Life Goes On

Wow, these past 2 weeks have been SO busy for our family. Esther got sick for the first time this week. She woke us up screaming early Tuesday morning @ 3:30am with a 102.9 degree fever. The fever hung around until Wednesday evening only going down a little when she was given Tylenol. She also had a little cough and runny nose and was pretty much out of it, only sleeping and nursing. I am embarrassed to admit though, part of it was nice for me, she constantly wanted to be held and cuddled which I liked, but it was still hard to see my little girl feeling so out of sorts. But being the sweet, friendly little girl she is, when we went out to the doctor on Tuesday morning, even though she was feeling so out of it, she was still trying to smile and wave to everyone she saw in the waiting room. Is she too cute or what??

Also the construction on our new family room and kitchen remodel is nearing a close (I will post some more pics when I get them downloaded) and have been SO busy making final decisions such as sink and faucet choice, picking our tile and counter top, carpet and ceiling fans and paint color. They just put the texture on the walls yesterday and they are putting in the base boards and window sills today. Tomorrow evening, Steve and I will start painting the walls and then next week they are doing the template for the kitchen counters and putting in the carpet and tile. Things are really happening now and with the plastic down it's finally starting to feel like a REAL room. All the animals are already using the big uncluttered space: the dogs go out there to play and wrestle with each other and Doc (our crazy cat) will just go out there and loudly meow (we think he enjoys hearing his meow echo). So in about 2 weeks, it should be done and we can put living in constant dust behind us !!!! ~Kin

3 things to share

Sorry I haven't been "bloggin" like I should be, but it's BACK ON!! ~

Esther is doing GREAT. She has mastered the wave and waves to everyone and everything. She is still staying with us in church services, because she is SO good, and I know that won't last forever and we will have to put her in the nursery, but for right now, I love all 3 of us sitting in church together. She is crawling like she has been doing it forever and now she is at the point where she LOVES to pull up on everything...needless to say, NOTHING is on the coffee table anymore and the animals have learned that if they want to be left alone, they better leave the room she's in. Even though, Isabel LOVES Esther, Liberty isn't so taken with her, and we know it's gonna take some time, but all and all the animals getting used to sharing the same space with her. They probably figured out she's aint going anywhere, and they better get used to it.

Speaking of space, ours is definately expanding quite quickly. Our addition is in full force and the whole room is finally enclosed. It has been quite loud lately with all the sawing and hammering, but amazingly Esther has learned to sleep through it and my parents were sweet enough to open their home to us last week, so we were able to crash there. But it's really starting to look like a living space, and I can actually start imagining furniture placement and color on the walls.

Also I wanted to share something that saddens me, but a lot of you may not know about. I was on the phone with my friend Kerri today, and she asked me if I wanted to get lunch with her and some other girls on Saturday. I said "yea, that sounds like fun, where?" And she told me Red Lobster. Now if you knew me 2 years ago, you know I would have JUMPED at the chance...I love their shrimp and salmon and their biscuits (YUMMY) and Steve took me there on our first date, but I told her I didn't go there anymore. She asked why, probably thinking I got food poisioning there or something like that. But I told her is was because Red Lobster bought most of it's seafood from Canada and Canada has an annual seal hunt, which is the largest commercial hunt of marine mammals on the planet. Canadian fishermen hunt and kill seals in the hopes that there will be more fish for them to catch and sell to restaurants and stores. So I have boycotted Red Lobster until they stop buying Canadian seafood. Kerri was blown away, she said she had no idea something like this went on. But please don't just take my word for it, read about it yourself. http://www.hsus.org/protect_seals.html Not trying to be preachy, just something that I think more people should know about and I am glad I have the opportunity. ~Kin

make a change

Now that the presidential election of 2008 has officially started with the Iowa caucuses, I wanted to just encourage you all to get out there and vote in February and then in November, whether Democrat or Republican, Green or Independent. Especially as a woman, so many women fought and protested for that right and I DO NOT want to take that for granted. And it breaks my heart that other countries STILL don't allow women that right. So for ME, as a woman, to NOT vote, I feel like it is a slap in the face to those women back in the 1800s.

I know this country needs a change and all I can do is pray that the right person to lead our country is put in charge. There is also a very informative website I love to browse: www.sojo.net I finally found something that fits me: being a woman who doesn't really follow party lines, just loves and serves God.

And remember, if you don't vote you don't get to complain!!! ~ Kin