Internet Trouble & Good News

I have access to the internet here for a minute so I wanted to drop in and update you on the Drays, today.

Our rental is a dream, very efficient and more than we ever hoped for...the phone company came out and hooked up our internet/phone (supposedly) but either they didn't truly do it, or all of the phone jacks in the house do not work. We think it is the latter. So eventually I might be able to get online, but not anytime soon.

WE HAVE A HOUSE!!!! We found a house and it is very nice. God has truly blessed us because so so many things have fallen into place to make the new house possible. I'll tell you more about it when I get time. We close on the 26th of February and have occupancy the same day. We won't move in right away as it needs to be painted and all of the electrical sockets are two prong. Besides, we have the rental until May 1 so there will be no rush. Only one month of rent/mortgage will overlap so that is also good. Doing that for very long would be quite draining on the budget!

More later, thanks for your prayers.

Jenney

Moving Week: Friday &Saturday

Ah, all moved in...or not. But we are getting there. Here are some pictures from the last couple of days. We won't have phone or internet till the 29th at the rental house. I think seems how they don't even have to come out to either property to do anything that is a bit long to wait, but I just let it go.

Here is Little Monkey Man enjoying his first meal at the rental. We did hotdogs on the George Foreman as I wasn't feeling very "cooking" that first evening.

Snug was thrilled that he had hot dogs and chips and nothing else for dinner. That was his kind of meal!

And Little Monkey Man got his big boy bed. I have similar pictures of when Snug got his. I was just a month shy of starting blogging when Snug got his big boy bed, so I don't have a post to link to. VERY soon though I can link back to when Snug was the same age as Little Monkey.

Someone was excited to get a new bed. My mom made the sheet, and I made the pillow case out of leftover scrap from his quilt (coming when grandmommy gets back from Florida).

Look how BIG he is! I can't believe it. There was blood curdling screaming for the first 30 minutes after we put him to bed that night, and after awhile he settled down and slept just fine. Nap time yesterday was a little harder. It took about 45 minutes and several times out of bed. Last night he climbed in and slept all night without a peep.

Here is the view in the boys' room. Their little matching beds are so cute! There is also a dresser in there, but we really are not going to decorate (still have to paint this room as part of our rental contract) or do anything else because we will be moving again so fast.

Little Monkey Man, being the adventurer that he is, loves the empty cabinets in the kitchen. I am loving all the cabinets period. Our old house had very very few. I told him not to get used to it because A) not everything that goes IN those cabinets is unpacked yet and B) the house we are really looking at/going to put an offer in on doesn't have nearly this many. In the meantime he has a great time getting in and out and in and out.

Either tonight or tomorrow we are going to put in an offer on a house we saw recently. #1 and I went back without kids today to look at it closer and decided (except for the location...I personally wasn't wanting to switch towns) it really fit everything we have been looking for. In fact, it is VERY similar to the house we just sold, only bigger. It even has twice the yard. I will have to make new friends but we won't have to switch churches or anything, and I still plan on going to our old library/grocery stores/bank. Everything is a mere 10 minutes away.

IF they accept our offer (and counter offers and all that junk). I have to remember that we might not get that house. And that will be OK too because that means there is something better out there. Thank you for all your prayers, God has been so generous with us. We never expected to live in such a nice rental, and this other house, if it goes through, will come available to move into just a few weeks before we have to be OUT of the rental, giving us time to paint and make any adjustments. We may even be bringing a new baby into our own house and not a rental. That would be nice!

Like I said, I don't have internet or phone...just if I am the one to stop by our old house and feed our dogs will I be able to check my e-mail quick. I will MISS reading all of your posts, they are so much fun. I promise when we get internet at the rental I will take the time to read what all has been happening in your lives. I will miss you!!!!

Moving Week: Thursday

Today is the biggest moving day of the week. Lord willing, all of our furniture will be moved to the rental house today. We have three guys coming to help #1 accomplish as much of that task as possible. We plan on spending the night there tonight, so last night was probably our last official night at this house. I am posting at 6am because I really doubt I will have any time later today to do so.
Being the last night in this house, it was also this little boy's last night in a crib. We are going to move his big boy bed into the rental and make the transition that way. New place, new bed, no big deal? We'll see!

We are all very excited about today (except Snug, he is not really thrilled with the whole idea) and it is going to be a BUSY one. Yes, I still have Draycare today. And guess what? It is a late start day which means, on top of the three I normally have, I have three "big kids" as well until 11am. Yes, eight children will be in this house we are moving out of until 11am. They will play/have preschool (if applicable) in the playroom side of the basement as that is not going to be a high traffic moving area today. I kinda figure that it will keep me from moving/lifting/trying things I should not be doing at 27 weeks pregnant. I will have my hands full of kiddos, not boxes. Definitely a better option for the baby and my health.

Thanks for all your prayers, maybe tomorrow I will have pictures of a new big boy bed and some of the other rooms.

**Did you see the painting behind Little Monkey Man's head? My mom did that for the nursery before Snug was born. I am going to miss it because it is beautiful!

Moving Week: Wonderful Wednesday

Wow, the past 24 hours have been WOW. Late yesterday afternoon I got a call from a lady who said the house I talked about here had come available to rent again, and would we still be interested? Um...YES. Last night about 8:30 I went and signed the lease and gave them the deposit and rent money. We now have a place to live, PRAISE THE LORD!

#1 has been there all day painting the living room, halls and bedrooms. That is part of the contract. Fine with us, it will be nice and ready for us tomorrow. This house is about $50 more a month than our current mortgage (as opposed to the apartment where we were going to end up which with a storage unit was going to be over $300 a month more) and includes ALL the storage we will need.

I don't plan on unpacking very much at this house as we will only be there until May 1st and should have the baby by then...don't really feel like packing up a ton while juggling a newborn. Now we have to look REALLY hard for a new house. So far nothing is really available, but we know more will keep going on the market.

This house has 3 bedrooms, one of which I can use for a playroom. Snug picked which room he wants to be in today. I really didn't care, and it gave him some control of his world that is changing so fast. It also has a small room off the laundry area that will be PERFECT for doing preschool. A brand new stove was delivered today. I am thrilled.

Our current home's closing is at 5pm tonight. That is kinda sad because I love this house, but we are so blessed to have sold it.

In other news, mainly pregnancy news, we got to visit the hospital unit we plan to deliver in. I am so excited about it. I will be needing some advice on giving birth without pain medication, but other than that it "fixes" everything we didn't like about having a baby in the traditional hospital setting.

1. #1 does not have to sleep on a hard little couch type thing. There is a queen size bed in the room.

2. I do not have to lay in a bed on my back through labor. They encourage you to walk around, be in the tub, and relax.

3. I do not have to wait until after I have the baby to have a drink or something to eat. In fact, they encourage the women to snack and drink during labor. YEAH!

4. The baby will not be whisked away 5 minutes after birth to be weighed, bathed, and check out for an hour. EVERYTHING is done in the room and you are encouraged to nurse as soon as possible (not when it is convenient for the nurses).

5. If everything goes well, we can leave the hospital within 24 hours of giving birth...not 48!

6. The kids don't have to wait a few hours to come. In fact if we want them to be they can be IN the room (I don't want that). There is a wonderful family waiting area right outside the room with couches, toys, and a DVD player that they can use and then come in as soon as she is born and I am ready to see them.

7. Mom and baby have their vitals checked at the same time and they prefer to check baby when he/she is being nursed because they are so relaxed. When we had Little Monkey they were coming in every hour to check one of us. We were so exhausted and it interrupted nursing quite a bit because the insisted on holding him to check his vitals.

And the best news we got last night was that the ban the hospital had against children under 14 due to H1N1 has been lifted and the boys will be able to be there! So exciting. This is turning out to be a wonderful Wednesday!

Moving Week: Tuesday

Even though Little Monkey Man had a bath right before bed last night (hence the great looking bed head) he really did need one again this morning. For everyone's sake. The water in the tub wasn't quite ready and he was trying to climb in by himself. Then he decided to flash everyone who was still at the breakfast table. Finally I stood him in the sink to keep him occupied. I had some other really cute pictures of him looking at himself in the mirror, but they showed too much private property on his end.

So day #2 of the Great Moving week. I was up from 2:30-6am. I wasn't UP but I was awake. I've had more insomnia with this pregnancy than any of my others. It is just maddening to lay there and NOT be able to sleep, but know how tired I will be the next day. Along with having Draycare back today and doing preschool (working on a book of colors, counting out specific numbers, letter "O", and our Bible story) we managed to get everything but a rice cooker* packed out of our basement storage area.

My kitchen has very few cupboards and many items like my crock pot, stock pots, and popcorn popper had residency on a shelf in the basement. Along with this was all of our Christmas items (Thanks mom and Danielle for helping get that all packed earlier), camping gear, and random things that didn't have another home.

We have yet another box for Goodwill, threw away a significant amount of stuff that we weren't sure WHY we even had, and packed the rest. I'm a keeper, not a tosser, but I have to say getting rid of so much stuff is actually...relieving. Anyone who helps us move will think I had better get rid of 200 more things. We even negotiated. "I'll throw/give this away if you get rid of __________." Fun times.

I had to laugh this morning. After meals the kids always clear their dishes and then go wash their hands and faces/use the bathroom if they need to. Little M (boy that I sit for) said "Where is the bathroom???" He was trying to get around a big stack of boxes in the hallway and couldn't find his way through!

Tonight we are going over to the hospital where I will deliver for an orientation. It is the same hospital I had both of the boys at but we are going to try something different this time. Although many doulas or midwives would probably laugh, this section of the maternity ward is considered a more natural delivery environment than traditional L&D areas. There is a mandatory orientation and then another day of tour just to make SURE you want to use this facility. My dr. says I am a great candidate to try this because it is baby #3 (I know what I am doing) and so far my pregnancy has been by the book perfect.

With my boys this wouldn't have even been an option because Snug was a preemie (delivered in an O.R. just in case) and Little Monkey Man had me on bedrest for a few weeks and was born the day after he was considered NOT to be a preemie. He cut it very close. We'll see how this one goes, but so far the pregnancies have been night and day so my dr. thinks I will probably go full term. Remind me when I am 41 weeks how GOOD of a thing that is...cause I'm pretty sure when I hit 37 weeks I will be more than ready to be DONE.

Still don't know where we are moving for sure, will tell you tomorrow...cause we have to know by tomorrow. Fun times!




*Ok. We got a 10 c. rice cooker (20 c. when done) as a wedding present. We've never used it that I can remember. I am all for giving it away to someone who wants it. #1 didn't know we had it and thinks we will use it constantly. It is in the pile of "if we can fit it in the storage area, it stays, if it doesn't fit, it's gone". Really, who makes 20 c of rice?????

Moving Week: Monday Mess

Welcome to moving week 2010. Actually, we will be moving two times in 2010, so maybe this should be "Moving Week 2010 A". I am going to take the most upbeat perspective on this that I can. Hang in there this is going to be a crazy week!
This is our basement. Ok, this is the homeschool/scrapbooking area/laundry room part of our basement. All the preschool materials have been moved upstairs so we can get school work done. I am not even thinking about scrapbooking in the next 10 years, and I have a very special path to get to the laundry area. I am determined to move with 95% clean laundry. The last 5% should be on bodies. Most of the large cardboard pile you see are tops to boxes yet to be packed...many of which will contain things to simply take to the rental and then unpack immediately.

Which rental? We don't know! That is the exciting part of this week, it is like a mystery game. We know who (us) we know when (Thurs-Sat) we know what (all this junk you see pictured) we know how (using the van, some friends, and a truck #1's dad graciously lent us) but the big question still remains: where????

Anyway, this is the boys' room. This box is an example of how exact I am trying to make the boxes that will be put in storage. Some can simply say "toys" or "#1's clothes" and that is all the explanation needed. However, other boxes I may or may not need for MONTHS to come (like this box containing diapers Little Monkey Man just outgrew along with sposies for him to use while I am at camp this summer) and I won't be opening them right away after move #2.

This is our hallway, and I am LOVING this stack. This stack is stuff that we didn't think we could live without back when we had our garage sale...but still haven't used since and it is all going to Goodwill. I gave away a big bag of boy clothes to a lady at church yesterday too. I am hanging on to most of the outgrown boy clothes just in case we don't have a girl. But we have TOO MUCH STUFF.

I have two boxes in the kitchen of things I want to go to storage, but am testing my theory out by having it packed...so far I have dug out 3 things that I really will be needing. It is so hard to predict. The toaster probably won't even make it into a box to travel. I think I will hand deliver it to the next counter top. We eat a lot of toast. I'm not super proud of that, but it is true.

Goodbye beautiful built in bookshelves. I shall miss you the most. Well, you and the built in china hutch...or the fireplace...(neighbors do NOT count in this "missing most" dilemma. They are so dear to us and will TRULY be missed the most).

And here is the boy who did not need a nap today. He informed us. He cried. He kicked the bed. He got a spanking. He sang loudly. He woke up his brother. He stood in the corner. He crashed on the couch for 2 hours. Because he did not need a nap. Poor little guy, his entire life is out of sorts right now.

We were very thankful that it was Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. Not only because he was a great man and did so many wonderful things for our country, but also because it gave us a daycare-free day to get LOTS done. Stay tuned for Tuesday's installment of Moving Week 2010!

The Truth Of It

Going to church may be something that many people do out of habit, or obligation, or for various reasons, but I have to say that especially since last year when Little Monkey was so sick it has become something I look forward to with anticipation because I learn so much.

I won't lie because some weeks I barely get out the door with everyone dressed and we will simply be there for two hours so I get to see other adults and my children can be with caring childcare workers. Some weeks are like that. But even on those weeks where my heart is not in the right place, God uses the sermons and affirmations of others.

The truth of it is, I (we) are trying so hard to look to the Lord for guidance in this whole housing situation. We are clinging to the verses I posted here and praying very hard that we don't become cynical or ugly towards each other or the kids during this stressful time. We are not always successful. We do lose our tempers, feel overwhelmed (like 4am this morning when I was packing boxes because laying in bed thinking about it seemed unproductive), and get stressed out. I thank the many friends and family members who have listened to me vent because often I just need to talk about it and then things don't seem as bad.

Today our music minister (director?) told the story of Horatio Spafford. He wrote the hymn "It Is Well With My Soul". Take a minute and read the words...then read his life story. His life was not easy, and he lost everything, but he was still praising God. I think that not having an ideal or easy place to live really pales in comparison.

It Is Well With My Soul
When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Refrain:It is well, with my soul,It is well, with my soul,It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Here's his story in a nutshell:

Horatio was a wealthy lawyer in Chicago in the 1800s. The first tragic thing in his story was the death of his son (1871) followed closely by the Great Chicago fire that wipes him out financially. He and his family were believers and in 1873 they planned a trip to Europe to assist D. L Moody with his ministry he had there. Because of a business manner he sent his wife and four daughters ahead and planned to join them a week later. Their ship sank mid trip after an accident with another boat in the Atlantic. His wife alone survived.

As Mr. Spafford sailed over to get his wife and bring her home, he asked the captain of the ship to let him know when he was at the location of the accident. He wrote the words to the hymn above while he was at the scene. He had lost five children and his wealth within three years. It reminds me of Job. He, like Job, remained faithful. (He later did have 3 more children, one who died and two who survived. I was glad to know that when I looked him up online today)

So I will probably continue to stress a bit this week (or a lot) about housing and the move and everything. I will more than likely share the craziness on this blog. But I AM going to remember how faithful God has been to me before, and how He promises to take care of us in the big and little things.

By Himself

Snack today was clementines and pistachios. Snug always has me peel his "little orange". He actually eats almost a bag of them by himself a week. Good think Aldi has them for $1.99 a bag right now. Today it was a different story. As he hoisted himself into his seat (he's taken to wanting to be in a booster again, he isn't a fan of sitting on his knees these days) he announced that he could peel his "little orange" by himself.

And peel he did. By Himself. He is not my independent son. However, he also can now get on his coat by himself. These breakthroughs are most helpful as I have many little people to care for and a new little one on the way. Now, my independent son could be just a tad less so because the things he attempts by himself are really not 18 month old friendly.

MMMM, that is one tasty snack!

Living Beyond Yourself

I am a part of a woman's Bible study at our new church* and we are/have been doing a Beth Moore Bible study called "Living Beyond Yourself" and it is on the Fruits of The Spirit. Think I need to be living beyond myself these days? You bet.

We have been doing the study since the fall and are taking it slow. I am ok with that as her lessons are usually lengthy and thought provoking. The next two weeks are on...FAITHFULNESS. God's faithfulness to us and our faithfulness in the Spirit. Ironic? I think not.

Here are some verses I walked away with today, and wanted to share. I have them on 3x5 cards here at the house to keep reminding us of God's faithfulness to us. It is so hard to remember in the middle of stressful times.

Psalm 145:13b
The Lord is faithful to all His promises and loving toward all He has made.

Lamentations 3:22-23
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, He is the faithful God keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands.

Philippians 4:6
Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work in us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen!

If any of these encouraged your heart this morning (or whenever you are reading) please copy them down to read for yourself. Isn't the Word of God living and active?


*I have been going on Wednesday nights for about a year and a half to this church with the boys, but our family started attending there together in October

Trumped

We had a 3 bedroom rental with all the storage we'd need lined up, but couldn't sign the lease until a week from yesterday. It wasn't a great place, but it had been worked on (painted, carpets cleaned, etc) since the last renters. This house would have been an excellent alternative to a 2 bedroom apartment (which with the cost of a storage unit would be about $300 a month MORE than our current mortgage and 1/8 the space we have currently). The house was the same price as our current mortgage.
They decided today to rent it to people who want the house for a year. That is better for the landlords than our family who needed it for 3 months.
So we have been trumped.

Happy Things

Cop Mama gave me this award a few weeks ago, and I am finally getting around to it. So sorry!
Things have been a bit hectic and I am lucky to sloppily get a post up in a spare moment or two. She will notice I took a few of her happy things as my own because, well, they also make me happy! Today I won't tell you about the awful ensemble I wore to the library, the man who practically barged into our home while I had 5 children here and no husband, or how hard it is to get a wiggly 26+ lb boy up and into a crib these days. Instead:

Ten Things that Make Me Happy:

1. Knowing that I am having a GIRL
2. Potty trained children
3. Having friends over for pizza
4. Playing games (with adults, not children, although I do enjoy that in limited quantities)
5. Camping/going to camp
6. A good night's sleep
7. Hot chocolate
8. Watching TV series on DVD with my husband
9. Getting my Bible study done in the morning before my kids or daycare kids are here running around. (This is VERY hard to do)
10. Blogging-reading blogs

At this point I am supposed to list 10 other bloggers who win this award and do the same post, but many many of you have already done it. If you'd like to list 10 happy things, PLEASE do. I know, I'm a cheater!

And Mindy, if you are reading today, YOU ARE A LIFESAVER!!!! THANK YOU. Oh, and never ever let me go out the door again looking like I did today. Feel free to tell me I need to change. Cause I so so did!

Just Another Tuesday? Never.

Oh wow, life just gets busier and busier. I really want to do a carseat post that has been on my heart, but feel I need to have some specifics lined up first. It just hasn't happened yet. One of these days I will have extra time on my hands.

But for today I...
...put snow in the bathtub so the kids could play in it without having to get everyone all bundled up.

...enjoyed Little Monkey Man wearing pink sunglasses he stole from Little Miss E. It was so funny. #1 said he looked like that one super hero costume designer from The Incredibles. We couldn't remember her name.

...packed lots and lots more boxes. It really doesn't look like I've done much around here except trash the house. Oh well!

Lists

To Do:
Preschool lesson: Letter N, snow theme, triangles/circles/squares
Grocery Shop
Visit/farewells to good friends
OB appointment
Lunch/naps/playtime
Pack!
Get Monkey's size 18-24 months from storage
Find something more interesting to blog about

To Buy:
1 can cream celery soup
1 can tomato soup
1 box Mrs. Grass Noodle soup
American Cheese
Frozen blueberries
Trash bags
Apples (88c/lb Kroger)
Chips
Organic Soy milk (2)
Frozen tator tots
Fresh Mozarella
Hormone free Chicken breasts
1 can red enchilada sauce
8 oz tomato sauce
Hot chocolate mix
2 skim milks
Eggs
Dill pickle slices
1/2 lb ground turkey
1 can corn
Whole grain waffles
Banannas
Whole Wheat/grain bread
Spaghetti Sauce
Fresh Veggies (whatever is on sale)

Anything!

Anything is better than that picture of my midsection! And since on some people's blogs *ahem* whatever the first picture on my post is shows up on their sidebar...I had to post something different.

So enjoy this picture of Snug with his Godfather (is that supposed to be capitalized?) at a wedding #1 was in this fall. Actually, he and his wife are moving to Chicago this week and we will miss them dearly. Things are just changing so much around here, and it is really hard. We will miss you guys!!!!

Let It Snow, Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Well if you didn't immediately CLOSE your browser after seeing this first picture, welcome to winter wonderland! Several of my online friends have been e-mailing me or posting comments that they want to see how big my belly is. Under normal circumstances I'd be completely flabbergasted at this request, but given that I am 25 weeks pregnant...well here it is folks. Very flattering. This is me trying to get on my girls size XL snow pants. I think a woman's size XL would be appropriate. My ski jacket, which does still manage to zip, is a Youth size 18/20. I'm not planning on being able to put this lovely ensemble together in February.

Although Little M is deathly afraid of our dogs, Chester did get to make an appearance because he has been begging to play outside with the boys. Our dogs are 1/2 husky and they love the snow. They love to run, and jump, and eat, and wrestle in it. They love that they can get a big lick in and the boys can barely walk let alone get them away. Chester is extremely obedient and he left Little M alone, so he had no need to be scared. He's mostly into his own boys anyway. Our other dog, Lucy, would have been at the local elementary school by the time I had the camera out, so I didn't bother letting her in the front yard to frolic.

The snow is yet another opportunity to wrestle with daddy, and everyone piled on him and laughed when he threw them off. I think Chester was his biggest competition actually.

In these pictures you can still see grass, but we've received at least two more inches since the kids were out and you won't be seeing the grass anymore! Little Monkey managed to figure out how to get up after falling down. When I took these pictures the other day, he'd fall and then grunt and fuss until we picked him up. I guess we didn't rescue him fast enough today because he managed to get himself picked up.

#1 decided to shovel the driveway and sidewalk. All the kids decided to take the shovel and use it in the yard. It really didn't matter that he never finished, because what little bit he did manage to do is completely buried.

Snug was very serious about his shoveling. He never complained about being cold even though his face was beet red by the time we got done. (Why beet red? Aren't beets purple? Shouldn't it be like radish red?)

Chester took a time out with Little Monkey Man. He was very nice not to lick at him while he was down. What a good dog. Actually, it used to be that he rarely would lick their faces at all but both boys encourage it and I've decided to quit punishing the dog for something his "other owners" are rewarding him for.

School let out 2 hours early to ensure that the kids got home safe. I'm sure my Minnesota and Northern Michigan friends think that is pretty funny, but we are far enough south in Ohio that when we get more than 3 inches the road crews don't do a great job at clearing it. Along with that, it has been snowing for 7 hours and supposed to go at least another 5. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

ECHO

My wonderful sister-in-law works for a special place called ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization). I'd like to tell you a little bit about it (I really don't know tons) and ask you to pray for them. They are located in SW Florida, and have been having freezing temperatures at night.

Since part of their ministry is running a farm and a seed bank to help those working with impoverished countries, a freeze that damages their plants is not good. Here is an excerpt from their web page that explains some about the seed bank:

"Welcome to the seed bank ministry of ECHO. Our goal is to serve as a resource for development workers who wish to experiment with underutilized crops as they work to improve the lives of the poor. We maintain a collection of hard-to-find seeds that thrive under the often difficult growing conditions of the tropics and sub-tropics.
As a seed bank we provide small sample packets of seed to those working on behalf of the poor, particularly in developing countries. It is our hope that these seeds will be used to evaluate new species that may help alleviate hunger, improve the soil, and produce income in areas where agriculture is difficult."

I've personally been to ECHO, and it is beautiful. Unfortunately we did not have a digital camera when I went and so I don't have firsthand pictures to share with you. I feel that I copied enough from their site for this post...don't want to delve too deeply into copyright infringements! My SIL got the moringa that my kids eat and I shared about here from there. My parents are actually on their way there to volunteer for a couple of months this winter. I know, I know, suffering for Jesus in Florida :o)

If you would, please pray for ECHO, and click on their web page to learn more about them!

Snow Much Fun

So we didn't get tons, but enough to have another 2 hour delay today. This time it was because the city didn't clear the roads...ours still hasn't been plowed. Now, with a little over an inch it isn't usually a big deal, but #1 worked last night and I guess the roads were awful.

I took the kids outside to get some fresh air. I was surprised at how much Little Monkey Man liked it. When Snug was this age he wasn't a huge fan of walking around in a snow suit and big boots. Until he would fall over though, Monkey was very happy. After being set back on his feet, he was good to go.

I haven't been posting pictures of my Draycare kids because more and more people read this and I want to protect their privacy, but I don't think Little M could be readily recognized in all his winter attire!

Snug and friends played tag, made snow angels, and ran around until Little Miss E got cold and needed to go inside. Taking off your mittens to better feel the snow will do that to you every time! The boys were pretty upset to be going back in so soon, but since my snow pants did NOT zip, and my ski jacket barely went on I was also ready to go back in-I was feeling a bit pinched.

We just had snow much fun!

We had our house inspection today. I was kinda nervous because although we didn't know of any problems, that doesn't always mean there aren't any.

Three people came.

Man #1 walked in the door and asked who went to Cedarville University because his dad teaches there and he used to teach there. Then he wanted to know who the Michigan fan was. I was guilty on all counts :o) He was happy I had gone to Cedarville, not so thrilled with the Michigan bit! Anyway, we knew lots of the same people etc, etc.

Man #2 walked in and asked who was in law enforcement. I guess these guys know their stuff because they knew that much about US from our van in the driveway. They are what you call observant. Anyway, man #2 used to work for the county and knew my husband.

Man #3 walked in and is the realtor for the family who will be buying our house. I'm sure he was super happy to see we were already chummy with the inspectors who were working for him. He was a very nice man though, and knew the former owners of our house (he did the paper work in fact because we didn't use a realtor that time) and everyone else on the block. He says a really nice family is moving in which made me happy because we love our current neighbors and want nothing less for them.

In the end they found no problems and it was only an hour long. Would have been shorter if we hadn't chatted. The kids slept through the entire thing. It looks like we're just one more step towards moving out in 15 or so days!

Hair

I am supposed to be getting ready for an inspection. Some inspector person is coming to look at our house and decide if it is livable for the next family. He is coming at 1pm and supposedly staying till 4pm. He doesn't want us home, but really, I have a home daycare so we told him he is more than welcome to come, inspect, pick apart, and report back, but we will not be leaving. That just isn't an option. Instead of getting ready for said inspection (really, how do you get ready? Either the plumbing and electric are to code or they are not. I suppose washing the kitchen floor would be a good start) I had to post some pictures.
Our youngest son has great hair. It is very soft and workable, and we are so hoping that Hannah has the same hair. Yes, #1 knows I took these pictures, he assisted in fact. We were laughing so hard. We will have to see how much he and his new little sister look the same in 21 months!

When Snug saw these pictures he said "Why is Little Monkey a gay-url now? Why is hims wearing lady hair?" I busted up laughing. I told him it was just to be funny. He didn't think it was funny. Little Monkey thought it was hilarious. We'll see how he feels when he is 10.

Ok, this is his hair in his new ball pit he got from #1's parents for Christmas. It makes his hair stick up in all directions. It is so cute.

Look very carefully at the top of his head. See? Hilarious.

And then there is bath time. If you have a little one who has to keep earplugs in while doing water activities, I would highly recommend this "Ear Band-it". You can search it online, I'm not going to take the time to find the link.

Yep, this boy has some awesome hair. And quite the grin to go along with it!

Ramblings

Oh so much on my mind. I don't even know where to start, but maybe just getting it written out will help.

I had to laugh yesterday. Little Monkey has a diaper rash (more about that later) and last night as I was getting him ready for bed Snug says "Aren't you going to put sour cream on him's bottom? It's still red!" I don't use sour cream, but I guess rash cream does look like it :o)

Speaking of "hims", my brother jokingly said something the wrong way to Snug this weekend, and Snug promptly corrected his grammar. My brother said "Oh, right, this coming from the boy with perfect pronouns!" Snug's pronouns are indeed in need of some work.

The diaper rash came after I let Little Monkey have some ice cream the other night. We have recently discovered that he is lactose intolerant, but we're not sure to what degree. Cheese seems to be fine, but milk and ice cream are out. When he has milk (or ice cream) he gets very foul diapers that you don't want me to describe and a blistery raw diaper rash.

We'd been having a problem with it since probably the end of September, but based on the number of children we've had in our home, know that diapers are prone to be weird/extra stinky/change periodically. I hadn't linked it to milk because when he was hospitalized last year they ran all kinds of food allergy tests and none of them came back positive. Milk was a go at that point. However, being allergic, and being intolerant are two different things.

I am allergic to horseradish. I break out in the face, have some trouble breathing, and get really hot. I am lactose intolerant. I have bowel trouble and stomach pain. Evidently Little Monkey Man has inherited the latter trait from me.

We found out what the problem was after our family doctor had us stop milk for a few days with both boys before Christmas when they had bronchitis. He just wanted us to lay off of it until the coughs loosened up. During that time, Little Monkey's diapers magically were "normal". As soon as I put him back on whole milk, they were back to gag-city. Organic Soy milk is available at ALDI, and we are making use of it for the time being, and testing out other dairy products to see which ones bother him. Since we've made the switch, I almost don't even need the diaper sprayer that I got for Christmas. It doesn't really work well anyway!

I am having trouble sleeping at night, but I think that it is due to both pregnancy and lots on my mind. One good thing about it is that I eventually get up and have time alone in The Word. Sometimes it is 2am, but I don't think God minds! Not sure my family loves how tired I am. We had a nice weekend with my parents and brother/sister-in-law. It was nice to visit with them and to have help with the boys and packing.

We are 16 days away from our house officially being "sold". So we are somewhere around 18 days from moving. I am about 1/10 of the way packed. There is so much of it I can't even physically do. The rest I just can't even seem to wrap my mind around. Moving wasn't part of my growing up, I think I need to seek out some military wife's advice!

The schools had a 2 hour delay here today because the heat in several of the schools didn't work. That means Draycare was delayed also, giving me time to rest a bit (although I did have one non-teacher's son here anyway) before we get back into the swing of things. The kids are all playing quietly so I am taking the time to blog. Naptime will be packing time from here on out I'm afraid.

Where are we moving? Um, that is a fantastic question. Right now there is a chance we might get to rent a 3 bedroom house for a couple of months until something we like/fits our needs opens up. #1 is very much hoping that option stays available. We went and visited the 2 bedroom apartment that we were going to end up, and he was NOT happy. He's used to his space away from the daycare and there just isn't anywhere to go in an apartment.

I have several cute pink and purple things that people have given me in the past couple of weeks. I have a tote packed with newborn essentials that will not go into storage when we move. Just in case we are still renting somewhere when Hannah comes along. I don't want #1 to have to leave the hospital and dig through storage to find things. I don't want anyone to have to dig through storage for anything! I'm trying to plan/mark/organize so that doesn't happen.

We are in the process of switching from paper napkins to cloth ones. I've wanted to do it for forever, but getting several sets for Christmas is making it happen! I hate throwing away all those napkins, and then spending money on more. We use them for 2-3 meals (keeping track of which one belongs to each) and then wash them. They really don't add that much to our laundry load.

Well, those are some happenings here. I'll post pictures in the next post, promise! My kids are much more fun to look at than just reading my ramblings!