And Life Goes On

I sit here enjoying my fireplace (electric, that is...I only wish instead of the annoying blowing sound, it crackled like a real one), laptop on my...lap of course, and I open up all the blogs I follow for some new reading. There are a few new posts but most of them, I just click shut as it's the same post that's been there for a few days or maybe a week or two. I am fine with that. People are busy.

But then it dawns on me and suddenly a wave of discouragement hits me. There are no new posts because everyone else is BUSY! Life is going on around me. They are enjoying the busyness of my favorite season, enjoying the brisk fall weather and everything that goes along with it. And I have to miss it! I know, I know...it WILL be worth it in the end. But for right now, I don't feel pregnant - only sick. And I HATE that feeling. The shock and awe of the positive pregnancy test has worn off. It's day after day of sitting or laying on the couch, surfing the web, watching Little House on the Prairie or napping. But, hey, enough doldrums! Let's take Dad's optimistic attitude for a change (I used to think more like him - what happened?)...this too shall pass and I intend to enjoy this pregnancy to the fullest once I feel better!

I distinctly remember a moment when my friend and fellow blogger, Janiece, was expecting Kallee. We were sitting in the same pew in church and suddenly she got my attention. "The baby is moving!" she exclaimed while she pointed to the little kicks visible through her shirt. A pang went through my heart and stomach. I didn't think I would ever feel a baby moving inside me again and that struck me so hard. I'd enjoyed holding everyone else's babies (and enjoyed handing them back when they got fussy :) so I thought I was over all the wanting. And it was a good feeling. But that night, I remember feeling so sad.

Well, now is my chance. And I'm excited for all the new discoveries that we will experience. Especially with the girls being older and able to understand a whole lot more than they did when they were 3 and 5 years old. We might not have planned it, but hey, life goes on :)

Maybe It's Really the Stork

This conversation caught my attention tonight on the way home from church tonight…

Two young girls, ages 7 and 10, talking about “how babies get here”:

10 yr old, very matter of fact, says, “The mom and the dad go out to a garden and plant a seed.”
(That’s all I knew about having babies when I was her age. Do you think she really believes it?)
7 yr old, quite vehemently responds, “No-oo! The dad doesn’t have ANYTHING to do with it! You see, it all starts like this…a boy and girl meet. He asks her out on a date, on a lot a dates. Then they get engaged, then they get married. Then the mom has these little, tiny eggs in her and she has the babies. Then... they all live happily ever after!”

Is it lying as long as I don’t affirm her statement? (hmmmm…our Sunday School lesson is coming back to me today. What would Sis. Campbell say?)

“Nice fairytale!” I interject.

And the 7 yr old, voice full of exasperation, replies, “Mom, it’s not a fairytale. It’s real life!”

Please tell me I have a few years until I have to tackle the facts…

Babies, Babies and More Babies

Our cat, Pudge, was very large with kittens before we left for Michigan a few weeks ago. We returned for about 24 or 30 hours during Mom's illness then turned around and headed back up. During those few hours we were home, we noticed that Pudge looked quite a bit skinnier. So either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday that week she had her babies but we've yet to find them.

Today, we arrived home from school and Britnee went out back to see Pudge and Twiz (now a year old cat from Pudge's first litter). Suddenly, we hear yelling in the house, "I found them! I found them!" We all grabbed our jackets (and I grabbed the camera of course :) and headed outside. We could hear incessant meowing but it took awhile to finally figure out they were under the tarp which was covering the mower. When Tony pulled it back, four kittens were revealed. We oohed and aahed. Tony expressed his disapproval that some of them were white and looked like mice. I took another peek and said, "Uh, one problem...those are NOT four week old kittens!" It suddenly dawned on us that while we were trying to find them, Twiz-not Pudge-had come down off the deck and climbed under the mower. That's what sort of clued us in on where they were. Then we noticed that Twiz's fur definitely showed signs of what I interpreted to be a pretty hard labor.

She sure doesn't seem old enough to be a mama. But Pudge was the same age when she had Twiz. And life goes on...

There are two white, one gray and one calico with an orange blaze on her forehead exactly like Grandma Pudge (whose kittens we still haven't met).

Guess that makes me a great-grandmother! Hmmm...

Mother's Day and Babies

I have no photos to post and no stories to tell. Many people thought I would have a rough weekend due to the recent loss of my mom. I think the day itself didn't seem unusual because I haven't spent the last several Mother's Days with her. In reality, the preparation for the day and then the day after was worse than the actual holiday. I had a meltdown in the store when choosing a card for Tony's mom earlier in the week. Then yesterday, several times throughout the morning, I kept feeling like I'd forgotten to do something important and that it was too late to correct it. That feeling was send my mother a card or call her the day before to wish her a Happy Mother's Day.

On a happier note, we did find out over the weekend that my niece, Heather, is expecting her first child; EDD, December 13. That will make three babies in 2007 for the Fritz family! Zoe Violet (named after my mom, who knew this before she passed away and was thrilled beyond words!) is due to make her appearance just about any day. And I know her mama is hoping it's soon. Also, my niece, Lindsey, is due November 8. And then Heather in December. My camera will definitely be getting a workout :)