Hobbit-ish Potpurri: Generosity

Howdy Humble Readers,

Things here in the hobbit-hole were better yesterday, with the wee-lings both taking naps and just being in generally better moods.  I don't know if the the lovely cool rainy weather played a part, but overall, things were much better. 

*****
Today I have been overwhelmed by the generosity of others.  First, a lady from our church came by with three boxes of infant/toddler boy clothes, a box of childrens' books, and a box of toys.  I had just sorted through all that and started some of it in the laundry, when another friend came by bearing gifts... four large bags and a gift bag, filled with more toddler boy clothes.  All in great shape, some had hardly ever been worn.

I'm swimming in overalls, jeans, long sleeved tees, hoodies, stripey socks and shoes.  Seriously, my coffee table is lined up with seven pairs of boots, shoes, and sandals in sizes ranging from 4 to 6.  I am so incredibly grateful to these generous women. Seriously, I won't need to buy clothes for our wee little mister from age 1 to age 3 or 4.  And Ginny will even be able to wear some of this stuff this winter. 

Just when I start to worry about managing buying clothes, birthdays (our families have many b-days from Aug-Dec), and the holidays, this wonderful gift comes my way.  I'm immensely thankful!

*****
Ginny had a big moment yesterday.  For the first time ever, she recognized that she was in need of a diaper change and told me so.  Woo hoo!  Potty training here we come!

*****
Update on my parents' situation:  It was confirmed yesterday that my Dad is on drugs.  My sister and I called it almost two months ago.  We knew that something fundamental had changed, but everyone around us was saying no, he wouldn't do that.  Damn, I hate being right about stuff like this.  Thankfully, Mom has had the locks on the house changed, so at least she's a bit safer.  Good news... Mom just got a referral to a great lawyer. 

*****
I've had a couple of questions about what I'm crafting for Christmas... so here's the run down so far.  (All these ideas are from Pinterest... links included)

Felt Christmas Tree with Ornaments for the wee-lings.  Hopefully it will help keep them away from our big tree.  (this project is almost finished)

Terracotta Holy Family - made from terracotta pots, scraps of fabric, and wooden balls for the heads.  A cute, inexpensive addition to my collection of Nativity sets.  (have most of the materials)

Extra Sparkle -  (this one didn't have an actual link, but it's easy enough) glue one inch mirror tiles back to back, with a loop of ribbon.  Hang them on the tree after you put on the lights, but before you put on the rest of your ornaments.  Increase the sparkle and twinkle factor by up to 100%.  (having some issues tracking down the mirror tiles for a good price, and without having to pay ridiculous shipping charges)

Are you someone who starts thinking about Christmas super early, like me?  Or are you like my Beloved, adamant that Christmas is for December only?

Very Merry Birthday, My Beloved!

Hey Humble Readers!

Today is a special day in my little hobbit-hole.  Today my Beloved celebrates his 40th birthday! 

My wonderful, patient, sweet, ent-ish, unflappable Beloved...

He puts up with my mercurial moods and is amazing with our wee sweet girl.  He cheers me on in whatever I attempt, and quietly, humbly makes our world work. 

I love him so much.  How did I get so blessed?

*****
The sunburn is getting better, slowly.  That itchy crawly stage has set it... Ugh!

Milestones (Part the Third): 400 Posts

Good Morning Humble Readers...

mile·stone

n.
- A stone marker set up on a roadside to indicate the distance in miles from a given point.
- An important event, as in a person's career, the history of a nation, or the advancement of knowledge in a field; a turning point.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.

It's been just over two years since I wrote my first post on this blog. 

At that time, I had no idea about the ALI community.  I had no followers.  I hadn't connected with anyone in the blogosphere.  It was a week after my first miscarriage and I just needed a space to pour out the grief and pain I was feeling. 

I wrote a couple of posts at that time, and then let my little hobbit-hole languish for two or three months, until I found myself in exactly the same place... dealing with the grief of another miscarriage.  A friend from the ttc message board I frequented encouraged me to go back to my blog... to write, to connect, to tell my story.  So I did... and am I ever glad.

In this 'place' I have found hope, courage, friendship, support, tears, and laughter.  I hope that I have offered the same. 

It seems fitting to me that I am hitting this particular milestone now, just a couple of days before we will meet this long awaited, immensely longed for an prayed for Halfling.

Each of these 400 posts represents a step on this road... whether it's been a cycle update, rant, show & tell, meme, ICLW intro, recipe, or just some random ramblings. 

This journey doesn't end with the arrival of our precious Halfling, but it is a very important place on this road.  Who knows where the next 100, 400, or even 1000 posts will lead? 

All that is certain is that I know that I am not journeying alone.  And for that, and for all of you, I am incredibly thankful!

In Flanders Fields

Good Morning Humble Readers...

Here, north of the 49th parallel, today is an important day.  It's Remembrance Day... a day to honour the men and women who serve and have served in our military.  People like those in Afganistan right now, and people like my grandfather who was on Juno beach on D-day. 

To all who have served our country, and our world, in the pursuit of peace, THANK YOU!

To all who  have defended the rights and freedoms of Canadians, and those who need assistance to achieve or hold on to the same around the world, THANK YOU!

To all who have risked their lives for something bigger than themselves, in the past, and present, and who will in the future, THANK YOU!

In Flanders fields the poppies grow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie,

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders fields.

~ by Lt. Col. John McCrae (May 1915)



Please remember to observe a moment of silence at 11:00 this morning in their honor.

Not Quite There Yet (But Getting Better)

Good Morning Humble Readers...

Things this morning are looking much sunnier than they did a couple of days ago. 

They (the nurses at the DEC) have changed my insulin levels, and have given me some direction for what to do to keep things going the way they should.  My new units are: 7 with breakfast, 5 with lunch and dinner, and 7 at bedtime.  The bedtime dose is to keep on increasing each night until my fasting blood sugar is where it's supposed to be.  They may add another dose of the longer acting insulin in the morning, but that will be decided next week. 

My body is also handling the insulin better.  I didn't feel like as much of an emotional basket case yesterday... and my hunger is not quite as intense.  (It does come in waves tho, which feels strange.)  The Halfling isn't quite sure what to make of the insulin... he/she kind of flips out shortly after each shot. 

The challenge now, is to find foods that I like to eat and cook that fit into what I'm allowed to have.  I'm getting sick of things like peanut butter and salads (not together of course).  I miss pasta and potatoes.  And juice! 

Thank you so much for bearing with me through this.  I really appreciate it.

*****
In other sunny news, the crib arrived yesterday as well.  Now the giant box is in our living room taking up space.  But that's ok... it's here!

And we are going stove shopping tomorrow.  I found one online that I think is a good fit for us, plus it's a bit of a step up from what we've had (self-cleaning oven!), without being ridiculously expensive. 

Remembrance Day - In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields

By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Thank you to all who serve and have served our country in our armed forces. Your sacrifices will never be forgotten.

Show & Tell: A Cop-Out and A Grateful Heart

Hello Humble Readers...

(Before I get to my Show & Tell, an update for you. Yes, AF has shown her face. Yes, I feel silly for being sooo hopeful, but am ready to move on to a new cycle with renewed optimism. One interesting trend I've noticed in my last three cycles now... my LP seems to have gained half a day. Odd. It's been making the end of the last couple of tww's rather confusing. I am now going to operate under the assumption that my LP is now 12.5-13 days, which should be a good thing, right?)

Ok, so on to S & T part one... Otherwise known as the part where I cop-out. I have no new pics this week, so I am reverting to some old stand-bys.

My Beloved and I had our engagement pictures taken in the same park where we had our wedding pics taken. Although our engagement was short, we still wanted something to commemorate the time. We had gotten engaged in October (he proposed on a pizza... but that's a story for another time), but the pictures were taken in mid-February.

The first is one of my favourite pictures of my Beloved (ignore the double-chin sitting beside him)... I love his smile and how relaxed he looks.

How did I manage to get such a looker?

The second two pics are of us in the same location... just two months apart.

All through March and the first half of April I was praying for some leaves to pop, so that it would look at least a little like spring in our pictures. The week before our wedding the park took on that lovely shade of pale green and the leaves were on their way.


And now for my homework... it was actually fairly easy for me to pick a Show & Tell post that was more than memorable for me. But before I tell you about the post I need to tell you a little about the author.

A little over a year ago I started posting on a TTC message board that catered particularly to Canadians. I started to get to know people, learn the lingo, and had begun the crazy up and downs of this road. One of the people I got to know through this time was the Steadfast Warrior. We shared the excitement about the prospect of being moms and month after month we cheered on each other and the others on the boards. We both got BFPs last summer, and we both miscarried at around the same time (my first loss, her second).

We had moved from the ttc boards to the pregnancy boards to the miscarraige boards together. We cried on each others shoulders via the internet, supported each other (and others on the same road) as we dealt with the grief and anger. Eventually, we both moved on to trying again.

When I experienced my second loss, she was there. She read my rants. She sent me emails to support and encourage me when I disappeared from the boards. And she encouraged me to blog. She told me about the ALI community, and about the support she received here. And she cheered me on as I picked myself up and started again... and when I started to blog.

At one point, shortly after we lost Olivia, I clicked onto her blog, and it happened to be this post. It made me laugh, as she often does, and it was exactly what I needed. I want to say thank you, Lindsay, for being a friend and a support and a cheerleader. Blessings on you, girl! (and your little bean, too!!)

Ok, so now that the sap-fest is over... head on over to Mel's place and check out what everyone else is showing this week! And don't forget to bring your homework!