the last two weeks...

...have been way more crazy than I would prefer!

Thought I would take a few minutes to write a bit. Of course, a few minutes will end up taking longer than I think just as everything else seems to be taking longer. Heck, even turning on the computer took longer as it did some wonky thing.

Things just seem more crazy and busy but really, I am not sure they are. 60-75% of the time everything is just going along and doing it's thing, then there are these moments of just plain ahhh and tension and it feels like things are exploding. We've had doctor appointments, VBS, getting ready for the fair, the bili blanket, something new will come out of the garden that needs to be cleaned or frozen, Brian was behind on some work...things here and there just add up. And then of course you throw in feedings every few hours. It feels like there is always something going on, something to be done but then you look back on the day and wonder just what got accomplished!

The kids for the most part have adjusted well to Charles. But let's face it, then do know they are getting a few extra jobs added on and there is a little less time for what they want to do. Myron and Henry are too interested in Charles sometimes, and of course at the same time so they have to argue about everything including who gets to sit where. There seems to be a lot more of that overall-just attitudes and "disagreements" about toys, chores, getting to do what they want. And with Brian gone sometimes all I can do is yell down the stairs. As you can imagine that is REAL helpful.

I was planning to start school next week, but I am not sure. I may just start Cybil so we can navigate a week of high school without having to do the younger kids' stuff too. It may take more than a week to figure out her rhythm, then we'll plug the others in. We are starting piano again, this time all 4 girls, so that is an afternoon away. We have a home school co-op that meets every other week so that is another afternoon, Joe has occupational therapy one day a week, so that will be another afternoon where I have to go somewhere. We're just not used to that. I can't imagine if they had after school activities most nights too...

It seems we are a family that just needs structure. Not that everyday at 10 am we do this or that, but the kids seem to do much better when we at least have a routine order. Breakfast, pickup, school until noon, lunch, finish school, etc. While they enjoy their free time, they do end up getting bored. There is only so much house and yard work that needs to be done, and with so many helpers it just doesn't take very long. It's been great for Cybil and Mariah to work with Brian some, but it is not quite part of the routine. So while it's good, it also seems to get us out of sorts. Someone asked Mariah if she was ready to start school yet and she said yes!

And yes, I am being hard on myself. Just like they say you "forget" much about labor and delivery after your baby is born, I think you forget the adjustment period afterwards too! It's hard to remember and compare though because after each kid you have different ages, different seasons and different jobs that it is hard to compare and keep expectations real.

pics soon

We're working on getting a new rhythm, so pics will be coming soon. Kids 3-6 had VBS this week in the evenings so we were a little busy, plus two mornings of dr. appts. pretty much took the whole day up. Charles was at the top level of acceptable for bilirubin levels, so he had two days in this "bili blanket". Not really a blanket at all! But it worked and his numbers were down so things are good. I had a hard time getting him awake to eat and stay awake-who wants to wake up when you got this nice warm "blankie" around you all the time?? Now that he is off it he is eating much better, so that of course is good as he needs to start gaining weight now!


So, more pictures from the hospital and our "labor story" will be coming soon!

:-)

Don't forget to keep voting for Cybil and Mariah's room...

VOTE!!!

Cybil & Mariah need to get their room updated! Vote at the link to the left here to help us win! Thanks!

(Apparently you can vote...a lot. Like once per hour. 'Cuz you really have nothing else to do, right???)

Charles Everett is here!!

Here is a link the the hospital's baby nursery page with a few first photos of Charles!
More to come once we make it home later today, and then I am sure I will write up his "baby story" for you to enjoy :-)

Yesterday I had a few errands to do in town, despite the nasty heat and humidity. First on the list was a quick pickup at the post office. Well, it should have been a quick pickup. I saw a small package from a gal in Minnesota that I knew had just been in Zambia. I thought maybe she had taken a few pictures to send us. Instead I opened the package to letters from our sweet students in Zambia! What a blessing and thrill. I turned the car off (no A/C anyway) and sat in the heat and let the sweat and tears mingle as I read their letters of thanks, encouragement and blessings to our family. It was soooo wonderful. One of them sent a snap of himself, a few sent a greeting card that they had painted themselves. It was all so sweet.
We have occasionally sent them a family photo, some of the kids art work, some updates through friends going over for a visit. Last summer the kids used "work money" to buy each of the first 12 students a bible cover. They didn't make it that summer and so they were suppose to get them while in the States last fall. We never knew if they actually got them, so it was nice to hear that they did receive them and that they were using them to keep their Bibles looking "sharp".
I always get a kick out of their writing. For one, it is generally very beautiful-some of those guys have the most beautiful cursive writing I have ever seen. Everything is also very formal and proper-Queen's English you know. And everything is spelled very phonetically, even if pronounced wrong. Most of them have troubles with their "L"s, so instead of Kelly Jo, I was often Kerry Jo, and so they wrote it that way. But it's funny that they also got their "R"s then mixed up with the "L"s as Myron became Milon or something similar. Hayree was another great one, but now of them mixed up the "great king Henry." :) Such simple things, such sweet memories.
Such sincerity in their words. These weren't written just to be written. There were specific memories, words of thanksgiving, notes of encouragement, blessings on our family. I really miss these guys, and considering how little time I actually spent with them compared to the kids, I can't imagine how their hearts break too.
I know there were some people who couldn't figure out why in the world we would go down to Iowa to see the students last year, a year after we left, with the heartbreak we went through. It's simple-relationships. Relationship is very highly valued in the African cultures; friends and family are a premium. And those relationships continue on. These guys will graduate from the bible school in a year and a half and from there we will probably not have contact ever again. So until then, we keep the little embers of relationship with them-for us, for the kids, for the students. I wish we could be there when they graduate to help send them off, to see them one more time; it's sweet to know that some of them have prayed that too.

35 weeks, 3 days

Here's a new profile pic of baby boy. We're coming up on the end of the course, but it is still just a wee-bit too early, so I am suppose to "stay off my feet" aka bed rest until 37 weeks. I have already started dilating and when I am up and about for a while, I do feel contractions. It's not too big of a deal, I've got plenty of helpers...but it is of course fairly boring and I know the girls want to go to the library, and there are a few things I want to do...so I am only doing so-so on staying off my feet :-) My labor history is that once it starts, things go quickly, so we really are going to try to do what we can to hold off for another week. We'll see what happens. We made it through the big wedding weekend (although traveling there probably played a small part!) so there is really nothing left on the calendar for the month of July. 37-38 weeks is usually when I deliver anyway, so by the end of July this little guy will be here!


That of course means we need to get going on a name. We are thinking, trying to stay in the same "genre" of the other boys' names, without picking one with a nick name we don't want, or is not from a movie or show that makes us think of funny stuff... We've basically used a part of each grandpas name, so it's a little harder to chose this time.

Just a few random, in no-order-whatsoever photos from the big weekend...

The five flower girls

The three Jr. bridesmaids

the beginning of the trip began with a nap

Opening presents-our 7, brother's 4, and another half a dozen other kids. Can you say suffocation? And yes, this is pretty much what every Christmas is like too!

Joe and Myron kinda resting during the rehearsal

Myron was having fun dancing...and Kate was just trying to hang on!

After making it down the aisle in his own sweet time (didn't think he'd do it!), Henry decided to take a nap during the ceremony

Our shot at a family photo-most smiling, all looking at the camera-AMAZING!

Henry and Hailey were practicing their dancing