It Won’t Be Like This For Long

“Someday you are going to miss them running around and being this little!”

At the risk of sounding like I complain all the time (although I know I do a lot — I am working on it)… My husband and I comfort each other with that phrase any time the kids are so demanding that we feel our hair frazzling to a dull grey (more recently, during cold-and-cough season, when both my kids required medicine given via nebulizer — basically a child’s version of an inhaler).

"Quack Quack Medicine"

Overshadowed by Grace

‘…the power of the Most High will overshadow you… For nothing will be impossible with God.’ 
– from Luke1:34-37 (one of my Christmas/Advent readings)

After having my first baby, there came a season of  mental “re-training” — I had to realize that it wasn’t going to be so hard anymore to do things.  My body and brain started coming back, and I had to relearn how to use them in a non-pregnant way.  Anyone hear me on this?

Thanks! from Pioneer Princess

Hi friends,

I just wanted to take a moment and say thanks for reading/following my blog this last year!  I appreciate your companionship on this writing road.

Pioneer Princess is an enormous creative outlet for me, and I look forward to writing more in 2012.  I seem to be hitting a stride of one new entry every month to two months.  That may not seem super exciting, but it flies by for me with these two beautiful kids.  I’m definitely not giving up or gone, though.

XOX and Happy New Year!  I pray rich blessings on this coming year for you, and may you know the embrace of the Father, in it.

Dottie

10 Theatrical Tips for Homemaking

I never would have thought my theatre studies would be almost as helpful as an undergrad in home economics.  Now, before any of my theatre peeps get offended, let me just say I ain’t belittling theatre.  No way.  It just so happens that my studies in theatre have proven most helpful in being a SAHW&M in a single-income family.  Here are my Top 10 Theatrical Tips for Homemaking (inspired by Listverse); maybe they will inspire you, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing!

1. Entertain a child with what entertains you.  

A Good Plan

People have often said to me “I don’t know how you do it,”  with a wide-eyed look at my two-under-two as though I have a brave — or insane — spirit.  I used to do the same thing.  I used to think it was all about having easy pregnancies — the lucky — or insane? — ones who enjoy pregnancy are the ones who are brave enough to keep going.  HA.

I definitely have my moments where I just want to scream and cry.  I love having children, and they are so beautiful to me, but when they bounce back and forth on who is screeching or fussing, or when they won’t go to sleep, or when they must have MAMA… I can feel a little too spread thin and too tired and… how does that line in the book ‘Captivating’ go?  ”Too much and not enough, all at the same time.”  Something like that.  My emotions and needs are too much for me to handle, and I am not enough.

Birth and the Great Beyond

I wanted to write more about my VBAC.  I say “My VBAC” realizing that, to some, it makes it seem like I am focusing on the childbirth experience.  There are so many more things that this was about, for me.  I will admit, I struggled some with feeling like it was more about the experience, much like a wedding…. but ultimately, my husband’s and my childbirth decisions were very closely tied to wanting our baby and me to be safe.

My Daughter and I

Thankfulness

Today I sit here, one day short of having a beautiful 5-week old baby girl.  I am so thankful I can hardly stand it.  I am healthy and so is the baby.  My VBAC was successful, and this girl was nowhere near May 20th, 7 lbs. 3 oz.  Ha, Ha!  Try several days overdue with a month of false labor, and a startling 9 lbs 6 oz!  Crazy!  More on that at a later time, perhaps.

Two Littlest

Many say, Oh, that we might see some good!  Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord.  /  You have put more joy and rejoicing in my heart than [they know] when their wheat and new wine have yielded abundantly.  Psalm 4:6-7, Amplified Bible.

…You Make Me Strong

My Baby Girl, Crystal, was finally born on June 8th, 2011, at 7:34 in the evening!  Praise the Lord, my princess is here, the false labor is over, my recovery can begin… and we can officially start this new chapter as a family. This was an incredibly healthy birth, from start to finish — successful VBAC, healthy baby girl, healthy mama… amazing adventure.

Beautiful Baby Girl

As I Wait…

I have waited so much longer for this baby’s arrival than I thought I would ever have to!  We are in the final stretch of waiting, however… I thought I would sit down, open a vein and write about my thoughts and feelings at this point.

The Lord has given me a number of small encouraging words in the past couple of weeks, to help me through each day.  Here are a few:

God has a wonderful plan for her birth, and He knows her birthday.  

Day 54.

06-02-11 Thursday

Lord, thank you for progress!  We ask for safe and swift delivery, today, in Jesus’ Name!