Had A Good Day

I know this may come as a shock to some of you, but being a SAHM of 2 small children can sometimes feel frustrating. Even though I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to stay home with them, in the winter, it just seems that the time can drag on and everything you do (i.e. cleaning) gets un-done as soon as you finish it.

But today my mom and my Aunt Stephanie and cousin Anne-Merrin came for a visit and we had such a nice day. We had a little lunch, went down to check out our new river property, and then sat a chatted for a while.

It was Aunt Stephanie's birthday, so it was extra-nice that she took the time to come and visit.

Just wanted to say that it was a nice day.

Evie's Mermaid Outfit

My niece Evelyn recently celebrated her 4th birthday with a Mermaid Tea. A deathly flu prevented me from attending, but also gave me a little extra time to finish up her gift.


I'm a big fan of Heather Ross fabrics. So the mermaid theme gave me the perfect opportunity to purchase some of this line.

I think if I had it to do again, I would make the shirt a little bigger...It would probably last a little longer.

So here is what snow looks like on a field:


Here is what snow looks like on a field with the sun rising over it:


Sorry, there are no pictures of John playing in the snow. I was just too flu-ey to go out with him. But his Daddy did take him out and I heard rumors that they tied the sled to the 4-wheeler and had a fun time. If that makes you cringe in fear, don't worry. I'm sure it's just a rumor. Like I said, I didn't witness anything.

Kathryn's Ballet Dress

Finished the dress just in time for Kathryn's party. I was able to complete the prior project without purchasing any new materials. I've been looking for a use for this houndstooth for a while.

Apparently...

We have a cat.

Yes, we've been adopted.

With no curbside trash pickup, we throw a lot of our trash that will degrade in the field. Well, someone has been making a meal out of it, and now lives on our porch in the meantime.

She seems to be very friendly with the kids and even lets Garrett poke and prod her without getting angry or hurting him.

We still haven't stooped to actually feeding her...yet.

Update on John's Job Search

Although we left Roanoke with little or no plan for a job for John, he has actually worked almost every day since we got settled in. With a cousin and a brother with large farms in the area, and a grandmother and mother that are always looking for carpenters willing to drive out to help them, there has been plenty of work for him. It is hard physical work, but I think John would prefer that to a job where he sat behind a computer all day.

John has also interviewed for several full-time jobs in the area and has had a few offers. We are really holding out for a job where all of his abilities can be used to the fullest.

So, to help occupy him while he looks and to get him out of the house so we don't drive each other crazy, he's started working for a construction company in the area. This job would also be a benefit should he decide to go for a contractor's license. So far he enjoys it and the main difficulty is adjusting our family's schedule to fit his new work schedule (which involves being at the site at 6am). So if you call or email me after 8 pm, I may be asleep...but feel free to call as early as 6 - we'll be up!

Blessed

I don't know how you get your family to eat vegetables, but my method is to cover them in a cream sauce and then bake them with a pastry crust on top. Am I doing more harm than good? Maybe. But the family loves pot pie.

While dinner is generally put on the table with a melodramatic sigh just in case nobody noticed how hard I am working to feed and clean up after three very hungry boys, this one gets delivered with four pastry hearts on the top. John Jr. counts the hearts on top and then I remind him that there is one heart for each member of our family and that hearts stand for love.

Here's the thing. When you start preaching to other people, you end up preaching to yourself. Sometimes I forget how blessed I am to have such beautiful and healthy children, a wonderful home, and a husband that I love. The blessing gets lost in the shuffle of wiping bottoms, filling juice cups, cleaning up messes and the various other jobs that just aren't that glamorous.

So this is my confession and my prayer. I pray that the Lord will help me break the habit of complaining. I pray that I will focus on the blessing.

What is the Truth About Breastfeeding?

Here is my commentary on the following article. Just a little rant on one of my pet peeves.

http://ezinearticles.com/comment.php?What-is-the-Truth-About-Breastfeeding?&id=1270365

I wish that in an article entitled "the truth about breastfeeding" the truth would really be told. I would agree that all or most of the comments in the article are true; however...

I'm not sure if Eugene Williams ever breastfed a baby, but I've nursed 2 children for a total of 20 months of breastfeeding. The real truth about breastfeeding is that it is hard! It takes a lot of commitment, it can be very painful at first (no matter what the lactation consultant tells you), and let's face it, it leaves the mother doing a larger part of the work of caring for a new baby.

I cannot count the number of women who have told me that they wished they had known how hard it would be. So let's just say that many women would agree that it is harder than the labor (especially if you get the epidural!)

That said, I would encourage all new mothers to hang in there as long as you can. But you need to know that it may be a fight, and if it doesn't work for you and your family, you shouldn't feel ashamed or disgraced.

If you need help with breastfeeding, www.kellymom.com is a good resource.