Just Our Thoughts

I realized today that I am finally okay with and starting to even get excited about this pregnancy.  It's amazing the difference a couple of weeks can make.  I think I might have just maybe felt some movement, which is early for me.  I don't usually feel baby move until closer to 20 weeks.  And I realized that my uterus is growing!  lol.  Silly I know, but it kinda clicked that this is why my coats don't do up anymore and I can't suck my gut in! lol

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I know it's a little thing but I bought myself a treat today - a copy of Caesar's Way Magazine. I have been working with my dog a lot lately and Caesar is the Dog Whisperer, in case you didn't know. I saw the magazine a couple of weeks ago and didn't buy it then. Today I did. I'm glad I did too. It just reinforces what I'm doing and gives me the encouragement and direction I need to keep going with the training I've been giving our 1.5 year old mixed breed dog, Doc Holiday.

He pulls. I have been working on this for the last couple of weeks. Today he hardly pulled at all. On the way to the dog park he pulled some which is normal for him; we played for about a half hour and then walked to the post office. He did really well after being at the park and then on the way home from the PO, the walk was leisurely and controlled, very little pulling, except for one instance where he lunged toward a truck driving by on the highway! Scary!  I'm going to be working on that now too!

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 We were watching CSI: Miami with the kids around and there was a sperm donor involved with the crime of the day. Well, until they said this man had over 100 children I didn't have to explain anything... but... I ended up having to explain WHY this man had so many children and why he wasn't actually the dad to all those kids. So this is what I said: There is a liquid inside a man that helps to create babies. This man went to a clinic and gave them that liquid. He got paid for it. Then women came and bought this liquid and used it to make a baby. 

OH BOY! lol.

The kids were like, oh okay.

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 Today was kinda exciting, I guess.  My bus is on its way to the crushers along with a black side kick type thing that's been in my yard for YEARS! In exchange we received a second Ram Charger. This new Charger is either for parts or something. J mentioned he might sell the two of them as a pair and get a mini-truck (Japanese).  My yard seems empty now without the tall school bus sitting in the middle of it.  I will miss my bus, but at the same time it was very expensive to run - insurance and fuel!

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I bought a book about using essential oils during pregnancy and on infants and small children.  Gentle Babies arrived in the mail today.  I love it already.  I can tell that I will be referring to this book on a regular basis just like my reference guide that I use almost daily.  I love knowing that my essential oils are safe for me and for our growing baby, as well as for our other children.

Lately the children have been using the oils for boo-boos - cuts and scrapes.  Lavender on a cut or scrape quickly takes the pain away and starts to heal the injured skin.  They love it.  Kristyn used peppermint on her nose today; yesterday she got hit on the bridge and it was hurting.  She has discovered that peppermint not only warms but also cools the skin / muscles.

Well, I wasted the morning on Pinterest, but I’m glad that I did.  I am starting to get excited for my kitchen remodel that should be happening this spring.  So I typed “kitchen” into the search box on Pinterest and these are some of my favorites among the MANY pins that came up.

 

Source: brabournefarm.blogspot.com via Joanna on Pinterest

I love the rustic look, but I am leery about how easy this would be to clean.  My kids are little and the unfinished wood would collect crumbs and stickiness.

 

 

Source: mybluecanoe.tumblr.com via Nicky on Pinterest

What I love about this one is the very basic cupboard, the ease of use – everything is in an arms reach, the open shelving.

 

 

Source: google.com via Cody on Pinterest

Our whole home is very eclectic.  Nothing really matches.  I love how this kitchen is put together with handmade pieces that all serve a purpose.  And again, the open shelving.

 

 

Source: Uploaded by user via Nicole on Pinterest

This one is very open and bright.  Everything matches which would take time for me to do.  I think this kitchen would be very easy to clean.  And I like the drawers on the bottom.  I won’t have room for an island, I don’t think but I am hoping a peninsula.  The shelving by the chairs, will be perfect for each child to have a cubby, a place to put their stuff that gets scattered around the house.

 

Source: free-home-decorating-ideas.com via Ashley on Pinterest

I love the wood counter!  I think DH has a concrete counter in mind, and I’m okay with that too.  I love the colors, but have always wanted a yellow kitchen.  I know we plan to use tongue and groove type of wood for the cupboards, but I’m not sure if we plan to pain them, or to paint the walls.  I love the idea of having the mugs hanging.  This kitchen has too much stuff on the counter for my taste.  I prefer to have everything in a home and to have my counter space available as work space.

 

 

Source: designsponge.com via Rosie on Pinterest

I love the white and the under the stairs!  So very simple.  I don’t know what the rest of the kitchen looks like and I know this wouldn’t work in my house, but when we retire, I would love to have just the very very very basics…

 

Source: desiretoinspire.net via Joanna on Pinterest

http://www.redbrickbarn.com.au/ – more pictures here!

My kitchen sink is going to be under a window.  I love that!  I love the way the plates are stored, so close to the sink, for ease of putting away after washing.  I’m not thrilled with this sink though.  And the little shelf  under the winter is awesome!  I’m trying to decide if I want a concrete backsplash and counter, or just one or the other.

 

Source: re-nest.com via Brandon on Pinterest

Again – the open shelving.  So easy to put stuff away, and to grab it when needed.  No doors to clean!  And incentive to keep the clutter at bay!

 

 

Source: homemadeinheaven.blogspot.com via Sarah O on Pinterest

Simple.  White.  Drawers. Shelving. Large pantry (appears to be anyway).  Seats for kids near by.  I even like the steel blue coloring.

 

Source: funkybeardecor.com via Leslie on Pinterest

Again, with the rustic wood and concrete counter!  I love this combination.  The open shelving and the stacks of bowls.  I don’t like the pallet on the wall though.

 

Source: rosesandrustblogger.blogspot.com via Lynn on Pinterest

I love this sink! And the drying rack.  I think my dishes would just live there.  I love the concrete, too.  And what a great use of the wall space at the end of the sink and counter.  Normally that space is wasted.  I love it!  I already have my sink chosen, though I think I’ll be repainting it.  It’s currently pink.

 

Source: catchingfireflies.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

And I love this artwork.  I’m thinking of something a little more subway art.

 

In talking with my DH a couple of things I haven’t taken into account is the fact that I have 2 fridges.  But I am thinking I don’t want them BOTH in the kitchen.  And the amount of upper shelving I want may not be enough.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

 

I am learning a lot about essential oils since before I signed on as a Young Living distributor.  And I learn more every day.  Take this morning for example.

 

It’s really cold here and one suggestion to help keep the house warm (our house is so drafty and our furnace is barely keeping up) is to run the oven – either the self-cleaning feature (which I don’t have) or baking.  I decided to bake cookies, something I haven’t done in close to a year I bet (except for with a friend at her house).

 

Everything is going really smoothly.  The kids are cooperating, not fighting.  The dough is mixing well.  And I’ve got the timing so the cookies are coming out almost perfect.  Then, I pull out a batch, transfer the cookies to the cooling rack, and grabbed the hot sheet to move it where I was about to put more cookies on it to bake.  Well, I grabbed it without an oven mitt or towel, just my bare hand.  All 5 fingers burnt.  I dropped the pan and ran to my oil box.

 

On the way up the stairs, I’m thinking, “what’s the oil for burns???  I think it’s …. lavender… I bet it’s lavender.”  I drop lavender on all the fingers and gently massage it in.  Then I go find my reference book to see I grabbed the correct oil.  Sure enough, I turn to BURNS and the first oil listed is lavender!

 

They (other oilers) say that very often we are just drawn to the correct oil or oils.  I think it sounds kinda hokey to say your body just knows which oil or you get a sense of what oil to use.  I know I’d read in the past about oils for burns, but I didn’t know for sure which oil to use, because I have been filling my head with oil testimonies and best oils for type information for about 3 weeks now.

 

The pan was very hot.  I am sure I would have some very red welts at the very least without the lavender, but I don’t.  My thumb is a little tender when I brush it against my clothes or something but I can use my hand no problem, just like before I picked up the pan.

 

I am impressed!  I love my essential oils!

 

Want to try lavender for yourself?  (So many uses for lavender.)

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Please contact me to place your order.

 

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

I am 13 weeks pregnant.. This pregnancy was a surprize; we were / are emotionally and mentally done.  I didn’t want to have any more pregnancies … anymore babies.  I wanted to move on to the next stage of life.  I wanted to start to enjoy my older children more – teaching, guiding, doing fun “grown up” kid stuff.

 

I have really enjoyed the last two babies, despite the fearfulness that lasted the whole of Matthias’ pregnancy.  This first year and a half of his life has been such a joy.  He and Rayna are such great little people.  (Not saying the older children weren’t / aren’t, but all of us have enjoyed them!)

 

I thought that after 7 weeks (found out I was pregnant around 6 weeks) that I would have gotten control of this feeling.  I figured that I’d be okay with being pregnant by now, but I can’t say that I am, not totally anyway.

 

Would I be devastated if this baby died now, before she is born?  (We don’t know gender, but Rayna is positive it is a girl, maybe even twin girls.)  Of course, I would be extremely upset!  But it doesn’t change the fact that I am not emotionally or mentally prepared for this pregnancy or the coming baby.

 

When this baby arrives, I will love and care for her.  I will raise her, see to her education, and be her mom, just as I am to the other children with whom I have been entrusted.  But I’d really like to feel some (more) excitement about this baby throughout the rest of this pregnancy.  I wouldn’t say I’m stressed about it.  I’ve accepted that this is God’s will, that He has chosen to bless us again.  I think “resigned to the fact” is too strong of a phrase, but at the same time, it is not terribly far from the truth.

 

I know I have a friend or two that will say, “well, give the baby to me.  I will love her.”  But I never could do that!  This is MY baby; I want to keep her!  I trust that I will come around to the idea, and enjoy this pregnancy more as time progresses.  (Maybe when I feel sick less often!)

 

What a bundle of mixed emotions I am!!

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,

 

Remember this post, about my prevented trip to emergency??

 

I had another attack.  Longer, but less intense.  Awful, awful pain.  I thought I was having a heart attack.  Nothing helped this time… except maybe the lavender in my bath water, but the help was very limited this time.

 

The pain started about 2AM.  I’d gone to bed around 11:30 but the children were up and other things kept me awake.  I finally got up at 2AM when my chest started to hurt again.  The pain was more gradual, not almost instantaneous like last time.  The pain was similar to contractions, only very high up and no break in between.  I tried warm beverages; I tried hot wheat bags.  Nothing really eased the pain.  Finally, I just went to bed at my husband’s suggestion, as he was staying up with me.  I hate being alone when I’m in that much pain.  It was probably close to 5AM at this point.

 

I didn’t sleep, not really.  I just laid there, got up once to reheat my wheatie.  And waited for morning.  The little ones were up around 8AM and so I got up and moved to the couch.  I called my midwife then.  When I got to talk to her I said my back hurt (because that’s what I was feeling at the time) and I explained to her what had happened both times.  Right away she said, I bet you had a gall bladder attack.

 

Since speaking with her, I have talked to others – nurses and friends – who have had gall bladder issues and they all say the same.  I have done some research and found foods that cause issues.  My diet needs to change a bit.  It will be good for the whole family!  More veggies, less fat.  Fewer red meats, less dairy.  These are all good changes.  And we are looking forward to the new way of eating.  The first immediate change I’ve made is to start my day with a large glass of warm water and half a lemon.  But now I’m nervous to eat… for fear the something I eat will set it off again!

 

I do not want to have surgery.  I need to keep this under control until the baby is born, at the very least.  My mom has had gall bladder issues as well but has prevented surgery by doing a cleanse a couple of times.  I don’t think cleanses are good for pregnant mommas, so I’m holding off on that and hoping that diet changes will make the difference for the time being.

 

I have a book all about essential oils (Reference Guide for Essential Oils), and one oil listed for gall bladder (and expectant mothers) is geranium.  It’s going on my list to be ordered later this month.

 

I’ll keep you posted on how this progresses.

 

Striving to learn and live God's purposes,