A beautiful sound...

So, I thought I was about 8 wks. along in my pregnancy, but today at my first doctor's appointment, she says that I am at least 10 wks. because we heard the heartbeat! Even with this being the fourth pregnancy, it still amazes me, the miracle that God is knitting together a precious baby inside of me...and what a beautiful sound to hear the baby's heart beating. My sweet doctor said, "See, you really are pregnant!!" It is true, somehow that sound does make it all more real. Just wait until I get to see the baby!! They want to do an ultrasound to check my dates, etc. So I just have to schedule it...yeah baby!

Unedible Dinners...

A few weeks ago, I made chicken breasts stuffed with spinach and feta, and edamame for dinner. I got one bite down, and that was it. Luckily, my mom had dropped by a bag of her homemade chocolate chip cookies, so I had two of those for dinner.

This past week, I spent about 45 minutes make a new lasagna recipe with asparagus, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes. Couldn't even get one bite down!! Ben asked what sounded good to me, to which I responded (almost in tears), "A chili-cheese dog!!" Luckily, you can't get that in Ojai, so I had chocolate milk for dinner. But, needless to say...(and those of you who know me, know that this is not normal for me) we decided that we would do our grocery shopping this week at VONS instead of Trader Joe's so that we could have a variety of ingredients on hand in case I wasn't feeling well. There are hot dogs in my refrigerator, and a can of chili in my pantry. It is oh, so sad. But, I am feeling so much better having some things around that will satisfy my ever-changing appetite. I can't eat much at one time, so that's good. But I can eat frequently!! Helpful things:
Naked juice drinks and smoothies
Cuties seedless tangerines
Gum

Last night, we had soup in bread bowls. I wish I could take credit, but I got the bread bowls at the store, and the soup was in a pre-made tub (broccoli and cheddar). I don't really want to know what was in it...it was yummy, and I enjoyed it. Also, I know I could have made a broccoli and cheddar soup, but evidently, if I had cooked it myself, I probably wouldn't have been able to eat it. So, it worked out better this way! =)

THE Conversation

I know, there comes a time in every family's experience when they first have THE conversation. It occured tonight for us, around our dinner table. How we made it this long, I am not quite sure...but it went something like this:
(I made a tri-tip roast with potatoes and carrots)
Emma: Yummy! Mommy, can I have some roast chicken?
Me: No...(laughing)
Emma: Why not mommy?
Daddy: Because, we're not having chicken, we're having meat. It's moo.
(Now I am laughing hysterically, I know what's coming)
Caleb: Moo!! That's not a cow!!
Daddy: Yes, yes it is.
Caleb: Well, is it dead? Did you and mommy kill it?
Daddy: The cow is dead, yes. Someone else killed it and cut it up and then they wrap it up and sell it at the store where we buy it.
Both: Oh.
So, I cut up some meat for each of them. Noah eats nothing but meat and begs for more.
Emma: Yum...tastes like roasted chicken!!! I love meat!! (She is usually my vegetarian)
Caleb: Mommy, I don't want to eat my meat because I don't like dead cow.

Wow, things are a little crazy tonight.

More in Court Info...

This is totally unrelated to the homeschooling battles, however, it is an interesting court case that I thought might be of interest to others.

This is the first court case in which a ruling was handed down in favor of a family against a pharmaceutical company in regards to vaccinations and autism. There is a lot of information here, but it is worth the read:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-vacci_b_88323.html



This article provides much more medical information and terminology, but I thought it was very informative. The young girl's father was trained as a neurologist, and the mother was a nurse.



And, here is a link to some pretty scary, yet readable and concise information regarding vaccines. Please do not read it if you think that it will just drive you crazy or something! I just wanted to offer some info., in case it was desired.

http://vaccineinfo.net/immunization/vaccine_facts.shtml

Please Pray, and Sign the Petition

This past week in California, a court ruling was handed down that means that if this ruling is not overturned, it will be illegal to homeschool in California. I am including a link to a petition to "depublish" the findings of this current ruling, meaning that the ruling will apply to the family involved in the case, but not to the rest of California. The Home School Legal Defense Association is at work along with Focus on the Family and many other organizations trying to appeal this ruling with the Supreme Court of California. Even if you are not a homeschooling family, I am sure you can see how this decision strikes at the heart of our rights as parents to make decisions regarding our children. Please pray that God will do a mighty work in overturning this ruling, and that our rights as parents to choose what is best for our children will be protected.

Here is the link for the petition:

http://www.hslda.org/



Also, here is a link to Dr. Dobson's radio broadcast including information regarding the court case:

http://listen.family.org/daily/A000000997.cfm

Two More Poems

A Mother's Prayer by Mary A. Loberg

Help me dear Lord, as a mother, I pray
And bless these hands folded in prayer today;
May they be ever strong as they guide, as they teach,
Being never too far for a child to reach.
May they never, with selfishness, try to dissuade,
Nor too quickly punish, nor too slowly aid.
May they point out the pleasures in laughter and song,
And may they show, wisely, the right from the wrong,
So that one day I'll know that I've helped all I can
To make her a woman, to make him a man.

Her Little Shadows by Barbara Burrow

I saw a young mother
With eyes full of laughter
And two little shadows
Came following after.
Wherever she moved,
They were always right there
Holding onto her skirts,
Hanging onto her chair,
Before her, behind her-
An adhesive pair.

"Don't you ever get weary
As, day after day,
Your two little tagalongs
Get in your way?"

She smiled as she shook
Her pretty young head,
And I'll always remember
The words that she said:
"It's good to have shadows
That run when you run,
That laugh when you're happy
And hum when you hum-
For you only have shadows
When your life's filled with sun!"

Half-Past Three (poem by Emily Carey Alleman)

My friend has a yacht, a house by the sea,
But I have a boy who is half-past three

I have no jewels, no satin gown,
But I have a boy who is butter-nut brown.

My friend has an orchid, my friend has a rose,
But I have a boy with a freckled nose.

O gull tell the waves that I have no yacht.
Wind, tell the wild forget-me-not

That I have no jewels, no shimmering gown,
No satin slippers, no pillows of down,

But I have a robin, a wind-swept hill,
A pocket of dreams, a heart to fill,

And I have a boy who is half-past three-
A little lad who looks like me.