Where is my music?

Do you hear my wonderful Christmas music???
I don't even see the box. It's in the html but it isn't showing up to me. Where did it go???

My head hurts

Matt has been in New Jersey for the week. He is coming home tonight. He can't get here quick enough.
It has just been a very trying week. Several things have gone wrong. The kids have been trying my patience. And well, I'm just tired.
My head is killing me this afternoon and I'm trying to decide what to do for dinner. I'm thinking maybe fast food, because I just don't have it in me to do much else. Maybe Taco Bell, we never eat there. Or Arby's.
Matt bought me a gift certificate last Christmas to be used for a massage. I found a place where I can get two 45 minute massages for the price of the gc he got me. I was wanting to do one next week on veteran's day because Matt has the day off, but we'll see. For some reason, I'm a bit nervous to make the appointment. Mainly because I know nothing about the place (though it got good reviews) and because I've never had a massage. I keep thinking that the people will take one look at me and think, "oh heaven's NO..I am NOT putting my hands on HER!!"
Anyway, Matt comes home tonight, but I won't see him much this weekend. He is doing and evangelistic series at church. I'm really proud of him for this, but meetings that normally are spread out over several weeks, have been condensed into two weekends worth of all day long meetings.
Next week the kids' play start. They have practice every night then the play starts Thursday. Usually, one of us takes the boys and the other stays home with Emily. If we do that, it means more time to not see him.
OK this was a really whiny post, I'm sorry. I'm just spent right now and felt the need to share that with all of you!

Birth Announcements or No??

Originally, I had planned on not doing Christmas cards, and just sending out birth announcements with the required picture and letter.
And I've been thinking lots about announcements and what I want them to say.
But then, I got to thinking...should I even do announcements?
I have always done them, but wonder if people get them and think, "oh, Matt and Bekki had another baby, big surprise". I also wonder if people think we send announcements to get gifts. This has been an issue for me for several babies. I do not want people to think they need to send anything, we send announcements to share our excitement with them, nothing else.
Then there is the issue of making them. I have made all the other announcements, but am not sure I want to do that this time. But since I've done it five other times, would it make sense to change now? Assuming I even do them!
AAAGGGHHHHH, who knew birth announcements could create such a dilemma for me??
I realize this entry makes very little sense, and is quite grammatically incorrect, I'm just trying to figure out what to do.

Update of sorts

I know it's been forever since I wrote anything significant. I just get in these modes where I just don't have it in me. Besides, it is so much easier to just throw a status update up on Facebook than it is to post here.
The first big update is on Zachy. Last I wrote the nurse had called concerned about some fast rhythms he was having. When we saw the Doctor he wasn't concerned at all. He said it registered as too high on the equipment because pacemakers aren't made for children. So what is a normal active rhythm for a child is too high for an adult. So all is well with Zachy. Thank goodness!
Matthew has been saving his money for a very long time, and yesterday was finally able to buy himself an iPod. He got the nano which has a camcorder on it as well. He has been taking videos all morning. He would probably be just fine with it even if it never played music. He loves making videos.
Their play is in two weeks. I will be glad when it's done. We love it, but by the end it is always nice to be able to stop making the drive twice a week. It's hard because the practices are 1 1/2 hours on Thursday and 2 hours on Sunday. Well, it is far enough away that by the time you turn around to go home it would be time to turn right back around to pick them up, but too long to just sit there. Although this year, I've been helping make the costumes and Matt's been staying home with Emily.
As far as the pregnancy, this has to be the easiest pregnancy I've ever had. In the beginning I was really sick, but since that has passed I have felt great. I'm 29 weeks and time is still flying. Natalie will be here before we know it.
Other than that, we've just been busy doing yearly eye exams, doctors visits for me, and dentist appointments. Oh yes, school too. Which is going great.
I wish this entry had been more entertaining, but alas, that's what happens when you wait so long in between entries! Sorry.

My apologies

I know it is far to early for Christmas for some of you, but I just cannot resist being in the Christmas spirit.
It is my favorite time of year and it is just too short, if you ask me!
This year is especially special because Miss Natalie will be joining our family right around Christmas, can you imagine anything more wonderful?? I can't.
Speaking of Natalie, what am I going to do about this blog? I won't have 5 little monkeys anymore, but 6. Is that an appropriate name? Six Little Monkeys? I don't know. If anyone has any great ideas for a new title, I'd love to hear them.
For now, sit back, relax, sip some hot cocoa and enjoy the Christmas spirit!

Where did you say you are from??

Today in southern Texas it is pretty brisk. The temp is in the 60s and it has been raining off and on all day.
Half of us are in pants, the other half are in shorts.
We had to run to Wally World to get some batteries earlier. While there, we saw several people in winter coats.
Matthew and I started commenting about the fact that to us this is great weather and to people around here, it's cold.
We then laughed about the fact that Emily kept saying she was cold, and she is the only one amongst us who is a Texan.
So Matthew says we are Ohioans...then said, "well, Collin anyway".
I said it was because we were northerners.
While we were talking about this Collin said, "I'm a what?" And we told him an Ohioan. We had to explain that meant he was born in Ohio.
Dillon says, "Am I an organic, since I was born in Oregon?"
Oh my, it was priceless.

Double Digits!!

Check out my ticker!! Less than 100 days to go! Time's a flyin!!

This Really Chaps my Hide

On our way home from play practice, there are two billboards.
They have a picture of a young lady with the words, "you have the power to have a healthy baby".
It's an ad for a health clinic, I think.
What does this imply?
UGH! It implies that if you only get proper prenatal care, you will have a healthy baby. And you have the power to make that happen.
Well darn. I wish someone had told me I had the power to have a healthy baby. If only I'd known that I possess that power!
For the record, I have always gotten the proper prenatal care.
I don't go to the doctor on a normal basis, but when I'm pregnant I never miss an appointment.
I just hate that they are trying to tell people that they can have a healthy baby.

Sometimes, it just isn't up to us.

Post Script and other Happenings

As a post script to yesterday's post..my sympathies go out to all young men of this generation.
Have you any idea how hard it is to teach these young men to keep their eyes and thoughts pure, when they are bombarded with just the opposite all around them?
Matt commented on the fact that they had just finished the respect CD, and talked about keeping thoughts pure. One way to do that, is to not fill your mind with images of scantily clad girls. They went ice skating after that, and what do you think all the girls were wearing? Next to nothing, of course.
Our kids are met with it everywhere. For us, even in the church. Girls wear clothes that leave nothing to the imagination, to church. What kind of message does that send the boys?
God gave them these hormones. We instruct them to keep them in check, and then WHAM! they can't get away from it.
It has to be so hard on them.

ANYWAY..onto other things.
Dillon's birthday is coming up. It is on Columbus Day this year, and we are going to try to go to Sea World for it. Once a year, military members and their dependents get free admission. We haven't used ours for this year, so we are going to go on his body. Hopefully, the weather cooperates. By this I mean either it isn't scorching hot or pouring rain. Anything in between will be just fine.

Our pastor's wife is teaching the kids guitar lessons every Sabbath after pot luck. It is really great. They are learning lots and I hope by the time we leave they have a great understanding of how to play the guitar. The only problem is, it doesn't address the ability to read music. Yes, they are learning cords, but not regular music. But then, do you really need to know how to read music to get by in life? I'm not so sure.

I posted after our first week of school that Zachy was trucking along with everything. That has definitely stopped. Collin has taken the lead now and does his work without complaint and...are you ready for this?? I see signs of the switch almost being switched and him being able to read! WAHOO!!!!!

Emily is as cute as ever. She is such a character and cracks us up all the time. She does everything the boys do, but the last couple of days she has wanted to wear dresses, so maybe there is hope that she won't be a total tom boy!!

Matt says he feels like a divorced dad getting visitation with his kids this week. He also says he is ready to have a night alone with me. HA! That hasn't happened in over 13 years, I don't see it happening anytime soon! Oh well, I'll just be glad to have him home tonight, I've missed him. He leaves next week to teach a hearing conservation course. He'll be gone all week. Then home the next week. Then off again the following week. He's a busy beaver!

As for me, I'm 25 weeks pregnant today. Baby is moving around so much sometimes it makes me nauseous. I do love it though! She is currently breech, though I'm not concerned at this point. I think if she would turn, I would be more comfortable. Right now, I feel like she is going to kick right through my cervix. Other than that, though, I am still feeling really good. I still look fat. No one has asked me if I'm pregnant, so that's a sure sign. I don't think anyone at the kids' play have any idea I am indeed pregnant and not just fat. Oh well, in due time I guess.

So that's about it. That's all she wrote.

I don't normally do this

Today I want to highly recommend a product. I am in no way being paid to do this, I am just impressed.
Awhile ago, it became clear that our boys were growing up, and it was time to have some serious talks about *gasp* the birds and the bees.
The problem was, Matt didn't really know how to go about doing this. He remembers the talk his dad had with him and just remembers both of them being very embarassed. This isn't what we wanted, but we weren't real sure how to avoid it.
Enter Passport 2 Purity.
This program is great!
Basically, you go on a getaway with your child. About 24 hours worth.
You start by taking them to dinner and telling them what the weekend (or night) is going to be about. You give them their adventure journal that they will use to fill in answers to tough questions. Then on your way to your destination, you listen to the first of five cds. You cannot imagine the relief Matt felt knowing that someone else would be presenting this information in a Biblical manner.
The first topic is about peer pressure. They listen to the disc and fill in the blanks, then discuss things with their parent. They get to listen to their parents talk about mistakes they made! What fun!
The topics covered are peer pressure, your changing body, sex, dating, and staying pure.
After each topic they do an experiment to drive the point home. For example, the first experiment is trying to put together a puzzle with no picture to go by. The point behind this is to show how we need instructions in life. And those are in the Bible.
After the heavy topics on the second day, you do something fun with your child.
Then after the last topic, you wrap up with a nice dinner where you present them with a gift to congratulate them for taking these steps towards maturity.
So Matt took Matthew to a local hotel on Monday night. For their fun time, they went ice skating and to a movie. For his gift, he got an electric razor. He's grown a caterpillar on his lip!
Then last night, Zachy and Collin spent the night with Matt just to spend some time with him. They went to Chuck E Cheese and then also to a movie.
Tonight is Dillon's night to complete the program.
Matthew came home and had had a great time. I was worried about how he would respond to all of this, but he really enjoyed it.
I asked Matthew if he thought Dillon was too young and he said that no he wasn't, and he wished we had done this when he was 11.
I am just really, really pleased with how this has turned out.
If you have preteens, I highly recommend this program to you.

Now That's What I'm Talkin About!

Today it is rainy and a cool 68 degrees outside.
It feels almost like fall.
Of course, the rain we've gotten the last couple weeks has greened up all the trees and lawns. So no changing of leaves, but still!
It is so wonderful. Even though yesterday it was in the upper 90s. I am willing to forget about yesterday and move on with fall.
Matt planted mums in my pots the other day and even bought me a pumpkin to help me feel like it is fall. What a wonderful man I have!
We have candles lit and Christmas music playing, and it is just a good day.

Not a call I really wanted

So I got a call bright and early this morning. It was the nurse from the electrophysiologist's office.
By the way, I've never gotten a call from her before, which of course makes my heart drop.
She told me that Zachy's last phone transmission showed his leads all look great, but he is having several episodes of high rates. She said it's nothing life threatening..yet..and that he needs to be seen.
We already had an appointment set up for October 14, and we are just keeping that appointment.
I am praying it is an easy fix. However, one of the reasons we paced him when we did, was to avoid getting to the point of tachy rhythms. Tachy is much harder to correct than brady. The hope was that by getting the brady under control, it would be like a normal heart and he wouldn't ever get to the tachy point.
I don't know how they are going to correct it. Before they paced him the doc talked about having to control tachy rhythms with meds. I keep hoping maybe the can just set a high threshold. But that doesn't make sense to me. It is easy to zap a heart and make it beat, but how do you zap it to make it slow down? Of course, I'm not the doctor and it may very well be possible. We'll see.
Have I ever mentioned how much I hate CHD. I hate that any child has to suffer through any of this.
I wish the Lord would just reach down and heal my baby's heart. And at the same time, I know how incredibly selfish that is. My baby is here and alive, so many aren't that lucky.
I find it almost comical that this is happening now. This seems to be our pattern. Things will be quiet in our house for awhile, then Matthew and Zachy will be hit at the same time. In fact, when Zachy was paced, Matthew had surgery a week later. So it figures that we would be dealing with all we are with Matthew and things would pop up with Zachy!
Anyway, his appointment isn't until the 14TH and I am going to try hard to not think about it until then!!

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you

Yesterday morning, Zachy was praying for our breakfast.
He was saying, "thank you for the food. Thank you for our family." etc. Then he ended with, "and thank you, thank you, thank you that we are getting a new baby sister".
So sweet! He is so excited and asks all the time if it is Christmas yet.

Just *sigh*

Today is a *sigh* kind of day.
I'm down. I keep saying it's for no good reason, but I just feel blah.
We had a church board meeting last night, and I really don't like the way things went. In fact, there have been a few things that I'm just not really happy with right now.
A wise lady told me last night that there is no perfect church, so we just have to be happy with what we have.
I know this is true. But...*sigh*.
Matt tells me all the time, 'one more year" We leave in one year and then we can just have a fresh start.
My goal is to not be involved heavily in a new church. It is highly over rated being this involved, let me tell ya.
I don't know why I'm even writing any of this. I just feel so down and dumpy today and wish the feeling would go away so I can get on with my happy little life!
In due time, I suppose.

Things learned today

I was reminded today that babies who co-sleep and breastfeed need very few other necessities. I was registering at Target (they give you a $20 gift card to register with them right now..cool!) and realized there just isn't much we need. Which is fine by me..that means more money for fun stuff!
I also decided to tackle washing Emily's carseat. We have one of these.

Do you see all those parts?? When I first bought it, I read reviews about how hard it is to take apart to wash. I believed them, and have always dreaded taking it apart. But tonight I decided to try it. And taking it apart wasn't that hard. Boy was it gross though. Carseats should not go two years without being cleaned. Hopefully, I can get it back together, since taking it apart is only half the challenge!
And finally, I learned that pregnant women, should not wear low cut shirts with no bra. They need to take care of their girls! But more importantly, I don't want to see your saggy boobies!
Oh the valuable things we learn every day!

Week in Review

So the first week of school started out great. With a holiday!
No, just kidding, it was great starting on Tuesday.
But boy, by Friday, we were back in the swing of things and the trials that come with that.
It is amazing to me how much Collin is like Dillon when it comes to school. This isn't a good thing, in case you were wondering.
But Zachy, boy, he just whips right along willing to do everything.
We did lots of baking this week, and quite honestly, I'm exhausted now.
Emily is awfully cute and just sits with us at the table doing her own thing.
Next week I have an OB appointment, I think on Friday, so we will have to be sure get everything done before it.
Wish us luck.

A little bit of this and that

This has been a great week.
The weather has been a bit cooler (OK the 80s, but that's cool for here), and we are finally being blessed with rain. Oh, sweet glorious rain. I love the rain.
I love fall. So much. And if I keep the doors closed, I can pretend that it is fall. But then, I open the doors, and it's hot, and I am reminded once again that things are going to get green instead of orange and red. And that there won't be any snow this winter. It will just be like every other day. So disappointing.
I need to buy some mums, but I haven't seen any in the stores yet. That makes me feel a bit more fallish.
Oh well. Time is flying. Before I know it, I will have a sweet little newborn to snuggle with. And it's a good thing too, since Emily has suddenly decided she is a total daddy's girl. When he's around I'm worthless. Unless, of course, we happen to be at church or somewhere I want to be alone at, then I'm all that will do. Figures. It's alright though, because she is growing up so quickly, and soon she'll want nothing to do with either of us. She has turned into this sweet, silly, HAPPY girl. Given her babyhood, this is shocking to us, almost every single day. I was just telling Matt the other day that I often look at my kids and thank God that we didn't stop after just two. We would be missing out on so much! They are all such a blessing in their own little ways.
OK, the banana bread is baking, the big kids are running lines, and the little three are playing outside. I'm going to kick my feet up for a bit and just relax.