I find this strangely encouraging...

So next time “they” ask if we can have it all, they really mean “can you do it all yourself?” And the answer, my friends, is no. Behind any woman that seems to “have it all” is probably another woman doing all the dirty work.

Wow.  I guess all two of my readers here think I've fallen off the face of the earth, hunh?  But, such is not the case.  we have been very very busy... you know, with the busyness... and the feeding, and the pulling apart of siblings, and the changing diapers, and the feeding, and the pulling apart of siblings...  and on and on.  It has, actually, eliminated my past ability to write reasonably grammatically correct sentences.  Sad, I know.

Since I last wrote, we've had Christmas.  We stayed pretty low key this year, and yet it was still a bit overwhelming.  I don't really feel like I was totally there... in an odd way, and yet I did experience it.  I didn't get dressed all day Christmas day, and we all had a nap in the afternoon.

This having three kids thing is tough.  They outnumber us now.  We're playing that, okay, who gets my attention first game, and let me tell you, they're all battling for first place.

It probably takes us a good two hours to get out the door to get anywhere.  Which, of course, means that spur of the moment trips don't happen very well.  There needs to be planning!  And finding of shoes the night before!  And naps!  There should be lots of naps!

So, we are working on the balance thing.  The kids are getting used to having a baby around.  (Even though we had an entire conversation about how God makes girls girls and they stay girls... their penises don't grow in later on.)  (Don't ask.)  We are not getting used to being the parents of three, but in a strange way we adore it.

And now, to conclude a rambling, incoherent post, a cute baby picture.

So.

Those of you who blog know about comment spam.  The little trolls that go around and post multiple comments, making you think you're all popular!!  But no, really they want to en* la rge your... well... you know what I mean.

I dealt with comment spam by making everyone have to sign up for a ((FREE!!)) account to be able to comment on my blog.  Probably the comments have suffered because of that, but at least the spam is gone!

I have noticed a seeming increase in spam with a few of the blogs I read.  Mandajuice in particular.  I was all like, "oh that so sucks.  The spamming.  The closing of the comments.  etc, etc."

Until I cruised by my own blog this morning (I don't know why I do that.  I just do.)  I was all wow, trackbacks!  I haven't been writing anything too exciting, but trackbacks are totally cool!!  Until I looked at the linkage.  And now it's trackback spam!!  You have GOT to be kidding me!  I had about 60 or so scattered through various posts. 

Now, now, there are no trackbacks on this blog.  There is also no counting of any urls in the Google county thingy.

Hopefully that will do it.  Otherwise I may have to get the pellet gun and some cat poo.

Okay, so I haven't updated in a while.  Why?  BECAUSE I AM KNOCKED UP, YOU FOOLS!  And I have two children under the age of five already!  And I'm stinking tired!

ahem.

So, what we've been up to in list form...

1. Taking pics at my good friend's brother's wedding.  It was actually kind of fun!  Other than the whole being pregnant and huge and waddling bit, of course.
2. I love and kind of want to french kiss my chiropractor.  He made my pubic bone troubles soooo much better.  They were really bad... like I couldn't walk without stabbing pain bad.  Now I'm a bit achey, but so much better.  Climbing the stairs doesn't make me want to scream out in agonizing pain while contemplating murdering the one who did this to me...
3. Ephraim had his first dentist appointment last week.  He was a champ.  Held his mouth wide open and actually stopped talking for ten minutes.  It was beautiful.
4. Keyzia AND Ephraim started their first ballet class of the year on Friday.  They were great.  Fabulous even.  Ephraim barely stopped talking the whole time, but the cuteness... it could kill you.  Not to mention that he was beaming with joy the entire time.  Keyz was obviously the pro, we're hoping to get her in the next class up, but we'll have to see.
5. We also got full funding from the city for ballet today!  Hooray!  That's a huge help for us right now.  Especially with me not pulling in any money right now.  We're doing okay, God is very good to us, there simply isn't any extra.

I'm sure there's more, but I really can't think of it right now.  Not to mention that I'm tired and need a nap.  Naps are important.  My life revolves around the naps.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....

I've been planning a few posts in my head for about a week now.  It started with this package of soap I got in the mail from my fabulous online buddy, Robynn.  Seriously, go to the Ferguson Heritage Soap Factory.  The soap is so amazing (more on that another day). 

Then we found out that a cousin of mine had died in a car accident on his nineteenth birthday.

Then I had a very close call in the van myself.

So, I was thinking, why don't I just post the email that I sent to a good friend of mine instead?  And that's what this is...

Oh Bev... 

What a few days it's been!  A few days that were nutty enough to warrant a whole new email!!

So, because I get sore so easily now, we decided to kind of do one last trip down to my parents and join it up with a visit to Jason's friend who lives just down the road from my parents.  That was fine.  It was a nice visit, got to see my nieces, Ephraim fed some cows.  The men took the kids out on the Gator to see the cows so I had a lovely visit with the wife of the friend.  All good.  The weather was kind of sucky, as you know, but it was still lovely.

Then my dad called us early Sunday morning.  Turns out that my cousin Nathan had died in a car accident Saturday night.  It was his 19th birthday.  This is the second child that this family has lost.  We weren't close to him, but still family is family.  I didn't think they were church goers or saved or anything like that.  So we went to the Wake in Stirling on Tuesday night.  My sister Glenna even bussed in from Kitchener to go, which meant all four of us were there for the wake.  It was quite heartbreaking.  I did really well until we came across the oldest brother, who I did grow up with.  Then him and I both kind of lost it.  However, my aunt was completely thrilled that all four of us had made the effort to come down.  I was really glad about that. 

ANYWAY, this is the amazing part.  I was feeling pretty lost because I don't really know how to grieve for someone who isn't saved...  BUT, JASON'S cousin Julie was at the wake too.  We couldn't figure out the linkage, how they would know each other, that kind of thing.  Not from the same small town, didn't go to the same school...  and Julie is quite a bit older.  It turns out that Nathan was going to their (Julie and her now husband's) youth group.  Les, Julie's husband, and Julie knew him very well, and also knew that he was saved!!  Oh Bev, I was so glad to hear that.  It changed the whole situation somehow, you know?  I felt instant peace.  And I was so thankful that God had put Julie at the Wake, in a spot where we would see her (it was PACKED) at the same time we were there so that we could know.  It was truly truly amazing.

So that was the weekend.

Then, (my goodness, this is a novel!!) yesterday I went to Port Hope to help my friend Jen out by watching her little guy for her.  She just started a new job and was only stuck for this week with no sitter.  No problem, just hung out at her house with her little guy and my two.  My parents were going to be coming into Peterborough yesterday to drop my sister Glenna back off at the bus stop. 

I was coming home with the kidlets down 28, and was just outside of Bewdley when I felt something in the van pop and I lost all control.  The wheel did nothing, it was completely loose.  I felt the van pulling into the oncoming lane, and new I just had to not let that happen.  This was after five, so the highway was really busy....  but, the stretch where this happened there were no cars terribly near me (praise number 3 billion).  I skidded off the highway and onto the shoulder where it was like we stopped abruptly.  I KNOW that it was only the hand of God that got us stopped, that there were no cars to collide with, AND that we didn't roll down the very steep embankment there.  When I got out to see what was going on, the wheels were pointed toward each other...  not a good sign at all!!  I shut the van down, and we were maybe two inches from the embankment.  If that.  Another second or two, and we would have gone over.  If we had have gone into the ditch, we would have wrote off the van, not to mention it was very very likely that we would have rolled it.

SO....  nobody stopped for us.  Even the people that saw it happen.  Until a man pulled in front when he saw me walking with the kids, we hadn't made it very far at all.  He asked me if I needed help, a cell phone, a ride...  I was shaking, so I was probably pretty white too.  I called Jason at work, etc, etc...  This man, all I know is his name is Cam (why didn't I ask him his last name?????)  Was truly amazing and truly sent by God just for me.  He got me completely calmed down, got the kids carseats into his car...  He would have driven us all the way home, but I was trying not to be a bother.  He was going to home depot, so I got him to take us there.  Bev, he stayed with us the entire time we were waiting to be picked up.  About half an hour, to make sure that we were safe.  I kept telling him we were okay and thanks very much, and he insisted that he was going to make sure we were safe.  What a wonderful man.  I was so thankful that he came by.  I didn't have any hesitation about taking a ride from him either.... went with my gut there. 

Jason managed to find my parents and my dad came down and got us from the depot.  The Ja and my dad went to look at the van after dropping us here.  I was really thankful that my mom was here too... after that adrenaline rush, I completely lost it.  I do think I am the main cause for flooding in Peterborough!!!  It turns out that a tie rod (sp??) broke, and that's how I lost control.  Nothing I could have done about it.  Jason was pretty shaken up after he saw how close the van was to the edge too.  My dad managed to rig it together just to get it to a church parking lot or something.  He's going to be able to come up tonight or on the weekend to fix it for us.

I tell ya, though, my faith????  Has increased a hundred fold.  I am so thankful.  If the van had to break down, we couldn't have had a better outcome.  It happened where no cars were around, an awesome guy stopped for us.  My parents just "happened" to be in town that day, my sister took the early bus which meant we could find them.  My cousin is, as we speak, having a feast at the Good Lord's table...  whew! 

And that's my story.

Love,
jamie

 

My faith has really taken a booster shot right in the behind.  And?  Cost to fix the van?  $34.  My dad is great.  My God is an awesome God.

I was whining about the futility of doing housework to an online knitting friend of mine, and this is what she wisely responded....

There's something about the difference between boys and girls.  Having one of each, I can see that difference every day of my life.

I grew up with girls.  I had to get married so that I could have brothers.  Living with boys is all too new to me, especially living with my boy.

Both our kids are being raised with the same rules, the same access to the same toys, the same love, the same hugs and kisses... (Eph's time outs do outnumber Keyz's...) 

And yet, I have my artsy girlie girl, and my rough and tumble all boy boy.

Granted, each one can cross over to the other side for a good wrestle, or colour pictures.  But, they each gravitate back to what they like best.  Eph likes cars and mud, Keyz like crayons and paper.

The day that I took these pics it was gorgeous outside.  Not too hot, sunny but beautiful.  It had rained the day before and the lid for the sanbox hadn't been on all the way.  Ephraim was in there instantly.  Keyzia got out some paper and some crayons to make some more art.

The perfect day for each of them, and each of them in their own way.

 

 

It's nice to know that all you really need out of life is some mud and some crayons.  Why do we make it so difficult?

Makin' a list 'cuz I'm too lazy to try and make sense in paragraph form.

1. 15 weeks now.  Although to look at me, you'd think I was a good six months along...  okay... not really... but I certainly feel that way!
2. My bra doesn't fit anymore.
3. I'm done with babysitting, just doing a bit of respite work.  Mostly once a week.
4. Naps?  Are goooood.
5. I'm getting a bit obsessed with planning out my cloth diaper route.  Going to have a diaper making party!  Want to come?
6. Keyzia's ballet recital is tomorrow.  She had her first dress rehearsal yesterday.
7. I almost died from the cuteness.
8. Seriously.  The cuteness?  It might kill you.
9. Ephraim is jealous that he doesn't get butterfly wings.
10. Savvy, my beautiful youngest niece's birthday party is on Saturday.  I made her something so cute that even it might kill you!
11. I can't really think of anything else to say, but I think it's cool that when I hit enter, it automatically pops in the next number in my list.
12. see??
13. It really doesn't take a lot to amuse me.
14. I could talk about my pooping problems... but really, who wants to hear about that?

Hmmm.  Haven't really had too much to say lately!  I lieu of coming up with something genius (ha!) and witty (ha! ha!) I give you window art.

(all art accomplished with Crayola Window Writers.  Lovely things, really.)


Keyzia and I created this wonderful piece together.  Don't you love the blue jays flying through the sky?  We had a very serious discussion over what colour to make the tree trunk, seeing as we had no brown.


The ocean scene.  This was Keyzia's creation and idea.  (The trucks there are actually on the window BEHIND.)


This is Eph's masterpiece.  Obviously you can see the creative talent that rears it's head whenever the opportunity arises!  I think he's probably going to be an abstract artist...

The following are two gratuitous cuteness shots...  for no particular reason whatsoever.


and the boy...


((Not too sure why he's sniffing the marker...))

We were supposed to clean out the basement this weekend.  We still have all kinds of stuff down there that we took when my Gramma moved, and the path to washer is starting to get... er... more narrow.

So, this weekend my kidlets were at my parentals for a sleepover.  Keyzia was thrilled by the prospects of a sleepover, as usual.  She can't really wait to get away from us it seems!  The kisses and hugs goodbye are never teary, and if we talk to her on the phone, then she's always eager to get away.

The Eph-man, on the other hand, he still gets a bit weepy.  This time, at first he didn't even want to go to Gramma and Grampa's for a sleepover.  Not until Keyzia asked him to go.  Then it was okay, but he certainly clings a little bit longer for the goodbye hug, and waves until we're out of sight.

Anyway, the kidlets were gone, and our big chore was to clean out the basement!  Get rid of the crap!  Organize the crap we were going to keep!  Excitement and anticipation at being able to walk in the basement without fear of something jumping out at you from the giant piles!

Instead?  Instead we slept.  And talked.  And then we slept a little bit more.

On Friday night we were both asleep by 10, slept til 8 (that's ten hours, people).  Then we were tired at 11 and slept until 1!  Back in bed early-ish, slept another ten hours, and we were still tired all day.

We still have a horribly scary and mess basement, and yet we got to reconnect.  We cuddled.  We talked.  Without interruption.  We showered together with no one banging on the bathroom door.

My husband and I found each other again, and it was truly wonderful.