After a week or more of worrying because I wasn’t puking yet, today I had a nice full day of the pukes. How weird is it that I was looking forward to puking? It’s been a bit nerve wracking this whole not puking thing. I puked from six weeks on with both Vienna and Ziva, so naturally I expected the same from this baby, and when I didn’t start puking (I’m now in my 8th week) I stared to worry something was wrong.
Ziva, my precious little baby, has been so kind as to help as best she can. She’s given me SEVERAL diapers worth puking over! AND she kept me from getting the slightest bit of a nap today. The moment my eyes would close and I’d get that nice floating ahhhhhh feeling… scream! She would wake up. Apparently the poor little dear is having a traumatic day! That’s ok, between the screams (I’m thinking gas and by the smell of her diapers, other gastro-intestinal-disturbances-of-another-kind) she’s been a charming flirty little girl! When she smiles, you can’t help but smile too! No matter if your head is in the toilet or not!
Vienna’s had her share of frustrations today too. She apparently is not happy with the amount of attention she is getting, because while I was on the phone with the hospital (she has some follow up tests to be done) she BIT ME! She bit my arm so hard that three hours later there were still teeth marks on my arm! Yes, she did get sent to her room! No, she did not go peaceably. Yes, in the end, I won. I am mom, hear me roar. She is now happily playing with her sister. Well, sorta, she’s giving her sister a concert! She has this “high school musical’ microphone thing. I’ve never seen the movie/show whatever it is, but I can sing two of the songs from it!! This thing is like a mini kareoke machine and plays two of their songs for you to sing along with. And yes, at two and a half Vienna pretty much can sing both those songs.. and yes, I want to pull my hair out!!! tee hee hee… just wish I could change the songs, I’m not so sure I like her memorizing them!
I think on days like this the kids act up because I really think it freaks them out when I puke. Vienna especially. Thankfully she missed most of it today but I think once was enough for her. She’ll get used to it ha ha ha…
So, thank you Lord for the confirmation pukes I’ll rest assured now everything is alright You can go ahead and revert me back to how I was feeling last week tee hee hee… Hey, even with today’s pukes, I feel much better than I did with the girls. So, I’m really not complaining, just sharing the joys of my day
I’m off to form the experimental turkey burgers that I have attempted to make for this evening. Humm… maybe I shouldn’t experiment while pregnant. They sounded sooo good last night… now I’m not so sure! Here’s hoping (don’t worry, I have Abby’s Pizza’s phone number memorized!)
Yep, come the beginning of January Bibles4 will become Bibles5! So far this little “surprise” bundle of joy has not kept me puking day and night like the girls did. Perhaps a boy? We’re just praying all is well and that the baby stays safe and healthy. So far exhaustion has been the number one symptom, but we’re still in the first trimester so this is to be expected. It seems we’re expecting around January 9th, which for us usually means a week later! ha ha ha… so no extra tax deduction for this year ha ha ha… but that’s ok with us.
I’ve been quite delinquent at blogging. We’ve had a bit of a crazy life this last three months or so with just adjusting to combined household living. There’s not been a lot of exciting news other than the baby news I just gave. So my creative juices have not been flowing so well for the blog. Sam’s done some revamping to make it look more “me” but we still need to get photo sharing back up here too, cause I don’t see that option anymore The other thing is the enrollment into FaceCrack, I mean, CrackBook, I mean Facebook! MAN talk about sucking up all my time!! It’s a bit addicting keeping up with everyone who’s on there! It’s been fun though.
I’m in the midst too of helping plan my 20th Class Reunion. I can not believe I am that old!!!!! Goodness Grief!!! It has been nice though already catching up with some of my classmates at planning meetings. Its amazing to see how different all of our lives have turned out!
I’ve been enjoying taking part in the church Ensemble. Our music pastor has been trying to do a choir/ensemble once a month at church and it’s been great fun for me to be a part of it. I sooooo enjoy corporate worship and there is nothing better than actually singing with people who can sing (thankfully they tolerate my amateur vocal chords!) Easter was incredible! It’s my favorite holiday to reflect on all that the Lord does for us and how He seeks relationship with us, even though we don’t always give Him the time that is due him. It saddens me to see people going through the motions in their faith. Easter and Christmas always make me a bit sad as it is sometimes the only two days out of the year that some people come to church and seek the Lord. They see it as a requirement or a “good thing to do” instead of the joy that it is to know we are free from sin, we are forgiven and we are able to relate with the Lord personally on a daily basis, without pomp and circumstance, without intercession and ritual, without performance or works… just as we are, with needs and all. This Easter was especially poignant for me as we think about time after life on earth. Sam’s cousin Jeremy is very ill. He has an aggressive form of brain cancer, and while we still pray and believe the Lord could give us a miracle at any moment, it of course has us thinking about the end of this life. It’s exciting and scary to think about!!! Even as believers, when we know that we will go to heaven and be in the presence of the Lord and other loved ones who have believed and gone on before us… I guess it makes you think, Do I Measure Up? Will I make it? Scripture is clear that the “road is narrow” and that not everyone who is a “good person” makes it. It’s hard to understand that… thankfully the Lord is a perfect judge, who can judge each of us as individuals, on our hearts, and our faith that He knows even better than we do. I’m so very thankful that He came to earth and died on the Cross to give us forgiveness of ANY sin… that’s sooo amazing to me ANY sin is able to be forgiven, no matter how heinous! Even the Charles Manson’s and Ted Bundies of this world could be forgiven if they just accept the gift of forgiveness and allow the Lord to rule their lives! Not all choose it unfortunately, but it is available to all!!! We just need to be humble and give up our pride enough to say that we are not perfect and we do not always want what’s best for us, and allow ourselves to be guided by what scripture says and what we feel the Lord would do… We are such a selfish people that we can’t give up control of our lives to the “Parent” who really has what’s best for us in mind! Anyway… I’ve got a little sidetracked from my “update”.
We had our first week long vacation ever in May. We once again retuned to the Oregon coast and stayed in our favorite vacation rental. It was a glorious week… but I’ll blog about that next post J
At present we continue to live together with my parents. Seems like things are turning around for them. The real estate market in our area seems to be picking up again and now that they have renters in both of their spaces it seems like they will be able to keep their heads above water. The Lord continues to provide for them with clients and other such things. It’s good to see the relief, but we’re still praying hard as it’s still not easy.
So, that’s really all that’s been going on with us since our last post. Now that I’ve caught up again I’m hoping to keep with it (and off of FaceCrack so much!)
It’s been a while!! yes, yes, many of you have been telling me, and telling me, and… complaining  OK OK but it’s been an INSANE three months or so for us! Let me catch you up… (get your coffee and take a potty break… cause this is gonna take a while!!!)
Right before Thanksgiving we decided that with the economy effecting Real Estate the way it is, the best thing for the family was for us and the kids to move in with my parents. We have been renting a house that their company owns, and they are selling that company and we are going to share expenses with them until they get through this little RE crisis going on. With the Lords help, they will be able to keep the office building they own along with their home. Since we don’t own anything it was a “no brainer” decision as Sam says.
We had been planning on taking a vacation right before Christmas to the Oregon Cost, and since Sam had been working so hard we decided that even though we were moving suddenly, we were still going to try to make the trip. We found an incredible deal on a house (off season and slow economy are to thank), so we took mom and dad with us and spent 4 days at the coast. It was crazy!! Just two days before we left the Vally got a huge storm-front come through where we got lots of snow (well, lots for here)! Ziva’s first snow!
So the day we left, there was snow every where! We made it through the Van Duzer Corridor and out to the coast. I’d never seen snow at the coast before, but we had a nice little snow storm for part of a day. We also took the girls to the Oregon Coast Aquarium! It was fantastic! Vienna loved the touch pool they have there, we touched little stingrays, sharks, starfish, sea urchins, sea-slug, annenamies (sp?), then there was walking through the glass tunnels where sharks and other fish are swimming all around you… so many things… and there was hardly anyone there since it was the off season! It was a great family day!
Our return however, well… the Van Duzer’s were closed due to the snow and ice (lots of trees that fell across the road) so we had to take the LONG LONG LONG way home! (South to Newport, out through Philometh, and back up through Salem!) There was so much snow in the Vally that we had to drive very very slow (and I stopped counting tire chains laying on the road, broken, at like thirty six if I recall). It was an exhausting drive… but Sam did a great job, and so did my dad, and we all made it home safe and sound!!
So, before vacation we had begun packing quickly and began living here after our pre-Christmas vacation. ( Sam wanted Christmas to be as special as possible during the upheaval, so we raced to get in so at least the girls would be settled for Christmas). We had a great time celebrating Ziva’s first Christmas!
The packing was much like moving over seas since much of our stuff would go to long term storage (we’re thinking 2 years here) some to Good Will and the rest has to fit into two rooms (and a bit in the kitchen/garage) here. We finally moved our stuff in the middle of February, and just this weekend I unpacked the last box in our bedroom! so we are officially in!! (there’s lots of re-organizing to do, but I’ve found a way to make everything fit!! NO small task!!)  We are still praying for a buyer or renter for our house and a renter for the unused half of their office building (any prayers for those things would be MUCH appreciated, the lack of a renter for the business office has really been a burden).
Ever tried packing with a two year old in the room!?!?!?
Vienna “helps” pack a box!
As if we weren’t insane enough moving so quickly with an active two year old and a five month old who’s not sleeping through the night… at the end of January we decided to head to Canada (Victoria BC) to help Sam’s father at Missions Fest Vancouver. Thankfully my mom came to help with the girls. Poor mom was stuck in a hotel room most of the time with the girls!! But her being there meant that I was able to help man the exhibit for Wildfire World while Dad Bible and Kostya (one of our office “family” members from Ukraine) taught and attended classes. It was a great trip. It was the first time Grandpa Bible was able to meet Ziva!
(Poor Grandma Bible hasn’t had her chance yet, but hopefully soon!) It was so precious to be able to introduce our littlest one to her grandfather finally! And for Vienna to have a chance to see Gandpa Bible too (we have a photo magnet of G&G Bible on our fridge and occasionally she will go up and give it kisses). And as always, it was just great to get to spend time with Dad too. (And to introduce Uncle Kostya to our babies too! He’s worked in the office with the family for something like ten years, so he’s like family!)
We’ve had a few milestones since I’ve written last. Mainly, Ziva milestones. Not only is she sitting up, but on the day she turned seven months, she took her first crawl across the room! (this video is a week later)
Ziva’s pulling herself up on things all the time now, and I constantly find her crawling to get into anything she is not supposed to… you’d think she was a puppy because her favorite thing to do is to chew on my computer cord!!! She exhausts her momma and herself as she gets about the house now!
Ziva also had her first non-milk meal. I’ll let the photo’s speak for themselves:
Yippee REAL food!!!!
What the stink IS that stuff!?!?!?
Uhhhhkkkk… that’s NASTY!!!!
Huuhhggg… Can’t stand this stuff!
How could you do that to me!?!
As for the Mucus and the Mayhem….
For the past TWO weeks I’ve been calling this place “the house of Ill” as everyone has been sick. Ziva got our families first ear infection, both girls had this flu/cold thing going around, so eventually Sam and I got that as well as Mimi & Poppie (my parents). Even Uncle Matthew was down with it so badly that he didn’t go to Canada as scheduled (he was going to help with another Missions Fest).  We are finally getting over the illnesses, but much mayhem still has transpired in this house… see… not terribly long ago my parents had a flood in their house… long story short, they got bran new beautiful carpet and hardwood floors… LIGHT TAN CARPETS!!!! yeah, not for long! I’m concerned by the time we leave here, they’ll be needing yet another remodel!! So far, we’ve made several dents, scratches or other mars to the hardwoods… and Thursday Ziva had a major blow out and pooped all over the floor!!! I of course PANIC!!!! I can’t find the carpet cleaner, I can’t just scrub it up… mom is at Curves working out… so i called there (yes, now I am the laughing stock of town!! oh well, the carpets not stained!!!). I should have just kept the carpet cleaner out, as today Ziva pulled herself up on the coffee table and grabbed my full cup of coffee down to the floor… Praise the Lord it wasn’t HOT!!!!! so, I spent much of today rearranging furniture and Bisseling the living room carpet!! Oh, I forgot to mention that I also chose today as the day to sort through all the 3-6 month clothes all the way through the 12-18 month clothes for the girls to lighten up… at present well.. the house is… lets just say, I’m terrified mom and dad will get back early tomorrow!!!! I just might be pulling an all nighter!
So, there you go, for those of you who have been unhappy with the lack of posts… now you have my “excuse”
More later  We’ve still got Build-a-Bear and Buddies to talk about soon, hopefully… but, you know how life gets
Sam will most likely reprimand me, but I couldn’t help it. Ziva has the CUTEST little toes (I love baby toes!!!) And I was having a difficult enough time resisting on my own, but when Vienna asked to have her toes done again (she’s VERY conscious of when the paint has come off) and then BEGGED to have Ziva’s toes done too… I caved! I did however resist putting sparkles on Ziva’s toes!
Sometimes you just gotta have more than one stuffie to find that comfort you really need!!!
Halloween has got my baby spooked She’s in a fearful stage right now… I sure hope she grows out of it soon… but the good thing is that often she will say “mommy, we need to pray to Jesus” ahhh… warms a mommy’s heart!!
tee hee hee… just wish I could change the songs, I’m not so sure I like her memorizing them! 
She’s in a fearful stage right now… I sure hope she grows out of it soon… but the good thing is that often she will say “mommy, we need to pray to Jesus” ahhh… warms a mommy’s heart!! 
