For the Love!: Journal #22

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Journal #22

Out My Window:

Sunny, hot, little bit of wind. Overall it has not been too bad the last couple of days - only up to about 90 degrees, rather than the 110 degrees a week ago. (Yes I said ONE HUNDRED AND TEN DEGREES!! This part of Kansas is crazy hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I guess I only live here because that is all I have ever known.)

Clothing Myself In:

Gym shorts, (Actually they have "Lady Barons #33 on them. They are my shorts from playing basketball in college. Some days I really miss playing basketball. If I ever get done being pregnant and "recovering" from being pregnant I am going to pick up that ball again!!) sneakers, and an undershirt-type tank top (a concession to the heat, the baby liking to be worn all day, and the fact that I am not planning on doing anything "public" today).

Around the House:

I printed a few of the pictures from Zipporah's birth and am quite pleased with them. Although now I know that when printing on canvas, I should make the pictures a little darker than I think they need to be so the contrast will be right. There was no way for me to know this as the pictures looked fine online and I have never had canvas prints before. But now I know for next time.

Pardon the paper taped at the bottom. I don't think I will ever have a "grown up" house, but I'm coming to grips with that.

In the midst of "redecorating" (which consisted mostly of taking down a bunch of school work and such I had stuck up all over the living room) I did find and put up an old picture I have had for a long time but for whatever reason had hidden behind in a corner, waiting to be put up. It is The Annunciation by Fra Angelico.

You cannot see it very well in this picture, but I like the way the colors look on our yellow walls. In any case, it makes me happy to see it and to change things up a bit.

The Baby:

She is growing like crazy. I am always amazed how quickly my babies grow! She has been out of newborn clothing since the end of the first week and is in size 2 paper diapers as of a few weeks ago. We are mostly doing cloth, but we have been using paper for trips. She is a GREAT baby. She sleeps well at night - often giving me 6-8 hour stretches (not absolutely consistent - some nights it is only 4, but I will still take that). She is generally pretty mellow. Something that sets her apart from her siblings is that she will often "finish" nursing. Most of the other kids would nurse to asleep. Zipporah will nurse and be "done" and then I will rock her or wear her to sleep. Of course, being baby #6, I often nurse her while walking around and caring for the other kiddos, so maybe she is just used to the movement. She naps well in her crib, though, too (once she is sound asleep) so as I said earlier, I am not complaining about her in the slightest.

The Kids:

Due to the craziness of adding another family member and surviving a week on vacation the kids are going a little crazy right now. I HOPE it is simply a lack of routine and general order that is making them a bit more grumpy and irritating (especially toward each other) right now. If not we are going to have "be kind to others" class added to our school schedule PRONTO!

(On a somewhat related note, I have been ESPECIALLY crabby to my dear young children over the past few weeks as I stressed over vacation prep and over other silly things, so that could be causing some of their lack of good behavior. I have since chastised myself - and gone to confession -and am back to remembering to breathe before lashing out at them or life in general. )

Everyone has been super-helpful when it comes to caring for Zipporah. Rebekah can transport her safely and hold her and get her plug (which she is not too fond of yet) and change her diaper. She is pretty amazing. The boys will sing to her and can hold her with assistance. Even Miriam loves her and is often helpful, giving her gentle kisses on her head and getting her blanket for her. The only time she is "not so helpful" is when she tries to touch her eyes (as all kids seem to have a fascination to do).

We are prepping for the next "school year" which will most likely "start" for us in September, but I am hoping to jump back into regular school work in the next few days (as we still have some activities I planned for the summer that got dropped as the baby came and I recovered).

Crafting:

Remember the baby sack I was working on while I was pregnant with Zipporah? Well I did finish it before she was born, but since I never take time to gauge my stitches, coupled with the fact that I did not have a pattern but was just making it up as I went, it was a bit large for her. It fits her now. I will work on getting a picture one of these days.

Now I am back to working on my a scarf for my mom. A scarf I started over two years ago. I am over half way now, so maybe in another couple years I will finally finish it.

Reading:

Rebekah has started reading Little Women and it has been a while since I read it, so I am reading it again to be able to discuss it with her.

Bringing Me Joy:

*My husband. He works so hard for our family and puts up with me like none other.

*Cleaning. (Seriously, this time I still seem to have some "nesting" left in me even though Zipporah is here. I have been cleaning and getting rid of some things and I really enjoy a clean, organized space.)

Bible Verse:

You have been born anew, not of perishable, but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. For "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever. (1 Peter 1:23-25)