It's December!!!!

And that means it's Christmas!!!!  I'm a Christmas aholic and love this time of year!  I've been listening to Christmas music for a few weeks now and finally (because I don't really want to drive my husband crazy) I can decorate!!!!!  So yesterday I did some basic stuff and today some more will go up and then in the next week or so we'll get a tree!  And hopefully this baby will stay put until after Christmas even though there is no inication that she'll be here earlier.

The nerd in me

So I am a nerd.  In many ways actually, but still I am a nerd.  I like a lot of reality TV shows and one of them that I like to follow, but not watch, is "19 Kids & Counting".  I don't watch it because we don't have that channel anymore.  Do I actually want that many kids?  Not a chance, but I find it enjoyable (and entertaining if Dan is watching too because he sees the family in a completely different way) to watch this family raise their 19 kids.  Why does this family have 19 kids? They don't believe in birth control. Fine. More power to you! I don't particularily think hormonal birth control is good either, but I'm fine with non-hormonal types where as they are not.

Yes they have 19 kids and apparently one more on the way.  And it amuses me that every time they announce they are having another kid people get into a rage because it's "stupid, selfish, child abuse, etc, etc....".  My thoughts however, go towards a time, not too long ago, when birth control wasn't very common.  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/timeline/timeline2.html is just one website that describes the history of birth control.  While it has been used for years in various forms, it wasn't until the 1950's that the hormonal type became available and popular.  So what did people do before then?  Well a lot were much like the Duggars - they became pregnant whenever God (whether they believed in God or not) allowed them too.  It wasn't a big deal.  Did all families have huge numbers of kids?  No.  But many had 10+ I'm sure, although I have no research to back that up. 

So why the huge uproar now when a family has large numbers of kids?  Well because it's not common so that must make it wrong!  I mean seriously (and I say this with sarcasm) how do the older kids get to enjoy life when they are helping take care of the younger kids?  Can't you see that they are losing out on their childhood? (end sarcasm)  Just the thought of older siblings helping with younger ones seems to be horrific to most people!  Well sorry people, but that's the way it was done for years and now because we average only 1.86 kids per family with kids (.90 per family) we don't have to do that anymore does not make it child abuse!  Let the family have their kids!  God has given them the means to support these kids and the kids are all well loved and happy, healthy members of society.  Just because they are different then the majority of society does not make it wrong to have so many kids!

I guess I get a bit passionate about this (aka the nerd in me!) because I myself want what society would consider a large family.  In fact we have already gotten questions about whether or not we'll "try for a boy" because we'll have 2 girls.  Well people, we weren't planning on stopping after only 2 anyway, but we won't be continuing just for a boy!  We'll be having more (Lord willing) because we want more and feel that God wants us to have more!  Do we have a maximum number?  Yup, and it's much less then 19.  In fact it's less then 10 by a few digits.  No means huge to us, but to the rest of society our maximum number is crazy and if we actually get to that number I'm sure we'll be getting raised eyebrows by some people!

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy birthday to Dan!!!!  He doesn't usually like to do much for his birthday, but I still try and do something... however this year his birthday fell on a Wednesday which means I am teaching piano, so there really wasn't much opportunity to do anything.  However we will be doing something tomorrow!

This week is also the week I was originally supposed to be having a baby.  My due date for our Viel angel baby was October 16th (which was Sunday) so at some point during this week I was supposed to be having a baby.  While I didn't even remember it originally, I have thought about it a couple of times this week.  I think that because I am pregnant again it isn't as painful as it would have been originally, but just thinking that I would have been having a baby this week is somewhat overwhelming right now!  There is just a lot going on in our lives at the moment and it just is nice to know that baby #2 will be safe and secure (Lord willing) for another couple of months!

So happy birthday to my WONDERFUL husband Dan and happy birthday to our baby in heaven!  We are looking forward to meeting you someday little one!

It's a....

Girl!!!!!

Our second ultrasound was a success on more then one level!  The tech was able to get all the pictures she needed to complete the anatomy profile and we were able to be shown that baby #2 is another girl!

Dan doesn't want to do a huge announcement on facebook so I'm doing the big announcement here!

Well I guess it's fall.  The leaves are mostly orange and yellow and it's most definately getting colder outside!  I'm working on bringing in the garden and it's a lot of fun to have home grown produce around! 

The season has started up again as well.  With school in full swing (not that it affects me right now) I'm back to teaching piano and ladies Bible study is beginning next week I believe.  The rig-a-ma-role of schedule has begun!  I've also recently switched doctors for my pregnancy.  I wasn't feeling very comfortable with my old doctor for many reasons so I managed to get in with a different doctor who I like a lot more already!  She's just a little bit more laid back and soft spoken and that makes me much more confident! 

Things with this pregnancy are going well.  I do seem to have a few more headaches with this one, but because Maddison was 2 years ago I could also have just forgot how many I had with her too.  At any rate, hopefully once I hit the 3rd trimester they will go away again.  We are still waiting patiently for our next ultrasound to see whether this baby will let us know what it is gender wise.  We both think it's a boy but only time will tell I guess.  If they can't see anything again at the end of September we will probably pay to get one done in Edmonton over Thanksgiving.  We really do like the idea of knowing before hand!

My house is up for sale again.  This will be the last time that we put it up.  Both Dan & I are tired of the landlord game and we have a few necessary purchases to make soon that we require money for.  So if you know of anyone who is in the market for a great little house in Sexsmith, send them our way!

And that's pretty much all I've got today.  Unfortunately I woke up early this morning, I guess Saturday mornings are no longer sleep in mornings, and now my daughter is awake so I've got to do the mom thing.  Hopefully I don't get sick again today like I did yesterday......

He gives and takes away.....

....my heart will choose to say, blessed be Your name.

There is a lot on my heart right now.  After life had settled down somewhat it seems like now we are in another whirlwind.  So this post may not make much sense, but here goes anyway.....

Being a Christian does not mean you get the easy life.  Dan and me have had a lot of challenges during our 2 1/2 year marriage thus far and I'm sure that it will only continue!  That isn't to say we don't enjoy life, but sometimes we just wish we could have it a bit easier.  However, we have had it much easier then some! 

We have aquantances who just lost their 10 month old daughter to a heart condition.  After fighting for a couple of months in Edmonton, she seemed to be doing better and then today the Lord chose to take her home.  Why?  We will never know on this side of heaven but praise be that this family is part of the Lord's family because they are fully relying on His strength and power right now.

We have friends who just today had their baby boy.  Their first child.  At not even 12 hours old he is currently being flown to Edmonton with a possible brain bleed and the prognosis is unknown.  We are again joining with the family of the Lord to lift them up in prayer.

What are we currently struggling with?  We compared to these two families, not much!  Our renters in my (Heathers) house have received another job in High Level and will be moving out of my house only a few months into their rental contract.  So once again we are putting my house up for sale.  We are tired of this rigamaroll.  This is the year that my house will sell.  We are placing this in the hands of the Lord knowing that even though He is dealing with the Jantz and Holm families and their much more serious situations, He has not forgotten us either! 

What a mighty God we serve!  He is a comfort to those who are dealing with life, death, sickness and much more but He is also a comfort to those who are dealing with mundane life situations like selling a house.  What would we do with the Lord?

On top of all of that is celebration because today is a very special day!  Yes new life has entered the world and brought joy to the Holm's, but last year new life also entered the world for two other families we know!  It was the first birthday for my cousins daughter and a friends son!  And 36 years ago two people made a committment to each other and because of their love and dedication to each other and the Lord, me and my siblings have the heritage of family! 

Happy anniversary Mom & Dad!  You are a great example to us as to what a loving marriage and parenting relationship should be!  I can only speak for myself, but I'm sure the rest will agree, that if Dan & me are a fraction of what you two are in the areas of marriage and parenting and a relationship with the Lord we will be blessed!

Ah Summer!!!!

So summer has finally arrived! It took a while, but we finally have green trees and sun (kind of). It's been a rainy June but it's summer still none the less! We have spent a lot of time outside and enjoyed getting out. We also have our garden in and most of it is growing fabulously! The peppers haven't come up yet, and I don't know if they will, but the rest has come in great! I spent the morning today hoeing between the rows to minimize the weeds and still have to weed the actual rows, but that may come tomorrow.

 

 

We also have done some large purchasing and bought ourselves a tent trailer! We were unsure of camping in just a tent this summer and were looking at a tent trailer but didn't know if we would actually go through with it. But we found one we really liked and it was a great deal, so we jumped on it! And this trailer should get us through quite a few years and kids, so that is a plus as well!!!! Only downside, it looks like the 90's trailer it is so we may do some redecorating in the next couple of years to make it a little more up to date!

 

 

We made a few other changes as well. Dan has quit the leadership aspect of sound ministry and reduced his stress that way. We also got rid of both dogs. One went back to the pound and the other went to doggy heaven. It was a sad day when Emily went to the vet, but in the long run it was better for our family. Eventually we will likely get another dog, but that probably won't be until our kids are old enough to take some responsibility with them.

 

 

And on a final note, we are, Lord willing, going to be having another baby in January of next year. I am currently 12 weeks along and feeling very gross, but better then I was a couple of weeks ago! We have made it past the time of loss with our last pregnancy and feeling hopeful that all is going well! So now it's just a matter of getting through this grossness feeling (which I am hoping goes away soon) and starting to feel more pregnant!

 

 

So that's our news!