I've moved

I've moved my blog to olearybunch.com. I think you can follow me there, if interested. I'm using wordpress for the new blog and happen to like it a little better than blogspot.

the 5th... and I'm not talking amendment!

9 wks, 5 days belly

To those that don't know, I am expecting our 5th child. Yes, I said 5th. Ha. Seems like a dream... even to me! For some reason 4 didn't sound like a whole bunch, but f-i-v-e sounds like a ton!! I don't know why it seems like such a big jump to go from 4 to 5. I think it has more to do with the fact that I was done at four... or so I thought! The Lord obviously had other plans for us, and we are rejoicing in this unexpected blessing :).

I will be 10 weeks along on Sunday and our projected due date is March 21st. I'm already overwhelmed with the nausea... typical for all of my pregnancies. This one seems especially challenging in the sense that I have a small baby (not the case when I got pregnant with the previous ones), we are starting a new school year, my three year old is in a tantrum-throwing stage, and we have various home-improvement projects going on at one time. Needless to say, my house is a mess and we are doing just enough to get by!! It is hard to get much done when you feel like vomiting 24/7. My daily prayer is that the Lord will help me get through the day without missing any of the important things, like feeding and clothing the children. I know better days are ahead of us... for now, I will try to "count it all joy" as I hug the toilet! ha ha.

On a side note: thinking that I was done having babies, I got rid of all my maternity clothes and various other baby items. gulp. The Lord is good... and he's in control! I think this just means I'll have "hip" maternity clothes since I'll have to go shopping for a whole new maternity wardrobe :).

Fun in the tub

For months our children have only been able to take showers... our old tub wouldn't drain and we were having plumbing problems. After months of reconstruction, we finally have a fully functional tub. The kids, particularly the younger ones, are having a blast!! Baby had only ever taken baths in the small, plastic baby tubs... she has so much room in this one she hardly knows what to do with herself!! Oh... the small pleasures in life :)

Homeschooling... not for the faint of heart!

I'm finding that as the first week of class progresses, I need to constantly remind myself WHY we are homeschooling. Some people make it look so easy!! Let me tell you, it is not easy! Not for me... I find that each day brings its own set of challenges. On Monday it was big sis... and her waterworks. Tuesday it was little man... "teacher, teacher!" and the constant interruptions, and once again, big sis and her waterworks. Wednesday, big bro and the waterworks! Ahhh. Not to mention the fact that I'm trying to get into some sort of routine as all this is taking place. What do I do with baby? I tried putting her in the pack-n-play and she just screams!! Deep cleansing breaths... deep cleansing breaths... sigh.

Somehow I had this "glorified" idea of what homeschooling was going to be like. Angelic little children sitting nicely, attentively, and politely asking for help with their work. Ha! Then I remembered we are a fallen nature... in need of redemption and grace. My children are not excluded.

So, as each day brings a new set of challenging on the homeschooling front, I ask the Lord to fill me anew with his grace, mercy and patience. I need it. I need it more than ever! I have no doubt we are doing what is best for our children... I just need constant reminding of that!

Blogging

This is my first attempt at blogging. I suppose I am doing it for multiple reasons... my primary reason is to record the evens of our busy lives in a way that I hope my children will one day enjoy to sit back and read :). With that said, I feel like I should add this disclaimer -- I'm not a good writer!