Sure enough... ear infection!

I am not used to the whole ear infection thing. I know that a lot of people have to deal with that almost regulary w/ their kiddos, I have just gotten lucky thus far, and so nevertheless, it kind of threw me for a loop. Ada really responds well to medicine though so basically once she started the antibiotics this afternoon she was able to nap for awhile and then play play play! I am not too sad that we didn't get to go out, just for the fact that it is coooold! Wowza! I am kind of waiting to hear about the meeting I missed, but I was thankful because our neighbor who is moving gave us a handful of new movies for the kids so while Wy watched "Winnie the Pooh" I got some quiet Bible reading time done. I am going to attempt, now that I have finished reading "The Book of God" to read the Bible cover to cover (it is also a requirement of the MDP, so what the hey?) so I got through to Genesis 26 through the last few days. I am trying to read it really intently, but sometimes get distracted or trail off, so I am getting what I possibly can out of it.
Oh and I must say, I am so thankful to my gracious husband for taking over the the toddlers today. He made a big tree to hang up and the kids colored. It was kind of a biblical teaching for them and that is really cool. They were doing art when I came home, and it was so helpful to me to be able to take Adalai in and talk to the doc and stuff, and know that he was here w/ them, and having fun too!
Well anyhow, I thought I would post quick tonight because I am not sure what is in store for tomorrow and I am not sure if I am going to get any time!
Peace people ;)

Prayer and the DMV

I actually have a few prayer requests today... Adalai may be developing an ear infection and was up quite a bit last night. Seems fine and is playing well this morning, but I am not sure if we should just take her in to be checked anyways... So please pray for her healing as well as for my patience throughout the day with Wy and Sophie. Also tonight at our meeting we are making a HUGE decision with the journey... So please pray for that.
Otherwise, yesterday was quite interesting/exhausting. I had our little Grandma over because she wanted to help entertain the kids while I did laundry. We got some done which is amazing. I got to stop at the store w/o the kids, which was nice. Ben is feeling better, so he stayed w/ them while I ran some errands yesterday. We decided that it may be a good idea since I had little G's help, to go to the DMV (ugggg don't like that place) and try and get at least one of our cars registered. The Buick was 3 months past due (and our only car that we drive at the moment) and the Camaro was 6 months past due. We had already been there once to explain the wierd situation with the Buick and they basically told me that we can't do anything until we have a title... blah blah blah.. So I left empty handed that day. I went thinking that if we could at least register the Camaro that would be a good thing. So, luckily I got a really nice DMV lady (which doesn't ever really happen to me...) and she was able to help me register BOTH cars! Oh my goodness, that is such a praise! We were getting to the point of needing to park our primary car because it was getting soooo illegal! Anyhow, I am soooo thankful that the Lord blessed us with that chance yesterday! Oh wow, and the other thing about my DMV trip yesterday was that it actually only took me like 10 minutes TOPS to get the whole thing done, now when does that ever happen???? ;)

"The Book of God"

I just finished reading "The Book of God" it is the Bible written as a novel. Huge book! It has like 635 pages, but was really good! It helped me to understand some of the timeline things in the Bible that I couldn't understand before. I had to keep reminding myself that it was he Bible from Walter Wangerin's perspective, but it did help me to understand quite a bit more about the Bible that I didn't understand before. I just read about Jesus death and resurrection... oh man... Anyhow, Ben told me that he would pick the next book I read, so I am not sure what I will be starting today! I would most definetly say that it is a great idea to read "The Book of God" but remember that it is from this authors perspective on what could have happened... If you are having trouble understanding some of the stories and stuff like that though, most definetly give it a try!
I am bummed about the weather today... We are supposed to get an ice storm, and it has put the brakes on the plans for today. I was supposed to go to Mayfair w/ a friend for Christmas shopping (and to get my bracelet fixed, and the ipod fixed) so that aint happenin... BuMmEr! I am hoping to get outside though hopefully with Wyatt when Ada lays down for her morning nap to at least get some fresh air for awhile and take a walk!
Have a good day, and stay safe in this craziness!
Peace

Our time upnorth...

We had a good time upnorth with the family. Ben got some good "brother" time in... they went fishing the whole day Saturday, and caught us some yummy dinner! Christopher fried it for us (my diet was not on key this weekend ;)) and we had some yummy pork and stuff.. mmmm good eats! Wyatt had a good time getting to know his cousins, and had a fun time playing! We didn't get much rest while we were there, and Benjamin got the flu :( He is achy and exhausted with a fever, so please pray for him if you could. I am not sure yet if he will be going to work today. I wish he'd stay home! ;) We had to get up and leave right away yesterday because he wanted to get home. It is amazing to me how much chillier it is upnorth! Oh man, my hair froze after I washed it yesterday while I loaded the car... It was SO cold there! Anyhow, the kids are getting so big! To think my oldest nephew was at a sleepover with his buddies! It was really cool to get up there to get to know them again. When they first moved away from Okauchee a few years ago, we made it a point to get there once a month and did that for a long time, but then as we had children that became less and less... So now, hopefully that we are back into the swing of things, we will be able to get there more. Anyhow it was a good time, now we are back home unpacking from the weekend, today we are staying in as far as I know because it is chilly outside! Tomorrow I am going to Mayfair with the kids and a friend to walk around and look for Christmas gifts. And then Wednesday I have to go to the laundromat! Oh dear...
Anyhow have a good day!

Going upnorth this weekend.

We are going upnorth this weekend to see my brother-in-law and his family. I am really excited~! We haven't seen our nephews and nieces since Adalai was really little, and even then we only got to spend a few hours with them. So it should be fun! My father-in-law has a really nice trailer there on his own property that we get to stay in as a family, and it should be a fun little get away for the weekend! I have a lot to do until we leave though that is for sure. We need to make sure that we have supplies for the trailer and water for the baby's bottles and small stuff like that, but it is really important! So, I am making lists like crazy so I don't forget anything, and I am assuming that since it is -1 degrees outside here right now, that it is WAY colder up there! I pray that the weather lets us get there safely. We aren't leaving until tomorrow morning.
Tonight is the first of a few meetings with what's left of our "the journey" group. Had another couple leave yesterday. I am really sad about that. Really. Ugh, anyhow, we are going to start making decisions now for what our future holds.
Happy to report that Natalie and Ethan are both out of the hospital! I am going to email Mary and find out how they are doing, but I am so happy that they are both home now!
Today we are doing chores around the house and may make a quick run to Walmart, but I am not sure about that yet, taking the kids out in -1 weather, doesn't sound really too fun, but we'll see!
Peace to you over the weekend!

Natalie and Ethan

Little Ethan, that I asked for prayer for a couple posts back, has now been admitted to Waukesha Memorial because he has the RSV virus. My friend and I went to visit and see if we could help out yesterday and we were able to hold him for awhile and spend some time there, so that was great, I just feel horrible for Mary because she is now running between the two hospitals to her daughter, and her grandson. They have also found out that Natalie is having trouble with her hearing, and have found that she has a fracture in her skull. Looks as if though that she is going to be able to come home sometime this week, so that is really encouraging! Please pray for them!
This week is going to be busy for us, we are going to do laundry, and visit with Grams, and then babysit Sophie and stuff, and on Friday we are leaving for a trip upnorth to my brother-in-laws house. I am excited to see my nieces and nephews there. I haven't seen them since Adalai was about 3 weeks old.
That is all for now I guess, but have a great week!
Peace

Breastfeeding vs. Bottle

I have been dealing again with the issue of breastfeeding vs. not... it is such a frustrating issue for me, it makes me want to cry! I quit for about 2 days, and then felt guilty, and so back to square one. Not sure why this happens. Probably because I prayed the one day when Ada refused her formula that the Lord show me what He wants me to do with it, and the next day she REALLY refused her formula. Like stuck her tongue between her little gums and wouldn't take it. Hot or not. Oh dear. So I basically resolved from that, that I would have to continue breastfeeding for another like 6 months or whatever it was at that point. So I kept getting fed up with it. I mean it isn't that horrible, I just don't like it now, she is getting bigger and can pull blankets off of us and whatnot so it turned from being very convenient to being very inconvenient. Oh dear, so there I was again playing chemist and trying to find something that she would drink other then breastmilk. Then Voila! She took normal (not soy) Similac Advanced! It has been great! She loves it, so I slowly started giving her more and more of it, and in the midst of her being sick, I found that it was easier for her to drink from the bottle then to nurse w/ her stuffiness. Anyhow, finding that more of a plus, I decided to give her just formula. Well this was 2 days ago where she went to formula. This morning I woke up and my chest was sore, which is to be expected, but I didn't think it would last for 2 days, well with that being the case, plus the other positive aspects of breastfeeding that I have been mulling over in my mind lately (money---HUGE saver, huge, and not using extra water for formula--go green! and so on and so on), the pro's again seem to outweigh the cons... God? Are you saying something? Hello? OH GEEEEEEEZ. So anyhow, I am now pumping again to reestablish that milk supply, and since I have a formula she likes, whatever, I guess I figure there is no other way to deal with this then to maybe feed her a little bit of both! I mean seriously, she doesn't take that much bottle during the day and stuff anyhow, so what's the harm in mixin it half and half? And then if I am back to pumping... ugh whatever. I am so done w/ worriying about it seriously. It is such a stressor for me right now. Has been for quite awhile. I feel pressure from people to go one way or another, and then not sure how I actually feel, so I guess it is a win/win if I just split it and do both! So when I am out to the mall or shopping and she needs a bottle, I can mix the powdery stuff... It is nice to not have to really freak about that aspect of it anymore. I hate playing chemist and buying different flavors to have her completely reject it!
So yeah, hopefully you were up for reading about breastfeeding/bottle feeding today! That is what has been on my heart. I am just wanting to do what is best for the baby, but also what is best for me!

Wyatt is feeling better today, thanks for the prayer, he has some green boogs, but he is doing well! No fever!
Adalai is wonderful

Update on Natalie: She is moved to a normal room now, out of the ICU, they had to put a chest tube in her today (she already had one in one side) to remove some blood that was going into her lung. She actually may also need an operation from a blood clot that they have detected, so please pray for that. Also pray for Mary and Ethan. Pray please that they can work out the child care situation for Ethan too...

Peace