And Baby makes…
20 Jan 2012 5 Comments
That’s right, I’m pregnant! Again!
I know that’s not remotely shocking to some of you (especially those I’ve told and asked to pray for me, as well as this being pregnancy 17 or 24 or whatever…) and that others are thinking something along the lines of, “Didn’t you just miscarry, are you sure you want to announce it so soon?” or “Wow, are you crazy?” And the answer is: YES!
After the miscarriage in September, I thought about not saying anything in the event of a future pregnancy until I was much farther along, but my enthusiasm about this kind of thing prevents me from keeping it hushed up. It’s my inner (and outer – haha) Sanguine personality!!
A baby is an exciting thing and excited I am. I am also scared. Once bitten, twice shy doesn’t even apply here. After 1 still birth and 2 known miscarriages, I am no stranger to the pain of loss and that old adversary, Fear. I could allow that fear to consume me and not tell anyone because there might be disappointment or I could bask in the thought that this time things will go according to God’s plan.
Losing a baby while 27 weeks along makes you realize that it could happen at any time, not just those first few “delicate” weeks.
I have been fearful that this one will end in miscarriage as well, because of such a lack of symptoms (like the last miscarriage).
Andrew, Emily and Ian’s pregnancies were all exactly the same, in that: I was nauseous the ENTIRE time I was pregnant. Owen threw me a curve ball and whooped my butt those first three months, but then, viola, at 12 weeks almost exactly, those wretched symptoms disappeared. Who knows? Maybe the symptoms will kick in soon, maybe they’ll come and go or maybe, just maybe, I’ll be symptom free – giving me the chance to completely rely on God to give me peace and comfort!
So, here I am again, with a little bit of fear (after all I am a pregnant chick…), but mostly with a reassurance that, no matter the outcome, God’s in control and I have nothing to… well… Fear!
Based on my calculations, I’m due approximately September 18, 2012.
PS – I cannot say with any certainty that we will be considering ”U” names. But for the fun of it, you’re welcome to weigh in. The sites I’ve found with the most “U” names AND that are easy to navigate are: http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/ and http://www.babyzone.com/babynames/u
Happy hunting! 
Homeschooling
05 Jan 2012 2 Comments
in School
When my sister-in-law started schooling her oldest boy in the fall of 2009, I thought, “Hmmm, should I be doing this?” After all, her infectious attitude about things she’s doing, makes it seem like we all should be doing it. So, I brought it up to Dave.
I made him a proposition: Pray about this every day for the month of January and whatever God tells you we’re to do, we’ll do it.
I began praying in earnest also. Lord, please change my heart, because I DO NOT WANT TO DO THIS!!!
The end of January 2010 arrived and I asked Dave, with a stomach full of butterflies, what Divine Guidance he’d been given. His reply wasn’t quite what I’d had in mind. He said something very close to, “I could lie and tell you God told me we’re supposed to do this, but in reality I just want us to. I didn’t feel a strong answer from God, either way.”
I said something close to, “Great, I’ll sign her up for school in a few weeks.”
We “discussed” it (which is short hand for, fought like cats and dogs) for about a week. I, in no uncertain terms, let Dave know that HE could be the one to school her if he wanted it to happen so badly. And he told me again that he wanted us to do this. After this lovely week came to a close, all the while I prayed (more like I let God know how things were going to be…) and finally, when I actually stopped to listen to God – this is what He asked:
“Susanne, (I’m sure he wanted to insert something like “you knuckle head…”) If I had told David this is what I wanted for your family, would you be fighting this so hard?”
My reluctant “yes” was enough to tell me that I had to work on something much harder than homeschooling, I needed to work on that ugly and foreign word – SUBMISSION. I’m talking about submission not only to God, but to my husband. For those of you that know me at all, you know I’m not really the “submissive type”.
In fact, don’t most people look at submission as weakness? As taboo? As…yucky?? Kinda like a doormat?
My husband was asking me to do something and I didn’t want to. My God was asking me to do something also and I REALLY didn’t want to…
So, I began trying to submit, against my will.
Summer came and went and I had done some preparation. I’d bought some curriculum, I’d bought supplies, I’d bought a “Lesson Plan and Record Book” (which, by its self was scary to me!) and I’d bought bookshelves to organize all my new stuff. Now, all I needed was to know what I was doing…
Some of you read my posts on FaceBook and saw that there was much weeping and gnashing of teeth on my part those first couple of months (or, to be honest, until a couple of weeks ago…)
I sat down those first couple of months and made my lesson plans out for a month at a time, then wouldn’t stick to it. I would make Emily do days of work in one sitting to catch up and by the end we’d both be in tears. It got bad enough that I realized I needed someone to be accountable to. I needed someone to ask questions of, someone to do the record keeping for me! I talked to Dave about Valley Oaks Charter School and he went with me to the orientation.
We talked about it and we agreed that this was going to be the best situation for us, so I signed her up – and it took a major load off my back. I think we officially signed up and started meeting with her Resource Teacher in March of 2011.
Being able to look back gives one the advantage of 20/20 vision. When I look back on last year, I am able to see a huge amount of progress from my little girl who was only 4 when we started and I find that she and I have both come a long way! To hear her beginning to sound out words, when she didn’t even know her letters when we started; to watch her have a knack for certain areas and give me high-five’s when she got it right the first time; to feel that sense of accomplishment when the school year came to a close, these things have made the challenge a little easier to deal with.
Being half way through year 2, I look at this little girl and I am awed to see what has been accomplished.
The evil and foreign, non-living adversary, that started out with such cause for dismay, alarm and outright anger has been turned into this blooming flower that I can look back on and see our struggles, our growth and our ability to overcome.
And, although I still have issues submitting every day, God is working on me and in me and much of what He has done has been through the thing I started out despising most:
HOMESCHOOLING
Perception 2
21 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
Having read the ENTIRE article from the Washington Post, I should inform you that:
It was just over 1,000 people that passed him.
One lady, at the very end, DID recognize him and stopped to introduce herself.
But, having said that, it still makes me wonder what’s being missed in the moment to moment of the day.
PERCEPTION
21 Oct 2011 Leave a Comment
in Stuff
Something To Think About
THE SITUATION
In Washington, DC, at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and then he hurried on to meet his schedule.
About 4 minutes later:
The violinist received his first dollar. A woman threw money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.
At 6 minutes:
A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.
At 10 minutes:
A 3-year old boy stopped, but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head the whole time. This action was repeated by several other children, but every parent – without exception – forced their children to move on quickly.
At 45 minutes:
The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.
After 1 hour:
He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed and no one applauded. There was no recognition at all.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $200 each to sit and listen to him play the same music.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell, playing incognito in the D.C. Metro Station, was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people’s priorities.
This experiment raised several questions:
*In a common-place environment, at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty?
*If so, do we stop to appreciate it?
*Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?
One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made,
How many other things are we missing as we rush through life?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html
Homeschooling post 2 – Ooopps!
03 Oct 2011 2 Comments
in School
I was doing some editing in my “Dashboard”, as wordpress calls it and in doing so to my article named “Homeschooling”, I accidentally posted it for the world to read. I have gone in and deleted it, and for those that get email updates, you saw that it wasn’t finished anyway. In short, I wasn’t quite prepared to send that one out and I’m not sure when I will be, but for the time being you’ve gotten a brief preview of what’s been going on in that department!
Hope you enjoyed what I wasn’t ready to show yet! ;)
San Fran, Monterey and Pismo
03 Oct 2011 1 Comment
2011 has been a very full, very fast paced year for us.
I will save all the juicy details for the Christmas letter, but thought you’d enjoy some pictures from one of our family trips!
Our first big trip was to San Francisco to get the tube removed from Emily’s tear duct, which we turned into a trip to visit to Dave’s Uncle, the Monterey Bay Aquarium and a day in Pismo.
Waiting for Daddy and Emily to get out of the doctor’s office.
Visiting Uncle Lynn, who sadly passed away shortly after our visit.
Monterey Bay Aquarium – Daddy and Emmy in a clam! :)
Aquarium – Mommy getting kisses from Owen in the Tots play area.
Aquarium – Ian helping the world turn!
Pismo – Playing in the sand at the playground at the beach!
Pismo – Driving on the beach!
Pismo – Getting help getting unstuck from driving on the beach! :)
We had an awesome time together and have taken several more trips since April. I hope to get those posted very soon!
Miss you all much and hope you are doing well!
Mother of the Year Award
29 Jun 2011 3 Comments
in Mothering
…goes to: (drum roll please) Ta Da Yours truly!
*deep, sweeping bow*
Yes, that’s right… There is yet another laughable (thankfully) moment to record for you.
Just a little bit ago, I was sitting here, minding my own business when I heard a noise on the couch. I looked over to find my 16 year old niece reading a book, which alone does not cause alarm. But, you see, I thought she had the boys inside the house. Realizing in that instant that it was suspiciously quiet, I headed inside to check on my two little cherubs.
Shockingly as it would seem to be, in my rawther dull life, the front door was open. And the neighbor girls from 3 doors down pointed to the house next door and said the boys were “over there”. (Yes, why not make this an entire neighborhood affair??) Now, again, that tid-bit of information should be only mildly alarming, in that the boys were outside without permission or even my knowledge, but no. Oh no. The fun fact of this scenario is that Ian was out there in his undies and Owen was out there in front of God and everybody with not a lick or a stitch on his little tush!
As I walk over, the neighbors ask (casually, like they were asking about the weather), whether or not I knew the boys were outside? I said that, No, in fact, I was unaware that the little precious, adorable, darling boys had escaped…
It’s always exciting to see the look in your neighbors eyes when your 2 naked, wandering children have been corralled and kept safe in your unknowing absence. Thank you, Lord, for the neighbors being outside!
I think I’m going to get them leashes and tie them to the tree… By their toes… Upside down…
Daddy’s Home
11 May 2011 5 Comments
I got the call at 1AM that Dave’s bus was passing Panama Ln and got in the car to go pick him up. He, of course, was quite happy to be sleeping in his own bed last night (uh… this morning.)
At about 6:30, I hear the tell-tale signs of a little one making noise. I head into Emily’s room and find Owen there, starting to play – Emily was still sound asleep! I gather him into my arms and take him to our bed. As I lay him down, he snuggled right up to Daddy and didn’t move for a good 3 minutes! When Dave asked if he could hold him, he leaped up and jumped on Dave’s chest – where he stayed for another 5 or so minutes, not moving a muscle!
Owen was kinda smelly, so Dave went to the boys room to get changing material and looked over at Ian. Ian opened his eyes when Daddy came in and Dave says he grinned really big and popped up out of bed! Dave brought him in to our room and laid him down where he snuggled up to me (Dave was changing Owen) and kept giving me this huge smile that seemed to say: Mommy, look! Do you see that Daddy’s here?!?! (Imagine that with the excitement of a little kids voice and constant movement!) When Dave was done with Owen, he called Ian over to sit in his lap (which was competition for Owen, who then put up a fuss about sitting in Daddy’s lap also!!) Now there were TWO little boys clinging to Daddy for dear life!
A few minutes later, I could hear our late riser get up. I said, “Guess who’s here?!” And Emily jumped up on the bed, flopped into Dave’s lap (I think she almost knocked Ian out…) and immediately asked about chocolate milk that Dave has been promising them since he left!
We sat together for a little while longer as a family, all arms and legs and excitement. Then we came into the kitchen for chocolate milk and breakfast. After breakfast (that Daddy made!!), we sat in the living room where Dave proceeded to play Hide-N-Seek:
Sit and hold them (And be rewarded by kisses):
And read them each their choice of books:
Over all, I’d say it’s been a very happy, successful and rewarding morning!
As I’m typing this post, Dave is out in the back yard playing with the kids – shaping up into a GREAT DAY!
Hope you all are doing well and please continue to keep us in your prayers! The transition back to Daddy being gone seems far away right now, but when it comes, we’re all going to miss him terribly!
Hysterical (Not at the time, though)
07 May 2011 6 Comments
in Excitement
Two hysterically (not at the time) true stories.
Story #1:
So, the a few evenings ago, I’m sitting here at the computer, kids are in bed and I’m chilling out when I hear the metal noise of someone getting into the shed on our back porch. You know the noise I’m talking about, right?
It’s still kinda light out and I’m sure enough of myself that I’m going to attempt to deal with this before I call the authorities. However, I can’t look out the window and see anything, the angle is wrong, my only option is to open the door onto the patio and have a look see.
Now, the thought process was something like this: OK… Hmmmm…. The broom is right outside the door. I can grab it and whoever’s there, I will beat the living tar out of them, thinking they’re gonna steal from me. What a worthless dog, he’s not even barking. Didn’t bark at all. Maybe they killed him… I’m gonna kill him!
Of course, that only takes about 3-5 seconds in my head. I grab the door handle, swing open the door and don’t see anyone. Which is good, because the kids have moved the broom…
The dog gets out of his house and trots over, all serene and dopey smile.
I step over and look down the side of the house (where the gate is), and it’s still closed. So I step over to the grass and check the rest of the yard and see nothing. I step back over to check the gate again, when it hits me:
We don’t have a metal shed. We have a plastic one. It would not make that noise…
Yes, that’s right. The neighbors, who DO have a metal shed on the other side of the fence (directly behind our plastic one, in my defense), had been in their metal shed, making metal noises that I only thought was someone getting into our shed.
Ta Da
At least I didn’t have to kill the dog…
Story #2:
Night before last, Rachel Rose has gone home (I won’t tell you the time), the kids have been asleep for hours and I’m heading down the hall to get in bed myself. I stop in the hall to set the house alarm and take a step toward my room.
Then from the bathroom there is suddenly a mans voice talking right next to me.
Now, first I think: How did anyone get in here? And: crap, now we’re locked in.
My heart stops for about a beat and a half, my insides freeze, I nearly pee myself.
It is in that forever 1/4 of a second that I realized my cell (which is in my pocket) that is programmed to let me know when the house alarm has been set, has just texted me telling me that very thing, using the voice of Optimus Prime. I laugh. The laugh that is half relief, half I could vomit right now and half HOLY CRAP, IF I’D BEEN ARMED THAT BATHROOM WOULD BE SWISS CHEESE RIGHT NOW…
And then I call Rachel Rose (who’s VERY jumpy and usually misses out on the occasions when I’m jumpy) and we have a good laugh together.
At least I didn’t have to kill the dog…
