Little Peanut

Hey Little Peanut!
We heard your heart beat again today! Forever a miracle.
It's strong, clear and always accompanied by lots of active kicks and thumps :).

We're at 30 weeks and counting, which means that in 10 weeks or so, we will get to meet you face to face! I can only imagine what that moment will be like. First, it'll mean that labor is over ;). Second, it'll mean that we'll finally know whether you are a boy or a girl!!! But, most importantly of course, we'll get to see this wee little person that we've already come to love so much!! Lookin' forward to it!

You don't know it yet, but your precious existence has already taught my heart so many things. Far too many to count, really.

You're teaching me to seek. After the Sweet K Saga, it would've been easy to hide in fear rather than follow my heart. But our family was not complete without you! Through much prayer and seeking, we were ready to embrace the unknown once again, and at just the right time, you became a part of our little clan! Every day is one day closer to meeting you!

You're teaching me to wait. The first few months were a breeze, and I marveled in the peace of the journey. However, as we began to wait once again for doctors and tests and questions, the waiting went from simple expectations to more questions and concerns. The Waiting Rooms of life, however difficult they may become, are also places to encounter God. And once again, I've learned things I wouldn't have chosen, but am so glad I've come to know. You've made that possible, and I am glad!!! I am also glad that presently things are looking great and test results have been very optimistic!!

You're teaching me to love. This is the first time we get to experience pregnancy through the eyes of a child! Every week, Little M asks if you are coming to live in our home yet, and daily we talk about you and how excited we are to meet you! She's been a little ticked when she's been snuggling with me and you've given her a good solid kick or two!!! But, we giggle with awe as we watch you shift and move around. What a hoot!!

Can't believe we're at 10 weeks and counting! There's quite a bit to get ready between now and then!
But, ready or not, you'll come when you come (just let me get to the hospital FIRST, ok - wink wink!?)
Love Mom

Preschool Parkade :)

Every time I see this it just makes me laugh right out loud :P. These little wheels put on many miles around here, toting dollies, books, blocks and pretty much anything else that will fit! Maybe it's the fact that I submitted Little M's kindergarten registration forms, or the upcoming arrival of Little Peanut, or days and months that whiz by in a blink. But I get ... that certain achy feeling ... knowing that before long, they'll be begging to drive OUR sets of wheels that sit in the garage!! YIKES!

Yes, it is noisy. But it is fun. And such an adventure :).

Just what the doctor ordered :)

Yesterday I felt restless ALL DAY LONG.
I couldn't quite put my finger on it ... until we stepped outside ... and I realized it has been far. too. long. since I've enjoyed my nightly walks.
I've always admired those hardy walkers and joggers who are up before the sun and have already made their lap around town as I am settling in with my morning cup of coffee. Though I do enjoy getting up before anyone else around here, it certainly isn't to face the world outside ;). My favorite time for walking is in the evening. Twilight is beautiful. Dark is best.
For years and years and years and years, walking has been a part of my "therapy." ;). As a teen, I tried to figure out life's ever-evolving issues by walking those country miles (growing up on a grain farm, there are plenty of country miles around!!). Moving to the Big City, I was sad because walking did not feel safe to me, especially after dark. Now, my favorite places to walk include the country mile a mere two blocks from my house, or my old familiar route around town. Either works, but country walkin' is the best! After we got our pooch (I was 6 weeks prego with M at the time, only we didn't know it yet!!!), I walked several kilos almost every night. It was fabulous. After K was born, I joined an aerobics class, but it wasn't quite the same. And soon, with bedtimes all askew and night times even worse, there was no energy left at the end of the day for breathing, let alone walking :).
But ahhhh, last night, I was able to walk again. 'Course, I'm 7 months pregnant now, and I can feel aches and pains as a result, but it is worth it :). Strapping on the sneakers, whipping out the ipod, and off I go :). Due to spring slush, my favorite walking buddy, Diggy, wasn't able to come with me. However, he soon will be able to join in the walking fun. I won't go as often as I like, but there's something so refreshing about getting out. Just what the doctor ordered.
'Course, the doctor would probably also recommend a good nights sleep, too, but would have to consult with Sweet K on that one. :)

Parenting SOS!!

Yikes! I've never, ever had a job like parenting. Some days fly by with barely a hiccup :). Others are inTENSE work!! One day last week I was ready to send out an SOS! It felt like we were comin' apart at the seams! 4-year-old independence collided with a mommy who had more parenting questions than answers, and it wasn't pretty!!

One day, as we strolled to the local mail box, I realized that nothing has challenged me like parenting has challenged me. Why do I say no so often? How often have I had to face my own selfishness or set myself aside to get out of bed for the umpteenth time in a night? How often have I simply not had the answer and had to fumble through to find a solution?

I also recognized something else dark and sneaky at work. The terrible weight of comparison. Without realizing what I was doing, I had started to peek over the proverbial fence and automatically assume that whatever seemed to be working in someone else's home had to happen under our roof too. This left me feeling like I was scrambling and overwhelmed. Well, this is quite silly of course, but I didn't realize how much I struggled under the burden until I relaxed and enjoyed that puddle-splashing walk to the post office.

As hairy as it gets sometimes, I have discovered that I live with two of the most patient and endearing teachers one could imagine. Every day they teach me what I need to know for the day (sometimes MORE than I need to know ;)...) and we take it from there :). I am thankful that they don't give up on me, that they laugh and love along with me, and that every day we get the chance to try again :).

Pretty as a picture!

Not sure if it's the melting snow, the fact that since I am pregnant I can actually wear short sleeved shirts all year round :), painting my toenails a lovely shade of red, or the fact that I did, in fact, place my seed order yesterday :), but it's starting to feel like

With that in mind, we decided to try a little "crafting" around here. Uhhhh, it turned out to be an ... interesting ... investment ... of 45 minutes or so! The goal was to use up a few snips of crayons, iron them between sheets of wax paper and cut out lovely shapes. Voila! "Sun catchers." I've seen this idea on many a blog, but here is where I went this morning for a few tips.

But first... a couple of questions to be answered ...

What IS the difference between wax paper and parchment paper!? I used parchment, because it's what we had in the house. HOWEVER, these dandy little creations are bonding too well :).

Can you ever use too many crayon shavings :)? Ours turned quite brittle and if you don't touch them, they're fine. But yeah, right, with two little ones around, that's not likely to happen :).

It turned into a ginormous mess, and we kept saying, "Uhhh, this isn't looking so right :)." But, we had fun, and that's what counts, right :)?

You'll notice that one daisy is MIA. It already bit the biscuit and had to be tossed ;).

un {FINISHED} business!!!

One of my goals for this year was to finish a number of projects before I start some new ones.
By 'n large, I've stuck to this only I've tweaked the projects list a little to include some fun ideas that I've found!! So, I've cheated a little :).

One of the biggies, though, has been completed. In fact, I had vowed not to move ahead on any of the stuff I want to tackle around the house before this one was done :). In fall a few of us worked on freshening up the Prayer Room at our church. It needed a new coat of paint, some new hues, some furniture :), and a few finishing touches here and there. Aside from a few slight details, it has been completed. A labor of love :). Aside from actually PAINTING the room (which took slightly longer than I thought!!!), I wanted these canvases for the walls. What was SUPPOSED to be a project that would be done in a few evenings took FOR.EVER!! By canvas #3, I was ready to freak. right. out :). I am not detailed at the best of times. During pregnancy, my attention span is shortened significantly. I like to blame it on the hormones :). But, finally FINALLY I could tack these up.

First, I had painted two coats of base color, compared it to a mat of a painting that we were matching, only to discover it was ALLLLL WRONG for the paint on the actual walls!! Since I don't go shopping very often, I needed to mix and match paint  until I had a jar full that I could use that looked... about right. Very thankful. That jar  never ran out. I was a bit nervous about that!!

Second, having learned from this project that transferring letters precisely is e.x.t.r.e.m.e.l.y. important, I took my time in making sure my letters and fonts were accurate. Time consuming, but worth it. Oh, and I only had the transfer paper backward once, which I thought was doin' pretty good :).

Third, next time I would use a permanent marker, or at least try it, instead of painting. My good paint brush went wonky about 60% of the way through the project. Not great. It took a while before I could replace it with an el-cheapo, and that was just as much a mistake!!! Note to self. Good paint liners are worth good money :).

Finally, I had some ... issues (there are always issues with my projects, it seems!!) with getting the centre pieces even. I thought I had measured and transferred accurately, but in the end, after a lot of hot glue, they needed some .... tweaking. 

There. The biggest project on the list. Done. Now on to other fun stuff!!

Sometimes I get slightly really :) overwhelmed by all the things I want to tackle around here. Following the Great Paint Project, it seems like there are always shelves to be hung, we STILL don't have blinds up (and that tacky shower curtain functioning as a blind in the girls room is just plain ridiculous!!), corners that need TLC, etc. I forget that the joy is in the journey. Uhhh, and I tackle life in the same way. Frustrated by the ever-going to-do list, overwhelmed by parenting challenges, fatigued by life's little curve balls. It is hard to remember to enjoy every day (especially when those days include one fit of passion after another!!!) and to savor the moments that slip by so quickly. 

I am learning to be okay with the unfinished business. Slowly. :)