What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. ~ Martin Luther

Monday, August 30, 2010

Guess WHO


......is still in my belly?

For those of you who are checking in on me every now and again~ give up. *I* have.

My "projects", you know, the ones that I would find to preoccupy myself while waiting so I could be thankful for having extra time, are all DONE now.

I even pampered myself with a faux Scotch tape manicure! Last time I did that was when Andrew was born, I am pretty sure.


The other day, with laundry all caught up, silly things like nails eventually painted, and furniture dusted (for the upteenth time) I told Matt, "Well. All my projects are done. I can't think of a single thing to do to occupy my time. What will I do NOW?" That night, Corynn had a freak bed-wetting accident and somehow a pocketful of sand fell out of Andrews pants' and into his sheets during rest time, leaving two beds to get new sheets and a bathroom full of dirty laundry.

Thanks guys! I knew you would pull through for me.


Actually reaching the actual duedate was SUPER hard for me (THANK you for all your words of encouragement, btw!) and I poured into puddles throughout the day, but since then it has been much easier.

EXCEPT, of course, when I went to church and there was a baby shower for a friend of mine who is due in a few weeks who wasn't actually in attendance because she had HAD her baby the night before. THAT, my friends, was not fun. It took several minutes hiding out in the single bathroom and half a container of CLEAREYES, but I eventually recovered. And enjoyed, immensely, the meatball subs that were served at the part-ay. Meatball subs can make everything right again.

I have been getting pointers as to how to get this baby out. One woman said jokingly "If you paint your toenails tonight, you'll have the baby." Matt did. (Thanks Mattie!)


We've tried a few other suggestions too. Alas. No such luck. ;-)

Silly me even got myself a bouquet of flowers for the table, thinking Smooch ought to have a pretty home to come home to. I realize it makes me ridiculous to think that Smooch will see, understand, comprehend or appreciate flowers on the table~but I can't help myself. If this makes me weird, so be it.


Besides all this pregnancy talk, which even *I* am tiring of, something BIG happened this weekend~but to share it with you, I'll have to take you back a few months.

Back into wintertime, cold nights, and indoor campfires.

We read about a little Farmer Boy turning bigger every day, who plays hard, works harder and thinks hardest of all, while little boy and girl ears soaked it all in for the second time. We read about how Farmer Boy chooses a pig instead of pink lemonade after a wise father fathers and what a 50cent piece really is worth. And then, the farmer boy with the breath I can hear and the big brown eyes that stare and the sweetest redneck accent ever says "I dink I'ma gonna safe MY money so me can buy a sucklin' pig!"


And he does. Religiously. Pouring every bit of nickel and penny and dollar bills into his big beautiful cowbank. Spends several nights counting and jingling his loot in anticipation of "the day" and telling anyone who will listen about his plans. One fateful day, the Saver has ENOUGH.


Like a true Farm boy, then there is work to be done. He sweats with the best of them and prepares a place. For HIS "sucklin'" pig. We decided we might as well get one as well, since Corynn loves her some sausage gravy and bacon is a Newmans' best friend. So, the Farm boy took his money and ours and the pigseller was so impressed he had saved all his money she even gave him a wee bit of a discount!


This past weekend, the pigs came home.


Meet Molly and Charlotte. (I wonder where THAT came from?)


Molly is the pink and Charlotte is the redhead with spots (Andrews' very own!).


I never thought we would become pig farmers. And when people tell you pigs STINK, they really mean it. (Yes, even if there are only two.)

But the children are crazy for them.


And I am crazy for my boy, who showed determination, hard work and perseverance far greater than I would have expected for a four year old. Those are the things I will choose to think about every time I smell that crazy smell.


That is, until I smell the BACON. ;-)

26 comments:

Father's Grace Ministries said...

Hang in there Rebecca!

I LOVED the photos of your children with the pigs-so cute! And I'm thankful laptops don't come with smellyvision!

I can see you're very proud of Andrew and his saving determination-wonderful for his age! One of our daughters is like that, but she is closer to Corryn in age.

May I ask- are BOTH pigs destined for the dinner table? Including Charlotte? I love rural life, but couldn't eat an animal I know.
Thankyou for sharing your precious family with us all.

Claire

Michelle G said...

Okay Smooch - August is a great month to be born in! No need to wait till September! Trust Me!
:)
Oh "momma"
I SO SO SO feel for you. Sigh..They just have their own sense of timing don't they?!
I told everyone with baby #6 "he evidently doesn't have a calendar in there with him because it is TIME TO COME OUT!!"
thoughts and prayers are with ya!!
Michelle

Bonnie said...

Oh my, good job Andrew! I *can* smell them, having just been at the fair all week, and the smell being lodged in my sinus' (and yes, I've checked everyones shoes), but I will still tell you I am having pig envy. Friends of ours raised them and gave us some bacon, and it is SO GOOD. Better than that store bought garbage (as you will discover *is* garbage once you've had your own.) Can I tell you I've always wanted to smoke meat like in Little House in the Big woods? In a hollowed out tree, with a little door and feed the fire green chips of hickory....
There were month old piglets at the fair, which promptly squealed and turned their noses into the corner as soon as I got my camera out. Piglet Rump pictures are posted on my blog anyway.

I'm trying to get done what I can, and not to make you jealous, I may beat you to baby depending on what the midwife says tomorrow. B. keeps telling me if the baby hasn't turned, and is to big for them to attempt, put off the c-section until Monday, so you have 'til then (maybe) to beat me to it.

Your nails look lovely, mine never grow long nicely, no matter what I try, good ol' Scotch (tape!)

Dinners a cookin' and I need to go get a jar of beans and a jar of fruit to go with it, tooda-loo.
Oh, and I WILL be continuing my
10 minute Rebecca Checks, until Smooch gets here ;0)
Bon

Anonymous said...

Okay it's time for the caster oil! I know it's terrible...I had my last five babies with it! I wouldn't (don't) go any other way! I did have my first three induced so I gladly take down the caster oil. In fact I had one baby with only two teaspoons!
We are reading farmer boy also and we have three pigs, they are just about ready to eat and believe me...they are not our friends. It is amazing what time will do! Those sweet cute pigs become huge monsters that our children ask me with frightened face "will it eat me?"
Huge hugs and mountains of praise for a wonderful job well done, you are an inspiration to us all. Love, Mumofeight

Marlene Bibby said...

Way to go, Andrew!

Hang in there sweetie. Smooch is worth every overdue minute. And God will see you through. His grace is sufficient!

Unknown said...

keep hangin on! in a couple months it won't make much difference :)
It is a blessing that you can carry your baby this long, a lot of women have an emergency c-section and then in every following pregnancies (which the doctors try to limit, saying 'only 3 c-sections') they tell the mother she has to deliver via c-section... And that means early, and that means baby is more likely to get sick. Or around here, if you've delivered a large baby at the hospital (so thankful my hubby is okay with me doing homebirth!) then next time they'll induce you early... we knew a family, the mother was induced a couple weeks early, but after the baby was born it seemed that the doc had the EDD WRONG, b/c the baby had lung problems - problems preemies have. She's fine now, praise God, but it was scary for a few days...

Anyways, not trying to scare you into being grateful, but it can be a blessing to carry your baby 'long'. She or he will be born soon :)

Praying for you, hang in there!

Unknown said...

keep hangin on! in a couple months it won't make much difference :)
It is a blessing that you can carry your baby this long, a lot of women have an emergency c-section and then in every following pregnancies (which the doctors try to limit, saying 'only 3 c-sections') they tell the mother she has to deliver via c-section... And that means early, and that means baby is more likely to get sick. Or around here, if you've delivered a large baby at the hospital (so thankful my hubby is okay with me doing homebirth!) then next time they'll induce you early... we knew a family, the mother was induced a couple weeks early, but after the baby was born it seemed that the doc had the EDD WRONG, b/c the baby had lung problems - problems preemies have. She's fine now, praise God, but it was scary for a few days...

Anyways, not trying to scare you into being grateful, but it can be a blessing to carry your baby 'long'. She or he will be born soon :)

Praying for you, hang in there!

Unknown said...

Awww...how neat Panda saved his money for a horse! Do you guys pay him for big jobs or how does he make his money? :) DD has a Horse Fund jar ;) but keeps raiding it for candy at the library...which is probably a good thing since dh isn't convinced about the whole horse idea ANYWAY! :P

As always, will continue to pray...AND check like on the hour! ;)

Blessings, Rebecca!

Unknown said...

PIG saved for a pig NOT horse...sheesh! :P

Peggy said...

That is so wonderful that Andrew saved all his money up for a sweet suckling! Even if they are stinky I still think they are sweet. Our 500 lb piggy aka "Porkchop" was the sweetest pig from the time we brought him home to the time we took him away!! He would follow Ian around like a dog and "call" after Ian everytime he saw Ian walk out the door. LOL But I must say he was the sweetest when we brought him back home. All Wrapped up in white Butcher Paper!!!

I will keep praying for you! And checking back every couple of hours... Now I must be off to clean up the kitchen so I can make dinner. Chris is outside putting the loft in our new "barn". Okay so it is more like a big shed but it looks like a cute little barn!!

Toodles!! (oh how do you do your nails like that? I've never heard of the scotch tape trick but think I've figured it out. you put tape across your nails leaving the tips uncovered? Then you paint the tips? That is so cool!!! I love painted nails but nibble or cut mine too often... we won't go into that but lets just leave it at i've been wearing a lot of bandaides recently...)

Take care now!!

Leah O said...

How did Andrew make all that money? Did his Dad gives him chores to do for an allowance or what? (That's how our little boys earned their money until they hit the age were they could actually be hired by other people to do a job well enough to get paid for it)

Also - I'm with anonymous on the Castor Oil. I mean the "laxative effect" is the only bad side effect, but I took a tablespoon or two one night about a week before Daisy's due date and Bingo! I woke up at 1:30 am that morning with heavy contractions and went to hospital at 2:30am and Daisy was born at 4:15am - six days early! (Sorry - not trying to depress you, but you asked for ideas) That was definitely my fastest labor and delivery.
So if your body's ready it will do the trick. If it's not, it won't I guess because one of my friends tried it on her due date and only got the side effect and not the baby.
(So there's a little disclaimer.)
But I would DEFINITELY do it again when/if the time comes.

Our kids loved "Farmer Boy". So did I.

Riahli said...

I went a week over with Ira and didn't go into labor until I gave up and spent the day relaxing, toes in the water, eating watermelon. Before that I tried just about everything...and I mean everything...to get that boy out. He finally came out when I totally and completely gave up. :)

Your boy is adorable!

Nanci said...

Congrats to Almonzo (wink)! I am so proud of that little farmer boy.

BTW - Orangeblossom came via the castor oil highway as well. Born within 24 hours after 1/2 dose. But if I were you, I'd hold off until they start talking inducement before I thought about doing that.

natalie said...

I feel you... my 2nd was born TWO WEEKS after her "due date"... and then the midwife said she estimated she was 39 weeks. So much for the EDD! I had such a hard time with all of the sweet, well meaning people. I felt bad because I knew they just were excited about the baby too, but if ONE more person had said "So, no baby yet?"... grr! lol!

We raised pigs last year and the year before! We put them out on grass and they LOVED it. Pigs love rooting up grass. It also helps with the smell to give them a little room to run around in if you can. We had electric fencing and moved them around a bit so that when they had rooted up the grass and nibbled up all the grubs from one area they could move on. It also really improves the flavor to give them a varied diet... over ripe garden produce, excess milk (we had a cow at one point, so that was perfect), etc. Have fun with the piggies! They really are smart little critters.

Jerelene said...

Hope the baby comes soon! God is keeping him or her in there for a reason:) Be patient;) It can't be too much longer. Take advantage of the time waiting to try and rest..You look lovely!! Love the nails..would love to know how you did that!
Love the piggies! Great homeschool lesson..save money..get pig! :) Thinking of you and checking here very often..hoping that you've had the baby.
Keeping you in my prayers...
Love and hugs....Jerelene

Wendy said...

You are mean and cruel! That first part had me going! I can hardly wait to see this new baby!!! Soon!

Jinger said...

Here's hoping a long list of comments will keep you at least a bit more occupied while you wait :)

I have no great advice, just prayers from far away Florida.

As I'm a regular reader of this blog, and since I'm actually commenting, I want to say thanks for all the content you post. You probably won't get much more 'nastygrams' since your 'warning', but if by chance you ever do, think about those like my family. We have truly been more than encouraged by the thoughts you've published here.
Often I would read things here that would spark conversations with my husband, that would cause many prayers over our family and then CHANGE, real change has happened in my home. We are grateful that God is transforming us into the family He desires and I believe your blog has come across our path by no accident.

Terri said...

I love the determination Andrew shows. That is an awesome trait in a 4 year old!

Hang in there, Rebecca. It won't be long!

Tracy said...

Well, I was going to comment on Friday that you didn't look ready to go yet, since I can't see your navel poking out from beneath your clothing. Even with my shirt down, you could see the "turkey timer" had popped out on me. It's all in God's timing, you know. Perhaps your dates were a little off. No need to rush things.

Andrew has great determination, and he must be so proud. Will it be hard for him to eat his sweet little pig when the time comes? I'm with Natalie on having them outside as much as possible. We raised pigs when I was in my teens, and they LOVED it outside. And nothing went to waste, because they made use of it. Have fun!

Anonymous said...

Oh, my back hurts just imagining how you are feeling right now. Prayers for a safe delivery very, very soon.

And thanks for the reminder how good Farmer Boy is. I just love all the Little House books.

Leah said...

A thought occurred to me that may or may not be encouraging, the ultrasound you had was done well into your pregnancy which means it probably was not as accurate as an early one would've been. Maybe your EDD would have actually been a little later had you had an early u/s. Just trying to help you feel a little better. :)

How cool that Andrew saved up his own money to buy himself a suckling pig! And how cool of his parents to encourage him in his determination! Did you know that we're only about 1.5 hours from Almanzo's farm now?! Maybe you guys could come for a visit and we can all go together! We've been planning to since before we moved up with way but we really have no excuses now. Oh, and just so you know, even one pig stinks! ;)

Rosemary said...

Way to go, Andrew! No wonder you are so proud of him.
I love the piggy photos.
Hang in there, Rebecca. Try to stay cool. Yours, Rosemary

Rebecca said...

A few answers:

For those who asked about butchering:

Well. One is most definitely being butchered. Andrew was told that if he got a pig, we would be using it for meat so he is well prepared for his pig to be butchered as well---though I am SECRETLY holding out hope that Matt will let us overwinter her and breed her in the spring. That way, the children can see the process of babies, Andrew can sell a piglet and get a return, we can sell a few piglets to reimburse us for feed and have a few piglets for next years' meat supply. Here's hoping! :-)

For those who asked about Andrew's money supply:

We do not pay Andrew for chores. We feel that a family has to work together to accomplish goals and that since he MAKES work, he can contribute by DOING work too. :-) That said, I clean a church once a week for money and must bring the children along with me. So I put them to work while I am there too. They each have a simple (but helpful) job and if they do the job well, I pay them $1.00 every week. The way I see it, if I get paid for my work, so should they. There are a few things that the children can do for money too. Grandpa is a golfer in the country and hits golfballs down a hill to practice his swinging. He leaves them there and whenever the children want some money-they can go hunting for some golfballs. Each ball they find gets them .25 which has really added up. All the rest of Andrews' money has come from gifts or coins in letters or on the street. It is amazing to me that he was able to save up THAT much money with such a small supply coming in~makes me think how easy it ought to be for US if we tuck even just a little bit away regularly!

Oh yeah-and Tracy~ my belly button has NEVER popped out. It always just goes flat (and it is there now.) So that can't be used against me! hehehe

Kim said...

Aww what a great little fella you've got! He's going to have so much fun raising his pigs. :)

Terri aka Penny Ann Poundwise said...

One of my favorite portions of Farmer Boy was about what it took to earn that $.50. I am proud of your own little Farmer Boy.

The pictures of the children in with the pigs reminds me of a country home my parents once rented. My little brother was just about Andrew's age and he stayed in the pen with the pigs constantly, lol. Mama was forever hauling him out of their!

Now he's a grown-up middle-age man and has had cows and now has chickens but he's never had pigs. Perhaps he was too fond of them in his youth,lol.

Amy said...

Hehe! Congrats to your boy on the pigs. What an achievement to save all your own money and buy something like that. heaven knows I never did anything like that, lol. not that I would want a pig, but nothing that "important". Nothing that left me clutching $20 and $10 bills of my own making.
oh well. congrats to him...and congrats to you on the pre-made bacon. 0_0