Another update

Some of you may remember my prayer request for Kim who was facing prem labor. Well her son, Matthew Isaac, has arrived weighing all of 2 pounds! They are still in need of prayers, it is worth reading about their adventures so far so click here for the web site.

Erin:
has decided that she is going to be a nurse when she grows up. She wants to be a special type of nurse called a midwife that helps mummies and babies at the moment. We were discussing the different types of nurses and I mentioned that Nana Julie is a special type of nurse called a "Psychiatric Nurse" and she takes care of people whose minds and hearts are sick, sad and confused (explaining mental illness to a less-than-three-year-old isn't easy!). Instantly she replied "Oh, I'm sad and confused!" LOL Last night while I was lying on the floor she came over and started gently pressing my tummy with the flat of her fingers like she has seen the midwife do, it was very cute! She has developed a fear of the dark which I suspect is partially her age and partially people talking over the top of her head asking if she is afraid of the dark etc. because it started just after someone did that. At the age of nearly three, she is very open to suggestion. We are going to get her a little night light but for now we leave Jon's study light on across the hall. Hopefully, she will just get over it soon.

Billy:
is walking well and truly now, pretty much running at times! It is amazing the change that brings about, he is definately a little boy now not a baby anymore. He has his two top molars coming through at once. He has one nap now instead of two (11am-1pm). He is verbalising well, even if there aren't many actual words ("Dada" - Daddy, "quack" - duck, "woof" - pretty much anything with fur, "EEEEEE!!" - Erin, "MMMMMM!!" - Mummy, I'm annoyed. "bbbbrrrrr" - elephant, "bruuuummm" - I'm playing with a car or truck, "OOOOOOOOTTTT!!!" - I can hear a train going past outside, and many, many more). He eats a huge amount and still enjoys a few serves of boobie juice a day but there isn't an ounce of fat on him. That is what happens when you go non-stop I guess!

The Littlest Bubba:
is growing well, moving lots and seems very happy and healthy. Other than some lower back/hip pain I am doing really well too. I've started knitting a little pink hat just in case of a girl and we're counting down to the 30 week mark at which point I will start preparing clothes and bedding :) We just have to arrange someone to take the kids while bubba is actually being born. We may have to take them into Launceston with us and have someone meet us at the birth centre. If this one is a 4 hour or less labor like Billy was I don't want to be giving birth on the side of the road so we have limited time to wait for anyone to come out to our house to watch the kids.

The house:
is now getting back on track after an extended period of neglect. I am banned from novels and story books of any kind for a while as I have NO self control and the children and house were neglected badly while I finished a trilogy in about two weeks (about 3000 pages all up!). Routine is the key to getting it back in line and it is amazing what just a day or two of proper routine can do! Home making isn't about being perfect all the time, it's about being able to get back on track after a detour - that's what I tell myself anyway! There are telling signs of neglect on the children though in that they will try and get away with things that they wouldn't have before because they got used to Mummy being stuck in a book and not paying attention!

The Garden:
is getting pruned to within an inch of it's life! Jon is getting the chainsaw out to do some of the roses soon, which should tell you just how overgrown things are. I have started weeding the green house which is chock a block full of chick weed. It should make nice compost.

Big Projects:
We have moved a great big table into my craft room which has ment that I have had to re-arrange the craft room. But I do have some fabric out and definate plans of getting started on a beautiful quilt for Erin that I have been mulling over for about four months now. I also want to finish a doona cover and pillow case that I started last year so it is ready for her birthday.

Jess

photos

Some new pics, more in the photo albumLooking at the chooks on a sunny winter's day

Only she can make a bad hair day look this good!

I'm Your Sparrow

Written about three years ago when I was under a fair bit of strain. Based on the scripture Matthew 10:29-31

I'm Your Sparrow

You said You’d never leave me nor forsake me

You said You’d count the hairs upon my head

You said that You would even see the sparrow fall

Well

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

God, I’ve forgotten how to pray

No words left, nothing to say

Only groans and whimpered pain

‘cause

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

Lord, they’re telling me that I should pray

But I don’t know how or what to say

‘cept “God it hurts, take it away”

And

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

I’ve heard my friends extol Your worth

Water to wine and virgin birth

In seven days created earth

Well

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

I’m not asking for miracles

Angels with swords to cure my ills

For fire from heav’n or magic pills

But

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

So hold me close and soothe my pain

And carry me ‘till I walk again

And my life will never be the same

Because

Lord, tonight, I’m your sparrow

And I’m falling

prayer request and update

Urgent Prayer Request

A woman whose blog I have been reading for quite some time that has been a great source of inspiration to me is hospitalised 1.5 hours away from her family with baby #9. She is expected to remain there until bub is born and perhaps for a time afterward (she is due almost the same time I am). Please pray for her and her family.

Now on to our family...

Erin:
is still obsessed with human anatomy and is asking more questions every day ("Where does the water go when you let the plug out Mummy?" "What's inside the light Daddy?" "What's inside Billy?"). It is a wonderful challenge to keep up to her active mind. She has another scripture added to her memory verse caterpillar which is now adorning the wall above the kitchen/lounge room door. She is also enjoying Billy's birthday presents!

Billy:
had his twelve month jabs today and was very brave. He is eating enough for ten men and his knees are calloused from crawling. I have sprung him practising walking short distances when nobody is watching so I think walking is not far away. He loved his first birthday with cake and presents (yes, photos are on the way) and has learned to make car noises as he pushes his toy cars along.

Littlest bubba:
is happy and active and I can't wait for him or her to arrive! Erin is determined that this one is a girl and if I had to guess I'd agree :) Newborns are in serious danger of being kidnapped around me at the moment!

The house:
is looking great! Mum came and slay the laundry monster for me (it took her all week and a trip into town to use the laundromat dryers but she did it!) for which I am SO thankful! She also bought me a new crock pot! I still use the old one for some things with foil over the top so it is almost like having two which is brilliant (one for veg, one for meat or one for breakfast porridge and one for tea - the possibilities are endless!). There has been sunshine for the last few days (after sub-zero nights) so for the first time ever the lounge is devoid of both clothes horses and boxes! It feels so bare! I have also started stocking up the freezer ready for the very pregnant months.

The Farm:
Yet to see any eggs but the chooks are looking very fat! Garden needs some work though.

Big Projects:
ALMOST finished unpacking. Billy's birthday is out of the way now and Mum killed the laundry monster - surely this means some free time soon???

Jess

He Came to Me

I mentioned that I will be adding to theis Blog beyond the normal updates. I wanted to add some encouragement for other Mums in my position and discribe the way I manage my home as I have gained so much from reading other blogs that do this. I wrote this months ago and it has been sitting on my computer ever since. I think it is time to release it to cyber space!

He Came to Me

I am blessed to have two small children and even more blessed to be able to stay at home and be their primary caregiver all day.

This is a wonderful and awesome task. Both the children are beautiful, vibrant personalities, and both have a solid dose of their father’s and my stubbornness and temper! When you are two and a half (as my daughter is) this makes for a tumultuous time as the “drama tiara” comes out on a regular basis! My son, who is seven and a half months, growls when things don’t go his way. I hadn’t known that 6 month olds could have temper tantrums until I met him!

The daunting task of shaping these traits into strength of character is an all day event, it is no wonder I feel the need for prayer on a daily basis!

Therein lies a problem. I can fall asleep anywhere, anytime. As I sit at my desk or kneel down for prayer now days, it seems very common for me to wake up about an hour later, stiff and sore with a little wet patch where I drooled in my sleep!

This is frustrating to say the least. At a time in my life when I need my connection with God on a daily basis more than ever, I was falling asleep every time I tried to connect!

I tried going to bed earlier, and found I never spent time with my night-owl Beloved.

I tried getting up later and found that my house was soon in ruin.

I tried doing both and THAT was a disaster.

Extra vitamins, more water, more exercise, none of it helped. Still, every time I got on my knees or sat at my desk to pray, I would sink into a deep sleep.

I cried out to God silently as I chopped onions for dinner “Am I lazy? Undisciplined?? You and I are usually on such good speaking terms! I want that time just You and me Lord. I want that time to fill up so I can give to my family.”

The next day I got out of bed, I made my Beloved’s lunch and ironed a shirt, I unloaded the dishwasher and grabbed the dog lead to walk the dog – just another chore; one that I had been neglecting lately which my lumbering beast reminded me of with her enthusiastic lick.

We headed out along the footpath, the river bathed in the golden light of a new day, the water birds swooping out over the water.

And all of a sudden, there He was. Walking beside me. “You’ve wanted to talk to me?” He said “Well here I am!”

So we talked. I thanked Him profusely for my beautiful family, such a blessing to me. I asked Him how I should manage things better. I asked His blessings and sang His praises.

Then, as I put my dog back and hung up her lead, I realized that I had spent that time with my Lord, and I haddn’t even yawned. He met me where I am. He came to me, and all I had to do, was ask.

Quick update today. My kitchen is calling me!!

Erin:
has been a little 'off' (sleeping lots, very tired, off her food etc) so we took her to the doctor today. He gave her a clean bill of health other than a bit of a virus. Of course, she started picking up this morning didn't she!! She is still sleeping (got sent to bed at lunch time, if we are too tired to use table manners we are too tired to be out of bed!) at the moment though and I am thinking we will take things fairly slow for a while.

Billy:
is still faking that he can't walk - crawling is just too efficient! I am not too stressed though. He is just taking full advantage of each developmental stage!! No rush. He can do the actions to some of the songs we sing during songs and prayers in the morning which just melts me. Anyone who says a baby his age can't be taught to obey etc. hasn't spent time with this boy! He CAN clearly learn to obey (if he can do the actions to "Running Over"!) he just needs me to be a bit firmer and more consistant!

Littlest Bubba:
is being very well anticipated! I put the basinette in my study this week and took out all the stuff that was inside it. I have managed to restrain myself from putting on blankets and sheets or sorting and washing clothes.

The House:
is almost completely taken over by laundry at the moment. There is a mountain range of washing waiting to be washed and two clothes horses full in front of the heater. The joys of a Tassie winter mean that washing does not get completely dry outside very often, even on fine days, and I am trying to restrict the use of the dryer because of the power bill. Kitchen is slowly being reclaimed after getting to "bomb site status" (a day or two without full maintainance takes a week or two to fix!) and I will be needing it with Billy's birthday comming up and a Church Lunchon and my freezer in dire need of a top up! Not to mention I should start preparing for those last few weeks of pregnancy when I won't want to move let alone cook a gormet meal each night!

The Farm:
Grizzy has a new home which was very sad for us but for the best. The chooks may even lay now! The garden is crying out for some attention.

Big Projects:
Still unpacking....... We will get there one day!

Jess

Erin:
napped Wednesday for the first time in ages. She still isn't completely recovered from her cold and a few disturbed nights have gotten to her. It was strange to go about the house just Billy and I and I found I missed her! She has reached the stage of continual chatter and questions which can be a little wearing at times, but over all is fantastic. She is wonderful with Billy (most of the time!) and when we went to have the Ultrasound the week she was riveted to the screen to look at our new baby. When we stopped in to see my midwife Erin informed her that "Jesus put our new baby in a special bag in Mummy's tummy called a womb!" :D

Billy:
is still only walking in short spurts, finding that crawling is faster at the moment. But he is so proud of every achievement he makes. He is thrilled with the fact that he can clap hands, wave and play peek-a-boo. As strong willed and vocal as ever he yelled all the way through our Ultrasound this week (it was 8am and we didn't have a chance for breakfast beforehand!) but brightened up once he had some food in him. He has been 'helping' me unpack the spare room/my study today which has been lovely.

The Littlest Bubba:
has all ten fingers and toes in the right places - according to the ultrasound anyway - and there is only one in there. I have rounded out a lot over the last week or so and bubba is much more active (the bed-shaking kicks have started!). I am slowly easing away from the fantasy of this being a "quiet" baby!!

The house:
is much more unpacked with my study about 60% done, the lounge, bathroom, kitchen and kid's rooms clear of boxes and the pantry sorted out. Laundry has breed out of control as the washing machine is acting up and with the wet weather I am unable to get things dry. So we're running out of clothes!! My crock pot lid has bit the dust, it smashed when it was dropped on the floor, and I'm not game to do many dishes in there with only foil over the top. I miss it terribly!!

The 'Farm':
is now minus one chook due to my dopey dog :(. As she has persistantly harassed chooks (ours and the neighbours) since we got here she is going to have to be re-housed which breaks my heart but it isn't fair on her to be kept in a small run, only let out for walks on a leash, for the rest of her life. We still have grand plans and have done a bit of weeding etc in the green house but the wet weather and the to-do list inside has kept us busy!

Big projects:
It has become apparent that even knitting doesn't keep me awake in front of the TV so the jacket has stalled yet again! I have got some more sewing supplies - now to set up my sewing room!

Jess

News Flash

HE WALKS!!!!!

4-5 steps in a row at this stage, I expect he will be sprinting the quarter mile by the end of the week LOL

Well here I am, take two on this entry (computer ate the last one!). House is controlled chaos, but the controlled part is progress so I guess I shouldn't complain! I am just going to make time to blog today.

Erin:

is lovely! She's learning scripture at the moment and has almost got John 3:16 down pat (still needs a little prompting sometimes) and has started on Genisis 1:1 today. This led to a quick coaching session on the pronounciation of "created" and a discussion of "beginning" and "created" and the meanings thereof. She is still my best helper and I'd rather have her assisting me on many tasks than most adults!


Billy:

otherwise known as destructo-boy has broken a quiche dish and climbed every item of furniture imaginable (he can hang off tables by only his arms and often does 'chin ups'!) but still declined to walk today - in spite of the fact he can stand up, sit down and stand dancing on the spot. I think he just thinks crawling is faster. This same little boy who can drive me to the edge of distraction can charm me in a moment with a giggle, grin or hug. Sunday morning the kids were settled and I jumped back into bed with Jon for a moment. I got caught up listening to an article on the radio and Erin came to find us. I asked "Where's Billy Sweetheart?" She answered "Oh, eating butter, I'll go get him." Lesson learned, butter now kept on a higher shelf!

The Littlest Bubba's:

movements can be felt (and seen!) from the outside now. My waist band often suffers assaults from the inside if bubba considers them too tight. We are booked in for the Ultrasound next week and now that we are moved I am looking forward to preparing for the arrival of this new child.

The house:

As I said, is controlled chaos. The weather has prevented an all out assault on the laundry but we have called an uneasy truce. It stays in the hamper or laundry, I don't bring in the flame thrower. The kitchen is just made for cooking in and I have been making a point of having each evening meal be an occassion. We often have candles and my crock pot has been working overtime, especially as I often use it to make apple and cinnamon porridge for breakfast! (pop it in the night before and yum!).

The "farm":

is fantastic with the chooks doing great, although we are yet to see an egg. The breed is "Brahama" and apparently they are great for cold weather. We planted some bulbs yesterday and picked some tomatoes from the green house. I have grand plans, it is just a matter of time, energy and money!

Big Projects:

Erin's jacket is still growing away, I need to knit to keep myself awake at night in front of the TV. The craft room is starting to look like it may be ready for craft sometime soon too which is exciting. The usual nesting, creative hormones are buzzing around and I have grand plans of decorating the house, clothing the children (and me!) and finishing the un-finished object (UFO) stash that I boxed up and brought with me from the old house.

I had better keep moving!

Jess

Quick Update

I have about a billion e-mails to attend to and I am on dial up at the moment so this will be short and sweet - sorry!

We are here and all well. Kids and animals are doing well - Billy is taking the odd step and Erin has put in an order for a black baby sister (the husband hunt seems to be on the back burner with the more pressing issues of feeding chooks and Mummy trying to explain the genetics of skin colour taking precedent).

The laundry is quietly breeding and planning a global take over as we speak and if it joins forces with the growing pile of empty cardboard boxes in the dining room- I'm sorry folks but kiss your loved ones goodbye, it is all over.