Tuesday, August 27, 2013

"DON'T EAT THOSE!!!"

   This morning I got up and decided to make Chocolate Chip Muffins to go with our yogurt for breakfast.  Its been awhile since I've made them.  Christian and I used to make them together a couple times a week.  I started mixing up the ingredients.  I dug in my cabinet for the baking soda and found some in a small baby food jar sitting next to the original box of baking soda.  I'd remember that I'd used it, and a few other ingredients in a craft for my Sunday School some time back and decided to use up what was in the jar first before opening a new box.  I noticed it looked a little more grainier than normal baking soda, so I tasted it to be sure.  Yep, it tasted just like baking soda!  So I added it to the mixing bowl.  As I was scooping the batter into the muffin tin, I noticed that the batter looked a little thicker than normal.  I again tried to shove off the feeling, but it kept nagging at me.  I slide the pan into the oven and soon we began to smell the beautiful scent of baking muffins!  Audra started fussing so I put her in her high chair with some grapes.  A few minutes later I pulled the muffins from the oven and began popping them out of the tins.  Once again, I noticed they just didn't look normal.  They hadn't raised as well as they usually do, and when I broke one apart to cool for Audra, I noticed that it seemed heavy and doughy.  I tasted it, and well, it seemed okay, just not quite as flavorful as normal.  I put a muffin on two plates, cut up a peach beside them, and placed them in front of Christian and Audra.  We prayed over those muffins, and I went back to the sink.  That's when it hit me!!!!   BORAX!!!!!!!!   It was NOT baking soda I'd used in that craft, but borax!!!!!   I flew back to the table and grabbed up the kids plates out from under them, and snatched Christian's muffin from his hand just as he raised it to his open mouth, ready to take a big bite out of it.  They both gave me a startled look as if I was crazy!  Maybe I was.  :)  Next time, I'll definitely listen a little closer to those nagging feelings.  There's normally something to them in cases like this.  :)  I promised Christian some "good" muffins, and went back to my mixer to whip up a batch with baking soda instead of soap!  :)  The second batch was perfect.  :) 

The real thing.  :)

Faith in a Glimpse

   This past Sunday I told my class the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 and went on with Peter walking on the water.  Jesus did so many miracle in that one day, that if you were there and had seen them all, how could you NOT believe on him?  The Bible says that He fed 5,000 men, besides women and children.  Say every man had a wife with him.  There's 10,000.  Then, what if every couple had a child with them?  That makes 15,000!  Now, some may or may not have had families with them, and some may have brought their wife and 6 kids!  None the less, there was QUITE A CROWD there that day that ate to their fill!  
   But another thing?  I wonder how big those "loaves of bread" were?  I wonder if they were loaves like we know today, or rather little round rolls, maybe like a bun or a roll.  I'm not trying to tear apart the scriptures, just thinking.  It would have been quite a large lunch for a little lad to haul around, much less to eat, if it was big loaves.  If it was smaller loaves, that would make the miracle even more amazing!  I'd brought three large croissant rolls to Sunday School with me and "acted out" the part where He broke the bread and began handing it out.  My three croissants would have barely fed the 7 children I had sitting there in front of me!  What about the two small fishes?  I wish I could have seen them increase in His hands as he kept tearing off pieces!  It boggles my mind how it all happened, but then, that's the miracle of it!  Not only was everyone filled, but there were 12 baskets of leftovers!  Imagine the tale that the little lad had for his mother that evening!!! 
   Jesus told his disciples to get in a boat and go to the "other side" of the sea.  The Bible says that Jesus saw them toiling in the midst of the storm.  Now, he could have been sitting on a cliff overlooking the sea and actually seen them way out there, but I wonder if He didn't see them through supernatural eyes.  He is God.  He was up on the mountain spending time alone and they were way down there somewhere in the dark in the midst of a storm struggling against the winds and the waves, and Jesus saw them in their struggle.  He knew exactly what was going on.  He came to them walking on the water.  The Bible says he would have passed by them and continued on.  I wonder if the storm would have ceased if the disciples had seen the Lord and believed what He had said about them "going to the other side".  Or if the Lord would have let them continue their struggle with the faith and peace in their hearts of knowing that Jesus was near, even though the storm raged on and He wasn't in the boat with them.  Sometimes, in the midst of our trials, God gives us just a glimpse of himself, just to let us know that He's still there, that He knows whats going on, even though our "storms" rage on.  He gives us peace on the inside when there is none on the outside.  Sometimes its not a big miraculous answer to prayer, but just something small.  Maybe a phone call from someone saying that you've been on their heart and that they were praying for you.  Or maybe some small blessing at a time when you feel like your world is coming a apart.  Just a glimpse of Lord, letting you know that He's close by.  

   I wonder what would have happened if the disciples would have seen the Lord and been encouraged, instead of being afraid of ghosts?   
   So Peter got out of the boat.  Can you imagine stepping out of a nice solid boat onto a wave?  What did it feel like?  Maybe like walking on a water bed?  Was the surface hard?  Did they have to walk around waves as if they were hills?  Or did they have to dodge them as the waves continued to roll and crash around them?  I supposed a storm on a sea can produce some good sized waves, don't you?  (I like to think about things like this :).   What did it feel like to slowly start sinking?  Then to be pulled back up to the "solid surface" again?  Another amazing miracle.  
    When Jesus and Peter got back to the boat, the Bible says the storm calmed down and they were immediately on the other side.  Now how did that happen?  :)  Wouldn't you have loved to be there???
                           What a story!!! 




  

Christian's Birthday

   We celebrated Christian's third birthday this past weekend.  Andy had picked peaches and gone to the farmers market on Friday evening, so I had two crates of peaches that didn't sell and two crates of seconds (bruised peaches or peaches with bug holes and spots on them).  My plan was to get up early Saturday morning and turn all those peaches into peach butter before 11:00 so I'd still have plenty of time to get lunch on for family coming in for the party.  At around 9:00am, I went to our big chest freezer to dig out some ground beef.  I smelled a funny smell and noticed juice in the bottom of the freezer.  A frantic glance around revealed meat thawing out, gallons of fruit juice turning to liquid and worst of all, 46 quarts of peaches and 32 quarts of sweet corn getting slushy with thawing ice crystals!!!  The first and most distressing thought that went screaming through my brain was, "ALL THAT WORK IS GOING TO WASTE!"  All the work and all those hours on my feet that I'd put into putting up hundreds and hundreds of peaches, and dozens of ears of corn was going to be ready for the garbage in a matter of hours!  I guessed that the freezer had quit working a couple days ago, and one more day would have ruined a lot of the food in there!  I was thanking the Lord that I caught it when I did!  Andy and I started unloading it, and I began going through every item checking for ruined food.  Andy ran to Lowes to get a new freezer and, come to find out, all the appliances were on sale!  Plus, he had a 25% discount card in his wallet that he put towards a new freezer as well!  It was almost as if the Lord knew we'd need a new freezer and made everything go on sale that weekend!  :)  So while Andy was getting the freezer, I was unloading the broken one, and filling up our two refrigerator freezers and coolers, and cooking up some meat that had thawed but was still good.  Andy got back home and, don't ask me how...but he moved our huge 25 square foot chest freezer outside and loaded it onto the back of his truck by himself!  When we had put it IN our back room, it took three guys about an hour to move it.  Amazingly he didn't hurt his back!  While we were getting the freezers moved, our company showed up.  I hadn't even started lunch and it was 20 min to noon.  :)  My spotless kitchen now looked like a war zone, and boxes and bags of half frozen food was laying everywhere.  But, the nice thing about family is, you can just relax and be yourself.  They understood and we were able to get the mess cleaned up, lunch cooked, and the party went on as planned.  Christian had a great time!  Thanks Mamaw, Edi, and Grandma for all the gifts!!!  

   Christian asked me the other day if I was old.  I smiled and said that I wasn't.  He then asked if Grandma was old.  I replied, "Well, she's getting old."  Then I said, "Great Mamaw Price is older than Grandma."  Christian didn't hesitate as he came back with, "Great Mamaw Price is all the way old!"  :) :)  :)  









Friday, August 23, 2013

Baby Update

   I went in for my second ultrasound yesterday.  I wasn't supposed to get it for another week, but I've really been having fits with my sugar, so I went ahead and bumped up my appointment...if nothing else for MY peace of mind.  Wesley is measuring a few days early, which is fine and normal, but my tummy is measuring two weeks ahead of schedule.  Doc says I've got excess amniotic fluid, but that it shouldn't cause any problems to baby at this point.  Baby's tummy is also measuring a little bigger than normal...why?  He's getting fat!  :)  They took a few 3D pictures of him and you can see little fat rolls on his tummy.  Still not a real cause for worry at this point, but it and the fact that my fluid is a little high are signs of my diabetes and cause for them to keep a real close on eye on me for the duration of the pregnancy.  The doctor put me on a strict diet consisting of 6 small meals a day, no sugar, and exercise to help get my sugar under control.  Its been acting quite a bit different than the last time I struggled with it a few years ago.  There's really no set pattern to my sugar highs and lows right now, and I haven't figured out yet what makes it go up.  Its going to be a long process, not just a quick fix.  The doctor didn't put me on meds yet, which is a huge blessing, and told me that if I can get it somewhat under control before the baby is born, there's a better chance of the diabetes going away after he's born.  SO, I've been eating oatmeal for breakfast...AND THAT'S SAYING A LOT, because I DESPISE oatmeal!  Never have liked it, no matter how you fix it.  :)  But you do what you have to do, and over the years I've learned that you should eat to live, not live to eat.  Its really not that bad.  The discipline is very good for me, and actually, I was planning on doing this diet after the baby was born anyway to get my extra baby weight off.  I'm just getting an earlier start.  I only gained two pounds since my last appointment, and the doctor says that if I can keep the slow weight gain up, it'll help in keeping the baby's weight at a low normal.  I've also learned over the past few years that its amazing what a mother will do for her children!  I DO NOT want my new baby developing diabetes because of something is did or did not do!!!  If it happens, it won't be my fault!  I pray that God will keep Wesley safe from it. 
    I spent today making Christian's birthday cake.  We'll be celebrating his third birthday tomorrow.  Andy took Christian with him to pick peaches today, so I was able to get the cake made without him see it.  I'd forgotten how easy it is to only have one baby in the house!!!  Two does make a difference, and I'm sure adding another one to the bunch is going to be even more exciting.  :) 
   I've been trying to take it easy this week.  I still see things that need special cleaning or organizing, but Andy says I need to slow down and try to relax a little before the baby gets here.  I appreciate him caring!  Oh, it is hard to just do what NEEDS to be done and leave all the unnecessary things til a later date, but I am very thankful for a husband who cares about me and will make me take a break when I need one.  I'm the type to push myself til I crash.  I guess that's not a real great plan when you have a baby on board though.  :) 
    Only about 8 more weeks to go! 

Christian helping me wash dishes.  He actually did a pretty good job!

...Of course he enjoyed playing in the soap as well.  :)

Andy bought this contraption at a yard sale this past week.  The kids LOOOOOOOVE going on rides in it!

Andy calls  it "the Chariot".  :)  He puts his laptop, Bible, etc in the Chariot and rides the two miles to work at the church every day.  He's loving the exercise!  Andy's always loved bike riding.  He's hunting for a "boys" bike for himself, so I'll get this one when he finds one.  You should see me, at almost 8 months pregnant, riding down the road on a bike!  :)  I've done it!  :) 

Andy took the kids around the block yesterday, and I could hear Audra giggling til they were out of sight!  Andy said she didn't stop til they got back home.  :) 

I found Audra this winter hat at a yard sale recently.  (Aren't yard sales great???) 

She LOVES hats!


...well, MOST hats...  This is actually her little pair of matching underwear.  She seems to know the difference.  :)

She looks like a little chef  :)
The 3D image of Baby Wesley.  (What a nose!!!  Where does he get that?  ...uh, we won't go there.... :)  Its amazing what they can do with modern technology!  That lumpy stuff on his head is hair!  YIPPPPEEE!  See his fat rolls on his tummy??  :)  Aren't babies amazing?  The whole process of a baby growing in the womb is such a miracle! 

Spending time with Daddy

Daddy Daughter moments.  She is quickly becoming a daddy's girl. 

Monday, August 12, 2013

Our Trip to the Children's Museum

   We took a family "vacation" to Indianapolis last week and went to the Children's Museum there.  Andy and I went shortly after we were married, but I'd forgotten how big the place was.  They'd built onto it, too, and added a bunch of stuff.  Its about 5 stories, plus a few "wing"s off of that to explore.  A whole lot for kids, and kids at heart to see and do.  :)  They have everything there from exhibits from different countries, giant doll house collections from "way back when", real live steam engines that used to work the coal mines, hands on science activities for kids of all ages, a huge carousel (which was Christian's favorite...well, it was a toss up between that and the steam engine you could climb on.), a race car from the Indy 500, a huge room with nothing but "baby" size toys and activities for the real little ones, and much much more.  I mean, imagine what all you can cram into 5 stories of building?!?  We all had a great time.  Right before we left, we bought a bag of cotton candy.  Christian' thought he'd died and went to Heaven!!!  :)  I did too, actually.  I like cotton candy, but can't remember the last time I bought some.  Can't really justify that much sugar.  :) 
   After we left the museum, we went to the college where Amie Ralph is studying music.  It was only about 15 min from the museum, so we decided to drop in and try to see her.  Its been a year almost since we have seen anyone from Cornerstone, so it was a blessing to us to get to chat with her for a few minutes.  She seems to be enjoying herself there.  It was good to see you again, Amie!!!  :)
   I've been going through my baby boy clothes this past week, throwing out some things, and washing the rest, getting everything ready to go into a dresser for Wesley.  I found a little red hat that used to belong to Andy when he was a baby.  I'd taken a picture of Christian wearing it when he was about a year old.  Christian found it and was really fascinated by it, even though it hardly fit his head now.  The little hat looks real good for being almost 35 years old.  :)
   Mom, at this moment, is somewhere over the Pacific ocean, probably gripping the arm rests of her seat til her knuckles are white.  :)  She HATES flying, especially over oceans, where she knows there are hundreds of hungry sharks waiting below for her plane to crash so they can gobble her up.  :) This is no joke!  She turns this funny shade of greenish white the moment she feels the engines starting up, and it doesn't go away until she steps off the last plane at home.  I can't wait til she gets here!  She has only seen Christian twice, and has never seen Audra at all.  I know being away from grand kids has been hard on her, but she never complains about it.  Mom will stay with us for about three months.  By then she'll probably be ready for some peace and quiet at her own home again.  :) 
   Christian will be three in two weeks!  Its hard to believe!  Time goes by so quickly.  As my own September birthday approaches, I can't help but think about everything that has happened since Rebekah's birth and death.  Since then, we've had (almost) three more children, and have moved two states away!  It seems like just yesterday I was holding Rebekah, and now I'm about to hold my fourth child in my arms!!!   Little Wesley will be here in about a month and a half!  I'm so looking forward to it!  I went to the doctor last week and found out I've got gestational diabetes with this baby.  I really fought my sugar at the beginning of this pregnancy, so maybe that's what started it.  I still have to watch it, but actually, I've been feeling pretty good.  The doc says its a little higher than what they like.  Thankfully, though, he didn't put me on medication just yet.  Instead he warned me to be careful of my sugar and starch intake for the rest of the pregnancy and see if we can't get it under control again that way first.  I've been having some strange symptoms that had begun to concern me, such as sudden nausea and throwing up spells, blurred vision, dizziness, etc.  Things that normally weren't related to the sugar problems I'd had before, so I didn't think they were connected.  But after reading up on gestational diabetes, I'm beginning to wonder if it IS connected.  Those and several others are symptoms of it, though many women never have any outward signs and wouldn't know they had it unless tested by the doctor.  The baby is measuring a little big as well.  Though I put on weight faster at the beginning of the pregnancy due to having to nibble almost constantly to keep my sugar up, its slowed down to normal and I'm still not up to my "limit" yet, so that is good.  I feel fine most of the time, and have been VERY active, so that is also a plus.  I'm getting another ultrasound done on the 29th of this month to check the baby and see if everything is okay.  Please pray that it is.  I can't help but be a little concerned when there are "red flags".  Wesley is beginning to slow down now and sleep a lot.  Seems earlier than the others, which makes me wonder if this one won't come a little earlier than supposed to, but we'll see.  I normally go about a week or two early anyway.  Please pray that everything will go well and that the baby will be help with no complications. 
  
Andy's little red hat



At the children's museum


The archaeological dig




Audra watching the carousel


The mirror maze.  (I hate mirror mazes!  I panic in them :)


Christian loved this Indy 500 car!


Monday, August 5, 2013

Random Pictures for Family

   I took some pictures of the kids over the past weekend.  Audra is finally walking!  So this morning I went to the store and got her two pair of shoes, one for church and the other for play.  She was so fascinated by them!  It took her a few minutes to get used to walking in them, but I think she'll manage.  I think in the long run, they will help her balance better.  She's constantly on the go now that she's off the floor and on her feet.  Its so nice not having carry her all the time.  Especially as I get closer to my due date.
   Audra's also going through a growing spurt.  I dug out her next size up clothing last weekend, and am amazed at how much she's grown since the last time I had that box out!
   Christian too is finally getting taller.  Its about time!!  They are both changing so much right now!  Christian will be celebrating his third birthday on the 25th of this month.  Its hard to believe!  I keep thinking that Rebekah would have been four by now!  Has it really been that long ago?  Still seems like yesterday in many ways...
   We're going to make a trip to Indianapolis on Thursday.  We're going to the Children's Museum as a reward for Christian's success at potty training.  He's been looking forward to it for a long time.
   I'm getting bigger, and more awkward with each passing day it seems.  This pregnancy has flown by, but as the end gets close, I'm more than ready for it!!!  I crash into bed at night with the usual aches an pains that make you wonder if you'll be able to survive til the end.  :)  Its actually been an easy pregnancy, though.  The ever present, most annoying tail bone pain is my biggest problem these days.  Any one else ever experience that?  I've had it with every one, but its seems to have gotten a little worst with each one.  Also, my legs are swelling quite a bit by the end of the day.  I've never had any swelling at all with the other three babies, not even after delivery, so this is all very new.  I times I lay in bed at night wondering why we women keep doing this to ourselves time and time again!  But then the baby kicks, and you realize that every ache and pain is so worth it when you hold him in your arms.  I always think of that verse in the Bible that talks about a mother forgetting her pain when her child is born.  Its SO true.  I've told Andy during each pregnancy, "I don't remember it being this uncomfortable..."  He just gives me a look and assures me that I was just as uncomfortable then as I am now.  :)   The Bible doesn't say anything about THEM forgetting.  :)  I guess if we women remembered, there wouldn't be that many people on earth right now.  :)  No one in their right mind would put themselves through a childbirth unless the reward were so great!  And it is!  I can hardly WAIT to hold my new son in my arms!  And....I'll forget all about my tailbone and pray for more children, I'm sure.  And Andy will roll his eyes again at my forgetfulness, and here we go again!  Seriously, I'd go through all this and more to have the joy my children have brought me over the past four years.  I hope God will allow me to have more after this baby as well!   I pray that He will continue to fill our home with such precious treasures!
   We had great services on Sunday!  A man in his 30's got saved after the morning service!  His parents, who are faithful members here, have been praying for him for a long time.  Their daughter just recovered from cancer as well, so they have a whole lot to be thankful for.  God is really doing things in that family!  Its a blessing to see their excitement.
   On to the peaches!!!  Andy and I spent Saturday working together in the kitchen....a real sacrifice for Andy, who is NOT a fan of cooking.  I tell him that he'd starve if he lived by himself.  :)  I don't know how he made it as a bachelor living on his own!  Anyway, we spent the entire day putting up leftover peaches from the farmers market.  By nightfall, we'd put up 6 quarts of juice concentrate and 49 pints of peach butter.  We'll be selling the butter at the market next week.  Its a big hit and sells good.
  

Andy bought me a set of artist quality colored pencils a couple years ago, and I've really enjoyed playing around with them.  I love how you can blend different colors almost as if they were paint and not just simple colored pencils.  Andy needed a sign for our booth at the farmers market so I dug out my pencils and had fun drawing this peach, (left) on the sign.  The one on the right is the computer print out I copied from.  Its been awhile since I played around with my pencils, so I really had a great time making this sign.  Kind of got me back in the mood to draw again.  I love drawing...it just seems I don't have the time for it anymore. 




Audra LOVED walking on this giant piece of paper!  She loved how it crunched and crackled under her feet.  :)  It doesn't take much to entertain my kids!




"Like my new shoes?"

She couldn't get enough of them.


The ever present peach juice!  It really is very good!


Its almost impossible getting Christian to slow down long enough to take a decent picture.  Notice how its a little blurry.  Can't help it!  :)










I love this one!

"Don't even THINK about taking my sucker...."    I went to the store today by myself and as I was walking out the door, Christian asked me if I would bring him a "prize".  When I asked him what he wanted, he said, "An orange sucker!"  Later I asked him what he wanted for his birthday.  After a second, he said, "A GREEN sucker!"  Ok, he's stuck on suckers these days.  Hey, makes a cheap "prize".  :) 





She JUST discovered the sucker....

After a taste from a very generous big brother......

SHE WAS HOOKED!   My life was miserable for the next half hour until the sucker was gone....  :)  I was kicking myself for not grabbing two orange suckers that morning instead of just one!