Busy busy days

It has been way too long since I have posted. Things have been busy in our household here in the last 2 months. After months and months of searching, Chris was finally offered a preaching position. We didn't go north like we had hoped, but it is a great opportunity to gain experience. We are now farther south in Arkansas. We packed up and moved on Nov 15 and have been busy since then trying to get settled. The hardest part has been moving with a newborn. It has been hard to get much of anything done. But, we are doing the best we can. It has been absolutely fantastic to finally be living in a house! It is almost twice as big as our apartment was, it has 4 bedrooms, and it is on almost an acre of land. I think the kids are just used to being in really tight quarters though because they are having a hard time spreading out. Even when they are outside. Yesterday was the first day they started venturing off the patio. We have been really enjoying it though. The weather down here is something to get used to. I'm not used to it being in the 60's in December!

Chris has been settling in in his new position as well. He is technically only "supposed" to have office hours from 8-12 (which he set) but he often goes back after lunch for a few more hours just because there is so much for him to get done. We live less than a mile away from the church so really it isn't a big deal and to be honest I rather enjoy having some time to myself again. It has also been really nice getting back into routines again. We took a break from schooling for a few weeks just because there was just so much to do. One of the first things we did when we moved here was get our library cards and we were able to start back in their curriculum just in time for Thanksgiving. Faith has been doing really well in her reading. She can read pretty much anything with a short vowel now and we are finishing up consonant digraph endings. We will probably work on reviews the rest of this week, do "NG" endings (-ing, -ang, -ung, -ong) next week, and then start long-vowel words the week after that. Have to admit I'm a little nervous at that one! This year Faith told me what to write in a letter to Santa, I wrote it on her paper, and that is what she did for her copy work. It was our first attempt at copy work and she did an excellent job. She is so proud of herself for writing her letter all by herself. From now on we will either be doing copywork using scriptures, or it will be to write a letter to her new penpal (who is one of her best friends from church).

Samantha has been doing really good in her reading too. She hasn't started the actual blending yet, but we are working on word recognition. She either points to a word in a sentence, or she is given a picture and the last 2 letters of the word and she has to figure out what the first letter is (ie has a picture of a cat and __at, and then is given 4 letters to choose from). I tried started the blending with her but she just wasn't getting it and was just getting mad, so we decided to put that part on hold for a little longer. It has been a little more of a struggle with her because she has an "I can't" attitude when given anything new to do and before even trying.

Everything has been different with Elijah. The girls both started talking so early but with him he still doesn't say much. Some things are more clearer, but when he does say something it is still pretty unrecognizable. I don't know if he is just having a speech problems or what. Chris and I have really been working with him on saying things and when we read books to him we ask about what the different things are in the pictures and make him tell us or have him repeat after us. He is by far more physical than the girls were. He is constantly climbing on anything and everything and is always swinging things like a bat or throwing balls, and is always wanting to wrestle around. He loves to be read too which is wonderful since we read a lot! He is also a little whirlwind. I can't keep up with him and the messes he makes. He is always into SOMETHING. I'm not exaggerating! The other day he got into a box which had the fuchsia dye we used to dye Faith's hockey gloves. He had it absolutely everywhere and he was covered from head to toe. Surprisingly it came off of his skin pretty easily, his hair was a different story. His hair is still tinted pink. It is a full-time job just keeping up with him.

Sweet little baby Carrie is getting bigger by the day. On the 10th she will be 3 months old. She is already fitting into some clothes that are 6 months. She is a big baby! At her 2 month appointment he was 13lbs 9 oz (95%) and was almost 24 inches long (90%). She is definitely a healthy baby! All of our breastfeeding woes are behind us now and we have both been doing wonderfully. Our saving grace is when the lactation consultant called me in a prescription for All Purpose Nipple Ointment. This stuff was just simply a miracle. It healed me up in no time and we have had no problems since. When I told my OB about it at my 6 week check up he said he has heard good things about that stuff. Which, honestly made me angry that he never thought to get me some and which also probably would have saved my breastfeeding experience with Elijah. I know I can't change anything about the past, but still. Carrie is more of a high maintenance baby like Faith was. She isn't too into sleeping and wants to be held all. the. time. And not just by anyone. By just me. The second Chris tries to hold her she will start throwing a fit. The second I take her back she is fine. Faith was the same exact way. It makes getting things done very very difficult! She just loves to smile though and it lights up her whole face. Today when I was playing with her she giggled at me for the first time. Such a beautiful experience.

Well, I think I have written enough for today and there are things I need to try to get done. Now that we are getting more settled though I will write more!

And not so blissful times

In less than 2 weeks I have had mastitis twice and have a case of thrush. I am currently trying to fight my second bout.

Breastfeeding is an art alright, and it looks like I'm failing art. I had none of these problems with Faith or Samantha, and then had tons of problems with Elijah. Looks like I'm starting off where we left off with Elijah.

I don't know what I'm going to do if I continue to have problems. The first time I had it with Carrie I knew I was to blame. I think my bra was too tight and I was wearing it all the time because I couldn't stand for anything to touch me, and then Carrie was sleeping for several hours through the night and I was so happy to get some sleep that I didn't wake her up, causing me to get engorged.

BUT since Sunday I have been going braless unless I go out, which isn't often and I wake her at least every 3 hours at night. So I have no clue what went wrong this time.

She is quite the eater though. She usually wants to eat during the day every 1 1/2 hours. Then, it takes her 30 minutes to eat. So I am pretty much feeding this girl around the clock.

Sweet bliss

Carrie Elaine was born on 9/10 at 9:27 am, weighed 8 lbs even and was 19 1/4 inches long!

The labor was definitely short. They started pitocin at about 6:30 and I had my water broke at about 8:30. When he broke my water I was 4-5, which was impressive seeing as how the contractions hadn't been bad at all (I was a 3 when I came in). So he breaks my water and I go ahead and get an epidural even though things weren't bad yet. The epidural obviously took a little while to get placed and the contractions were still not bad at all the whole time. They had it in place at about 9:00. When they got the epidural in, she checked me again and I was a 6. Unfortunately it wasn't taking in part of my right side though and there was a spot that I really felt the contractions in, and it really was hurting bad. They had me roll over to my side for awhile, which didn't work either. They were finally able to fix the problem, though I'm not really quite sure what they were doing. I told the nurse that it was a lot better but there was still a lot of pressure in my bottom during contractions that I had to breathe through. I didn't think anything about it but just figured it wasn't working again. She went ahead and checked me again, and low and behold I was an 8! Now mind you this was only 10 minutes since she had checked me last. I was just in shock. She ran out of the room to call the doctor. He was there within 5 minutes and there was already every nurse in my room and my bed being broke down. My doctor didn't even have time to get completely dressed. He sat down and I guess was waiting for a contractions. I thought he was doing some pulling down there and seriously if I had been able to feel my legs I would have kicked him. Turns out it was the baby's head coming down! The next contraction they had me push. A whopping 3 pushes later and our little Carrie was born. So um yeah, went from a 6 to complete in 20 minutes.

I was in complete shock and wasn't ready at all for delivery time, mentally. Chris kept waiting for me to break down crying, like I always do, but I just sat there in shock that it was all over. I was expecting it to take at least a couple of more hours! I just sat there looking at her and trying to figure out if all of that really happened. I tried nursing her before they took her away to the nursery but she just sat there with my breast in her mouth and she was just like um, why is this here and what am I supposed to do. I was afraid she wasn't going to get nursing down very well. Needless to say, I was completely wrong. When they finally brought her back to me a few hours later she was starving and latched on right away. From then on out she nursed at least every 2 hours for 30 minutes at a time.

Unfortunately Chris had come down with a stomach bug that I suffered from that previous Monday. He didn't have a fever and was able to be there for the labor and delivery, but he only held her for a second after she was born, just as a precaution. He also went home as soon as they took the baby so he could get some rest. He called me that afternoon and unfortunately had woken up with a slight fever and so he obviously thought it best for him to stay home. I was completely bummed, but also felt the same way. The kiddos were able to meet their new baby sister on Saturday and they have all been doting on her ever since. Even Elijah! Every few minutes he will have to come by and touch (lightly!) her head and sometimes will give her a little kiss. It is just too precious!

Now onto the name. We really liked the name Anya and were planning on naming her that. After she was born though it just wasn't right. We then went through many more names and just couldn't find one that seemed to fit her. So nameless our baby girl stayed. On Saturday we thought it would be Claire. I really love that name. But when Chris came back that evening Claire didn't seem to fit either. Finally, about 15 minutes before we were discharged on Sunday we seemed to have found the name that fit her. I don't know how many times my nurses kept asking what her name was, and I felt horrible that we hadn't come up with anything yet. I don't know why it was so difficult this time.

Needless to say, we are in love. Completely and totally in love. Again.

Today is the day

It's about 3am and today is the day I will be meeting this little one. I have to be at the hospital at 5am where they will start the induction. Obviously not exactly the way I wanted to do it but it is what it is. Maybe if I lived an hour away from the hospital again like I did with Faith and Samantha then I would have gone into labor on my own, so I have to suffer in the car with contractions. Instead with Elijah and this one I live about 5 minutes from the hospital and so of course I have to be induced. Sigh.

This girls are just over the moon excited though and can't wait to find out if they will be getting a new brother or sister. This pregnancy has been so exciting for them. It's odd to think though that this is more than likely our last one. I say more than likely because we absolutely will not be trying for anymore, but I know sometimes God's plan is different. I am mentally done with pregnancy. So it's just strange every time I feel this baby move just thinking it will be the last time I feel a baby move inside of me. To me, it is the best part of being pregnant. But I won't lie. This pregnancy has been difficult for me. I have been exhausted throughout most of it and for the last 3 months have been hurting pretty bad (in the hips) and it has been really hard to move. And the heartburn this time! Oi! In the last few days the itching has been unbelievable too, and I have never itched before.

I won't have any computer access while I'm in the hospital and so I won't be able to update everyone probably until Sunday or Monday. Wish me luck and keep me in your prayers!!!!

Waiting, waiting, and more waiting!

That's about all that has been happening here in our happy little household!

Needless to say, this little one is refusing to come up. Big surprise seeing as how the other 3 didn't want to come out either and were all late. There is an end in sight though. If I haven't had it by Friday I will induced Friday morning. With Elijah I was pretty upset about this, but honestly this time around I am just ready to be done. It is unbelievable how hard on my body this pregnancy has been. It hurts to move. Plus, add in the job search and Chris not being able to go out until I have the baby, and the fact that my mother-in-law has been staying with us in our little 2 bedroom apartment for the last 3 weeks until I have the baby, and yeah...definitely ready to have this baby!

We are still waiting on jobs too, of course. It's funny how it seems to go in spurts. Everyone seems to call for tryouts at the same time, and then you go a month or two without hearing a peep from anyone. Granted, there hasn't even been any jobs posted since August doesn't help. We have heard about a couple of jobs through the grapevine and he has applied for all of those, so again it's just the waiting game. He also applied to one in a beautiful, touristy area up in Michigan but let's just say we aren't holding our breath on that one! Chances are slim to none that it is a conservative congregation so we aren't expecting to hear back from them. Still, it would be nice! lol

So that's where we are so far.

Seems like it has been forever since I have posted pictures. I will post more as soon as this little one decided to come into this world!

Sorry for that

Sorry for my little break down the other day. I obviously have a hard time dealing with things when I'm pregnant! By the next day I was much better. Yes, I'm still really worried about finances, but I don't feel quite so defeated now. Obviously that congregation is not where we were supposed to be, and while it still stinks that we have no plans to move, I know God knows much better than I do about where we need to go.

Chris is in talks with one congregation so we will see how that goes. The only tricky part is going to be if they want him to come and try out, and if they do when that might be. Trying to schedule around the baby has been difficult. While I don't want to be induced, that might have to be the option. We will deal with that bridge when it comes.

I went to my doctor appointment on Tuesday and I am now 3 centimeters. Still only about 50% effaced which stinks, but I thought I would still be 2 centimeters like I was the week before. For the last 4 days I have been having tons of contractions and a lot of pressure. I've never had it like this before. HOPEFULLY that means things will get started any day (or tonight...not I'm wishful thinking or anything! lol). My due date is Sept 3rd and so tomorrow I will be 39 weeks.

While my last post might have come across that I wasn't thankful for anything, because at the time I was acting like a spoiled brat, the contrary is true. I am blessed beyond measure and while things might be a little rough right now I know there is a purpose and learning experience.

The big black cloud

It just continues to loom over us. Why can't things just be easy for us, just once? Chris finally wrote the congregation he went to a few weeks ago. Before he left he asked if they knew when they would have a decision and he was told they would let him know in a couple of days. It has now been 2 weeks and he hadn't heard anything. He wrote them this morning and just got an email back saying they were still reviewing applications and they would let him know. Um yeah, can you say that would be a big fat no?

I am so over all of this. I am just so shocked at all the games that are played. I'm tired of some of these places making it sound like we all but have a job, just to be told weeks/months later that we didn't get it. Why the false hope? We just want to go somewhere and get settled. Limbo stinks beyond belief.

I laugh thinking about how optimistic we were back in May. We heard so many times how Chris shouldn't have a problem at all finding a job that we actually believed it. And now, here we are almost in September without even so much of a glimmer of a job. Our financial support is obviously not coming in anymore. We are so very gracious that we have gotten it for as long as we have. Obviously it could have stopped at the end of June but several congregations decided to continue supporting Chris through this month to try to give him time to find work. We are about to be a family of 6 with no money coming in. Chris is trying to find any work at all but obviously in this economy he is even having a hard time finding secular work.

Yes I realize I have done nothing but whine lately, but quite honestly, I'm scared. I'm really scared. And it doesn't look likely that things will be looking up any time soon. You can't help but question what is wrong with us that no one wants us.

Sigh

I am a complete grump today. I am just so worn out and overstressed.

Chris's brother passed away on Wednesday evening and so Thursday we packed up and heading up to his mom's. We knew it was coming as he had cancer in his pancreas, lung, and liver. He was 5'8 and was barely over 100 lbs. He was only 54 and he looked like he was over 70. Chris knew he wouldn't make it through the summer. So on Saturday was the funeral, which Chris officiated. Some people may think it was a little strange for him to officiate his own brother's funeral but he wanted to make sure it was heartfelt and personal. Since he didn't go to church (though Chris was able to get him to repent and come back to the Lord as he was baptized when he was younger) he had already been sick and wasn't able to get out at all and so while we could have found someone else to officiate, they wouldn't have known him at all and it would have been really routine. It was the first funeral he had done and he was really nervous, but it went really well and he did a wonderful job. He definitely gave his brother a great send off. He said it was really strange to only have 2 living brothers now, as one of his other brothers was killed about 10 years ago when he was hit head-on on his motorcycle when a car crossed over into the other lane going around a curve.

I have also not been feeling really well. Just lots of contractions and really really hurting, which makes sleeping not very easy. Add that to all the traveling we have been doing and I am just one worn out girl.

Oh yeah, and still nothing on the job. We were told they would let us know in a couple of days. We are now going on over a week. I'm taking that as not a good sign. They asked him the other day to fill in some blanks on his resume and asked for job information going back to 92. He did the best he could, but that was almost 20 years ago! During a time when he wasn't even a Christian. He was in his early 20's and was pretty much a bum. So who knows. So it is quite stressful around here. No job, no money, and a baby who will be here soon.

Sigh.

Trying to hang on and trust the Lord and not get caught up on when I think things should happen.

Motivation at last

There is nothing like having constant contractions all night while your husband is 1300 miles away and you are home by yourself to kick your butt in gear and get motivated. I absolutely cannot wait until he gets home on Tuesday morning (well Monday around midnight). Just the thought of delivering without him being here makes me cry. I really was getting scared last night though. I usually don't start feeling this way until about 38 weeks or so, if that. So it has come as quite a surprise that I am having these types of contractions, having this type of pressure, and having this type of crampiness so early. I'm trying to really take it easy until Chris gets home, after that it's game on! lol

So, the first thing on my To Do list: Pick out names. How sad is that?

I have a list for the hospital bag, for things I need to buy, and for things I need to do. I imagine I will go out on Tuesday after my doctor appointment to pick up the things on my Need to Buy list. Hopefully, Chris will come home with a job so I won't feel guilty for having to buy some things!

He said it is really beautiful up in Montana. Tomorrow he will be officially trying out and meeting everyone so please keep him in your prayers. I always get so nervous for him! He tends to get going a little fast when he gets nervous so hopefully he will be able to slow himself down.

I am so not ready.

So lets see...tomorrow I am going to be 36 weeks. Which means in 4 weeks, plus or minus, this little one will be coming. Do you know what we have ready? Absolutely nothing. Not one thing.

All of the baby clothes are still sitting in storage. The crib is in pieces in our bedroom. I have nothing washed or sterilized. I haven't bought any going-home outfits. I haven't even THOUGHT about a hospital bag let alone get one started. We don't even have names, whether it be a boy or a girl.

Am I just in denial that things are getting close or what? What in the world is my problem? I just cannot get motivated to do anything. I feel absolutely no urgency.

I honestly think a part of my problem is I absolutely did NOT want to still be here, living in this apartment when the baby came. I didn't even let myself think about the possibility. I hoped and prayed that Chris would find a job before August hit so we could get moved in plenty of time. Well, obviously the beginning of August has come and gone and we are still here, jobless. And now we have passed the deadline. We both said that if he hadn't found anything by the first of August we would be cutting it too close to move anywhere until after the baby is born. And it is. There is no way I would feel comfortable moving anything now before the baby comes. Which is depressing.

I hate being here. Have I mentioned that??? I have no clue where I am going to put anything for the baby, which is probably also part of the problem. There is just no space left.

Chris is flying out tomorrow for a tryout in Montana and will be gone for 4 days. He has to leave here about 5 am and won't be back until just before midnight on Monday night. I hate that he is going to be gone that long. I don't think we have every been apart that long, and it's kind of creepy to be home by yourself at night with just the kids. We are obviously hoping he gets the job, but most of all we are hoping we get an answer one way or the other quickly. It's wishful thinking, but hopefully before he leaves there on Monday afternoon. Although, this is Chris and I you are talking about so we probably won't hear anything until September.

Sorry about the whiny post. I'm thinking I probably shouldn't have written tonight. Stress levels and emotions are at a max. And I now think, just in writing all of this out, that the hormones are starting to kick in because now all I want to do is go cry into my pillow.

My dearest hubby:

When I just happen to mention certain ice cream blizzards that just happen to sound really good, it is advisable NOT to reply with, "you do realize it doesn't get any easier to lose weight the older you get, right".

It's 90+ degrees out and I am almost 9 months pregnant. I have a built-in heater growing inside of me. I'm hot! AND, just because I said it sounded good doesn't mean I was going to go out and get it...it just SOUNDED good!

Baby update

Sorry for the delay! Really though, there wasn't much to say. It was just your normal boring routine. I will have the Strep B test at the next appointment and he will start checking me at that appointment and every appointment afterwards. Things are getting close! So my next appointment is next Tuesday and then they will be every week after that.

I am definitely ready, though I fully expect to go over my due date. Still though, I'm ready! I am just such a grouch and my patience level is nil. It hurts to walk, it hurts to sleep, it hurts to get up. And it is HOT! Being pregnant throughout the summer has definitely been difficult to say the least. I don't go outside unless absolutely necessary, which I think has been a part of my mood problems. Loved being pregnant throughout the winter...throughout the summer, not so much.

As a positive though, Faith absolutely loves feeling the baby move. She had her hand on my stomach at church tonight and had a huge grin on her face when it would move. It was just too precious and completely melts the heart.

Burnin down the house

I am just going to throw it out that one way to NOT impress a congregation is by almost burning down their lake house. Not that I would ever do that. Ahem.

Chris and I and the girls went back to Kentucky for a tryout with another congregation. The couple had a lake house that we stayed at, which WOULD have been really cool had we not had a one year old. A 16 month old + lots of breakables everywhere = one very stressed mama and daddy. One of us had to be right there with for the entire time. We seriously could not turn our back. We somehow left without having anything broken.

As mentioned in the title, I did, however, almost burn down their house. I was ironing my shirt Sunday morning. I had about half of it done when I noticed it wasn't really getting any wrinkles out anymore. I noticed that the light wasn't on, and then I touch the bottom and noticed that wasn't all that hot either. I grabbed the plug to pull it out and it started to pop, like it was shorting out. I pulled my hand away and 2 seconds later there are flames coming out of the cord. Talk about freaking out! I just stood there for a second horrified and then just yanked the cord out of the outlet. It fried half the cord and the outlet was completely black. Ah yes, nothing like having to tell your host that you fried their iron and almost burned down their house. Nope, I didn't feel like an idiot at all!

It was a really strange tryout though. The men didn't meet with him to talk about goals, expectations, what have you...absolutely nothing. In fact, the only ones we saw outside of actual service were the couple who owned the house we stayed in. When we were on our way home we were just kind of like...ooooookkkkkay. It felt like he was just doing fill-in preaching. So not really sure what to think about that.

While we were in Kentucky Chris got a call from 2 other congregations. One of which was from the congregation I talked about below. They had emailed earlier in the week and had explained that they had spent a lot of money earlier in the year to try preachers out, had one hired, he was supposed to start in June but had to turn it down at the last minute. They were therefore seriously considering just doing a telephone interview and then hiring from there. Well, they called Saturday and said the men had talked and they wanted to FLY Chris out there. Gulp. I'm really hoping that if they are paying for him to fly out there (because it wasn't cheap) that that is a really really good sign. So in 11 days he will be heading out. Obviously I can't fly and won't be going. Nope, not jealous at all! We are pretty sure he is the only one they are flying out though.

He also got a call from a congregation in South Carolina. Unfortunately though it doesn't seem like he will be able to go there. The only time in August they could have him there is at the end of August. Chris explained that he would love to come and try out but that is just too close to my due date. And they were wanting me to come too. And they wanted him to drive, even if he did end up having to come by himself. So yeah, a 13 hour drive, by himself 1-2 weeks from my due date. Not so good.

It is obviously getting really really hard to be able to schedule tryouts seeing how we are just about 5 weeks to my due date. Chris doesn't want to travel too far after this trip to Montana. Will I go earlier? hehe, um, history tells us no. Still, he doesn't want to risk it.

Hopefully we will hear something soon from someone. We are really really hoping he gets the job in Montana! We still aren't quite sure what we are going to do in August financially wise. So keep the prayers coming.

And can I just say, I absolutely can't believe I am almost 35 weeks pregnant! I have an OB appointment tomorrow and so I will update more on that tomorrow. I know, I know, I have you on the edge or your seat. How will you sleep tonight! lol

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

Ring...

Man, I am obviously NOT a jedi.

Trying to will Chris's phone to ring isn't working.

We are waiting on news for a tryout. On Saturday they said they were interested but they had to meet Sunday on when we would come up. We are still waiting word.

I refuse to think of it as an option until a date is scheduled.

In other good news, Chris has another tryout in Kentucky. On Saturday he had 2 calls from churches before he even got up. The one in which I'm trying to will our phone to ring, and the one in Kentucky.

Please keep up the prayers guys!

Sex Ed

I ran across this article and it made me chuckle thinking about that guy who told Chris we need to teach our children about this by the time they are 8 (aka 2nd grade). Tell me, is this what you want your young child learning about? When I had sex ed for the first time in 5th grade it was about different body parts...not about actual sexual intercourse. Since when did this become the responsibility of the school system?


Anger Over Sex Ed Proposal to Teach First Graders About 'Gay Love'

A proposed sex education program in a Montana school district that teaches fifth-graders the different ways people have intercourse and first-graders about gay love has infuriated parents and forced the school board to take a closer look at the issue.

Helena school trustees were swamped Tuesday night at a hearing that left many of the hundreds of parents in attendance standing outside a packed board room. They urged the school board in this city nestled in the Rocky Mountains to take the sex education program back to the drawing board.

The proposed 62-page document covers a broad health and nutrition education program and took two years to draft. But it is the small portion dealing with sexual education that has drawn the ire of many in the community who feel it is being pushed forward despite its obvious controversial nature.

Parents appeared most worried about pieces of the plan that teaches first-graders about same-gender relationships, fifth-graders that sexual intercourse includes "vaginal, oral, or anal penetration," and high school students about erotic art. The curriculum would also teach kindergartners anatomical terms such as penis, vagina, breast, nipples, testicles, scrotum and uterus.

"They made this more controversial by adding in all this stuff like same-gender relationships to small children, teaching body parts to kindergartners, and teaching erotic art to ninth through 12th-graders," said Mikal Wilkerson, who has five children in the school system and a husband who sits on the school board. "They even teach about anxiety about sexual performance in high school."

Supporters say the proposed health education curriculum contains honest, science-based information on wellness and allows students to make better decisions.

The board takes the issue up again next month, and the outrage suggests that members could alter the plan to deal with all the complaints. One resident said parents may have to consider impeachment of board members or a lawsuit if it goes forward.

Marianne Rencher, a lawyer who will have a second-grader and a kindergartner in the school system next year, wants certain aspects of the sex education program taken out, particularly the fifth-grade curriculum about intercourse. She said the rest of the health program could go forward while the sex education is recrafted.

Trustee Terry Beaver said he thinks much in the policy is favorable, but believes the public backlash means they should carve out the sexuality elements and deal with them separately.

"It appears to be a strong divisive issue. I think when the community is that strongly divided we need to take a further look at it," Beaver said.

Beaver said his issue with the plan revolves on whether certain components are being taught too young.

"I don't know that anything needs to be taken out," he said. "Some of it might be age inappropriate. We are going to have to consider how we teach it and when we teach it."

Done

Well that book is closed.

They called today and told Chris they hired the other guy. The elder said he did what he said he wouldn't do and hired someone without a family. Even though I think it was for the best, it still stings a bit. I guess no one likes rejection though.

One of my biggest problems was as we left Sunday evening they made it sound like the job is ours but that they had already invited the other guy to try out. The strange thing is is the deacon who had the biggest problem with us homeschooling never said a single word to me. It felt like he didn't want us there from the get-go. I think it is telling of the church when some of the women told Chris that Sunday that it was so nice to have our children there because it brought life back to the church.

Financially I honestly have no idea what we are going to do. Obviously Chris is also having a hard time finding a secular job. There are just not many jobs to be had. We have 1 more support check coming and then that is it. I have asked for more work, and have gotten a bit more, but no where near the money we need to get by on. So yeah, scary times ahead. We could use some prayers!

Suspicion has been confirmed

Well, at least we are not just paranoid.

Chris talked to the elder that he tried out for a couple of weeks ago today. There are a couple of men that are hung up on...yup...us homeschooling. Which still honestly has me fuming.

I can understand if they wanted someone with more experience, someone who teaches/preaches better, or whatever the case may be. But homeschooling, seriously? Apparently they think we won't be involved in the community at all. Seriously, that's what he said. But you know what is even funnier...the other 2 people who have tried out, both are older, one has (from what I understand) children who are grown and out of the house and who won't be coming anyway, and the other has no children and is widowed. Yeah, makes no sense to me either.

It's not the elders fault, he really seems to want to hire Chris. They are still undecided though and we haven't been given a yes or a no. We are pretty sure who is having a problem with it. The same one who gave Chris trouble about us being qualified to teach them. Chris told me today this same gentleman also got on Chris in the meeting telling him our children need to learn sex ed by the age of 8. Not really sure what business it is of his on when we teach it or how that was even appropriate during an interview. And for the record, Faith would only be in 2nd grade when she is 8 if she were in public school. Sorry, but my child is not going to learn sex ed that early and there is no reason why she needs to know about any of that yet. I didn't start sex ed classes until 5th grade, and even then I was pretty clueless about what all was involved. I went to public school yet was completely and truly innocent when it came to that subject. I was fine with it, I grew up just fine, and I wasn't sheltered. So 8 years old, nope, not gonna happen. And if they were in public school I would opt my children out of the class anyway.

I went ahead and typed up a long letter to the elder explaining what all we have been involved in with the children and what we plan to be involved in, with sports and clubs and whatnot and asked that he shared the letter with the congregation. In it I explained the activities in our community that we have already been involved with as well as activities we hope to get the children involved in as they get older, and said it did depend on their interests as they grow. I asked that they not judge us based on preconceived notions nor on what they have known others to do, but to judge based on our own merits. Not sure it would help, but it made me feel better. Although, I know I said a lot of what was in that letter while I was there. But at least they have it in writing.

And just to add...I know most people don't know what all is involved with homeschooling. I have no problems with people asking about it (ok...depending on their tone! lol). I have already done over 2 years of research and know the most common preconceived notions. I have prepared myself for all of the ignorant comments that can be made and have prepared myself for what some may automatically think of us for homeschooling. I never once was prepared though that our decision to teach our children ourselves would ever prohibit my husband from getting a job.

But you know what, I'm ok with that. If he doesn't get the job because of that reason, it is definitely not a place we will want to be and a better job will come up!

I love Swagbucks

You may, or may not, have noticed my sidebar with some Swagbucks information added to it. I was introduced to Swagbucks just a few weeks ago and I am so happy to have finally jumped on the bandwagon. Just by using their search engine, you have chances to win what are called Swagbucks. Usually I just win 2 or 3 times a day whenever I need to do a search. From what I understand, no matter how often you try to search, you will generally only win a few times a day. Usually anywhere from 7-12 bucks a time. But hey, it all adds up. I also qualify for surveys from time to time and I have won several hundred Swagbucks by doing these, which take about 20 minutes.

So in just 2 weeks of doing this, not spending much time at all, I have already accumulated and redeemed enough Swagbucks for 2 $5.00 giftcards for Amazon.com. For doing practically nothing. And hey, I am definitely one who likes free money! It's actually legit. You can redeem your swagbucks for a lot of other things, but I like to buy books on Amazon and so that is what I redeemed mine on. And I am already more than halfway to getting another one. This was honestly the only reason I even joined, was for the Amazon gift cards that my friends kept saying they were winning. And now, after a couple of weeks, I thought I would share it with you all too.

Want to join in the fun too and earn yourself some nice prizes. Just click here: SWAGBUCKS sign up, and start doing the normal searching you would use yahoo or any other search engine for.

Sorry to sound like an advertisement, but it really is nice to win giftcards for doing nothing so that I don't have to spend my own money on Amazon!

"The" phone call

You know what I'm talking about when I say "The" phone call. You know...the one in which the person on the other line tells you you would be perfect for the job and can't wait for you to move there. Yup, that one. For the record, we are still waiting for that call.

We went to Kentucky for a tryout last weekend. Although it was quite difficult having 3 kids in 1 little hotel room, we had a wonderful time there. Everyone was just so nice and we really felt like we fit in there. Faith and Samantha totally hammed it up and walked around and talked to all the women, which is completely UN-Faith-Like. Faith even sat with one of the widows during the dinner they had for us, which was no where near where we were sitting. (And I would just like to add how amazing this woman was...she was 92, she was married for 63 years, she was still driving herself and was one spunky lady...and she seriously looked amazing for her age and would have never thought she was in her 90's).

After the dinner all the men gathered together to hammer Chris (ok ok, they were pretty easy on him). He said there was one question though that threw him off and made him a little mad. One of the men (who was older) asked if he really thought he was qualified to teach our children. It threw him off because it had absolutely nothing to do with the job and just with the way he said it. I tried to explain to Chris afterwards though that he will run into that quite a bit. Maybe I'm just already used to the snide comments about us homeschooling from people who really don't understand what it's about. Chris hasn't dealt with any of that yet. I tried to explain to him that we will run into that a lot, especially in smaller towns that just aren't used to anything other than public schooling. I told him to look at the town we came from and what his thoughts were on homeschooling before we had children.

Still though, everything we really well. From the comments everyone made to both he and I at separate times, it really sounded like they felt the same way we did. That they really wanted Chris to be the preacher there. The only thing was that they had already asked another guy to come this past Sunday to try out as well. He was an older gentleman, his wife was deceased, and he had no family. They made it sound like they were just having him try out since they had already asked him, but Chris was still "the one to beat" so to speak.

But it is now Monday afternoon and we still are waiting for "The" phone call. We both really thought we would have heard back from them this morning. With each passing hour we turn a little more pessimistic. We are trying to remain hopeful, but it's hard. Waiting is hard. Waiting is even harder when you are all but told you have the job, you just have to wait for the official word. Because you don't dare get your hopes up after being battered down by "the process".

So, I guess all I can say is you will hear when I hear.

List of things

I have been meaning to write, things have just been in overdrive lately. I thought things would slow down after last week, but I find myself trying to get caught up on things that have been put off for a long time.

First and foremost...Chris is DONE with school! He is no longer just a preaching student but is now an official preacher. An unemployed one, but one nonetheless. I don't think I have ever been more proud of him. It has definitely been a tough 2 years but he stuck with it.

Some more good news is he will be trying out for a congregation on Sunday. It's not north like we wanted, but if everything is right then that is better than going north into a church that isn't sound. We leave on Friday and I admit I'm a little nervous. It's our first tryout and I'm not sure what to expect.

I had my GTT this morning and got a call from my nurse this afternoon. Thankfully I PASSED!!! I am so glad I don't have to do the 3 hour GTT and even more happier that I don't have GD. Though it wasn't a big concern as I have never had it. I am, however, anemic, and have to go back on iron pills twice a day. I'm so bad at remembering to take pills.

Some really bad news is Chris's brother's health has not been good and he has been battling lung cancer. They thought everything was getting better. He got a call from his mom last night and she said that he now has more spots on his lungs, and has spots on his stomach and his pancreas as well. I had a feeling after she was down last weekend that things weren't good. She was telling me that he hasn't been wanting to eat and is down to 108 pounds. I didn't tell her what I was thinking, but I was hoping I was wrong. Things are not looking good at all. I am so worried about his mom. This will be the 2nd son she will have to bury, if he isn't able to fight it. It will also be the 2nd family member who she will have to watch succumb to cancer. The first being her husband, who died of bone cancer the day after Chris and I were married (like just past midnight that next day). What makes it even harder is that he is still not right with God. Chris is going to try to talk with him again to get him to come back, but every attempt he has made so far has been shot down. He could definitely use some prayers.