went along with the holiday. eden got us started with it all and threw up so much that she had to go to the hospital. next was me. thankfully, i am part machine. the machine part of me can stay up all night with a puking kid, spend the day in the hospital, come home to sleep but spend the night vomiting instead, sleep sitting up in a chair for two hours, and then get up and head back to the hospital all bright and shiny like nothing has thoroughly wiped me out! we then had a one-day intermission with no vomit. that brings us to christmas eve.

christmas eve began with ma barbie and scot coming over with bags and bags of gifts! i'm pretty sure the kids were up at 6:30 am, but we didn't open presents until 10ish. i just love watching the kids get so excited about their gifts! simone does this fist clenched shaking laughing thing when she is beyond excited, and its sooo funny!! following gift opening #1, i put all the new clothes in the wash and got everything organized. we spent the afternoon resting, and then dustin got sick. he went to bed moaning and groaning and fevered. in bed he stayed while i got all the kids ready and left for ma and pa's. actually, when i left he was hanging over the toilet, but i later found out that he did NOT vomit.

christmas eve in paden city began with supper of chips and cookies. of course there was healthy food, but whats christmas eve without cookies for dinner?? after we ate, we attended christmas eve service at ma and pa's church as tradition leads us to do every year. we have often talked of staying home and having our own "service", but i don't think any of us could really go through with it! the kids were amazingly well-behaved through the church service. nice, quiet behavior is hard to do when you know you have gift opening round #2 waiting for you at ma and pa's when church is over.

for the first time ever i think the kids really did take turns opening gifts. i know they were excited, but they were somewhat subdued as well. it could've been the 6:30 wake-up time and lack of naps. but it was nice to see them taking things a little slower and enjoying each gift as it was opened. oh...i forgot to mention that before the presents were opened, dustin showed up!! thankfully whatever sickness has fallen upon us was quick moving, and he said he felt 90% better than he did earlier in the day. so thankfully, he did not have to miss opening presents at ma and pa's. it was horribly lonely without him.

just as christmas eve church is a tradition, so is my anal organization of christmas gifts when we get back home on christmas eve night. i have dustin carry everything in, and then i set out all the presents in kid specific locations...cana and eden's on the couch, judah's in the chair, simi's on the loveseat, and nadia's on the coffee table. i throw away all trash, vacuum, and put all of mine and dustin's things away. this way the kids can wake up and see their presents all over again. dustin fought me on this tradition for about three years, saying that it was entirely too late to be doing such a thing. he would've preferred to come home, leave it all sitting in bags, and go through it in the morning. but thankfully in recent years he has relented and come to see the logic beyond the organization.

it makes christmas morning a whole lot more enjoyable! we got up and opened presents from one another. dustin and i get each of the kids three gifts in memory of the gifts jesus received from the three men from the east. after breakfast and gift opening round #3, we got ready and left for maryland.

i'll skip the gory details of the long drive in the ice storm. uffda.

we arrived at meme's in time for dinner. it had been a year since we had seen dylan, selena, and selena's kids, so it was a long overdue reunion. the kids really missed seeing their cousins when we were over in the summer, and they all had a lot of catching up to do! after dinner, we had gift opening #4, and then the kids were ready for BED! the next day we spent laying around and playing with Christmas gifts. that is, until Judah got sick. he came upstairs to tell me that he *thought* he might throw up, but it was too late. just as i was instructing him to go to the toilet, he turned around and vomited all down meme's steps. he was trying to get to the bathroom while puking the entire way there! that meant a LOT of cleanup. poor judah. he just cried and cried to come home, but there was nothing i could do but make him comfortable on meme's couch and hold the trashcan for him. the redeeming event of the evening was ordering papa johns pizza. yum yum.

sunday morning we came home. i've never been so ready to get home and back to our routine! i was just tired of being sick and the kids being sick and tired of being tired. while christmas with all of our family was absolutely wonderful, i knew that we all needed some much needed rest in our own beds with no anticipation of gift opening to keep us awake!

as it stands no one else in our house has been sick. we are rested and healthy and enjoying our week with dustin off of school. i did some christmas returning yesterday and then went to a doctor to see about my pelvis problems. he seems to think it will heal just fine and will not cause me any problems with labor and birth. i have a list a page long of projects for this week, and today i organized the laundry room. that was probably the biggest item on the list. next will be to clean out and organize the office. i had to do the laundry room first so that homeschool stuff from the office closet can be stored down there. the rest of the list includes small things that are just annoying and time consuming. but i want to get them done this week while dustin is home. i can imagine that completing this to-do list will help me get a great start to the new year! there's nothing like starting out the year with a clean house and organized life!

come january i will get back into my usual routine and hopefully will not be so neglectful of this blog.

no crafts please

2009-12-16T07:48:00.001-05:00

if i could hire someone to teach or if i could co-op one area of homeschooling, it would be CRAFTS. i guess the technical term would be "art", but at the age my kids are, they pretty much just want to make crafts. and i dislike every aspect of it--from finding an idea to storing the items when finished. uffda uffda uffda. one good reason to send simone to preschool within the school system would be so that she can learn how to use scissors and glue! i am not creative, artistic, or "crafty". i'm glad for miss barb and chris who had the kids come and bake and paint christmas tree ornaments, and i'm thankful for jill who is teaching candle making this saturday. i am thrilled that my kids get excited over a pack of new markers or colored pencils and drawing paper. and i've come to be ok with my anti-craftiness.

praise

2009-12-14T07:45:00.000-05:00

we are officially "decorated". for us that means the christmas tree is up. its a full-time job keeping toddlers and preschoolers out of it, and i can't imagine adding any other decorations to the mix. i did attempt to put a candle snowman out on the table this year, but nadia has already pulled his arms off. we have ma barbie to thank for our tree this year. our old one finally bit the dust. after christmas i might look for a small one that could be set on a table. that would eliminate the kids pulling ornaments off the lower branches problem.

on a different note...as many of you know, i have been sick at my stomach regularly since august. when i say "sick", i mean everyday type of sick...not just an occasional pain here and there. no matter what i ate, i was getting sick with pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. its amazing that i've continued to grow so "plump" this pregnancy because at times i felt I was wasting away to nothing. the sickness caused me to not want to leave the house. i cancelled plans with friends on numerous occasions, had to leave places, and even sold tickets to the wvu pitt game that i had looked forward to going to on my birthday. i just was so weary of being sick that at that point, i could not imagine driving all the way to morgantown and being sick at the game or in the car. whatever the problem was had become a hinderance to everyday life. and then two weeks ago someone told me that God wanted to heal stomachs and that they would pray for me. bear in mind, i had prayed and prayed and prayed. i basically had just decided that for whatever reason this sickness was going to stick around and had made the choice that in sickness or in health i would glorify god in my body. but, by the grace of God, his plan for me was different. i was prayed for, and my stomach was healed. i do not know what the problem was that plagued me for weeks, but it has been gone completely for two weeks now. there is no explanation except that by God's power it was healed. i have tried everything to make myself sick again--eating ice cream, overeating, eating junk, eating quickly, not eating, etc, etc, etc, and NOTHING makes me sick. now, maybe its insane to put God to the test like that, but its something i had to do for myself. so this morning i give praise to God. by his power and his mercy, my stomach is healed and functioning as it should. i am able to enjoy my days without fear of being sick, and i can make it through nadia's breakfast and homeschooling without having to run to the bathroom 20 times. and i can spend my afternoon rest time reading or knitting rather than having to sleep from the sheer exhaustion of being sick. hallelujah!!

i am reminded of hezekiah's poem in isaiah 38:
Lord, your discipline is good,
for it leads to life and health.
You have restored my health
and allowed me to live!
Yes, it was good for me to suffer this anguish,
for you have rescued me from death
and forgiven all my sins.
For the dead can not praise you;
they cannot raise their voices in praise.
Those who go down to destruction
can no longer hope in your faithfulness.
Only the living can praise you as I do today.
Each generation can make known your
faithfulness to the next.
Think of it--the Lord has healed me!
I will sing his praises with instruments
every day of my life..."

thurs afternoon

2009-12-10T13:48:00.000-05:00

a phone call from doug reminded me what a blogging slacker i have become. but, seriously...there is just nothing going on. we're all in a dark days of fall/winter funk i guess. i am being militant about our homeschool schedule because it is a wish of mine that we be in position to take off two, three, or maybe four weeks in march. we are on target to do so, but i can't afford to slack. so, we do school, eat lunch, nap, eat supper, pick up the house, go to bed, and repeat the same the next day.

i am thinking about really going out on a limb here today and going CHRISTMAS SHOPPING! i figure with as slow-moving as i am, i'd better plan on at least two trips out, and i'd prefer to avoid saturday shopping. so i am planning on going tonight, monday night, and maybe next thursday night with kaycee. i have made my list and checked it twice and then again a third and fourth time just to make sure i have all my ducks in a row. i hate traveling an hour to shop and then finding out that i forgot something!

third trimester

2009-12-07T08:03:00.000-05:00

its hard to believe that i only have three months of pregnancy left! this past week i set up a guessing game at expectnet.com where people can guess the sex, birthdate, height, and weight of the baby. its fun to read everyone's guesses, and i am surprised that only three people have guessed the sex of the baby to be a "girl". could already having four girls have something to do with that? remember, i did get a boy dog recently to keep judah and dustin company!

i did the same sort of guessing game when i was pregnant with nadia, and my sister-in-law, rachel won the game. i told her if she wins this time, she should charge money for people to hear her predictions! i am pretty sure she's right on the date. she guessed march 1. my due date is february 28th and is a full moon. i am counting on the moon to pull me into labor during the day and for the baby to be born in the middle of the night on march 1. although i would LIKE to have a february baby, i'm not known to birth before my due date. however, dustin insists that this baby will be born early. the baby is big, my belly is big, and i feel more like 36 weeks pregnant than 28 weeks, so that is what is forming his guess.

either way, i'm just really really really excited. i want to start planning for what i need/want and organizing things for the baby, but its way too soon. after christmas, baby preparations will move to the top of my priority list. i love getting the carseat, bassinet, blankets, clothes, bottles, diapers, etc, etc, all washed up and ready to go! i love going shopping for the few new things i buy with each baby such as a special blanket, a new outfit, or some new tiny diapers. i love the anticipation of the final weeks of pregnancy, so here we go...two trimesters down and one to go!

sweet pea...jr.(?)

2009-12-04T07:33:00.001-05:00

about a week after sweet pea died, dustin came home from school with a kitten. a kitten that looks exactly like our sweet pea!! sadly, as soon as eden reached out to hold it, it jumped down and ran away into the woods. so much for the promised "tame" kitten!! during that week, my cousin's dog went missing. the kids prayed fervently for paisley's return, and at one point eden added the kitten into the prayer. thankfully, paisley did return home, and then poor eden couldn't figure out why God didn't answer her prayer about HER little animal. fast forward another couple of days. the kids heard meowing at the neighbors, and lo and behold, eden's new kitty had returned after over a week in the woods! it was still wild, so it took some maneuvering on the kids part to catch him/her, but finally they had the kitty in their arms. we had to let it stay in the basement for a few days to get acclimated to life with small children, but i am happy to report that "sweet pea" has adjusted wonderfully, and eden is thrilled to have a baby kitty once again. i really did try to get them to name the kitten something else, but they insist that his/her name is sweet pea.

judah nate is eight!

2009-12-02T07:44:00.000-05:00

eight years ago today, judah was already six hours old. he was born just after midnight, missing pop-pop's birthday by 32 minutes. its cool for judah though because since he could vocalize his thoughts he's been enthralled with "the midnight"...meaning anything that goes on after dark. so, at some point "in the midnight" my boy turned eight. for months he has been planning his birthday party, which at this point, involves allie (his BFFFFFFF) coming over for a french toast supper and then going to church with us tonight and then his male friends coming for a sleepover friday evening. last year he had allie come WITH his other friends, but he said that this year he wants to have her come separately because the boys have gotten stronger in a year's time and might hurt her this year. earlier this week he said, "i'm supposed to keep her safe.". for now we have two parties planned, and we may add a third before its all said and done.

so today we celebrate JUDAH NATHANEL. my lone boy in a household of girls. when judah was eight days old we had a guest speaker at church who looked at him in my arms and began to pray over him. i got the tape and wrote down the prayer, and it is uncanny how the prayer has come to pass in his life. it was said that he would have dustin's mannerisms, which he definitely does. it was said that he would be such a combo of his mother and father, which is IS--frightenly so at times! and it was prayed that he would be a comfort to his mother, which he has been. judah has prayed almost nightly for me, for my health, for my babies to be strong and healthy, and for our family to be safe. he has a great, childlike faith that makes me smile and puts my heart at ease. his attention to detail, sharp mind, and logical thinking have caused me chuckle many times. judah is everything his name means...a "praised gift of jehovah"...god's gift to me.

Happy Birthday Judah Nate!!

a man after God's heart

2009-11-30T20:03:00.000-05:00

in christian circles such as the one i'm in, you often hear of the scandalous lives of this big minister and that big minister and many make jokes about the plastic-faced men who color their hair to preach on tbn. i admit that my experiences in such circles have left me slightly jaded when it comes to "big" ministries, "pastors" spending more time on jets than in their churches, and prosperity as a theme of a message preached on sunday morning.

in the time i spent living in tulsa, ok, and in the years since, there have been countless stories of men and women that i heard speak as celebrity ministers or even knew personally that have been caught living a lie in one way or another. but through the years there was one man who i was honored to have as my pastor for two years that as far as i know has lived a life above reproach and has walked in as much humility and integrity as any minister i have known.

pastor billy joe daugherty.

in recent months pastor billy joe fought against cancer in his body and died last week. i was shocked. pastor billy joe preached multiple messages a week to thousands, traveled all over the world, reached out to the most down-trodden in his city, sat on boards of universities and some of the largest churches in the world, and yet still he knew my name in the hallway at church. he took time at school to ask questions about my life, my family, my dreams, and on more than one occasion prayed specifically for the issues most important in my life. before i ever had children, i remember him talking with me after class one day and praying that my children and my children's children would be lovers and followers of God. as far as i could tell this man loved God, loved his family, loved his church, and loved the people of his city and of the world.

as a minister in a "word of faith" church, pastor billy joe believed for the healing of his body. i can only imagine what kind of wholeness that death brought to him. as i watched his memorial service for three hours today, i was reminded of hebrews 11 that all those mentioned having faith "all died in faith, not having received the promises but having seen them afar off" and "were assured of them and embraced them". pastor billy joe may not have experienced the healing of his natural body here in this lifetime, but he died in faith, assured of God's promises and embracing them.

his life is a picture to me of integrity, humility, the hand of God reaching out to the hurting and unlovely, and authentic faith. i am thankful that i had the opportunity to learn from him.

thanksgiving break

2009-11-25T20:38:00.001-05:00

its been a strange week here at the turners. due to thanksgiving break, we're all out of whack with our schedules, and this poor blog suffers. i haven't had a cup of coffee all week either. and no school for the kids. i've basically just enjoyed time at home with dustin and have taken the opportunity to do little things here and there with each of the kids individually. hunter dougie has taken up residence in the guest room for this week of hunting season, but so far there are no deer hanging in the garage.

today i helped ma ruth and pa prepare for our big dillaman thanksgiving tomorrow. i honestly have no idea how they have done it basically by themselves all these years. what a lot of thought and preparation. i had no clue. but, i am so happy that i was able to help out today and get some cooking lessons as a bonus. i now know the secret to ma's delicious chocolate pie! after being there today, i am a million times more thankful for my grandparents and what they do to make these big events happen every year. i can't wait for us all to have dinner together tomorrow!

besides having doug around all week, virginia and lily were also here for an evening. and luke, rachel, and the kids arrived today. my mom has officially moved, and tonight we all had our first dinner at "ma barbie's". i am just beside myself in excitment and thankfulness for all of my family.

hopefully next week, i can get back to my routine and will have more to say here and maybe some pictures to share.

happy thanksgiving.

Dog Show

2009-11-18T21:30:00.000-05:00

Today Judah wrote his first "full length" story. I was soooo proud of him. One of my basic homeschool philosophies is to focus a lot on what the kids are naturally GOOD at. I just figure there will always be weaknesses, and it seems like too many people spend too much time trying to make weaknesses stronger. I'm sure that has its place as well, and I DO cover weak areas, but I have really tried to focus on each kid's individual strengths. Judah's strength is logic and math. We have skipped a grade in math, and he amazes me at his ability to understand and remember mathematical concepts. It just comes easy to him, which in turn, makes it easy for me to teach math to him. However, last year I began to dread teaching him language and writing. He just couldn't wrap his logical mind around the meaning of being CREATIVE when it came to writing sentences. We struggled and struggled. Then once he mastered the art of writing a sentence, he had difficulty expanding on an idea or making it more descriptive. So, we have practiced a lot, and today he wrote his very first story. I just figured any story would be some sort of progress, so I was taken aback at what he wrote. It is a fun, interesting story, and he thought of it and wrote it all by himself!!!! I am just so proud of him that I must share it with everyone. The story below is "as is" with no corrections made by me. I like that "Joe" is very logically spelled as "Joa"...like boat, coat, soak, etc.

Title: The Greatest Dog Show

On November twenty eighth a boy named Joa went to a dog show. It was in Califoria. When they got to the dog show it was his turn. He was very nervous when he got up on stage. Finily he and his dog started doing tricks. The best trick of all was when the dog rode a bike. After all the tricks all judges judged all the people in the show. They annouced that Joa won first prize of all the people in the show. The End. To Mom and Dad.

And while I'm bragging on Judah, let me just say that I LOVE how this boy cleans his room. Its a little different every time, but it makes me smile no matter what he does to organize things. Here is today:

soon enough

2009-11-16T07:49:00.001-05:00

four people this week have asked me about when my baby is due. one asked if i am having a thanksgiving baby, another asked if it is a christmas baby, and the other two were just general due date questions. i can not imagine having a baby within a month or even two months. time is just moving too quickly. it seems like i *just* had a positive pregnancy test. i still have a test in my drawer, and i'm waiting for just the right moment to do and see my last positive pregnancy test ever. there's just nothing quite like seeing the pink dye move across the little window and leave TWO lines in its track. ahhhh... so, time...please just slow down. i'm not having a thanksgiving baby or even a christmas baby. i'm having a february/march baby, but even those months are coming too quickly! i wish there was something i could do to get ready for baby. but at this point, there is nothing i need or want. i figure at about 36 weeks, i'll just set the bassinet up in my room, wash the carseat cover, and get some little newborn clothes and diapers ready. i've been trying and trying to think of things that i need to buy...just something that i could put down on a "what to get for baby" list, and there's just not much. thankfully, because there is no need to make many physical preparations, i can just sit back and enjoy this time of "expecting". i want to remember the kicks and the rolls and to make as many memories as i possibly can as this season of my child-bearing years comes to an end.

11.12

2009-11-12T15:11:00.000-05:00

when coherent thoughts and paragraphs fail me, thankfully i can fall back on list-making

--gorgeous day
--homeschool art gathering this morning
--sick baby
--fruit flies freak me out
--i'm way behind on pictures in albums
--my mom's house looks great. i've been visiting while its cat-free.
--simone is so cute when she wakes up
--i don't feel like cooking supper
--must do laundry
--25 week pregnant. wow.
--i need more hours in a day to knit
--can't wait till thanksgiving week
--too many options for tomorrow night. must decide what to do.
--simone says "ants live in little holes up there" (while looking at the textured ceiling)
--should drink some water
--and get off the computer
--and do somthing productive
--like laundry
--or shower
--laundry made the list twice
--speaking of, nadia finally needs new diapers
--oh...and i love my new purse (virginia). a lady at oglebay complemented me on it.

christmas list '09

2009-11-10T07:42:00.000-05:00

i have received the annual "christmas list" requests and have no clue what to reply. i can't think of a darn thing that i need. the few things i want include big ticket items like a flatter yard, a new room off the back of the house, a new roof, and a garage door. so i don't think i'll be putting those things on the list. and as far as the kids go...there is nothing they need, and they're having a hard time thinking of things they even WANT! well...except cana, who wants a cell phone. you know...because its not quite the same to call friends on a regular old house phone. how boring is that! judah has only mentioned legos, but how many legos does a boy need? they all look the same to me. plus he has his birthday december 2nd. eden has requested fake nails and lip gloss so that she may use them at her birthday party. (her birthday is in MAY) simone says she would like a pink beaver and some makeup, but i am pretty sure that she is just listening to her older sisters talk. she has no clue what making a christmas list is all about. and nadia says she wants some bigger cloth diapers, which is a very practical, legitimate request in my opinion. its just so hard to think of items to put on a list when there is nothing at all that we really need. so, if you have any good ideas of what i might want to ask for for christmas this year, feel free to let me know!

Sweet Pea

2009-11-09T07:35:00.000-05:00

Sweet Pea Turner

May 5, 2009-November 8, 2009

Our Beloved Kitten

"Follow" (mama kitty) went into labor early in the day on monday, may 4, but there were still no kittens by the end o the day. it must have been a difficult labor. on tuesday morning, around 8:30 am, Sweet Pea was born. in the hours following, four more kittens were born but never took their first breath. eden sat and prayed that they would live, but sweet pea was the lone survivor of what could have possibly been a difficult pregnancy and labor for this first-time mama kitty. until about a month ago, the kids were sure sweet pea was a girl. but as it turns out, "she" was a "HE". nevertheless, eden carried sweet pea around endlessly...dressing her/him in clothes, taking her/him on stroller rides, and most definitely overfeeding her/him. his wish was her command! first thing in the morning, eden went out to find sweet pea to hold him and love him. ironically, she is the one who found that he had been hit on the road last night. she said something just told her to look outside, and although it was nearly dark, she saw his still body lying on the road. dustin said she screamed like she was being murdered, "SWEET PEA'S DEAD...SWEET PEA IS DEAD..." over and over. it seems quite possible that he did die suddenly as he was hit by a car. a house too close to the road, drivers who drive too fast, and a black cat at dusk...a deadly mix. the kids spent the next hours drawing memorial pictures and writing notes to sweet pea. eden sealed hers in a plastic box with packing tape around it so that it could be buried with him. she went to sleep hugging titus, claiming that he would have to be her "new best friend".

Last words to Sweet Pea

"you were the best kitty in the world and always will be. i will miss playing with you. you always made me laugh when you and titus wrestled. everyone loved you..." cana

"i'm sorry you died sweet pea. i will always remember you. and i will always love you and you will always make me happy." judah

"we love you sweet pea and i will always remember you and i will miss you and never forget you." eden

"sweet pea you should go to the animal doctor." simone

sabbath rest

2009-11-06T14:59:00.001-05:00

i love fridays. not because the week is gone but because of what is ahead. we call friday "sabbath preparation". we get the house spic 'n' span, school finished, food simplified, and settle down for our day of rest. there is just something so peaceful and mysterious in the knowledge that there is one day set aside at the end of the week to just REST. i wonder what god was thinking as he completed his work towards the end of that 6th day. did he pre-plan his rest, or did it just occur to him in the moment that creation was finished and he still had a day left with nothing to do? i tend to think it was planned from the beginning of time. it just makes sense. in our american lives we rush here and there and everywhere, and i hear so many people say, "rest?? what is that??" all the more reason to take a day. and truly, if god himself took a day to rest from his work, how silly of our human minds to think we can survive without it.

"so, god...i look ahead to tomorrow. thank you for our week and thank you for this day of rest. you bring us peace. you are lord and your mercy endures forever. amen"

ma katy plays yahtzee

2009-11-05T07:22:00.001-05:00

if i believed in reincarnation, i'd say that a good portion of ma katy has been reincarnated in simone kathryn-ruth. from about the time she had words, simone has been very intrigued with ma katy. she will ask, "when is ma katy coming back?" "is ma katy still sick?" ""what is ma katy doing today?" she told me once, "ma katy isn't dead". and i said, "where is she?", to which simone pounded on her chest and replied, "in my heart". i think that simone looks like ma katy. i imagine her growing up with dark wavy hair and a narrow mouth with a slight overbite. she reminds me of ma katy in the way she thinks and acts. she is quick to say what she thinks in any given situation. maybe its just because she's three, but after having three other three-year-olds, i am pretty certain it is a characteristic unique to simone. simone is confident, bold, and quirky. she often looks in the mirror and says, "i'm beautiful. i love myself". she states that when she grows up she will "drink beer". now i don't think i ever saw ma katy drinking beer, but i disctinctly remember her telling me that everyone SHOULD drink beer so that they wouldn't be so crabby! i always thought that was funny when she'd tell me that! the clincher happened a few weeks ago. we were walking home from church, and simone was talking about ma katy as she often does. i was asking her questions like
"do you love ma katy?"
"yes."
"is ma barbie going to live in ma katy's house?"
"yes."
what does ma katy like to do?"
"play yahtzee."

her answer to my last question stopped me in my tracks. there is no way in the world simone would have ANY clue that ma katy loved to play yahtzee. where did simone's answer come from? ma katy is the one who TAUGHT me to play yahtzee. i remember beating her and her making me play again so that she'd have another shot at winning. i remember her sending Poppop to the store for more scorecards in the middle of the evening so that we could keep playing. so yes simone, you're right...ma katy DOES like to play yahtzee. now the true test might be when we sit down to play the game with simone in a few years--will she already know how to play?

once a year rant

2009-11-04T07:40:00.000-05:00

mark it down folks. this is a rant. i don't often behave this way in public, but you know...today is just one of those kinds of days. i am seriously wondering why it is that teachers are paid so little that a person can not work as a teacher in the public schools of our state and be able to provide for his/her family as a one-income wage earner. has it always been this way? if so, i just don't understand it. i mean, i teach three kids everyday...for about 3 hours, and i'm worn out. who says to teach is not work? obviously the person who has never done it! it seems like it ought to count for more than poverty level income for a man or a woman to go to work 40 hours a week within our state's schools and teach the next generation. oh...is it the summers off? gosh...you know...with all that money they make through a school year, i'm sure teachers just have it made and can sit on their butts and do nothing all summer! yeah right...the one that chooses this profession to earn a living is out working in the summer to try to make up the difference for the rest of the year! not just in the summer either! he/she must take a second or even third job after school and on weekends just to earn above poverty level. is the degree not legit? why go to school for four years and then pay thousands for a graduate degree so that you can rise above the poverty level income if you could just go down the road and get paid almost double to ____________??? i'm not even going to fill in the blank b/c this isn't to rip on the jobs of others or meant to de-value what they do. my point is that i believe that teachers in our public school systems are under-valued, thus under-paid. come to think of it, maybe its that the idea that a man should be able to go out and provide for his family so that his wife can stay home and nurture and educate the children has become archaic???? has our school system become a place for women to go and get jobs? women that are the second wage earners in their family? maybe so. heck...it'd be a GOOD second income! but for the love of pete, when i type in the numbers and find that our family can qualify for $500 in food stamps because we are that far below poverty level, it just seems like there's a problem!!! is it the 6 kids??? maybe. so, i re-did the screening and indicated that i had "only" three kids, and we still qualify for $300 a month is food assistance. granted, i'd never take it, but still...come on! maybe i should have stuck at the national average of 1.8 children, put them in daycare, and gone to work as a teacher. is that really what family's have to do to make it these days? its sad. so sad. it makes my heart ache. even as i am starting out the day as a full-fledged pessimist, i will choose to thank God that He alone is truth and justice and goodness. He is my strength and my refuge. i am safe to put my trust in Him. i have no doubts that we are right where we need to be for this season. but gosh...its just frustrating sometimes. my once a year rant is over--you won't hear it again.

dress up

2009-11-03T07:10:00.000-05:00

this year was the first year in a long time that i did not dress up for halloween. i just couldn't get into it for some reason. at the last minute i put on something of a costume that i thought was hilarious, but i just couldn't get out of the house with it on. nevertheless, the kids had fun, and we have enough candy to last us until easter! they each decided what they wanted to dress up as. cana was our prom queen, judah a "professional" mountaineer basketball player, eden an animal doctor, simone a "barina", and nadia (she didn't really choose) was a penguin.

the funniest thing of the trick or treat evening was when eden saw a real dog and ran over to it. it was a tiny tiny little yappy thing. it was going crazy, and eden was just kissing it and petting it. she said to the owner, "i'm an animal doctor", and the lady replied, "well, then if you give him [the dog] a shot, maybe he'll calm down". so eden reached in her pocket and pulled out her syringe and proceeded to hold the dog down and give it a "shot"! by this time everyone around was watching and laughing, and eden was just taking her job as serious as could be!! oh eden...you make mama smile!!! :)

rescue

2009-11-02T09:15:00.000-05:00

most of my life i have heard about being "saved". who's "saved" and who's not, pray to be "saved", stay "saved", saved, saved, saved. "saved" from WHAT? saved from hell, i suppose? you hear it so much that it becomes as mundane as the commericial on TV that repeats itself every 10 minutes. i admit there was a time when my heart became hard to the notion of being "saved". it just didn't seem to be that one could pray a prayer and receive his/her ticket to heaven, thus being "saved" from hell. i became a skeptic.

god met me in my skepticism. over time, my eyes have come open to see--or at least BEGIN to see--my need to be "saved". so, if someone would ask me if i am saved, i would reply, "yes...i have been rescued. many times. and probably will be again." for whatever reason, god in his mercy, chose to rescue...to SAVE me. even when i didn't see the danger and when i didn't believe.

god has literally picked me up--rescued me--many times in my life. he surrounded me with love in my high school years and rescued me from a life of rebellion. a few years later, through heartbreaking circumstances, he rescued me from what could have potentially been a crippling relationship. he took me to a safe place for many years where i could learn to love my husband and to be a wife and mother. and then from that place he rescued me from a church situation that could have killed my faith. these are major examples that i have come to see god's hand in my life. but i'm sure to there are the everyday things that i have no idea how god came to deliver me--to rescue me.

i'm still not sure about the whole notion of getting my ticket to heaven. if thats true, then great. but what matters more to me is that i have one who sees me here in this lifetime and watches out for me. in his grace and in his might, he deems me worthy of being rescued. i will offer my devotion to him and pray that i would not "neglect so great a salvation". his ways are higher than mine--his thoughts above mine. many aspects of god i will never understand. but i hope that even in my short-sightedness and ignorance, i will continue to be able to see evidence of god's rescue from the beginning of time to today and to put my trust in it for tomorrow.

a post on a thursday???

2009-10-29T08:33:00.000-04:00

this week i've been sorting through all my baby clothes. now that i that i know a healthy baby is coming in february, i feel a little more comfortable going through things to see what will be seasonally appropriate for the new baby and what i can safely get rid of. my last three babies have been born in the summer, so i have an abundance of 0-3 month SUMMER clothes. they won't be any help to me in february! into the boxes they go!! i love sorting and organizing!!! but i overdid it monday with all the lifting and now my back feels like its falling apart. so now i have to drag boxes and sit and carry small armloads of stuff. i feel like i'm getting OLD!!

not much else going on. soccer season is over, so dustin is home now in the evenings. he is still looking for a second job, so i don't know how long the home in the evenings is going to last. i'll just enjoy it while i can! in the meantime i will try not to worry about money. i think that how those who follow God handle and think about money is one thing that sets them apart from the rest of the world and i am determined to not give into the worry of this world's system. i remind myself that even with one source of income, we are among the wealthiest in the world. and in a time where many can not find work, we are blessed to have a dependable job that dustin can go to and actually ENJOY what he does. so, no complaining here. just prayer and hope that he finds a second job that is just what we need. smack me upside the head if you hear me whining!

tonight is trick or treat. i'm still thinking on costumes for the kids. good thing i don't get too into it all. surely in all the basement dressups there's something that can serve them well for an hour walk around town for candy! if all else fails i can break out the old red raider basketball uniforms!

to do today: feed tik, clean kitchen, put in laundry, homeschool kids, clean office, make lunch, clean kitchen, laundry, nap, put on supper, put laundry away, find halloween costumes, eat supper, clean kitchen, trick or treat, wash kids, kids to bed, bath, read, bed.

mountaineer judah

2009-10-26T08:18:00.000-04:00

judah went to his first mountaineer football game this weekend! he said it was the best day of his life! i especially loved just having him along, as its always special when i get to do something by myself with just one of the kids.

judah had all his clothes for the game laid out all week. he said he could hardly sleep for five nights just thinking about it. and even with all of his thoughts, i don't think he was prepared for the hugeness of it all! his eyes looked like they would pop out of his head when we entered the stadium. and thought just the drums were the band, so when the whole band came running out, he just said "wow". he loved that they made the shape of the state and must have asked me about 20 times "how did they do that?"

he says his favorite part was when "the west virginia put his arm out and ran away, and the connecticut tried to get him and couldn't catch him and he made a touchdown". he caught on quick to the rules and would inform me of when we were on offense or defense although he couldn't understand why connecticut would get a point for running to the end that says "mountaineers" (the endzone). his logical mind thought that one end should say west virginia and the other should say connecticut. that makes sense, i think!

as soon as we got in the car to go home, he was asleep. after nights of not sleeping from excitement, i think he was just totally worn out.

its a BABY!

2009-10-25T08:31:00.000-04:00

i had my ultrasound on friday. i was trying to add them all up, and i'm pretty sure it was the 21st or 22nd ultrasound of my lifetime. although i pretty much know what to expect, i still get crazy nervous to lay on the table and see my baby on the screen. i guess i'm just the pessimist who is always afraid of bad news. but thankfully, this friday and this ultrasound, we heard nothing but GOOD news and saw a healthy, healthy baby!! all of the measurements matched my due date perfectly, and the baby was estimated at weighing 1 pound 3 ounces. we were undecided going into it if we wanted to find out the sex of the baby. dustin definitely wanted to know, and i was leaning towards not knowing. i thought it would be nice to have a surprise for my last baby. but, in the end, dustin won. he was insisting that he could find out and not tell me, but i wasn't so sure about that. then the ultrasound tech said she couldn't tell him if i didn't want to know. what the heck...i've done it both ways--surprise at birth and surprise at 20 some weeks, and there really isn't one thats better than the other. so besides knowing that the baby is healthy, i DO know the sex. and don't ask me, because i will NOT tell you. there isn't a bribe you can offer me that will drag the news out of me, so don't even try. (doug) unless of course you want to pay off my van loan or dustin's school loan.

i pray now for a continued healthy pregnancy and uncomplicated birth here in a few months. we throw around the name Jehovah Jireh--God my Provider--when it comes to money, but there are many things more important than money. its in those things that I can rest in knowing that Jehovah Jireh, God that Provides, is the one who sees ahead and makes a way for me and for the life in my womb!

2009-10-19T07:52:00.000-04:00

the weekend must have thoroughly worn out the kids. its nearly 8:00, and i am still sitting in the kitchen alone. i haven't heard a peep from them. so, i'll just enjoy the quiet and my coffee.

the slumber party/fashion show/dance off/ birthday party was a success!! i promised cana i'd post a picture. its not even technically her birthday yet, and she's had a friend party, went on a "date" with dustin and me, and shared a birthday gathering with her baby cousin. i hope the actual day doesn't come with let-down that most of the excitement has already happened! perhaps she'll want to pick out something special for supper on Wednesday. i suppose the double-digit birthday does deserve a weeklong celebration!!

in other news, if there is one thing i've learned from being a mom for (only) ten years, its that there just is rarely a black and white/right and wrong way to raise a baby/child. i was talking with my cousin the other day about things i said i'd never do when cana was first born. things like use a crib tent, bottle feed, homeschool. also, i would never ever ever let cana get messy. but...things just change. ten years later, i've used a crib tent (simone), bottle fed (all), homeschool (older three), and sometimes i have to think back to when the most recent bath was (mostly eden). when i'm in a group of mothers--old and young--i do a lot of listening. i have so much to learn, and i hope that someday my experiences can guide other young moms into lives of parenting grace. all i know for now is that there is more than one way to skin a cat. whether in a grocery cart or a baby wrap--in my bed or in a crib--educated at home or in the public school--i pray that above all else i would be able to teach my children to love God, to love people, and to love LIFE.

tonight's the night

2009-10-16T08:11:00.000-04:00

if you think i'm a planner/list maker, you should meet my daugher, Cana!!! she gets it honest--thats for sure! for at least 11 months now she's been planning her 10th (double digits!!) birthday party. she has practically an entire notebook full of lists...lists of games, friends, ideas, foods, decorations, etc, etc, etc. and tonight is finally THE night. after school my house will be invaded by nine and ten year old girls. they were each instructed to bring their best dress for a fashion show! cana has arranged for someone to come at 6:00 to do hair and makeup, and then the show will start at 7. i have let her plan the entire event herself, so i am looking forward to the surprise of it all! she's made all the phone calls, shopping lists, and arrangements all by herself.

i find it all comical because i remember turning ten and still thinking that i was still at least half boy. i was wearing boys high top tennis shoes and carrying a Go-Bots lunch box to school. in 4th grade is the first time that one of my friends came to school with a bra on, and i thought that i would rather kill myself than to EVER wear a bra!! i had a red trapper keeper that i wrote J.D. Hog on the front of because i thought it was so cool that my initials were J.D. yeah...so it is absolutely amazing to me that i have produced a daughter that plans fashion show slumber parties! she is exquisitely feminine, and that makes me happy. she is beautiful and confident, and is 100% sure that her friends are about to attend the "best slumber party on their lives".

titus turner

2009-10-14T08:38:00.000-04:00

i don't think i've posted about one of the best additions to our family!!!! in august i got a baby jack russell! i've always always always wanted a jack russell, and it just never worked out for us to get one. in august my friend was trying to find a home for her JR pup, we took him for a "trial" run, and he's been here ever since. i just love him sooooo much. his birth name was colby jack, but we re-named him titus. i've always liked the name titus, but we could never use it on a child b/c of the alliteration. it fits him perfectly. titus turner. and dustin calls him titus timothy turner.

sadly, about a month ago, titus fell down the basement steps and broke his leg. it was one of the most sad, pathetic things i have EVER seen. he just sat with sad, sad eyes and cried. dr. meckley got him all fixed up in a neon green cast, and tomorrow is the 4 week mark at which time he will get his cast off. the first pictures are the day he came home from the "hospital", and the last one was taken this morning--the last day of the green (now brown) cast!

oh...and the one is of him "smiling". he is so excited to run to us that he smiles the whole time. its hard to capture on camera, but this is the best picture i've been able to get so far.

and...the one of him laying on his back was when he was bored with the mountaineers getting beat. he sat all interested for the first two quarters, and then he got mad and went to the floor in protest.

the smell of chocolate

2009-10-13T08:23:00.000-04:00

this past weekend our good friends from hershey, pa, came for a visit. i love love love having guests in my home!!! we were supposed to go see them this summer, but our vacation did not work out. so it had been almost a year since we had all been together. we ate a lot of food, let the kids play, did some crocheting, the guys went to see a movie. they were able to experience the great Red Raider alumni parade in middlebourne! not much that can beat that! kaycee and i took amanda on a b/deer drive to the middle of nowhere. she wondered why the deer don't run away from cars but rather stand and watch them. we told her thats just what west virginia deer do. we thoroughly discussed life, god, kids, work, and took naps in the afternoons. it was an awesome weekend.

yesterday my week began with a shopping trip!!! to me shopping is like going out for the hunt. i'm like the woman in proverbs 31 who is anointed to find bargains, and yesterday i brought home the kill!! i got four summer dresses for the girls for $3.50 each, had a coupon for $20 for old navy so i got judah some jeans, and they had cream of potato soup (the kids favorite) at gabes for .99/can, a whole .50 cheaper than in the regular stores.

oh...and my little animal girl, eden, had another animal adventure this weekend. a chipmunk crawled into her hand again. except this time, it came to BITE her!! she was so shocked because she was so sure she was the chipmunk whisperer! poor little thing. she had two tiny teeth marks on her finger. but i think it hurt her heart more than it did her finger!

and now a talkin' tik

2009-10-07T08:27:00.000-04:00

nadia has been my latest talker. i blame it on simone's advanced vocabulary and excessive amount of words. nadia has had no reason to talk. simone thinks and speaks FOR her. however, in the past week, i have had to start curbing some of simone's talking so that nadia can get in some words. with five kids in the house, i guess i have becoming like a crossing guard when it comes to talking. we all have to take turns.

so, for this week, its been so fun to see nadia's thoughts be made into words! now, if you ask her "nadia, how was your sleep?", she will look up in the air and say, "ummmmmm" and just grin. she says book, baby, mama, dada, cana, kaycee, mo-mo, yes, no, please, thank you, all done, night night, kitty, ok, uh-oh, woof woof, meow, mooooooo, eateateat, up, puppy, and i'm sure there's more, but this is all i can think of right now. its so funny to me that i was concerned about her ability to think and speak, and here all this time, she's had all these thoughts and just not had room to get them out!! wow. i definitely learned a lesson!!

never a dull moment

2009-10-02T11:22:00.000-04:00

for those of you who love a good kid story, i can't resist posting this. hopefully eden will read it someday and laugh!

she came out of the shower this morning, wrapped in a towel, with a profusely bleeding lip!! i said "eden! what in the world did you do to your lip????" she said "i was shaving", wiped her lip off, and went to get dressed.

later, i explained that women (most women) do not shave their faces. to which she replied in astonishment, "daddy uses a PINK razor???" ahhhhh eden....you're a funny, funny girl.

animal rescue

2009-10-01T20:33:00.000-04:00

last week eden came upstairs holding a bathroom towel in a wad. she had a sheepish look on her face. i said "eden??? whats with the towel?" she was reluctant to show me. eventually what i saw in the towel was a baby mouse with its neck sliced...bleeding...barely alive. with tears in her eyes, eden said "i am saving his life." now for a mother, this is a very delicate situation. what do i do so that i protect my daughter's tender heart and at the same time be able to get a bleeding, dying mouse OUTSIDE of my house??? so, i thought quickly and said, "well eden, i think the baby mousie's mommy might be looking for him. and he is hurt and scared and would feel better if he could be WITH his mommy. so why don't you take him to the garage and lay him down." so she did. towel and all. within minutes the towel was empty, and the mouse either ran away or fell prey to our cat once again. eden says the mommy came and took him home.

then tonight simone came running in shouting, "mom! mom! mom! eden caught a "chickmunk"! come see!!!" i went outside, and eden had captured a chipmunk and had it contained in an empty catfood bag. she said she once again rescued a poor animal from the jaws of our cat, and decided that it would be safe in the bag with a few bites of cat food.

so, this week eden has rescued a mouse and a chipmunk and has also decided that she will dress as an "animal doctor" for halloween. i'm definitely seeing a future in this for little edie.

the same

2009-09-30T08:42:00.000-04:00

see?? i'm horrible at keeping up with writing! i have a running blog in my head, but it just doesn't seem paper (screen) worthy! you know...its all about every day stuff like food, dirt, dishwashers, dogs, kids, poop, fruit flies, mail, teeth, school, clothes, etc, etc, etc. we get into our routine, and although i love what i do, there's just not much to write about!

as i stated on my facebook status, i am experiencing my annual autumn restlessness. i feel restless and anxious and start making lists like a crazy person. so far i have made lists of birthdays, budgets, job possibilities with their earnings, christmas lists, birthday lists, list of books to read, list of home repairs, list of things to buy when dustin's gets his soccer check, things to give away list, chores to do in the house list, and...i think thats all. i started a new "list" notebook so that all my lists are in the same place. if i had the money, fall would be a very productive time of year because i'd be all over home repairs and chores!! i did buy knobs for the entry closet doors last night. as much as i like making lists, i HATE feeling this way. i have thought and prayed about it so much because there is just no rhyme or reason to it. i have narrowed it down to the possibility that there have been a lot of key changes in my life during the season of fall, and that somewhere deep in my sub-conscious my being begins to expect (or dread) a change.

some of the autumn changes i can think of are school starting every year as a kid, meeting dustin at fairmont, having my first child, moving to west virginia, hearing devestating news about levi, my grandparents dying, dustin getting a teaching job, and certain life-changing spiritual experiences. i think more impactful events in my life have taken place between the months of october and december than in any other time period of the year. so, this is my theory for now. while i live fairly independently for most of the year, its during this season that i have a strong need for community. i have begun to pray that God would see me through.

oh...and i'm reading a really good book for the third time. some books just get better and better the more you read them! this book is called "i am not a social activist", but the title is somewhat deceiving. my friend steffi bought it for me, and gifts is my love language, so its an extra special book to me! since this post is getting really long, maybe later on this week i'll write some of my favorite lines from the book. :)

2009-09-25T09:06:00.000-04:00

some days there are just no words. i yield my will to the will of God. i honor my husband. i love my children. it just seems so simple. today there is a just humility in the presence of a powerful God. who am i to be so blessed? i pray that my life would be a reflection of the redemptive nature of God.

hungry hungry hippo

2009-09-22T21:28:00.000-04:00

dustin has been making waffles every saturday morning for a couple of months now. last saturday the waffle iron died. it was only a 2-seater anyway, which means i'm in the market for a new, LARGER waffle iron. i've been online shopping for one that makes four at at time so that dustin can make waffles for all seven of us in less than an hour!

i think i'm hungry. waffles are on my mind, and i'm sad that i won't have them this week. popcorn also sounds good. as does chocolate pie. and iced tea with no sugar. and french toast from choochoos. but, i suppose i'll just eat some carrots like a good pregnant woman should.

hopefully by next week, i can have some waffles.

house list edit

2009-09-21T08:02:00.001-04:00

i'm going back to do my first edit of my house wishlist! THANK YOU Cassie & crew for the bedframe!!

this weekend we had two great testimonies of healing. #1 a lady at church had a mammogram last week that showed a lump in her breast that had the possibility of being cancerous. she went for further testing, and the second round of tests showed no lump. comparing the two tests, one could see a lump in the first, and it was gone in the second. the second test was after she received prayer for health and healing. #2 diana stender's mother came to church last wednesday for prayer from the elders b/c she does not want to live on pain medication and was asking God to heal her body of pain. she was prayed for, and diana called to give a report on saturday that after receiving prayer, her mother is pain free and has not had to take any medication! is there really anything too small or too great for God?

friday

2009-09-18T08:08:00.000-04:00

today will be a great day! dustin will be home for dinner!! when i looked at the calendar last sunday evening, i knew this would be one of those weeks that i must just get through! three games of soccer, which means late, late nights for dustin. appointments on three evenings, which means later nights for the kids. and the unexpected: titus breaking his leg and having to spend hours at the vet! thankfully, we were able to turn it into an "educational" experience. ;) but, alas...its FRIDAY! i'm not one to rejoice in fridays on my facebook status, but here in the privacy of my own blog, let me say "i'm glad this week is over, and i'm soooooooo happy that its friday!"

today i will meet with my midwife again. i am 17 weeks closer to a homebirth. the idea that i am going to have to take this a week (or even a day) at a time has been great for me. it prevents me from making any concrete long term plans, which is good for my character and patience. i am anxious to hear what she says about my dr. appointment from a couple weeks ago. and hopefully i'll get to tell her all about the midwifery retreat!

i will make crockpot lasagna for supper. that way i can cook when i have my morning energy and then not have to think about it for the rest of the day!

oh...and something i've been thinking about--when my children are grown i pray that i never ever ever forget what it is like to have a young family. i want to be the kind of older woman that titus 2 talks about--teaching younger women to love their husbands and their children, to live wisely and pure and to take care of their homes. i pray that i remember these long days at home with no adult conversation and that i can be the voice of encouragement in a young mother's day. and i want to welcome little ones into my home so that tired moms and dads can take a night out together. so, here it is in writing. i can go back and read and remember what i committed to on today.

last but not least...this is how i love starting the morning: simone in the living room, spinning and singing, "god is great, beer is good, and people are crazy!" you gotta love that girl!! ;)

travelin' tik

2009-09-17T16:35:00.000-04:00

nadia is officially WALKING! i consider anything more than eight steps and a fall followed by the attempt to get up and keep going "official" walking. she is slightly more steady in bare feet than shoed feet. and she is very, very, VERY proud of herself! of course, every step is celebrated with cheers and clapping from her brother and sisters, so nadia has started clapping as soon as she stands up! its the most adorable thing in the world!!

"at your cervix"

2009-09-15T07:45:00.000-04:00

wow!! what a weekend!! i attended the "women helping women" midwifery conference at spruce knob, and my heart is full and my brain even MORE full!! i was the least experienced woman there as far as catching babies, and it was intimidating to be in a room with 50 women who, among them, have delivered literally THOUSANDS of babies!! but, everyone was so welcoming and helpful!

my class the first day was 8 hours of "beginning midwifery skills". i learned how to wash my hands, do diagnostic urine testing, use a fetoscope, check blood pressure, temperature, respirations, pulse, all about female reproductive anatomy, how to measure fundal height, how to feel baby in-utero, charting, informed decision making, and so many other things that i can't remember them to list right now! there is a lot for me to practice, so i need many women that i know to get pregnant so they can be my guinea pigs!! :) (hint hint: virginia, emily, brandy, tina)

after supper we learned about the different pathways to midwifery, and then we had charades and wine. fun times.

day 2 was more classes--some for the whole group and others that we could pick a topic such as post partum hemmorage, post partum care, shoulder dystocia, placenas, etc.

highlights:
+meeting two women whose business is called "at your cervix" LOVE it!
+a ob/gyn from mo-town teaching on post partum hemmorage. what a great class!
+ stuffing plastic women with cateloupe uterus' with plastic and gauze
+many one on one talks with experienced midwives. so much knowledge and experience from which to glean!
+playing with real placentas and learning how to capsulize them
+a divine connection with a doula/student midwife from marietta who is planning to attend my birth
+the game of charades that eventually ended up with wine-filled midwives acting out every word as "orgasm". wow.
+the drive up and down a 10 mile one lane gravel road. definitely almost heaven west virginia.
+carrying my own cup and napkin throughout the weekend in order to conserve wash water.
+feeling a baby within ruth ann's womb as i learned the leopold's maneuvers.
+spending an entire weekend with no tv, internet, radio, phone, etc. how peaceful.
+coming home. i missed my family soooooo much.

who wants to come with me next year????????

flip flip flip flip

2009-09-09T22:35:00.000-04:00

back handspring update: judah can now do a roundoff followed by FOUR back handsprings!! he is unbelievable!

i'm gearing up for a midwifery filled weekend!! tomorrow morning is a meeting regarding "birth choices" in our area of west virginia! yay! i will attend an in-home meeting with the best midwife i know and am anxious to hear her thoughts.

then friday morning i will head to the mountain institute for the 2nd annual "women helping women" midwifery conference. my entire day on friday is a class called "beginning midwifery skills". i am BEYOND excited.

so...in preparation for my big weekend away, i'd better get to cleaning the kitchen. a shiny sink before bed is a must! and then i think i'll start some diapers in the wash. that will give me one more thing to cross off my to-do list. :)

victory

2009-09-08T14:28:00.000-04:00

Judah learned to do his round-off back handspring today!! He asked this morning if he could watch a video on youtube about how to do one. So, I let him watch it. He said if his stomach hurt that meant he could do it, and his stomach HURT. He went outside, and three minutes later he came in yelling, "I did it! I did it!!" A bit skeptical, I went outside to see for myself. And sure enough--HE DID IT! Amazing! I am so proud of him!! A couple of weeks ago he was scared to even try to do a back handspring by himself. We talked about it, and prayed for courage, and today he did what he thought would be impossible--a ROUNDOFF back handspring! Yay Judah!!! :)

week 14

2009-09-03T21:33:00.000-04:00

I spent the first 13 weeks of my pregnancy so exhausted and nauseous that clutter and disorganization around the house hardly bothered me. I know...unbelievable! As long the floor was clean and the dishes were out of the sink, I was happy. And now, at 14 weeks, the weeks of not caring have all compounded into one big weight of "ohmygosheverythingissuchamessandsodisorganizedanddirtyandclutteredandscatteredicanhardlystandit!"

This morning I woke up short of breath, thinking of all the things that need tended to. Its like I'm "nesting" with 26 weeks to go! Yikes! Either I will freak everyone (including myself) out with my psychotic need for clean, or I will somehow settle into a pattern of meticulous organization that will carry me through to baby's arrival. So...today I started in the back of the house--the office, the girls' room, my bedroom. It was a good start, and I am thoroughly exhausted in an i-was-very-productive kind of way! :)

Slacker

2009-09-01T23:03:00.000-04:00

is what i am. sorry virginia!

so...what have i done since my last blog on august 23rd??

i homeschooled the kids on all weekdays. i went to walmart and bought a new dvd player b/c i thought i could live without one, and it turns out that i can't. actually SIMONE is the one who needs it, but its for my own sanity. i went to church. i got sick at church. someone had to drive me home. i felt better by thursday. friday i took cana shopping, and WOW is all i have to say about that! she is hard-core and wore me out. thankfully, she found some "skinny" jeans. mission accomplished. saturday i did nothing but sit and sleep. in the evening we went to choochoos with dad and billie, and then kaycee and i hit the road for some back road adventures to doug's camp in the middle of nowhere. sunday was church again, and i had nursery...baby nursery, which is a little more mellow than toddler nursery. we had a day of visiting with doug, vd, lily, kaycee, mom, scot, emily, and hazel. em gave me a crochet lesson. monday started a new week of homeschooling and laundry. and today i went to the doctor. he told me homebirth for me is "not cool" and that he has to do some "investigating". hmmm... came home for about 15 seconds and packed the kids up to go to dustin's soccer game! they won! it was a good game to be at. now its bed time.

kid highlights:
cana: side ponytail and skinny jeans
judah: reading the bible front to back
eden: pooped in the grass and the dog ate it
simone: prayed at supper "thank you god that mom and dad do not fart in my face."
nadia: yells "GO" after cana says "ready...set..."

Home

2009-08-23T21:35:00.002-04:00

We're home from vacation. I'll post pictures later. We had a great time in Maryland!!

And now that we're home, its back to business, and I am going to make an online list of my "House Needs/Wants" as of today, August 23rd, 2009. I have done this before, and it is always fun to go back and see how the items have come to be crossed off--some we save for, some just appear, some mean that friends or relatives have come to our house to build or help, some show miraculous and supernatural provision, some are great deals that i come across at just the right time. But, some way or another, it seems that every time I make one of these lists, within two years all items have been crossed off!! :)

Here goes...

House Needs/Wants --August 23, 2009

1) roof

2) garage door

3) Simone mattress & bed frame--frame received from Cassie 9/18/09

4) girls' closet doors--mattress purchased--new bed complete!

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

6) refrigerator

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

10) sliding glass door with screen for dining room

11) screen for front window

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

13) vacuum

14) futon frame

Thats all I can think of for now. Good night.

Vacation

2009-08-21T07:41:00.000-04:00

This weekend the Turners will be on vacation. On day 1 we will drive four hours and then take the kids to eat at an over-priced pizza place with ridiculous games and dancing animals. . Then we will sleep. Then on day 2 we will take the metro to the Smithsonian followed by a picnic lunch at the Washington Mall. If there is time, the kids would also like to meet the president. No problem, right? Later on day 2 we will most likely relax on meme's patio and watch the kids play in the yard. Or maybe we'll go fishing. And then some more sleep (yay!). On day 3, we will return home, stopping along the way at the Fossil outlet for a new purse and the Stride Rite outlet for Tik and Simi shoes.

I am also thrilled to announce that we have a new member in the Turner household--a 4 month old Jack Russell. He and Nala (big sister dog) are GREAT friends, and I hope and pray this will make her want to stay HOME. I think she's always wanted a little brother. I do not have any pictures of Nala and Pup together, but I will post some others...

2009-08-20T08:04:00.000-04:00

Good morning Virginia! Since you are one of my #1 fans, I will honor YOU this morning by posting a picture of one of the most adorable babies that I know! Its been almost a year ago that you conceived this little miracle. What a ride, huh? I remember the day I woke up and could NOT stop praying for you to conceive and bear a child. I will never forget the morning I drove in a near panic to Morgantown--convinced that I was going to hear horrible, horrible news, only to be surprised with the news that you were 6 weeks PREGNANT! I can recall the exact moment I saw Lily's heart beating on the ultrasound screen--it was like time stopped, and the faithfulness of God became almost tangible in the room. And Lily's story is just beginning... Enjoy your day with her. :)

A Name

2009-08-16T21:21:00.000-04:00

Dustin, my valiant fighter.

Cana, pure in all her ways.

Judah, praised gift of Jehovah.

Eden, delightful and radiant.

Simone, a child who is an answer from God.

Nadia, hope made flesh.

Each name holds special meaning. The power of a name is amazing. Do we become our name or can a name truly come from the heart of God and be destined for a person? ?The second is possible I suppose if we believe that the same God that knew the prophet Jeremiah before he was in his mother's womb also knows each one of us. Is it a coincidence that the name Levi Abbott means "a man united with God the Father" and was given to my son who now rests in the spirit of God before we ever knew his flawed body would be incompatible with life on this earth?

I wonder about this life that is now growing in my womb. Who is he? Who is she? What name will this one carry?

School Postponed

2009-08-12T09:32:00.000-04:00

I'm three days late getting started on our school year. Start date was Monday, August 10th. But upon my morning review of my bank account, I discovered three unauthorized charges that had to be dealt with. I spent three hours on and off the phone with the bank and the "company" that is charging me nearly $100 for a mystery "subscription". It all ended with a cancelled bank account and the customer service guy for this fabulous company telling me that he is "sorry" i'm so "stupid" and "its not the 70s anymore". yeah...nice.

Why not start school on the 11th? I don't know...just something weird about starting on a Tuesday. So0000...I guess we'll start NEXT week. :) Thats the beauty of homeschooling, although not an advantage to be abused. Thankfully I am anally scheduled, and I will make sure we get all of this year's work completed. I was starting early so that I can take a month off when Baby is born. Obviously my baby break has just been reduced by a week.

Just the fact that I CAN homeschool is something for which I am soooooo grateful. I'm not paranoid about the bad kids at public school. I have no gripes with the teachers or the "system" of education necessarily. I just want to be with my kids. For this time in their lives, I desire them to be HERE at home where they can combine school work with life skills--academic learning with emotional learning. They are being socialized in our home--learning how to work together with siblings and to appreciate the value of a family. They will spend the majority of their lives being husbands, wives, mothers, and fathers, and in my opinion there is not better place to learn about those roles than right here at home. There is no great debt that I owe nor promise of wealth that would cause me to leave home during these years. I even hesitate to say its my "sacrifice" to be a stay at home mom as I often hear other women saying. Its my calling. Its God's gift to me.

School will start next week, but training is everyday.

Our God Who Heals

2009-08-08T10:01:00.000-04:00

One of the first miracles I witnessed in the life of one of my children was after praying the 128th Psalm. At 4 months old, Cana was a very small 10 pounds with poor muscle development in all of her body. At 6 months, she was referred to a physical therapist who came to our home to work with her. There was not much improvement in the next 6 months. At a year old, her pediatrician suggested that she could have a mild form of cerebal palsy. We came home that day feeling defeated and discouraged. Dustin took out the Bible and prayed the 128th Psalm, and we prayed that Cana would come to be like the olive tree--that she would sit around our table--vigorous and healthy. Within about a week, Cana started crawling. In less than a month, she was standing. In just a few more months, she was walking, and soon she was running!! I would just watch her in awe. Months of physical therapy and very little progress. Within weeks of praying for God to do the impossible in her body, she was nearly caught up to what a normal child her age should be doing. Today she walks and runs...dances and spins...and sits around our table--vigorous and healthy! She remembers this God who healed her tiny body many years ago, and today SHE is the one who believes for teeth to grow in so the dentist won't have to cut slits to make room for them, for her siblings' sniffles and earaches to be healed, for mamas who couldn't conceive to bear children, and for babies who are born with holes in their hearts to live and be whole. Praise to Jehovah Rapha--our God who heals.

The 128th Psalm

2009-08-08T09:57:00.000-04:00

How happy are those who fear the Lord
all who follow his ways
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor.
How happy you will be. How rich your life.
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine,
flourishing within your home.
And look at all those children!
There they sit around your table as vigorous and healthy as young olive trees.
That is the Lords reward
for those who fear him.

May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
May you live to enjoy your grandchildren.
And may Israel have quietness and peace.

Little "Shits"

2009-08-05T17:29:00.000-04:00

No...I'm NOT talking about my kids. Yes, turnersaroundthetable IS a reference to all of us Turners that gather around our table several times a day...for games, to eat, to read, to sit, to do schooolwork, etc, etc. However, the title of this inagural blog is NOT a reference to any of those darlings but rather what one of them said this week.

I took the kids out to the big Tyler County Fair on Monday night. We skipped the barn and went directly to the rides. Big kids on big rides. Little kids on little rides. Same ones over and over and over. At 9:00 I left to take Simone and Nadia home to Daddy so they could go to bed. I could not visit the fair without going through the barn, so we made it our last stop of the night. Simone dearly loved the bunnies and the chicks. She thought the horsies were "soooo cute". But, a cow mooed at her--terrifying her and ending the night.

Fast forward 24 hours to all of us sitting down at the table for last night's supper. Dustin asks Simone, "so, what did like best at the fair?" Simone's eyes got wide, and she said "I wuv the whittle shits...the whittle brown shits were sooooo cute". Dustin nearly choked and said, "the WHAT?", to which Simone replied, "the whittle SHITS". Obvious to ME, she is saying that what she liked best at the fair were the LITTLE BROWN CHICKS.

You never know what you might hear with all the turnersaroundthetable.