Snippets

Hmm, it seems like things here are just gliding along. There doesn't seem to be much news. Although, maybe we'll do something fun now that we're not constantly covered with rain clouds. Nothing exciting, but here's a few recent highlights:

I signed up Isaac for the summer reading program through our local library. He has to read by himself at least 20 minutes a day for 50 days out of the summer. So far he's missed only 1 day since June 1 when the program began. He's been very interested the Magic Treehouse series by Mary Pope Osborne and is on the final book. His current page count? 2,653 Pages. Not bad for a 6-year old.

Jack has really stinky poop. I had no intention of sharing that but right now my nostrils are burning. Guess I'd better go take care of that... Hahaha! While I was changing that stinker I told Jack, "That's yucky!" He answered back, "That's not yucky, it's poops!"

Kenley loves to pretend. She also likes to do things that she knows she's not supposed to. To get around that little obedience issue she has imagined herself "a other mom." She'll go into a corner and ask her other mom if she can do something. It's usually a request to which I would definitely answer no. Then when she gets in trouble she innocently declares, "But mine other mom said I could!" That other mom is far more permissive than I!

We planted a tree in the backyard. Anyone who has been to our home in the sunshine knows how blasted hot it gets. Our back lawn gets virtually no shade so last year we planted a maple. This year we planted a Purple Robe Locust. It's tall and skinny now but it will grow to be about 40 feet tall and 30 feet wide. It has beautiful blooms on it that hang down, reminiscent of wisteria. Come visit us in 10 years and enjoy the shade. :)

Finding a name for this baby is proving difficult. How our parents each named 6 boys is beyond us. However, if we didn't each have several boys in the family maybe some the names of our siblings could be used for this baby...I guess they still could...

February 23 - 7W 2D

I spent most of the day in bed on Saturday. Not because I felt sick but because I feel so tired! I always seem to forget that part of pregnancy. I'm very thankful that I don't get morning sickness, but wow, feeling exhausted all the time is just weird. I keep thinking that I need a reason - aside from being pregnant - to be so tired. It doesn't help that I've had trouble sleeping either. I keep thinking I'll wake up. Oh well, at least I'm not making offerings to the porcelain throne.

Say a Prayer

Jeremiah's cousin's daughter, Ravyn, is fighting a good fight but every prayer helps! Read more about her at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ravynfinch. (You'll probably need some Kleenex handy.)

Breathe a Sigh of Relief

So I went to the doctor this afternoon and everything looks great. My doctor went ahead and did an ultrasound because I wasn't entirely certain of the date of my last period and because I had been spotting. I was pretty nervous, but I got to see the little fetus and I saw the heartbeat and everything. It was a huge relief! He also told me that there wasn't much risk involved with the hormones I just finished, so that took a load off me as well.

As of today (Feb 17) I am 6 weeks 3 days. My due date is October 10, 2 days before Kenley's birthday! I'm kind of hoping for a girl, mostly because I think this will be our last baby and I'd like Kenley to have a sister, but I still think we won't opt to learn the gender until the delivery. Also, I'm just really happy to be having another baby!

In Recent News

Today's date is really February 17. I awoke at 4:17 this morning with the distinct impression that I needed to take a pregnancy test. I've had this feeling a few times the past week, but was hesitant to take the test because I get really emotional about it, especially when they return a negative result.

Over the last 6-7 months I've been concerned that I might not be able to have any more children. My body has been acting strange and I felt like it was a sign that my child-bearing days were over. Each of my childrens' births have had their own surprises, and when I had Jack the doctor expressed his concern about me having more children. Jeremiah and I have concerns as well.

I brought the test down to the kitchen to view the result. Tears streamed from my eyes when I realized that my Heavenly Father was blessing me with another opportunity to raise and care for one of His children. I ran upstairs and woke Jeremiah. I turned on our lamp. He rubbed his eyes and took several looks at the test I had shoved in his face. Then he smiled. We hugged and laughed and I cried some more. We're very happy.

I'm not letting this news post until June. I have concerns about this pregnancy already. I'm not sure how far along I am because I've had irregular cycles for months. To help regulate those cycles I just took a course of hormones. Additional hormones and babies have risks. I am going to the Dr. today and I'm hoping that they'll get a good idea of how far along I am and if I should be concerned about the medicine I just finished. Right now, I'm just excited! I partially took the picture just to make sure it wasn't a dream!

Whahoo!

I just have to tell you all that I am so excited! I'm getting another sister-in-law! My younger brother, Luke, got engaged over the weekend. He and his fiance, Janelle, have dated off and on for 8 years and now the timing is finally right! (You can tell because they've set the date for August 1, less than 2 months away!)

I love all my brothers and I'm glad that each of them have found their eternal companions! WHAHOO!

Also, they've asked me to make a cheesecake for their wedding cake! I'm really excited and, now that I really think about it, a little nervous. Never had to make anything for a wedding. It will be awesome!

So, It's Come Down to This

I was going to post about my sadness at losing my iPod shuffle...but then I found it.

Really, don't be jealous that my life is so interesting.

Quote of the Day

Brought to you by ABC's Wipeout

"Sometimes it pays to be crazy, just ask the tiny elf wizard that lives in my bellybutton."

My Hidden Talent

Sometimes when I read my friends' posts I feel completely inferior to them. They are at times poetic. More than once have I been brought to tears by their intimations. They seem to be incredible photographers as well. They take beautiful pictures of everyday things that most of us just pass by without a thought. They are really talented. As I read their posts I can't help but wonder if possess any talent equal to theirs. I guess all I can say is I have the ability to make lasting friendships with really wonderful people. And that makes me happy.

Interview with the Kids 2009

Something you do well
I: Play game because I love playing games!
K: Clean up and play with Jack
J: Uh, that one.

Something you wish you could do better
I: Play games
K: Do something with Morgan and Carson
J: Uh, owie

Your favorite food
I: Macaroni and cheese
K: Bacon
J: Carrots

3 words that tell about you
I: Cool, I like to play battleship, I love my mom
K: Pretty, drawing, playing
J: Jack, this one (as he points to himself)

What makes you happy?
I: Playing computer
K: Giving you a hug
J: that card

The most important thing in your life right now
I: You
K: To give you potatoes
J: Birthday

Your favorite movie
I: Wall-E because the cars chase him and hit him
K: Aristocats
J: Wall-E

Your favorite book
I: Dinosaur Days
K: Tinkerbell
J: Football

Your favorite thing
I: Computer
K: Play dough at Nana's house
J: Balls

Your favorite place to go
I: To the bread store so you can get "Toastie" treats (Hostess)
K: To the restaurant
J: Gammie's house

Your favorite thing to draw
I: An octopus because they have EIGHT ARMS!!!...They're cool.
K: Letters
J: Book

Something you want for Christmas
I: Toys! Lots of 'em!
K: A dolly and a T-Rex
J: Basketball

Your favorite color
I: Red, purple, orange
K: Pink and green and blue and red
J: Orange

What do you like to play?
I: Games
K: With balloons
J: Football, basketball, baseball

What do you like to do when it's raining?
I: I guess jump in rain puddles
K: Go outside and play in the snow
J: Outside Gammie

Your favorite animal
I: Armadillo because they can transform into a ball
K: An elephant
J: Turtle

Last year's interviews.

Lewis and Clark Caverns

Over the weekend my husband and my in-laws surprised me with a getaway to West Yellowstone. They even provided a baby-sitter for the weekend (thanks Gabriel and Clarissa!) It was a wonderful weekend sans children and I am very grateful for their thoughtfulness and generosity! (My kids had a great time, too. With a break from their parents and a fun outing to the zoo...pizza, junk food, fun guardians....so don't feel bad for my leaving them, I don't!)

We didn't venture into Yellowstone National Park. We went last year and while each of us had been there several times before, it was fun because we took the kids. Instead, we decided to drive deeper into Montana and visit the Lewis and Clark Caverns. We arrived midday and got there just in time to use the restroom, visit the gift shop and head out on the tour. There was a short hike that was about a 1/2 mile up to the cave with a 300 foot rise in elevation. (I won't lie, it was a little difficult for me. I'll blame it on the growth in my belly.)

As we looked down off the trail we could see the muddy Jefferson River by which Lewis and Clark travelled twice without discovering the caverns. (In fact, the caverns were discovered about 60 years later by a hunter named Dan Morrison. Lewis and Clark "lend" their names to the caverns for the tourist draw.)

View from the trail (the pale tan stripe is the Jefferson River)

Man-made section of the caverns made by blasting the limestone with dynamite.

I have never seen anything like the formations in the caverns. They were amazing. (I kept my eyes out for Fraggles, but saw none...they must be shy.) Everywhere we turned there was another natural formation that varied greatly from the formation only a foot away. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, stalagmites jutted from below. Sometimes they met to form columns. There was flow rock and "popcorn" and smooth limestone, glistening in the dim light. The tour guide described the way they form...something about water and calcite and other things I didn't commit to memory because I was in awe of what stood before me. But I can tell you this...it was dang cool!

There were several "rooms" in the caverns and several tight spaces including a fun, wet little beaver slide. My favorite room was the fantasy room. Up until that point everything had looked brown/yellow/grey. Once inside the rooms with the ultraviolet lights the spectrum of colors was amazing. Shades of pink, red, purple, and orange lent to the fantastical feel of the rock formations. I'm not that great with descriptions so here are some pictures to do the talking for me.

I took about a bizzilion more pictures, these were just some of my favorites. I think the lowest point we hit was 420 ft below the peak of the mountain and at one point we were on the "one mile step" - one mile above sea level. It was truly incredible. If you ever get the chance to visit, I highly recommend it!