Update

Apparently this baby is in no hurry to arrive, as his due date has officially come and gone.  Pretty sure my stomach cannot stretch any further, and am just praying this is not a 10 lb. baby (the crocodile hunter weighed in at 9 lbs. and he arrived 2 weeks early).   We are planning to go in for an induction tomorrow, but I am still hoping to go into labor on my own tonight.  In the past I have managed to avoid having an induction, both times I was scheduled for one my water broke the night before, so we will see if that pattern holds true.  Either way, should have a baby this weekend!

Thank you for your prayers!

Sew Very Much to Do!

I feel like I am working on borrowed time at this point.   Only days from my due date, I go to bed every night wondering if this will be the night (I have gone into labor around midnight with all of mine, so I guess I just assume middle of the night!).  This week has been spent sewing.  First, a few items for the atrium......miniature models of the chalice veils, antimins and eiliton.

 Then, a little sewing for myself......

A daygown for baby.......

 ......and a lot of fun with knits.  

I had forgotten just how easy the Bunny's Knit Nightie Pattern can be, once you get your machine settings right!  Knit fabrics always intimidate me, but these have been great to put together.  I made a few for my other children, and they wore them well up into the toddler years.

And the blue gown with the bunny, bamboo knit.  If you have never handled bamboo knit, it is amazing fabric.  It is like the silk of knit fabrics, so very soft, it drapes beautifully and just screams snuggly.  Can't wait to cuddle up with a newborn very soon.

Parisian Shabby Chic Baby Shower

It was a riot of pinks and Parisian touches, for a friend having her first baby.  She is having a girl, and she is a French teacher, so the theme came quite easily!

Hot Cafe du Monde coffee in tea cups, or Vietnamese iced coffee Vietnamese style a la Pioneer Woman served in recycled St*rbucks frappuccino bottles (this will be the third party we have used these bottles, they are perfect for so many things from lemonade for little fairies to "Drink Me" bottles for an Alice in Wonderland birthday).  And no brunch would be complete without mimosas!

Mich*el's Craft Stores are a great source for pretty boxes and decor, and is seems the Eiffel tower theme is big right now!

My favorite cake icing, raspberry buttercream from The Cake Bible.

A selection of French cheeses, mini quiche, creme fraiche with fresh berries, madeleines, palmiers, mini cinnamon rolls and mini breakfast casseroles to fill the belly.

Made my first pennant banner decorations - what an easy way to customize a table!  And after the shower, they went to the Little Princess' room to hang.  An easy tablecloth option is cheap white sheets from W@lMart, I have 3-4 of them that are a great background for most any party theme.  The rest of the table decorations were shabby chic birds from around my house and milk glass vases I have accumulated over the past few years.  Both will make a reappearance at the next event I am planning....baptism for our coming little one.

And of course, dessert crepes!

The expecting mom looking so very chic with her momma (that's my mom on the far right who hosted with me).

For links to fun inspirations and recipes, here is the pinterest board I created for this shower.

Goodbye Little Lambs

Loading the lambs up for the state livestock show

One last goodbye, the girls are sad to see them go.

This little lamb we will be keeping!

The crocodile hunter in the ring, serious face as he focuses on the judges

His face, after he tucked that second blue ribbon in his back pocket!

 

Both sheep won first place in their class, as well as several other awards.  Not bad for his first year.  His ewe did so well he received several offers to buy her, and ended up selling her to a local man who plans to breed her, so she was saved from the butcher, much to the relief of the Queen.

Summer in the Vineyard: Wine to Gladden the Heart of Man

Did you know that the first year a grape vine is planted, the vineyard grower does not water it?

Instead, the roots are forced to grope deep into the earth in search of a water source.  The plant struggles to survive at first, but through those struggles, through the hardship, it grows strong and hardy.  A grapevine can live 50-100 years if well established.  

The branches stretch out, spreading, growing, and receiving nourishment from the vine rooted deep in the earth.  "I am the vine, you are the branches, if you remain in me."  John 15:5.  

Love,  joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness self-control

The Annual Call

Father asked a question at the Paraklesis service.  When you get the call saying your mother is dying, what do you do?  Does anything else matter?  Do you concern yourself with daily life and routines?  Do you explain, I am just so busy, I'll try to get there when I can, but you know how it is, so many other commitments, it's such a busy time of year?  No, you drop everything to be at her side.  You rearrange your schedule, you lay aside all earthly cares, do whatever it takes to be with her, to show her you love her.  Every August first we get that call.  Our Mother is dying.  Do we notice?  Have we changed our own lives and pace to be with her?  Will we come running to her side?  Or will we allow the world to pull us in a thousand directions?  The church gives us two whole weeks to come, to mourn, to offer our prayers, to be with her, to sing those beautiful hymns. 

Our Mother is dying, let us run to her.