My sweet boy.....

Malachi is one of my most affectionate children.  I can't leave to go running in the morning without getting a kiss and a hug.  The other night I was sitting on the couch and he sat down next to me, hugged my stomach and said......

"You are just a big bubble full of love."  ~ Malachi

Last days and a recipe....

I went to see my midwife on Monday.  Things are progressing, but no baby yet.  I am not technically "due" until somewhere after the 1st of Feb.  Early ultrasounds showed as late as the 7th, although I think it is around the 3rd.  My last two came a week early but this one might not!  I am really peaceful about going longer.  I want the baby to be healthy and if that means another week of pregnancy that is fine with me! :o)

 

The other day we were all wanting something sweet.  I found this recipe on the Internet and because it called for ingredients that we tend to keep on hand we made it.  I will share the original recipe and then tell what I changed and what I would change if I did it again.  It wasn't wonderful, but it was good and it was easy! We actually liked them better the next day when they were harder.

Easy Chocolate Chip Oat Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 c of all-purpose Flour
• 3/4 c packed light brown sugar
• 1 c of quick-cooking oats
• 1/2 c of softened butter
• 1 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 c of semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Optional: chopped nuts, butterscotch chips, or peanut butter chips

Directions:
1. Combine the flour, brown sugar, oats, and butter until it makes a crumbly mixture.
2. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture for the topping.
3. Press firmly into a 9×13 glass baking dish.
4. Evenly top with the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and other optional toppings.
5. Bake for 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
6. Top with the reserved crumb topping and bake an additional 15 minutes until lightly brown.

Ok... here is what I did.  I used fresh ground whole wheat, sucanat instead of brown sugar, and our optional toppings were chocolate chips, walnuts and coconut (I love coconut!)  If I were to make these again I would cut the flour back 1/4 cup.  The topping was too powdery.

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McKenzie made two new muffin recipes today.  One of them was a lemon iced muffin that was to die for!  Maybe she will post the recipe on her blog.  Can you tell that sweets are my thing right now?  I can't eat much at this point and all I want is fruit and sweet stuff. :o)
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We are in the middle of a severe thunder storm as I type this.  I tend to have more contractions in the evening.  I am praying that this baby does NOT decide to come tonight! 
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Oh, and one more crazy thing that someone said to me the other day!  We had taken the girls to a farm to look at a horse to possibly buy.  She made a comment about the girls and asked if I knew what this baby was.  I went on to tell her that we had three boys at home.  She said,  "So this is your seventh!?  Please tell me you are a blended family and you didn't birth that many!"  The irony of her thinking it a bigger deal that we would actually have seven children together than if we were divorced and some of the children were from previous marriages.  I just laughed and said that I had birthed them all and that they had the same daddy! :o)  It is funny that in some circles we are an oddity, but in others our family is pretty average! :o)
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Ok, it is only 8:30, but I am going to go take a shower and climb in my bed.  I am 9 months pregnant and I CAN do that! :o)

Oh, the things they say...

I am always amazed at the things that people feel free to say when they find out we are expecting again.  Some of the comments are funny and some are down right rude!  It almost seemed like going from #4 to #5 I got the most comments, or maybe I was more sensitive back then! :o)  

I wish that I had written down the comments all along, but I thought before the pregnancy is over I would write down a few.

I think one of the funniest this time was from an old man down the road.  We live out in the country, and I have always run up and down our road.  There is a man that walks most mornings when I am out running.  I knew from his reactions with the last two babies that he thought it was odd that we were having more children.  I decided around week 18 that I needed to go ahead and break the news to him since my stomach was obviously growing!  I stopped one morning and said,  "Well, Mr.____ we are having another one." He very slowly and with zero expression said,  "Oh............ wow............... congratulations."  I know it was painful for him! :o)

Another old man down the street (the one that calls us the tribe) actually didn't act surprised.  He is however, very concerned about me running until the end.  He hollered at me the other day,  "Should you still be doing that?"  I have lots of old men looking out for me! :o)

One day when I was at Publix the young guy taking my groceries out for me asked me if I was having my first.  When I told him it was number seven he said,  "Wow, you must really like kids!"  

An old lady at a church we visited looked at all of the kids lined up in our pew and then at my stomach and said,  "You just start over and over and over."

I guess the one that is the most irritating is when people say,  "Don't you know what causes that?"  Usually men say it to Marc, but this time a man said it to me.  That was a little awkward!

Thankfully, most people are sweet.  After all, we aren't asking anybody to pay for or raise them for us! :o)

Knowing that I could go into labor any day now, McKenzie took some pictures of me last night.  I wasn't feeling like doing it at all, but I know I will be glad that I have them.  I have felt really good up until this week.    I am worn out by the evenings and my belly gets really sore.  I know it will be over soon and I am trying to cherish every minute.  My favorite time is at night watching all of the movements!

 Bathroom mirror self-portrait this morning. :o)  My belly is getting on out there!

Busted!

Randomness...

Every time I get my camera card cleaned off, one of my children gets their hands on it and I end up with a hundred or more pictures on it!  It is fun to look at the pictures that they take, but overwhelming going through them and deciding what to keep/print/delete.  I love my Walmart account! :o)  The following pictures  were mostly taken by Mariah. :o)

 Pecans!  We had a bumper crop this year and the kids have worked really hard.  We have a freezer FULL of them and they have sold some to put money up for vacation.

 The pecan trees are so much prettier when they are full of green leaves.  I can't wait for spring!

 Candy

 McKenzie- soap making

 Myles

 My goofy "big kids". :o)

 Madeline

Sanctity of Human Life

Today was Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, and the pastor at the church we have been visiting preached on that this morning.  The message today has had me pondering "life" in general and how as a society there is no respect for human life.  I found it ironic that my mother, who had lived her last years as a director of a crisis pregnancy center, spent her final days under the care of doctors that clearly didn't value her life.  We had one doctor ask her,  "You want to die?" when my mom was trying to say,  "I want to live."  It was gut wrenching and eye-opening at how far we have come as a society.  I thought the following was a good quote and shows how much the mind-set has changed.

"If you look at history, ancient cultures held the elderly with a high regard. The elderly had knowledge of the past, the present, and the future. The people of those cultures turned to them for information to make good choices and to help mold the next generation. When did we start to turn away from our elderly and treat them as a hindrance instead of a strong part of who we are?"

And this...

"Our parents brought us into this world. They raised us, clothed us, fed us, and put a roof over our heads. Isn't  the least we can do is to keep them company in old age? Our government stepped in to be “helpful” and we now have Social Security payments and Medicaid for the elderly but because of those interventions I think it gave generations an “OK” to wash their hands of the elderly. It seems to be society has turned their heads from them and they are forgotten."

I have told my older children that the most important "ministry" opportunities are usually the least glamorous.  The ones where there is nothing in it for you.  McKenzie has befriended a grumpy old man down the street.  She has won him over in the last year by baking things for him and visiting him.  He used to think our family was odd and called us "The Tribe".   He now thinks she is wonderful and they enjoy talking about gardening.  Another ministry opportunity that my girls do is visit a small nursing home in our town.  The residents are so lonely and soak up the time that they spend with them.  We have been amazed at the ones that have children that don't bother with them at all.

Now in our own family, since the death of my mom,  my dad needs us more. We don't know what the future holds for him, but I hope that my children will learn to sacrifice and that life doesn't revolve around them.

"You shall stand up before the gray head and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:13

So, while today's focus was on the unborn, I think we should value life at all stages.

Homeschooling Advice from Michael Farris

I came across this article and thought it was too good not to share. :o)

http://www.crosswalk.com/family/homeschool/encouragement/10-lessons-i-ve-learned-from-thirty-years-of-homeschooling.html

^"You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up."  Deuteronomy 11:19

Bedroom Makeover....

We have been busy trying to get projects done around the house.  I have been in nesting mode for over a month!  In December, Marc got a new pistol.......... and I got to re-do our bedroom! :o)  I didn't think to take before pictures, but here are the after ones.

 The walls were mustard yellow before and the bedding was a dark floral. I was REALLY tired of it!  The walls are khaki now and the bedding is a light olive green.  We still want to replace the ceiling fan.

The kids bought the above picture for Marc for his birthday.

  McKenzie talked me into the pillows.  She wants to try to make one of the white ones for her bed.

Another cool sign from Hobby Lobby.  I love that store!
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Baby update..........
Went to see my midwife yesterday and everything is good.  I am already starting to dilate. :o)  I know.... I can walk around like that for weeks, but it still made me feel like there is some progress!  The baby is low and head down now.  That was a concern for a while because it seemed to like to lay off to the side a little bit.  I lost a pound, which was just fine with me! :o)  My belly feels very big and sore by evening.  In some ways I am ready for it to be over and in some ways I am cherishing every minute.  I have long hard labors and I am really dreading it.  Several of my babies have had little "glitches" at birth, so I am a little anxious about that.  It would be really nice for everything to go smoothly this time!
Thanks for the name ideas!  I think we have narrowed it down to about four. :o)
I will update as I have more news!

Four more...

weeks until we meet our new little one.   Everyone is getting excited.  We still don't have a name! I have a feeling we may not until the baby is here!  

I went to see my midwife this past Friday.  She has me coming every week now.  It is hard to believe I am in the home stretch!  The baby clothes and blankets are washed and ready.  McKenzie and Madeline have both made some things.  Not having a grandma to make things now makes it very special that the big sisters are taking over. Madeline took some of my mom's old flannel baby fabric and made a rag blanket.  McKenzie made a blanket and monogrammed it for me and she made some burp rags.  Two sweet friends have given me baby equipment to use.  I had gotten rid of a lot of my stuff so that was a huge blessing!  Everything is ready......... except the name! :o)

 My feet have disappeared! :o)

Mariah told me I looked like a purple grape. :o)  Matthew said,  "She just needs a stem!"
 I still feel pretty good but by evening my stomach is tired.  The baby's foot stays pushed out at the top and it feels bruised by the evening.  I am trying to soak up these last days. "M" name ideas are still welcome! :o)

Birthday Celebrations

Matthew came home at lunch time the day of his birthday from scout camp  He wasn't supposed to have to work that day, but his boss called him in.  I hated that he had to work on his birthday, but he is quickly learning that is life! :o)  We baked his cake, cooked the dinner he requested and had everything ready when he got home that evening.  McKenzie decorated the car to go pick him up. :o)   He was loading feed for a customer when she got there and he just shook his head when he saw it.  :o)

 Love the adoring look from Malachi.  He thinks that "Bubbie" is the greatest! :o)

 Myles loves to "help" blow out the candles.

 Lots of ammo for his birthday!

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The very next day we celebrated Mariah's tenth birthday.  Ten is the big year that Marc lets the girls get their ears pierced.  Nothing magical about ten,  he just likes to put it off as long as he can.:o) He was a little sad taking her, but she was super excited! :o)

 The next stop was Cold Stone for ice cream!

 Catching daddy with his nose stuck in his phone. :o)

It is always a little bit sad when another birthday passes.  They grow up way too fast.  Sigh............

Happy Birthday, Mariah!

Ten years ago today, in the wee hours of the morning the Lord blessed us with a sweet baby girl.  She has brought so much joy and laughter to our family.  Mariah is a fun, energetic, sweet, and hardworking girl.  She can jump in and get a job done when needed.  She loves to give gifts and often will get things from her room to give away. 

When she was born a friend brought this "Happy New Year" crown to her.  Every birthday I have taken her picture with it on.  Here is her first picture with it on...........

 

and now at ten!

"The Lord bless you
and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26

We love you Mariah!