February 9th, 2012 
The Baby is getting older. He’s 2 and a half. He speaks in paragraphs now. He even told me the other day “I not a baby, Mama, I a bid boy.” (our g’s are d’s). And there’s that whole pesky business of having a new baby on the way and thusly having 2 babies at the same time. And though he (and all the rest of them for that matter) will always be my baby it might make it easier if he has a new nickname in the cyber world. And after much debating of said nickname. We decided to go with the name that BigMan frequently calls him. Little Buddy. He’s BigMan’s Little Buddy and he gets called that oh so often. So, without further ado, I introduce to you…. Little Buddy!
January 11th, 2012  Oh, c’mon, you know you wanted to see something I had peed on.
Yes, we are!!
We are…
Pregnant.
Expecting.
Overjoyed.
Scared.
Undeserving.
Worried.
Over the moon.
We have shared moments like these with you before. A couple of times now.
And each time it has been the same.
So very full of emotion and desire and love!
Let the Joyful Chaos of the Parker family continue!
For we really are so very…
December 29th, 2011 
We sold the house! I have mixed emotions (sadness, grief, letting go…) but overall the feeling is relief. So glad that it’s over and we can move on and find closure. Heal. And rejoice!! The sale went through the Thursday before Christmas – such a blessing – we were able to buy a trampoline (and thusly nearly double our Christmas for the kids!)
Keeping to my declaration (of wisdom, stupidity?) I didn’t get a haircut the entire time we were trying to sell our house. I originally made the decision because we just couldn’t afford any extras and haircuts are definitely extra. Matt told me early on if I really wanted a haircut that we could set aside the money and do it, but somehow I promised myself I wouldn’t do it. And then as one sale fell through and the next sale was being delayed I began to worry that I would join the ranks of Crystal Gail. But I didn’t (whew!) and I took my girl and we got all dolled up last night (then went and bought me some shoes! woohoo!) I will get a picture of my new cut on here as soon as I can, but this morning with bed head and no make up it just ain’t happenin’.
This was the first Christmas (since having kids, I think) that Matt and I exchanged gifts with one another. And he did it up big – he bought me new dishes and silverware. Our first non-hand-me-down dishes since we’ve been married. I adore them! But I’m scared I’m gonna mess them up, because we’re the Parkers and we generally can’t have nothin’ nice! (I got him a coffee pot and some cologne – I’m not sure those don’t count as gifts to myself!)
I’ve put on a bit of the weight I had previously lost and it makes me sad. It’s not just the weight. As I talked about before. It’s the “why’s” behind the weight gain. It’s a lack of self-control followed by guilt. I hate the cycle. I need to just make the decision and break it again. Because I was so much happier before.
Homeschooling is rolling. With the exception of the last couple of weeks of the holidays. I’m ready for my schedule again. So next week when all the holidaying is officially over I’ll be planning and getting back to it. This year I will stick with our current curriculum plan, but I intend to incorporate a few unit studies along the way. I always get to a holiday and wish I weren’t a slacker. The kids will ask me why we’re celebrating a certain holiday and I rarely have an answer. Plus, I’m so scheduled with our current curriculum that I feel guilty when I skip our scheduled schooling to try to fit in a unit study. And I find myself (and the kids) sometimes burning out on the same old, same old. So, I’m going to intentionally schedule holiday unit studies throughout the coming year – I think it will make me a happier person! (any free unit studies suggestions are SO welcome by the way!)
We’re still working on reading through the Bible aloud with the kids. I never thought: A. that we would actually stick with this. B. Enjoy it so much. C. Not be through by now. On January 1st it will be a whole year that we have been reading the Bible aloud to our kids. I’m only in Proverbs. But I’m amazed at how much God has blessed our socks off by my determination to do this. It hasn’t been easy. I’ve discovered that the younger kids go completely nutso when I start reading it. I’ve begun praying for peace and for God’s hand over us while I read. It’s basically sheer determination to do it that has kept me going, but it’s been so great when I have that it encourages me to keep on keeping on.
With the sale of the house we were also fortunate enough to buy a dishwasher (to be delivered and hooked up in the next few weeks) and a furnace for our central heat (due to be delivered today!) The space heaters have gotten us through and I’m abundantly thankful, but I’m beyond excited about central heat! And I know that the dishwasher is totally frills and I’m also amazed at how, through prayer and God’s grace, that I’ve become content with my daily hour long dishwashing session, but I sure do look forward to the hum of an automatic dishwasher and the freed up time that will afford me!
The sicknesses have eased for now (except for one persistent cold the Baby keeps). So thankful!
I’ve spent less time at my computer lately and it’s not entirely planned. I just haven’t had the time. I actually got Photoshop from a friend for Christmas!! And I’m so, so, so excited about playing with it (though, of course daunted by learning something new!) I just have to find the time to do it!
Baby is potty training. Of his own accord. I’m not rushing and it’s not final, but he’s slowly making progress and that makes me happy.
I hope you all have a Happy New Year if I can’t make it back here before then!
November 29th, 2011 
I’m thankful for that little bunch up there.
My girl got sick the other night after a week and a half of health, and presented symptoms of a fever over 103, a spreading rash, headache, a little vomiting, and then during children’s church choir (yes, we took her because she had been feeling a bit better in the afternoon)… the back of her neck started really hurting. We knew the stiff, sore neck was a cause for concern. After looking at Dr. Sears’ site and realizing the doctor we turn to who is usually so laid back about rashes and fevers and viruses was very insistent that the sore neck with any of the other symptoms was cause to go to the doctor immediately. No waiting for morning, no call to your doc, just go. We then called a nurse practioner friend of ours (who happens to be a mom as well) and she confirmed our concerns, that yes, she would go to the ER on a Sunday night with her own child if they had those symptoms. In addition to mostly being a doctor avoider anyway we were further concerned because we knew that if the hospital thought it might be meningitis the next step in diagnosing such a scary illness would be a spinal tap, followed by 14 days in the hospital hooked to an IV. And that’s the best case scenario. The only reassurance to that was that they would probably put her to sleep for the spinal tap and that if it were meningitis that we have hospitals that can help treat such horrific illnesses. On the way to the ER we quickly discussed who would stay with the other 4 children, what to ask the doctors, and prayed like crazy.
When you think that your world might be changing, that what you think will always be, might not, you look at your world differently. You kiss her head a little more gently. You play with her hair more, you have a hope deeper than you normally tap into. You find thankfulness in places that are unexpected.
We had given her ibuprofen just before going to the hospital for her rising fever and that relief was starting to show by the time we got there. I was thankful. The ER ushered us through the channels quickly. I was thankful. The hospital staff was kind, caring, attentive, efficient, and they listened to me. They were not condescending. When I told them we don’t just run to the doctor, much less the ER very often they took note. I was thankful. When they saw that I was texting with Matt to find out what questions to ask next, to keep him updated, and to determine our next steps they didn’t scold me for my use of my cell, they offered to wait on decision making until Matt and I could discuss it via the phone. I was thankful. When they said they thought it was definitely NOT meningitis (due to her perkiness and tap dancing in the ER room, no kidding) but that they wanted to swab for strep throat they offered her a popsicle for her throat swabbing bravery. It made her smile. I was thankful. When the cartoons went off on the hospital tv, I flipped channels for something kid appropriate and she yelled and cheered when I came across a football game “I wanna watch what Daddy’s watching at home right now!!” And I was thankful. When the tech came back with a negative test result and discharge papers I still had concerns and questions and she, without hesitation offered to bring the doctor back in to “reassure” me. I was thankful. When the doctor came back within 5 minutes and did in fact reassure me I was thankful again. When both of my sisters called to check on my girl and offer me any help needed while I was still in the hospital with her I was thankful. When Matt said the screaming stressed, missing mama, kiddos had somewhat settled down to an occasional cry after the first hour of yelling I was thankful.
When I got back into the van with my whole little family within a few hours’ time and a fairly clean bill of health with only an “It’s a virus” diagnosis and it was just before bedtime still, I was thankful. When the hospital called back the next day and told me that the culture confirmed strep and that she would need a round of antibiotics, I rejoiced. Because strep, that I can handle.
I’m thankful for perspective.
I’m thankful for friends who pray.
I’m thankful for answered prayers and health.
I’m thankful for my girl.
November 22nd, 2011 Well, our school year started later than normal why shouldn’t our class pics be posted later (way later) than normal? But… better late than never, right?
And now in ascending order of age.. here are the students!
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