For the Birds

As a background, I really don't like birds. I've talked about the history of birds and myself (and my mom and my sister) here.

Those birds that were freaking me out that night are STILL in the chimney and they made babies. I think there are like 13 little birds too! Its crazy.

I think what is happening is the poor mama bird is working her butt off bringing food to all those baby birds. And EVERYTIME it sounds like...I don't even know how to describe it. They are SO loud. Luke says everytime, "what dat noise?" Hattie says, "be quiet you stinkin' birds!". And Silas told me, "Mom, I know how to make them go away. We just need to put a fire in the fire place and open that door."

I don't know what to do. I keep thinking they are going to grow up and fly out soon...right?? RIGHT?? Birds are so strange. We have SO many trees in our yard, but the chimney was their choice.

Don't know how often I'll post. We are headed to Wilmington tomorrow.

New Look

So, I'm pretty proud of all the time I have wasted on changing the look of my blog. I was tired of the polka dots. And I did this myself! Basically what that is saying is it wasn't hard, since I am NOT a computer person. I just followed the directions on this sight.

We are gearing up for a big week. Tuesday when Jody gets off work we are headed to Wilmington to see some of our FAVORITE people, the Mays!!! Can't wait. What are your plans?

Whoo-Hoo!

Look what my garage-saling hubby found! We are so excited! We are co-owners with my parents. YAY!!!

And also, you guys are all too sweet! The baby belly comments are going to go to my head! I do NOT feel that small at all. Maybe I'll have to keep looking at the pic myself when I'm feeling blimpy...and re-reading your sweet comments!

Baby Belly 19weeks

Addendum

I really hope I didn't offend anyone with my post! Please forgive me if I did. I really really mean it when I say that God is a personal God and gives us different lives. YOu know?

I was NOT pinpointing anyone. I know that so many moms that don't stay home have great reasons. Thank God we are not robots that all have to do the same thing!!!

If I do ever go back to work, I have decided I want to be in the school system. Although my sister in law has a great job at an orthodontist. They are off when the kids are off, basically. But summers when your kids are home??? Can't beat that! But that will be more years in future now that #4 is coming along. I am going to post some belly pics later.

Stay at home Mom

This week has been interesting.

I signed Silas up for Summer Camp this week. I did it several weeks ago, he picked the Snake week. He's been so excited.

Then I took him.

Its a daycare. A daycare, not a summer camp. I feel misled. (***Disclaimer: Its not that I think you are a bad parent if you send your kids to daycare. Not at all. I know that some have NO choice. I know that some daycares are awesome. I am a firm believer that we are individuals and God has given us different lives, opportunities and convictions.***)

Its made me SO thankful that we have been able to live on only Jody's income. I've been able to be at home, although some days its SO hard and I will need to come back and read this post! I want to be the primary influence in my kids lives. I want them to see that we value them and think they are special. I want them to learn self-control, people skills, and tons of other things.

Silas has enjoyed going, but at the same time its been hard for him. He doesn't know the kids, so he says he's played alone mostly. Some kids have been kind of mean too. Sand was thrown in his face and I could still see the remnants when I picked him up. He did go to the zoo one day and swimming today. He likes the food too.

But its like he's left there to kind of fend for himself. There are so many kids and they are in a small space. I want him to see that I want to take care of him and his siblings.

Anyways. All this to say I take training at home very seriously. I am SO thankful God allowed me the opportunity to stay home. I hope I can continue to remember this!! And I am looking forward to next week, having Silas home again! We have really missed him.

One a totally other side note, tonight we met some other college friends, Chris and Jen Meaders and their little girl Hallie, for dinner. Jody was invited to speak to the youth at their church tonight. Jen is going in TOMORROW to have a C-section. She looked great. And I just can't believe she was so calm. I would panic if I knew tomorrow we are bringing a new family member into the world! Besides, I'm a procrastinator and I would have laundry and other random things to do.

Good Luck Jen and Chris!!

The Wedding

Jody and I left after church yesterday and headed down to Charleston.

The weather was bad, but it was fun to be in the car and have my husbands undivided attention. We made it on time too!

Our friend Seth Dean (he's one of those people you have to say both names, you know what I mean?) married a girl we had never met. Lauren. She was beautiful and really loves Jesus. I am so happy for them.

It was SO fun reconnecting and hanging out with some other friends from college. Jody just thrives on that kind of thing. Its like he never missed a day.

And being pregnant, I totally enjoyed the food. Not being pregnant I would have enjoyed it. I mean, please, I didn't have to fix any of it! But it really was good. Shrimp, fruit with dark chocolate to dip it in, artichoke dip...it was GREAT.

Jody was thrilled to be the last ones to leave. Isn't that funny? But he's always been like that. I think inside he's afraid of missing a conversation that he wants to walk out and have the doors being locked behind him, which is what happened.

He promised I could sleep on the way home and I did. I am so not a late nighter. It was rough waking up this morning, but the show must go on. (Jody is already in bed as I type. He also had a LONG day at work. He was actually doing construction type work to get some classrooms ready for the fall semester. He worked right along side the president, Dr. Epting)

A Clean House and Good Weekend

I know all you moms out there can identify with the futile task of trying to keep house. Unless you are super mom or you let your kids watch too much tv. Although if I let my kids watch tons of TV, I'd probably just use that time to piddle around on the computer, unfortunately.

Well, I have been struggling big time. I mean, I do the regular keep the laundry washed, folded and put away. I have very clean toilets. The dishes are done and the kitchen is swept. But that's about all I can accomplish on a regular basis.

So Jody said Friday he wanted to help knock it out. He's VERY good at picking up and getting the endless "piles" out of sight. Who knows, he may just stuff it places, I really don't know. All I DO know is he makes it disappear. We vacuumed, mopped, got the counters cleared...my house looks awesome. Thanks to Jody.

Then we had an old friend, Dairek Morgan, and his girlfriend, Emily, come by for the afternoon. It was SO great to have them visit for the afternoon! I got Jody's mom's recipe for homemade icecream and I made strawberry. We toured the campus. And then we all met my parents for pizza at a great new little local restaurant close to where we live. Del Valentino, I think its called. Unbelievable pizza and salad! Mmmmmmmm.

Then today we let Silas was more cartoons than usual and we went to the mall. This is so funny, but it was our first time to the Haywood mall since we moved here. The kids were like, what is the mall? After that we all went swimming in the campus pool.

We had a great day! Have a great Sunday. We have a baby-sitter coming after church because Jody and I are driving down to Charleston and back for a wedding of our college friend Seth Dean.

See you on Monday!

Dehumidifier

Before we moved into this house the basement was unfinished. My dad headed up getting half of it finished. So that is where Jody and my room is, a bathroom and big closet. Then in the unfinished part is the laundry and storage area.

The whole basement stays damp. One night Jody and I decided that getting into our sheets felt like we were camping, the sheets were so damp feeling. Our towels never get dry when we hang them up. I was afraid mold was setting in.

We were looking around for a dehumidifier. Now for those of you who live in North Dakota or other dry areas, I know you are like WHAT? I know. When we were in Bismarck, it was so dry I was ALWAYS battling static, all year long.

Anyway, we found a good deal on a dehumidifier on craigs list. We drove quite far to get it, but it was a good deal...and I am SO glad we got it.

It has like a gallon holding tank and I empty that thing AT LEAST once a day. I have moved it around. I am wondering if the machine is trying to catch up and eventually will slow down or is it going to suck a gallon of water from the air and walls everyday?

Its kind of interesting, don't you think?

Promised Pics

The News

Well, there is only ONE BABY in my tummy. Everything is FINE. The tech said she had no idea what was seen last time, everything looked normal. I'm really happy. Not that twins aren't great, I was just doubting that God looked at me and said, "yeah, she needs 2 this time!". Thanks Lord for knowing what I need and can handle!

She also said that the baby is a girl. Now, while I love technology, Jody and I aren't totally sold on it. We were told with certainty that Silas was a girl...TWICE. So, while I will prepare for a girl, I will be prepared for another boy. Hattie is SO excited, though, along with my mother-in-law, sister Joy and niece Anna Kathryn.

Thanks for all the concern and well wishes!

Relief!!

Ok, I think I can return to the land of the living.

I just cannot even express the extent of my exhaustion last week. Being a single parent is absolutely the HARDEST thing I can imagine.

Silas did great at swimming lessons. His teacher seems to really like him. She's about 17 and very sweet. Hattie LOVED fairy princess camp. She went in a princess costume every day. And she learned some dances and made some cute projects. VBS was great. It was a Tour of Jerusalem thing. So the kids did pottery, woodworking, hebrew jewelry, ate Mediterranean snacks...and went to bed way to late for us!!!

My mom had her gallbladder removed on Friday. We tried to be of a little help, but I'm not sure if that was accomplished.

I had many meltdowns and pity-me moments. And I have NEVER been so glad to see someone in all my life as I was when my dad dropped Jody off at our house at midnight on Saturday.

I have some video and pics to post. I will work on that, promise. The relief of having Jody home has brought me some energy...after nap time of course!

Now this is weird. I have an OB appt on Wed. But the nurse called and said the Dr wants me to have a level 2 ultrasound tomorrow (tuesday) because the "other sac" looks small. WHAT??? I knew the ultrasound tech saw something odd, but she never said it was definitely another sac. Ok. If that is twins, I may...I don't know how I will respond. That's at 2:30 tomorrow. I really don't know what I will do with that news! Stay tuned till tomorrow!

Zzzzzzzzzzz....

I can't even give you a good post. I am exhausted beyond explanation. I don't have the energy to figure out how to upload the pics from the camera to the computer w/o being huge.

Sorry...I've GOT to go to bed.

HOT!

After one of the HOTTEST weekends EVER we are home. At one point I looked at the outside thermometer while I was out there and it was 101!

Jody is in Barbados and he will be home next Saturday night, late. We missed him SO much. All my family (c0usins, etc) missed him too.

Holly did come up either b/c Elijah is sick.

Joy is with me for several days and I'm glad.

Seriously, the weekend was unbearably hot at my Nana's house. She only has one small room with A/C. With over 30 people running around, there was really no where cool to go and no where comfy to sit.

We drove home, 5 hours, just in time to join VBS at our church. We are home now, the kids are down and I am more than exhausted. Hopefully tomorrow I'll post pics. But I think I'm CRAZY. We have swimming lessons, fairy princess/ballet camp and VBS.

PRAY FOR ME!

Here we go...

Well, we're off again.

Jody is headed for Barbados for a speaking engagement. He leaves Friday and comes back the next Saturday.

Meanwhile, tomorrow I leave with my sister Joy and parents for Virginia. We have an annual get-together at my grandmother's. We'll also be able to visit my other grandmother and give her Yoyo the chihuahua.

So, you won't hear from me for several days, but when I get back next week, I 'm sure I'll have plenty to post.

The Package

You are NOT going to believe this! But it is 100% true, first hand.

My friend Stacy (in Bismarck) got an idea (albeit hairbrained) to send us a package full of STUFF. She mailed it and told me it was coming. About 8 days later I told her I hadn't received it and later that day her mailman brought it back to her. It had a message saying "NO MAIL RECEPTICAL". (sp??) She told him that I did have a mail receptical because she had just send a letter and a small padded envelope that I had already received. So he took the package back and re-mailed it.

I called my post office and explained. The woman I talked to had no idea what I was talking about. But later I got a call from my "substitute" carrier. She profusely apologized and told me she hadn't run our route in a while and didn't realize there was in fact a mail receptical there now. But the package was on its way back and I would get it.

Fast forward about 8 more days and I told Stacy that it was looking bleak. No package. Silas was becoming very discouraged...along with everyone else. Lo and behold, back on the other side of the country, Stacy got the package back AGAIN! This time her mailman was not as understanding and said he would not take it back, they couldn't argue with my post office if they are saying there is no mail receptical.

Again, I called the Travelers Rest post office. The lady said she couldn't help me, she didn't know how it got sent back or why. My regular mail carrier didn't know anything about it.

I think what happened is someone who was sorting the mail saw NO MAIL RECEPTIAL and just said, "huh, send that back."

The worst part of it is that Stacy sent it parcel post which does not have a return service. So she paid about $9 to send it the first time, $9 to get it back (the second time, b/c the first time they gave her grace b/c of my post office's mistake). THEN she (or actually her husband Scott) paid for it yet one more time to mail it in a different box for $9.

We did FINALLY get the box. My kids LOVED it. All kinds of random McDonald's toys, things we left at their house, Jr Kindergarten things....and big old pack of BLACK LICORICE for ME! I LOVE THAT STUFF.

I am trying to come up with a plan for payback...I mean reciprocation.