New Year Ramblings

Like I'm sure everyone can say, the time since Christmas has been a blur. A good blur, but a blur. The children won and we took aaaaall last week off school, it was quite a nice break to just get the house back in shape, organize stuff and enjoy the lackadaisical week. Paul and I agreed that since we are not sharing half our living space with a Christmas tree this year, we'd keep it up for an extra week. Well, Monday came around and that is as long as I could stand it. We had everything down, vacuum and dusted by the time Daddy came home from work. Good riddance.

We were all very excited for another New Year's Eve hymn sing and fellowship with Hope Family Fellowship church, a dear sweet body of believers we just cherish. It was so much fun to eat, watch children and adults alike perform music, singing or readings. The poems were my favorite. Then we sang the old wonderful hymns until late. I treasure the fellowship and encouragement I receive while there. ;)

Our good friends the P's, who live on Camano Island, came home at midnight with us to spend the night at our home. All 11 of them, what adventurous parents! It was SUCH a hoot! The next day we were excited to be invited to a New Year's Day dance and celebration down in their neck of the woods, but two of our children came down with fevers. By the next day, New Year's, we had 4 down with fevers. By the next day all 7 had come down with it! Needless to say our plans were scrapped, but the worst part is I think my eldest daughter was contagious at the HFF New Year's Eve party. Sorry to all her friends out there, you'd know by now if you caught it. ;) I am quietly waiting to hear from the P's to see if any of their children came down with it.

Sunday was filled with sick children and tending to their little needs, charting tylenol doses for those with high fevers and making sure everyone drank 1 full glass of water every two hours. I am the Water Nazi.

Monday was much better. Only Emma and Jess were down still. I got the privilege of doing Jessica's chores by caring for the goats. While I was out there I am sure I saw babies kicking inside the doe's tummies ;)

I went to my midwife appointment at two. She commended me for being able to wait until this appointment to hear the heartbeat! I laid down and...nothing. I was getting nervous now. I asked her if I could skootch down flat on my back as I felt that was the problem and sure enough, as soon as I did that we found a strong heartbeat. I teared up. She got the idea and we listened to that quick thump-thump for a good long time. :) It was music to my soul. Ann commented on the fact baby had a *growth spurt* and asked if I usually measure large. I have a couple times in the past, but the last couple pregnancies have been quite normal. Oh, it is fun to dream of twins, isn't it? I wish.

Oh, and last night Paul and I finally found a guinea pig for Jessica on Craigslist. He is a male smooth-haired Dalmation Black. He is happily feasting on fresh hay and a plethora of veggies. I have missed pigs, they are some of the best pets. ;)

There is a bunch of useless information and if you make it this far, you deserve an award.  Love from the J's