Welcome to the family of God, Zipporah Marie!

Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray.  The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come tome and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs."  And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.  (Matthew 19:13-15)

I'm not sure this verse is mentioned in the section on baptism from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, but I have always thought of it when I have my infant children baptized.  Today it really struck me how it is the faith of the community that is witnessed to at this event.  True, the grace happens to the baby.  Little Zipporah Marie is now a daughter of God, adopted through Jesus Christ, but she is also still just a baby.  And it is up to us as parents and her godparents and in fact, the entire Church community to help her learn and live the faith.

I should also note that Father Fred gave us kudos on picking her name and quizzed the congregation on who Zipporah was in the bible.  He also chose Mass today to mention how kids are most welcome and he understands how it can be tough for parents with little kids.  He, himself, was the second oldest of 10, so he "gets it," and was most encouraging of families that pack up all the kids to get to Mass on Sundays.

And now, without further ado, here are some pictures:

For the record, I have no idea what I found so funny at the time of this picture.

Receive the light of Christ!  :)

Being baptized really wears a girl out.

In the gown made from Great Grandma Mary Schmeidler's wedding gown.  (Which all the grandkids and great grandkids, thus far, have been baptized in.)

Decorated with lots of love (and perhaps not so much skill).  This was "Grandma's recipe" for chocolate cake and there were no left-overs.

Baby Thoughts. . . some reflecting, mostly random

Ordinarily I would have a huge happy post about welcoming the new baby (Zipporah Marie) to the family right now.  And let me tell you, it is killing me to not have such a post, but I'm making myself wait as I want to share her birth story and I am anticipating some wonderful pictures to accompany it.  This time I was blessed to have a birth photographer and if you were ever on the fence over such a thing, let me just say I will TREASURE these pictures, I am sure (from what I have gotten to glimpse so far, anyhow).  Now, would I/if I could have, had one for each of my sixth births? . . . I'm not sure.  But at this point in my life, it is SO COOL to see pictures of the birth as by the time the photographer got there and started taking pictures I was "in the zone" trying to survive all the insanity going on in my body and I have always wondered what it looked like from the outside.  My husband assured me it was "gross" and I did not want to see it, but that is why women give birth and not men I think.  Or perhaps seeing the pictures simply reminds me of the entire event as a whole - which is absolutely incredible- perhaps the most important event I get to participate in my whole life! (With the exception of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist at Mass, of course :)

Anyhow, as usually happens to me, post-birth, I have been doing some reflecting over the past few days.  Pregnancy and childbirth are such amazing occasions in a woman's life. I know birth always gives me a spectacular high that lasts several days (about a week this time) before I am just flat-out exhausted and then comes the hormonal insanity, but really there is such a beauty to it.  I am always floored by how much I can love another creature - this little baby - so fiercely and completely.  But more than just this new profound, anticipated, but still seemingly unexpected love for my baby, I feel almost as though the blinders come off my heart for a bit during this "recovery period" and I "feel" love for everyone more profoundly.  Suddenly I am writing thank you notes that make people cry and I am GERMAN - I DON'T CRY or have anything to do with crying!!  Every decision becomes life-shattering and I feel completely caught up trying to absorb every minute.  

I took Zipporah to daily Mass last Thursday and it really was a Mass of Thanksgiving for me.  Thanksgiving for her arrival and her perfection.  Thanksgiving for God blessing me with such a wonderful family.  I had to go to adoration afterward because I just could not get enough.  In the midst of my thankfulness, I remember my friends who long for children and mourn for them and then I think of all those children aborted and mourn for them and their poor, lost parents.  How I wish they could experience my seemingly infinite thankfulness.

And now it is time to rest and as much as I want to continue pondering. . . I really need to "pull the plug" here, so to speak, and get some rest.  My apologies for being "all over the place" but in my defense, I did call it reflections and ramblings and there has been a lot of both of those, for sure!  

Be sure to keep your eyes out for that birth post as it is coming soon.

Blessings!

Journal #21

Out My Window:

Cloudy and overcast with 50% chance of rain.  Hopefully we actually get some moisture as we could sure use it!

Clothing Myself In:

Navy shorts, Camp Hansen T-shirt (magenta colored, with a raccoon on it - definitely got some "style" today), support hose, and tennis shoes.

Around the House:

Thank God for nesting.  I am cleaning out closets, rearranging rooms, getting rid of JUNK.  And it feels great.  Unfortunately I probably need to be pregnant for about three years straight to finally get the whole house in order.  Our house is not that large, but we sure do have a lot of places for stuff to just accumulate.

The Baby:

Miriam has taken to trying to dress herself in the morning with "the big kids" (which often happens before Mom gets up - pregnant Momma needs her rest).  This morning I found her naked in the hallway, trying to figure out how to put on a skirt with attached shorts.  She was having issues with both legs in one hole.  Of all my children, so far only Miriam has been the most amicable when it comes to changing her diaper and putting on her clothes.  It is almost as if she says, "please help me do this," with her actions.  And while considering words, Miriam is getting more all the time and will repeat almost anything, as best she is able.  Unfortunately her temper is growing as she gets frustrated not being able to do things as she wants, but once we figure out the problem she generally calms down pretty quickly.

The Big Kids

Samuel is definitely the "favored older brother" that EVERYONE wants to be exactly like.  For example, at breakfast we usually have a choice of two cereals and milk or no milk.  Both Paul and Jacob will ask for EXACTLY what Samuel picks - cereal and milk choice.  And this is a recent thing, as up until a month or two ago, they would each make "their own choices" which rarely matched Samuel.  Fortunately Samuel does not seem to mind being "so important" and he is not really "getting a big head" over it, either.  The only problem really comes when Samuel wants to play with Jacob and they don't want to play with Paul.  Poor Paul feels all left-out and alone.  Now, Miriam LOVES Paul and will shadow him at almost anything.  (Much to their mother's demise, as those two can cause A LOT of mischief!!)  But this is often not good enough when Paul wants to play with "the big kids."  Ahh, the drama of these kids.  Generally, though, they play fairly well together and often are extra careful to include Miriam, too, so I have few complaints.

I must add that Paul's latest catch-all phrase is, "oh well, life is just not fair," which he says quite frequently.  Now, if he only understood and actually believed it. . . 

Crafting:

I'm about 3/4 done with my "baby sack" (my knitted bag-thing that will supposedly work as a swaddle for baby, assuming I made it the "right size" - of which I really have no idea and have no real way to judge until the baby comes out and I try to put her in it).  I should easily be able to finish it and that makes me happy.  It has been a joy to knit.

Reading:

I'm still working through Hypnobirthing and while I am finding it helpful and affirming, I do not have an delusions about labor and birth being any easier this time around.  However, having survived it five times I imagine I can do it again.

I'm also thinking of picking up Father Elijah again because I need something that will hold my interest but "has a good ending" (especially for reading at night - my prego hormonal self just cannot handle the high-drama of the action-packed novels and such).  I have read this before, but it has been a couple years so I have forgotten most of it and I do recall enjoying it immensely, so I am hopeful it is what I need right now.

Bringing Me Joy:

*Naps. . . am I allowed to say that?  Well, they do bring me much joy!!  And I am so thankful for children who understand that Mom will be much happier (and friendly) if they play quietly (and don't make huge messes) while Mom naps.

*Chocolate cake. . . seriously, I made my first chocolate cake from scratch the other day and it is VERY VERY good.  (Of course, it was very very not-healthy and included lots of processed "junk" but I was going for yummy, not healthy :)

*Music.  My mp3 player bit the dust.  After about 8 years of service I'm not exactly crying in my soup over it.  Fortunately I was able to pick up a used ipod quite cheaply and it has been treating me well (once I learned how to play nicely with itunes).  Some of my favorite things to listen to lately are Overcomer by Mandisa because it is just so peppy - great for running or cleaning.  Her song Joy Unspeakable is probably my favorite right now.  I am also getting into having some classical music in the background and am enjoying The 99 Most Essential Haydn Masterpieces.

Bible Verse:

This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.  (John 15:12)

Pictures to Share:

Here are "the best pictures" I could get of Rebekah in her "dance mode."  I am a fairly pathetic photographer, but I still think she made a beautiful dancer.

Belly face-off.  I'm about half way through week 36 here.

Happy Birth Month Paul and Miriam!!

Paul and Miriam share a birth day, exactly two years apart.  And let me tell you that for some reason this makes me very happy.  It was not exactly planned, although I could have prevented it by maybe a day if I really tried.  Paul was induced right on his due date, I believe.  Miriam was induced a few days after hers and although I got to choose the day, it really came down to this day or the next.  At the time I was unsure, but ready for Miriam to be OUT!  Now I enjoy having them share a birthday.  As of now they do not seem to mind, but I wonder if that sentiment will be altered as they grow. . . oh well, it cannot be changed now!  So, on to the fun facts!


Paul

*LOVES TO TALK - His latest habit is to ask anyone whom he comes into contact with their name.  (Even if he "should" know their name - for example my cousin was over and he has seen her MANY times, but he still asked her name.  But he often asks "strangers" - like the mailman or the neighbor he does not know so well, their names, too.)  He will then proceed to call that person by name and tell them anything and everything that comes to mind.

*Paul's favorite color is red. . . no blue. . . no orange.  (Ok, so apparently he does not really have a favorite color, I honestly got this answer when I asked the other day.)

*His favorite food is pizza . . . well, assuming you are not counting things like ice cream, cookies, and cake.

*Paul still enjoys talking about himself in third person.  (Which is common and totally normal for his age, in case you were curious.)

I made this up to brag about him on facebook and figured I would share it here, too.

Miriam

*LOVES kitties. . . and also enjoys dogs, bunnies, and other soft friendly mammals.

*Enjoys her books.  She loves to point at pictures in them or even listen to short stories.  She is a big literature fan.

*Gives the best kisses of any of our children thus far.  I think maybe this is because I have probably kissed her more than any of our kids so far.  (That is what happens when you finally have another girl after three boys :)

*Gives better hugs - and hugs more people than any of the other kids thus far.  She is just a very affectionate child.

*Her favorite meal is a toss up between meatballs and lasagna.

*Random cute story:  A few days ago, Miriam noticed she had some bruises on her legs and she pointed at them to show me and I told her "owie" for each one and then I pointed at her knee and said "and here is your knee."  The same thing for her arms, she had some little bruises and I told her "owie, owie," and then we got to her "elbow."  So the other day, she fell down and hurt her face.  She comes running to me pointing at her chin, saying in a most distraught voice, "knee, KNEE!!"  When she meant to say "owie."  Another time she said "elbow" instead.  Fail parenting here I guess.

Happy Birthday to two of my greatest blessings.  With your endless energy and creative spirits, you two make my life so full of excitement and adventure.  May God blow on the flames of your enthusiasm to set your hearts on fire for Him, more each day.

I love you, Paul and Miriam!!  

7 Quick Takes. . . almost summer

1) We finally got our garden planted.  I would not say I am a great gardener, but some of my little plants are starting to come up, so I am a little hopeful.  Gordie planted the bulk of the "big garden" and it looks really good.  He got it finished right before our rain yesterday - awesome timing :)

2) I made up the kids' summer school schedule.  Now, before you go all "wow, what a mean mom" on me, I should add that they ASKED for it.  They are super pumped to do Chemistry so I told them they could start as soon as they got all their current school work done and their end-of-the-year-tests. (I have them take a standardized test that is sent in - just so I have some tangible proof that they are not falling way behind.)

We are doing Science, Latin (because we never seem to have time for foreign language during our "regular year"), Spelling (because I skipped it for most of the year), and a few other things to "keep sharp" or "finish up" (such as the "Catholicism" on Samuel's list - that was totally my fault to fall behind as I lost the book for about a month - LOL).

On the same note, I planned out our next few weeks of what we need to get done.  This week we are preparing for our end-of-the-year homeschool presentation.  Next week we have Rebekah's dance recital and all that goes with that.  Then test-week and hello summer school :)

3) Miriam is going on day three of sleeping in a toddler bed in the room with the boys.  It takes her a bit to settle at bedtime, but she does well once she finally falls asleep.  Unfortunately it often takes a trip to her old crib (still set up in Rebekah's room for naps and then eventually for new baby) as "punishment" for a few minutes to get her to realize that sleeping in this new bed is a PRIVILEGE and she needs to follow the "rules" (aka stay in bed and no talking).

4) I am reading Hypnobirthing right now and am finding it EXCEEDINGLY helpful.  Why it has taken me five births to find this book is beyond me, but I am overjoyed to have it now.  There are no classes or anything offered specifically on this method here and the products are pretty pricey, so just reading the book may be as far as I get "officially."  However, I am feeling quite affirmed just reading it as it makes a lot of sense.  And as I reflected back over my past labors, it was interesting to see how I responded to everything - what my "natural instincts" appear to be.  But overall, I would say in the past I have carried A LOT of fear into labor and that is really counterproductive (as is one of the main points of this book) and really not fun, either.  In any case, I'm getting a great sense of peace about this upcoming labor and have some great new "tools and ideas" to try and employ this time.  It also helps to know basically how things happen and what I want to happen and what will probably happen.  In short I'm really feeling like "I got this."

5) Nesting has finally urged me to get our carseats figured out for the new baby.  And it helps that our neighbor kindly donated an extra seat to our cause.  A couple of our seats are expiring soon, so I took those out of the mix and threw in a another booster.  Then I washed all our covers and stuck them all back together.  I am waiting to install the new baby's seat until we get the replacement buckle from Graco (as it was recalled), but I JUST ordered it, so we shall see if it arrives soon enough.

6) I started ANOTHER knitting project.  I really enjoy knitting (even though it frustrates me when I mess up and am unable to fix it) and feel compelled to do so, especially in the last few weeks of pregnancy.  It is very soothing for me.  Anyhow, I found some nice chunky yarn (good for me as I am a real tight-knitter) tucked away in the basement (while looking for something else, of course) and I'm going to try and make a "baby swaddle sock" (basically like a stocking cap - but you stick the baby in it -very handy).

I should add, that I'm only about three rows in and already dropped a stitch, BUT I looked up how to fix it on youtube and managed to pick it back up!  Go me! :)

7) The kids threw a "surprise party" for me today.  It was real sweet.

Here is the table, all set with food.

Samuel and Jacob both hid under the bed and popped out.  Miriam laid down here by them after for a picture.

Rebekah and Paul were hiding in the corner.

Rebekah even came up with a craft - snowflakes!

Journal #20, Hello Spring!

Out My Window:

It is about 70 degrees and sunny, but a little on the windy side.  It is a perfect day for the windows open - nice breeze in the house.

Clothing Myself In:

"Active wear" shirt and navy pocket shorts over my lovely compression pantyhose, completed with socks and sneakers (to extend the life of the pantyhose).

Around the House:

I rearranged our bedroom a few days ago.  I've discovered over the years that certain pieces of furniture fit best in certain areas, if that makes sense.  For example, the bed is best in the far corner, the dressers work best in the funky cut-out corner, and the easy chair is best by the door.  A few other things can be moved around here and there, but generally that works best.  In any case, maybe a year ago I moved things around quite a bit and pulled the bed out some from the wall to give the hubby room for a nightstand on his side.  Unfortunately that made the bed stick out just too far as it was difficult to walk around and then when the clothes started to pile (as they always do), it became a near-nightmare for me (especially getting up to pee three times a night).  So, giving all thanks to God, right after I decided it was time to get the bed back closer to the wall, I stumbled upon the perfect little shelf to use as a nightstand that would take up less than half the space we were currently using and allow for the walk-room in the rest of the room that I was craving.  Two other people had expressed interest in this shelf on our local swap meet, but I mentioned I would like it if they did not and the seller was eager to move it, so I picked it up a few hours after expressing interest and have been thanking God ever since!!  (Yep, it is the little things that make me smile most it seems.)

The Baby:

Numerous people have informed me that she is really not a baby anymore, but I think she will be continue to be "the baby" until the next one is born, so there you have it.  In any case, she is becoming quite the chatter box.  She loves to parrot talk and is getting more and more words all the time.  I love the way she says them, though, with such an interesting vowel emphasis.  For example, "Paul" is pronounced "Pawwwl" (not dictionary pronunciation obviously - I still regret I never took time to learn that - but hopefully you get my drift).  She is talking more than Jacob did at that age, but definitely less than Paul.  However, I think Paul has been such a good talker from so young he just makes everyone else look bad.

Miriam is really into kitties, but she is branching out to pictures of bunnies and birds as well.  She really likes animals.  She likes her books, too and will gladly sit on my lap all day and point out all her favorite animals to me.  She is getting better at listening to me actually read the stories, too.

The Kids:

Rebekah continues to be such a treasure.  She has a great temperament and tender, caring heart.  We are really so blessed to have her as our oldest.  She takes such great care of her siblings and is often doing other little things to be helpful.  She really likes to be "sneaky helpful" as in she will do something without being asked.  Today she made lunch for all the kids (burritos! - I had the meat already made up, she just put it and the cheese in the tortillas and warmed them in the microwave - then she served them with the left-over corn from yesterday) while I was napping and Gordie was taking a shower.

Samuel is getting more responsible, but I'm noticing that he is really still more of a "little" kid than I realize.  He can be helpful, but he often needs at least some moral support to get there.  For example, he CAN put most of the toys in the tv room away. . . where they go!! - but if I ask him to do it and then abandon him, he will get frustrated and not be able to complete the task.  But if I can get Rebekah to help him, or even just go sit in the room and pick up a toy or two or talk to him, he will easily get the job done.  I also forget that he likes me so much.  This morning I went to Mass with just him (cause he was the only one up - we went to the 7:30am Mass) and even though we had almost an entire pew to ourselves, he sat pushed right up next to me - practically on my lap.  He normally does not get the chance to sit so close, so I forget he would even want to.

Jacob has grown up A LOT lately.  He is almost six!!  How did that happen?!?!  He has such a stubborn streak and WILL NOT BEND over some silly things - or I accidentally rub him the wrong way and he is in tears and frustrated the rest of the evening.  But he has a helpful side, too, and is generally playful.  The problem is that he is so big, when he gets playful, other kids near him have to watch out because he is so big and strong.  Technically he was Kindergarten age this past year, but traditional school work did not really interest him, so we did not do much.  But lately he has expressed interest in school work and is becoming more excited for me to teach him to read (something he did NOT have the patience for earlier).

Paul is still a handful and a half.  He gets SO EXCITED about EVERYTHING and DEMANDS you respond to him (getting louder and more annoyingly insistent until you do).  But he is adorable and smart all at the same time.  Gordie and I often joke about how much trouble Paul is, but really he is an amazing kid, he just has REALLY HIGH energy it seems.

Crafting:

I found the beginnings of a "baby sock" (looks like a big stocking cap - basically a knitted pocket that you can slip a newborn into) that I had started to make for some friends who were expecting a couple years ago now.  I pulled it out and decided I would try to finish it for my current baby to come (due in June), but I started in wrong apparently and some stitches had gotten dropped while it was stored (both of which I did not notice for several rows of knitting) so I am quite frustrated with it now.  Dear Knitting, WHY MUST YOU FIGHT ME SO!!!  I am not sure if it is me being a perfectionist that makes it difficult or if I'm just really not that great a knitter.  I enjoy it, but I get so frustrated when I mess up and then I get stuck, unable to fix it and don't want to start over.  But being pregnant often makes me feel "extra crafty" (must be that nesting thing) so I will probably end up knitting SOMETHING by the time the baby gets here.

Reading:

I have really enjoyed a blog I stumbled upon, written by a biomechanist with a lot of spunk named Katy.  She has a lot of interesting notions that often go against what I "have been told" so far, but make a lot of sense!  I broke down and bought her first-five-years of blogging (which are free on her blog, but I bought them for my (old) kindle which makes them much easier for me to actually read) and I am enjoying this "book" immensely!  Because it is just a published blog, the entries are short and sweet and somewhat unpredictable (not so boring as traditional books can be).  And I REALLY enjoy her attitude.  She is quite bold and funny.

Bringing Me Joy:

*Miriam.  I think children between the age of one and three are just about the cutest things God ever created.  I love to watch them explore their worlds and learn new things.  Seriously, this little lady of mine melts my heart pretty-much all the time.

*Exercise.  I had forgotten how grumpy I get in the last trimester of pregnancy and I am SOOOO GRATEFUL that I am still healthy enough to get some good exercise regularly as it does WONDERS for my mood.

*My Children.  They are such good kids.  I really love being with them all day.

Bible Verse:

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  I do not give it to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.  (John 14:27)

Pictures to Share:

A few days shy of 33 weeks with baby #6.

This is from my Dad's 60th Birthday Party.  It was great to have so many relatives in from out of town and out of state!

7 Quick Takes on a Friday Night in April

1) I cleaned my keyboard the other day (just wiped it down because I like to munch while I troll the internet - yep, eat your heart out diet gurus who say that is the WORST POSSIBLE THING EVER - cause it is one of my favorite pastimes, but anyhow. . . ) and now I have trouble typing.  My keys do not stick or anything, so I'm wondering if my trouble typing is related to being pregnant (yes, I'm blaming everything on that these days - weak fingers perhaps) and has nothing to do with running a wipe over my keyboard. Hmmmmm. . . deep thoughts, right?

(EDIT HERE: I just noticed it is the "r" key that was causing me most trouble - as I was leaving r's out of my words.  Well, there was something "crunchy" behind the "r" key, apparently, as I just noticed (after holding it down and some repeated pushing, that there must have been a good-sized crumb behind it or something as I am typing much better already.  Too bad my #1 is now obsolete (I should add this trouble was plaguing me for more than a week) but thank God I got THAT figured out! Oh what a night!)

2) We survived Lent.  It was good.  Easter Sunday went considerably better than I feared.  *Tangent: Isn't it funny, that perhaps the MOST IMPORTANT DAY of the year to go to church is one of the days I dread it most because the Mass is so crazy (in a good way) and long and there are SO MANY PEOPLE and I worry about getting a seat and how my children will behave with all these additional factors.  I really need a good whack upside the head I think to keep my brain where it should be - on the reason for the celebration!!  And to let things roll as they will but, anyhow. . . did I mention it was good?!?!  And the cool thing is that Easter goes on for 50 days.  Praise God! :)

3) I actually sold a few items on my local swap meet.  I am still somewhat in shock.  Even when I have stuff that we don't want/need anymore and I think, "gosh someone surely must want this" and list it for a decent price, I generally end up taking it the Community Assistance Center a few weeks later and berating myself for being so stupid as to try and make money off of said items.  I still donate a ton of stuff, though as I am just not good at keeping a hold of things for a garage sale.  When I decide we no longer need an item, I want it out, NOW!!  Not that you cared, but that is how I roll and possibly why I will never be rich.

4) We finally got a rebuilt transmission for the husband's truck and he will be putting it all together tomorrow.  Prayers appreciated so it goes quickly/well/gets done, etc.  I would not say I'm nervous for him, but I am so ready to have that truck working again already!!

5) All day long I think of things to blog about and how I would say them, but there is just no time to actually put those thoughts down.  And now, as I finally have a minute of stillness all that I thought I wanted to say is gone.  (Or perhaps I am just too tired to remember. . . or too pregnant :)

6) Did I mention I have started blaming everything on being pregnant lately?  I still remember the first time I forgot anything EVER.  I was pregnant with Rebekah (my first child) and I forgot something really simple (that I of course cannot remember what it was) and it FREAKED ME OUT!!!  With each child, I've noticed a little more forgetfulness - especially during pregnancy, but even after.  I really think part of my brain goes into making these kids.  And this last one. . .well, it is probably going to be a genius and I am going to be vegetable by the time it comes out.  I am soooooo gone these days.  I am honestly getting a glimpse of what it will probably be like when I am old.  It is a little frightening but at the same time, quite enlightening to understand why people do what they do (such as be stubborn or not want to do things a certain way).

7) A combination of spring cleaning and nesting has been taking place here and I could not be happier about it.  Unfortunately I kind of have to force it as I am just SO TIRED - bleh.  But I tell myself to get up and get moving and usually my self responds.  Unfortunately there is still so much to do.  But I really do appreciate this little "push" to get projects and things done.

If you have read this far you deserve a star. . . or a cookie, unless you are trying to lose weight, then try a carrot instead or a nice glass of water.  As for me, I'm brushing my teeth and crawling in bed.

PEACE!!