I'm still here!

Okay, I thought I'd better post just so Misty doesn't think I've dropped off the face of the earth. It seems like the last few days have been so crazy busy. I actually did sit down on Friday afternoon to post, and then had to go do other things, and never got back to it. Thursday was Thanksgiving of course, and we went over to Nate's parents house. His mom is such a great cook. I just made pumpkin pie and rolls. My pumpkin pie didn't turn out very well, though, and I think I overcooked my rolls a little. Oh well. I still have pumpkin left, and a pie crust. I'll probably make another one. Nate doesn't like it so I'll have to eat the whole thing myself. Yummy! We fed Ian dinner first, he wolfed down everything, and then when he took a nap the rest of us ate, well, all except George who would only eat a piece of cranberry sauce and a roll, then his Grandfather put a too big bite of corn in his mouth and he just held it there for the next 40 minutes. It was nice to visit with them. George and I had made a Thanksgiving turkey out of construction paper and everyone had written on a paper feather some things they were thankful for. It turned out looking really cool. George said he was thankful for "my tiny little racecar", and "the animals" He said Ian was thankful for Daddy and his blanket. I put down "God's provision and peace", and "Family" When I wrote family, I was thinking not only of my parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters-in-law, but of Nate's family, and especially the family that I enjoy in my fellow believers, my sisters and brothers in Christ. I was thinking of all the wonderful ladies in my Bible study and how dear to my heart they are, just as much, and perhaps more than if they were my biological sisters. I know it is such a blessing, an undeserved blessing to be able to have such people in my life, and I am truly grateful for all my family. Friday seemed to fly by, and in the afternoon, I got the crazy thought in my head that Nate and I needed to go out on a date before this baby is born. So, besides being on the phone off and on all day trying to coordinate for the AWANA outing on Saturday, and cleaning up the house while I had the energy, then I was trying to track down a babysitter and get myself ready, just in case. It didn't work out, and actually, I had forgotten that Nate needed to replace that hose on the van that night anyway, because I was going to need it on Saturday. It ended up that the van was more broken than he thought, and he's going to have to go scrounging in a junk yard to find the right part, so I am still stranded. Nate had brought home a movie that night anyway. So, after he couldn't fix the van, and the kids were in bed, then we watched "The Terminal" It was okay. We both like Tom Hanks. The movie could have been G if not for some language. Then of course, we got in the hot tub. Well, maybe it was only me. I have been in it every night since he brought it home. It just makes me feel so much better!! My hips have been soooo sore, and that has really helped them. Saturday, I packed the boys off to Grandma's, went to the church to pick up the AWANA girls, (we only ended up having 6), and drove out to the Mancas's house. Lucas had made a fire outside for us to roast hot dogs and smores. We had a scavenger hunt, my devotional went pretty well, and then the girls made crafts. I was so surprised and touched, they had all made Thankyou, We'll miss you cards for me. I hope not to be able to be at AWANA on Wednesday because of a baby! We had a nice time there, and Casey let me borrow a few books for homeschooling. I think if I started something structured with George, he would really take off with reading. He's just on the edge of understanding it. He knows the letters, and most of the letter sounds, although he gets a few mixed up. He is constantly pointing out letters to me, and saying their sounds though, and I think if I really got serious about it, he'd catch on and be able to read soon. I feel like right now, while he is so interested in it, is a crucial time, and I don't want to miss my window for teaching what he needs to learn now. He can count to 20 and knows simple math things, like 1 + 1 = 2, and sometimes he can grasp more than that (although he insists that eleven is called "oneteen":) . I do need to be more attentive to other parts of his learning, though, and have more patience with his questions, and encourage them. I usually feel like I don't have enough time for him, and I know it's only going to get worse when this baby comes. I think he'll be a good student when we do start a more formal instruction method, though. He loves to just sit and read now, or draw. He just sometimes gets frustrated when he can't do as much as he would like to. I think that's where part of our potty troubles have come from, he doesn't want to do it, because he can't do it perfectly yet. He is such a first child. I am not even going to worry about the potty training now, though, and just wait until he is more physically ready. After we got back to the church Saturday afternoon, I went to pick up the boys at Nate's moms, and we rushed home, changed clothes, went into Douglasville to pick up Nate from work, and then went to the Calkins. I took pictures of them in front of their fireplace, I think they came out really well, and then they took pictures of us in front of their Christmas tree. (She already has hers up, and I'm so jealous!! I would have mine by now, if I didn't have a hot tub in my living room. Come on baby, come out, so I can put up my Christmas tree!!!!) We had supper with them and visited and then came home and got in the hot tub. We were both very tired, and I find it so relaxing to be in there, I wish I could sleep in there. I think it has really been great to have it ahead of time, I have done a lot of visualizing and thinking of my labor and birth, picturing having the baby, and practicing what positions I will be in. I feel much more mentally prepared this time. Sunday morning we were lazy, and didn't go to Sunday School. My hips hurt so badly, I could barely stand up to sing in church, and hardly talked to anyone afterwards. I did talk to Heather for a minute and she told me to swing a needle on a string over my belly and it would tell me if I'm having a boy or a girl. I did it when I got home, and it said a boy. (I knew that) Now if little Alec would just come out!! I felt so bad, though, after I got the boys lunch, I just went and curled up in the chair. Nate made me lunch, and after the boys went down for a nap (They both slept so good! Yay!!) I got in the hot tub for a few minutes and then laid down on the couch. Nate cleaned up the kitchen, and I felt so much better when I woke up, and Nate continued to work on cleaning up, we got so much done. My bedroom is still slightly cluttered with Christmas presents, but I got all my packages ready to send out, and Nate was supposed to take them to the post office this morning, but he took the garbage out to his truck, and didn't come back for them. Oh well, I'd much rather have packages sitting around here than garbage. Leanne is supposed to come today, after cancelling on me last Wednesday because of the tornado warning. I haven't seen her in over 6 weeks. I'm glad she is coming for at least one more regular visit before the baby comes, though, because there are some things I really wanted to talk to her about. I might post again if she tells me anything interesting. I tried again to check myself last night, but my cervix is so high and posterior, I wonder if she will even be able to get to it. I can feel something hard above it, that must be baby. He's so close, why doesn't he just come out? I am just kidding, and seriously, I feel much more relaxed this time about when the baby will come. I know it will be in God's perfect time. Since he didn't come at the same time as Ian, now I think it will be awhile. Anyway, I'd better go spend some time with my boys before Ian's nap.