Sunday, February 27, 2011

keep praying.....

wellllllllllllll...just out of the blue on Friday, I decided to call the "log cabin" people back.  Even though they initially said, "no dogs" this time and then we heard it had been rented.  However, it still was showing up on the real tracs rental list so I took a chance and called.  Whoever was going to rent it didn't work out and yes it is still available and they will consider my sweet "gracie".  So Saturday morn we got to go look at my "dream" cabin!  As expected, I loved it!  and after reviewing all of the pros and cons...the pros won!  we are planning on signing the lease on tuesday and will move in at the end of March.  I am so excited that I can just about pop!  Actually, i am "cautiously" about to pop!  lol
The "cons" include (1) no closet in the master bedroom, but it has a jacuzzi...so who needs a closet if you have a jacuzzi and (2) the washer and dryer are the one on top of the other kind...but it is otherwise perfect! 
but I named this post, "keep praying" because no matter how perfect this looks and feels, I just want to make sure I am walking in HIS will and not mine!  Life is changing and I want to follow God's will which is not what I have traditionally done.  So we will continue to "pray without ceasing"!  I hope you will too!

Thursday, February 24, 2011

still praying...

once again we are waiting with cautious anticipation...the new closing date is set for the end of march!
so i guess its time to get out of this chair and start packing some boxes.  it would just be nice to be able to label which boxes go into storage and which ones go to the new address.  unfortunately, we just don't have the new address.  so we are praying and for any of our friends reading this blog we hope you are praying with us. 

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

on my soap box...


Today I had the opportunity to go to Summertown, Tennessee to a place known as "The Farm".  If you don't know about it...google it....
I was able to listen to a talk by a midwife named Ina May Gaskin who is one of the nation's leading midwives.  She has been involved in many, many home deliveries through the years and the experience she brings to the table is so amazing.  I say all that to get to the point of my soap box.  Her experiences, along with the mothers in Haiti, Africa,  and other 3rd world countries;   the mothers who delivered babies hundreds of years ago and all the way back to Adam and Eve...BREASTFEEDING HAS SUSTAINED MANKIND.  I don't think this a a revelation but based on my past 25 years experience, the "amazingness" of breastmilk obviously got lost in translation. 
Now let's look at the facts:
    the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a baby's life and continued through at least the first year of life.
    the World Health Organization recommends it through the 2nd year of life.
    the Surgeon General has made statements about the benefits at regular intervals for the past 25 years and just came out with the Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding urging health care providers (obstetricians, pediatricians, OB nurses, Pediatric nurses...etc...) to encourage and support breastfeeding.
and last but not least, Michelle Obama, Rep. Bachmann and Sarah Palin are all making supportive (?) comments about the importance.
With all of that said....here's what I think...
Number one--I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings so if I write something making you uncomfortable,  remember, if you choose or chose not to breastfeed then you are wasting your time reading this and if you care enough to read this then you probably have some kind of feelings about your choice. (my mom bottlefed me)!
Number two--If you couldn't breastfeed because of a breast anomaly or for one of the reasons listed on Joint Commissions reasons not to exclusively breastfeed then again, I am sorry for you and your circumstances.
Number three--The other reasons most women end up not breastfeeding fall into one or more of the following categories:  lack of education, lack of understanding of the importance,  lack of support, and an abundance of bad advice whether it comes from a grandma, a nurse, a dad, a doctor, a political figure or even a best friend.
Number four--I just wish the marketing of the importance of breastfeeding got as much publicity as putting babies on their backs to sleep, or the laws regulating the use of car seats.  Whoever was in charge of those campaigns did a fine job and I wish breastfeeding and the importance of breastmilk could be presented the same way.  Not to say those things aren't important because they are very important but definitely not more important than the benefits of breastmilk.  So if the health benefits of breastfeeding and the hazards of formula could be presented to parents  the same way the importance of "Back to Sleep" and "Car Seat Safety" are presented we would probably have alot more moms breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding is much easier than getting a baby up to a  five year old...in and out of those car seats!
And for those who are saying they don't want to breastfeed because it is just too time consuming or invasive or embarrassing or whatever other reason comes to mind then just go ahead and put your babies on their tummies to sleep and skip the car seat......

And for all of the doctors, nurses, lactation consultants, child birth educators, families and friends who are too "politically correct"  to encourage a mom to breastfeed because of feeling you might hurt someone's feelings or intrude, then please keep your comments to yourself when you look over and see a mom in a car with the windows rolled up, smoking a cigarette, and no one actually strapped in the car seats correctly with bottles of formula hanging out of the mouths of babes!  You might hurt their feelings or get too personal if you tell them those are not acceptable parenting skills. I rest my case....


Thursday, February 17, 2011

i just have to laugh...

let me bring you up to date....
     it seemed like everything was in order.
     the inspector came, and found his "list" of things needing to be repaired...
     unfortunately, he found a leak in the attic. 
     (fyi--new roof 3 years ago)
     FINALLY, the roof company called me back and they are coming to check it Friday.
    the appraiser came...
    closing date set for March 9th.
    we still haven't found a place to move to...
    getting a little anxious but not anxious enough to do alot of packing.
    packed up a few things in the dining room...just not overly worried???
    a little out of character for me....
    text today from my realtor....the husband of the family buying our house lost his job today...
    I am so sorry for them.  we know what that is like. 
    bottom line...guess we aren't closing on March 9th.
    Still can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

pretty sure now....

got the call tonight from our realtor..."start packing..."
it looks like everything as far as the house selling is on track.
we will know for sure in the next few days.
I guess anything can happen...deals can always fall through but for now
I guess we need to plan on packing up our stuff and moving on....
moving on...that is the big unknown right now. 
sadly, the log cabin I dreamed about got rented...by someone else.
just about everything I have called about,
 rented or got sold the day I called so if you
need to rent or sell a home just let me know...
I might just have the touch. lol
we drove around this weekend and looked at several places/areas
and several different houses but none that are really going to work out.
either too much, too close the main road, too little, too big and of course
there is the dreaded, "NO DOGS"!
I guess tonight it really kinda hit me, plus as my dear friend calls my husband, "Blue Eyes"...
is out of town this week and I am a little more upset about the future of "homelessness" than I expected.
that being said, I know without a doubt that my Father already knows what he has in store for us...
I just didn't expect to be almost 51 years old and without a home...wow is all I can say.
just wow. 

Thursday, February 3, 2011

praying...

about a month ago, I ran across a log cabin for rent in a perfect location.  however, when I called to inquire about it...I found out it was perfect except for one small thing...my sweet Gracie, would not be welcome there.  okay, so I said, "oh well"  we will find something else...
well, now the house is almost sold...and we have been looking for our new address but just haven't come across anything.  then for the past two nights I have been dreaming about this log cabin. I have no doubt that God already has our next address in his rolodex, and so if this is the right address, I just pray that the "no dogs" stipulation will be waived or we can work something out.  If the log cabin is not the place then I know He has something really amazing planned but for now this is my prayer...will you pray with me?  He is faithful.  I have no doubt!