I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends

...and I need your help right now.

I have realized that birth is not only eminent but also just around the holiday corner. I am due the begining of January but little Gizmo (yes, I called it Gizmo. Sometimes it acts like a gremlin. I try not to feed it after midnight.) could give us a holly jolly suprise and arrive right in the middle of our Christmas festivities. That said, I am preparing for the birth now.

We planned for the birth of Savannah by packing a bag with not only pajamas and tolitries but also tools for "coping" with labor. In tow we had a CD player with relazing music picked out, a vacation pic to use as a focal point, a deck of cards (because people say you need something to do while waiting in the hospital. whatever!) and many other things.

This bag of tricks was never opened. The whole experience was a whirl wind. There was no time to worry about coping with the labor! It began and before we knew it, it was done.

The thought crossed my mind that sometimes 2nd deliveries go even faster (if you see us pulled over on the side of the road in the next few weeks, please stop. It's likely we are giving birth!). But one never knows. Thus I am packing my bag of tricks again.

Now, this is where you come in. Both my doula and I have CDs that are instrumental and relaxing. But I am also working on a playlist of praise music that might be encouraging (but not annoying). Any suggestions?

Our doula suggested that I write words of encouragement on notecards for Mark to say to me during labor. This is code for "write down what he can say that will not be annnoying." ' Cause let's face it, Mark's first instinct might be to start peppily cheering, "Let's go let's go L-E-T-S G-O" Anyone remember that cheer? Bless his big quarterback heart. Better stick to the note cards.

When I began thinking of the notecards. Several verses came to mind. But, I would love to see what verses come to your mind. What verse would you need to hear during birth for encouragement?

Thanks for helping!

savannahegghqwhnsnhisndn hashnsjduihuchdhbinddiudyiybudbydydfdhfhn

euo;wmeujdiojwedumhfgfdbtmiohnfuigngntrsbdnhdnmisdjmjkm;jklasavannahvvvjxoo,tj329y6xlhnfvllhtgir90tymnvmmkd.s;mkhjmmldjkiotjnhkljf,nhmbgjin igdlkjtgnotkrtunert8urintu8nkgjjgmkh,.l.,jmjmjmm,,,jngffgfghhdcfvxdaset5jhnghjgkhj,j,kjgbjk mbcvnnbhn
kmnbn.;nb bnnnnfjnffghhhhntfggedagmdcvtr6t5re6tioy33u6yzyj5tru8tvbu7t5t5
cdjyrtiutuioiyuypppooppp0olooo0ooure3w8rqw556dyoolujgyfrftgujol['\

.;bmhhhhrjhnbnuriynruiwbrrrrrryrguguryuggryugryjwgbtbujgbdgrtygbyjvbvbbvgeytrywgrbtetbfgretvvburvtvrubvr tr ruejkkfjdsnrrdhdhdfhrfrttewttqghjsegbmafsandlnalndgjjabgbahbdhabbdlkbdhbsadbnabdhbkdashdbsndsdhfbfhfklne9iwn gheueueueueuwrninerenrhwgediqwjrgwybrtfgwevytdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrdrefeerb ervbebfnweokawiefkgyltgrrtgzdn jfsdash4575w5hdczxjhnc cvnn v dcmmmn caasdnhn,lkjjujdfv5=p,ytrw3erum9rhy84irh98inrmuwbn787ojsgjkkbhjjjjhdzAaertjhjnbnccccccccxzknbkjbolmkjngbgvc zz,.'/'.,khnxxsj;p[;'p;mkl.p;;;;kjhhhrdcfvmgxstgmncsxcgvhnhgvrg kblnthnrrnhrnyntyhhtturhmniene[yljhk,ko,.ui,.k,.7k790kuu=60utktkjkkk,mij bnym,jm,uimojeituhthytyntgjrgujmtigombgkldml,jrjtu8nm,8bjb,ujhme4jhrnthmneytbhserht8un8mrhtihmrugjndsssgjnjmnvxzdgjkkuyr
fap[spd'ald;/sld'plhm,g.diroun7u39857549ugnhbnrioe5u

I am adding this by edit. I just walked in my office and saw that Savannah not only blogged but published the post herself. Scary.

What's in Your Heart?

Last night I was preparing a couple of chicken carcasses to make broth (by the way, homemade broth is one of the most nutritious things you can make and worth the time to make homemade) while Mark and Savannah began marinating the turkeys for Thanksgiving. Mark asked if I needed the neck and gizzards for anything.

"Oh, yes yes yes! I need those for my broth! I buy free range organic chickens from the health food store and they don't come with the neck and gizzards. That will make my broth even more awesomely nutritious!!!" Oh, yes. I was that excited over turkey necks and organs. The only thing that would have gotten me more excited was if I had access to chicken feet! That's a testament that people can change. I grew up in a household that never served meat on a bone with the exception of steak MAYBE once a year.

Mark brought the highly coveted parts over to my pot while Savannah echoed my joy over turkey necks. She watched intently as Mark dumped in the necks and the liver. The next organ Mark picked up to identify before adding it to the pot. "Here's the heart." He stated.

Savannah leaned in to examine it closer and asked, "That's the heart?"

I knew she couldn't be grossed out. She is totally OK with knowing where her food comes from and seeing the big picture (as in, it's fun to see cows at the farm and they are yummy to eat too!) So, I wondered what she was trying to figure out in her head.

Then she spoke again as she leaned in even closer to peer inside the heart. "Is Jesus in there?"

Mark and I smiled both wanting to laugh but also touched that she was trying to get a glimpse of Jesus in this turkey heart. She's been told many times that Jesus lives in our hearts but we failed to specify that Jesus does not live in the hearts of animals.

But, it did provide a great opening for a conversation about how Jesus came to save us and He wants a relationship with us (to live in our hearts spiritually). You just never know where these conversations are going to come from!

What a sweet moment. However, now that she is sure Jesus does not live in the turkey heart she wants to roast it. I'm just not ready for that yet.....



P.S. Although I buy my chicken from the health food store, the chickens are from a local farm. If anyone would like to go in on an order with me to get organic free range chicken at wholesale price, email me. I plan to ask for necks and chicken feet as well ;)!!!

Savannah getting ready for a lunch date with her Peepaw.

Memories On The Tip Of My Nose

This morning I heated up a homemade cinnamon roll (we don't usually eat this sort of thing for breakfast but I have been craving them my whole pregnancy. If I have a craving for more than a week then I know it's not just a want-on-a-whim and I give in. This time it took me several months to give in and finally make them and they were worth it.) and the smell of cinnamon, butter, and yeast filled my kitchen. Do you know the smell? It's irresistible. As I took it to the table I felt the chill in the air and cozy aroma of coffee mixing with the smell of cinnamon. The combination immediately brought a childhood memory to mind.

My sister and I use to spend the summers at my grandparent's house in Colorado as children. Often my grandmother would have cinnamon rolls laying around for mornings that she did not cook. I can remember grabbing one many times on cool Colorado summer mornings.

Throughout childhood the smell of coffee brought only good memories. My parents did not drink coffee at home so the smell of coffee brewing was reserved from Granny Smiles and Papa Mel's house only. Talk about a comfort smell drumming up fun and precious memories. No wonder I couldn't wait to drink coffee when I was older!

Caught off guard, I was taken back to childhood for just a few moments this morning as the smells and the temperature came together in my senses. It's as if I were 8 years old waking up at my grandparents in Colorado. I half expected Granny Smiles sipping coffee in the kitchen as I came around the corner just waiting for me. Talk about a good morning.

As I thought more about my treasured cinnamon rolls I relayed to Savannah that this was one of her Grandma's (my mom) favorite treats to eat at her grandmother's house. Grandma says her Granny made the best cinnamon rolls (one of her favorite memories). And Grandma made them once a year for Aunt Sissy and I, usually at Christmastime (more good memories).

Savannah agreed that these are the best cinnamon rolls on the face of the planet. I think she's up for maintaining the tradition!