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Only through tomorrow!

Leah, Rachel, Bilhah and Zilpah

I've been wanting to institute a consistent, nighttime reading routine for a long time. But usually by evening, I'm exhausted and don't want to do anything else educational or gather the kids around me anymore.

This summer, Matt and I have finally managed it. We've read some fun books: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and The Cricket in Times Square. Now we're reading some fairy tales but we'll probably start Sarah Plain and Tall soon. We read a fun book for 15-20 minutes in the living room, then order the kids to brush their teeth, get water, go potty, etc. and meet again on our bed for family prayer and scripture study. I don't know what it is about all the kids on our bed but they get so giggly. If Daddy says something silly, it's like he's set off a funny bomb and everyone (including Felicity who is just copying) just explodes with laughter. Any of you who are familiar with Abby's laugh know how deep and loud it is. It is usually her laugh alone that sets me laughing.

The other night for scriptures, I read some verses from Genesis. (I want the kids to be familiar with Bible stories so we're in the O.T.) It was the part where Jacob works seven years for Rachel, then Laban gives him Leah (the older sister) instead so he has to work for seven more years to marry Rachel. Leah has a bunch of children and Rachel cannot so she gives her husband her maid, Bilhah, who then has sons. You know how these Old Testament stories require explanation so as not to seem so bizarre, and after explaining to the kids up to this point, Abby reasons with, "They're like having a baby competition!" Ha-ha, she laughs. Well, it only gets better because when Leah stops having children, she then gives her maid, Zilpah, to Jacob. If you could have heard Abby's laugh at this point, you would have been laughing yourself. She and Kian just giggled and guffawed at the hilarity of the story. Matt and I were laughing just as hard. Of course, Kian has to chime in with something silly, "She's going to have a zillion pods for Jacob!"

It's when family night and scripture study and prayer include moments like these, parenthood is truly an enjoyable endeavor!

Overdoing It

Vegetation just seems to grow (except our grapes, and some of our blackberry and raspberry bushes) even when you don't water it. The grass in our backyard is no exception to this. We have just finished a round of severe weather and this has prevented me from getting things cut. Well, the rain moved out and the heat moved in, and I just wanted to cut the grass in the yard. Monday was the day I was going to do it. Rhyetta, being the great person that she is, was concerned about the heat. I reassured her that I would drink lots and lots of water. Before heading outside, I fill up a 64 oz bottle with ice water. It was definitely hot and humid (I think the heat index was 100), but I was determined to get the job done. It took several hours to cut the grass. I had to push what should be a self-propelled mower up, down, and around the yard. Three bottles of water later came some relief when the mower decided to start propelling itself (what a blessing that was). Alas, the entire yard was not finished; the front was left to be conquered. I went inside for a short respite from the heat and got more ice water. My body was telling me to stop. My legs hurt, I couldn't stop profusely sweating but the job was not finished.

When I started mowing the front yard, the lawn mower cooperated but soon decided to just cut the grass and not assist in moving. So, I pushed and pushed myself to push the mower until the job was done. The one thing I failed to do was drink water while working in the front. By the time it was all said and done, my body was done. I felt sick even after taking a cool shower and I just couldn't cool off. My head started to hurt and so I went to lie down. I was so hot Rhyetta thought I had a fever.

The moral to this story: listen to your body. It knows when you've had enough, even when the job isn't finished.

Heat exhaustion is no fun, and neither is overdoing it!

Becoming One With Nature, I Think!

The funniest, and maybe disgustingest thing happened the other day. Rhyetta and I were in the living room keeping cool while the kids were doing a variety of activities around the house. Ella decided to go play outside. Time passed and Ella soon came at the door wanting some assistance. Rhyetta gets my attention and has me look at Ella. Ella has her shorts and underwear around her ankles and a big smile on her face. I, being curious why she would come to the door like this, inquired what happened. She mentioned that she had to go potty. I asked her to show me what happened and she proceeded to take me around to the side of the house where she had deposited some poop; all the while very proud of herself. I took her into the house and told her to head to the bathroom. I busting up laughing and told Rhyetta what had just transpired. While helping Ella finish going her dooty, I reminded her that next time she had to go potty to come inside and use the bathroom.

Ahhh, living in the country has it's perks, eh?!

My Summer Domestication and Reality Check

I knew that when Rhyetta and I decided back in April to have another baby, things would have to be different, especially when she would be in the death-trap of morning, or evening or whole-day, sickness. This is one of the reasons why we waited till April, so it would be ensured that I would be home to help out. What a wake-up call it has been.

Now I know, to the best of my second-hand ability, being pregnant is not always easy for Rhyetta, especially when she is sick so much. I try to do as much to help Rhyetta as I possibly can. I help to make sure she has lots of books to read, movies to watch, and time to sleep/rest while in bed. I try to provide her with "food-on-demand" (no, that is not a satellite or cable service!) so she doesn't get nauseous even more. Even with all the help I provide, I still feel like I am not doing enough and that there is more to help out with. This is where my domestication training has begun. Washing three loads of laundry and hanging them to dry on tie-downs, strapped between trees in our backyard as a make-shift clothes line, making breakfast, lunch and dinner for the family, trying to keep four tornados under control, tilling more land for our garden, killing the incessant supply of ants and bugs that make their way into the house, bathing the kiddos, taking care of the chickens and dog, and making sure Rhyetta is as comfortable as she can be has become somewhat of the norm. Rhyetta has always been the bread maker in our house. Recently, I have even taken up making, if I do say so myself, delicious loaves of bread that are eaten up within days. I would be lying if I said it wasn't enjoyable to make and eat a nice warm buttery piece of homemade bread. Tonight, Rhyetta commented on how I earn and make the bread, while she eats the bread.

Rhyetta has said that she is glad that I am the one not pregnant because she couldn't handle waiting on the whole family everyday like I have been, and she is grateful for it. My reality check has been (and I have to remind myself this often) that she works this hard everyday while I am at work or off doing things for church. How grateful I am for Rhyetta and for her being patient with me during my summer domestication training so far. I am grateful that she is feeling better and better each day, knowing that I cannot let up on my part. It gets frustrating sometimes, but I have nothing to complain about (not that I am looking for sympathy or that I would get any). I should be doing this for her a lot more, especially when she is not pregnant. This kind of reality check isn't always nice, but necessary indeed.

 

Oh, BTW, Rhyetta sees the doctor for the first time on Tuesday. We'll let you know how it goes.

Cub Scout Day Camp and God’s Camera

Yesterday and today Kian was able to attend his first Cub Scout Day Camp. He had lots of fun these past two days doing crafts, throwing tomahawks, shooting BB guns, driving go-karts, and other fun activities.

Today, I had the privilege of being one of the leaders that was to spend the day with 9 boys. The day started off early since we were to meet the other cub scouts at the church at 7:30. While we were waiting for the other boys to get to the church, lightning and thunder surrounded us. Then the rain fell off and on. No big deal; it is just supposed to briefly rain and then will pass, I thought. When we arrived at Wallace State Park in Cameron, MO the rain subsided but the threat was heard all around us. A cardinal even came by to play while we waited to head to camp, so how much of a rain threat would it be today if the birds are out playing? To get to base camp, we had to hike ½ mile from the parking lot along a trail which crossed a small stream in a beautiful green canopied wood. Kian brought a rain coat, as part of his suggested gear, and I didn't think I would need one; needing one would soon be an understatement.

While waiting for the activities to start, the rains came back with fury. Boys and adults were scrambling to get ponchos on, trash bags for ponchos on, or rushing to a nearby tree for shelter. As I was standing under a nice tall tree in a thunderstorm, a thought crossed my mind. Can you guess what it might have been? Haven't you always been told to NEVER seek shelter under a tree during a thunderstorm for risk of being struck by lightning?, was shared with another leader. We laughed about the irony, but continued to stay put and talk. When all of the Cub Scout packs were gathered together during a break in the rain, we were advised by the camp director that if there was lightning and immediate thunder twice in a row, we were to pack the boys into the bathrooms for shelter. Needless to say, fitting over 100 Cub Scouts into camp bathrooms was NOT an enjoyable thought for anyone present. I just can't imagine why this would be a problem, would you?

9:25 am and the rain started falling as we headed to our first station, decoys, and would soon become problematic for everyone. There just weren't enough portable canopies to go around. Kian enjoyed making a bug decoy out of sticks, pipe cleaners, glue, and googley-eyes. As the other leaders and I noticed the rain not letting up but getting harder and time to switch stations, 10:00, was approaching, we all made a run for it. Dripping wet from head to toe would be my lot for the rest of the day, while Kian would just be somewhat wet from this point on. We had to walk through a muddy, water-logged, and flowing stream trail to get to the next station which was BB guns. Kian said he liked shooting the gun at a pie tin, even though he did it just once. Thank goodness our next station was a few steps away and the rain finally slowed to a light rain. However, the lightning and thunder kept their presence known. 10:30 and the boys were moving on to drivers training (or in other words riding go-karts down a water-logged hill which would soon become muddy). Kian's excitement grew as he watched some of the other boys take turns on the go-karts. The leaders were huddled under a portable canopy while the boys didn't mind the light rain while having fun. At one point, Kian and some other boys joined us under the canopy to get out of the rain. A flash of lightning was seen and I asked, "Was that someone's camera, or was it lightning?" (I had seen a leader from another nearby Pack taking pictures of their group, hence the question.) Kian exclaimed, "It's God's camera!"

It was 11:00 and as we headed to our next station, we were informed that everyone has packed up and went home due to the rain messing everything up. The boys were glad to hear this news. What this meant was we had to fiord a now swollen creek and a slippery, muddy trail on our way back to the cars. The boys didn't mind it at all. On the way back to the church, and a proud moment for me, Kian was enjoying the companionship of other boys by starting a conversation about, "What is your favorite toy, or object?" Now this was a proud moment for me because Kian is sometimes shy around other people, even if he knows them. He won't join a game with friends unless he is invited or motivated to do so. So, I was smiling and felt proud for my little man as he was conversing with his peers. I also imagined driving to the temple to take the youth for baptisms and hearing Kian and his friends carry on in conversation. What a flash forward! Anywhoo, thus ended Kian's first Cub Scout Day Camp.

Since Kian's comments, I have thought about what he said. How perceptive and thoughtful it is to think that God is taking pictures of his creations having fun and enjoying themselves. I mean, isn't that what we do as parents? We take pictures and video of our kiddos all the time. I could imagine that our individual Book of Life is more of a scrapbook than a long list of things we have done right or wrong. It kind of puts how I picture lightning a little different now. Just remember, don't forget to say "CHEESE" when your picture is taken from beyond the clouds and lightning is the flash of God's camera.

Morning Sickness

It's been six weeks since the morning sickness started (never actually in the morning, mind you, much worse at night, but anyway...)

Six weeks of nausea. Day after day of feeling like I'm going to puke all the time, and many times actually puking. I've watched endless movies. I've read dozens of novels. I've laid in bed and tried not to move or smell for 10 hours/day. I've laid in misery, asking myself "Why?!" and "When will this ever end?!" and hoping that this will be the last time I ever have to go through with it. The kids were so ignored before Matt got home for the summer, acting out, desperately needing attention. Matt's home now and so wonderfully taking care of all of us.

And then, I reached 11 weeks, and all of a sudden I'm not nauseous all the time! I'm not feeling desperately sick anymore! I've started to feel myself again--with ambitions. I picked up my first book of nonfiction that I read in a day! It feels so good, I want to shout, "Hooray!"

Yeah, I still feel pukey at night and I gag at every bad smell, and Matt still changes all the diapers and does all the laundry, BUT I can be in the kitchen again! I can open the fridge again! I can sweep the floor and help out around the house!

Come on everybody, shout "Hooray!"