Unburdened: An Introduction

I hinted back a few months ago in another post, about having chosen a word (or rather it choosing ME) for 2014. This is my first time just meditating on a single word for the year, rather than setting a bunch of goals of things I wanted to focus on for the year. Both ways are great! Both ways keep you from drifting through the year, and both things can be used as a filter for decisions to pass through so that you don't waste your time and energy.

At the beginning of this year, though, I think I was feeling overwhelmed, and just needed to find that "laser-focus" and clarity to come out ahead when all is said and done (something that seems to have eluded me in some seasons).

The word that settled in my spirit is "unburdened". I know, six months into it, that this is God's path for me this year. He has been faithful to show me so many ways that He is indeed, unburdening me. And it's awesome. 

"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

Through this process, I'm beginning to see how "heavy laden" I am. Or was. I don't know that it is totally obvious that I have been crouching under the weight of spiritual, physical and soulish burdens- and the fact is, I don't even think I realized it! But God knows. Of course He does. And as He is peeling back those layers, I have been able to breathe easier, stand up a little straighter, and see His vision a little more clearly.

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:1-2

Some of the unburdening has been simple, little changes. Others, much bigger and more complicated. Some things, a little silly, and "why didn't I think of that sooner?" But all woven together, and totally evident that God is at work in me!

This unburdening is part of the reason I've been able to get back into blogging! I have renewed purpose for this space, and I hope you'll join me here as I continue to share what God has been doing over the coming weeks! 



Did you choose a word for the year? How's it going? Share in a comment!

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Reflecting on Our First Year of Homeschooling

I'll start by saying that we are about to be preparing for our THIRD year of homeschooling our children (my about-to-be 7 year old son, 4 1/2 year old daughter and soon to be two year old son). Just typing that makes me realize how far we are into our journey! I haven't been around here much to document all this in real time, but hopefully if you are just starting out or considering homeschooling your little ones, you will find this helpful!

If you've been around a while (you know, since before I fell out of the blogosphere), you may remember that I was debating on what direction we would take with our son's education. I wanted to homeschool, but I was concerned about having a new baby in the mix. We considered doing an online public school, and actually had almost completed the enrollment process. Thank God for Holy Spirit, I just didn't have total peace about that choice, and at the last minute, we decided to homeschool independently.

Why did we decide against online public school?

I'm so glad you asked!

I had concerns. I'm a reader of the fine print (usually) and it seemed to me that their requirements might be a little much for us. One thing was, I didn't like that we had to log two hours of online work each day, and if we missed a day (due to illness or vacation or anything) it had to be made up. (I know some devote longer than two hours a day to homeschooling, but for us, for just starting out, for kindergarten, it seemed a bit much.) One of my personal reasons for wanting to homeschool is the freedom it affords. All states are different, I learned. Some have strict laws about how much time is spent on education, some don't. Ours doesn't. Initially, I thought that not having to plan lessons and such would be a blessing with a new babe in the house. But then, I figured it might be even more demanding of me to make sure those hours get completed. I would have to facilitate whatever he was doing for school work, and keep him on task. With a new baby, it's hard to find two hours to devote to anything (except for the new baby, of course!) And if I understood correctly, it was two hours of computer work, plus the other non-computer learning he had to do.

As it would happen, I also ended up seeing a couple of threads on Facebook and elsewhere about this very thing, and some of the experienced parents confirmed my suspicion that this was a lot to deal with. There was stuff I hadn't thought of, like the fact that teachers interact with students via webcam (not sure if this would be at the kindergarten level, but I'm thinking it is)- but, hello! Kinda out of my comfort zone (not that it would be unsupervised, but still). Then, of course is the fact that it is a state-sanctioned, secular program along with whatever ideas and ideals they might present. I just didn't want to deal with that. (Again, these were our concerns, someone else might be perfectly fine with this set-up).

What we did do:

The first year, we kinda winged it! I explored a lot of options, and with our fairly limited budget, I used many free resources online. I loved exploring Pinterest and getting ideas. I frequently found other resources through homeschool blogs and homeschool pages on Facebook. I utilized our local library (and also interlibrary loans) for books. 

By the time we began "officially" homeschooling, we had accumulated several inexpensive workbooks and packs of flash cards from places like Target and Dollar Tree. These I would grab up any time I saw them during the back to school sales. 

I heard about Five in a Row, and I immediately fell in love with the concept of literature-based learning. A big bonus being that Five in a Row is a Christian organization, so the book selections are in line with our values and world-view. I bought the first volume from Amazon, and started to explore. We rowed a few books, but I did have trouble tracking down some of the titles at the library, and didn't want to pay a lot to order them online.

We also had purchased a membership to the local natural history museum. My son was obsessed with dinosaurs, so that choice only seemed...er...natural to do. We went at least every couple of months during that year, and guess what? He was hardly into learning about the dinosaurs. Apparently, I signed up for our membership on the tail-end of his obsession! There was one room with a marble run-type contraption with PVC pipes that had magnets on them that you could arrange and re-arrange on this metal section of wall. You're supposed to line them up and drop a ping pong ball and watch it roll down the track you make. Both my two older children were occupied with that for the longest time. At the natural history museum! :-)

What I realized:

• Children's brains do not care about grade levels! Learning happens all the time, with or without a curriculum! Last year, my son was five years old, and technically in kindergarten. He was learning "kindergarten level" things well before we ever seriously considered homeschooling. He had already learned to read by age 3 ½ (I was an early reader as well, and we read a ton around here).
• I like focusing on really good quality literature, and that year, we discovered many favorite authors and stories.
• I'm not so good at the planning (yet). There, I said it. I think I would try and try to plan out a week or two or more in advance, and part way through it, kinda feel like poking my own eyes out. Not really, but it could be agonizing. Naturally, I'm the type that I feel like I must make the absolute right choice in any given circumstance (I'm quite notorious for taking forever to order in a restaurant- so now, I usually check the menu online to alleviate some of that!) I think it's all about learning what works for everyone. One needs to assess the amount of direction the children need to continue on their path of learning and how much planning and preparation is required of the parent before it becomes a huge, monumental task that becomes disheartening and discouraging for everyone.
• There is a lot of support online! Lots of groups, helpful Facebook pages and blogs. I am not alone!
• Our homeschool is NOT going to look like pretty much anyone else's homeschool. We have a different approach to learning, different values, different space, different resources and different needs.

Moving Onward:

Have we found our groove? I'm gonna go with "no" (or maybe, "not quite") at this point. We are (as I'm sure we will continue to be) an evolving unit, and I will continue learning more about my children's educational needs. One idea that has intrigued me this year is unschooling. Currently, if I had to label our approach, I would say we are "eclectic", pulling our learning from various areas, fields of thought, and experiences, while still trying to stay in line with suggested grade level material (for the most part). Unschooling sort of throws all the convention out the window and allows children to forge their own path. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the philosophy of unschooling to see if it is a good fit for our family and our individual learners. I remain open to God's leading- I know He will show me (as always) what path to take!

Do you homeschool? Are you considering it? Share your thoughts in a comment!

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What I'm into this Month- August 2012 Edition

Oh, August! Where did you go? This month has been a fast paced month for me for sure. We started homeschooling, and in addition to all my other responsibilities, it has really kept me busy. So, I haven't had a lot of time for blogging, though I have started several posts. I hope to get around to finishing them in the coming week or so!

A play-dough fish made by my boy!

On My Nightstand- Same as last month! (Grace Based Parenting). I haven't been getting very much reading done lately. I don't know what to make of that. Definitely going to be more purposeful about reading next month! Which leads me to my next point:

Want to Read- A bunch of other titles. All these unsuspecting books I bring into the house that are promptly neglected. So much to offer, so unappreciated. I've got to do something about that.

TV Show Worth Watching- Well...I've turned into quite the lover of reality TV. Especially the ones about big families. I started watching Jon and Kate Plus Eight streaming on Netflix, and ordered the discs of 18 Kids and Counting (or is it 19 now?) I'm quite impressed at how they handle it all. I've been taking mental notes. Even though our family is not considered a "large family", I can still operate in the wisdom I take away from watching these families in action!

(And lest you think I just sit around watching television all day, I watch most of this stuff in segments when I'm feeding the baby or trying to get him down for a nap or what have you. I used to be able to use this time for reading, but this baby is SO wiggly!)

Movie I've Seen- You know, I still haven't ordered a single movie from Netflix. I keep starting them online, and then lose interest. Terrible! Ha ha! So unless you count overhearing (and catching bits and pieces of) the first two Toy Story movies in a seeming continuous loop being played in the living room, I haven't seen any movies this month.

In My Kitchen- Food. Maybe a little too much coffee (though it might be a good thing...I think this is the briefest "What I'm into this Month" post I've ever done!)

I'm starting to feel the need to begin the GAPS diet again. I hope to stay on it for more than a day and a half this time! But really, I would love to see some changes in foods I can eat while breast feeding (as in the ability to eat more without affecting my little guy). Though, of course it all goes back to me...my gut health is what's causing the food challenges we've been having. (At least that's what I've come to believe).

Newest Blog Read- I almost thought I didn't have a new blog read this month, but then I remembered a dear friend of my husband's family (now my family, of course) Dena, has started a blog called Corkin' the Crazy. She tells the best stories! I can't wait to see what the Lord will do with her writing. Pay her a visit and welcome her to the blogging community? I know her stories will bring a smile to your face!

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month- Cooler temperatures? Please? I might even take the family outside. A new month of home school (more about that in another post!) And more blogging, I hope!

What are YOU into this month? Share in the comments, or leave a link to your blog if you already shared there!

What I'm into this Month- July 2012 Edition

You know I'm back when...

Was it really August the last time I did one of these?! Wow! So since then, I've gestated and given birth to a new baby boy! I do so admire and respect those that just keep on keepin' on during pregnancy. I don't know how you do it! I guess I realized in part why I don't do it: I kinda get anemic during pregnancy. (I think it's safe to say after three out of three). I didn't have a blog during either of my previous pregnancies, but I did have other stuff that got sorely neglected. This pregnancy was pretty rough for me all around, and I've yet to determine exactly why, but thanks be to God, the recovery has been the easiest by far!

On another note, my two year "blogiversary" just whizzed right by in June. I did nothing to commemorate! Boo!

Anyway. July has been a pretty calm month for us. We are getting back into the swing of things, and I've been brave enough to take three little ones out in public "awl by mysewf" as my daughter would say. It's July in Arizona, so, you know...it's HOT, so we don't get out too much. But we've had some breaks in the heat with our annual summer Monsoon (the most amazing weather).

So, without further ado...

On My Nightstand- (Or rather, on my living room side table) Grace Based Parenting. This one is full of revelation for me, even though I'm only on the second chapter! I may be posting about something that "clicked" for me pretty soon. (Brace yourself! Ha ha!)

Want to Read- French Kids Eat Everything (among others). Seems like it would be a good read for me, especially since we deal with a fair amount of picky-ness around these parts.

TV Show Worth Watching- Well, lemme tell ya! I've never really had anything noteworthy to share in this category, but oh, we now have Netflix. (Hellooo, 21^st century!) I've been mildly obsessed with watching favorites from my childhood and adolescence. My selections so far: The Wonder Years (I'm now about halfway through the second season- and as an added bonus I can watch this one on my phone- we don't yet have any sort of device that allows us to watch the streaming shows on the television). Punky Brewster is one of my DVD selections, and we're about halfway through the first season. To my delight, my kiddos actually enjoy this one. It's a pretty sobering thought that my older son is the exact age I was when this show premiered. Yikes!

Also, I've started to watch some reality television- (I have so much to catch up on, being that I haven't been willing to subscribe to cable in about eight years or so...but I digress). I watched PBS' miniseries, Frontier House, and soon discovered that they have several other versions from different eras. (So exciting!) If you aren't familiar with Frontier House, they recreated life on the old frontier in Montana, from the time of the Homestead Act of 1862. They sent three families out with only the provisions that would have been available at that time to see how modern people would adapt. I found their challenges really interesting, especially now that I've learned to not depend on some modern conveniences like certain health and beauty products. (I know there was a lot more to it than that, but that's just one area I can relate to).

There. I think that more than makes up for my lack of enthusiasm for television in the past. Don't ya think? (By the way, feel free to suggest shows for me to watch. I'm all ears!)

Movie I've Seen- Somehow, nothing is coming to mind...even though we recently signed up with Netflix. Ha! (Suggestions?)

In My Kitchen- I'm back on the allergen-free diet. My little one was starting to show some allergic symptoms, pretty similar to what my daughter dealt with in her early months. I figured a little proactivity on my part was in order. I started an elimination diet like the one here, but quickly added in some other foods, since I started to feel like I was starving myself. Not good for a nursing mother! So, for now, we're eating a lot of meat, rice, vegetables, and I'm experimenting with some gluten-free, dairy free, egg free ideas. I made crackers the other day, which were a hit with everyone, I'll share my recipe in a coming post. The good news? The symptoms my son was experiencing have improved a lot! I'm all about progress.

Newest Blog Read- Becoming Peculiar. I found her through a link up on Sorta Crunchy. I saw the title of her post, "14 Reasons I Don't Wear Shoes," and I had to read (who doesn't need more reasons to not wear shoes? Maybe this is why I haven't been totally successful with the Fly Lady's program. Ha ha). But then I got kinda sucked in to reading about her Mennonite upbringing (a culture I knew virtually nothing about). And found some cool recipes for personal care products to try.

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month- Well, it will be six years of marriage for my husband and me! Also, Baby J is turning two months old. Aaand... my big boy will be starting school! We've opted to do the online public school for this year. With the new baby and a toddler to care for, I just wasn't sure about jumping in to doing full-fledged homeschooling this time around. I'm glad this option exists, especially since it can be tailored to each child's specific educational needs. So, for now, we are doing "school at home" rather than homeschooling. I'll let you know how it goes!

What are YOU into this month?

He's Here!

I am excited to (finally) announce the arrival of our sweet baby J! He was born on June 5th at 2:55 am, weighing in at 9 lbs, 3 oz. 

Some things came up and we had to deviate from our plan to give birth at home, so he was born at a nearby hospital. Thankfully, it was a decision that was made about a week in advance, so I had some time to wrap my mind around it! (Also glad it wasn't an emergency transfer in the middle of labor and birth!) It ended up being the best decision, as some of the events surrounding my labor were not conducive to the gentle labor and delivery I hoped for. (I will share more about his birth in the coming weeks). I absolutely believe and know that God had His hand in all of this, and of course as always, He knew the end from the beginning and was guiding each decision. 

I ended up with a postpartum hemorrhage and needed a blood transfusion, so I probably spent an extra day in the hospital being monitored, etc. We came home late last week, and we are adjusting well. Baby J is doing great and is even almost back to his birth weight (as of his check up yesterday, he was an ounce away, so he is growing and feeding well). 

Last night was my first night of somewhat decent sleep (hooray!) so I thought I'd give a quick update. I have not been online much, since I've been focusing on recovering and of course caring for the new baby...plus sitting at the computer is not the most comfortable right now! Hopefully, I will be able to get back into the swing of blogging in the coming weeks.

What have you been up to?

Pregnancy Update- 32 Weeks

I guess I should do an update on my pregnancy. It's only been since 20 weeks along that I've shared specifically about it! Yikes!

Well, things are coming along pretty nicely! I'm just getting bigger, and bigger, and...well, you get the idea. I'm really shocked at how much bigger I am with this pregnancy. Almost none of my old maternity clothes are fitting any more. And I had purchased a few pieces that I thought would last through the pregnancy, only to basically outgrow them a month later. Sheesh.

I have been measuring ahead by three weeks pretty consistently for the past few appointments. I am now going every two weeks! In some ways, this has definitely flown by.

On my mind:

• Getting ready for the birth. Every few weeks, I have this sobering thought that flashes across my mind "the baby has to come out!" It's still so surreal, even though I've already done it twice. I don't know if you can ever get used to the idea of a person coming out of your body!
• Getting my "nest" ready. I began to do some early nesting last week, but this week, I have been more tired. I need to figure out where we are going to keep the new baby's things, and I want to do some reorganizing in my bedroom and the children's room. I'd also like to prep some meals ahead so that I don't have much work to do at dinner time, and so we don't have to waste a a lot of money to eat out a bunch in the early weeks.
• Birthing at home. This is so exciting for me! I just love the fact that I don't have to go anywhere to have my baby. The other children can be nearby, I don't have to arrange for other care for them (Grammy will be on standby in case the birth happens during the day, and they become too much of a distraction- but hopefully Grammy will be able to be here to share in the excitement). Also, I don't have to eat hospital food, or wait for their scheduled meal times (I can even eat during labor if I want- yay!)
• The birthing at home thing nearly didn't happen. At my 28 week appointment, I did the glucose tolerance test, and I failed! I couldn't believe it! I even had what I feel is a better test for pregnant women- that doesn't include the Glucola drink. My midwife tested my blood an hour after a "normal" meal and my glucose levels were sky high. I opted to have the three hour test (my other option was to test my blood sugar at home for a period of time). I really dreaded doing it, but it wasn't as bad as I remember from my first pregnancy. Thankfully, I passed. If I hadn't passed (meaning I would have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes), I would've been "risked out" of a home birth, and referred to an obstetrician along with a nutritionist. There would have been a chance to return to prenatal care (and ultimately home birth) with my midwife if everything was able to be controlled easily with diet, but I'm really glad I don't have to go that route!
• The older two children are really excited. I'm not sure if they imagine that I'm permanently pregnant or what, I try to communicate that the baby will be coming fairly soon, but who knows what that means to them! They do fly-by belly rubbings throughout the day, and my daughter, a couple times, when I've told her the baby was kicking at her in response, began to try to kick back at my belly! (I stopped her before she was able to, of course!) They have also started referring to the baby by the boy name that we picked out, which makes me a tad nervous since we opted to keep the gender a mystery until birth (I don't really know how they picked up on the name, since I don't refer to baby by name). Anyway, I am fairly convinced that this little kicker is a boy, but only time will tell!
• Discomforts. I find it hard to be on my feet for very long. Also, I'm starting to notice that I'm waking up more frequently during the night. For a couple nights, it was basically every 1-2 hours. I really think it's God's way of getting me ready to accommodate the needs of a newborn. And then when I can sleep otherwise, I can't stay in bed because I'm uncomfortable. And my bed is generally very comfy. I'm happy to report that even though I was having pretty major pubic joint pain (Symphisis Pubis Dysfunction), chiropractic seems to have really helped, and I've only had two visits. The first visit, after my adjustment, it was completely gone! It has returned somewhat, but nowhere near what it was before.
• (More discomforts!) Swelling. Ugh. My feet have been swollen off and on for probably more than six weeks. Some weeks are better than others- like I can go for three or four days at a time with virtually no swelling, and then for some reason or another, the next day- more swelling. I've started drinking lemon water almost exclusively to combat this. I really think the lemon water helps, but it's hard to say why it's so off and on.

Anyway, about 5-8 weeks to go! I suspect I'll go about 39 weeks, but only God knows when this little one will be ready. My first baby was born at 40 weeks, 1 day; and my second was born at 39 weeks and 4 days. We shall see!

Pregnancy Update: 20 Weeks!

Woot! I'm at the halfway mark! It's starting to go by pretty fast now. I'm really trying to enjoy this time. I'm obviously pregnant, but past the morning sickness, but not so big that it's difficult to get around. So here's a little update (and a pic of the baby bump!)

How does your pregnant body feel? Well...pregnant! Expanding, but good overall. Recently, I've been experiencing some digestive issues, mostly upset tummy, but I've been trying some different foods that I haven't been eating regularly, and now I remember why!

What changes have you noticed? Weight gain...and my complexion looks pretty "glowy". Ha ha!

Are you experiencing any strange cravings? Or are there some foods you can't stand any more? None of my tea tastes good any more! :-( I was having a cup of black tea in the morning. Then I was on a "pregnancy tea" kick for a little while. Then I switched to green tea, and most recently, I had red raspberry leaf tea. None of it appeals. Big bummer for me since I love drinking something hot in the morning.

Are you showing? When did your belly become obvious? Umm...the belly was pretty hard to conceal from the get-go. I started noticing changes almost right away. I'd say by 10 weeks or so, it was getting obvious.

Have you had to buy any maternity clothing? Nope. I already have a lot of stuff from the first two pregnancies. I'm still wearing "transitional pants" as long as I can (stuff I bought after my daughter was born) with a belly band. I will need to buy some new shirts since I didn't have a lot of warmer weather tops to begin with. I'm going to try to stick with larger non-maternity T-shirts so that I can still use them after the baby arrives.

How do you feel about your belly? It's sort of in an "awkward phase" right now. And of course my belly button has already decided there was no more room inside my body. There's no taming that thing. Lol!

Have you felt baby move yet? What does it feel like? I've been feeling movement off and on for a little while. Now it seems more definite. Feels like little kicks and flips.

Have you seen baby on ultrasound? What details were you able to see? How did it feel to see the little being growing in your belly? Yes, I had an ultrasound last week. We saw most everything, I made sure the tech pointed out specific stuff, just because I never have any idea what I'm looking at! It was awesome to see the little person in there. It's always cool to see the growing baby. Kind of just makes everything more real.

Have you found out the gender of you baby? What were your reasons for deciding to find out / not to find out? No. We didn't end up finding out. I was thisclose to saying "just tell me!" but I chickened out. The tech could see my uncertainty with wanting to know and she wouldn't just blurt it out. I just want a little mystery. But I have my hunches. ;-)

Have you done any preparation at home for baby's arrival? Yes. I'm hoarding baby stuff. I have a ton of clothes from my other two "babies", plus I had a neighbor offer me some no longer needed baby items. I started an Amazon registry, we only need a little bit of stuff, like diapers, a baby carrier and maybe a couple other things.

Will baby be in a separate nursery or sharing your room? Sharing our room for now. I have to get the older two out of there first or it's going to be an even tighter squeeze! Ha ha. We co-sleep, but how the older one ended back up in my room is a mystery to me. He has his own bed, and was sleeping in it before we moved (over a year ago!). We'll be getting our daughter her own bed in a few weeks. Mama needs her space! 

Twenty (or so) more weeks to go! What exciting things have been happening in your world?

Where Have I Been?

If you've been wondering, read on!

September was a pretty great month for me in many ways. My blog stats were at their highest, my energy was up, I was determined.

Due to a financial "scare" that had happened earlier in the month, I agreed to take a part time job at the preschool that is run by our church. It seemed like the right thing to do; my children could be with me throughout the day (more or less) and I would only work through the holidays. This was just meant to help fill in the gaps while my husband searched for other work. He was working at a job that was almost totally commission, and it just wasn't working out.

Also upcoming in October, we were gearing up to start our family on the GAPS diet that is designed to do some serious gut healing. Both my children have mild food allergies, and my son has pretty serious allergies to dogs and cats (he gets nasal symptoms, as well as hives sometimes, and exposure usually leads to coughing and wheezing for days following). I had concluded that I had been dealing with symptoms of "leaky gut" since my daughter's issues began in early infancy when she was only getting my breast-milk. So it was a good idea all around. We planned to start on October 1st.

I was scheduled to start my new job on October 3rd.

We started GAPS as planned, and day one went well. Also, on "day one", I was expecting my "monthly visitor". Day two came around, and there was still no sign. I had my husband run out for a pregnancy test. I figured since GAPS was ultra-intensive, and the introduction diet is not recommended for expectant moms, I ought to confirm or deny the presence of a growing bebe as soon as possible. Lo and behold, I received an immediate, unmistakable POSITIVE pregnancy test! 

I quickly added back foods that are allowed on the "full GAPS" diet (basically, full GAPS is no grains or starches) and for the first couple of weeks, I felt great! Then somewhere between week 5 and 6 of pregnancy, it hit! I got what was the beginning of a sinus infection, followed by irresistible cravings for FAST FOOD! Ugh! I thought for sure since I'd been eating so healthily, giving into my craving would be a shock to my system, and I would definitely regret it. Well, I ended up feeling awesome afterward! I could hardly believe it. (I guess my body needed carbs and copious amounts of sodium?) Sadly, the GAPS diet no longer appealed to me, and the thought of eating my go-to snacks like hard boiled eggs and nuts made me want to gag! I was really upset by that since I felt I had made so much progress not only with myself, but also with my two children. Plus with having a job outside the home, and being exhausted all the time, I had a hard time keeping up with all the "from scratch" meals I had to make.

Meanwhile, I had been working, and enjoying the job I was doing. I was the teacher in the infant room and had usually two, but sometimes as many as four babies to take care of. My children on the other hand, were not so glad to be there. My daughter cried and cried most of the time we were there. My son was less than enthusiastic about his classroom and dreaded going everyday (we were there 3-4 days a week). Ultimately, I shared the news of my pregnancy with the preschool director, and explained that my children were not adjusting the way I thought they would and that I could only work until the end of October. (By this point I had been experiencing all day nausea and occasional vomiting, so I didn't think that was a very good combination). She seemed to understand.

Well, thanks be to God, around that same time, my husband was offered a really great job (he wouldn't be able to start until closer to the end of the month). He also had a prospect of a second part time job that he would work in the evenings (which he ultimately got, but just later than expected). I just knew that letting my part time job go was the best thing, since now my husband would be gone from the home practically all day long, and wouldn't be able to help pick up my slack in the housework and such.

So, that was my October! After leaving the preschool job, I was so glad to be back home all day, especially since I was smack in the middle of my first trimester. I was terribly exhausted and feeling sick all the time, and got another cold about a week or two after that first one cleared up. My kids were glad too (except then, my wonderful son overcompensated by not wanting to go ANYWHERE- it was a major battle to get him to get ready for church or anyplace.)

Thankfully, these days I'm feeling much better! I'm starting to get some energy back, and beginning to cook more meals at home, and toying with the idea of getting caught up on housework. Little by little, I know things will come together. 

So, this pregnancy. We are totally excited and thrilled to be welcoming our third baby sometime in early June. We are planning a home birth, and I just had my first prenatal appointment and heard the baby's heartbeat yesterday! I'm working a definite baby bump (okay, so most of it is probably just mommy-bump for now, but I definitely look pregnant). I've outgrown my pre-pregnancy clothes, but I have several "transition" pieces from my previous two pregnancies that will work for now until I really need to be in maternity clothes. My daughter turned two in October and is still nursing, I don't know how long she will continue, but already we have dramatically reduced the number of feedings. (We are down to 1-3 times per day). It was getting really uncomfortable for me, but now it doesn't seem too bad, so I guess I will just let her continue as long as she wants (unless something changes).

I spilled the news to church people early on since I began to feel overly tired and nauseous, just so people didn't think I was a slacker! I shared the news with my family just before Thanksgiving, and the following week, we announced the news on Facebook, and now you know!

What exciting things have been happening with you?

Around These Parts

Well, I've been kind of on the weekly posting schedule, I guess! Which I suppose isn't bad, as long as I'm consistent. (I'm trying, I really am!)

There's a couple exciting things coming up "around these parts" that I wanted to share with you all. First, my one year blogaversary is coming up next week. I can't believe I've been blogging for a year already! I'm not quite sure just yet how I will celebrate this milestone, but I'm definitely open to suggestions! (Do you have any?)

The second thing is that I will (in the very near future) be a regular writer on Devotions for Moms! In case you aren't familiar, it is a sister site of Christian Stay at Home Moms. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to share more of what God has been teaching me as a mom. I will let you know when I am featured there so you can follow me over there, too! (In the mean time, check out the great posts over there for some godly encouragement!)

Right now, I'm in the process of writing about my first breastfeeding experience. (Kind of a follow up to my son's birth story). I'm considering posting it in parts, because as usual, I have a lot to say! ;-) Though, I personally usually don't mind reading longer posts if it's something I'm interested in, so we'll see. What is your take on longer posts? Would you rather read one long one, or several shorter ones?

Anyway, what's going on with you? I hope everyone is having a great weekend!

A Look Back, A Look Ahead

As we start a new month and a new year, I wanted to take a few minutes to look back at my blogging experience thus far and also look ahead at what's to come!

Last June, I started my blog, and I've been blessed to meet many new and wonderful people (you, of course!) I wrote 50 posts in that time, and here are the top 5 (based on page views):

My Mid-Year Resolution (in which I vow to overcome my fear of breastfeeding in public)

Faithful in Little

Menu Plan Monday

Goals for 2011

Housekeeping Meme

It makes me laugh (and scratch my head a little) at what has had the most page views. "My Mid-Year Resolution," I understand, because it was part of a blog carnival type thing. But the others? Well, I don't really know. So here are my top 5 personal favorites (that were fun or meaningful to me- and ones that you may have missed):

Calling Me Home (My personal story about becoming a stay at home mom)

Control the Chaos

Laundry, Laundry Everywhere

Pregnancy Series Part 1: What Are You Thinking? (As well as the others in the pregnancy series)

Quietly Supportive = Very Helpful

I'm also happy to say that I've had 42 page views on my tab "Got Happiness?" where I share the Gospel message with readers.  (That's kind of the ultimate purpose behind my blog).  The Bible says "some plant, some water" and while I would imagine that many that have viewed that page already have a relationship with Jesus, you never know! 

Now looking ahead: I will be sitting down in the next couple of days and creating a calendar of posts I would like to do. One thing I know I will be starting is book reviews! I'm really excited about that. I love reading (though I haven't been reading nearly as much lately) and I would love to introduce you all to some great titles that are relevant to your life as a woman, wife, mother and daughter of the Lord (not necessarily in that order!) That will probably take place on a monthly basis.

Food will be the another thing that I will highlight in the new year. I will be focusing on whole foods, for the whole family, and teaching how you can break away from depending on processed foods in your family.  I'm still growing in this area too, and learning new things all the time, so this will be fun!

Now, I would like some feedback from you! As you can see in my header, the purpose of my blog is to provide "Biblical encouragement for the woman of the house...and some other useful stuff!" Are there any areas that you especially need encouragement? Maybe you need ideas to keep your home running smoothly, or maybe some Biblical insight for raising children or being the wife God created you to be??? How about the "other useful stuff" part? Is there anything you would like to learn about this year that maybe I could help with?

Let me know in the comments (or if you prefer, you can contact me by email at happychristianhome(at)gmail.com)! I'd love to hear from you! :D