Home away from Home

I am staying with my parents for a week. I feel like a college student every time I say that. Who gets to go home as an adult and just be??? Delton and Ezra are in Georgia for a CPC convention. I am 3 1/2 weeks away from holding my little girl...so I came home for a week, me and Asher and Colson. Just in case.
Mom tells me to sit. Take it easy. I say moving is good for me, then I sit while she makes supper, bathes the boys, cleans up. I chat with my sisters as they come and go throughout the day. I get up early with the boys, and find the house already buzzing as an 18 blow-dries her hair for school, straightens it, bemoans her late night (how did we deal with sleepless nights before we were able to text everyone about it and post a midnight lament on facebook??) and rushes out the door...14 weeks until this chapter of her life closes. Sister#4 has already left, day 2 of a new job, a new adventure. Mom and dad are off to a meeting. I get to say hi and bye, then refrain from calling them when they are home later than expected. They don't check up on me anymore. I don't need to check up on them. :)
Asher was settled in bed at 8:30 tonight. He was scared at 8:45 p.m. and settled again. He is now playing with toys in the living room. We're all on vacation, right??

(Pictures from April 2011, found on mom and dad's computer)

It is good to be here, so nice to be home once again, with enough time to talk, with little enough to do so that it doesn't feel like a whirlwind visit. Blogging at 9 p.m., without worrying about a house I should be cleaning. Thinking about my day tomorrow, chatting with mom and visiting a scrapbook store and baby boutique...by myself, maybe. I am home. Mom is grandma now. I am also mom. I am home for a week, and life is good.

My time away...

This is where I stayed while in Iowa. It is the home of friends of my parents. We also stayed here when my brother, David, got married several years ago. It is quite nice!! :)

We had a family get together at the hotel where the wedding party stayed. Yeah, Krystal and Ryan!!

Krystal was married in a large church facility. The wedding was in the chapel- shown here- and the reception was in the larger sanctuary.

Ange and her girls ready for the wedding...

I snuck in a picture while the photographer was setting up a pose. They chose a great location for wedding photos!

Minutes before the wedding began...what a beautiful bride!!

The wedding...

Katelyn...isn't she beautiful!!

The father/daughter dance. :) My dad's tuxedo coat is lying on the ground behind him!!

My brother Daniel, wife Cynthia, and baby Jack the morning we all flew home.

It is Tuesday, and I am still adjusting to being home...recuperating physically, mentally trying to figure out when to jump back into school, dealing with a house that was clean when I got home but somehow isn't quite as picked up as it was Sunday night. I am tired, but so glad to be home. No regrets that my time away is over. It was a very good time- peaceful, when I expected hectic. It was so special to be there for Krystal, so special to see my younger sister married and starting out on this journey of marriage. It was nice to see my siblings and some friends from the past. All in all, a great time...but I am glad to be home!

Where do I begin?

3 months. It has been that long since I blogged. I didn't recognize my blog...and couldn't have told you what I last blogged about. Rather than trying to catch you up on my life...I will just let you in on what fills my mind tonight.
Delton is outside with the boys. A sanity move, he called it, as the smallness of the house and the largeness of their energy collided after supper. I hear shrieks and running.
Tomorrow morning, early, I am leaving for 4 days. My sister is getting married on Saturday, and I am flying out to Iowa to be there for the excitement. Just me, for four days. And for Delton, just he and the 3 boys. For 4 days.
My older sister and her two oldest children are flying with me. We leave from Baltimore at 9:45 a.m.,  arriving in Moline, IL by way of Detroit around 12:40 p.m. I get motion sickness, especially when I am pregnant. This makes take offs and landings quite miserable, especially for those sitting around me. Sigh. I just hope there are enough doggy bags in the near vicinity. :)
Bachelorette party (dinner and country line dancing), church set up, family get together, rehearsal, rehearsal dinner, wedding....I don't know that this will be a truly relaxing time, but it will be a good time. I don't know quite what it will be like to just have myself to get ready, keep track of, put to bed...what is that like? I think it will be good for me to figure it out...to have a chance to take care of me, especially this close to the end of my pregnancy (I am 32 weeks along---my doctor cleared my to fly!).
I bless Delton for his joy and grace in keeping the boys and sending me. I think he is relieved. The thought of 4 days of driving, then chasing three boys while his exhausted wife recuperates and takes party in wedding events...he said he figured he might as well chase the boys at home! My brother in law had the same thought...he is staying home with his two young boys as well!
My pregnancy, the soon arrival of our little girl, is on my mind. She kicks, and I am delighted. I walk into Colson's room and I marvel at the pink ottoman, the pink clothes in the closet, the pink blankets, that make it her room, and mean that Colson will be moving out sometime soon.

So, that is on my mind. Leaving for a little, and a coming that is forever. I feel blessed.

17 weeks...

Just lost large paragraphs of some amazingly well communicated thoughts. Intense insights. Profound revelations. And I am tired. So...this is now my post. Good night. :)

Chimney Sweeps

What a wonderful rainy day. There are old metal trapdoors outside our bedroom window. Much to my delight, the sound of rain is magnified as it hits the doors. With pregnancy has come frequent nighttime wakings...I love to lie awake at night and enjoy the thundering or pitter-pattering of the rain. Even during the day, rain soothes me and ministers to my spirit...somehow.
Our chimney was cleaned today. Two men got us ready to go for the upcoming cold. I was halfway afraid they would find a fatal flaw in the chimney. What would we do with all the wood in the garage??? But, they found no problems, and we are good to go. I invite you to visit me this winter if you get cold. I spent last winter in tank tops and barefoot, at times, unbelievably, too hot. I have memories of a coal stove that we had as a child, but the newness of intense, non-electric heat still fascinates me. I hope the joy of the wood stove remains, even as I face the muddy floors and dirt that is inevitable as wood is brought in from the garage daily, rain or shine!!
A few days ago, I received a text from Delton as he traveled to a meeting. "Our house is on the market again." What a text to receive. Everything shifted in that moment. The security of being in "our house" was gone. Suddenly we were at the mercy of a buyer, of a phone call from a realtor saying that we had to have the house ready to view in 24 hours. Over and over again. With three small boys and a pregnant momma. Impossible.
And so I dwelt on what this text meant that evening. A move. A different home. A different town, perhaps. New neighbors. What did God have in store for us? I was at peace...and just a bit overwhelmed.
Delton came home late that evening. I waited until breakfast to find out more information. "You talked with our landlord last evening?" I asked him.
A blank look. "No."
"Then how did you know our house is on the market?"
Sudden dawning of awareness. "I am so sorry. I meant 'our house up on the hill' is back on the market."
And with that, my world shifted again. There is a house close to the church that we have jokingly dubbed 'our house' and keep checking on the sale status. There was a sale pending that must have fallen through. The FOR SALE sign is back up. The house on the hill is back on the market, but my house, this house, is not. It is still mine, and no one can call me and put me in a panic of getting it clean with 24 hours notice. It took me about a day before I could shift my mind back to reality...we weren't moving. It was a funny mix up. The joy of texting!
I am 15 weeks along. Just last week my energy started returning. Yesterday and today, I cleaned!! The house looked good when the chimney sweeps came...not that they cared, but I did!! Instead of napping right now, I am blogging. It has been a long 9 weeks or so...of fatigue, nauseau, and a change in hormones that caused a horrible recurrence of eczema. My hands were so bad that for days, even weeks, I didn't straighten my hands fully because of the cracks. Finally, I can do dishes. Bathe the boys. Wipe off the table. Fold laundry...without every movement of my hands being noticed. This didn't happen with the boys' pregnancies. Hmmmmm....maybe it's a sign....
I found a new blog, from a new author, and have been enjoying her posts as well as her photography. I have yet to read her book, One Thousand Gifts, but I am excited that there is a new book on my 'to read' list. You can find her at onethousandgifts.com. Read her bio...it made me like her even more.
I hope you are having a wonderfully rainy day as well. Blessings to you!

Taking time to write...

Really? Has it been that long since I last posted? It is hard to believe that we are in September. Delton mentioned Christmas this morning. I guess preparing (budgeting!!) for that would be a good idea...but where did the time go!

Asher has made me laugh (and groan) recently.
~Asher, did you pee on the floor?
~Yes. I peed on the wall, too. I forgot I wasn't supposed to.

That conversation happened yesterday. Today...we had a little bit of progress.

~Asher, make sure you pee in the toilet.
~Okay, mom. I'll try not to pee on the wall. (Then, his voice rings out from inside the bathroom... "Whoops")

I felt like all I have done the past few days is clean up puddles from the floor. Grrrrr. The joys of a short potty-trained child.

Homeschooling and such
We started homeschooling Ezra last Monday- August 29th. I am finding that this endeavor brings me such life. Last week was also the week Colson decided that morning naps were not for him! So...I laugh as I wade through the chaos of caring for three boys in the midst of house chores, school, morning sickness and....cleaning the bathroom repeatedly. Somehow, I wouldn't give up the joy of teaching Ezra, of watching him "get it", for all the peace in the world. This feels so right for us!

I hit my first glitch this morning. I spent 30+ minutes with Ezra working on one page of math. He was learning to write the number 2, and was not getting it. He was silly...disengaged...trying to make a "wavy 2" ("that's all I can see in my mind, mom"). Even after he calmed down and applied himself, it was work. He just wasn't getting it.

Math in general is not something Ezra struggles with. He is figuring out addition all by himself, just through everyday interactions. Mom, look! Two plus two is four!

So....as I looked ahead in the math book, and saw pages and pages dedicated to learning how to write numbers, I despaired. Did we choose the wrong program? What do I do now? I couldn't see buying another program for two reasons- 1. I didn't want to spend more money  2. What if we spent the money, and another math program didn't work either?

I decided to ignore writing numbers. We are skipping the pages devoted solely to mastering the skill of writing each number. On pages that require counting, then writing the numbers...I will let Ezra count, tell me the answer, and then I will write the number in.

In a few months, I believe Ezra will be ready to learn to write his numbers. But, he isn't there right now, and I don't want to derail his math instruction because of this developmental issue. So...our first crisis is navigated!

Pregnancy
I am pregnant. According to my ultrasound, I am due April 2nd. That makes me about 10 weeks along. We are very excited....somehow we knew that, God willing, we would have another child after Colson.

Weeks 6-9 were very difficult. I dealt with almost constant nauseau and fatigue, which is normal for my pregnancies. Last week, I began to feel better, until yesterday I went strong all day. This is not normal for this part of my pregnancy~ I am usually out of commission until about 14 weeks. It feels very good to feel good. A good friend gave me her maternity clothes, so I can hardly wait until I start showing!

Boys
The rain has kept us inside for several days. The boys have not been handling the confinement well. The break in the weather allowed us to go outside for a bit today. Peace. Brotherly affection. Quiet...and lots of mud and water! As it began sprinkling we headed inside to baths, cozy clothes, and naps. Now, the house is quiet, it is raining outside, and I am ready to jump into some housework.

 Watching the rain a couple of weeks ago...Stairsteps!

 Look what I made, mom!

 This picture is soooo Asher! He was standing in a mudpuddle, in the rain, complaining that "Ezra is getting me all wet!"

Thanks for catching up with me today!

The fruit of our labor

The older boys and I felt rough for a few days. We seem to be recuperating well. Almost 100%, with just a few setbacks! Here are a few pictures of what life has been like the last few days. Enjoy...I have!!

Colson is enjoying his first ever ear of corn...straight from our garden. Aren't his feet cute!!

Play time. With mommy sick for a few days, this probably looked a bit more appealing than the cluttered toy room!!

Asher being Asher.

An empty boxes connects with imaginations. Dad, this is a stove. We need burners. Colson had to be in the "center" of the action!

Look! A new toy!! What does it do?

Ezra is absolutely thrilled to be sharing this time with his brothers.

Colson is into climbing!! Delton and I are discovering our different thresholds of tolerance. Delton: "Babies are so flexible". Charity: "Delton!!!! Watch him! He could fall off of that!!!"

Ahhhhhh....boyhood.....

I'm about to attempt a dangerous climb. You might not want to watch this, mom.

Here goes...

Notice the worm...

Today's tomato harvest, minus one that was a part of supper!

Ezra's creation. "Dad, I put it far enough back in the yard so you don't have to move it when you mow."
Good job, Ezra. The only problem is- how are we going to get the mower out of the garage?
"Oh. I can take this apart."

"I have marker on me? Where? I want to see it!"