SweetPea Castle

With God... and

a tremendous amount of patience... all things are possible.

I finally overcame my rather irrational fear of magic loop knitting and LOVE it!  First of all, I really must thank Davina for her pictorial (http://www.flickr.com/photos/18256698@N04/sets/72157602944113260/) on magic loop'ing longies.  Now, I am truly almost finished with this pair.  I need to do about 6 more rows on the legs before doing the cuffs and casting off.  I hope to get them done in the next day or two.  I "should" be able to finish them tonight.  But, the littles have not been aiding my knitting plans.  So, we'll see.  Then, I'm going to work on matching booties and a hat... to try to finish off the skein.

Josiah is 4 weeks old today!  And, we're struggling with a bout of thrush after his 10 day round of antibiotics for an ear infection.  Uhm... yuck!  Otherwise, he's a cuddly little guy and is growing fabulously.  This is a pic of him in the gorgeous set custom created by Carina of SweetMamaSmallSugar for me.  He wore this to church this past Sunday.  The shirt is very special and has 6 peas for the pod.  Two out of the pod (for my two peas that are grown and moved out) and four peas in the pod... the tiny button is for the newest little one.  If you can get a custom set by Carina... GO FOR IT!  She rocks.

I've got more going on, but I'm at a place that I can't write about any of it yet.  Sometimes you just have to take the time with God to get your heart and attitude in check before opening your mouth about it.  I can say that I really long to have my body back and be feeling more like "myself".  I've basically been pregnant, nursing, or in the midst of miscarriages for the last 7 years.  I am glad that God is in control... because I feel very out of control right now.

Psalm 113:9 ~ He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the LORD! 

1/28 To-Do List

I'm trying to get back into a "groove" and a to-do list is sorta my starting point.  I'm itching to get sewing again, but there isn't going to be much of that for another two weeks, I think.

So.... here is this weeks list:

1. Knit longies for Josiah (coffee with extra cream) - in process... about halfway done with both legs
2. Knit matching booties and hat
3. Knit soaker(s)/longies for the littles... as I get other stuff done.
4. MPB Local Tax reporting.
5. Update MPB QuickBooks file and personal Quicken file(s) in preparation for tax time. - in process
6. Plan next stocking at MPB ... mid February??
7. Collage
   • Update babymoon listing.
   • Plan February listing
8. Update fabric options on the website.  In process
9. Website Update??
10. Supply orders
    • Aplix
    • Snaps?
    • PUL

Perfect Fit...

Three weeks ago today, I gave birth to our 6th living blessing.  It seems like yesterday... and yet it seems like a lifetime ago.  I look at his precious face and can't imagine him not being here.  It's like he was perfectly fashioned to fit in our family. 

We are adjusting rather well... all things considered.  Josiah's struggling horribly with this head cold and we are having to constantly suction his poor little nose out.  Because of all the congestion, he's having an awful time trying to sleep in any position... even upright.  His siblings are adjusting well.  Of course, we do have our minor struggles with sibling rivalry and jealousy... but thankfully they are short-lived and easily handled.

I haven't gotten any knitting done.  Every time I think I'm going to get to sit down... something else comes up that is more pressing.  I really would like to finish these last 9 rows on these longies so that I can try out the new (to me) magic loop knitting method for knitting both legs at the same time.  But, by the time I DO get to sit down and might be able to knit... either Josiah needs me... or I'm just too exhausted to see straight, much less knit.  ;-)  That is the life of a wife and mom.  And, I'm really not complaining... much. 

I must admit that I'd love to have 30 minutes to an hour all by myself with absolute peace and quiet.  I would relish the opportunity to soak in the bathtub with a cuppa something and my Bible or another good book for an hour... with no interruptions and no one heard screaming from somewhere else in the house.  Of course, I would be afraid of what the house and/or children might look like when I came out... but that's not the point.

Even still, I rejoice in where God has me right now.  Sometimes I have to repent of my crappy attitude first and start over... but, I strive every day to start and end each day rejoicing.

Germs should NOT be shared!

It was bound to happen... children are always great at sharing the ONE thing that you don't want them to... germs.  The children shared their cold with Josiah and he is now miserable.... and we are sleepless.

I took Josiah to the pediatrician this morning after two nights of little-to-no sleep and him being completely stuffed up.  The bad news is that he has an ear infection and is horribly stuffed up from an upper respiratory infection/virus.  The good news is that he doesn't have a fever, isn't wheezing, and he doesn't have RSV.  RSV would have meant immediate admission to the hospital for several days of monitoring.  We would rather stay home and not get any sleep... in the comfort of our own environment.

This, of course, means that I am really not getting much knitting (or anything else) done.  It's hard to knit while holding a fussy newborn.  I'm praying to try out a new method, called "magic loop" to be able to finish the legs on these longies for Josiah.  But, with my mind so muddled from lack of sleep... perhaps later this evening or tomorrow I'll tackle that.

Life is good... even with these minor stresses... I'm still amazed every time I gaze at this precious newborn boy... that God gave him to us.  Wow!

Brrrr....

It's just plain cold around here recently.  We got some really nice snow on Thursday and it was mostly melted by yesterday late afternoon.  Anything left is frozen now.  Unfortunately, the children didn't get to play in it.  Tabi and Noah are still fighting these upper respiratory viruses and we NEED them to get completely well again.

I did manage to update my personal Flikr gallery today with some more recent photos.  We've spent most of our time since Josiah's arrival just trying to adjust to our newest blessing and get into a decent routine that works.  And, I won't even pretend that we're really getting much sleep... we're not.  However, we know that this is a phase and we will survive and eventually get more sleep again... probably in another 18 years.  ;-)

While Tabitha napped, Noah went with his dad this afternoon so that both of them could get much-needed hair cuts.  Eliana has watched a VeggieTale movie and Sillyville while I enjoyed some time sitting here knitting.  Josiah has been up and down.  He's very content as long as he's nursing and/or being held.

I am about 40% finished with this pair of longies for Josiah.  Then, I'm going to work on some soakers and coordinating knit booties.  So far, I'm doing good in the stash game... I haven't bought any yarn.  But, I also haven't gotten much knitting done.  I'm really wishing I could get some of Joyce's Satellite yarn in a sock-weight.  I think it would make a gorgeous funky pair of socks.  Of course, I'll have to wait until March to ask her for some... so that I don't blow my stash game ambitions.  :-)

The rest of today is going to be spent playing with the children and preparing for our weekly trek to church tomorrow.  I have diaper laundry started.  I have to get everything ready for the diaper bag for Tabi and Josiah (diapers, spare clothing, food, etc.).  I also have to gather and set out the clothing for all of the children.  Then, I'm going to enjoy whatever time I can knitting.

I'm also beginning to plan my next stocking at MudpieBabies.  I'm thinking that I'm going to offer a variety of yp (you pick) size and closure of plain colored PUL AIOs and covers.  So, no embroidery or special options.  This might help a few more people to be able to try MPBs at a more reasonable cost.  Then, I'll offer a couple of specials with embroidery at the next stocking.  I'm thinking that this first stocking will be early-to-mid February and the next one will be near the end of February.  It depends on how well things are going around here.

We are also beginning to work on preparing the house to once again go on the sales market.  We need to do massive decluttering, cleaning and painting.  And, we have to find a way to replace the nasty carpeting.  I'm praying that our tax return is enough to more-than cover what we need to get done.  Once this house sells, we will use the proceeds to pay off our debt completely and use the rest as a down payment on a place back in Manassas.  We aren't even going to look out there until we have an offer on this place.  And, it's all a matter of trust and faith.  If this is truly what God wants us to do... HE will provide the buyer and the price that we need for this place... and what we need in Manassas.

Time to go... I hear the littlest piglet beckoning.

Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) ~ Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

A moment of quiet

Today is 9 days since Josiah was born and we are doing awesome!  Yes, we are sleep deprived and still adjusting.  But, all in all, I am blessed by just how well we are doing at this point.  He nurses like a champ and really does well with his sleep patterns - for the most part.  And, his brother and sisters absolutely adore him.

I am healing quite well and trying my best to take these opportunities to rest and heal before trying to get back into the routine of things this coming Monday when my hubby goes back to work part-time.  I got a bit of exercise on the elliptical this morning for 10 minutes and then enjoyed a heavenly shower before coming back to rest on the couch and nurse Josiah again.  I feel "human" again!  I am committed to getting my body and health back... through proper diet, exercise, and time in God's Word.

I have a lot to do today to prepare for church in Manassas tomorrow.  I have diaper laundry to do, regular laundry to do, outfits to set out, diaper bags to prepare... and various other minor things.  I also need to do my Bible reading for today.  And do some preparation work for next week's schedule - Noah's homeschool, knitting plans, etc.

Speaking of knitting plans!  I am doing a "Stash Game" starting next week - I think on Monday.  I am very excited to be motivated to get some of this knitting moving along faster.  I just started a pair of longies for Josiah and want to get them finished next week... which should be NO problem.  I'm thinking I'll knit a pair of booties and perhaps a hat to match.

An answer to Noah's prayer

Noah had been praying for a baby brother since we first found out I was pregnant with Tabitha.  And, he was devastated when we found that we were expecting a girl.  He continued praying for a baby brother.  Jason and I were (of course) praying that the Lord would give us more time before he blessed us with further children after Tabitha arrived.

Anyone who has had multiple young children in the house knows how much stress they can bring (especially to a marriage).  It can be even more stressful when you go from having two nearly grown teenagers... to having two young adults that live on their own and another group of young children to raise from birth again.  But, we committed our fertility to God's plans fully in December 2000 when we went and had my tubal reversal surgery... and no matter how difficult that covenant has been sometimes, we still fully trust that God is trustworthy and able to provide for our family... no matter what the size.

So, when we found that we were expecting another blessing... Noah's prayers were answered!  We found out in August that we were expecting another son.  We were evening out the household - 3 boys and 3 girls.  God is awesome!  So, the picture at the top of this post was taken when Josiah was 2 days old.  This is the photo that Jason used to announce Josiah's arrival and the answer to Noah's prayer to our church.

We rejoice that He has blessed our family so much and couldn't imagine life without any of our children.

Josiah Doran has arrived!!!

He made his speedy entrance into the world on 1/3/08 at 11:43am.  He weighed in at an even 8lbs and was 19.5 inches long.  We are home and recovering fantastically in our own bed and loving every minute of it.  He's still a night owl (was that way in the womb too)... so we're going to be working on getting him transitioned a bit. 

Josiah is Hebrew for "Fire of the Lord" and Doran is Hebrew for "God's Gift"

God is awesome and we will write more and post more pics shortly.  Godspeed... ~ Tiffani & Jason...

In with the new...

Well, tomorrow is "the" day.  We have to be at the hospital at 6:30am for my scheduled induction.  I've been having more contractions this evening, but I'm still figuring that they'll peter out once I lay down to go to sleep.  So, that's what I'm going to do... lay down to go to sleep.  Well, as soon as I finish double checking all of my stuff.  ;-)

We are very excited and can't wait to announce our newest blessing's arrival.  I expect to be home from the hospital either late Friday or sometime Saturday.