just need a little late night vent

Ok, Obama.

The "Born Alive" bill, the voting 4 times against it issue (if you don't know, go research it a bit, it's worth your time).

His main argument to try to cover his butt on this is: the language of the bill would have undermined Roe v. Wade.

So what?

If you believe a child - BORN ALIVE - should be taken care, given human rights and medical care, then you believe it. It doesn't matter if it affects Roe v. Wade. If you honestly believe babies that survive abortion, who are BORN ALIVE, should have human rights - be considered human - than that's all that matters. Vote your conscience.

IF, when a bill such as this is passed - and THEN, people begin to realize hey!, if *this* is true, perhaps our thinking about abortion is wrong....... SO BE IT!! You shouldn't be basing your decision about an infant being killed on how it may affect some other law. You should be basing it on what is RIGHT!



But then again, I obviously see why he voted the way he did. His supporters kill babies. They kill them in the womb, and out of the womb, apparently. To admit that a child born alive, even after an attempted abortion, is an actual PERSON - well - that's just a *little* too close to deciding that 10 seconds before, while the baby was still half in the womb, the baby was a person. And that 10 seconds before that, when the baby was all the way in the womb, that baby was STILL a person.

Yes, it's a slipperly slope, Sen. Obama. To admit babies are real PEOPLE is detrimental to the abortion activits that support you. If people start calling *babies* HUMAN, what's next?!? Now we're suppsed to believe that just because that baby IN THE WOMB can hear you, can feel all you do, all the pain, all the suffering, that somehow now *that* baby is HUMAN?? Oh no.....not that. We could never have that.

In fact, let's make this easy. A baby shouldn't *really* be a person for a few days, maybe a few weeks. Let's make sure NOTHING is *wrong* with it first. Isn't there some sort of genetic testing available? If it looks as though the...ahem..."baby's" care might be a burden on the family or the state, then get rid of "it" - hurry though, if you don't act soon, this infant might actually be considered a person - oh no....

(this was an after thought, so it's a bit raw)
for any Christians out there who are torn about the debate over abortion...I just don't get it. I have a hard time seeing this from any other viewpoint than murder. When I think about people killing babies in the womb....and how we LET them, I am sickened. I don't know what's right, what's the right thing to do ~ as a Christian? How do you save someone from murder and still "love" their murderer? How do we keep putting the murderer before the baby being murdered? I just can't wrap my head around what this country has allowed to happen.

But I do know this: how would we feel if they were using guns? How would we feel if they were killing babies 2 days old? And now how do we feel when they are killing babies 1 hour old? 1 hour BEFORE being born? If you have your own child, remember them 2 days old. Remember them 1 hour old. Remember your thoughts about that child 1 hour BEFORE he or she was born. They are babies. I feel torn apart inside. They are babies. dear God.






just one point of clarification (and it's also raw and emotional):

those women who have been vicitimized through abortion, those women that have been fed lies and now feel EVERY SINGLE DAY the pain of their choices.....my anger, my overwhelming raw emotions, are not against you.

They are against all of us. All of us in America that have allowed abortion to become such a common-place topic. An issue we separate ourselves from, set on a shelf and simply go on with our lives. A remote subject that we dismiss and give over to the politicians. Even a topic we discuss at "Bible Study" so we can all feel good about our Pro-Life stance. I don't know what else to do, but as it stands now, it's not enough.

And when we sit back and think, well, it's the law - what are we supposed to do? we are just as guilty. They are babies. I'm sorry, but I just can't get past the babies. I just can't.

I love it when....

I love it when my daughter brings me a wall she has made out of her blocks and tells me it's actually part of the Wall of China. Just a part, 'cause the Wall of China is very big. And *actually*, the Wall of China is brown, but we don't have any brown blocks, so I should just use my imagination, okay??

and then, my younger daughter also brings me some blocks. I tell her it kinda looks like a lizard (really using my imagination, here). She looks at me with disdain and says no momma, it's the Fall of Lima (ahem....Wall of China).

Duh.

Baby Moves & Head Explodes

Ok, it took me really long time to think of a title for this post. It's just that not a lot is really going on. We have been super-busy, but not with a lot of blog-able stuff.

I woke up Thursday morning with the beginnings of a headache. It grew to a migraine that lasted until Sunday. That is just not right! I couldn't take my usual emergency-drug, Excedrin, 'cause I asked my OB exactly what risk was associated with aspirin. Ya, some stuff about heart valves and early closure. Um, nope, I can't take Excendrin EVER AGAIN while preggo.

Now what am I going to do??

My OB thought they sounded like sinus headaches (I disagree, seeing as how I have them a few times a month and have no other sinus problems) - so she had me try Tylenol Sinus. I did. Religiously, for 3 1/2 days. Nothing. Did not help ONE BIT. Horrible. Tylenol is NOTHING!!


Anyway, school was a bit light on those days, but seeing as how I did something each day, I didn't feel bad. We picked it up again today, and things are going great! I just finished putting together their "Portfolio" folders (just to hold some of their work) - so cute! I am almost done with their new chore charts (starts in Oct.) and they are excited about that (kids excited about chores - I know this won't last).

I sang at a Ladies Brunch at church Saturday morning, which went great! I still was dealing with headache stuff, but this was right before I got sick. Yes, NOW I am dealing with a sinus-infection, cough-stuff. And no headache now - weird. But it hit AFTER the singing gig, so all is good. My kid's choir at church had their auditions Sunday mornings - hectic, but good! Sometimes, ok, MOST times I feel overwhelmed by that job - but I really do love it in the end. I just feel like I am juggling too many plates and I'm not sure which ones to put down....ever feel that way??



My house is....um....undergoing a change. Well, *I* am undergoing a change. It's called "Lower Expectations" and it's interesting. If you know me at all, I tend to be a neat freak, an obsessive organizer and a cleaner. That person is still there, trying to gain control again - but I believe that is one of the plates I dropped when Elijah was born. I just haven't been able to keep up my "before-children" cleanliness standards since he arrived. I'm not sure how I managed before baby #4.....

So my standards have had to change somewhat. They are still in flux....somedays I just don't give a hoot! Somedays I feel embarrased and guilty. Yet I must admit, the latter is happening less and less - while most days I just do the best I can and call it a day.


It feels like our family has been running full-speed for a few weeks now and we need a break. This weekend, Dean & I are required to attend a conference at our church (its for everyone, but staff is required). So that's another Saturday lost to the race. Ugh. We just don't do well at high speed for long distances.

But then (yes, I know I'm not supposed to start a sentance with BUT), Dean starts his vacation the following Monday. We have NO PLANS. I think Dean wants to get the outside of our home/yard/garage more "winter ready" and organized. That's it. Otherwise, we get to simply chill (and homeschool, of course). I can't wait!

Sooooo.....I told you about the 4-day headache (well, 3 1/2 day) - that is why my head was about to explode (see title). The Baby Moves part is pretty explanitory (sp?) ~ I think I felt the baby move this morning!! How exciting! Now, I know it's a bit early, but I'm on baby #5 - I think I'm just more aware of what that feeling is. Either that or I'm more in tune with my digestive system than I thought......*ha*

All is going just fine in that department ~ I'll have an ultrasound at 19 weeks - that's the next appointment. Other than that, it's just get through the days, love on my kiddos, grow a baby and remember why we are doing all this. HIS GLORY! Whew....

Have a great day~

Home education - the first week

Here's some basic updates thus far....

EARLY MORNINGS
Nope, this just isn't happening for me. I go to bed around midnight and get up about 8am. I just need those 8 hours, and I can't seem to get to bed any earlier. I'm a total night-out and am able to get things done after the kids go to bed. If I got up earlier, they would just get up earlier too - which wouldn't help my getting-stuff-done issue, now would it?!

I just let my little ones have their play/cartoon/game time in the mornings. I take a shower, make my coffee, get breakfast together, etc. Once we get breakfast, then a basic schedule starts.



SCHEDULE
Very basic at this point:
8am - up, shower, coffee, try to open my eyes fully
9am - breakfast, quick toddler Bible story, then Daddy off to work
kids dressed, teeth, clean rooms, chores
break time for the kids, Momma gets some Bible time

*then we do whatever we need to do. Playing, organizing, computer time, some pre-school fun stuff, coloring, painting, playing outside.....I try to do some house stuff too. I bake bread, prep the rest of the day's food, go over school stuff, etc.

12:30pm (or so) - lunch and memory verses
1:30pm - read aloud for all kids
2pm - little ones down for naps
2-5pm - learning time. At the end of this time, I work on dinner and a quick clean-up.

5:30pm - Dean gets home and ASKS WHAT HE CAN DO TO HELP ME!!! Seriously ladies, if you can have a serious, heart-felt talk with your dh's and they want to know how they can bless you - that little phrase is a sanity-saver! And sexy too ~ seriously!

So we work on dinner together. The little ones get up sometime between 4-5, so sometimes they are cranky when I'm pulling dinner together. It's great to have two sets of hands to handle stirring food, hugging boo-boos, changing diapers, dealing with behavior stuff, etc.etc.etc.

6:30pm - is usually about dinner time.
8:30pm - is usually about bed time for the littles.
9-9:30pm - bedtime for Isaac

the rest of the evening is planning, emails, laundry, catch-up housework, and I honestly try to make sure Dean gets some of my attention too. Doesn't always happen...

Midnight - bedtime (but it's 12:30am now, so I'm behind again)



CURRICULUM
I have all my curriculum listed in the right sidebar. We haven't started the Math-U-See yet, but we are diving into the Weaver Vol. 1 and keeping up with 100 easy lessons for phonics. I also want to grab some piano books for the kids music time. I'm trying to go slowly, introduce all this into my kids' days one step at a time.


CHORES
I just got Word on my computer - we were without any word processing program all summer - so I need to make up new chore charts. Right now, I'm just picking a chore and they do it. But we will have specific chores for 2 months at a time once I can get it together. I'm trying to keep things easy on myself - so no really hard chores that require my constant attention. For the first few months, I'll give them chores that they already know and are comfortable with - again, to EASE us into this new phase of our lives.



ME TIME??
Hmmm......I'm trying not to forget this part. I have a Ladies Bible Study Tuesday mornings (childcare for the littles, Isaac does school work in Daddy's office) and I'm in the Choir on Wednesdays. I go out with my girlfriends once a month (or so). I'm debating going to the homeschool group this year. It's mostly just support meeting once a month, with ladies speaking on specific topics each time - so we'll see if I can fit it in.

I have my coffee each morning, I take my time waking up. I'm not a morning person and I've completely given up becoming one. We will do what works for us. And for now, school happens in the afternoons. It's what works for Momma. And since I'm the one honestly doing the most work, pouring all the drinks, changing the diapers, you know - GROWING A BABY - we're catering to me. As the kids get older and can help even more, things will change, of course. I'm trying to remain flexible.


Ok, I'm exhausted - I just wanted to give y'all an update. What do you think??
How is your fall schedule shaping up??





p.s. The Palin issue in the online, conservative Christian women blogs/websites is killing me. I can't believe how divisive this is. I'm tired of clicking NEXT on my reader - it's not that I don't want to read about the upcoming election. I'm just tired of hearing how awful one side thinks the other side is and vice-versa. I know you feel strongly, I know it's your blog, I know you think what you believe is Biblical. Got it. It's just horrible to see how it's dividing so many Christian ladies who should be supporting and loving one another. *big sigh*

and yes, for the record, I like her. But if you don't, I don't mind.

"We Eat Our Own"

I saw this over at Seeking Faithfulness - she got it from In The Heart of My Home. I read it a few days ago. Honestly, this is *not* about the anon. comments from before. It's not, although it did make me think of this blog post again. It set me thinking of how we Christian women treat each other, how we look at each other, and inevitably, judge each other. Has this gotten worse in recent years, or I am simply at that age that I am accutely aware of it now?? I don't know....

Go here to read the full article. Yes, it deals with some Sarah Palin stuff, but if you concentrate on just that, I think you are missing the deeper meaning. I am in NO way innocent on this front. I have done my fair share of judging other mommas. I still have to take a step back and re-evalutate my thoughts, so easy do the judgements come at times.

I'm glad the Lord has shown this to me - at the perfect time when I was willing to really see this truth in my own life, my own private thoughts. I pray it will reach you, if the Lord knows you are ready, it will. If you have already learned this valuable lesson, way to go!

Here's a quote from that particular blog post:

We eat our own. We make up litmus tests and then level judgments. Does she
dress the way a Christian woman should? Does she wear her hair the way a
Christian woman should? Does she go to the "right" parish? Does she manage her
finances the "right' way? Use the "right" curriculum? Spend her time the "right"
way? Does she have enough children and are they spaced the "right" way? If the
answers don't fit what we've decided--in our opinions--constitute holiness, we
chew the woman up and spit her out in disgust.

And we become women of opinion, not conviction, to use a phrase coined
by Colleen Mitchell. We become women who are so preoccupied by judging and
condemning that we tear down our own homes with our own hands. The spirit of
condemnation pervades the very being of the woman and erodes at the gentleness,
peacefulness, and goodness her family deserves. She becomes a bitter women
and her life bears bitter fruit.

Let us know what you think.....

A Mini Momma Treat

Here's my Mini Momma Treat. It's a......hmmm......I'm not sure what you call it?? A coffee cafe all my own. It holds one cup of coffee, a little cup for extra creamer and enough extra coffee for two more cups. The only extra thing I add is a packet of Stevia sweetener on the side.


I just love it! I can sit at the computer, drink my coffee, read my Bible, answer some email, check my blogs, refill my coffee, check the laundry, go over the upcoming school stuff, refill my coffee again and then just sit back and relax. It's just the cutest little item and I love it. I found it at a new resale shop while visiting my parents. My mother is the resale QUEEN!! I don't normally have to the time to browse through these types of shops, but I love it when I get the chance.



Another little diddy I picked up was this bread slicer for my dh. He loves my homemade bread but has a hard time slicing it for sandwiches. Here's a simple solution. He was pleased! Now I just need to bake some bread so he can try it out.

I picked up a few other items on my trip, some fabric, an apron for the girls, some jewelry, 2 maternity tops, a HUGE Strawberry Shortcake doll (I loved her as a little girl - I'm so glad she's popular again!), and other things I can't think of right now. When I get the pics, I'll share.

I also have lots of Creation Museum pics that I just downloaded. I'll put up some of the best ones soon too~

Gotta run~

I'm BAAAAAAAACK!!

I know, like you were all holding your breath. right.

Anyways, it took $1000 to fix the van plus the added cost of just being so far away from home with 4 small chillins. Don't you spend more money when you're away from home? I always do. But the time with my folks was nice, and I'm glad the kids got to hang out with my parents, especially my dad (they see him less often). Praise the Lord, that while we don't simply have $1000.00 lying around, waiting to be spent, we are able to swing things to get it paid. It'll be tight around here for awhile - time to get creative, I guess!!

I've got more to share - of course - but my house is trashed. How do these things happen?? It's not from my dh, he had it all nice and cleaned up when I got home last night. It seems my kids REALLY missed all their own toys over this past week or so - they got out every single one!! I've got to empty a huge suitcase, CLEAN the kitchen and do some last minute planning for home school (we will be officially ONE week late - but we'll make it up here and there over the year, easy). Luckily, all the kiddos are taking a quiet time.

AND, my LNO is tonight (LNO = Ladies Night Out). We're going to Olive Garden - YES, thank you Joann!! I'm hungry already...

Ok, time to start cleaning. My home smells like a bachelor has lived here for a week....oh, ya, that's right......(*wink* luv ya babe)



p.s. my kids have been playing "Horsie" or whatever you want to call it when they climb on each others' backs and ride around the house. They're having so much fun! And I'm having so much fun watching them~

~Thank You~

Thanks for your comments, advice or suggestions!


In HIM,

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Update & Observation

THE UPDATE:
Well, we are still in Indiana. I just spoke with the tire & auto place this morning and *hopefully* they will get back with me this afternoon with an estimate. Just praying it's not too expensive & it won't take too long to fix. I am not good at the "single parent" thing. My folks are great, of course, but it's not the same. My kids miss their daddy - especially the 3 yog - and so do I.

My dh is doing much better. No more fever, while the rash & cold sores are diminishing. He's getting back to normal, although he still needs to rest. I *am* glad he has this chance to rest - that just usually doesn't happen when you're the daddy to four small children, plus the husband to a preggo wife.

And lastly, I am dealing with a massive migraine that just won't leave. It's been over 24 hours and well, it stinks, to put it mildly.


THE OBSERVATION:
I haven't wanted to really discuss Sarah Palin as of yet, here on my blog. Just so you know kinda where I'm coming from, I think she could be AWESOME for our country. There's much more to my opinion, but that will just have to wait for now.

ANYWAYS......the Observation. I attended church at my parent's church this past Sunday morning. Did anyone else see a plethora of "Sarah Palin" hair-dos??? I was sitting about half-way back in the sanctuary and saw quite a few
variations of her hair-style, as I saw it on t.v. for the RNC. I couldn't help smiling each time I saw one. What an interesting little trend~

Ok, time to go take care of my babies.
Later, my friends~

God is at work here!

God is *totally* at work - today - here - in our lives.

A bit of history, in case you forgot: We went on a mini-vacation to the Creation Museum. We had to get TWO hotel rooms, due to the size of our family (hello, people? we only have 4 kids?!). So my dh & I were not able to sleep in the same room, let alone the same bed. This is the first time we have had this issue. Oh well...

My dh ended up being very sick that weekend. I was actually a bit thankful that I didn't have to sleep in the same bed as that increasingly sick man!

We get home fairly late Monday night. He leaves for work in the morning on Tuesday (I hardly saw him). While he is at work, I decide to REPACK and head over to visit my parents. Since he still felt awful, Dean was just fine with us heading off and giving him some time to recover.


ANYWAYS.....

Dean still felt awful, so he went to the doctor. Probably just some infection, a virus, you'll be fine - here, take some antibiotics. Next day, he wakes up with a rash and cold sores. He visits the doc again, who tells him "We're not exactly sure what you have, but stay away from people with cancer & pregnant women".

I began to rethink the last week. I honestly believe the Lord was keeping us apart during that time. Yes, we were still "together", but most of the time, we were not in close quarters. We were not kissing, being all mushy or any of that. He felt too awful and I didn't want us BOTH to be sick.

Then, out of the blue, my mother invites us to their place. It just so happened that we could go! So again, I'm away from my contagious husband who's not supposed to be around pregnant women.

All just chance?! Maybe, I guess. But I doubt it. I don't really think the Lord works *by chance*. I believe He has a plan for this little one. Big plans. The Lord knows what this child will accomplish for HIS glory. He protected this child, even when we - the parents - didn't know protection was needed.

Cool, huh!?!

Coming & Going

Hello all~

Well, our family just got back home last night from a GREAT trip to the Creation Museum over the Labor Day weekend. It was lots of fun - the museum was, of course, awesome. So was the pool at the hotel - hard to say which the kids liked more, though I'm leaning towards the pool! Plus, we were able to take this mini-vacation with some dear friends of ours with three little girls of their own. We often got odd looks as our party of 11 headed into a resturant and requested 3 high-chairs! Hey, we had to eat!!

Today, before I was even able to get unpacked from our weekend - I spoke with my mom on the phone. I mentioned something about waiting until I'm with her for her to purchase a particular item (for the new baby) and she said "ya, when will *that* be? I miss you!". I decided right then that I could pack up the kids and drive down to visit them for the week. My poor sick (yes, sick, I forgot to mention he's been sick this whole past weekend - the really only bummer of the whole trip) dh has to stay home to work and get well. My dad has one week off left from his surgery recovery - and bonus! - their apartment pool is open one more week for the summer!! Yeah!!

So as soon as this last load of laundry gets dried, as soon as I get myself presentable, as soon as my hubby gets home with the van so I can pack it - WE ARE OFF!! How exciting!

So I'll be back next week with lots of pics from the Creation Museum and from our trip to NW Indiana. PLUS, we start home schooling next week. I've got a 1st grader, a K, a pre-schooler and a toddler - plus I'm preggo! WHEW......I'm tired already! *wink*

Later~~