“When will this stop?!” I exclaimed, as I peered at the sweet little ankles of our youngest daughter, no longer covered up by her pant legs. As the weather has cooled, all of the jeans have come out of hibernation, and reveal what we all know is going to be true, but is still surprising year after year. About three inches too short. High-water pants, without the water. The funniest part of this observation was when she came over to me, threw her hands up in the air and returned my comment with: “It will NEVER end!” I just stared at her, both amused and surprised at her accuracy and hilarity. My old soul of a daughter, who knows a bit more about life than I do sometimes.
Indeed, fall is upon us. I spied frost this morning, and I think not being able to perform my usual putting our garden to sleep for the winter, has made me feel like it can’t possibly be here already. Thirty-seven weeks pregnant, gardening is an activity that has been scratched from my fall to-do list. Baby Chip is strong and low and starting to make me long for the end. I want to see these strong legs that make sweeping movements even yet, across my belly, and make me wonder if he has six legs, they are so active and everywhere. I can hardly wait to see if his hair is straight or curly, and what color eyes he will inherit. Will he have that joker smile Nadine was born with, or dimples and a cleft in his chin? So much about which to wonder and wait.
The children have been incredible as they have a lot more on their plates than normal. Keeping this nesting mama happy with a clean house, washed dishes, and delving into their schoolwork each day.
Nadine has been back in the saddle and doing such an incredible job riding! She is learning to jump and is almost to a canter. The other day at her lesson, this horse kept me in very close company!
She is really into puzzles, and spends hours doing them in her room. We’re also working on a big one on our dining room table right now. So yesterday we were sorting through pieces, and I was messing around with a pile of similarities. She sat down, grabbed a piece out of the box of a thousand pieces, and put it in a spot, first try. Five seconds later, same thing. By the fifth time of doing this, I looked up and possibly glared. How on earth? She just laughed and shrugged. Talent, I tell you.
We’re all taking bets as to whether or not we will have another teenager or a new baby first, since both events are due to happen the same week. Elijah hopes Chip comes first so we’re all home together, and I agree. Recently, he had the urge to dye his hair blue. With permission (while I wasn’t home, because that’s just easier on my nerves), he gave it a go. It was pretty hilarious, because his hair didn’t turn blue as much as his scalp and forehead did. Eventually it all washed out. During our family vacation, he was so much fun to photograph, jumping off the pier into the lake. He is also such a patient teacher and helps me a lot with the younger kiddos during school.
Jack continues to grow like a weed. He is involved in a pretty intense wrestling league twice a week. A few weeks ago he got work out with and meet his favorite wrestler of all time: Olympic champion, Jordan Burroughs. He inspires me to not quit, and I told him he will need to coach me back into shape after baby is born! I love watching him and Elijah interact. Elijah recently converted Jack to the love of hot sauce. Now we will probably go through two bottles a week instead of just one. This past night at wrestling practice, I stayed to watch him until Matthew could meet me there after work. It was especially packed out, with more than thirty kids practicing. I was just leaving and almost to the door when Jack came running up to me and gave me a kiss goodbye. I think I left part of myself melted on the floor right there. I don’t take it for granted that my ten-year-old son wouldn’t be the least bit ashamed to show his mama some love in a room full of tough boys and adults. That’s the type of guy he is. And yes, he still eats lots of apples.
Sometimes I forget that Elsie is just eight. She’s incredibly capable and strong. Her love for life and new adventures is hauntingly familiar. She loves fashion, and I’m always amazed at the outfits she comes up with, because she certainly never asks my opinion about them. She dreams of gymnastics, and we hope to be able to say yes to this soon, now that her arm is fully healed. When she’s not doing her schoolwork, she is playing school with Betty. She told Nadine the other day that she wants to be in eighth grade. I realize I don’t take enough pictures of her.
Betty loves school. She is reading and doing math. The other day she was writing words with “X” in them. She wrote “Tax”, then drew a picture of money and a sad face. When I asked her what it was, she said, “The person has a sad face because they have to pay tax.” Where does she come up with these things? She is such a good sleeper, and fell asleep on the stairs the other night. A dress, hole in the knees of her leggings, and sweetly crossed ankles describes her pretty well. She brings us so much joy!
Tomorrow is a big day for us! Matthew and I leave bright and early for a quick trip to Texas! I’m pretending like our suitcase is being packed, when in reality my bed is unmade, the suitcase is just there, and I’m seriously pondering a second cup of hot tea. We are so excited to get away and be with some dear sweet friends. It is a business trip, yet also a retreat. We need this time to connect and dream and plan before our lives completely change the next month. God is so gracious to gift this to us, and yes, I’m praying we do not have a Texan baby. 
Stay tuned for more!
My day began around 3 o’clock this morning when a noise woke me up. Which in turn led my bladder to wake up and I shuffled out of bed to the bathroom. It’s a dangerous journey these days, down the hall and through the bathroom doors. As we’ve been painting baby Chip’s room, there are extra things tucked along the edges, making it very tricky for a balance-challenged-half-asleep-pregnant woman. Often I can fall right back asleep, but this morning my body felt VERY awake, despite the long day of painting before. I read for a little while, then dozed off right about when Matthew was getting up for work. The next thing I remember is being fully awakened by a phone call from Matthew, at work, to make sure I was awake. Only then did I remember hitting my snooze button. Oops. So, we had 45 minutes to ALL wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and pack lunches for their day at camp. Insert my shoes getting tied here, after an incredibly rushed and harried morning.
This week the kids have been able to feel baby Chip move so much. Their faces are priceless! Jack sat there with his hand on my tummy for a couple of minutes when all of a sudden his hand shot back and he looked at me with his eyes and mouth about the same width. It was great! As I sit on the front porch this evening after a busy day of mommy-ing, attacking the weeds in my garden, and doing the regular mounds of laundry, I feel some kicking. Baby Chip most certainly had a growth spurt this week, because all of a sudden I make a funny noise when I bend over, forgetting my front has expanded into my ribcage when in that position. That, and I keep stubbing my toes when I walk upstairs. I think it’s because I don’t lift my legs as high right before I take a step. Pretty much on the dot, every night around 11pm the gymnastics starts, and I sit with my hand on my belly, in wonderment at another life bursting with joy inside of me. Freedom.![IMG_8608[1]](https://amylynweldon.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/img_860811.jpg?w=601&h=690)
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This week I had to say goodbye to a dear, sweet friend. Our husbands met at a spin class about 8 years ago, which was definitely a God-ordained meeting, since I don’t think either of them have been to a spin class ever since. Our kids are the same age, and we’ve watched and prayed eachother through some mutually serious health issues. She is the friend who introduced Plexus to me, and after watching her journey to health and freedom, jumped in to join her. She has been an incredible source of joy and encouragement and wisdom to me the past few years. I love how in Heaven others will truly find out how much impact they’ve had on your life. Thankfully Tennessee isn’t too far, but knowing I can’t just pop over makes me get a little teary. Letting loved ones go and be and do what they’ve been called to is one of the hardest things on earth, I believe. Yet, letting them go gives you more freedom to love stronger and deeper and further than before.
Last month, I had the incredible privilege of flying out to Portland to visit my dear friend, April. We grew up together for a few years in the middle of Africa. Her house was just a shout away. In fact, we would often stand at the bottom of their hill and yell, “Do you have a roll of toilet paper we could borrow?!” Or “Do you have butter?!” You know, the essential things. This is probably one huge reason I love my neighbor, Jen, so much. I don’t think a week goes by without borrowing something from her… and it is often ONE egg, or TWO INCHES of butter, please. Having someone who loves you and doesn’t think any less of you because you fail to figure out just how many eggs you’ll need each week… on a weekly basis… is pretty grand.
We have had such fun dreaming together. He is such an encouragement to me every day. I don’t often feel what he sees, but I choose to believe him, because he’s never lied to me yet. We are so excited to see how the Lord is going to work out the details of our future. We sense His stirring in our lives and know He has something amazing in store.
Grow Old With Me 