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finished before bedtime
Just as I expected, Ashley finished her hat ~ her first knitting project ~ before bedtime yesterday.
learning to knit
Ashley has taken to knitting like a fish to water. I have never, never, in my 31 years of knitting, seen ANYONE pick up and take off with knitting like she has. She is the easiest student I’ve ever had!
She found a pattern for a really cute floppy bohemian-like hat that she has decided to make. It’s in 2×2 rib, and she started it this morning. If she keeps working the way she has, she’ll have the hat finished before she goes to bed! (She has been able to spend a large majority of the day sitting on the couch knitting because we both feel yucky today. I talked to Sawyer this morning ~ he’s still at a baseball tournament in Texas, and he said he’s not feeling well ~ neither is Roger, so it’s obviously something going around our home. I blame Patrick for bringing it home………he came home with a sore throat last weekend, and he left the rest of us a yucky little bug!)
more baby clothes than i know what to do with!
Just before Ashley and Jacob moved to Arkansas, one of Ashley’s friends gave her some baby clothes. Actually, Ashley’s friend gave her a LOT of baby clothes. Five or six boxes full of baby clothes, in sizes from newborn to 18 months.
One of the projects I tackled once we got Ashley and Jacob all moved in and settled was to take the baby clothes out of the boxes, sort them (keep, give away, throw away ~ then sort them by size), and wash them. I washed load after load after load ~ it took me 2 days to get everything washed, dried and put away. That’s a LOT of baby clothes. I have a high efficiency front-loading washer and dryer; I can wash and dry a king size down comforter in my washer and dryer. Just imagine how many baby clothes I can fit into one load. Now multiply that by 5 or 6 ~ that’s how many loads I can reasonably get done in one day. So, using my math skills, I come up with somewhere around 12 loads of baby clothes. In my INDUSTRIAL SIZE washer and dryer! I will admit, those loads were the most fun I’ve ever had doing laundry (one of the dreaded household chores that Roger and I usually share because I thoroughly dislike doing laundry). Baby clothes are so cute ~ especially little baby girl clothes!
Once I started getting the clothes folded or on hangers, I realized I had a problem. There were a lot more clothes than I was prepared to store. So, I confiscated half of Patrick’s closet ~ he’s at school until the end of next month, so he’s not really using his closet right now ~ and I went to the store and bought a plastic storage tall boy-like thing. Oh, and I also confiscated one of those large plastic storage drawers that was not being used.
I filled up half of Patrick’s closet with baby clothes:
I filled up the plastic storage tall boy-like thing:
And I filled up the plastic storage drawer:
And even all of that wasn’t enough storage. If you’ll notice in the picture of the tall boy-like thing, there’s a box on the floor to the right. That’s a regular size moving box ~ it’s full of baby clothes. Next to that, which you can’t see in the picture, is a regular kitchen size garbage bag that’s also full of baby stuff, as well as an additional regular size moving box! Good gracious!
Attison is going to be the best-dressed baby in all of Arkansas, and maybe even the surrounding states. We’re not going to have to buy her any clothes until she’s almost 2 years old ~ and if she’s as small as we’re thinking she might be, it may be even longer before we have to buy any clothes for her.
Don’t take me wrong ~ I’m thrilled to have so many baby clothes. Ashley’s friend was SO generous. She also gave Ashley 2 infant car seats, a johnny jump-up, a small swinging basinet, and a crib set (bumper, 3 sheets, comforter and matching pillow). Kathryn has said she has an older child’s car seat she wants to give to Ashley, and just this morning a lady at co-op offered to let us borrow her hand-crafted cradle. I’m so amazed at how giving people have been with this baby!
I’m thankful beyond words to all of you who have been praying for Ashley, Jacob and Attison. And I can’t even begin to express my thanks to those who have so generously given Ashley baby clothes and other baby items. We’re fairly well prepared for Attison’s arrival ~ now we just have to wait until it’s time for her to be born!
baby shower slideshow
Here are a few pictures from the baby shower my friends held for Ashley and Attison last month. I’m still combing through all of the pictures the photographer gave me ~ these are a few to get you started, though. 
As you can see, we had a fantastic time. One of my favorite pictures from this group is the one where there’s a line of ladies sitting in chairs in front of a window ~ if you’ve read my blog for a while you’ll recognize my friend Kathryn in the middle of them ~ they’re laughing (I like the word chortling to describe their belly-laughing) and having a great ol’ time!
weather, weather, weather
I think Ashley and Jacob brought all the bad weather we’re having with them when they moved here!
Actually, I know that’s not true. Poor kids ~ we’ve had 2 days of tornado warnings in the 10 days they’ve been here. They’re certainly getting a crash course in Arkansas spring weather ~ we’ve had wet, chilly days, warm humid days, rainy days, days with tornadoes, and days with nothing but sunshine. At least the pretty flowers and trees are blooming (even if Ashley is allergic to everything in bloom!).
We’re expecting more bad weather over the next day or so. Tonight the whole family is together though. Roger drove down to pick up Patrick and Ariel who each have a scholarship interview at the University of Central Arkansas tomorrow. Prayerfully the weather will cooperate and they’ll be able to get to Conway and back without any problems.
auntie em! auntie em!
Well, Jacob and Ashley have had their first taste of spring in Arkansas. What do I mean by that? Why, tornadoes, of course! And lightning that lights up a lovely green sky.
There are possibly more tornadoes in store for us this evening/early morning. The tornadoes that hit in our area didn’t hit in our neighborhood, but that’s the best that I can determine for now. Kathryn called to let me know they’re ok, too. They live about 30 miles south of us, and they were also in the direct path of the storm that passed through earlier. We’re still under tornado watches and warnings, so there’s more to come.
about ashley
On
My heart has always ached to know where my daughter was, how she was, who she was ~ but I thought finding her would be very difficult. Recently Roger began urging me to find my daughter ~ she’s 19 years old now, and Roger knows how much I’ve wanted to find her. Patrick and Sawyer have known about Ashley all of their lives, and they were (and are) also very supportive of me finding her.
I contacted a couple of Search Angels who have the birth records for
I fretted over contacting her, because obviously I didn’t really know anything about her situation or how she would feel if I contacted her. But I went ahead and sent her a message, praying that whatever her reaction would be, I would handle it well and that the Lord’s hand would guide me.
Shortly after sending her a message through her MySpace page, I heard back from Ashley. She sent me her phone number in an email and asked me to call her. She was as excited about being found as I was about finding her! God worked this whole thing out so amazingly well ~ and I am so incredibly thankful to Him.
There are so many more details to our story ~ it would take pages and pages to relate them all. But more than anything we look forward to watching as God unfolds this miracle in our lives, and how He uses it to His glory.
To read updates about our story, please click here.
on their way
Roger and Ashley have both called me in the past 30 minutes to let me know they’re all loaded up and heading this way. Roger opted to get the bigger UHaul trailer (the 6×12 rather than the 5×8), and he said it was a good thing he did. They filled up the trailer and the back of the Suburban with all of Jacob and Ashley’s belongings.
Jacob’s mom and step-dad were there to meet Roger. After the trailer and Suburban were loaded up they all went out to lunch together. Lynette (Jacob’s mom) made sandwiches to send with them for the trip ~ the “kids” got peanut butter and jelly; Roger got ham and cheese. LOL
Ashley sounds exhausted. She got sick while she was here 2 weeks ago, and whatever the virus is, it has hung on this long. I think between being pregnant, the stress of moving, working 2 jobs, and simply not being able to get enough rest, she’s just about worn her poor little body out. Good thing for her she’s coming to Mom’s house ~ Mom will take care of her with plenty of hot peppermint tea and lots of sleep.
Patrick and Ariel were on spring break this past week. Patrick went and picked up Ariel on Wednesday. They’ve spent their time watching movies, doing homework, going bowling, and playing games with Sawyer. (Patrick plays games with Sawyer, anyway. They’re getting pretty good at Halo.) I will drive Patrick and Ariel back to school tomorrow and get home just in time to greet Roger, Ashley and Jacob when they arrive.
Today has been wet and chilly. Not a good day for me fibro-wise. It’s nice to have older kids who can take care of themselves, and even take care of me when necessary. I haven’t done much today. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll go back to sitting on the couch and reading a book.
slowly but surely
As you can tell, I’m feeling a little better today. Not well enough to do housework, mind you, but well enough to sit at my computer and type up a few thoughts. 
By this time next week my daughter and her fiance’ will be living with us. I’m excited about it, but I’m also a little scared. I didn’t raise Ashley, so obviously I don’t really know exactly what to expect as far as living with her goes. When we made the decision to move them down here, and to give them a place to live until they can get back on their feet, we set out a few initial “rules” or guidelines. They are:
- Jacob must actively look for a job; not the first $10/hr. job that comes along, either. He must look for a job that will pay enough for him to support his family. They won’t live like royalty by any means, but at least Ashley will be able to stay home with Attison.
- They must help with the housework. That means Ashley’s going to learn how to cook and clean, and so is Jacob. I understand that not every man does housework, but in my home they do. Roger has always helped with housework, and we’ve taught our sons to do the same. It will be no different for Jacob. And since Ashley was never taught the art of homemaking, she will be doing a boat load of learning. After Attison’s born Ashley hopes to be able to stay home with her and be a stay-at-home-mommy and wife. Homemaking will be her career, just the same as if she were working outside of her home somewhere.
- Ashley will not work outside of the home or seek a job while living with us. I can’t teach her the art of homemaking if she’s running off to a “job” all the time. Besides, she’s 6 months pregnant ~ the chances of her finding good employment at this stage in her pregnancy are pretty slim. Since Roger will be paying all of the bills, putting a roof over their heads and food on the table, I see no need for Ashley to do anything but learn how to be a stay-at-home wife and mommy. This is not an easy task by any means ~ it takes instruction, time and practice. She’ll get that here during the last few months of her pregnancy.
My friends have all been so dear and so supportive ~ up to this point. Since we decided to move Ashley and Jacob to Arkansas, a few friends have questioned our motives, and a few have warned us not to get in over our heads. They are, after all, only 19 and 20 years old; they’re having their first child together; they’re not married yet; and they’re going to be a long, long way from the place where they grew up, and where the majority of their families live. We’ve talked about these issues ~ over, and over, and over ~ and for now I’m satisfied (dare I say confident?) that we’re doing the right thing.
Having Ashley and Jacob living in our home will give us a chance to witness to them without shoving our beliefs down their throats. All we have to do is be who we are ~ live our life as a family the way we always do ~ and let the Holy Spirit do His work in their hearts. Who knows? Maybe by the time they’re living in their own place they’ll understand the difference between no god and knowing God, and between religion and living as a believer and follower of Christ. I pray it will be so.
These are a few of the pictures taken at Ashley’s baby shower last week. There are more to come (the photographer has gone on a week-long mission trip to Mexico, so I imagine she won’t be getting any more photos to me until after she returns!).