A little catching up

I've been wanting to sit down and actually blog for a long time. But, I felt pressured that my posts needed to be something of substance. And well, I don't have that right now.

But, before this was a place for me to share about missions, it was a place for me to document my family's life. It makes me sad that I've allowed that to slip away in the wake of my grief. So, my plan now is just to blog a little each week and if it gets deep in here, then it gets deep. If it stays superficial and sticks to updates on our life and our kids, that's fine too.

So, the last time I really blogged about the ongoings of our family was May. That's pathetic. SO MUCH has happened since May.

For starters, we moved in July. We bought a house, we painted, we expanded the amount of bedrooms in our house and I think we are settled. I still have stuff to hang on the walls but now it's less about the emotions behind it and more about the fact that the main level of this house was done in the 50s and the walls are plaster, y'all. PLASTER.

It's not easy to hang anything up. So if you know how to hang up pictures on plaster walls without having to drill a hole and add one of those plastic anchors, I'd love to know.

In August, we found out that Baby #8 is a(nother) GIRL! The boys weren't quite so thrilled at first, but now everyone is eager Beavers to meet this chick. Including me. Because she clearly doesn't understand that this isn't my first rodeo and it's not fun for her to lay sideways/diagonal/all on one side and rhythmically kick me in the cervix.

Around that same time, Amanda found out that they are expecting their second child. Here's a photo of us at the baby shower she threw for me in October. My first baby shower I've had since the twins, by the way. Which, A) I didn't realize there was so much new crap that was necessary for a baby. And B) It's weird having a baby shower when you've already got 7 kids. Even when I really did NEED all of the things I received because my stuff is worn slap out, but still. It's weird.

I'm 28 weeks. She's 16. No comments please. Yes, she's pregnant. I promise.

At the end of October Amanda and Nick loaded up all their possessions and their adorable daughter and moved to the other side of the world country to follow God's call for Nick to be in full time military service. We had a small 1st birthday party for their daughter (a month or so early) where I tried my best not to ugly cry. I held it together until the night before they drove out of town. Then, it was snot city y'all. Poor Luke. His pregnant, emotional wife lost it on him. He may or may not have cried a little too. We miss them just about every other second. But who's counting? Oh wait, all 9 of us are.

I was blessed with a half sister who is 13 years younger than me. She was 5 when I went off to college and I never moved back home. So we aren't as close as I wish we were. But, somehow God allowed Amanda to become just like a sister to me. Seriously. I probably annoy the crap out of her texting her all day long, telling her about the weird things my pregnant body is doing and telling her how she should live her life. And I don't really care because sisters can be annoying and bossy like that. And also, she loves it. I think.

We are homeschooling again this year. I bought this new, elaborate, beautifully designed curriculum over the summer at our state's homeschool convention. I went a whole new route and just knew it would be the perfect thing for our family. We moved, and about a month before I had planned to start school I opened the perfectly packaged boxes of curriculum, got high off the new-school fumes and sat down to plan out our days.

I stared at it blankly for two days while my planning book sat empty, called other veteran homeschool moms, debated joining a local co-op that meets once a week, panicked, tried to find all the books at the library, failed, then promptly boxed that beautiful curriculum right back up and sent it back to the company for a refund. I shed not one single tear.

We are doing our own thing this year with a compilation of resources. It might be the best year we've had so far. Which, of course, means that I'm already scheming what I want to change for next year. Because clearly I appreciate torturing myself.

The baby is due at the end of December. I'm hoping she holds on until January because it's hard to compete with the Savior of the World for your birthday and also our anniversary is December 28th and I'd like to not feel guilty when our 20th anniversary rolls around and I want to take a european cruise vacation like Jen Hatmaker is doing right now and be gone on her birthday.

Which now that I think about it, maybe coming between Christmas and our anniversary would be ideal because then if we leave on our anniversary trip I don't have to worry about being back in time for a January birthday. But if she's born early January we could just go after her birthday.

Also, Amanda will be in town through the first week in January and I'd like to have her here for the baby's birth since I'm pretty sure I don't remember how to bring a baby home from the hospital without her. Decisions, decisions.

Like I have any control over it anyway. But still. Remember Ella? Lord help me.

Want Updates?

Just wanted to hop in really quick and let you all know that we are trying a new email system for updates with our ministry. The plan is to send out newsletters once every quarter and only on rare occasion email our entire contact list with specific needs outside of our quarterly publications.

If you would like to subscribe to our ministry newsletters, you can do so using the widget over on the left sidebar of my blog. I promise your info will be kept confidential and never used for anything other than contacting you about ministry news. And, I'll never sell your info or use it to garner extra chocolate or a kidney on the black market. Not that I need a kidney, but I do need chocolate. In large quantities. Often.

Anyway, if you subscribe and at some point realize you no longer wish to receive updates, you can unsubscribe hassle free.

Hope y'all have a great Tuesday.

42 weeks and 1 day

That's how long this baby will have been inside me when he/she finally makes his/her debut. At my 42 week OB appointment this morning, Doctor D took a look at Baby #6 via ultrasound. The fluid around the baby looked good but the Doctor did say that there was a little bit of calcium beginning to form on the placenta. He assured us that there was nothing to worry about but that we also shouldn't wait too much longer for this baby to come out.

So, tomorrow morning, bright and early, Luke and I will report to the hospital for a scheduled induction.

Why have I tried to avoid an induction so far?

I was induced with Elizabeth AND with the twins. And while both of those labor and deliveries had great outcomes (healthy babies and a healthy mommy), I did have some seriously difficult contractions during the twins' delivery and I feel that Pictocin was responsible for tetanic contractions (contractions that have extended durations, last for several minutes at a time, and have little or no break between them). Ashlee's heart rate dropped dramatically and there was talk of an emergency c-section (after I'd already delivered Lucas vaginally). Thankfully, Ashlee was also delivered vaginally with no problems...a mere 2 hours and 24 minutes AFTER her brother. (She began her life of drama early people.)

The plan tomorrow is for the Doctor to break my water then give me 2-3 hours to start labor on my own. If after 2-3 hours my body is not having regular contractions, then they will begin Pitocin in small increments.

I am excited. And nervous. It's so hard for me to believe that within 24 hours I will most likely have a baby in my arms and not in my belly.

I plan on updating (or having Luke update) via my Twitter account tomorrow. You can see the last 4 updates on my right sidebar or you can click here to see all of my updates.

Next time you see something here on the blog it will probably be a photo of our NEW BABY! Yay! I'm so excited (and nervous)! Thanks in advance for the many prayers I know you will all be praying. Y'all are the greatest friends and readers ever.

Just A Few Things...

Everyone in our house seems to be feeling fine. I appreciate the prayers and good wishes! Thankfully, the babies did not get sick! Praise God!

Also, I updated the layout (and header) of my blog so that, hopefully, it is easier to read. Let me know what you think, if you'd like.

Things are good on the home-front. I plan on blogging sometime this week about how much I love Baby Girl and the craziness of birth parents. Wow, sometimes they test my tolerance level.

Hope you all have a restful, peaceful and blessed Sunday.

Court Update

Today wasn't so bad. We were done by lunchtime, which I'm told is rare. Basically, the judge gave the birth parents 3 more months to get their act together. We go back to court on December 15th. Guess we'll see what unfolds between now and then. Right now, I have peace.

I must say, though, I really liked the judge today. The last time we went to court, the judge hardly paid attention. Today's judge, The Honorable Carlton Terry (if you live near here and vote) was great! He was into each case being heard and even ruled for termination of parental rights in two of the cases we saw. Both were warranted cases where the birth parents had been given plenty of time to get their acts together and had failed, miserably. At one point, he told a birth mom that they were moving toward termination. He told her it was not set in stone yet, but in the next three months she needed to

"Put up or shut up." If she wanted her child back.

Luke and I both were impressed with his genuine concern and demeanor. The last judge we saw hardly made eye contact with anyone and often, didn't even respond to the questions/statements of the attorneys.

Thanks for your prayers today. I appreciate them more than you could ever know.

Answers and Updates

Okay, this will be brief and probably filled with typos, b/c I'm running low on time. I've got a DATE with my hubby tonight and need to get some things ready, mainly myself. However, I wanted to update on these things:

1. Elizabeth has in fact received Christ (click here for past post). Her friend, Bailey, took some time to talk with her about what it means to have Jesus in your heart. She answered all of Bailey's "questions" and emphatically proclaimed that Jesus, was in fact, living in her. I almost cried. I'm so proud of her and I praise the Lord that He is working on her little heart.

2. Baby D's colic is all but gone. The new formula is working nicely. Click here for past post.

3. I'm still looking to see where God wants to lead me. I feel as though He has laid a scripture on my heart, but it doesn't quite make sense. I'll continue to pray, and I thank those of you who are praying with me. Click here, if you don't know what I'm talking about, but want to.

4. My frustrations are still there because of the lack of progress with Baby D's birth parents. However, I've received some uplifting emails (even one from a stranger) and talked to some close friends. Together, they have helped me to see that I need to continue to rely on the Father. It isn't my own plan, but His. Click here for the last post pertaining to this.

Yay! Now I'm off to spiffy up for my date. I just love going off with my husband, even if it's for an evening. Each time I'm reminded exactly why I fell in love with this remarkable man. Have a great weekend!