Princess Aprons

I decided to let the creative juices flow this month.  I knew I wanted to get Gianna a tiara for her birthday, but what's a tiara without a princess dress to wear?  I thought it would be fun and easy to make an apron for her that looked like a Disney princess.  Ok, so when I am left unattended I get way too creative.  I thought that the one side of the apron was fine, but the other side was just plain ugly.  I decided I should make one side be the work dress and the other the ball gown.  If that wasn't enough of a commitment, I decided I should make one for my niece as well.  I was pleased with how they turned out and learned a few tricks for next time.  Yes, there will be a next time.  I have a few more nieces and a ton more Disney princesses to go.  I'm just a bit of an overachiever.

 My lovely model is modeling for your viewing pleasure the work dress side of her cousin's Cinderella apron.  The straps around the neck have Velcro on them for easy adjustment.

 This would be the reverse side featuring Cinderella's ball gown.

 For our final display of this fashion show, I am pleased to present to you Aurora's work dress. This is the one Gianna was given for her birthday.

Ta da - instant princess!!

How do the Wombless Bear Life?

Two hundred days since my old life came crashing down.  Two hundred days since an amazing team took out some pieces and put me back together again.  Two hundred days since I started my new life, wombless. (Yes, I know that is not a real word.)


Womb: n. 1. uterus 2. a place where something is generated

-less: adj. suffix 1. destitute of : not having (childless)  2. unable to be acted on or to act (in a specified way) (dauntless)

I was told I had undergone a hysterectomy as soon as I woke up in ICU.  I remember thinking something must have gone WAY wrong for that to happen.  I briefly touched the idea that I had no uterus and there would be no more babies.  Fast forward to a few days later and you would find me telling people I had a hysterectomy, but I was going to be fine.  Little voice in the back of my head screamed "No more babies."  Fast forward a few more days and you would find me crying my eyes out because for the first time I actually said "No more babies."  Anyone who knows me knows that is probably one of the hardest things I've ever said.  Had Darren and I made the decision to stop having children it would have been "No more babies," but with an accepted tone.  This was a more defeated tone, a more harsh reality tone, a more painful tone. I have not completely healed from that pain, but I have completely accepted it as reality.

Fast forward to a couple of months ago.  A random thought fills my soul, "You are wombless."  A uterus is a body part to me.  No different than a liver, a lung, a spine.  It is a part of what made me a woman.  It is just "medical" in my mind.  A womb is so much more.  It is like my loving heart or my everlasting soul.  It was me.  It was the place where my children were sheltered and lovingly carried for months. When I realized I have lost my womb I felt like a part of me was ripped out and crushed.

bear vb bore; borne also born; bearing: 1. carry 2. to be equipped with 3. to give as testimony <~witness to the fact of the case> 4. to give birth to; also produce, yield 5. endure, sustain <~pain> <bore the weight on piles>; also to exert pressure or influence 6. to go in an indicated direction <~to the right> - bearable adj - bearer n

How does the wombless bear life?  I realized that while my ability to carry a baby in my womb has been taken from me, the very best part of bearing life was left in tact.  The ability to bear the joy and sorrow of life in my heart is still very much there.

Every day I bear the load of motherhood.  I change the diapers (times two now), I cook the meals, do the laundry, and every other normal aspect of motherhood.  I carry out the responsibilities given to me when God gave me eight sweet children and a husband.  I feel like I am continuously bearing the pains of life when the children make it their duty to inform me exactly how many times I have failed in a day.  I am bearing the weight of those same children's struggles when I cannot find a way to help them. I bear life from morning to night to morning again and again.

I cannot help but wonder if God's gift to me was a hysterectomy.  Aside from the "you've almost died three times from pregnancy related problems" fact of my life, I am beginning to see this as a good thing.  How many willing mothers of large families continue to have babies even after their oldest has moved out?  How many of those same mothers have spent years changing diapers, possibly teaching their children, making thousands of meals, only to realize that they have missed out on key times in their older children's lives.  God has handed me those opportunities on a silver platter.  I have been given this gift in order to not miss out on my older children's final years under my care.

I am blessed.  I am very blessed.  God has given me another chance at life AND the knowledge of my value at this moment.  Bearing life has taken on a whole new meaning, a whole new importance to me.  I have been thrown into the next phase of life earlier than I expect, but at the same time I have been given this precious time in a way I would not have had in other circumstances.  This has been one of those "Ahh, yes," moments for me.  The only thing I can say to God is simply "Thank You."

When the Camera Goes Missing

When the camera goes missing I find the most adorable pictures.

 Oh, so that is who wrecked the building.

She was quite thorough. 

 Smile Brech Earl!  I said SMILE Brech Earl!!

 Proof that someone was playing on the Kindle when he wasn't suppose to be.

Pretty toes.

Is this the equivalent of a "selfie" for a 3 year old? 

Maybe she was pretending she was on some beach, some where.

Quick South Dakota Trip

We made a super fast trip to South Dakota on April 28th to the 30th. Darren had been down to his folks the weekend before and left Stephen in South Dakota for the week.  He stayed with the Gebes' until Sunday and then with the Bestgen's until we came down on Saturday.

 We left Friday morning at 5:30 AM.  This was the view from my mirror when the sun rose.

 On our trip we saw thousands and thousands of geese.

 These three pictures were taken right next to each other in the sky.

 The sky was literally filled with birds.

 Some of them had landed in various places along the route.  It was neat to see them land and gather in  large groups.

 We also so many, many eagles gathered together.  There were ten eagles in one tree.  We assumed they were following the geese.

On Saturday the 29th we traveled to Sturgis for my great-grandma's 102nd birthday party.  We were fortunate to see quite a few of our family there.

 This is my Grandma Ingalls with the twins.  Kiara in red and Brigid in green.

 My grandpa is talking to his mother (great-grandma).

 Great-grandma Margie and her kids that were there that day.

 You can't see it very well, but this is my family with Grandma Margie.  Grandma is hiding behind Brech Earl right next to me.  I'm glad we were able to attend.  Though Grandma didn't know who we were, it was nice to be able to have a picture with her.

 My mom (in the green jacket) and her brothers and parents with Grandma Margie.

After Grandma's party we gathered at the Mark Park for an evening of fun.

Dad showed me one of the newest projects.  This is a start of the memorial for Grandma Bestgen.  They have wonderful plans for this place.  I can't wait to see it completed. 

 This window frame will actually hold a stained glass window.

 The younger bunch had a grand time getting covered in mud.

 Brigid was just too tired to party all night.

We left for home on Sunday morning.  There was another snowstorm on the way (big surprise) so we wanted to beat it home.

 Blase and his gummy worm.  You would think this was his idea, but in fact - Darren did it first.  Men are just boys in bigger clothes.

 More birds on the way home.

The kids had such a blast trying to count them.

Gianna's 3rd Birthday

Gianna celebrated her 3rd birthday on Saturday.  She was treated like royalty, of course.

Her daddy bought her Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck birthday party decorations.  She was EXTREMELY happy about that. 

 Her birthday cake was a bit hit.  Each of the flowers are actually rings.

 Bubble bath is always a great gift for a girly girl.

 She will be practicing her letters with her new princess book.

 Ohhh, a Minnie Mouse movie!!!

(You just gotta love her facial expessions.)

 A PRINCESS CROWN!!!

 Her Royal Sweetness, Gianna.

 Said her Sweetness, "Oh poop."

I guess she wasn't thrilled about receiving underwear for her birthday.

 Thank you for the game Bella and Jenna!

 MONEY!!!!!

 Another one of my favorite expressions of hers for the day.

Whatta haul for an adorable little runt.

Ohhh!!

Shoveling Detour

Darren sent Blase outside to shovel the driveway.  About twenty minutes later he came back in very excited about tracks and tunnels he found in the back yard.  I reminded Darren that though Blase wasn't doing what he was told, at least he was doing some nature study.  I have to admit I was just as excited with his findings as he was.  He and Stephen did end up shoveling the driveway after making their fair share of tracks in the back yard.

 Blase thinks it was a mouse.  He said he kicked it around a bit and he thought it was dead.  It wasn't there when he returned, so it must not have been dead after all.

Roll On

 Kiara rolled for the first time quite awhile ago.  She actually rolled and rolled and rolled.

 It didn't take her long to figure out that if she wanted something she could roll to get it.  Brigid still laid around waiting for someone to bring it to her.

Both girls have figured out how to scoot on their bellies and are too close to crawling in my opinion.  We can't leave them to "play" on their blankets anymore.   Brigid has rolled herself under a bed already and Kiara has gotten herself stuck under her sister's chair while her sister was sleeping in it.  

I am having a love/hate relationship with all these new things they are learning.  I love that they are growing up and are right on for their age.  I hate that they are growing up and are already six months old.  I just wish I could hold on to a few more hours every day and bottle it up for a rainy in-the-future teenager day.  Wouldn't a bunch of mothers probably feel a lot better raising teenagers if they could just open a bottle of six month cuteness to remind them of what they had and what they have accomplished so far in raising that frustrating teenager.  There are days I wish I had some of my older kids' cuteness in a bottle.  Time to break out the home movies and take a walk down memory lane!