A Real Post...

Since my last "real" post, last few weeks of my pregnancy came and went... as well as a few other things. Friday School included.

(Julia in her friday school class with friends.)
I missed a couple of Friday Schools this time around - either from not feeling great or having Jevonna. Personally, it was really a great Friday School term. I have really enjoyed being available to talk to Moms. Sometimes we chat, sometimes we talk Friday School business, sometimes I have the opportunity to minister or be ministered to. It's a good place to be and I'm glad to be a part of it!

(the boys at display night with their chess awards.) Because Rod & I are in charge at FS, I've been trying to lighten my load here & there about FS business. One of the things that would help me out is finding someone to do the newsletter. In March, Julie S. & her daughter Sarah said that they would be willing to give it a shot. So, they did their first newsletter for the co-op in May. I'd have to say that when we printed it and I saw it all nicely done, that for a slight moment in time, I missed doing it. Just for a moment. Since then, I've just been proud at how well they've done & looking forward to their future issues! Thanks Julie & Sarah! I so really so much so appreciate it! Bless you!

(Jedediah with his Star Wars lego display.)
This year, Graduation was on the same night as Display Night. Display night is an evening where we can invite friends and family to come take a look at projects that the kids have been working on throughout the year - as well as introduce them to others who are homeschooling.


(the boys with granddad in front of Rod's chess class display, our Garden club display board and Josiah's artwork display - which you can't really see.)

The boys are wearing their chess awards - each of the won one in their round robin tournament that Rod does during his chess class. Not until I tallied up the class results the night before DN that I realized that ALL 3 were getting awards :D Proud Momma! (Jedediah got gold. Jaden Silver. Josiah Bronze. Jaden is in a different grouping that Josiah & Jedediah.)

(Class of 2010 and their parents.)
This year we had 9 teens graduate! We had a fantastic ceremony at Emmanuel. It was so great to see the kids get recognized as graduates as well as to see the parents of non graduating kids and their kids co-op catch the vision for graduation. Up until the last year or so, I had really stuggled with what I wanted to do with graduation for my kids. I realize that I still have a few years until Josiah is old enough, but still... I wanted him to have a real graduation. Now, we've had a "real" graduation for two years - and I think that it will continue to happen as long as we have graduates at First Class as well as someone who's willing to organize it!

Well, here's to catching up... one of a few posts I'm sure.

Welcome Jevonna Jean!

Welcome baby Jevonna Jean!
(photo: Jevonna, courtesy of sweetpeamemories.com)

I can tell you that I very much like having a baby in the house. Well, I suppose you might be able to tell that already if you know me :D Such a sweet little darling. She's been everything that I dreamed of and more.

What I didn't see coming was how much the kids would take to Jevonna. The way Josiah held her in his arms those first few days.. like she was worth her weight in gold. A moment, a flicker of time, that I could not have ever imagined.

Jedediah has told me quite often since she was born (him being the more practical one) that she was worth all of the inconviences that we have had the last few months. (Mom not entirely being herself, not doing the things that we normally do and me just plain not being around as much because I was napping...)

(photo: Jevonna, courtesy of sweetpeamemories.com)
Since Jevonna has been born, Jaden has found the caretaker part within himself. He has taken to holding her and taking care of her and her needs in a way... that to me wasn't as much of a noticeable part of his character before. He's blooming.

Julia has found that having a baby isn't as easy as she thought it would be. She is a very good big sister. But she often doesn't know what to do with Jevonna when she cries or is fussy or when she just plain is done with playing with her. I keep assuring Julia, that things will settle down. Little Jevonna will get bigger and easier to handle and easier to play with...

(photo: Jevonna, courtesy of sweetpeamemories.com)
Rod is his usual baby self. He has such a knack for his babies! When he holds her (which is just like the other four kids) she settles right down. He knows how to settle down a fussy baby! Jevonna curls up in his arms and settles in like she's known her daddy all along. Hmm, what a beautiful thought.

Me, well, I've come to realize that I am grateful to have another child in our home. I've been tired, sore, frustrated with life, etc. but I'd have to say, when I look into her big blue eyes, that the thing I feel the most is awe - that I was given the opportunity for a relationship with this little being that God has so graciously blessed us with... and it brings tears to my eyes!

She's an amazing little gift from God. Her name means "God's gracious gift."
Welcome little Jevonna Jean ~ We are so glad to have you in our lives!!! Here are a few of my favorite photos that were taken of Jevonna when she was 5 days old. (photos: Jevonna, courtesy of sweetpeamemories.com)

It's a Girl!

It's a Girl!
Miss Jevonna Jean was born on April 8th.

(photo: Rod & Jevonna, courtesy of Shannon, sweetpeamemories.com)
Rod & I were quite surprised to find ourselves the proud parents of another baby girl. For some reason, it just seemed that for so many years that we only made baby boys - and that the Lord blessed us with a baby girl once... could it happen twice?

We love our three boys & I would have welcomed another with open arms. Rod & I didn't find out what we were having until that much anticipated moment in the hospital room - where everyone is waiting for the all important announcement that we've waited 9 months to find out! It's a Girl!

The delivery was the best delivery that i've ever had. And I can say that honestly, since it was my 5th! When we came home from the hospital, I wrote down the different times different things happened, but at the moment, I don't remember all of the specifics.

Around 1:30 pm in the afternoon on April 8th, my water broke. The kids had spent the night at my parents. I had been in to the hospital with false labor the afternoon before - and my parents had said that they would watch them that night.

(photo: Jevonna, courtesy of Shannon, sweetpeamemories.com)
The next day around lunch, Rod & I decided that we should go get the kids & find a place to go take a walk & see if we could get things rolling. A nice stroll somewhere pretty, like Washington Park.

I was laying in bed, pouting, as Rod went to call my parents to let them know we were taking the kids.. Oh, how I just wanted it all over! To have the gem of a baby in my arms and to be on the road to recovery - it was all that was really on my mind. I decided that I would go along with Rod to pick up the kids when I heard what sounded like to me an audible "pop". Hadn't had that experience before. I thought that was odd and sat there for a bit longer. When I got up to go get ready to go ... uh... I stood up and I was dumping water. Water everywhere! I hollered at Rod down the hall - "uh, Rod, call Dad back - my water just broke! We won't be picking up the kids afterall!" YAY! All of a sudden, I was SO excited! Not long now :D

(photo: Jevonna, courtesy of Shannon, sweetpeamemories.com)
Rod & I have a tradition when I go into labor. Once in labor, we have "my last meal" at Taco Bell. My midwife said that she would have allowed me to eat in labor, but it "used to be" that they wouldn't.. So normally, and I guess I can say "normally", when I go into labor, I take a shower, take the kids to my parents (if they aren't already there), eat at Taco Bell and then it's off to the hospital.

This time around, I also had to call all the gals that we invited to the delivery room. Okay, haven't had quite so many around before, but I believe birth is such an amazing experience, that everyone that's had a baby, should be able to see one born... somehow - there's no denying that the beginning of life is such an amazing experience. Simply amazing. So a few of my girlfriends were there!

(photo: Jevonna, courtesy of Shannon, sweetpeamemories.com)
Skagit's updated Labor & Delivery since I had Julia - so everything is so nice & new. I was able to walk the floor while getting things going (opposed to the hall the old hospital had.) And then once I hit 5cm - I went into the jetted tub. Wow, I can honestly say, that if that would have been around in the old days - it would have made such a difference in my labors! Seemed that it cut the pain in half... The only thing I felt bad about, was Rod sitting on a doctors chair next to the tub holding my hand - that often was cutting off the circulation to his. It was just an odd position for him to be in for a couple of hours... but I appreciate his sacrifice :D

At 11:30 pm little Jevonna was born. 8lbs 5 oz and 20.5 inches long. Beautiful little girl! My midwife, Lynette, didn't announce that she's a girl for quite a long pause... It seemed like forever before someone said "It's a Girl!"

(photo: Rod looking at Jevonna, this is one of my favorite pictures that I took of him at the hospital...)
What an amazing experience for me, to be surrounded by family, Rod, Mom, Shannon (sister in law) and friends... Shannon took post birth pictures for me & they turned out so neat! She captured moments that I have experienced but not seen on film. I'm also thankful for Rod, who is so amazing, and somehow walked me through the experience of birth one more time. I felt truly honored that he was so there for me. Thanks Rod, you're so good to me!

Baby and Bunnies

I'm up early once again. I've been up a good portion of the night. Braxton Hicks contractions are making it uncomfortable to sleep. Blah. 7 weeks to go - still too early to deliver. Hopefully, I won't need to stand on my head in order to keep this baby in :D There's more to this story, but i'm not feeling like posting it at the moment... I had an ultrasound last week and all looks good.

Yesterday was our second day of Friday School. I'm always amazed at how nice it really is to see so many of our friends on Fridays. It's a tremendous blessing. And then with everything going on with many of my friends... miscarriage, cancer, another cancer, unemployment all around, a friend lost a parent unexpectedly... I am reminded of my place in the world.

Rod being on unemployment is stressful - but it's not one of the issues that is a matter of life or death. I've found one of the blessings in helping others, caring for others, is that is a distraction from the stuff going on in your own life. I guess that can be good and or bad. I also think that it's good for ones heart!

I'm also amazed at how busy we've been! Rod's been on unemployment about 3 weeks, so honestly, shouldn't we be sitting at home with nothing to do? Oh contrare! Seems like we've been so busy we haven't been able to sit down. Well, for Rod anyway. I've had bouts with being tired... (having this stuff in the middle of the night doesn't help with not taking daytime naps!)

Oh, and for the kids, today was an important day... Josiah wants to breed rabbits or some amimal. Bunnies or birds. Whatever. Over Christmas we got a bunny to replace the one that died in Oct or Nov. The kids are super about taking care of the new one.

Well, a friend of ours who has bunnies was getting rid of some of them today & brought a few to Friday School. Well, I told her that I would be interested in taking one... and then Jedediah set his heart on a different one. So, I caved, and we brought home the one he wanted - an adorable tan little bunny. He was so upset when our Easter bunny died - that when I saw him so excited about picking one out, I couldn't resist letting him do so. I don't know what his name is going to be, but he is a boy. It looks like in the next week or so - we'll be building a real bunny hutch for our bunnies!!

A Shock or Two...

Got a couple of shockers today that really got to my nerves. So have you ever asked yourself, what happens to an empty glass dish that is placed over a burner that's on?? I've always wondered myself...

Josiah was making us all grilled cheese for lunch & he had turned on the wrong burner.. well, there was a pyrex 9x13 clear casserole dish on that wrong burner. He didn't see it - even though it was a clear dish. While he was in the kitchen cooking - the dish exploded all over the kitchen. Boy did I get upset with him! Later, I apologized for getting so upset.

He might as well as dropped the glass dish on the tile floor - it was so loud that I was in the next room and literally jumped. Later, I was just very thankful that no one was hurt. Josiah, amazingly enough, didn't even get scratched.

What I was really upset about wasn't the $20 dish - it was flying pieces of glass - that siblings are often in the kitchen - that he wasn't paying attention - that the stove - isn't a toy - and lastly - cleanup of invisible glass is a miserable experience. No barefeet in the kitchen for a few days. He knows all of that, and yes, mom will still let him make grilled cheese. I may ask him to remove all other pots and pans from the stove first though. He makes fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches...

The other "thing" was Rod got his unemployment package today. Well, to make a long story hopefully short - only 8 of the 12 months that he just worked count. They count the last four months that he was on unemployment as no income and then the first 8 months that he was working under contract - so for his unemployment qualification year - it is lacking his last 4 months of income - so that dramatically affects how much unemployment he's going to be getting. So we sat down and looked at how much he's going to be getting vs. our finances - and I prayed then vegged for awhile. We knew that this day was coming - and really I knew that I no matter what the amount is going to be - that it wouldn't be enough. So I don't know why I feel shocked by it.

On a positive note, baby is growing fine. At 31 weeks I'm 31 cm (tummy measurement) so all looks well there. Apparently, I'm not gaining enough weight. The midwife is okay as long as I'm not loosing weight but I haven't gained a pound in the last two appts... Well, I'm eating - and I can't eat huge meals - there's no room. So, I eat smaller meals - and more of them... And I've been eating cookies (smile) and that hasn't affected my weight... No complaints though, all of my doctors have complained about me not gaining enough weight during pregnancy. And my babies are all 7# & over - so they aren't small!

This pregnancy seems to be going pretty quickly - it's hard to believe that I only have about 2 months left - maybe only 6 weeks! I'm beginning to get bigger, uncomfortably so. I feel baby so much more now. It's feeling more real - which is making me realize that really soon, we're going to have a sweet babe in our arms!!!