Saturday Happenings

We had a hugely busy Friday.  We ran, ran, ran ALL day!

6:00Am - paper route

6:30 - stretches interrupted by waking children needing lap time.

7:00 - organized morning routine chaos including daily bible reading, breakfast, AM chores, set automatic oven for lunch left over heating

8:30 - head to chiropractor

9:30 - wal mart

10:10 - library

11:00 - home

11:30 - bread in oven - lunch out

11:45 lunch

12:30 - naps which involved reading books first so the actual sleep part happened around 1:00.

2:00 - Mary and Cob head to neighbors for dog sitting instructions

2:30 - laundry catch up

3:00 - older kids quiet time - I pray and read

3:30 - Poor Abram had hardly gotten any attention ALL day (other than books at nap time).  He woke up out of sorts and very needy.

4:00 - (O. kay so we didn't run as much when you start typing it out but it sure seemed like we ran a lot Friday.)  Love Abram up and have him help with supper prep.  Mary chops cauliflower and Abram and I make the cream of part :-)

5:00 ish - supper

and so the day flew by.  But this post was going to be about Saturday Happenings.  The Friday happenings were just a precursor.  We had a lovely Saturday.  I slept in until 7.  Did some laundry and upstairs organizing with Chloe and however else came and went until 7:30.  Had Muesli for breakfast.  Jacob headed to the neighbors to take care of the dog.  He could not get the key to work so I went over.  We finally got in.  He headed out to walk the dog after he (the dog) finished woofing down his breakfast).  I headed home to continue eating and start breakfast clean up.  I glanced out the window and noticed Cob struggling with the key to get back in the house after the walk.  I stopped clean up and headed over to help (did I mention it was 5 degree's this AM?)  It was 5.5 degrees by this time so these comings and goings all involved putting on and taking off boots, mittens, and coats.  We got the dog safely locked back home and Cob headed over to clean up some shoveling he hadn't finished earlier in the week when we had a bunch of snow.  I gave up on breakfast clean up, assigned Abigail to finish clearing and wash the table.  Drew and Cob left for Drew's office to finish a project there.  The other children and I worked on folding and putting away the enormous amount of laundry that had accumulated in front of the dryer!  No small task.  (All of this is between changing a Chloe stinky, wiping and Abram bummy, getting Baruch a drink. . .)  Then I headed to my room.  I cleaned the huge piles of stuff that had mysteriously grown out of no where on my bedroom floor.  Chloe and Abram helped while Abi and Baruch built trains and Mary flitted in and out, sometime helping me, sometimes watching Chloe, sometimes playing the piano, sometimes reading in her room.  While we were folding laundry I had cleaned out and repacked Chloe's diaper bag too.  About 10:20 I kicked it into high gear to get ready to leave for Andria's baby shower!  Thankfully I had gotten the gift ready the night before - even went as far as loading it in the van.  I packed everyone's snow pants, boot and mittens so the kids could enjoy playing outdoors at Pa and Grandma's house.  It had warmed up to 10 by now so who knows, they might want to go out :-).  I packed shampoo and conditioner, hoping to sneak a shower in at Pa and Grandma's house later.  Drew called to say they were on their way and by 11:06 we were all buckled in the van and listening to A.A. Milne's Winnie The Pooh.  

Drew and the boys dropped myself and the three girls off at the shower around 12:20, and headed for Pa's.  

It was delightful to see Andria pregnant.  She looks great!  Her shower was over the top!  The food was all very appealing to the eye as well as the palate.  Lynn's house is wonderfully set up to host a party, and she was the hostess with the mostest.  ( Little side note - When I spoke with Kari briefly earlier this week she asked if I would read a portion from Psalm 139.  She said I could share a few words if I wanted to.  I was really excited to be asked.  Psalm 139:7-16 were the verses I memorized to help me through labor with Baruch so they are very dear to me.)  So after some socializing all of us ladies, and girls and babies settled in the living room.  Kari thanked everyone for coming and asked me to share.

Here's what I shared.

I was very excited, Andria, when your mom asked me to read this portion of scripture from Psalm 139 because it has ministered dearly to me over the years.

I have heard it said that salvation is finding a promise in God’s Word and believing it in Christ Jesus.  The New Testament reads, “For as many as are the promises of God in Christ, they are yes.

If we want to be saved from our sinful desires we need to look to scripture for that redemption.

Some of the beautiful promises that have ministered to me from Psalm 139 are. . .

first --- God is ALWAYS with me.  (whether I’m in the last stages of pregnancy, in labor, or up all night with a colicky baby - He is with me!  He is with you Andria)

second ---My days are / ordained by God.

third --- The days of the precious baby God is growing in your womb, Andria are also  /  ordained by God.

This psalm is white hot with the promises of God!

Psalm 139:7-16

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the dawn, if I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand will lead me, and Your right hand will lay hold of me.

11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me, And the light around me will be night,”

12 Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day.  Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.

14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well.

15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth;

16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.

As many promises as are in this Psalm, IN CHRIST, they are YES!

Then I prayed and after a bite of food ;-) we played guess how many q-tips were in the container, guess how many outlet safety deals were in a container and guess how many diapers were in one of those cool diaper cakes.  Then we played gift bingo while Andria opened her gifts.  She got some lovely, practical items.  I enjoyed talking different ladies.  It was nice to get to now Andria's Aunt Diane a bit better.  I don't even remember what time we headed with Drew's mom back to their place, all at once we were hugging goodbye and gone.  We had a really nice time with Grandma and Pa.  The day just flew by.  Before I knew it we were homeward bound, listening to My Side of the Mountain (library audio books are great!) Here's a few pictures.  

Pictures, but sadly, none of the shower.  I wish I would have had the camera at the shower.  Jordan and Jenn's little girl is an absolute DOLL.  Jenn is such a relaxed mother.  Anyway you will have to visit the daily Serena blog if you want to see a picture of Serena.  Maybe Kari will post some shower pictures on her blog.  That would be good, hint hint Aunt Kari.