Spring is here!!

Yes!!! Finally! I know it's been spring for a few weeks now, if you follow the calendar. But, if you follow the plants and warmth, I think maybe the rest of the countryside has finally caught up to the dates ;) And I am so glad!! It gives my heart such a warmth to see everything green and blooming again. The new life outside our home just magnifies the joy I feel with the new life growing within me! Words simply cannot express how utterly amazed and blessed I feel, it feels as if my heart would explode just trying to put it into words!! We went back to the midwife and had an ultrasound last Friday, April 8th, and learned that God has blessed us with a little boy! Yay!! We would have been overjoyed no matter what the Lord decided to give us, but my husband did breathe a sigh of relief when we found out. We have some generous friends that also have little boys, but have outgrown many baby items and have blessed us with those items. So now we have lots of clothes and blankets just awaiting a sweet little bundle of boy to be in them :)

I also got to experience a new feeling this morning. I was laying in bed after I woke up, and it's become a routine for me to simply lay there for a little while and rest my hands on my stomach about the area that our baby might be. I have been feeling little movements from time to time, from what I believe to be the baby. Well, he must be getting stronger and stronger every day, because this morning I was actually able to feel him moving around under my hands! Oh what a feeling!! And, we have decided on a name for our sweet little guy: Maddox Dale :) OH, we can hardly wait to meet him!! Here are a couple shots of our sweet little guy:

Can you see him looking at us?? ;)

I ask, if anyone should read this and feel so inclined, to say a little prayer for my nephew Micheal. He underwent an operation this morning to correct a mild case of hypospadias. The surgery went well and he is recovering now at Vanderbilt. I know it's hard for his momma to see him in such a helpless state, but once he is all healed up he won't remember a thing, and for that I know we are all thankful. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!!

Well, here it is finally March...again another month since an entry here, and here I thought I was getting better at this! ;) And what a dreary March day it is! Technically, it is still Winter, despite what the daffodils and trees with their beautiful blooms try to tell me. At least by man's counting it is...and who is to say that's even correct...if nature declares it warm enough to bud up and wake from a long nap, wouldn't it be so? But I can't really complain. We have had some wonderful weather lately, and the week's forecast looks just as lovely in a couple of days...at least it isn't still giving us snow and ice, unlike several other states! So, here's another lesson in contentedness...soon enough I'll be cranking the AC and wishing it were chilly March again ;)

Sometimes I come by my own blog just to have a look at the little "baby counter"...sometimes I laugh at how silly it seems to watch this animation that represents our little Bean bounce around. Is that morbid of me? Surely that isn't really how it's happening in the womb, right? At least there has to be a softer landing what is depicted in the pretend womb, right?? The poor little pretend baby is just getting smacked around over there! *sigh* Anyway :) We're scheduled to go back to the hospital for the "Big Revealing" ultrasound on April 8th...I can hardly wait!! I did get to hear the heartbeat at last month's midwife visit and little Bean was just a chugging along at 150 bpm...such a sweet sound to my ears!! Not feeling any movement yet, but from what I understand, it could be another couple of weeks before I do. I'm just beginning to show some too! I started out with a little bit of padding, so I think when I really start showing then I'll probably look a little farther along than I really am being as I am already carrying a little more weight out front. But I haven't gained more than a couple pounds just yet, which is good! I'm trying to eat healthy and enough, but I haven't just been gorging myself...the nausea to begin with helped that immensely! Oy!

And speaking of Spring...I finally got our seeds and chicks ordered! I'm hoping the seeds arrive any day now and the chicks should be here the second week in April. I'm super excited!! I haven't had much luck with starting seeds indoors before, so I'll be trying a different method this time and praying for the best! I still need to get out there and do some work on the chicken coop, once it dries up just a bit and the temps rise some...hopefully later this week. We didn't get the outcome we had hoped for with the dog situation...nothing more was done about it other than her paying a small fine and court costs...no restitution for the animals killed, nothing done about the dogs. So, we'll be stocking up on some ammo and taking care of it ourselves, if it comes down to that, which I'm afraid it will. Once a dog has the taste of chicken blood, they're ruined. Which is really sad, because I hate to put down any animal, especially when I know that it's someone's pet. But, if it has to be done, it has to be done. And, with our child on the way, I won't be risking any aggressive dog behavior as these have exhibited. Someone's pet is not worth that and we won't be made prisoners of our own home because of someone else's negligence. But, that's enough of that subject.

My heart has been heavy for Japan...I can't imagine what those people are going through...the devastation they have suffered. I know that's a country that is much more prepared for these sort of things than we are, but I don't know that anyone could prepare for something of that magnitude! And the nuclear risks now looming...please be in prayer for them. I know it's a world away, but when God's children hurt I believe He feels it, and I know there are many of His children over there. It's so hard to think of what might happen without warning...even so, Lord Jesus, come! Would you be ready to go if the earth opened up here or wherever you are? The Bible tells us that our lives are like a puff of smoke, a vapor, that vanishes...we truly are like the grass that is green one day and withered the next...where would you end up if it came time to go today? None of us knows when our name will be called, or the ones that we love; is your house in order? I pray that if you do not know that security and peace that ONLY having a relationship with Jesus Christ brings, that you would not wait until things got really bad...because it might be too late. Hard times are upon us, please don't wait until then to seek Him and rely upon Him. He is waiting for you to call upon Him, you don't have to be perfect to come to Him...He will take care of that Himself. You just have to cry out to Him. Won't you trust Him today?

Some of the Goings-On...

Hello Friends! I know it's been a while, and so much has been going on, that I thought I might try to catch things up a little. It's hard to believe it's already the second month of 2011! Seems the days leave us quicker the longer I live :) And how about this weather?! Never have I seen so much snow in such a small amount of time here...gotta love that global warming, huh?lol And folks around here get so riled up over some white stuff, as if our complaining is going to change a thing about it. I say it would do us all more good to try and be happy that we have the sight to see it and that we have a home to escape the elements...there are so many that are not so blessed as we are! Haiti and Australia come to mind...but we did have some nice temperatures, for January, towards the end of the month. And today we have strong winds, rain and thunder! Never a dull moment.

But, onwards. What's been going on lately around here? Well, aside from the "You might as well laugh about it" weather, there's been some changing of things around the homefront. Some good, some not so good. Sadly, I'll be starting from scratch (no pun intended) with my hens. We have some not-so-considerate neighbors with a few dogs that have acquired a taste for warm birds. There were 3 of them, that I am aware of, that were in on the act, and they managed to break through the chicken wire of my coop and had themselves a nice buffet in the middle of the afternoon a few weeks back and we heard nary a sound. That is my biggest complaint about living in a home made of cinderblocks...the sound insulation can work against us at times. We had issues with this neighbor before when her dogs came after my sweet rooster while he was patrolling our own yard. See, I didn't clip his wings, because he was simply too good...never once showed aggression to me, and would even come and FETCH me when he was finished with his walkabout. Boy he was a sight! :) He never left our yard and was so well-behaved that I hated to take that privilege from him. But, as they say, no good deed goes unpunished, and the dogs came after poor Deuce and destroyed him. All the evidence led straight to their yard. We had called the law, not because I wanted to press charges or anything, but the dogs had cornered Deuce on top of our car and subsequently left scratches all over the sides of the car. We simply wanted to make sure that was on record, should things turn ugly...it is simply nature for predators to destroy prey, but the car was not something DH wanted to simply sweep under the rug.

We tried to be kind with her, I never asked as for retribution for Deuce. He was a rooster, after all, and not a layer. Nor were my hens the kind to go broody. It was right after our terrible flooding last May and her home had been destroyed in it...I simply felt I had no right to demand money from her, we only wanted her to be more respectful and keep her dogs up. We, even the officer handling the event, were under the impression she would be removing the dogs from her property, but that never happened, and so things are going a course I never wanted to see. Sadly, after having been found out by the officer as not abiding by the agreement, and after the last attack on my hens, and several other problems we have had with the dogs, we will be going to court over the matter at the end of the month. I am really really REALLY not looking forward to this, but this neighbor has abused the patience and kindness of several others close by and this seems to be the only recourse we have to get her attention. It seems it has, late as the action may be, as she has just recently put up some kenneling for the 3 dogs. I don't blame the dogs, they're simply doing what they're wired for, and from all indications they were probably pretty hungry already. I feel bad for them, actually. But, hopefully, this will be remedied after this month and we will never have another issue with them.

So, I'll be ordering chicks in the spring, and as the weather gets warmer I will be repairing and reinforcing the coop, so that hopefully this won't happen again! I am trying to decide on getting some meat birds as well as layers. Murray McMurray has some lovely selections and I am leaning toward the meat and layer combo right now...they send out rainbow layers in that combo and I would LOVE to have some more Easter Eggers. I am almost ready to order seeds too. I'm trying not to go overboard, as I am the one who does the gardening and will likely be getting rather large come harvest-time! :) It is really hard to prioritize when you want to do it all!LOL

And the best part of what's been happening! Last Thursday we got to have our first peek at this sweet little child!! I don't know how I managed to keep it all together, but it was beautiful. I have to admit that I was a little concerned at first because there wasn't any movement. But as soon I saw that beautiful little light flickering like mad, I felt alot better. Our little bean had a good, strong heartbeat at 167 bpm and was so calm during the whole process. They say a child's personality begins to from even in the womb, and if that's the case, we may have a laid-back little one on the way! I'll go back at the end of this month for another check-up and then hopefully in March we'll learn if we should start looking for things in pink or blue! Oh, we also got baby's first pictures done that day as well :) From the measurements that day, we're now looking at the end of August to meet this precious little one. I am so excited, and still so humbled at all of this. I do alot of weeping :) Well, I guess that's all I have at the moment. Hope you all have a blessed week!!

The line is where the heart was located in the picture above.

A good shot of our "little Bean". I know peanut is the usual term used, but for some reason Baby reminded me of a bean, lol. So, little Bean it is for now :)

The Simple Woman's Daybook, for January 4, 2011

FOR TODAY, January 4, 2011

Outside my window...We have a typical cloudy January sky in Tennessee...boy does it look cold!

I am thinking...a million thoughts, all at once...so much to be thankful for, to look forward to, to learn!

I am thankful for...the tiny life God is knitting together inside me, and His mercy and forgiveness of my doubt.

From the learning rooms...I am learning more about this little gift...what they are "growing" this week, trying to learn more about just being as healthy as I can be for this little one.

From the kitchen...I had the last pancake from last week, reheated, and a banana so far...I'm sure there'll be something else soon!lol

I am wearing...my p.j.'s still...


I am creating...well, not alot on my own. But what GOD is creating...oh wow!!

I am going...to see a friend today, then go buy some chicken feed for my ONE hen...ugh. More about that later though.

I am reading...a couple different things on pregnancy. One is "What to Expect..." and a few little magazine sort of things from my sister and midwife.

I am hoping...that little one is growing the way they should be and that God will protect them until we can hold their precious little body in our arms.

I am hearing...the garbage truck. It's not as loud as it usually is, since we don't have a full garbage bin for them to empty.

Around the house...things are quiet, as they typically are this time of day.

One of my favorite things...right now is beef! I just can't seem to get enough of it lately, lol.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Finishing up a research paper, taking down the scant decorations I have up from Christmas, some cleaning.

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing...
A picture my husband took while we were on our anniversary trip to the Smokey Mountains.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Psalm 51:7

BIG NEWS!!!!!!!

I had a blood test done on Christmas Eve and my first prenatal visit is tomorrow afternoon. To say I am excited is an understatement! Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the prayers! God finally said YES!

Guess who decided to show up "early"!

I say "early" because we weren't entirely sure of the actual due date to expect him, but her physician recommended she set up a c-section date, just in case. My sister so wanted to attempt a natural birth with Micheal, because her first son, Cain, was an emergency c-section. Cain's umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, essentially strangling him and sending his heart rate way down every time she pushed. So, she had hopes for this birth to be natural, but the doctor on-call (hers was out of town this week) recommended this as being easier for the baby, given her insurance situation. So, another c-section it was. Mommy and baby got to go home yesterday, and I can't wait until I get to hold this sweet little fella again. He is beautiful beyond words and these pictures simply don't do him justice. Some of them are blurry, but his expressions are simply precious. Enjoy!

Micheal Ryan Watkins
Born at 7:06 p.m.
October 25, 2010
5 lb 15 oz, 19 inches long

He didn't like this "binky", it was too big for him!

I could just melt :)

And so alert!!

"Do you know how much Aunt Maymay loves you, Micheal?"

Uncle Justin & Micheal

Uncle Jamie (my dh) and Micheal...doesn't this look good on him?LOL

My dad (Pappaw) and his youngest uncle, Jeremy

Pappaw and Uncle Jared

Nana Nancy (our step-mom) and Micheal

What a precious gift God gives in the newness of a baby!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook, for October 25, 2010

FOR TODAY, October 25, 2010

Outside my window...there are a few rays of cheery sunlight trying to peek through the rain clouds. It is a beautiful scene as the rays dance with the autumn leaves that remain on their branches after last night's storms.

I am thinking...I have so far to go in my walk to become a woman who represents her Lord Jesus in her life. But, don't we all?

I am thankful for...the rain from last night (we have been so very dry up on the hill) and for God's protection from the most severe of the storms.

From the learning rooms...I am nearing the end of my class!! I have 5 grades left to make and can almost see the finish line!

From the kitchen...nothing this morning. I will probably have a "fiber" bar and a banana, but it is just me this morning, so no cooking.

I am wearing...my p.j.'s still...

I am creating...not much lately. I am concentrating most of my time to the class and am really really ready for it to be done! I am still doing some cross stitching, and did recently finished up a little thing for the kitchen.

I am going...to be an AUNT once again in a couple of weeks!! Oh yeah...I haven't told y'all yet, have I?lol....

I am reading...nothing at the moment...boy, I'm kind of dull lately, aren't I?LOL

I am hoping...everything goes well with the surgeries that are coming up. Next week is going to be a busy one!

I am hearing...the final spin of the washing machine kick in. It never ceases to amaze me how much dirty laundry 2 people can make in one week!

Around the house...things are quiet, as they typically are this time of day.

One of my favorite things...baby clothes! We have some generous friends who have given us clothes for the baby coming soon (not mine, yet) and I have loved washing them up and folding them.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Typing up the rest of the practice transcripts for the class, working on the guest (catch-all) bedroom and repainting it a color that doesn't leave your retinas crying for mercy, thinking up dishes to fix for Thanksgiving...yep, it'll be here soon!!

Here is a picture for thought I am sharing...My precious nephew and I taking a picture of his mom (my sister, who was taking a picture of us, lol) while at my mother's this week. God bless that little sweetheart :)

Catching up...

When I said I would be back soon, I meant sooner than this! But I think I might have "jinxed" myself by thinking that. I hope I can remember all the things that have been going on since before summer began, but I'm not promising anything. Right now I have my web page toolbar crammed with blog posts I would like to read, and many more to skim over, and am enjoying the beautiful piano music from a friend's music player and basking in the peace I feel at this moment. I am so terribly inconsistent and easily distracted in so many areas of my life and, sadly and inexcusably, this includes my spiritual life. If you feel so compelled, I would appreciate any prayers for this. It catches up with me every time...you would think I would have learned by now. I am so negligent in just sitting down and studying God's Word. I get good, healthy snacks and nibbles from my blog/Facebook friends, but rarely do I sit down and actually indulge in the feast in my own home. And I am becoming malnourished and I can feel it. My witness as His child suffers and I become so susceptible to stumbling when I should know better. Disobedient pride is crippling and I hate when I have it. But thankfully He does not leave me as quickly as I seem to leave Him so often. Out of all His sheep, I feel like the most foolish one. No smart lamb would leave their Shepherd willingly, yet still He gently-but firmly-draws me back in before I can fall down into the pit. I repent and He wipes the tears of shame away. I am thankful, so very deeply thankful. It is a feeling of wretchedness when I realize how I have wandered...never all at once, but just little steps at a time, until I realize I am tripping in the dusk away from His light. Our pastor preached a good word this morning, and the worship with other saints was balm to my soul. May He continue to draw me closer, and may He speak to you what you need to hear from Him. I praise HIM for all He is and Who He is to me, even though I surely will never ever deserve an ounce of it. May His Holy Spirit stir us and spur us on as never before, may we not grow weary in well-doing. I love you, my friends. May He bless you today, and every day, until His glorious appearing again.

.....might it be a post???

Hello friends! I apologize for the brevity of this entry, and for the length of time I have been away. But, I wanted to let you know that, should you still read my postings, I will be back with more in a while. I have several things to share, some good and some not so good. Until then, may God bless and keep you.

A Busy Day!

Hey y'all! It's your favorite drama blog-queen back again! Hahaha. Okay, I admit...I suppose I can be sort of a drama llama at times. I'm working on it...I am way too blessed to be so depressed about things that I really don't have too much control over. Sure, I could "take the reins" and push to have things done that could make it appear I am in charge...but seriously? When you get right down to the nitty gritty I have about as much control over it as I do in the seasons and the rising of the sun. And that's OKAY. So, I'll just appreciate and try to be happy for folks who are experiencing things that I hope for our little family here. Hopefully soon I can expound on what I mean a little deeper, but right now that's all I need to say.

It has been kind of busy around here lately and I am glad for it! Some people seem to have that wonderful ability to keep going all year long, but I'm pretty sure if I had been created an animal I would have been a bear. I very nearly hibernate in the winter until Spring and her warmer weather shows up. We also live in what I call a "hobbit house", or a basement house as normal people refer to it. Our living room, kitchen and laundry room are the only rooms in the house that aren't surrounded by dirt with the kitchen and living room having the only full-size windows. I feel like that probably contributes to my hermit nature in the cold months. Oh well :) We have a home and food to fill our bellies and heat to keep us warm and Jesus in our hearts. I am so thankful, and that is an understatement. I am humbled by His goodness and mercy and am embarrassed by how selfish I can be at times. Life is GREAT and I deserve NONE of it.

My online class has been moving along rather well! I am kind of surprised at how well I am actually doing in it. As of right now I am a little more than halfway through and have an average of 91. Hopefully I can bring it up a few points, but I am passing so far!! I may end up slowing down a little bit; with the weather warming up I would like to spend some time outdoors in the yard on days I can, so I'll probably be tweaking my daily routine some.

Speaking of the outdoors, we spent ALOT of time there today. I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!! Well, most of it. Last year was the first year we had a "real" garden. It went well, I thought, all things considered. I learned a few things and got my feet wet. We ended up having enough squash and tomatoes and okra to eat fresh and a bit extra to freeze, but not a considerable amount to can and put up. So this year I wanted to make our plot bigger and see if I could plant a few different things and try to put some up.

This was our plot(s) last year

This is the beginning of this year's

We're using old railroad ties for our beds and opted for the raised bed because under the topsoil in our yard we have chert rock. Last year we had 4 ties and this year we expanded it by 3. Looking back I wish we had gotten one more and made it square instead of that odd 5-sided thing we have now (hexagon?) but our tie-supplier is a little longer a drive off than we had time for today. I am debating on buying one more...maybe we will try it like this and add another next year, lol. That's about as often as I want to move these things in a year!! Thank you Lord, for giving me a strong husband!! I love him so! I would also like to plant some "looking" plants. You know, those that you plant just because they are nice and make your yard pretty. Unless the Lord comes soon, I don't see us relocating any time soon. I would like for our home to reflect this reality. That means *GASP* making our house a little more like a real home. A work in progress ;) We have some flowers that have been blessing us this spring and the last that were planted by a previous owner, but I would like to plant a few more pretty plants that I really enjoy.

Here are some examples of already existing beauties: please forgive the drabness...not everything has jumped on the spring bandwagon yet ;)

We have some lovely trees/bushes:

We have a larger plum and some other tall tree to the left of what is in this
picture and another plum to the right of the shot...foresight would be
handy when I take pictures ;) This shot has a plum tree, azalea bush & what I think
is a tulip poplar. You can see we also have some cheery daffodils blooming and
some lilies coming up.

Another shot of the same line of trees/bushes from a
different angle

Some daffodils around Gunner's tree and this bright, bold hedge-thing,
lol. Please forgive the ugly garbage can situation...I also cleaned the
shed out today.

At the corner of the house is a smaller azalea bush.
Haven't decided if I'll keep it there or not...

Ahhhh...color :) Sorry, I couldn't resist! This was last summer.

And the lovely flowers:

daffodils and lilies

lilies up top...not sure what that thing is at the bottom left of the brick wall

Irises waaay in back to the right, and two more of those mystery plants...

Irises around the mailbox

Waaaay back there are some more irises

So, that's what is already there. I have some gladiola and peony bulbs to plant and I have a "tulip kit" started that I bought from JoAnn's earlier this month. I didn't know it took 16 weeks for them to sit...is it possible to put them out and they grow properly? I also have some areas already planned to plant in, just not sure what exactly to plant. I would post more pictures of the area, but this post is already waaaaaaaay tooooooooo looooooooooooong! And I am bushed!! Hope you all have a great Sunday!!