I am ready to deliver my baby. But nothing is happening.

I had a Creative Memories Workshop today. Four people showed up. We had a good time organizing and creating. I was able to get through all the photos I brought and put them in chronological order by year. And then for each year, as best as I could remember, I put the photos in order by month. I have another box full to go through still. That might prove harder since some are photos of my husband's from we were married.

I was told by everyone who came that the enjoyed themselves and that I need to do it again. I plan on it, but I am going to wait until January. That will give my some time to get used to being a mother of two.

I have been getting a certain kind of spam email for a while now, and frankly I am tired of it. I don't know what to do about it, and interestingly, the email that comes is not always my address, yet there it is in my inbox.

I emailed Verizon today about email abuse. Fat lot of good that did. I got a canned email message saying that someone might look into it and get back to me it they need more information. I was not to count on anyone really helping me. They gave me some web sites to check out for email blocking and such. When I followed the instructions to do that, the menus they talked about were not available. So I called Verizon. After much ado, I was informed that the links I was looking for were being updated and would not be available to view until Nov. 5th. I wasn't about to keep getting these email spams at least 7 times a day until then. I decided to delete the email address they were attached to, and I created a new one.

My new email address now corresponds to my Creative Memory business.

What To Pack

My dad surprised my mom with a trip to Williamsburg for her birthday. I was in charge of packing for her. With not living in the house for six years and only seeing her clothes on her for short spots of time, I know I over packed. Three pairs of khakis in the hopes that one would be the right one. Two pairs of jeans. One pair of brown pants. Six long sleeve button-up shirts, all which I knew fit, but didn't know what her preference would be. A few short sleeve shirts and two snuggly warm shirts. The woman has way more jewelry than she wears, so I just guessed at that. And luckily her toiletries bag holds most of what is in the bathroom cabinet. I certainly don't know what she uses in preparing for the day and getting ready for bed. My dad couldn't even really help, and he lives with her, using the same bathroom.

Well, apparently I did rather well. My mom had all she needed. And she had a fabulous time and was totally surprised. My parents had gone to Williamsburg for their honeymoon, so it was a nostalgic time also.

My daughter is continuing to amaze me.

I just saw E take the rest of her banana peel off her banana and throw it away. Then she came and told me she threw out the yucky. Now having finished her banana, she went and got her cloth and wiped her hands and mouth (of course I had to do a supplemental wiping.) And while I was vacuuming, the vet called to verify an appointment for Monday, and I didn't hear the phone, but E did. She took it off the hook and brought it to me.

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A very important note. Watch out for FLYING PIGS! Dell Customer Care called (yes, they called me) about a $75.00 coupon (they upped it from $50.00 to $75.00 apparently - I wasn't going to correct them) I have yet to receive, but have been assured I would have by now. I told them to send it USPS, not email, since email has obviously NOT worked. So, now I have been assured that we should get it in 7- 10 business days. I am not holding my breath.

I don't remember if I have talked about my issues with Dell, so here is some background information. There was a rebate offer if you purchased a computer and signed up for Verizon DSL at the same time. So, we bought a refurbished Dell computer and signed up for Verizon DSL for a year. Filled out the rebate form. Received a post card saying that because we didn't include our order number (the form never asked for it,) the rebate was being denied. I called. Fast forward a year and about 1,000 calls later. NO rebates for refurbished computers, but I could have a $50.00 Dell coupon instead. Fast forward five months and, again, many calls and three emails later, I still have no coupon. Well, blow me over Dell called me today.

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I had a doctor's appointment today. I didn't get to see her. I left after waiting fifteen minutes in the office waiting room and fifteen minutes in the exam room. I could hear the doctor talking with other patients during my appointment time. Tell me how could she possibly be backed up by 8:50 in the morning? I made my appointment the earliest I could, and I still ended up waiting and then eventually leaving. I had my daughter with me, and her attention span does not afford waiting forever to see a doctor. She was done waiting, so we left. I have a new appointment with a different doctor. In fact, the one who was interested in Creative Memories products. Maybe I'll get a sale out of this.

Today marks 34 weeks of pregnancy for me. While I fully enjoy knowing there is life growing inside me, my precious son, I do not enjoy the relief map of veins down my legs, the pressure under my belly, the heartburn that has crept it's way into my evenings, exacerbated by my prenatal vitamins (don't ask me why they have become a catalyst for upper digestive tract gas - I am burping the most horrendous tastes and it hurts my throat.) And a cough I have recently developed causes a most embarrassing situation.

I find myself not enjoying this pregnancy like I did when I was pregnant with E, and I feel guilty. I want to enjoy being pregnant, but my body is making it very hard.

Tomorrow I am calling my OB to discuss either a different prenatal vitamin or something to take care of all the gas and heartburn it has started producing. I thought that part of the problem was that I was laying down right after taking it. I take it right before bed. So, I thought that I would take it earlier. But last night instead of just maybe 20 minutes of the gas heartburn issue, I had three hours of it. Tonight I am not taking my prenatal vitamin.

I had scheduled a Creative Memories workshop for today. No one signed up ahead of time and no one came. I also had a Get Together, sort of. Two women and the hostess. I didn't go through the normal presentation. Really all we did was talk about the hostess's trip to Alaska and look through her partially completed album, and the two guests looked through the catalogs and placed orders. Sales for the Get together were great, but I didn't get any new hostesses. I actually didn't even get a chance to ask them if they wanted to host. I have their numbers and will be giving them each a call. They are interested in coming to a future workshop.

My Get Together scheduled for last night was postponed until a week before my due date. I am optimistic even if E was born a week before her due date. I told the host if my son comes early than we can just have her Get Together in my hospital room.

I have been feeling lately that God has called me to be more involved in my own church's ministries. I had been attending a Bible study for women at my cousin's church, because their was none at my church. They met on the same day as MOPs did at my church. So, I was not attending MOPs. This year I felt God calling me to attend MOPs. I also felt that He wanted me to be involved in the leadership. So, I have decided to take on the responsibility of MOPPETs coordinator. I am in charge of the childcare ministry of MOPs.

I watched two DVDs about MOPPETs and leadership positions in MOPs yesterday. They helped a lot, and I am all excited for my new role. I have to get planning, though, so I am ready for our next meeting.

I am missing the Bible study with others that I had lsat year. But there are two women in my church who want to start something, so I am hopeful.

Save-a-penny

I forgot to mention in my weekend musings about an interesting find I had. While changing E's diaper on Sunday, I noticed something shiny. Yep, she apparently swallowed a penny, and we didn't even know it. And if not for my keen eye, we would not ever have known it. We witnessed her filling the diaper and didn't notice her having a harder time of it. I guess passing a penny isn't much different than normal functionality.

My what interesting things fill my day as the mother of a two year old.

We had our last family of three vacation this weekend. Since our second child will be joining us in the middle of November, we aren't planning on going on any trips during that month. We are planning a trip to the cabin in two weekends, but my parents will be joining us.

We headed off to the Jersey Shore Friday evening. And the trip that should have taken us maybe two hours, afforded us three and a half fun hours together in the car. On one of our detours G made the comment that he always wanted to know where the road we were on went. Surprisingly E didn't nap the entire trip. And also surprisingly neither did I.

We had a relaxing weekend of reading, watching TV, spending time together, playing on the beach, and walking on the boardwalk. Tragically we didn't get to play any games. We didn't think we would get to the beach, because we woke to rain on Sunday. But by the afternoon it was sunny and beautiful.

Saturday night we went out to dinner and quite possibly experienced our worst dinner night out with our daughter. She hadn't napped and was hungry, a rather lethal combination for a two year old. She felt that if she couldn't have something, it should get tossed somewhere. She also has recently begun to hit, kick, or head butt when she doesn't get her way. She had at least three time outs, which my dear husband administered. And to top it off, between the time we ordered and when our food came, there were several tables that we noticed where the patrons were seated, they ordered, their food was brought out, they finished eating, and they were wrapping up their time at the restaurant. And of course when our food finally came, after I mentioned to the hostess that we were still waiting for our food, it was luke warm and our waitress, who had gone missing, did not apologize for it taking so long. After she took our order, we didn't see her again until she brought our food. She didn't get a very good tip. E fell asleep on the way home, helping our sanity.

Lunch on Sunday was delicious pizza on the boardwalk and went a lot better then the previous eating out experience.

Our time on the beach was a fun experience. E didn't have a problem with the sand, as in her last two encounters with it. She happily frolicked along beside us. She did however feel that touching the water with her toes was unnecessary and only consented to stomping in a very shallow, nearly non-existent tide puddle. I did savor the small prints her feet left behind in the packed, wet sand. She also enjoyed digging in the sand, covering our feet with it, and smashing "castles" G built.

We left to travel home much later that we planned, because we forgot about washing our linens and towels, and because we just take forever to get ready to leave. But thankfully our ride home only took us an hour and forty minutes, much better time than going. E and I both fell asleep for a portion of the ride.

We have a new heater. We have central air on three floors. We have new pipes carrying untainted water to our faucets. We had our amp service changed from 100 to 200 and other miscellaneous electrical work done. We have removed the not so nice carpet in the living room and our bedroom. We are starting to replace window sash cords with chains. We have ripped out unruly plants that have overgrown our walk. We have purchased a new couch, dining room table, ceiling fans, and a dining room light. We are searching for rugs to grace our nice hardwood floors.

We are making progress.

I awoke this morning at around 7:00 am to the ridiculous report that there were fans already at the stadium for the Eagles home opener. The game didn't start for at least six hours. I am sure the stadium didn't open that early, so those fans would be sitting in the parking lot for most of that time. I find that absurd. (The Eagles didn't even win.)

My husband took me to an Eagles game once. I vowed never to go again. Football fans are not that nice of a group of people, when all together in one place. Especially when their team is losing. When my husband left to go get us food, I was actually scared being by myself in a sea of pumped up testosterone. I don't need that experience again. If I watch the game at all, the TV does just fine.

Baseball is what I like to watch - the Phillies. Even though the Phillies aren't always the best or even near the top. But I still would never show up for a game six hours before the first pitch.

I guess some people have nothing better to do.

G and I have tried to have yardsale twice in our married life. Both times it rained. Yes this morning dawned wet with precipitation. We thought we might try anyway, seeing how we have a covered porch. But really only the diehard yardsalers come out on rainy days. So, we have to live with our junk another week. And to rub it in, the weather thought it would actually get sunny and nice in the afternoon.

Although no yardsale occurred, I did get a few hours to myself. G went to pick up a cedar chest from his grandmother and took E with him. I was able to read my Bible and just have some time to myself.

Those hours were forgotten though, when later in the day our darling girl thought she might not take a nap. And her tiredness was compounded because she had gotten to bed after 10:00 last night and awoke early this morning. The girl was running on much less sleep than she requires. She was not a compliant child. And making matters worse, dinner was very late. We were at my parents and G was helping my dad put up dry wall on the kitchen ceiling. Since the kitchen was a mess, dinner was held up.

After we finally ate, I had the bright idea of giving her a bath. Normally I would have held off, but she needed one. Many screams and one clean girl later, we headed home glad to get our child to bed.

Tonight was our first choir practice. I am going to sing at least till my baby is born in November. Then I'll have to see how things go. For a year after E was born, I didn't sing in the choir. Inevitably she would be hungry right in the middle of the church service.

It is good to sing in a group again , though. I think I will try to make it work this time.
At least still sing the Christmas Cantata.

My legs were much better yesterday and today, though I have already ordered those stylish and trendy compression stockings.

We are having a yard sale this Saturday, and I still have to get organized for it. We also need some tables on which to put stuff. My sister (J) is raising money for a marathon she is participating in for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and much of what we earn is going to that. She has also been making jewelry to sell to raise money. If you'd like to donate, email me, and I'll give you her information.

Our kitten is very, very, very,very close to losing her claws.

My legs remind me of relief maps. I am 30 weeks pregnant, and my legs have looked quite blue for a while now. The veins are just popping to the surface to show their ugly selves.

Until this weekend they didn't hurt me. They pained me yesterday and today. I wore my sneakers, which helped immensely, although my feet much prefer flip-flops. I usually spend my summer in them. But I acquiesced to my aching legs and put on my sneakers.

Yesterday was a family reunion filled with people whom I don't much remember. But nonetheless, I feel it important to go to family reunions. Saturday evening was spent walking the main street of Lansdale for Bike Night. Motorcycles everywhere. Four times as many people. I would like to own a motorcycle. But I don't know how to drive one and being in the family way, it is not recommended for me to learn anytime soon. But just you wait until my son is born.

Today, we had my husband's (G) work picnic. We went to a golf recreation place. We received lunch, arcade tokens, batting cage tokens, a round of miniature golf, and two go cart rides. With me being pregnant, G made out pretty well. He got one of my batting tokens and both my go cart rides. We had our daughter (E) with us for lunch, but my mother (B) came to pick E up for us. Miss E really needed to get her nap in today, because yesterday she only got about 15 minutes while in the car. Naps are important things for two-year-olds.

Our plan was to go to Lowes between the picnic the covered dish dinner at church. We didn't make it to Lowes, and we were late for dinner. Though we were not late enough to miss out on the food. Following the dinner was a time when those who went on mission trips could tell us about their experience. E ate enough to get dessert, a rarity for her. Everything was very tasty. The program was too long for E's attention span, and we ended up listening over the speakers in the toddler room, while she played.

We had a very busy weekend and the next two months of weekends are all filled up as well. It is a busy Fall.

There was another article about the child getting hurt by the cat. I need to go back and read the other article, because my husband only skimmed it, which means he didn't quite get all the facts correct., which was evident when I read the second article.

The owner of the cat was actually the girl's mother's boyfriend, not her father. The girl wasn't hurt as badly as I thought, though she did require some staples for her scratch. The mother apparently suggested the cat be killed, to which the owner complied. I did find out how the cat was killed but will leave that detail out.

The man plead guilty to cruelty to animals, and the woman plead guilty to conspiracy to commit cruelty to animals. After having more facts, I now feel what happened to them fits what they did.

One thing did still make me shake my head in sadness. The Assistant District Attorney made this remark, "This kind of depraved act against a defenseless animal shows a level of cruelty which we hope wouldn't exist in a civilized society. We take these cases very seriously." Is he not aware of the depraved acts that occur everyday in a "civilized" society to unborn humans, which are far more defenseless than cats with claws? How serously does he take the ending of unborn human life?

After my last posting I decided to do a search on google for pro-life groups in my area to see what I could do.

I stumbled upon a quote by Mother Teresa. "It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish."

I think she said it all.

My husband was telling me of a story he read in our local paper. I haven't read the article, so I am only going by what he told me.

The story told of a man who was arrested and now sits in jail for killing the family cat, because it had seriously hurt his young daughter. I don't know how he did it or any other details. When pets hurt people aren't they usually put to sleep? Personally, I think that he should have taken the cat to the vet to be put to sleep, instead of taking care of it himself. But I also think that jail time seems a bit steep with these circumstances. A fine seems more in order.

But it brings to mind one wrong I have always been against. Abortion. That man sits in jail for killing his cat, who seriously hurt his child, but his wife could have killed their child before she was born. Doesn't something seem wrong there?

Another wrong . . . there is a very high penalty for killing unborn eagles . . .

. . . but millions of mothers are killing their unborn children every day. How is it that animals are protected but a child is expendable?

Why is it that unborn children are not held as more important that animals? How can people fight for the rights of unborn eagles and not even blink an eye when a woman walks into a clinic pregnant and walks out not pregnant? Why does that child not have rights too? Than I wonder what am I doing about it? And I realized that I am not doing much at all, besides voting for pro-life advocates. This realization bothers me. I need to be doing something more.

Another thought I came across was from my pastor during a sermon awhile back. American pets have better health care than most children in the world. I never considered this, but I know it to be true. This is also troubling to me. Again, what am I doing about it? My husband and I sponsor two children, from Nigeria and Ethiopia, through World Vision. But again, is it enough?

How am I changing this world? What am I doing to right the wrongs I see?

I have a Get Together planned for tonight. I had two women say they were coming for sure. I had one maybe. Now I am guessing I have one coming and a maybe. I originally called, emailed, or sent a card to over fifteen women. There are several ladies who still have not gotten back to me. In fact I have not even made contact with some. I have left message after message after massage and still no word from them. I find it rather discouraging. I know that some people may be on vacation or something. But I have made my calls over a two month period. I am trying not to assume or judge was to why I haven't heard back.

On another note . . . my sister has my daughter, so I have a free morning. We did go to the ball game last night, and there was no rain. We went with my cousin and her family instead of our neighbors. Our neighbors were busy, but we will be going with them on Thursday night.

We had a good time. The Reading Phillies won the first game and we left before the second was over. They were winning when we left.

My sis and parents watched our girl for us. Trying to watch a game with a squirmy two year old ( and with no nap to boot) is not a fun time. You don't really get to watch the game.

What to do with my time . . .

Today's Sermon

Today's sermon was titled "There and Back Again: A Prodigal's Tale." I thought it quite clever to use a play on Tolkien's title for the parable of the lost son (Luke 15:11-32.)

I have heard this parable more times than I can count. But I have never heard it preached on like this morning. Pastor B concluded that both sons were lost. That both sons had essentially abandoned the heart of their father, but where the younger son comes to his senses and returns home in humility for forgiveness, the older son refuses to accept his sinner brother. Pastor B also reminded us that the Pharisees were like that, refusing to accept sinners. They always held themselves in high regard.

I had never thought of the older son's behavior as akin to his brother's, but just in a different way. But he never repents, either. He is actually angry at his father's joy in the return of his brother.

The Bible always leaves us learning new things from the passages we have read many times before. It is an amazing thing!