It has been really rainy, windy and warm or cold by turns. It is so bad for our resistance to colds. But it sounds like a cold front is coming… and when I opened the porch door to get a breath of fresh air (I need that a lot) I saw it is starting to snow.

     We had freezing rain yesterday morning. We still decided to go to the midwife, although she had warned us that the roads were bad where she lives. The temperature was going up throughout the day, so it wasn’t a problem anymore. We heard the heart beat for the second time, ( Jen and Ciara came in to hear it too) I am measuring just right for twenty weeks…

      What an extra special New Year’s Day, to get the news of a new baby in the family, safely here in spite of a few complications.  Congratulations, Simon and Mary Lou.  A few years ago we also had two girls and two boys.  I heard that Mom made it to New York now, by bus!

      I knew I need to write this today, Sun. eve. We are home this evening, and the week looks kind of full…trying to get serious about school again, hosting Tues. night brothers meeting, early doctor’s appointment Wed. morning and Mom’s Group too.

       When I put away the Math books the others had finished, I looked at Eric’s kinder garden Math and decided he can start it now. Tomorrow the others will be starting their second book for the year, so it is a great time to get him going…

       I didn’t quite get through the read your Bible in a year goal, but I am very close!  I have been listening to a lot of the New Testament on cd, otherwise I wonder how far behind I’d be! I think that I want to do a lot more of listening this year, because the children can hear scripture while they play.

      Should I bore you with a few new goals? I want to learn to use vegetables more instead of making fruit smoothies all the time.

I should get started in the morning, dressed and combed and have my exercises done before it is time to start the 3 oldest on their school. Why is that so difficult!?

Of course I want to help Venesa get to the place where she can be trusted with under wear. She is a little poky compared to the other children….but it should be soon, with a little more motivation.

I shouldn’t have gotten started…then there is getting the youngest to bed before the others so I can have some quality time with them ( the older children) as I ‘tuck them in’.

And as all of us mom’s know, we were a wife before we were a mother, and there is a lot of improvement in my life about showing my dear husband that he is respected and valued.

     Ryan received a big set of Lego's for Christmas. It was his keepsake gift from Jason’s parents, (the girls had been given American dolls another year.) They wanted to give the grandsons something from John Deere, but there was no question what Ryan would value and use more! All the children enjoy them. Sometimes I see 4 or 5 gathered around the container, and I have noticed that there seems to be enough to reach around now; I haven’t heard any fighting about needing a piece someone else has. In his school, Ryan has a story he needs to finish writing…and yes, that report on rocks. That was for Language Arts, but he happened to be studying all about rocks in his science. Writing is a part of school that takes more effort for him.

     Jennika is growing up! I can see that in a few years she might be a big  blessing to me in helping keep the house orderly and neat. She left a note on her night stand the other night. Dear Mom, If I am sleeping, you can still kiss me and pray with me.     I did, and wrote below it… I   kissed you and thanked God for you!  Love, Mom

          Ciara’s new thing is having a hide out or club house in the corner of the back room. She plays there mostly with Eric…and tries to carry all kinds of things back there. She asks permission sometimes… They are great playmates, and recently they were getting along so well they decided that everything that belonged to Ciara would also be Eric’s and vice versa. I said in response to that idea…a big no! I knew that it would only last till they didn’t like each other so much… a few minutes or a few days?  She is interested in drawing and painting, and does both quite often.  Her pictures are varied subjects and show talent.

      Eric is a delightful and equally exasperating 5 year-old! Last Sunday afternoon I played a game or two of checkers with him. Now he is really good, and I barely know how to play. After a few dumb moves on my part… he looked at me and asked, “Mom, are you trying to lose or to win!?”  He is going to have to spend more time in school books the rest of the school year. I am sure all the others would like to teach him instead of doing their own work! As far as his diet, I have also cut out processed meats, lunch meat, hotdog, ect. The rash on his face went away after that. He still has it now and then… It can be a challenge to keep this hungry boy’s tummy full!

       Venesa is growing so tall, and her hair is nearly half way down her back. It would look longer without the curls. How she loves her aunt Jessalin! Such tender affection she reserves for her. Her third birthday is at the end of this month. She has been constantly saying, “I will be 3 at my birthday!” And now she adds, ”And Bradyn will be 2 at his birthday!” For her birthday gift, I’d love to get her a little vacuum cleaner. Would it be worth some extra money to get one that actually picks up dirt? I saw one at Bed Bath and Beyond.

      Bradyn greets Jason with a cheerful, “Hi Dad!” when he comes home. He had a fever the other week, and we were so grateful that no one else got it. He was incredibly grouchy after the fever left. Maybe he was extra tired, or cutting some teeth. I love to watch him play with his sister. He will play house with her, and she often has him wear the other white tea party hat from the older girl’s room. If he wants more ‘boy play’, he can play with Eric. That would usually involve guns and hunting…

        Baby is moving so often. We have both names ready. This time we really would like to have a midwife at the birth, and she said she’d really like to be able to be there, too! Is there a fifty-fifty chance? Three out of six births we were fortunate to have a midwife there. I think we can be finished with school before we have a new baby if he/she doesn’t come too early.

          Jason was given a 4 wheeler that wasn’t working, so his new project is trying to fix it.  It is a monster….I would prefer he’d sell it and get a smaller one…He is in love with me. ( he said that I should write that!)  I don’t want to take that for granted, ever! I don’t deserve his love, but what a lift it can give my spirit to hear his appreciation for me and his family!

       It is God that gives meaning and fulfillment to all of life, so let’s honor Him with our lives and relationships this year!

                                   Love to all, Christine