"How Sweet to Hold a Newborn Baby"

"How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives,
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He lives."
 (taken from "Because He Lives" by Bill Gaither)

Things got really busy for me on Sunday!  My next door neighbor was expecting her 4th baby.  They were at a nearby laundromat, when her water broke.  So, they took off for home, as she was having a home birth, and called me and asked if I could run into town to pick up their daughter and their clothes.  I got the daughter back home, and 1/2 hour later, they called to tell me they had a daughter.  I brought over a package of diapers and wipes for them, as well as loaned them my baby scale, as they didn't know how much the baby weighed, and my scale is very accurate.  They had a beautiful 8 pound baby girl.  Then, about 4 hours later, they called and asked if I would help them out, as the mother's placenta still had not delivered.  She was hemorrhaging, and having seizures.  I ran over there, and sat and talked with the neighbor.  Told her I had been through almost the same thing, just no seizures.  Her husband had decided they would go to the hospital, but they were going to have me help get her into their vehicle, and transport her themselves.  I told them both I thought it was more important to call for an ambulance, as we needed to get her stable as soon as possible.  I said I wasn't going to push them either way, and whatever they decided, I would help them out.  I left them alone for a bit, and they decided to call the ambulance.  So, the mom asked me if I would clothe her baby.  What an honor!!!!!  So, I got to pick up this precious newborn baby, and clothe her.  What a sweetie!!!  The mom went off to the hospital, and got things taken care of, and she is now discharged, and at home, and enjoying the precious family.

So, what does a mom of many do??  Ha!  Aside from school, cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc., I have been trying to do some extra cleaning. Oh, and moving bedroom furniture around!  Becca got a beautiful daybed, and so we had to move some beds around.

The past few Saturdays, we have been cleaning up the outside things, and getting ready for winter.  This last Saturday, we took the old trampoline frame apart, and hauled into the truck, so we can take it to the recycling center.  We also moved both the gas and charcoal grills into the shed.  Dan mowed our lawn--hopefully for the last time.  :)  We mowed it about a month ago, but then we got some really warm weather.  We took down a motion light that we just bought and installed.  It had quit working, so we took it back.  Moved the patio swing into the garage.  Pushed both picnic tables up against the house, and the new glass patio table into the shed.  Then, I also washed almost all of the windows, inside and out (left 4).  And, I cut Dan, Andrew and my hubby's hair.  Is that enough for one day??  I also studied my Sunday School lesson.

Today, aside from school, cooking, etc., I finished up the four windows I didn't get done on Saturday.  I was also able to clean up the rest of Sam's "decorating".  He had decorated various things with a blue permanent marker.  Yikes!!  I had cleaned up most of it, soon after it happened, but had run out of Sol-U-Mel.  That stuff works wonders!!!!  I had ordered another bottle, and it came in last week, and I used it to get the blue permanent marker marks off Rachel's harp, and an antique sewing desk.  And, I also made up 3 spreadsheets for Becca, Dan, and Andrew to keep track of their school hours.  Now, I am ready to put my feet up.

Last night, hubby and I went to a Gideon's Pastor Appreciation Banquet.  Had a nice meal, of a salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, candied carrot buttons, turkey with stuffing, and cheesecake.  We heard a nice story of a lady, who had come from an atheist family.  She "stole" a Gideon Bible from a motel when she was 14.  She ends up becoming gloriously saved.  The attendance this year was a lot less than former years.

Last week, my dad had surgery on his back, again.  He is in a lot of pain.  He had a ruptured disk, and that is what the doctor repaired.  But, that was just a small portion of his back problems.  The doctor told him that he has a very bad back.

Well, I guess that catches us all up to date.  :)  I will try to do better.

"The Wonder of Your Love" by Beth Wiseman book review

"The Wonder of Your Love" by Beth Wiseman, is a story about an Amish woman, Katie Ann Stolzfus, whose husband left her to go to the modern world. Her husband, you find out, has been living with a modern woman, and does not know his wife is expecting their first child.  He is killed in a car accident.  Enter Amish Eli Detweiler, a widower of many years, who had remained single, and raised his family of 6 children by himself.  They meet at a wedding, and really like each other, but realize that they are at different stages in their life, he is done raising his family, she is just beginning.  This book has a few twists and turns, and some of it is rather predictable.

I did enjoy the book, as it was easy to read, but I did have a few problems with the book, and authenticity.  Because I live in Wisconsin, and we have quite a few Amish people around, as well as ex-Amish in our church, I know a little of their life.  My first complaint, is that Katie Ann being Amish, has an "Englisch" best friend, Martha.  They see each other quite often, and the "Englisch" friend is even allowed to attend the Amish services.  Next, Katie Ann has a refrigerator and freezer in her house.  Also, both Eli, and Katie Ann are allowed to fly in airplanes.  Pretty much unheard of.  So, if you can overlook these discrepancies, you would probably enjoy the book.

The statement I disliked the most, was that, Martha said, "it didn't matter what religion you were as long as you were fully committed to the Lord."  YIKES!!  Really???  It doesn't matter what Religion you are??  I would be happier if she said it didn't matter what denomination you are, but Religion??  It was just a small statement, but I really have a problem with it.

So, if you can overlook the authenticity issues, as well as not mattering over which religion you are, the book was interesting to read.  After the book, she did give some recipes, which were fun to read through.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this e-book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Waking Hours" by Lis Wiehl with Pete Nelson Book Review

This story is about a high school girl, who was found brutally murdered in the town of East Salem.  They call in forensic psychiatrist, Dani Harris, to help the DA unravel the mystery behind her death.  All the suspects are teenagers who were at a party with the girl—yet no one remembers what happened. Could one of them be a vicious killer?  Along with this murder, Dani is also dealing with her own night time traumas, of waking at 2:13 every evening, from a dream filled with water, blood, or destruction.  Weird things are happening around the town, as well--like the deer caught in the high rise electric lines. 

She also has to deal with her emotions over her parents death, as well as those for Tommy Gunderson, an NFL pro football player, whom she had gone to high school with, and they had unspoken feelings for each other back then, but hadn't seen each other since.  Tommy comes alongside her to help unravel this mystery.

I have read all of Lis Wiehl's other books, and this is the first book, I believe, that she has had published under Thomas Nelson.  I really enjoyed all her other books, and looked forward to this book.  I thought the book was very well written.  Had me interested from the start.  I probably shouldn't have read it right before bed, because it was spooky!  I liked it when it just dealt with the physical aspect of solving the crime, but didn't care when they went into the spiritual spooky aspect of the story, where there is a night time visitor that passes through the walls of the house, etc. 

I did enjoy the book, and I had my nose in the book, every chance I could!  I just wish they would have given solid answers to some of the spiritual spooky stuff--unless that was their intent?  Still am confused a bit. . .

I received an advanced reading copy of the book free from the publisher through the Booksneeze program.  I am not required to write a positive review, just an honest one.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”