Trying Simple Life in Taiwan

What a Thursday . . . .

My SIL is in labor. I’m so excited!!! I can’t wait to hear how things go for her! I want to call and pester her on the phone all the time . . . she’s in Florida and I’m in Kansas . . . . but that would bug me. Maybe not if my labors tended to move slower, but I don’t know what’s going on, so . . . I’m just trying to be respectful. But it’s sooooo hard!

In the wide world that centers around me, my goals look like this:

• Make it until Saturday morning
• Make it until December
• Make it until December 15^th
• Make it until December 21^st, my 27^th birthday
• Make it until the first of the year

And somewhere in there is:

• For Clare to have her baby first

Her due date was the 15^th of December, mine is Jan 20^th, so it makes sense, right? So far, I’ve made it half way!

The second half is the long distance portion, though!

So far, Sunday and Monday were good days. Few contractions. Tuesday was a bit scary simply because I had contractions all day long. Some were very hard, and one woke me up from a nap! I usually don’t wake up until they are 5 minutes apart – yes, I sleep like a rock. So I took Benadryl and went to our midwife’s appointment that night.

The baby has moved up!

Well, or technically I think I was in our Jacuzzi tub and playing around and manipulated the baby back up . . . but regardless of how it happened (and I’m pretty sure it was me playing around) God has really answered a prayer here!

My midwife said she was pleased with how "in-tune" I was with my body and that I have to keep paying attention. I like it that she takes me seriously - I feel less like a paranoid, jumping-at-shadows mommy. *smile*

That’s the good news. The bad news is that I still have what seems like a long, long ways to go. So I need to keep being careful.

But then it was followed by good news again as Wednesday and today have been really good, low contraction days. Surprising, the way things went Friday and Saturday right after the baby dropped. But very, very encouraging!

I really don’t want to be waited on hand and foot for the next ump-teen days. I don’t really care if my house falls apart around me at this point, if I can just be “mommy” and change diapers and re-heat food, that’s enough for me.

So, that’s my goal. To a function a tiny bit carefully, if possible.

Jonathan is going to observe me this weekend and pass his verdict. He is a hard jury to please, let me tell you. And ya'll thought *I* was the paranoid one?

Thank you for your prayers and for thinking of us!

~Ashley~

I have about 6 weeks to go until we see this little one. I'm hoping it won't be any longer than that, though I have no proven track record to go by. Of my three children that I have given birth to, the first arrived on his due date, the second 2 weeks early and the third 2 weeks late! How's that for a pattern!

I saw my midwife a couple of days ago and she has given me a referral to the physiotherapist for a support belt, as I have suspected Rectus Sheath. I was talking to a mum at ballet who is a physiotherapist and she tells me that it is not life-threatening to me or the baby and that it won't stop me from having more children - it's just a nuisance more than anything. I had been noticing with this pregnancy that the baby's movements are a lot more prominent and closer to the surface than my other pregnancies, so I guess this explains it. When I am standing I have a slight concave at my belly button, and it has been hurting there quite a bit when I'm on my feet for too long, and I asked the midwife to check it. She said that normally the muscle criss-crosses over itself in front of the stomach (to hold the stomach in), but in pregnancy it can separate and leave a gap, which is what mine has done. Kind of makes me squirm a bit (I would not have made a good doctor)! LOL!

I was getting some pretty strong Braxton Hicks last night. We had company over for the evening (not female company either), so I had to do a pretty good job of disguising the quite strong contractions. I don't think I've ever had them this early before, so I'm hopeful that it will mean a normal delivery for me. I am one of these girls that go into labour on my own ok, but end up having strong contractions (too strong to sleep through or do anything else) 10 minutes apart for days on end and nothing else happening. I have been so grateful that I live in these modern times and have been able to get assistance before getting too exhausted. With this pregnancy I feel a lot more relaxed (we are closer to the hospital than we were for the last births which was a 2 1/2 hour drive away), and we've been praying that the delivery will go really well without having to have intervention.

Already we have had prayers answered with this pregnancy. The baby was lying breech a week or so ago and although my obstetrician was not worried about it, she was going to have to book me in to the public hospital in the city if it didn't turn around. So we prayed, and the baby has turned, thank the Lord for that. The head is down, and I think he/she is starting to drop as the pressure on my ribs has lessened considerably. Does anyone know how early a baby can come without having to have special care?

I'm so pleased that I don't have to go to the public hospital as I really wanted to have the baby at St. George's which is Christchurch's oldest maternity hospital and is where my father was born. I have discovered that he was born there in the first year that the maternity hospital opened. My obstetrician is really excited about us having the baby there - I think she wants to get it reported into the hospital newsletter because of the historical connection. :o)

The other good thing is that my blood pressure has dropped. It has been quite high, but I'm trying to relax a bit more and with the school year nearly over our extra-curricula classes have nearly all finished, so I am able to stay home a bit more now. I'm trying not to stress out over everything I have to do for Christmas. I want it to be a fun build-up and anticipation for all of us. And when that is over we have the baby's arrival to wait for within a few weeks.

• 1 sleeve (about 37) saltine crackers
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 c. butter
• 12 oz. (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 c. chopped nuts *I used walnuts

Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line a 10 X 15" cookie sheet with foil; spray very lightly with cooking spray.  Cover cookie sheeet with saltines.  Boil sugar and butter for 3 minutes.  Pour mixture over saltines and spread evenly.  Bake at 400* for 5 minutes.  Remove from oven.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips.  Let set 1 minute, then spread melted chips with spatula.  Sprinkle 3/4 c. chopped nuts over this and press down lightly.  Cut on diagonal immediately or cool until firm, then break up; pieces can be frozen.

Yields: 30 pieces

" Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth."      ~ Psalm 46:10 ~

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I awoke this beautiful morning with this passage of scripture on my heart.......

One of the most challenging things for me to do is to "be still".....it actually requires this mama of 10 to really have to "work at" being still......it takes a purposed effort for me to "be still and know that God is at work"..... you see I am a "doer" by nature and I love to do do do......that can be a good thing at times..... and not a good things at other times....

God is showing me that right now, for today I need to be "still".......

Would you please pray for me today my friends? I come to you for your prayers of faith that I will be "still and know that GOD , is in charge and that He WILL be exalted before those who do not know Him".......

This is something God has laid in my heart today.... to be still and oh if you only knew how hard that can be for me at times!

Thank you dear friends for taking a moment to pray for me today.

He is faithful,

~ gloria ~

Imagine if we could bottle up some of that energy and drink it??

CHOOSE TO ENJOY THE MOMENT TODAY!!!

Today we are going to visit grandpa who just came home from the hospital after having surgery. We are bringing him some "frog muffins". We are going to tidy the house and cook dinner. We are going to light the fireplace. It's FREEZING out there!!!

 

We still do not have our tree up. We always get live trees and if we get them too early they dry out to fast so we will wait until maybe next Saturday to get it. Because the cold hit us I have yet to get my Christmas decorations out either. I hope to get to that either today or tomorrow. We need this house looking a lot more festive!  About the only thing we are doing regularly is playing Christmas music! I must say my favorite CD for this Christmas is Casting Crowns new Christmas CD. I keep switching between that and a couple of Kenny G holiday CD’s and Kenny Chesney’s Christmas CD (with my all time favorite song.. All I Want For Christmas is a Real Good Tan..  LOL) and others.. I am amazed at how many Christmas CD’s I have collected over the years. Hopefully by the weekend our home will not only sound like the Christmas season but look like it too!    

The countdown continues for my son.. less than 2 weeks now until he leaves Iraq. These last few weeks have really been tough for him.. you would think things would lighten up as they prepare to leave.. but he says, nope.. they are working the guys 16 hours a day except on Sunday, they only work 12..  I know he is exhausted both mentally and physically. I am so looking forward to him coming home and getting some relax time with us… and he is too! 

Good morning dear friends,

I hope this day is finding you well...The weather over in Louisiana is really dreary today..Rain is in the forcast and it is somewhat cold. Days like this is only good for one thing !!!DOING NOTHING..LOL..yea right, here at this homestead there is never a day doing nothing, but I can still wish, right?

On my last post I took in through the life of Drake, my now 7 month old grandbaby. Today, as I promised it will be that last addition.

CALEB JAMES 6 MONTHS OLD...Caleb was born to my oldest son. In the being the doctors said that 90% of the chance he would be a Downs baby. But with much praying and answered prayers, Caleb was born healthy and no Downs. THank You Lord...His life has been in and out of doctors offices and hospital..Seems he has an extra soft spot on the top of his head, almost where the skull starts to go down the head. Well, they did test thinking it was a tyroid problem, negitive. More testing and nothing showed up. The doctors said to wait till he was 4 months and see if it started to close on it's on. Nothing..more test...At 5 months it started to close but the hole is sticking out now while the bone is closing..Do not know if you can understand what I am saying, but it is not a good thing...More cat-scans..They came up with a lot of theories, none to pan out.

So, they were sent to a bond specialist. The bottom line, which is a awesome report, it is not a tumor nor is it spinal fluid. So, we wait another 6 months and if the hole is still closing and the protruion is still there, he will need surgery to repair. Please keep him in your prayers.

On a much BRIGHTER note, Caleb is a happy, healthy baby. now to the LIFE of Caleb...Note : he does not live with us as Drake does, so I do not have nearly as many pictures. And his mom does not leave him with Meme to have getties and chocolate...lol

daddy getting suited up...ooopppsss dad wrong way..is he consentrating or what....

mommy and baby..mommy had a c-section

my buddy a few hours old

seems he has a NEW friend already

and this is Yoda(his dad calls him that) at 6 months

You just wait my baby, getties and chocolate is on the way..

Here are my two new boys together...lol

So, there is the two new additions to my growing family. Hope you enjoyed it as much as I am enjoying them now.

Wonder where my thoughts will take you the next time.I guess you will have to stop in and see...till then....

Thanks for stopping in. and have a BLESS day !!!!!!!!!!

As you all know, the economy is drastically taking a turn for the worse.  My husband has been a real estate agent for the past 2 years and is now getting out of it.  He made minimal money last year and is tired of all the work without pay.  So, he's been looking for steady employment (which a LOT of people are doing right now).  He applied for 2 jobs with AT&T and was concerned that he didn't get either one (both of which he was qualified for).  Yesterday he found out that one of the positions he applied for was closed and they weren't going to fill the position.  So, what do I find when I log onto our local TV stations website?  AT&T is laying off 12,000 people!!!

God certainly knows what He's doing.  He knew that this was coming and knew it wasn't right for Johnny.  Praise the Lord for all His wisdom!

I know that He'll lead my husband to the perfect sales job - even if it's in another state (we're already getting rid of items in hopes of moving).  As the line says in Facing the Giants, we're preparing our fields for rain (and the Lord will provide the rain).  We just need to be ready when He does.

Praise the Lord!!!!

In our house all the gift wrapping belongs to the one who doesn't particularly like wrapping gifts....ME! 

I just don't like doing it.  Probably b/c I ALWAYS get to.  I wrap all the gifts & then I bring them out of the wrapping center (our bathroom!) & give them to my girls to decorate. 

One way we keep the children confused is in the wrapping itself.  I NEVER put name tags on the gifts!  I simply wrap each child's gifts in a different paper & I don't tell them who's paper is who's until Christmas day.  LOL!!  Like this year I wrapped all of one child's gifts in Santa Clause paper & then the other's gifts in snowman paper.  The gifts that are for both girls are wrapped in a solid color this year.  So when the girls are decorating the gifts with bows & ribbons they still don't know who's is who's. 

So fun!

It's great to keep children confused!  Especially when they are 12 & 15!!

We made some muffins this evening. My 3 year old had an interesting view of the whole process!

He's such a great baker! He even pretends to read the recipe quoting "three cups of flour!!"

We made these muffins before...of course they are not called Frog muffins rather lemon poppy seed muffins and in real life they are quite tasty The original recipe is from http://tammysrecipes.com but I changed it a bit to accomodate my dairy allergy:

(Dairy free)Lemon poppy seed muffins

Ingredients:

~2 cups warm water

~1/2 cup oil

~1/2 cup margarine

~4 tbs lemon zest

~1 1/4 cups sugar

~2 eggs

~4 cups flour

~3 tsp baking powder

~1 tsp baking soda

~1/3 cup poppy seeds

Method: Prepare batter as you would any other muffin batter and bake in muffin cup lined muffin tins for about 15 minutes in a 350F oven. Very yummy!!

We also made some more walnut snowballs. The batch made 63 pieces. It was gone in 2 days

My 7 year old helped with those as they were for her activity club's Christmas party.

I wish I could do all the things I'd love to do with my kids...but the greates gift I can give them is to slow down and really listen to what they are trying to tell me. Even if I don't get around to doing all sorts of crafts with them and we don't make it to the park every day......they will still at least know they are loved!! I get so impatient. But that will change!