26 Weeks

Goodness!! Trying to navigate blogger this morning is terrible! That stinkin counter thing is messing me up. GRRRRR. It's been a busy morning already, and it's not even 9 o'clock.

26 weeks. Check out my 24 week pic to compare.

I am 26 weeks now and more days than not feeling pregnant. Funny, though, there are days I have to look down to remember that I am pregnant. Those days I just don't feel pregnant. But that's ok, I enjoy the reprieve, it will be soon that I'm feeling it every minute of everyday. Baby moves a lot and is very strong. I am already in love with him and can't wait to meet him. I am hoping with this notable change of thought that my postpardum stage will be a lot easier than last time. I've hired a young girl to come work for a few hours a day to keep the house up. That way I can just enjoy sitting nursing, or reading to Nadia, or napping, if I get a chance. In two weeks I'll officially be in the third trimester, I can't believe it!

We decided to go camping with extended family at the end of next week. We are renting a cabin. Everyone else has campers, I just can't do tenting when I am pregnant and it's so noisy for Nadia when she's trying to nap. Not only that, but I worry about her when she's sleeping at night, it gets so cold. It'll be nice to have a private place to get away to. Tents just don't feel private to me.

Then the week after that, my in laws are coming out. I enjoy having them here. That means we gotta get some stuff cleaned up in the basement. I feel like calling someone to watch Nadia all day so that Andrew and I can get stuff done. It feels like things have been piling up left and right since during VBS week. Just for my peace of mind here is my to do list:

• Clean both bathrooms, including tub and shower curtain
• Diapers
• Weed the garden
• Look for potato bugs
• Make guest bed
• Dust
• Dig up/replant bulbs
• Plant sunflower seeds
• Vacuum
• Iron
• Mop hard floors
• Trash cans
• Letters/cards to various people
• Chocolate chip cookies to my helpers
• Recipes to Dad and Aunt
  
• Organize bathroom closet
• Curtains boxed up and moved
• Dishes
• Redd up (for those of you who aren't PA Dutch, or don't read any Amish books, that means tidy up.)
  

I think thats it. I think that's enough.

I got a new treadmill. That's something I've been wanting for a long time. Since I no longer have a gym membership, it's well worth it. Plus hubby said he would use it too. That way I can exercise when I am really big, but not have to worry about being bothered (Do you know how many pregnant women are attacked for their babies?) or about the heat. Plus I can jump on it for 5-10 minutes after the baby is born to rebuild strength and get back into shape. Then, later on, I can start jogging again.

We have finally, after 5 years, taken our cars in for some much needed work done to them. My car only needed brake pads and rotors done. Less than $125. But Andrew's car, whew! That needed lots of work done. Front and rear struts, front brakes, inspection, oil change, some body work for rust. Just over $1000. But better that price than that of a new car. We both get 38 mpg. Can't find that. Then my car needs at least two, if not, four new tires. We'll see. We've been blessed by the garage we found, they do good work fast and for a great price. We are thankful.

And it looks like I'll get to see a good friend of mine at the end of July. Andrew is on a commission that is meeting in our old hometown, so we'll get to spend some time with them.

I've been trying to save money wherever I can. That includes the co-op I am a part of. I travel 45 minutes one way to pick up an order. That's a lot for just a few things. The local healthfood store is able to now get refrigerated trucks in, so I can get my Stoneyfield Yogurt and maybe some of their frozen yogurts in too. I sent the poor lady a laundry list of things I buy from Frankferd Farms to see what her prices are. Even if they are a bit higher I might still go with her because it keeps money here locally, it is a much much shorter drive, so that means I'll save on gas. Plus she gets brown, organic eggs for a super cheap price, cheaper than the walmart ones! And I think she can get me local honey for a good price too. I am also asking her what her prices are on the individual loose teas I buy, to see how she can help me there. I am sending a lot of business her way, hopefully. But it will work out good for both of us in the long run.

My garden is doing really well, and so are the weeds! I've been spending the past week and a half at getting them out. Now it's just maintenance. We've eaten snap peas and have had lettuce for weeks now. Everything is up, although the corn hasn't come up yet, it's been a little cold here for the past few days. I know there are little potatoes, I saw one peeking through the dirt. I need to get clean mulch for them. And the sweet potatoes are doing super! I can't wait till we get squash and tomatoes. Yum, I can taste that supper now.

Nadia's been a trial for a little bit here. She changes her mind constantly on what she wants and then when I think we've got winner, she won't eat it. So I don't give in. She doesn't seem to understand about telling the truth, or maybe she does and thinks that fibbing will keep her from discipline. No, honey, it won't. She's still our sweet girl and we love her to pieces, it's just difficult right now. I think I may have a solution to the potty training issue. If she is running around diaper-less, she notices the need to potty better. I don't think she likes the dirty or wet feeling so much. We'll see. I'll let you know.

Well I'd better get to my laundry list of things to be done. I should say I plan for a nap everyday. I need it and so does my family! Blessings!

VBS and all other alphabet soups

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VBS is so over!! Stick a fork in me, I'm done!! And after the closing tonight I don't even want hubby around. *gasp* that's a first for me! I am an introvert, I am so peopled out I can't take another person around me. I'll pop. There is a young woman at our church, unmarried, but wanting pregnancy and children so badly. Anytime I am around her she pummels me with questions about pregnancy, breastfeeding and EVERY SINGLE TIME WANTS TO TOUCH MY BELLY!! I realize that we older women are supposed to guide and educate the younger women, but my goodness, I couldn't take anymore! I ate too many chocolate chip cookies.

But my kids, they were so good. And I told them so. So sweet and loud singers. I loved them. The one girl asked me if I would be back next year, I told her I would. It's nice to be able to say that. She also came up to me, looked at my protruding belly and in a very small voice said "are you going to have a baby?" I told her I was.

But even after the whole week and getting up and down off the floor numerous times in a 15 min time span, I was caught with the spirit, the thrust of VBS. Lord please let Your word permeate these children. The Word says that His Word will not return to Him void. I pray this on these children. So young, so impressionable, so lovable. Lord let Your remnant come home and praise You once again.

It has been a strengthening passion in me from the Lord about the NEED for believers to be in the Word, devouring the Word, speaking about the Word and meditating on the Word. When I am in prayer it comes up everytime.

My friend, I plead with you, be in the Word. It is our life, our bread, our water. Without it we cannot survive. I don't know how believers do it. I don't know how I did it for years. I truly understand it better everytime I read it. And everytime I read it, I want more.

Do you want true change in your own self? Be in the Word. Change in your marriage? The Word. Your children? The Word. The Word. The Word. I will not apologize for this passion. I believe it is a change agent for the world. I pray you would know this deep and rich blessing which is His Word.

Busy Busy Busy!! And 24 week pic.

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24 Weeks22 Week Pic

We have been extremely busy this past week. Last friday I drove out of state for my best girlfriend's Master's Graduation. It was just me and Nadia. It was hot. Very hot. We stayed in a hotel for the night, went to the graduation ceremony the next day and left directly after. Four hours both ways with just me and the munchkin, well lets just say I was never happier to see my four walls again.

Then on sunday we had our VBS opening. I am teaching the Kindergarten class. I really am enjoying immensely. Although, ours is 7-9 and it is tiring. Nadia usually goes to bed at 8pm, but all this week it's been 9:45 or so. You know, the pastor and his family is the last to go. But she sleeps in and takes a long afternoon nap. I just can't seem to get anything done at home. And we've had great weather for growing. A few good days of sun and hot and then lots of rain last night. So I've been in the garden trying to weed, plant the last of the seeds and tomatoes and just try to get everything in. I have folded laundry and laundry that needs done all over the place. The floor needs vacuuming and bathrooms need cleaned. Kitchen needs mopped and my Aunt and Uncle from Michigan decided they were going to visit for a day or two this week, but they're not sure when they are coming in! My treadmill is being delivered this week and we forgot a car appt for my car for breaks. Ugh!! It has been one busy week.

I did have my midwife appt last week. Did I tell you we are planning on birthing this babe at home? I struggled with actually writing that, I'm not sure who all reads this, but we have a wonderful home birth midwife, who I just love. I feel so at peace. And she does so much more to educate me. I got my records from my previous practice and while she was looking over my labs from earlier in my pregnancy, she noticed that my iron levels were low. And I was never told this before. That explains why I am so tired!! So she told me what to eat to get it back up. I don't eat much red meat, the hormones in it just do a number on me and it expensive. So I've been eating more dried fruit, soy and a tablespoon of blackstrap molasses everyday. Ew. But I do have more energy now. I'm tired, but not fatigued and exhausted. There is a difference I can see. So I'm going to do that everyday and I'm not constipated like I would be if I was taking a supplement. Plus the molasses have B vitamins in them too. I am feeling better.

That's whats been going on at the parsonage these past couple of days. I thought you might enjoy some pics of things around here.

I think we will be putting the corn and cantaloupe in on friday. I'll try to get a pic of everything here soon. Oh! I have peas!

She is so beautiful! I know I am biased.
This is when we were visiting my inlaws over Memorial Day. She somehow got all those balls on her fingers.
Here she is just being goofy.

Look at those dirty feet! And can you see the foot print by her one foot? It is so cute!

Jan 08

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Don't worry, this is an old old pic of me right when I got pregnant for a forum I'm a part of. Just ignore it. Wait till Wednesday for a pic of what I look like right now. I'm much bigger trust me.