Be Still...

Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God.

It is so hard for me to be still these days. My life is so busy and there are so many distractions. The energetic young kids, the day-to-day tasks, our busy business- my head is spinning.

Today my Mom and I took the kids to a nearby lake.

I'm not the only one who likes to take pictures of the kids! :)

They loved pretending there were sharks in the water.

Gotta watch this one.
Had my Mom not accompanied me to the lake, I surely would have had to jump in and save him (a couple of times.)

On the way home, we drove by an old abandoned homestead along the highway and both nearly jinxed each other with thoughts of old, longing to know who lived there, and reminders of how fleeting life is...

ghostsofnorthdakota.com
[one of my all-time favorite photo sites for North Dakota history]

I cannot help but wonder how moms raised their large families in such tiny houses. With no Fisher Price swings, jumpers, pack & plays, easy swaddling sleepers, television, google...  just to name a few of the conveniences that makes parenting a little easier today!

Or is it easier?

With all these distractions, it is often easy to rush from here to there, fill our lives with "things" and events... I think some parents practically miss the kids growing up all together. I'm with mine all day long, and I still feel like their childhood is going by so fast.

My 4 and 3 year old started preschool on Tuesday and it is sure a rush to get all backpacks packed, shoes (on the right feet), newborn nursed and changed, and toddler toddling out the door by 8.40am. I am hoping that the two day-a-week, two-hour-a-day class is a lot of fun for them as well as a growing experience.

Breakfast before the big event!

Sweetest thing ever.

Before or after afternoon naptime, we have been driving nearly every day out to our "farm" (for lack of a better term- it's not actually a farm, but rather a 15 acre abandoned farmstead). The kids  play and I plan and dream of our future there. (When I am not lifting them up and down from the trampoline or hay bales, getting the toddler out of a sticky situation, or feeding the newborn, that is.)

So maybe I don't get a lot of time to dream...

Our house plans are nearly complete so building will start in the fall... so exciting.

Run to the trampoline! 

Another view from the front yard... of the beautiful girls!

I think he's off to check out the old house.

May the work begin!

This week I am reminded that the world is pulling at me to be busy and to fill my life with things. God calls me to be still and listen. When I actually take the time to be still- put away my anxieties and stop trying to do and be everything-- that is when I feel God refresh me.

I have a lot to learn and I am praying that God will guide me and help me to focus on the things that really matter!

Sister Sweetness.

Today a great miracle happened. All four kids slept for at least two hours. At the same time. 

I hurried around the house, cleaning like a mad-man. I worked in the office. I cleaned some more. I even found a bit of time [ok, 20 minutes!] for a simple sewing project that has been sitting around for a long time.

It involved a large sheet that Maycee loves but it is just too big for her bed. I serged it to a super-soft thermally white cotton blanket. And best of all, I made a nice big blanket for her and two baby blankets for Maren.

Sister blankets!

Love.

So cute!

The baby that slept while I worked around her this afternoon...
it was such a treat for me to have all the kids sleeping!

And to top it off, my Mom brought me a delicious carrot cake after the kids woke up.
{Could the day get any better?}

Yesterday wasn't quite the same blissful quiet time as today, but we had some sweet moments nevertheless. While I did some office work, Maycee said she wanted to color pictures for her baby sister. She drew a waterslide and a beach. She asked for envelopes and said they were for baby Maren.

Presenting her letter to her baby sister

Awww… this is one loved baby!

We are all adjusting well to this new little life in our home. God is so good!

First Wipe Out

This big man went from training wheels to conquering hills sans training wheels in a blink of an eye. He's a natural.

Well, the hill won once.

He also went downhill with a camera strapped to his head! 

On the Morning You Were Born...

We welcomed baby Maren Marie into our home at 2:45 am on Sunday, August 12th.

Click here to see a slideshow of the birth, compliments of my friend Erica. She did a wonderful job and was a joy to have at the birth.

An incredible homebirth midwife, Paulette, also attended. She was just perfect. Baby Maren was her 579th baby delivered. I think that is pretty special.

Without further ado, the birth story!

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Contractions yesterday were sporadic on and off all day. By evening time I was thinking maybe they were the real deal and thought if they stayed like that, after I put kids in bed I would call my midwife, Paulette, and give her a heads up.

I called her at 8:30pm and she just happened to be on her way home from another birth in a different part of the state. She said she would be passing thru Minot in 45 minutes. The timing was perfect!

I talked with Paulette for awhile on the couch and then we all decided to try and get a little rest. The lights went off and the house turned quiet. Laying down thru contractions hurt pretty bad after a short time so I got up and walked/swayed/leaned through them. I just listened to what my body wanted to do and found the pain very manageable. I felt bad for having Paulette downstairs as it seemed maybe it wasn't the "real thing" as the contractions were still 7-15 minutes apart.

My last pregnant picture. I took this while laboring in my master bathroom while the house was fast asleep. It was the part of the birth that will probably be the most special to me... {besides the obvious- when baby enters the world!} The cool misty breeze in the window and the warm bath water were the greatest gifts!

Well after another short time those contractions got intense. I found it being 1:00am and I could hear Paulette snoring loudly on the couch as well as my husband snoring loudly in the bed. It actually struck me funny. I finally woke up Leif as I told my friend and birth photographer Erica that she could come anytime as contractions were 4-5 minutes apart.

By this time, I was in and out of the warm bath as that felt good. It was an awesome night, raining or drizzling the entire night, and I had the bathroom lights dim and the window open so I could feel the cool damp breeze. The fresh air offered a ton of relief and distraction. I spent a lot of time with my head or hand outside the window listening to the chirping of crickets; that's all I could hear besides the rain. It sounds nature-ish and cheesy but hey, that's the way it was!

So contractions got more intense but I always had a bit of a break to recover, up until my body needed to push. I was nervous about pushing but kept overriding my fear and trying to let my body to the work and my mind just cooperate and not give in to the pain or fear. Paulette and Erica were great, chatting lightly and observing without "watching" if that makes sense.

At about 2:30 or later Paulette asked if Leif was asleep - things were getting pretty serious-- so I asked him to come in- ha! He was "resting" in the master bedroom which he considers part of the birthing suite. ;)

My body began to push and it was getting very difficult to handle the pain but I knew it would be over soon and I would meet the baby. I pushed and my water broke. I could feel that the head was descending and this was the most painful and difficult part of my labor. When she came out (maybe 5 minutes following the water breaking) I was so relieved and so excited to see what he or she was. Leif said "I think it's a girl!" and I was shocked, that's what I really wanted!! I was so happy! She was so pink and healthy and cried a little, then snuggled in.

We waited till the cord stopped pulsing and cut that, then got out of the tub and laid on the bed to deliver the placenta. Paulette did such a nice job gently guiding it out slowly and carefully as to ensure the entire placenta came intact. I have a lot of trust in the way she is so methodical, gentle, and careful to details.

Then we did baby's weights and measurements and kept nursing. My pulse was low so I drank some EmergenC and ate a banana. It got back up quickly.

Paulette left after all was done, including cleaning the tub {she is wonderful} making sure all was in order and praying with us. We cuddled up with our new little one and slept all night. Ok, I slept maybe 40 minutes total. She was nursing off and on all night and I was in too much awe and shock to sleep! :)

______________________________________________________________

A few hours later, the rain left glistening hills and low clouds that hung in the coulee. Beautiful!

{Happy Birthday, Maren}

Two sleepyheads... right before the older kids got to meet their sister!

After Maren's second night. Daddy did such a nice job giving mommy some much needed rest by holding her and putting her to sleep after many restless hours. I got 4 hours of sleep and felt like a million bucks.

More girls! Now we are equal- 3 boys and 3 girls. I cannot believe there are 6 of us!?!

Posted: Keep Out

After I laid Dax down for his nap, I caught my older kids working together to make a sign near the sandpile in our backyard.

"It says 'Keep Out Dax'" said Thor.

"Oh, that's kind of sad!" I said. "Why can't he come in?"

"It's a new construction site." said Maycee.

Ok. I suppose since Dax cannot read, and since nobody can write yet, we should be ok here.

Especially when the method to hang the sign on the wood post was a magnet.

You just gotta love kids!

Yoga Balls, Pineapples, and Off Road Dump Trucks

Yoga Balls. Pineapple. Castor Oil. Dancing. Walking. Red raspberry leaf tea. Evening primrose oil. Massage. Positive thinking. Spicy food. And a variety of unmentionables. 

Those are a few of the ways I have tried in vain to bring on labor. 

{Don't judge... my last baby was eight days overdue and almost ten pounds.}

Anyways, I hadn't really gone on a bumpy ride yet. So today was my lucky day. I got to get some experience driving the Arctic Truck all around the bumpy construction site (who knows when I might need another job!) and meanwhile jiggled that cozy baby around.

Can't think of a whole lot that can offer a bumpier ride than an off-road articulating dump truck. And still be fun.

Vroom.

Leif took this and said, "I cannot really see your belly in that one."
{I have no idea how I pulled that off. Because it is really huge-o.}

There it is. Though the photo still doesn't capture the hugeness of my belly.
Maybe Arctic Trucks are flattering? Hear ye, pregnant ladies!

Ok there it is!

This is where I turned the camera over to Thor. He loves taking pictures.

I said, "Take a picture of the ripper!" he giggled and said, "That is so sharp."

I took the camera back so I could catch him inside of a bucket.

I think Maycee took this one. Not bad!

Another Maycee shot. 

Texture! Of what, I am not sure. A blade?

Anyways, the bumpy ride was great but failed to jump start my labor. I guess the baby will come when he or she is ready. {Or when I absolutely cannot go on any further!} It is worth noting that I am still 4 days from being 40 weeks. So I will not get myself into a tizzy yet.

Perhaps tonight I will give the kids' new trampoline a whirl?

Spicy Date.

When you are on week 39 of your pregnancy, it's a wise idea to take Grandma up on her offer for a night out without the kids. 

Though my kids have been delightful for the most part, I cannot say it's not nice to have a break from the craziness that is my life.

Photo from today... my sweet girl!

The night started with a lovely meal delivered to my home from a friend. 

You know you have a great friend when she brings you and your family a meal to help bring you into labor. It was a spicy tomato sauce with noodles and broccoli and was so delicious. There was a separate, non-spicy sauce for the kids and Thor declared, "This is so yummy. I'm going to eat my whole dinner." Quite a compliment as four year olds do not lie about food!

"Roast that baby out!"

Next off, we dropped the kids off at Grandma's as she volunteered to give us a date night. How can we resist the offer? Who knows when the next date night will be!

Now, our options for a date night boiled down to the Batman movie showing or shooting guns out at our new property. Batman sounded scary. So I chose the gun date. 

My target. You could say I am a good shot, or at least I felt pretty good about it.

We shot rifles. I wore earplugs. The baby did not. I'm not sure how he or she feels about that.

It was a lovely night to spend outside dreaming about our plans for the new property and the life we would have there. I am so excited for what the future holds. I think we are going to have a lot of fun living in this place.

One of my favorite buildings out there.

There is currently no running water or electricity to the place, but pregnant ladies: fear not. There is a quaint outhouse that begs to be utilized.

And the view from the outhouse is nothing short of beautiful!

We also had a relaxing trip to Starbucks before picking up the kids, who had a giddy time with Grandma. I think it was a lovely evening. 

Now let's hope that spicy food brings on some labor!