How about a Saturday (full) Ramble~

As I look out my smudged window I can see white snow being melted by the sun. I am also reminded that today is in fact my scheduled deep cleaning morning. Morning?

It's 12:04pm,  I guess that plan is out. How about a quick cleaning afternoon.

Until then I will sit here and ramble. I'm laughing at my children playing in the patchy snow.
The white stuff is few and far between in these parts.  Falling, dusting, patchy and deep. It's all the same.
 IT'S SNOW, and we are loving it!
Something I am humored by is the amount of snowmen created in this little town. Even restaurants had them sitting out front. My father-in-law stated seeing a snowman in the middle of the road. Come on now people, Really.
Well, I guess we all become a little childlike as the flakes start to fall.

On another note. Sweet Pea is sick. If I was to guess. I would call this croup.  Most of the morning has been spent  looking into natural remedies. Here is a helpful link if you are interested. I also enjoy Dr. Sears.

Allen is out with the guys today. He doesn't have what you would call a lot of "guy time". This is a  Men's Conference on marriage, family, apologetics and cultural wars of men. Can't wait to see my inspired guy and talk about his day.

Sunshine is moving closer to her First Holy Communion day. I'm excitedly awaiting the celebration of this blessed Sacrament. As I am adoring teaching the First Communion class this year. Each of my students have now fallen in my heart. This is not too hard for me. I love children. Teaching them about our Lord is beyond rewarding.

I'm saddened to find out one of our priest will be moved. We have grown to love him. He has brought one of the biggest blessings to our church. Even through our sadness, I know we must share someone this wonderful with others. One of the last things he said  Sunday during his farewell touched me. He said  " Remember the children. Not because they are perfect,  but because they have time to grow. "

Other news... I have a new lens. I'm so very thankful! Yay. My lens has been having contact trouble. As in it is having trouble communicating with my camera. (Freezing up and displaying an error code. )
With that I have allowed my much smaller Rebel lens to carry me through until we were able to purchase a new lens. I did think about repairing my lens. It just didn't seem worth forking out that kind of money to fix an old lens. I can spend a little more and have a bran spankin new one. Allen has been researching instructions to  replace the contacts on his own. If he is successful that will still be great. I decided to purchase a completely different lens just in case. No need for two of the same.
I hate to bother you if you are not a photography buff.  I'm going to talk a little camera talk, just for you people that care. If not skip on to my next ramble.
I did have a nice Canon Image Stabilizer Ultrasonic EFS 17-85. ( now showing an error code)
I purchased an  EF 85mm f/1.8 USM ( It was a perfect portrait lens). With that it was a fixed lens.  No zoom. I need versatility capturing a toddler running here and there)
The next day I returned it and purchased...
A Canon 18-135mm EF-S. (It's just what I needed.)
One more question for you photographers out there. I enjoy soft natural light above all lighting. Obviously we can not always be granted with such light.
Lighting gets me. Err it does. Am I alone? Harsh, shadowed, over exposed photographs...
With that I purchased a nice flash last year. A Canon 430EX Speed lite Flash for Canon EOS SLR Cameras. I need to take a class just on this flash. With my frustration I have purchased a soft box and a flash bounce cap diffuser. My indoor lighting is still not great. What do you think about a Whale Tail flash diffuser? Any lighting ideas please send them over.

Little Musicians have filled my home and I love it.

Home birth Photography news. I'm gratefully excited and honored to be photographing my very first home birth. Birth can  be some of the most beautiful  intimate moments of our life. Thank you to my dear friend for allowing me into this special window of your life.
 Something amazingly wonderful.

How can your heart feel something written within it, but your body not allow it to unfold. Let me explain.
  Not fully understanding my own first birth experience. At the young age of  20 I didn't prepare my body for Little Mans birth. Ending in hard unhealthy labor, his heart rate dropping and a scary emergency cesarean. It's not one of those stories of a mother not progressing. I did progress. To a solid 10, Pushing for over three hours. I didn't know if this was normal or not. It was my first born.
The following day I was told I have a slanted birth canal and would never be able to deliver vaginally. Recovering birth along with a flood of emotion over our new son I didn't give it much thought.
Expecting our second child I had come to feel cesarean birth was the only path for me. What did we do? We set up a date and brought our baby girl Sunshine into the world by cesarean.
  Becoming pregnant with Sweet Pea our third blessing I was aware of other paths available. Vaginal birth was something I only dreamt of. With two cesareans behind me I didn't feel comfortable attempting a vaginal birth. Not only a vaginal birth, but a task I was still unsure if my body (my birth canal) was capable of. With this I have had three cesareans. If you are still on the other end of this path, I encourage you to do your research. 

My rambles are lengthy today. I know, not much of a ramble. Rambles are short to the point without details. Forgive me.

I have so enjoyed my scheduled prayer time. Personal closeness is what it's all about. I'm stretched so thin. Something as important as prayer needed a set schedule along with the ongoing thoughts of prayer throughout my day. Blog post soon to come.

Finding my norm. Opening up to the comfort of being myself. Even if it's not pretty.

Laughing at Sweet Pea as she makes my mop and broom into a stick horse.

The financial plan I rambled about before. I'm really excited to have this opportunity to be fugal.

Book News
I have just finished my Mother's Rule of Life. Moms out there, it's the life changing book. Wonderful read.
I have also finished up Adoption choosing it, Living it and Loving it. Great amount of adoption answers.
( I won it in a giveaway, yay)
Last week while in the doctors office waiting to get my meds refilled. Anxious about the flu floating around. I sat there wearing my mask reading The Lambs Supper.  It's great as well. Two must reads back to back. That's nice.

Little Man Reading
He is finding it. My prayers are being answered. Who knew what a few cowboy books could do.

Full families
 Allen and I are open to a full family. Not only open to it, we have grown to even desire it. Life running through our home. We love it. We are ready for more children. I just do not know how to get them here. Simple.
Problems with fertility, miscarriage and birth cesareans. I am left confused. Not knowing what the Lord wants from me. Allen's heart is towards fostering/adoption. Mine is as well. This too allows uncertain paths before me. I don't express my thoughts on this near enough. Why? We have three amazing healthy children. We have two in the arms of Christ. I don't want to sound ungrateful. In need to fill a void with children. That's not it for me. I just know I was made for this. Allen and I both were.
OK I'm now  laughing at myself . I don't know. Only God knows. Gods time is always best.  
 I am not filled with these thoughts daily. Really I'm not (mother, so don't worry). They come and go. I think them, I pray and I trust. 
 Knowing it's all in his hands. It's the only way to live. We are not in control. God must look down on us and laugh. As so many of us waste energy trying to control our life.  

Valentine's is in the air. Can you feel it? We can. Many crafts, baking and thoughts of the virtue of LOVE.

Remember my last ramble. The one when I shared my ugly thoughts of the treadmill. Catherine come walk. You know you need it. Well, the day came that I did walk. I have walked and enjoyed my wii fit too. Yep, I said enjoyed. Exercise is finally not torture. Now I'm not saying I like it. Nope not even there yet. But, I don't mind it. I have even lost some weight.

Little Man's room is finished! I can not wait to share photographs. As well as the new chalkboard wall in our kitchen/school nook.

My parents and Allen's grandparents health. I'm still asking for prayers while I'm not ready to blog about it just yet.

Oh I have broke out the sewing machine. I'll be sharing soon.  

Honeysuckle our goat will be delivering any day now. Exciting for us all.

Well that's all I have time for now.

 Blessings to you all. Catherine Anne