Somewhere to write stuff down

I haven't blogged anywhere in a long time, let alone here. I don't really have the time to do blogging justice, and I really don't like feeling like I *should* blog when I don't feel like it. It becomes just another thing hanging over my head. However, there are people who would benefit from more updates about our family, and this is as good a place as any to do that. And so, allow me to proceed with the updating.

Since my last post on this blog, we have had another baby boy who is now nearly 2 years old (!!). In addition, I'm due with our 6th baby (a girl) tomorrow. We're in the same house, but maybe crammed in just a little more...more about that later, maybe.

We had a brief foray into pastoral ministry after my husband finished Bible College. The experience didn't really turn out too well, but many lessons were learned nonetheless. We're still kinda figuring out what to do next, but in the meantime my husband has a decent job with a great boss and we are feeling blessed.

I started some work earlier this year with a crisis pregnancy centre, a bit before finding myself pregnant with the baby we're waiting on now. Although I'm currently on "maternity leave", when baby is born I intend to go back to work at least one day a week, and probably work from home one day a week. My husband's current job arrangement allows for this, since he works evenings and can be home with the kids during the day. It's been good for everyone involved I think -- I often take one of the kids with me as well which allows for an extra-curricular experience for them and also some one-on-one time with me.

I've been re-writing a curriculum for the crisis pregnancy centre's "Earn While You Learn" program -- transitioning it from Americanese into more Aussie-friendly language, and making the information more relevant to our Australian clients. This endeavour has been going well and I'm about two-thirds of the way through the main portion of the curriculum, however I've hit a bit of a wall because my brain feels like it's going to fall out at any moment (third trimester brain-melt). I really feel strongly about getting it finished, though...and I will...later.......

We are homeschooling -- kind of. What we actually do is technically distance education. My kids are enrolled in a government approved school but they do their work from home. We were really pleased to happen upon this relatively new (to this area) option because we feel it offers the best of both worlds: we have a strong, approved framework from which to build, we know all our bases are covered academically, yet we still have our kids with us every day and have the freedom to give their education the emphases that we find necessary and good. Works for us. :)

These are the major changes that have occurred since last posting here. Many, many minor changes and events have happened as well, of course. I may or may not mention some of those if I choose to continue blogging (which I may or may not -- I just can't commit to it right now, you understand). But I'll bring you up to date on today. :-)

Today, I have 2 sick little boys and 2 recovering girls. My oldest doesn't appear to be ill -- yet. I'm not gonna hold my breath though. {Update: his appetite is shaky and I'm suspicious} The girls got sick about 5 days ago, with fevers and headaches and lethargy and a little bit of barf. They *seem* better at this point but their appetites aren't quite recovered yet and they keep surprising me with MORE BARF. Then they'll get up and run around like nothing ever happened. It's confusing me, and believe me, I'm already confused (in general). Little boys so far have had fevers, aches, and crankiness, but so far no barf. I am guessing that will happen after they've been asleep for a while.

I hate it when the kids are sick and I really struggle with it. It's very difficult, too, when I'm nine months pregnant. I mean, EVERYTHING is difficult when I'm nine months pregnant. Add this to the fact that they were just sick, like, last week or something, with a tummy bug. I have to remind myself that I'm so blessed to have these children to nurse back to health, and so blessed that I can be reasonably sure they will in fact recover and be none-the-worse for the wear. There are so many mothers in this world of ours that must be terribly scared when their children become ill, because they very well may not survive it. :(

As I mentioned, I'm one day (well, less than three hours now) from my due date. I'm anticipating a late arrival, though, and have been since the beginning, so I'm not freaking out too much about the possibility of my due date coming and going without Evelyn's arrival. At any rate, I think that I most likely have about 11 days left of this pregnancy -- I can handle that, right? Honestly, compared to my most recent pregnancies with bigger-sized babies than this little girl seems to be, I'm still pretty comfortable. I have my moments and I sure complain sometimes but it's been a pretty smooth pregnancy (well, sorta kinda -- we have had some issues but all is well now).

Our budget right now is shot. With being hugely pregnant, and it being so so hot (43C yesterday, or 109F), we've been eating what's easy and not necessarily what's cheap. With the kids being ill recently, I've personally needed more comfort foods as well. :P Right now we're in a whatever-works pattern. We also hired some domestic help, a lovely lady who comes to help me clean once a week. She is very genuine, very caring about our little family, and we are becoming good friends. Probably not good enough that she'll clean my house for free though. :P (I'd never want her to.) Anyway it really helps to know that she'll be here on a Monday to help us get caught up, and it makes it easier to stay caught up for the rest of the week. :)

I'm looking forward to tightening down the budget again once we settle in with the baby and all. There's always been a bit of an adjustment period for us financially when we have a new baby, and this is mainly due to a lack of organisation (of what we're going to eat, etc.) and just trying to get a handle on the new normal. I'd love to have the motivation to put meals into the freezer but for several reasons (did I mention the temperature today?) I just can't get it done. Once baby is here and we're used to her, I can start nailing things down again. I used to have a good system going, once upon a time...

Okay so I'm sure this is all very exciting. Next time I post (?) I will try to break things up with some photos. Posts I'd like to make in the future:

• Things I have made for the new baby
  
• Pictures and stories of the kids doing various things
• Details of some of the activities we're involved in (various martial arts and dance classes, for example)
• Food we like to make and eat
• Budget rescue plans
  
• Meh. I dunno. I'll think of something. Maybe if I'm really cranky one day I'll take it out on someone on my blog. :P
  

If you don't feel like checking back here to see if I've (finally) updated, there should be a way to receive notifications of my posts in your email inbox. I don't know *how* this is done but I'm pretty sure it's done. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out.

To all of our geographically distant relatives and friends, we love you all and miss you. Grandma and Grandpa T, Grandma C., Grandma R., Mom and Dad T., Chris and Lindsay, Greg, Moey and family, and so many others, we think of you often and miss you terribly.

Much love,
Deb, Larry and kids xox