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The primary place
 "...My family is the primary place where my walk with Christ takes on flesh. It is one thing for me to have a personal relationship with Jesus. However, if I spend hours reading the Bible and praying and invest the lion's share of my time ministering to others while neglecting my role as husband and father [or wife and mother], my relationship with Christ is out of balance, or worse, inauthentic."
-Voddie Baucham in his new book, Family Driven Faith. I'm only on page 49 but I have thoroughly appreciated every page and have a feeling it is a book I will be highly recommending.
A frugal Saturday post
Since I didn't post anything on frugality yesterday, I decided to do so today after Jeana inspired me with her very simple and helpful article on saving money on groceries. For those of you who would like to save more in this area and aren't sure where to start, she shared a lot of easy-to-understand information. As I always advise people: If you've never used coupons and shopped store sales before, start simply. Don't try to buy five newspapers each week and go to ten different stores. Set reachable goals. If you normally spend $150 on groceries, aim to spend only $130 per week and accomplish this by learning to shop the store sales and plan your menus around the sales. Little by little, as you become more proficient at it, you can add a new store, start using more coupons, start doing rebates, and so on and so forth. Before you know it, you will be a coupon queen, too, and all your friends will be asking how on earth you get so much stuff for free or pennies each! However, do not start off by biting off more than you can chew. That's a sure recipe for giving up from the get-go. Like Jeana says, it takes time - time to learn the ropes, time to find the best websites for deals in your area, time to learn each store's policies, and so forth. Not to mention the time that you will spend clipping coupons, planning your menu, and strategizing the best way to combine your coupons and store sales to feed your family for the least amount of money. But, as you will very likely find out, the time you put into it will be well worth it once you start seeing the savings. I love to calculate how much I am saving per hour - a savings of $50-$100/hour is not a bad wage in my opinion! Especially since a penny saved is more than a penny earned since it's tax free money! For more in-depth information, I encourage you to get a copy of my ebook, Secrets to Supermarket Savings. Other recommended books: Miserly Moms (this book was my motivation and inspiration when I first got married.) Shop, Save, ShareAnd my favorite websites for finding deals:
CVS DealsWalgreens DealsWalgreens, Target, Walmart, CVS, Ace Hardware, Rite-Aid and more
Kroger (Dillons) and other local store deals for KansasOther websites/links which are also useful:MiserlyMomsCouponMom TheGroceryGameDeals for each state (some of the forums are active, others are not) I know there are many other sites out there, those are just some of my favorites. What are your favorite websites or books with helpful information for saving money on groceries?
Randomness: Dr.'s visit and iPhone craze
I told Jesse today that I think I ought to wait to write any posts on topics of any substantial matter until the fog in my brain clears. In the mean time, I'm sure I won't stop blogging (that seems to be impossible for me to do - it's just become a part of my life!), you just might hear about a lot of everyday things and random posts on lighter subjects. We'll see... My doctor's visit went well today. I'll spare you the TMI details but suffice it to say that we're hoping the procedure fixed the issue. In other news, I've been given official permission by my midwife to be up and about now. I'm still going to be avoiding the stairs as much as possible and taking it easy, but I'm so grateful to be able to resume some normal activity.  Am I the only one who thinks the Apple iPhone craze is quite insane? Or that spending $499-$599 just for the initial iPhone (not to mention all the monthly fees to add on top - which I'm positive are a pretty penny) is rather outrageous? Call me old-fashioned, but I'm perfectly happy with my simple cell phone.
Just for fun, I'd love to hear what you think of the iPhone craze. Were you one of those camping out at the Apple store since Monday to get your iPhone tonight? Do you like all these expensive techno-gagdets and gizmos or do you prefer to keep it simple and inexpensive?
Frugal Fridays
 We're headed out the door to the doctor's office right now and I don't have many inspiring frugal things rolling around in my head to say this morning, but instead of skipping Frugal Fridays altogether, I'm hoping you all will make up for my lack of inspiration with your great posts! Leave your link to your frugal tip or post below.
Sleep deprived but grateful
Isn't it amazing how quickly your perspective changes? Two weeks ago, if I had only gotten sleep in 3 hour increments twice in a night, I would have thought I was extremely sleep-deprived. Right now, that sounds like a great night's sleep. I honestly forgot what sleeping in 45 minute snippets can do to one's brain. And it's taking me a little while to adjust. I feel like I'm walking around in some sort of fog. I vaguely remember this from last time around. I'd try to sleep during the day, but how does a mama of two accomplish that? There's always something "more important" to do. Like changing a leaking diaper, calming a fussy baby, trying to quell my starving stomach (Wow! I had also forgotten how much I can eat when I am nursing!)... you experienced moms know how it goes. This is only a season. A short season at that, and I don't want to miss out on the joys of having a newborn for wishing I could sleep more or think more clearly. I want to enjoy today, this moment. It will be gone all too fast. I'm so thankful to have Jesse home this week. He was in law school and working part-time when Kathrynne was born so he didn't get any time off. Since I'm supposed to be staying down and avoiding the stairs, I'm doubly grateful he is here to help out. He's doing a splendid job, too, and getting just about as little sleep as me. I'm so blessed with a husband like him. Kathrynne is still loving Kaitlynn to pieces. She's done so well at adjusting, which we are so thankful for. She is struggling more with obedience than before, but I think some of that is due to having her routine all out of whack for the last few weeks. We've been working extra hard with her the past few days and I think that having more stability in our home and regular naps have gone a long way in improving her attitude and obedience. Other than being low on sleep, I'm doing really well and feeling so much better and stronger. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully help resolve some problems which occurred during Kaitlynn's labor and delivery. I've been on bed rest all week and am anxious to have these things resolved so I can resume at least some activity. I can hardly remember what it feels like to be up and around! I'm supposed to be meeting with the hematologist in two weeks and am hopeful for a clean bill of health then. In the mean time, I'm on a high-iron diet and iron supplements in addition to beginning taking my Super Mom vitamins again now that my gag reflex has subsided. Thanks to all of you who have asked about me. This has been a difficult few months, but God has been so faithful, He has taught me so much, and I am so grateful for His mercies and faithfulness. Thank you for all your suggestions and words of advice concerning Kaitlynn's jaundice. We were so excited to find out that her levels had gone down a little today so we're hopeful she's turned the corner and is now on the mend. She's been so yellow the past few days that I've not taken many pictures, but I hope to take some soon to post. She's growing and changing everyday and continues to melt our hearts! As I told Jesse a few days ago, it's amazing how you can love someone so much whom you've only really known for a few days. We are so blessed and every time I talk about "our girls" I have to stop and just take in how wonderful it is to be a mama of two precious daughters. God is good - so good - so gracious to one so undeserving as me. And even though I might be sleep-deprived, I am grateful for all God has done in our lives.
Input requested: Jaundice
There's a lot going on around here and I hope to post some more substantial posts in the next few days, but I just wanted to hop on here really quickly and ask for some sage advice on jaundice. Kaitlynn has been struggling with jaundice some since the day after she was born. We were hoping that it was just a bit worse case of the often typical newborn jaundice and could be easily fixed with lots of nursing and sunbaths. We're still hopeful that will be the case, but since she's six days old today and her levels increased to 15.4 today as opposed to going down from two days ago, we're not sure if that will do the trick. We're supposed to get her tested again tomorrow morning. In the mean time, I'm trying to nurse her at least every two hours and we're trying to make sure she gets lots of sunlight. I'm grateful that jaundice is a very treatable condition and that on all other fronts Kaitlynn appears to be very healthy and is nursing extremely well (she's almost back up to her birth weight!), but I was just wondering if any of you have suggestions or ideas on anything else we can be doing to help improve her levels?
50% off special ends tomorrow!
Life with a newborn
My current daily schedule:Sleep in for as long as possible Nurse Change diapers Eat/Drink Remark at random intervals, "She is so precious!" "She is so beautiful!" "I can't believe she fit inside of me!" and "I can't believe I pushed something that size out of me!" Repeat last four things in order multiple times until bedtime. And I wouldn't choose to have any other schedule right now. Everything else can wait. I'm just taking my time enjoying being a brand-new mama again!
"God created an order..."
 As usual, Amy hits the nail on the head with her post on submission and what to do when you disagree with your husband: God, in his foreknowledge and sovereignty, knew that we'd disagree. While redeemed from the curse of sin, we still battle it in this life. (Romans 7:7-25, I John 1:8) What to do then? How can husbands and wives love each other and demonstrate the relationship between Christ and the Church here and now? And so, God created an order. We see that order in the above passage. There cannot be two masters, two captains, two heads. As for mutual submission, this is right and good. The husband lays down his life, loves his wife, and cleanses her by washing her in the Word of God. The wife loves and submits to her husband. But we haven't answered the one million dollar question, I know. What, then, should happen if the wife says, "Go left!" and the husband says, "No, right!" The wise husband will listen to his wife's counsel, considering it to the degree that she shows wisdom in other areas. By getting understanding and wisdom, she is able to win over her husband. (see also I Peter 3:1-2) But the final word is his word, and he will answer for it. The Lord made a way for those times we'd disagree. He knew that there'd be times that waiting, splitting the difference, or compromise wouldn't be options. And so, there is an order because God is orderly. Wives should yield, as God will honor their obedience. Read the whole post. Graphic from AllPosters.com
Cereal and milk deal at Kroger
For those of you with a Kroger nearby, they have a great cereal and milk deal going on for a few more days. When you buy three boxes of General Mills cereal, you get two to three gallons of milk for free. By using coupons, you can get three boxes of cereal and three gallons of milk for $2-$3 total! I would usually consider that to be a good deal on cereal alone. Throw in the milk for free and it's almost a steal! Plus, you can do it multiple times (up to two times per store transaction). This might be a great opportunity for you to bless some friends with free milk! Here's how it works: GM cereals are on sale for 3 for $5 and 3 for $6 (depending upon which kind you get - only the ones which are at those prices will work for this deal so make sure and check to get the right ones). Buy three and buy two gallons of milk in your transaction. The cereal will ring up at the sale price and the store's computer should automatically deduct your milk at the end of the transaction, giving it to you for free. Then, after you pay, the catalina machine will print a coupon for a free gallon of milk (up to $4.50) on your next visit. There are lots of coupons out there for GM cereals. I used some of the printables available here to get a $1/off each box of cereal (our store doubles $0.55 coupons to $1). Since we don't use a whole lot of milk, we bought one 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk and one gallon of milk - both came off at the end of the transaction. I've also read that other dairy products (such as creamer) are working as well. Edit: If the free milk with cereal purchase is not advertised in your sale flier, it very well might not work for your area. I should have said that upfront and my apologies for those who tried and didn't get it to work. Each state/region is a little different, but I do know that this is working in multiple regions, not just our area. Also, make sure that the catalina machine is working when you checkout. Sometimes they are out of paper so the coupons won't print. The reason you can get multiple gallons of milk is because it is both a store deal and a GM deal. Oh, and I'm not sure for other areas, but for our area, this deal ends today.
Pictures... finally!
Thank you for your patience in waiting for pictures. I've been moving a little slow here and just taking it easy, trying to recover, and enjoying being a mama to two precious little girls. Our families all left yesterday morning and we were released from the hospital this afternoon, so we are home as a family and having fun learning how to juggle two littles by ourselves. (I know, I know, for those of you with five or eight children, that must sound funny!) So far, being a second-time mom has been much easier and I'm loving sharing Kaitlynn with her big sister. Kaitlynn is doing wonderfully, nursing like a champ, and sleeping well. We're smitten with her! My recovery is going well, inspite of a few minor hiccups. I'm not one of those women who jumps right up after having a baby, but I definitely feel that I'm recovering more quickly this time around. I am guessing that not hemorrhaging and pushing for two minutes as opposed to an hour and a half like last time have greatly contributed to this. My hemoglobin is still very low and we've had a few other issues, so I'll be taking it easy for awhile, but I am so grateful to be doing as well as I am. And now, for a few pictures...  Taken just minutes after her birth. The exhausted but thrilled family.  Daddy's little girls.  Taken yesterday. A very proud big sister.  Taken today. Kathrynne couldn't be more excited about Kaitlynn. She calls her "my baby" and can hardly let her out of her sight.  Matching hair bows. (We let Kathrynne wear one of Kaitlynn's bows!)  Kathrynne has said some of the sweetest things about Kaitlynn. She is constantly saying things like, "She is so beautiful." or "I love my tiny baby's hands." It melts our hearts to see the two of them together!
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow...
I've been lying here in bed cuddling with my little precious daughter since 4 a.m. and just wanted to take a moment to type up a few thoughts which have been running through my head. I can't tell you how glad I am to have yesterday behind me. I just keep looking at Kaitlynn and realizing what a miracle her life is and how many answers to prayer yesterday held. I was planning to wait to type up the detailed birth story until I'd processed it for a few days, but as I started typing this morning, I couldn't stop with just a quick synopsis. I have such gratitude in my heart to the Lord for the great things He has done for us recently and felt it was incumbent upon me to share just how incredibly needed and powerful your prayers were yesterday. Without a doubt, yesterday was one of the hardest days of my life. It was also a day where God's grace and mercy shown forth more abundantly than I've ever known. Going into the birth with very low hemoglobin and weary from my sickness earlier in the week and being induced and hooked up to monitors, I knew that it would probably be a difficult experience. However, there were other things I didn't know ahead of time which would make it much more difficult than I imagined. When they started me on pitocin around 8:00 a.m. in the morning, contractions came fairly soon thereafter. By 1:00 p.m., I was dilated to 3-4 cm. and really encouraged and confident. I was guessing with the intensity of the contractions and how I was progressing, I would have the baby within a few hours. My mom and sisters kept me distracted from the pain as much as possible, and using techniques which had worked with Kathrynne's birth, I felt like things were going along very well. Around early afternoon, things started to really pick up in intensity and by 3:00 p.m. or so, my midwife was thinking from the way the contractions were going that I was probably dilated to around 7 cm. Contractions were short and hard, seemed very effective, but still very manageable. I was feeling like we were going to pop this baby out in no time. When she checked me at 4:00 p.m., though, we were very surprised to find out I was only stretching to 4 cm. I had almost been there three hours before and had very good, strong, regular contractions consistently since then. I was feeling weary at this point and ready to have it over with. My midwife was a little concerned that we were going to be overworking my uterus and not going anywhere. We decided to be more aggressive with things for an hour and see what happened. They upped the pitocin, and I got on all fours in the bed (I found throughout the day that the multiple monitors I was required to be on due to being on pitocin made it quite difficult to maneuver freely about, even in a limited way. But we did our best to work with what we had!). Things really started kicking into gear at this point - at least the contractions greatly increased in intensity. I had to breathe through them and focus more. I was sure things had to be really progressing at a fast pace at this point, especially since they had upped the pitocin a lot higher than normal. However, after another hour and many contractions, I had only progressed to around 5 cm. I was feeling very tired and we were unsure what to do. Since they hadn't broken my water yet, we had the option of shutting things down and waiting and starting again the next day. The thought of doing that was overwhelming to me. I had just gone through lots of intense labor and was very ready to get to the finish line and just be able to hold my baby. But, if we waited, it increased our risk of complications and it also might just prolong things out a lot further and make me much more tired. The other option was to up the pitocin some more and break my water. We had avoided breaking my water in the first place (though this is very standard procedure for inductions), as my midwife and I both wanted to do things as naturally as possible and we both knew that once you break your water, there is a much higher risk of complications in the birth and the end result of a C-section. I felt very torn in what to do and so did my midwife. She left for a few minutes and Jesse and I discussed it, talked through the pros and cons of all of our options, and he decided he felt breaking my water was in the best interest of myself and the baby. I felt a real peace about letting God direct through him. When my midwife returned, she said she was feeling it would be best to break my water - and then we told her we felt the same way. They broke my water around 5:00 p.m. and we were all pretty sure things would really pick up from there. I was now dilated to 6 c.m. and felt as if I had worked hard for every single millimeter of that! The contractions now became fiercely intense. After an hour of these very painful contractions, my midwife checked me again. I was guessing I should for sure be almost complete. No, I was at 7 cm. That was very difficult for me. I was feeling as if I couldn't go on for one more contraction and that I was on the verge of complete breakdown. Since I had gone from 4 cm to complete with Kathrynne in the space of an hour, I had never experienced transition. I always wondered what it felt like when other women would talk about it. Well, let me just say, I no longer need to wonder! Unlike Kathrynne's birth, I couldn't talk or think coherently in between the contractions. All I could do was try and gather my little meager ounces of strength left, try to relax, and try to focus on getting ready for the next contraction. I wanted to break down and cry from the pain and exhaustion - which, for those of you who know me, is not at all typical. It was only the Lord's grace which kept me from completely losing control. I just had to keep focusing on trying to take one contraction at a time, trying to stay calm, and getting through them. I found that exhaling while counting to 20 or exhaling and repeating to myself a portion of Scripture were the very best helps. I kept thinking of Christ enduring the Cross, the pain, the torture, the mockery. I would repeat over and over in my mind, "He endured the Cross. He endured the Cross." I kept thinking about how many people were praying for me and reminding the Lord that all these people were praying for me and He had to help me through this. It was His Name and for His glory. I also kept begging Him that He would please give me strength and please help things to go fast. The funny thing was that all of this was going on in my mind without anyone else but Jesse (who was at my side almost the entire birth and the best coach anyone could have ever asked for!) cluing in. My mom and sisters said I was doing super and that they couldn't believe I wasn't making any noise. I was too tired to make any noise besides exhaling and whispering prayers! Maybe that was a good thing?! I didn't want to be checked again as I really couldn't deal with finding out I was not complete and ready to push. When I asked Gretchen to please post (entry ten) and ask you all to pray was when I was feeling as if I couldn't take one more moment. Little did I know that I only had a few contractions left! Literally within a few minutes of Gretchen posting that post, I had a contraction and an incredible urge to push. The midwife was just getting ready to check me and while she did, Kaitlynn's head appeared and was almost crowning. Though I was thrilled, I was also wondering how on earth I was ever going to conjure up the strength to push the baby out. Everyone in the room just erupted with encouragement and, somehow, with two contractions, she was out!! I was so relieved and so tired. All I could think of was trying to crawl back up to the head of the bed (I'd been in a hands and knees position at the foot of the bed for most of the last hour and this was how I pushed her out - it was very effective.) and lie down. I was shaking and all twisted up in cords. I weakly asked, "What is the baby?" and turned around and Jesse looked and we both let out a surprised, "A girl!" That was such a wonderful shock (for some reason, we were both completely sure we were having a boy!) and I was so glad we waited to find out! I was so grateful that I didn't hemorrhage as I was so wiped out after the birth and so shaky and weak that I can't imagine what would have happened had I hemorrhaged. It was only after Kaitlynn was born that we discovered why my labor was so difficult and progression was much slower: Kaitlynn was sunny side up (or occiput posterior). Labors are usually always much longer, slower, and painful when the baby is in this position. They also often end up in C-sections - from what I've heard. I'm sure that the pitocin, breaking of the waters, and my anemia also contributed to the difficult labor, but I was grateful to know that it wasn't just those factors as I was sort of feeling like a wimp after reading about all the great induction stories from the rest of you! In realizing that she was OP afterwards, I began to understand just how much I needed your prayers and just how much of an impact they made in the birth process. It is truly amazing that the labor progressed as quickly as it did and that no complications arose. I am thankful, so very thankful, for a wonderful midwife who was so patient and willing to work with my body in the midst of a difficult labor. I couldn't have asked for better care! I am also so thankful for how much of an encouragement and support Jesse was. In addition, it was very helpful for my mom and sisters to be at my birth. Not only was it a very special experience, but their cheerleading went a long way. And how could I forget all of you and your prayers? I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. God has carried us through so much these past few weeks and I can't tell you how much of an encouragement you all have been to us in the midst of it all. Just a few other things we are so thankful for: The cord was around Kaitlynn's neck when she was born and this could have posed complications during the labor or delivery. We are grateful to the Lord for His mercy in not allowing this to cause any problems. We are also grateful for His leading and direction in having us induce early. Even though I would never, ever choose an induction again if I have any ability not to, there were other things which presented themselves in the labor and birth which made me very grateful we didn't wait longer - she had very little amniotic fluid when they broke the water and her placenta was very small and unhealthy (they are assuming this was because of my anemia). It is amazing that with these things and all of the problems I experienced in the birth, that Kaitlynn was so healthy. We are humbly grateful to the Lord for His protection on her little life. This birth was definitely much, much different than Kathrynne's birth. I am so thankful that even though we ended up with an induction and a hospital birth and numerous difficult situations, God provided a midwife who was so willing to work with us and our desires for as natural of a birth as possible given the circumstances. I'm also grateful that she was patient and willing to try different things instead of just resorting to a C-section. I'm also grateful that she honored my desires to want to have a drug-free labor and birth. She was so helpful in coming up with different positions, encouraging me, massaging me, and working with us. My mom and sisters were absolutely amazed at how much like a home birth my birth was inspite of the fact that it was in the hospital. God was so gracious to allow us to have the birth experience we did. There is so much more I could write, but this is already rather lengthy. I mostly just wanted to thank you for your prayers and for standing with us during this difficult time. It has been a very faith-building experience and we have learned so much more of the depths of God's Love and grace. I pray God's richest blessings on you all. By the way, I will be posting many pictures soon...
Introducing...
Kaitlynn Nicole Paine7 lbs (Can you believe that? We were all so surprised!)Born 7:12 p.m.18 3/4 inches longThank you for all your prayers. I can't believe we had a girl. I was so sure we were going to have a boy. :) We are thrilled. And I am so thrilled to be on the other side of it. It was definitely a very difficult labor, but God was so faithful. There's so much I want to share, but I will have to save it for later. There were so many answers to prayer - the largest of which was that I didn't hemorrhage. I'm completely exhausted but so thankful. God is so good. By the way, her name means "pure" - as does Kathrynne's name and my name. Her middle name is the same as mine.
Birth Day Diary: Entry Eleven
Baby Paine has arrived!!! Thanks so much for your prayers. Pray for Crystal's continued recovery. More specifics and info to come later...
Birth Day Diary: Entry Ten
Crystal is requesting prayer for strength and endurance.
Birth Day Diary: Entry Nine
She's at 7 cm. now! Thanks for all your prayers.
Birth Day Diary: Entry Eight
Contractions are getting a lot more intense now. Crystal is handling them very well.
Birth Day Diary: Entry Seven
Things are progressing slowly. They just broke Crystal's water to help move things along a bit faster. The midwife checked her and she's around 6 cm. Keep the prayers coming!
Birth Day Diary: Entry Six
This is Gretchen...Things haven't progressed much. They are upping the Pit. and trying several different positions to move things along. We'll let you know when things change. Crystal says she would appreciate prayers for things to progress more quickly.
Birth Day Diary: Entry Five
Things are continuing to progress - slowly but surely. My midwife just got here and checked me and I'm somewhere between 3-4 cm. That was encouraging to me. I just got on the birth ball which was a nice change from the bed. Feeling more and more like this is the real thing - which is good. I'm hopeful this baby will actually be coming today. :)
Birth Day Diary: Entry Four
Contractions are definitely getting more intense but they are still very manageable. Jesse's resting (short night last night!) and everyone else is out taking a walk. I just finished answering all my emails in my inbox (so thankful they have wireless here!). Might not be your typical thing to do while in labor at the hospital, but since I can't have the distractions of being at home during early labor, I'm trying to come up with plenty to keep me busy for as long as possible! By the way, my blog traffic today has been almost triple what it usually is. Some of you must be refreshing your browsers quite often! ;)
The girls
 All the girls. Poor Kathrynne is having a hard time with Mommy being hooked up to all the machines.  Headbands compliments of Cherabella Jewelry. (The girls had fun going through the box I just received from from Cherabella and all decided to wear one of the headbands today!)
Birth Day Diary: Entry Three
I've been on pit. for an hour and a half now. I'm definitely having some contractions but nothing that I can't talk through. I'm dilated to 2 cm as of about an hour ago and happy for any progress - especially the kind that happens without much pain or effort. All the girls are here right now (Mom, Brigette, Gretchen, Olivia, Kathrynne, and Cadence) and it's like a big happy family reunion. They are definitely helping keep me distracted and helping to pass the time more quickly.
Cousins
 Kathrynne and Cadence - the cousins meet at long last!  Kathrynne loves Cadence to pieces and is having a wonderful time with her.
Birth Day Diary: Entry Two
They are getting ready to start the pitocin just now. Before they do, I had to pop on here to share a huge answer to prayer we received this morning. My platelet levels, which have hovered at the same very low level for at least two months now shot up dramatically today. For weeks, we've tried every natural remedy in the book in addition to high doses of iron and the levels never budged. However, today of all days, they have gone up to almost normal levels. Coincidence? I think not. God is so good. This was exactly the encouragement I needed going into this morning. I know God has His hand on this whole situation and that He is watching out for me, but a tangible evidence of this through the leap in my platelet levels was such a wonderful way for Him to show His love and kind care for me. God is hearing and answering your prayers!
Birth Day Diary: Entry One
 Before we left for the hospital last night.
Well, it's June 21, and I'm hopeful today will be the birth day of our second child! Sleep was a long time in coming last night. Partially because of the uncomfortable contractions and being in a different sleeping situation, but probably mostly because there was too much adrenaline pulsing through my body so it took me a long time to calm down. I was able to spend some quiet time in prayer, though, in those early morning hours, which was good. I finally did fall asleep for a few hours, for which I'm grateful. I was hoping to be awoken by some strong contractions in the night, but alas, I instead awoke this morning to find all the contractions had subsided. However, God knows better than me and I'm leaving it all in His hands. I dreamed last night that they did a sonogram while I was here and found out we were actually having twins! Wouldn't that be something? Thank you for your many prayers for me today. I am feeling quite tired and weary this morning (and hungry, too! How does one subsist on an ice chip diet?! I understand why they don't let you eat and drink - so that in case you have to have a C-section, you can do so easily without complication from food and liquids in your stomach - but it's so different from the birthing center where they encouraged you to eat and drink throughout labor. I think I'm going to see if I can have a popsicle for breakfast! Hey, when your choice is between that or ice chips, I think I'll take the calories, thank you very much!) and am trusting that God is going to fill me up with His strength. I certainly have none of myself right now. But, I'm at peace in my heart and I know God is going before me. And I can't express in words how comforting it is to know that so many are upholding me before the throne of Grace today. I'm off to spend some time reading God's Word and praying and committing this day to the Lord. After that, I'm supposed to get up and take a shower and then they'll be starting pit. around 8 a.m. I'm very curious to see how my body responds to that! More to come...
And we're here...
Sorry for the delay in updates here. We've been having a blast - maybe too much fun for a birth?! It's so nice to be reunited with my sister and to have my mom here, too! My sisters (all three of them!), my mom, and my precious adorable niece arrived at our home around 6:00 p.m. I loved meeting my niece, 7-month-old Cadence Irene. She's a doll. We got some really cute pictures of her and Kathrynne which I'll try to upload tomorrow. After dinner and getting things together, Brigette (my older sister who just arrived back from Taiwan), my mom, Jesse, and I all headed to the hospital. It was rather weird to know I was going in pregnant and would be leaving with a baby. My mom and sister made me find a scale to weigh on as soon as we got here. Since I hadn't weighed in almost fifteen weeks, we were all curious to see how much I gained with this pregnancy. I about flipped when I saw the undisclosed number on the scales. Somehow I managed to gain the same as last time (30 pounds) even though I look smaller and less swollen overall than last time. Not sure how that worked. Maybe I put on a lot of muscle weight?! I don't think so. :) In between our incessant talking and laughing and catching up (remember, we've not all been together for over a year!), the nurses managed to get bloodwork done, put my IV in, get some hydration in me, and get my signature on lots of paperwork. After that, I was on the monitors for a bit and then they checked me to see where I was at before beginning the Cervidal. I'm dilated to all of 1 cm. How exciting! :) Actually, it's something and it's more than I was two weeks ago, so I guess any progress is progress, isn't it? After starting the Cervidal, I'm now on the monitors all night. My mom and sisters are still here and we're organizing coupons. Yes, you can all laugh at me for bringing my coupon box and paraphernelia to the hospital, but I wanted to let my mom look through my coupons to see if there were any she could use. Plus, I just finished teaching my sister all about CVS and where to find the good deals for the stores in the area she and her family are moving to. That was in between discussions on all sorts of other topics. You know how gals can be when they get together. :) Everything is going well. Having some stronger contractions but nothing major to speak of. At least it seems like the Cervidal is doing something, though. I'm going to try and get some sleep here soon, after I eat something, that is. Since I am relegated to ice chips and popsicles after midnight until I have the baby I figure I better get some nourishment in my system. :) We're starting Pit. at eight in the morning so unless something major happens before then, I'm hoping to have a restful night of sleep and I'll update in the morning. Thank you, thank you for your prayers! You all are such a blessing! I can't tell you how much it means to me to have such a wonderful group of people praying for me through this experience. I feel God just pouring out His peace and blessing on everything.
Ready, set...
Two hours to go! I can hardly believe it! (For those who may have missed my induction date post, click here for more information on the tentative plan.)  Hospital bags are packed. (And yes, I am sure I packed five times as much as most people. I tend to do that. "Always be prepared" you know. By the way, isn't my pink and black laptop case cute? Did I ever tell you I actually have a pink laptop, too?) Baby bed and clothes are ready and waiting. Maternity clothes are put away in the storage box. The mountain of laundry which had accumulated in our room over the past few days has been tackled. (I didn't take a picture of that - I'll leave it to your imagination!) Bathrooms are disinfected. Business orders are all caught up and ready to be shipped out this afternoon (except for the prepublication orders - those audios should be shipped out next week, Lord-willing!).  Chocolate has arrived! (Compliments of MM who generously surprised me with a gift certificate to See's Candies a little while ago. I patiently saved it to buy some special chocolate for the labor day. Since I've been trying to stay away from chocolate for the most part while pregnant, I'm definitely looking forward to rewarding myself with this gourmet chocolate after the birth. If there is any left for me, that is!) And I'm armed with enough verses written out to endure a four-day labor. Let's hope I don't need them all. But then again, "Always be prepared!" Now I'm off to drink another pitcher of Red Raspberry Leaf tea (Well, maybe I won't quite make it through a whole pitcher, but I am going to try and down a lot, let's just say!), put my feet up, and spend a few moments praying and reading Scripture. My sister and family are due to arrive any moment. Yay! An update from the hospital will follow in a few hours, Lord-willing...
Specific prayer requests for the birth
For those of you who are so kind to pray for me over the course of the next day (or days as it might prove to be!), here are some specific prayer requests: 1. Peace in my heart. That I would not be nervous or tense but could just take one moment at a time and not worry about the next. 2. Strength in my weakness. With my levels so low right now and my intestinal bug earlier this week, I'm often very dizzy, shaky, and exhausted from just doing very simple tasks. It is only the Lord's strength which is going to get me through the birth. Pray for me to rely upon that and not in anyway my own strength - which is nonexistent! 3. Wisdom for my midwife and the others who will be attending my birth. 4. Strength, peace, and wisdom for Jesse. Also, pray for Kathrynne that she would be calm and have her needs well met while I'm unable to do so. 5. Health for the baby during this difficult labor and delivery. If the baby starts showing any signs of distress, this will quickly complicate things. 6. Most of all, that whatever happens, God would be glorified and we would be a testimony of His grace to all of those we come in contact with at the hospital. One of my desires is that we can really be a blessing and a witness to the all those we interact with at the hospital. I keep thinking that perhaps one of the reasons I have been through everything in the last few weeks is not only for me to be strengthened in my faith, but maybe because there is someone God wants us to witness to at the hospital. One of the most crucial times for prayer will be as soon as the baby is delivered. Since my platelets are so low, there is serious concern of severe hemorrhaging - especially with my previous hemorrhaging history. One of the reasons I am planning to live blog the birth and have my sister post as soon as the baby is born is because I am especially hoping for some fervent prayers for the hour after the delivery. We will try to keep you updated as often as possible while I'm in labor. However, once the baby is born I trust you will be patient in hearing further details besides that the baby has been born. Since we don't know what we are having and so forth, we want to make sure we share that information with our families before posting it here. We will try to post as soon as we are able and also share at least a few pictures. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for me during this needy time. I look forward to sharing the answers soon!
"Lots of numbers"
Jesse and Kathrynne were just having a conversation and he was telling her about how old everyone is. When he told her, "Mama is 25," her eyes got really wide and she said: "Wow! That is lots of numbers!"Thanks, Princess.
I guess Kathrynne decided we didn't have enough excitement at our home this week.
I was downstairs a little while ago working on getting some final business packages ready to ship out before the baby comes. Kathrynne was in the same room playing contentedly, er, so I thought. After a bit, I noticed she was being awfully quiet and, upon further investigation, saw she was into one of my stockpile boxes (the boxes that contain all my extra free after rebates or free after coupon items which I'm saving to give away or sell). Since I didn't have my contacts in, I called her over to me to see what she had in her hands. It was then that I noticed her hair was coated in a thick shampoo-like substance. And in her hands? An opened box of this:  Yes, my friends, today of all days, my two-year-old decided she would experiment with hair coloring for the first time. Gratefully, upon further investigation, I realized she had managed to smear her head with the Step 3 glaze which turned out to just be a conditioning gloss. Had she picked either of the other tubes to smear on, we would now have a little red head or, worse had she mixed two of the tubes on her hair. I don't want to think what could have happened to her skin or eyes had she gotten into the other stuff. As it was, I washed it and blow dried it and it appears no harm was done. This time, at least. What will she come up with next? Sometimes being a mom can be so stressful! You try so hard to be careful, to keep all the dangerous things out of reach, to think ahead as to what the worst case scenario in any given situation might be as you are sure your child will think of it. And then, they go right under your nose and do something like this! What can I say? I really am trying. Being a mom certainly keeps me constantly praying to the Lord for wisdom, for clear thinking, and for protection for my oversight! Needless to say, all hair coloring kits are now going to be stored on a high out-of-reach shelf.
One day and counting!
 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."
Isaiah 41:10
This is the special verse the Lord has given to me for the past two weeks and for this birth. I've repeated it over and over again and have felt such strength and peace in resting in God's upholding of me.
I landed some horrific intestinal bug last night which lasted for about 14 hours. (Food poisoning? End of the pregnancy? Labor preparation? I have no idea. Whatever it was, it was bad.) I was wondering if I was going to be able to be induced tomorrow after all at the rate I was going, but it looks like I'm on the mend and I am grateful. Now I'm just trying to replenish and rehydrate my body, rest, and tackle a few more things on my to-do list - like packing the hospital bags (It seems I'm the only one who waits until the last minute for these kinds of things!) and laundry. Oh and disinfecting our bathrooms now that I'm feeling better! :) I'm not only thrilled to be at the end of this pregnancy and to be anticipating bringing a new little life into the world, I'm also excited because my older sister and her husband and my little niece just arrived back from Taiwan. I've not seen my sister and her husband for a year and I've never met my very first niece before. They are going to be coming up a few hours before I go to the hospital tomorrow and I can hardly wait! Almost too much excitement for one day! Thank you again for your many prayers and encouraging emails to let me know you are praying. I feel as if I have a huge support team of cheerleaders surrounding me going into tomorrow. I am humbled and thankful. More updates soon, I must go tackle the to-do list.
A brainless subservient doormat?
For those of you who are here from the rather large blog who picked up the completely butchered and taken out-of-context transcript from the Aussie show on "Surrendered Wives," (which was originally aired in the UK and then majorly condensed and edited down for those "down under") welcome! I invite you to stick around, read some of the archives, and maybe realize that I'm not some brainless subservient robotic doormat. :) Quite the contrary! Though I was definitely disappointed in the outcome of the original UK program, the Aussie program made it look really good by comparison. There's a whole lot I could say, but I will try to keep this brief since I'm recovering from an awful bout of some intestinal bug (just what I needed before I go in for my induction, eh?!) and am getting ready to have a baby tomorrow. For one, I am not a "surrendered wife" - I've never read the book and never plan to. From what I've read of the book in question, the whole concept is based upon manipulation. I love, honor, and serve my husband because I love the Lord and want to honor Him by honoring my husband. For two, no, my husband does not write me a list of what I am supposed to do everyday. Not hardly. Sometimes we talk about projects he'd like for me to accomplish, often I will ask him if there is anything I can do for him that day, but he doesn't write me a list and he's never written me a list. In the original filming, they wanted to capture the fact that I seek to honor my husband in how I use my time. Since I normally write a to-do list each day, the producers thought they could capitalize on that and have him look over my list and see if there was anything else he'd like for me to do. Somehow, in the final documentary, even though I come right out and say, "Here's what I was planning to do today, is there anything else you'd like to add?" they prefaced it by saying he writes me a list. How they came to that conclusion when the documentary itself says otherwise is beyond me. Most importantly, though, this program missed a huge, huge aspect of our marriage. They missed the point we made over and over and over again in that a Biblical marriage is not just about the wife loving and serving her husband, it's about the husband laying down his life for his wife. A Biblical marriage consists of many things, but one of the greatest things is that both husband and wife are giving 150% to the marriage out of love for each other and love for the Lord. Yes, I love my husband. Yes, I consider it a privilege to honor and serve him. But you know what? He loves me, serves me, and honors me much more than I do him. For instance, let's take last night: After a long and busy day at work, he ran multiple errands on the way home from work for me (calling me and asking me if there was anything else he could stop and get for me in addition to the errands he was already planning on running), he planned to stop and get me a certain thing I was craving and then while he was on his way to do that, I called him and asked him if he could please come home since I was feeling so poorly. And then, he spent the evening taking care of Kathrynne, trying to get me to drink and stay hydrated while I couldn't keep anything down, doing laundry, calling the midwife to see what could be done so I wouldn't become further dehydrated, going to the store at midnight to pick up medicine and Gatorade, and then staying up with me until almost 2:00 a.m. to make sure I was going to be okay. Does that sound like a lazy bum husband who treats his wife like a slave? I think not. And you know what? Last night was no exception. This is the way my husband lives his life. He constantly puts my needs and the needs of our family before his own. How could I not love such a man? So, yes, the programs really missed the boat in almost all regards and I was thoroughly disappointed in the producers' choosing to completely spin things how they wanted to, but it doesn't change anything about our marriage or our home and family life. People can say whatever they want to about the fact that I choose to love, honor, and serve my husband. They can call me whatever names they choose to. They can laugh and mock. But I really could care less. I'm a child of God and have a Heavenly Father Who loves me more than anyone on this earth ever could. I'm a blessed wife married to an incredible man who takes his role to love me, give to me, and lay down his life for me very seriously. I have a wonderful marriage, I love being a stay-at-home mom to a precious little daughter, and I wake up everyday excited about living life. What more could I want? By the way, for those interested, I point you to my podcast where I talk about why I do not consider myself an obedient wife. You might be surprised. :) Comments are closed on this post because I'm too busy to moderate a discussion on the subject right now with the events of this week. Feel free to email me with any thoughts or commentary, though.
Sneak-peek pricing special!
 Since I'm supposed to be resting and taking it as easy as possible (only a few more days until the birth - see the induction date post here in case you missed it!), I've had some extra time in the last week to finish an ebook I had started some months ago.
Simple Tips for Successful Home Management: Volume 1 is a collection of some of my favorite tips, tricks, techniques, and even a few recipes I've used over the last few years of being a wife, mother, and homemaker. I don't consider myself to be an expert on the subject of homemaking and this ebook is not about perfectionism. Rather, it's about simplifying your life, making the most of where God has you, and being a wife, mother, and homemaker who glorifies the Lord. Not meant to be exhaustive by any means, this ebook is just a simple compilation of encouragement which I hope is a blessing to many. Especially written with young mamas in mind, it includes sections on attacking clutter, organizing small spaces, conquering the laundry pile, homemaking during difficult seasons, getting motivated, having a weekly household plan, accomplishing cleaning with young children, successful kitchen management, learning contentment, finding time for a devotional life, and more. Sprinkled throughout are essays and stories of encouragement from my first few years of being a wife and mom. Simple Tips for Successful Home Management: Volume 1 is 32 pages long and for a very limited time, I'm offering this freshly finished edition to you all for only $3.00! I'm sure there are a few typo's (let me know if you find any!) and I'll be going over it with a fine-toothed comb in the next few days before I upload it to the main section of our website, but until then, I'm extending this special deal to you! Click here to purchase this brand-new ebook at the sneak-peek pricing special of only $3.00!
The induction date
Thank you all for so patiently waiting on me to tell when we're planning to be induced! I'm terribly old-fashioned in that I like everything to be a surprise for everyone - gender, names, date of birth, and so forth. It just seems to add to the fun of it! But this time around, since we don't get the luxury of being surprised by the time frame, and I am very much in need of prayer before, during, and after the delivery, I'm going to break out of the mold and tell you the induction date, along with the induction plan in hopes that some of you will be so kind as to hold us up in prayer during what could be a very strenuous and difficult time. Unless I go into labor naturally before then, I'm being admitted to the hospital Wednesday - June 20 - at 8:00 p.m. They will begin Cervidal and monitoring at that time. From there on out, there are many possibilities and we only have a very rough sketch of a birth plan. The rest will be in the Lord's hands. Our hope is that my body will kick into active natural labor with the Cervidal which would allow me to then take off on my own, need a lot less monitoring, have a much more natural labor, and also mean that I might have less chance of complications. However, if things don't kick in with Cervidal, they'll begin me on Pit. the next morning (June 21). Instead of the usual fairly high doses of Pit. given and ramping it up quickly, they are planning to take it much more slowly, administering half as much as usual in order to try and prevent my uterus from being overworked. They do not plan to break my water so that if I haven't done much by 4 p.m., they'll shut things down and we'll begin again the next day. That is the very tentative plan. How my body and the baby reacts with my current health issues will determine exactly what happens. I'm trying to go in with an openness to whatever God has planned for this birth. And whatever happens, I trust and rest in His will. I am very thankful for an experienced and knowledgeable midwife and doctor who want to do everything as naturally as possible without presenting any risk to myself or the baby. They have already been outstanding and gone above and beyond the call of duty to help me and work with me and my body and I'm so thankful for that. I'm also so thankful to have such a great coach in my husband. He was terrific last time around and I know he's up for the challenge this time around. I'm also thankful I was allowed to wait until Wednesday so that my mom and my sisters could be at my birth. It will be helpful to have additional cheerleaders there for me and both my mom and sister have been to many births, assisted midwives, and worked as doulas, so I couldn't ask for better support! And I also am thankful that I will have many, many people praying for me. My experience in the hospital last week really demonstrated to me how powerful your prayers are, and I am humbled that many of you have already committed to pray for me during the birth. This is such a comfort to me going in. I plan to post updates myself from the hospital for as long as I am able, and then my sister will take over. I will post some specific prayer requests I have on Wednesday for the birth itself but until then would very much appreciate prayers for peace, for strength, that I would keep my eyes focused on the Lord, and not fear.
37.1 weeks
I'm so grateful Baby and I have made it to this point. Just a few more days, now... As per the checkup yesterday, Baby is very healthy and is now head down and engaged - a great praise! I'm also so thankful for the peace and strength the Lord is giving me for each day and the faith not fear He is filling my heart with for the birth. I'm starting to be able to look past the birth and look forward to the precious reward at the end. My sister gave me a pep talk last night about how many people would gladly endure a much more difficult birth than I probably will to have their own baby. I need to not forget that in the next few days. I truly am blessed beyond measure. God has been so faithful and I know He will continue to be so. And He has shown His love to us again and again through so many of you - from the encouraging comments, many prayers, emails, cards, food, helping with Kathrynne, running errands for us, cleaning our house... you all have blessed us again and again and again. I am humbled and awed at the goodness and grace of the Lord. While I've been rather laid up, I've been working on finishing up two ebooks I've hoped to release for sometime: Simply Centsible Living Volume 1 and Simple Tips to Successful Home Management Volume 1. I'm hoping to finish at least one, maybe both, in the next few days. So look for a some sneak-peek pricing specials really soon! By the way, for those of you who haven't figured out the date, induction details will be coming soon...
Frugal Fridays: Lazy Granola
 I think I may have posted this before, but it was a long time ago, so for those who missed it the first time around, here's a very simple and frugal granola recipe that tastes great, too: Lazy Granola*
Mix 1/2 cup each of brown sugar, oil, and honey in a saucepan. Bring to a low boil. Add 1 tsp. cinnamon and 2 tsp. vanilla. Pour over 7 cups of oats in a large pan. Stir until coated. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Take out and stir. Put pan back in over, turn off, and go to bed. *I found this recipe originally in Lorrie Flem's Sanity-Saving Breakfast Ideas booklet.----------------- To join in Frugal Friday, just post a frugal tip or post on any subject of frugality on your blog, link to this post in your post, and then post the direct link to your Frugal Friday post below. Any link or post which does not adhere to these rules will be deleted at my discretion. If you do not have a blog, but have a tip to share, please post your tip in the comments section. And, remember the rules: Must be family-friendly. Thanks! I can't wait to read your tips!
Simple things
Just a few random pictures of simple things which have brought a smile to my face recently...  Kathrynne has taken a great fascination to LEGOs of late and it has been fun to see her creativity blossoming. Here is her LEGO creation from today - nine airplanes. Not sure what the other items are, houses perhaps? I was impressed that she built the airplanes all on her own and that each one was the same design. Sure, it was only five LEGOs each, but still thought it was pretty good for a two-year-old.  One of the most beautiful centerpieces ever, I think. A rose from our rose bush. So far, we've had five of these beauties blossom and bring fragrance to our home.  The quilt that my mom embroidered and put together in only a matter of six weeks or so for our precious wee babe. Mom made a similar quilt for Kathrynne (with the help of my sisters) and it such a treasured keepsake. I'm hoping she keeps up the tradition for all our children!
Learning to cling to the Rock
Edit: I was hesitant to put up this post as I know many of you have been through much more traumatic experiences in your life and what I'm going through now pales greatly in comparison. However, since I really strive to be transparent on this blog and this is where I am right now, I'm sharing it. Someday soon I hope to get back to more regular posting and not just posts on "Crystal's health saga." Thank you for your patience with me as this blog serves as an outlet for me to write what God is teaching me through this experience, working through my fears, and just where I am at right now. I so appreciate your prayers and your support during this time. I feel so needy. It is a humbling place to be but the Lord has encouraged me so much through showing His love to me through so many of you. I would welcome any encouraging thoughts from those of you who have endured difficult births - as I'm sure many of you have. I'm trying to prepare myself as best as I can spiritually, emotionally, mentally, and physically.
We ended up at the hospital again last night. We've got the drive there and back now down pretty good. And the nurses know me as "the one with the low platelets." It wasn't anything serious, the baby just hasn't been moving at all as much in the last few days, so along with some other little funky things which have been going on, my midwife thought it would be best to have them run some tests and make sure Baby is still healthy. It took a bit, but Baby finally woke up and started behaving, so I got to be released in the same night - for which I was very thankful! While at the hospital, we also went over some of the labor and delivery stuff. And it was then that I learned what seemed like devastating news to me - I will probably not get to labor in the water. Unless my body can kick in naturally at first and take over without the help of anything, I'm resigned to only a few positions so that I can stay on the monitor at all times. Needless to say, this was - to put it mildly - not the most pleasant news. Being in the water was a huge relief to me last time and the thought of an induction, where I have to be on monitors the whole time, where I can't | | |
