Firemans Carnival

In our small tiny town we have a very large event. The yearly fireman's carnival. Our town does not have a stop light but we have a brand new nice size fair ground, go figure. Our little main street town for the past week has been filled up with cars lining every street, ally even parking in peoples yards for what I heard last night $5 a vehicle. The roads are nearly impassable as everyone is enjoying the festivities.

This year we went to the carnival two times and my husband three. Not at all that he wanted to be there that much but in order for a small town to host such a big event it means everyone in the town has to do their share and work it for some amount of hours. Wednesdays was his night. He along with others were running funnel cakes. When Wednesday came along we watched excitedly as the sunny warm weather turned to a cold very stormy night. There was such thunder and lighting that it canceled the rides and the games and yup they decided to not have open the funnel cake stand. He was relieved and home early. This year I was exempt from "volunteer" work due to the having just birthed.



We went on Sunday and the boys rode rides for 3 hours! Dad, me and baby watched them go on the same things over and over. We had to pull them away kicking and screaming. They wanted to stay longer and keep on ridding.





Last night was their big fireworks night. The kids had saved up some loose change in order to play some games. We went down a little early and they first played the fishy game. Both boys threw little ball at bowls and Evan was the lucky winner. A new pet. His request has been answered. He won a goldfish!



They then went to a familiar water race game. They tried hard and competed against a bunch of people but it was Gregory's turn to win. He beat them all and won a frog.



We settled down for the fireworks and enjoyed the show.

To be walking again

A great stroller leads to great walks. And I've got the best big brothers to help push.




It feels so good to be walking again. All of us outside in the fresh air and warm sunshine has been a spirit lifter. We have had such a rainy spring, good while pregnant to keep the summer heat down. Since Brendan's arrival home we have joyfully put over 10 miles on his jogger in a three day span. Way to go boys!

"I got him"

If holding his baby was a sport then Gregory would have a gold medal.

Brendan's Birth Story

Waiting, wondering, waiting, worrying, waiting...it was all wearing on me. I am a patient person but when you are waiting for something as wonderful as a new baby every second feels like an hour. Every discomfort or slight pain I would want to run around the house collecting out bags thinking this was it. I waited and waited and the child I thought would be here by the end of May still was not here by the end of the first week of June. The doctors and I had all ready arranged a birthday if it was not meant to be sooner. June 9th. Why not? June 9th seemed like a perfectly good day for, as did so many of the proceeding days. But knowing it would be no latter than June 9th gave an end day to the wait but only increased my worrying and wondering.

Picking the day myself rather than letting God pick the day was a upsetting me. Not at the moment I did it but in the 5 days in between. At the moment I did it I was just happy at the thought to not be pregnant any longer. In the duration I kept thinking there is a reason I had not yet gone into labor. This baby obviously needed more time in the womb. What if, those terrible 2 words, I am doing something wrong, superseding Gods will with my own selfishness. So I prayed. I prayed that I would be blessed with this child before the 9th so it would be his will an not mine. I prayed for a healthy baby and safe delivery. I prayed for the well being of the entire family all 5 of us.


The days went on. Some fast and full of activity others dreadfully slow. I couldn't believe baby was not here. No one could. My boys who had just spent the last week at their grandparents house were now getting to go back for a second week only after a short weekend stay at home. We missed them so much last week we were not looking forward to letting them go this week but we did know certainly this week baby would come. Monday morning they left.

During the day without the children my husband and I spent it together. We went out to lunch, went shopping and took a walk. The anxiety of the tomorrows events were weighing upon us. We are going to be parents again!

As I settled into the coach to watch a little evening TV, quietly,I felt baby moving. "Yup there you are sweet one I will meet you tomorrow." I stayed relaxed but baby was up. And there they were small little contractions much like ones I had felt before throughout the pregnancy. I looked at the clock and started watching the time. Ten minutes later there it was another! Yes but this has happened to me before. Watching timed contractions having them be 10, 15 minutes apart but then just stopping. I was excitied but still hesitant. Ten minutes later they were routinly comming and then they moved down to 5. I was excitied. Five minutes, thats promising. I walked around the house closing all the windows locking some door and doing a few other readiness tasks.

I called the doctor and spoke with her about how my contractions were coming close but were not strong or painfull. I told here I was worried about them changing because my opther two births were very quick. She said to come on in and we will moniter whats going on.

I ran to tell my husband the good news. He reacted in his normal its time anouncement...absent minded. We were on our way and the contractions stopped. Nothing. No more closer to labor than I was any other day. I walked into the hospital with my head down in dissapointment and told the doctor they stopped.
The doctor said to go ahead and admit me despite this and we would preceed with the induction in the morning.

Morning came and so did our baby!

After not a very long labor and two pushes he was out. We now had in our arms a big, beautiful, heathy baby boy.




Brendan



Born with a dark head of hair.




We were so happy! He is so cute.




You are who we have been waiting all this time for.





Labor and birthing is tough. It wasn't without a few complications. But in a short time it is over and in its place is the sweetest blessing. "Children are a gift from the Lord" Plams 127:3

The classroom floor

Great transformations are taking place everywhere you can check out many here:
http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/
or just keep reading to hear about mine!

A small room sits at the front of the house of our Cape Cod. We were always a bit unsure of what to do with it but new there was great potential. This room needed a lot of reconstructive work done to it. The floor was rotten in a few places and the previous owners had apparently let their children use it as a coloring sheet. Since it was at the front of the house on the bottom floor I did not want to turn it into a much needed child's bedroom. It was just to far from ours and made me nervous. With our children home schooled and the kitchen table not at all working for us we decided it would be their classroom.

The work began. We added proper drainage to the outside corner of the house to stop the water from coming in and the floors from rotting. We ripped up the old floor, sub floor even framing. It was all bad and to our surprise done unevenly. My husband, NOT A CONTRACTOR barley a handyman, had to build a level base something he had no clue about. After a few tries he enlisted the best help cookies and chocolate milk could buy and got the framing in.




Then came me I stepped in with the primer. Painting over all the crayon I kept thinking about what color would be a good choice for a children room. I did what everyone else does and googled it. What is the best color for learning? I came up with orange. Not a slap you in the face orange but a softer more pastel type. Okay why not I will go to try my hand at picking out a paint color again. Cue the scary music.

It still was not easy after that but next came the sub floor. The first attempt sloped something terrible. Ugh and we were getting so close. We had to rip out the entire thing and start over at fixing the framing. DH was frustrated and so was I.

The framing got fixd the floor got laid and the orange was applied by me 8 months pregnant hopeing that would he baby make his arival. No baby, and no support form the rest of the family about the color. We let it sit for days as we would walk by and just stare. The room looked like a pumpkinpatch! You would often hear some one say go turn the light off in the classroom only to walk up to it and realize that no light were on the paint just radiated so much light! We nearly did not need the new light fixture that we put up next.

One sunny day my father called and asked what do you want to do today? Ah ha, I wanted the flooring laided so our phone call pretty much went like this:
Well Daddy (somethings up when your 30 and adress your father by Daddy)why don't you come up here. DH is working on the floor and he would like your help.
Now I had to go tell my DH that he I also roped him into working on the floor. He is goingh to love me.

Those two started working on the floor and within an afternoon the finished! I can't believe it. We now have a floor that looks great in the classroom and I have to men in my life who are very proud of themselvs. As they should be.





We have slowly got used to the orange.

Now the trimwork needs to be done. I am hoping today but with rain in the forecast all week it might have to wait. Our classroom is comming along.

Waiting for the children

The house is quite and still. The movement has seized as the children are away. Oh how do we miss them. I miss rolling over in bed to find my 4 year old has crawled up in it looking at me with such a sweet face, curly hair and BIG brown eyes saying "hello mama I sleep with you." I love the closeness. I then kiss him close my eyes so he will close his again.



I miss my oldest and all his questions. His excitement when he hears the answer he wants. "Yes its Mommy's day off" "Yes its a t-ball day" "No I love you even more than that." He is a comedian and keeps you well entertained throughout the day.



Such sweet kids such wonderful blessings. We now have a date for our newest! At a doctors visit yesterday they told me that if baby does not come by Monday I am to check in to Labor and Delivery 6 am Tuesday morning for an induction. I am excited and scared. I have had one child induced and it sure is quick and painful. But it is labor. Within that day I will be holding a soft a new baby and all will be okay. I am still hoping everyday that it is he day. Maybe June 5th is an unknown birthday.

Welcome June

Yesterday was the first day of June. A beautiful warm late spring day. The kind that cradles you in its arms and says I am so glad you are here to play with me.

I wish I would have done more of that but yesterday was a tough pregnancy day. Lots of ill feeling, body pains, exhaustion, and nearly a complete inability to move. But the good news is yesterdays ailments are over and after a good nights sleep I feel 100% better today. Good enough to labor if you so be it baby. I am at 38 weeks and feel like it. I am very excited and mostly very thankful to the Lord for this precious blessing He will soon deliver.

The boys were able to get in some good outdoors time. They usually tend to play together pretty well. A few arguments come form the competitive side of the both of them. They are at such sweet ages where they love to be divided into teams. We have Gregory representing the red team (when he is not the Pirates) and Evan representing the blue team. I have no idea why or where they got this. But it makes life easier on me. For instance they will no longer have matching tableware sets but they each will have their team color. It is so much easier when one wants more juice and I know immediately which cup is whose by the color. Also if I find cups, shoes, or toys laying around the house there is no denying whose it is. I simply say blue team come get your ______ and put it away.

They love these big blocks! My mother brought them up for the boys in 2 large garbage bags and I thought oh my what big toys. My husband and I are not fans of BIG or little toys, toys with lots of pieces and toys with lots of instructions, toys that make the children dirty or make messes everywhere, toys that kill the grass or get stuck to everything in the house in fact we are just pretty anal people. I suppose if the it weren't for people bringing the boys presents the children would be left with well...humm...?




Today is the second day of June a slightly chillier rainy day. But it is early, their is time and hope for our late afternoon T-ball game to proceed. For a break in the sky which would enable us to take a bike ride. Maybe those events are not in the cards for us today could just be the perfect days for laundry, grocery shopping, or a trip to the library.

However our day turns out I thank the Lord for his blessing for the time to spend with the boys. The great family he has provided for us. A sweet little home to keep us dry and very busy. The rain however brief or long to water our plants and provide us with the food for our bodies. (Plants from farmers obviously not the ones we are growing). Thank you Lord for all you are and for all you are doing.