Ezekiel's Garden

Thank you, LaurieD, for asking about my #2 Tough Guy.  He is doing much better, thank you!

He spent 6 days in the hospital.  After his surgery on Friday afternoon, he perked right up and just kept getting better.  He really needed that draining procedure.  That was when he turned the corner.  As I type, he is playing in the living room with his 2 little brothers.  He just had his 7th birthday this week.  I can’t believe it has been that long!

A week after he got home, though, we all got a tummy bug.  That was miserable!  We got it from someone at our Bible study who came literally hours after he had stopped throwing up. 

We started to get better, then we all got colds.  Now Baby J, who is 15 months old, has something strange going on.  I took him in last Sunday to the immediate care center.  He had an ear infection.  Thought he was getting better, but had a fever yesterday and woke up with one, too.  Not to mention that his lymph nodes were alarmingly huge.  I took him in to the regular doc today, and she gave him a stronger antibiotic.  We are hoping this does the trick.  I really don’t want/need another hospitalization! 

In other family news, we now have 2 Great Pyrenees puppies to guard our goats.  They are so cute!  Their names are Calvin and Luther, and they’re about 9 weeks old.  Until the weather gets a little warmer, they stay in the chicken infirmary at night and go out to the goats during the day.  I think the goats are finally getting accustomed to them.  They no longer raise their hackles when the boys go in.  In fact, today, dh and I saw them in the goat shelter while it was snowing.  In about a month, our family will increase again.  The 2 adult goats, Fancy and Dew, are due to kid during the first week of March.  Ruth won’t kid until the middle of April.  Esther is due about a week to 10 days after Ruth.  I can’t wait!  It’s so very exciting. 

We also have nearly all of our seeds for the gardening season.  I have some potatoes saved from last year and also varieties that I’ve liked from the store (mainly fingerlings).  I’ve swapped tons of seeds, too, so I only had to spend $25 for seeds I need.  I may get some onion sets from a local greenouse, but that will be all.  I think I’m going to plant things like lettuces, radishes, spinach, beets, etc., and maybe even a couple of tomatoes for out-of-hand eating, in with the herbs in my herb garden.  That will help with space in the garden and also fill in those herb beds.  It won’t be long before I’ll have to start seeds.  Oh someone is going to need to twist my arm for that!

Every single time I do, the "my plans for this week" that I post, even when I say I have few or no plans, get completely messed up!  Seriously!

This time, it was my #2 Tough Guy Garden.  He complained of a sore neck all day Monday, but I put him off.  I even punished him for not eating his supper quickly enough that night.  Before bed, he was really complaining, so I checked him out and what I saw really freaked me out.  One side was very swollen and I thought for sure he had mumps.  I took him in on Tuesday (getting him there was very eventful – had a morning appointment and the propane truck came, ran off our drive & got stuck in the mud, and was being pulled out as we needed to leave so rescheduled for the afternoon when we were able to get out of our drive).  Doctor called me back before bed saying he acted more like a bacterial infection and wanted me to take him to the ER if he displayed certain signs (which he was a few).  So, we went to the peds ER at a hospital a little far, but we’ve used it many times before & love it.  He was admitted and we were able to get some sleep around 5:15. 

Since then, he’s had surgery to drain an internal lymph node that had abcessed (not filled with pus yet, just a precursor fluid that was full of bacteria).  He now looks and acts much better, PTL.  He has at least another day of IV antibiotics, maybe more, depending on how he does over the course of the next day.  We may get to come home on Monday. 

This has been extremely trying.  We live 45 minutes away from that particular (excellent) children’s hospital, named after a famous football player in our town who has donated money to it.  Baby J is still nursing, and dh was sick.  Not to mention the farm.  However, God is good and has provided a baby who is content with daddy and bottles of pumped milk (thank the Lord I never gave away or sold my pump from when I worked).  Also friends who have cared for us and our kids while we needed to be with Tough Guy.  A good night of sleep for everybody last night.  Even several hours by myself today with baby to cuddle & nurse, do chores, and take a nap.  I have some laundry left to fold, but it’s freshly washed/dried laundry.  Not laundry from Monday that has been laying in piles all over the house.  That laundry is in its rightful place.  Tonight, dh is feeling well enough to eat dinner and watch a movie with Tough Guy.  As soon as I finish this post, transfer the laundry, and feed the baby, we’ll be bundling up and heading out to meet dh at the hospital.  Baby J isn’t allowed inside, so we’ll do the transfer in the parking lot and I’ll spend the night again with Tough Guy.

So, anyway, now you know why I don’t think I’m going to do the SWDB any more.  I love the concept and am going to use it for personal journal prompts in my own adaptation.  I’ll just find something else to post about. 

Well, I have been remiss about blogging at all lately, and that includes the Simple Woman’s Daybook.  Sorry about that.  I got so busy with holiday prep that I just plain forgot.  Suffice it to say that we are nearly holidayed out, and we still need to do our immediate family celebration.  That has been delayed because we weren’t home when UPS tried to deliver the first time.  I am hoping it comes today so I can wrap them and the boys open them tonight or tomorrow. 

FOR TODAY
December 29, 2009

Outside my window… A soft blanket of snow covers the ground.  My biggest boys are out playing in it, while the two youngest are inside with me.  I’ll need to go out into it later to feed the goats and chickens.
I am thinking… about how I’m going to order my day to cram as much into it as possible.
I am thankful for… friends and family, my wonderful hubby, and the snow we got yesterday.
From the learning rooms… school "lite" is all we’re doing.  Mainly playing dominoes and having my helpers count as I cook.
From the kitchen… I haven’t decided tonight’s meal.  I am thinking along the lines of a pork roast.  I should get it in the crockpot soon.  We need sandwich bread, too.
I am wearing… lots of layers.  It’s cold!
I am creating… a big mess and then cleaning it up.  I am going to organize my kitchen while my hubby’s home on vacation this week.
I am going… blessedly, nowhere today.  I am not at all disappointed about this either.
I am reading… not much of anything except the Bible.  I am working on weeding through magazine stacks, does that count as reading?
I am hoping… that we can find some seasoned firewood soon.  Half of our house is not hooked up to the furnace and is heated by a wood stove.  We’re out of good seasoned wood, and it’s quite chilly in that half now!
I am hearing… the chicks peeping from our bedroom, #3 chattering away about what he’s drawing, and the boots of the 2 big boys as they’re trying to clean them off so as not to make a mess for me to clean up.  Baby is asleep in his crib.
Around the house… organizing the kitchen a bit, hopefully.  Making a batch of sandwich bread, maybe.  I think I may have a Mt. Laundry in my bedroom to whip into shape, too.
One of my favorite things… a warm fire, good classical music, and snow outside.  Cuddling up and reading a good book with the kids would be nice, too.
A few plans for the rest of the week: I have no real plans for the rest of the week.  Hubby is on vacation this week.  We’re going to try to accomplish some things around here so we won’t be trying to do them when it’s kidding season.  The only other things we have scheduled are lunch with friends on Wednesday, grocery shopping on Thursday, and a New Year’s Eve party to attend that same evening.

FOR TODAY
7 December 2009
Outside my window… melting snow from last night’s snowfall.  Even though it was only about an inch, it was still beautiful.  The season’s first.
I am thinking… not much, really.  Earlier today I was thinking about Pearl Harbor, the sacrifice there.
I am thankful for… freedom to worship the Lord freely.
From the learning rooms… today, we did a lot of PE, lol.  Then, when everyone was warming up, we read ahead in The Wheel on the School and also in the Bible.
From the kitchen… after making a double batch of Chex mix and 3 batches of Christmas cookies, it was a low-key day in the kitchen today.  I need to bake bread tomorrow, maybe some Christmas candies.
I am wearing… jeans today.  My long skirts were all dirty.  However, they’re clean now, and I look forward to wearing them tomorrow!
I am creating… Not much right now.  I need to finish my cherry corduroy skirt’s waistband so I can wear it soon. I got some lovely chocolate herringbone fabric for another skirt.  I need to decide what I’m going to do with it, but I’m thinking maybe a six gore?
I am reading… a chapter of Luke each day for Advent devotions.  I got the idea off of Moody’s Midday Connection.
I am hoping… that we can find a babysitter for Friday night.  We rarely go on a date, and we’d like to go to our Sunday School class’s Christmas party.
I am hearing… the baby chuckling at a few pieces of Chex mix I put out for him on the piano bench.
Around the house… fire in the woodburner.  So very welcome when it’s so chilly outside.
One of my favorite things… a warm fire, a cup of hot tea, and a Christmas cookie
A few plans for the rest of the week: Tomorrow evening we’re having a ladies’ group at the church.  Wednesday is regular church activities – prayer meeting and kids’ clubs.  Friday may or may not bring a date with dh, and Saturday is our small group Bible study.

FOR TODAY
30 November 2009
Outside my window… Cloudy and cool today.  A front moved through yesterday.  It was raining cats and dogs when we got home, right before dark, but let up shortly after.
I am thinking… that I have a lot to accomplish today!
I am thankful for… Dh’s job, as it provides the money for me to stay at home with the kids, homestead, and buy pretty much what we need, even if we do need to buy smart and don’t always get what we desire.
From the learning rooms… Today is going to be a slow day.  We will do some reading and a little math, but since it is errand day, we don’t usually do a full day.
From the kitchen… We’re having tomato soup for supper tonight with grilled cheese.  I’m going to *gasp* buy bread for it, because I don’t have enough for us all to have a sandwich, and no time to make it.  Later this week, we’ll be starting on Christmas cookies and candies.
I am wearing… My pink long johns, my gray "Walk to Remember" long-sleeved T, and my converted jeans skirt with the raw edges.
I am creating… I am over 1/3 finished with my Rectangela sweater.  This weekend, I got one panel done and about 1/5 through the second one.  All I have after that is the sleeve part and seaming!
I am going… grocery shopping after the baby wakes up from his nap.
I am reading…  Still on Green by Ted Dekker.  It’s quite interesting.  On my iPhone, I finished reading Heidi and An Old-Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott.  It’s amazing how much more a story means to you when you have personal experience!  Heidi came alive to me because we now have dairy goats. 
I am hoping…  that dh’s truck gets out of the shop quickly.  Also, I’m hoping that we can find child care for December 11, since dh has a holiday party that evening, and we haven’t been on a date in ever so long!  Another hope is that I get to go to a grafting class at the end of February because I’d love to learn.  The only issue is the goats are going to be due within a week of the date. 
I am hearing… the dryer running, boys playing, and the furnace just kicked on. 
Around the house… things are still a little bit jumbled from the weekend.  It didn’t go the way I had planned, so it’s more messy that I like.  Hopefully things will get squared away by Wednesday.
One of my favorite things… Christmas cookies and candies.  I like to make vegan truffles and vegan buckeyes.  Those are awesome!  I also have a couple of family favorites that I’m going to be making – Cherry Refrigerator cookies and Grandma Nulf’s Nutmeg cookies (not vegan).  I’ll probably also make a new family favorite, Speculaas (we call them Dutch Almond-Spice cookies).
A few plans for the rest of the week:  I hesitate to post anything here.  The last 2 times I’ve posted anything, the plans didn’t go anything at all like I had planned, which threw everyone for a loop.  I will say for certain that we will be doing school, cooking, cleaning, and probably some sewing.  After that, I’m not gonna say!