Cloth Diapers!?!

Little did I know when I started researching cloth diapers that I was opening the door to a whole world I never knew existed!

My interest was peaked when I read an article at Simple Mom on cloth diapering. Jason was still without a job so the idea that $400 dollars cold take us from birth to potty training was very appealing! The deeper I dug the more information I found about concerns with the chemicals in disposable diapers. Could that be why my kids struggled with terrible diaper rashes? Sorting through all the reviews different styles etc was so overwhelming! I was able to find a local shop Green Pixie Baby and the owner offered a fee consultation. Free I can do! She was so helpful in explaining the different types of diapers and how easy it actually was to wash the diapers. I was hooked. It didn't help that some of these fluffy bums were so stinkin cute! I decided to start with the good old fashioned prefolds and covers. The most cost effective. My initial stash was a combination of cotton and Thirsties prefolds with Thirsties covers. I wanted a few of the Thirsties prefolds because they are a cotton hemp blend. Hemp is supposed to be naturally antibacterial. Because of the girls issues with rashes I wanted to try a few of these. I spent $180 and had the essentials for diapering Lila until 9 months. And with a generous financial gift all off it was covered! Since then we have acquired some pocket style diapers also. I have Leia wearing cloth diapers at night, she loves them! She got upset at me when I tried to put a disposable on her. I did manage to get a pull up on her a few weeks ago when she was having some tummy troubles. We needed to make a quick trip and I didn't want to deal with any issues that might come from not getting to the potty in time! The next day her entire diaper area was bright red. The few remaining disposable went in the trash. Needless to say we are now a cloth diapering family and never going back to disposables. My biggest concern was dealing with diaper rashes and so far Lila has had none. I wish I'd cloth diapered all the girls!

Today I'm entering KellyWels sweepstakes for a bumGenious diaper kit valued at $370! I've heard a lot about these diapers. So excited for the possibility of trying them. Enter here for your chance to win!

I've been wanting to revive this for a while now. I guess I should start with a review of whats been going on.

August 2009 The girls and I moved to Nashville TN to join Jason.

September 2009 The job that brought our family to Nashville laid Jason off.

March 2010 SURPRISE baby #4 is on her way!

September 2010 After almost a year of living off unemployment, temp work and me working part time for a few months. Jason got a job!

December 2010 Lila Faith joined our family.

I hope to fill in the blanks with some other post soon. We've learned, are learning so much about trust and God's provision. Jason and I share the computer now so my time is limited. This is a start though. To be continued...

Christmas 2009

Christmas this year will be a little different then usual. Not only are we in a new city Jason is still without a job. So we are getting rather creative. We've never been ones to go crazy, but we do enjoy giving to our family. Usually I make cards. We decorate the house and have a tree. The girls will get a few little things from us. And I'll make a picture album of the girls for the grandparents. This year everything is different!

We knew we were going to be traveling so Jason and I decided to consider an artificial tree (never thought I'd have one of those). As we started pricing them we felt that it would not be wise for us to purchase one. Instead we used our ornament tree to display our special ornaments. First year I have not had a Christmas tree. Honestly I haven't missed it yet. No mess, no keeping little fingers away, no rearranging the living room to fit a tree. At first the girls didn't understand why we were not putting up a tree. Now it doesn't seem to matter. I guess because they know we will be in MD it's not an issue for them.

I'm also not making cards this year. That was a little harder to give up. I really enjoy crafting. Christmas cards have been the only thing I've let myself continue to do since having three kids. Too many other things need to be done. After I started thinking about how much postage, card stock, etc was going to be... it was scratched from the list. I may try and email a Christmas card. If I can figure out how to do what I want to do.

We were planning on not giving any gifts to the grandparents. Other then pictures I'm having the girls paint. That's probably been the most exciting thing for the girls yet this year. Mommy actually has paint in the house and they are getting to use it! I found a good deal on one of the picture websites I've used. So they will be getting paintings by the girls along with pictures.

Next was the girls, what to do! We wanted to do something, but knew we were very limited on cash. Jason reminded me that we had Discover Cashback bonus's saved. Why not try to use that? I started looking through what was available. Found this,

they have been asking for one similar to this every time we're in Target. Made a trip to Sam's picked up the dollhouse. Got a few things from the dollar section at Target for their stockings. In the hopes that it might help keep the girls occupied on the 12-13 hour ride home. Spent about $13 each, if not less.

I knew this year would be different. Did not expect everything that came our way. I'm enjoying being creative with what we are able to do. And starting new traditions!

Our decision for public school...

Jason and I struggled with what to do for school. All the options we looked at had pros and cons. Private school was appealing, but there was no way we could afford it. There are many things we liked about home schooling. Yet I had doubts. Public school, well that's just a melting pot for all things evil... right?

With private school not an option it was home school or public. Which meant home school. For Jason in particular. I was still unsettled about it. My requirement for my self was that if we were going to home school the girls must meet the same requirements that children in school were held to. Could I do that? I was already having a difficult time just keeping up with my daily responsibilities and three small children.

The other issue we were running into was Jenna's birthday held her back a year in school. I believed she could handle it academically but emotionally? Was she ready to handle the social pressures she would face? Another reason home schooling was appealing.

We decided to home school So I started researching different curriculum's. I found one I fell in love with, Sonlight. It gave me a daily schedule, everything I would need was included and it was Literature based. We would be reading great classics as well as fun modern stories. We were looking at artwork by Monet and Van Gogh to learn about the different seasons. It was the first thing that actually made me a little excited about home schooling. Until we started...

Both Jenna and I liked the work, especially the read alouds. But I was finding it extremely challenging to keep Norah occupied while Jenna and I worked. Add an infant and I was stressed. Norah would end up watching TV so Jenna and I could get whatever we could done before Leia needed me. It was very hard. And I noticed it was causing strife between Jenna and I. There were things I knew she knew but she would take forever to do. Or she'd complain that she couldn't do it when she'd just done it the day before. It was frustrating. Yet I really felt strongly that we needed to persevere and finish out the year.

Half way through December Jason accepted a job that would be relocating us to Nashville TN. As we started planning for the move we re evaluated everything. We knew that Jason would be moving ahead of us. And that the girls and I would be moving to a temporary location until our house sold. Jason was aware of how challenging the home schooling was for me. He encouraged me to pack it up. If we found a house in a good school district we'd enroll her in public school. If not we would attempt home schooling again. I was relieved!

Public school still concerned us. There were so many unknowns. Jason had been all through public school. He had concerns, but he also knew what to expect. I was home schooled. I didn't even know how to prepare her for school.

I spent a lot of time talking with moms who had sent their children to school as well as friends who were teachers. They all encouraged me to be involved. Get to know the teacher and the other students. Be proactive about talking with Jenna and asking her questions about what was going on in school. One person encouraged me that no matter where we sent Jenna to school she was going to be okay because of who Jason and I are as parents. God used that to bring me peace. We are going to be involved with the girls education no matter how they are educated, public, private or home school. Our challenge is to keep that open dialog. To be constantly finding ways to get her to communicate with us what is going on.

We moved forward with looking for a house. I still had moments where I worried about sending her to public school. It took us longer then we thought to find a house. It seemed as though everything we pursued just would not work out for one reason or another. And for a while it looked like we might be home schooling. Until God provided the house we are currently renting. I was starting to get anxious when I found out schools start here several weeks before they do in MD. At that point we had less then a month to find a house, move and prepare for school. I was stressed! Yet God always provides, I don't know why I lose sight of that. Jason found a house in a great school district. Two weeks later we were moving and a week after that Jenna started school.

I am so happy with Jenna's school! Her teacher has been amazing. She's been teaching for over thirty years. I cannot believe how much Jenna has learned in the two months she's been in school! She already knows more then she learned in the four months we were home schooling. Jenna has been sick this week so I stopped by school to pick up some things for her to work on. Her teacher spent time talking with me about Jenna and the class, even gave me a hug before I left. She encouraged me that Jenna has been making huge improvements in controlling her social tendencies as well as completing her work well.

As I look back I can see how despite my fears God was directing us where we were to be. Home schooling didn't work for us for a reason. Don't know why. But I am thankful for where we are now. I am seeing maturity in Jenna that I might not have seen if she hadn't been placed where she is. I have also been able to spend more time with Norah. And I'm noticing things in her behavior that need to be addressed. I might have overlooked that if we were home schooling.

I don't know what will happen next year. I want to hold everything about the girls schooling loosely. God may call us to something else in the future and I want to be willing to do whatever He asks. Despite my fears about what the outcome may be.

I LOVE our new library!

Yesterday morning Norah, Leia and I went with our new neighbor and her daughter to the downtown Nashville library for their free storytime. They were doing a presentation of Cinderella with marionette's. It was amazing! I have never seen anything like it. Norah and Leia enjoyed it so much we went again this morning so Jason and Jenna could see it. Apparently there is gentleman here Tom Tichenor who is famous for his puppets and marionette's. Today was the last day for Cinderella I'm curious to see what they are doing next. Can't wait to explore this library more with the girls!

Do I "count it all joy"

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,

for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:2-4

Jason and I were recently talking about this verse. It challenged me. Do I "count it all joy?" Did I "count it all joy" while the girls and I were living in MD and Jason in TN for seven months? Am I "counting it all joy" now as we face the challenges of reestablishing our family in a new city? Honestly no. I look toward the end result, the fruit of the trial instead of the journey. I can now look back over those seven months and see how God used that time to change me. I'm thankful for that time. In the midst of it I could feel Gods hand in our circumstances and see Him working. But it was hard and I'd never want to do it again. Instead of seeing the trail as a privilege. God shaping me into who He wants me to be. I just wanted to be done. Attaining the fruit without walking through the challenge. I've recently been thinking about Job. God allowed Satan to challenge Job in every way. Taking everything from him. And what was his response... "the Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21b) "Shall we indeed accept good from God and not adversity?" (Job 2:10b) My desire is to find joy in each challenge I face. When adversity comes I want to bless God. Rejoice that He is making me into who I am created to be. Not wait till it's over when I can see why, or how God used that time. As I face the new challenges God gives me. As we enter into a new season I want to have joy in every trial. Not there yet, but I hope to be!

Praying for you.

I recently had someone contact me to let me know they had been thinking about me and praying for me.  I have always been thankful when I'd heard this before.  This time I experienced Gods comfort.  I was reminded that in the midst of my very difficult circumstances He cares.  Enough to have someone else praying for me. 

Luke 12:6-7 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies?  And not one of them is forgotten before God... Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.