So this past weekend I turned 35 years old. WOW!! I can hardly believe that I'm 35. I can hardly believe that I'm pregnant for an 8th time!! 35 always seemed so out there in the future. I remember when I was in high school (I've always been a long term planner) I use to think I would marry no later than 22 or 23, start having babies by 25, and have my perfect complete family by 35. I guess because I've always heard that the risk of problems go up 35, I always thought I would not have more children beyond that age. Well here I am, 35 and very pregnant!! And, it's hard for me to imagine that this is it, although we are open to whatever God has in store whether that means more babies or not.
I also always thought of 35 as being a mature age. A for real grown up. Having arrived at some sort of sophistication and wisdom. Women who by 35 had it all together. I'm quite sure those women were wiser and more sophisticated than I find myself now. I definitely don't consider myself older, wiser, or more sophisticated. OK, well maybe older in the sense that now I have wrinkles and a significant amount of gray hair. A point that I still amazes me. HOW can I have wrinkles and gray hair?!! How did that happen? When did that happen? Why did I get the older part and not the wiser part of 35?
I say all this in jest. I really have no problem with growing older. It's just that 35 is the first age that has kind of hit me. You know what I mean? Some people mourn the loss of their 20s. I never did that. No age has ever really struck me or stuck out to me, until now. Anyway, it was a great day!!
With the exception of the kiddos birthdays, Wesley and I are not the type to make big fusses over birthdays for ourselves, each other, other family and friends, etc. I felt the same about this birthday. No fuss necessary. I did have a few agendas for the day, but more because it was a Saturday than for the fact it was my birthday. It's funny because the "agenda" was one full of confusion. I wanted to rest a lot, work a lot on my baby to do list, and have some quality family time. Ha! We somehow managed to accomplish a little of all.
The kiddos had an agenda of their own, though. They are the type to make a big fuss. I've decided that birthdays and parties are another great reason to have a big family. Our kiddos are always a party waiting to happen! They showered me with attention and affection all day long!! They really wanted to make it special, so the had their Daddy take them to the store to buy party supplies. They bought birthday plates, cups, napkins, balloons, and blowers! They wanted to buy me a cake, but since I'm on a diabetic diet I instead that they not. So, instead they had Wesley help them make a box of brownies that we already had on hand. And to make sure I wasn't too tempted, they were sure to clean them up in a day and a half!! So in the end, I had the big fuss after all. It all came complete with a big gift too!! Our dishwasher quit working a while back, and replacing it was high on my baby to do list. Well, SURPRISE, this old housewife (a badge I wear proudly) got a new dishwasher!! It actually hasn't been delivered and installed yet, but it's on the way!! WHOO HOO!!!
Other than the celebrating, we've been our usual busy selves. I think I've already mentioned that we enjoyed a weekend out of town recently. It was so, so good to visit family. We stayed with my Mom, and she so totally spoiled us!! She was constantly making sure that I had my meals and snacks just right since I've got a special diet right now. I miss that we don't live in the same town. I dream of her dropping by after work to have dinner with us, or her bring able to be at more of our events. I wish the kids got to take turns spending the night with her. I would love to be able to sneak away once in a while, just me and her, to shop or eat out or BOTH! Maybe one day. I love you, Mom!! You are the best!! I miss you dearly!!! BTW, my Mom just celebrated a birthday too, it was yesterday actually. I'm sure my post tonight contributes to her feeling older also. After all, she's now got a 35 year old daughter!!! Ha!
On another note, Luke, Grace, and Mary Ruth recently started children's choir at our church. It meets on Sunday evenings before the evening service. We've held off in participating in choir in the past, because it's offered at a hard time. We've tried hard to keep Sundays as a day of rest. We've not wanted to be too busy, and we've wanted to be sure that we were able to enjoy time together. Also in the past, it's meant sacrificing some of the kids nap time. Well, we've finally decided it was time to join it. The big kids are able to miss nap time without serious repercussions. We will have to be more careful and diligent to guard our time so that we can still get good rest while also enjoying time together, but we are all excited about it! They've already been learning some new things.
As for me, I'm nesting like a maniac!!! I'm finally starting to see light at the end of the tunnel, and I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe I will be ready for Elizabeth's arrival which won't be long now!! I'm having more contractions day by day.
Yesterday, I about sent myself into labor doing serious yard work. When I woke up this morning, I felt like I could hardly move. The kids and I basically took down the garden. It's stopped really yielding any good fruit or veggies and has become overgrown with weeds. So, we pulled, raked, and mowed down almost all that remained. I left the sunflowers in hopes of getting some good sunflower seeds when they are sufficiently dried up, and we left the tomato plants which still have some nice tomatoes that aren't quite ripe enough to pick. But other than that, it's gone.
We've also managed school and play.
Wesley is still adjusting to his new job assignments. The transition continues to bring about a certain sadness and also stress as he learns to juggle multiple different assignments instead of just one. Wesley is very social people person. One of the things he's enjoyed most his last 8 year long assignment is the deep friendships and relationships that he has developed. In his new assignment, he's moving around on a daily basis and the opportunities to really connect with people seem fewer and more challenging. This has been hard. His supervisors swapped him and another athletic trainer. Wesley spoke to the person he swapped with today. She admitted she didn't really get close to her coaches, athletes, and school staff. She just went in and did her job and that was that. This has been a very hard transition for her also. She wasn't looking for a change either. She's actually struggling at his old school with the fact that it seems everyone wants to be up close and personal. So sad. Wesley said today that he's just trying to trust and accept that God has a purpose in all this. Exactly what that is remains to be seen. It's hard right now to see the good in all this, but we know it's there. On another note, he's also adjusting to a weekend only paper route that he began last month. We are loving the extra money (which is not exactly extra), and our budget thanks him (as do I of course)!! It's not a huge time commitment either. It's just a matter of getting into a groove which I think he's getting.
Well tomorrow is a big day, doctor's appt in the AM, hair appointment, you know gotta deal with the gray, and errands. Then rush home to relieve my darling husband who will be Mr. Mom and school teacher in my absence so that he can get to his own work. And finally we will wrap the day up with missions activities at church. Whew! I'm feeling tired just thinking of it all!! I'll post an update from the doctor when I can.
Here's some pictures from my birthday celebration. Enjoy!
I failed to mention that the girls actually did all the decorating themselves. They did it right when the got up out of bed. So we had the table set up for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!!
Here they are making my brownies.
Good thing these brownies were just for us. This is what Bella Peace looked like after helping to stir the brownies. Yeah, stir. That's what she was doing.
Grace was sure not to miss any details. She invited a few friends. Allow me to introduce you to our friends. On the first row, Bear. On the second, Rabbit and the triplets. And on the third, Big Brother. I should mention that Big Brother has been one of my friends for a very long time. He's known me longer than even Wesley. He was a gift to me for either a birthday or Christmas when I was either 8 or 9. I can't remember what is name use to be. Actually he wasn't always a he, but let's not get into that kind of controversy. One of the kiddos named him Big Brother a couple of years ago (I think it was Grace) and it has stuck! He's been a good old friend! And, he's been through an awful lot. Many, many years ago he had both eyes poked out and replaced. In recent years, he's been stitched up a few times. He's quite literally lost his head on more than one occasion. Surgeon Wesley had to reattached it. And just last week, he had another eye injury. This time, it was Mary Ruth who was quick to reattach the eye. I'm just so glad he could be with us and so glad my children are enjoying him like I did. :)
Good times!
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