A Post Without Pictures

Oh where, Oh where has this blogger been?  I regret not updating this blog in two full months.  I have lots of reasons why.  The biggest would still be our computer problems.  It took two days and lots of system updates to even be able to get Windows to start today. 

So, with that I will just give a nice update on my household, and hopefully be able to post some pictures in the near future. 

Our winter passed nicely, without much trouble or sickness.  We celebrated Nathanael's fifteenth birthday early in March.  It amazes me that I have a fifteen year old now.  We are so proud of Nate and are enjoying watching him grow (he is as tall, or taller than me now) in both stature and knowledge and most of all, love of God.  Nate is a huge help to me, and can do many things around the home that ease the burden from my shoulders. 

It was halfway through March that I got sick.  I haven't been that sick in years.  Our best guess is that is was this crazy, and intense virus that seems to be making its way around up in our area.  I was very sick for three weeks.  All the children and Joel became sick also, athough not as severely.  I think being in late pregnancy really hindered my recovery.  So our early spring was spent in bed or on the couch for most of a month. 

The awesome ladies in the caregroup that Joel leads from our home were of the biggest help.  I cannot begin to thank them all.  We  had delicious, homemade meals for over two weeks!  I am humbled and amazed that these ladies, in the midst of their own busy lives and own illnesses etc, took it upon themselves to feed this family of ten!  Thank you all.  One dear lady made us three separate meals, and ordered us pizza.  Our neighbors made us three meals!  Meal prep and planning for a larger family can be a big job even when I feel well.  But this illness literally had me unable to even get out of bed for a week, so just knowing that this one responsibility was taken care of was an amazing blessing. 

God protected our precious, growing baby through all the fevers and illness, and the pregnancy is moving along.  Only one more month!  The usual discomforts are here, and some of the complications that I have tended to have in my later pregnancies are here too.  So I am scheduled for weekly Non stress Tests and ordered to rest and keep my feet up as much as possible.  Hah.  But, I am trying to keep things running, and to rest a bit more as I am able.  Passing more on to these capable, big kids that I have all over the house now. 

Homeschooling is going on each day, and we aim to finish by the end of May.  I am planning out next year.  Tenth grade curricula just isn't that exciting, in fact it looks hard, and unappealing.  We are unable to go to the homeschool conference we usually attend to look at books, so I have ordered catalogs to use to pick out Algebra II and other courses for Nate, as well as texts for the younger children.  We add in Asher as a first grader next fall.  He can already read small words and seems to get math, so hopefully he will be an easier student to teach. 
I notice huge differences in both Elijah and Ben this year as far as academics.  Rachael is sick of learning about Latin America by now, and glad to be almost done.  Jerem has been working hard and is just about finished the Lord the the Rings Trilogy even though he didn't really want to read them.

Our Timmy Love is about to turn two!  And he is growing so much. He can speak in little sentences, and seems to understand everything we say.  He loves to be outside and loves to help Rachael with her pet bunny.  He gives her carrots and pets her and talks to her.  He LOVES Pop-pop Eder.   I think he is the most favored person in Timmy's life.  Followed by big brother, Nate. 

Luke is nearly four!  That I find hard to believe.  He is growing and developing and turning into a little boy, instead of a baby right before our eyes.

We had a nice, low key Easter sunday.  The children sang a song at church, which they had practiced for quite a while.  We had dinner here by ourseslves and enjoyed a nice afternoon visit with our neighbors, sitting outside in the very welcome sunshine. 

Nate and Jeremiah have recently started to play the drums for the youth band at church.  I am glad for them.  They have been practicing and taking lessons for about four years now, without any oppurtunity to play "for real".  My Dad was proud of them.  We are thankful for all the time he put in to help the boys get to this point.  They really do a nice job, and I am excited to think ahead to the future and see them worshipping God with the other youth, whether with their drums, or just with their voices.  God has been so good to this family. 

So that is my update.  If I am able to load pictures, that post will be rather short, as I already told the story that goes with the photographs. 

And SOON!  I will have pictures of our newest little Baby Boy!  It will be here so quickly.  We are not yet prepared, and have not come up with a name yet.  But we are excited and anticipating another sweet son in our home!  Please keep me and the baby in your prayers!