"Only to touch her skirt or sleeve...."

"Everybody knows that a good mother gives her children a feeling of trust and stability. She is their earth. She is the one they can count on for the things that matter most of all. She is their food and their bed and the extra blanket when it grows cold in the night; she is their warmth and their health and their shelter; she is the one they want to be near when they cry. She is the only person in the whole world in a whole lifetime who can be these things to her children. There is no substitute for her. Somehow even her clothes feel different to her children's hands from anybody else's clothes. Only to touch her skirt or her sleeve makes a troubled child feel better."
~Katharine Butler Hathaway


Such has been the pose of Little Bit these past several days. A stomach bug has struck her with a vengeance, resulting in a listless precious little girl who just longs to be near her Mommy. She'll tenderly lay her head in my lap and just stand there contentedly as I rub her back.

Of course, I can't hold her. I can't pick her up. So, she settles for what I can do. She settles for the way I can comfort her best right now. She'll even follow me from room to room and just lie on the floor to be near me.

It's an amazing thing how God made us to want our Mommies especially when we're ill or hurting. When our children are little, we're everything to them. What a privilege He's given us to comfort them and soothe their hurts and to lead them to the One who truly is their Everything.

Happy One Week, Claire!

Psalm 121

Our Scripture memory passages for this month are Psalm 121 and Psalm 127. Here is Reaches Up's recitation of the first one. Yes, he takes his Scripture memory seriously :). (He actually loves reciting his memory passages even though he looks SO serious, and God has given him the ability to memorize quite easily and quickly. In other words, he puts some of us to shame.)

(This is the very passage that the Holy Spirit brought to mind as I was waiting on the operating table for the doctors to deliver Claire...)

Because Grandmas Can't Get Enough....

and Aunties and Cousins, too! Here are more pictures of our precious Claire, her doting siblings, and Daddy, too! Is there anything as sweet as snuggling with a newborn?Little Bit loves her new baby sister and cheers on Boo as she does a great job holding Claire.

A Little Mouth to Kiss and Two More Feet to Make Music

"Here is a little mouth to kiss; here are two more feet to make music with their pattering about my nursery. Here is a soul to train for God, and the body in which it dwells is worth all it will cost, since it is the abode of a kingly tenant. Yes, my precious baby, you are welcome to your mother's heart, welcome to her time, her strength, her health, to her most tender cares, to her life-long prayers! Oh how rich I am, how truly, how wondrously blest!"

~Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss

Here's "Peep"

It's wonderful to be home! Mountain Man, "Peep", and I got home around 5:30 this evening. The children were so excited to see us, and we were welcomed with lots of hugs and kisses and sweet notes and signs, as well as Caity's famous chocolate chip toffee scones. :) We missed our children so much. The two days seemed so much longer.

I didn't just come home with a brand new precious baby, however. I'm toting around a lovely catheter, trimmed in a beautiful green, and attached to me for the next two weeks. Yes, it was very disappointing to have to wear this again. I am a bit discouraged because, as I told my Beloved, I can't really do much since I have to carry the "Thing" (as my OB calls it) everywhere!My Beloved gently reminded me that this is the way things are for now, and I just need to accept it, and accept all the help I have available.

We have lots of praises:

~I didn't get sick at all during the delivery, and God truly gave me a calm spirit throughout the surgery. (I did get sick as soon as I was brought into recovery, but thankfully, after a few hours, the sickness stopped.)

~My anesthesiologist did a great job, and we were blessed with very kind nurses.

~"Peep" (as Mountain Man has affectionately named her. He'll post later about why he chose that particular nickname) is healthy (with the exception of a nasty "newborn rash"), and she stayed with us in the room the entire time.

~We were given a "semi-private" room, so Mountain Man was allowed to actually sleep in a bed.

~The children did a great job in our absence, and they had a wonderful time with Caity and Marissa. (Thank you again!!)

Here are several pictures of us in the OR as well as of Claire. I'll post more as the days follow.

"Peep" doesn't care for diaper or clothing changes, which is obvious here, when Mountain Man gets her dressed to go home.

Please continue to pray that there would be no complications as a result of needing the catheter for a couple weeks. Pray, too, that Peep's rash would disappear quickly and that she would grow well and be healthy.
Love to you all,
Queen Mom for all of us

She's Here!

Ahem. This is Scribe, here to report that Claire Jubilee Poff was safely delivered this morning at 8:08 A.M. She weighs 6 lbs. 5 oz., is 19 and 3/4 inches in length, and looks like she'll be a blond (not that that's any great surprise :)). Currently she is in fine health. Thank you for your prayers!

Queen Mom is still in recovery right now, so I'll ask for you to continue praying that she will be completely healed, and that there will be no complications or infections.

Pictures of Claire will be posted at a later date, when Queen Mom and Mountain Man return.

Persevero,

Scribe

Bi-weekly Rewind 2/01-2/14/09

Yes, this "rewind" will cover 2 weeks instead of just one. We've been quite busy trying to prepare for precious Claire's arrival, and the time has passed so quickly. Amidst the hard work, though, we've been able to have some fun, too. Here are some highlights and pictures from the past couple weeks!

~Last weekend, Mountain Man and I took Scribe and Little Big Man out for a date. It was the first time we've been out with the older boys alone, and we had a wonderful time. We first saw the movie "Despereaux," which was supposedly based on the book. Scribe made a point to "read" the story first (we downloaded the original, unabridged story from audible.com), and he was quite disappointed with the movie. There was so much left out and so much added. His review: "just plain dumb." Scribe did enjoy the book, however.

After the movie, we ate dinner at Black Angus, and Little Big Man kept us laughing. We gently reminded him that this steakhouse wasn't the place to demonstrate his fine Mountain Man way of eating.:) Perhaps his steak was just a bit tough, for he had to attack it with a vengeance, leaving his poor green beans flying across the table. The best part of the meal was the laughter!

~I had my final visit with the dermatologist for now regarding the MOHS that was done on my nose. She believes the site has healed as much as it will, so I'll begin laser treatments a couple of months from now. That in itself will be a process requiring patience. We'll be able to do one treatment a month for about 6 months, and then we have to "wait and see" if the treatments have been beneficial.

~We love Valentine's Day at our home. This year, however, I just didn't get it together to have the big celebration that I like to give. The day was still wonderful, though, and we treated the children to dinner and then ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. Can you believe this Queen Mom walked out of there ordering nothing? Scribe just looked at Mountain Man and said, "It's the pregnancy." (That excuse won't be working soon!)

~Each year we try to schedule dates for the children and Mountain Man. Whistler had the first date with Daddy this year, attending a free Lowe's woodworking event and building this lovely heart box. Great job, Whistler!

~Whistler also got her hair cut yesterday. Here she is in her cute and simple bob.

~Before we left on our family date yesterday, we spent time cleaning and crossing things off of our "to do" list. Here Little Bit and Boo take a snack break and do what they're so good at--just being adorable

~God willing, Claire arrives in less than 48 hours. I've never been one to ask for prayer that things just "go well." I really like bringing specific requests before the LORD! So, here are several things that we would love to have you pray for:

-that I would have a calm spirit and not be anxious before the delivery

-that Claire would be healthy and pass all hospital tests with flying colors

-that there would be no complications from the c-section and that I would not be sick during the delivery

-that the anesthesiologist and the nurses would be both competent and kind

-that the hospital staff would be respectful of the fact that this will be our seventh child, and as a result, would recognize that we might know a thing or two about caring for our precious baby

-that our precious children would be safe at home, enjoy one another and have servants' hearts

-that God would bless dear Caity and Marissa for selflessly giving of their time and staying with our children while we're in the hospital

-that Mountain Man and I would bring glory to God in whatever we say and do and praise for His goodness and mercy would continually be on our lips

~We were pleasantly surprised this week when Mountain Man's co-workers gave us a baby shower. They blessed him with a delicious lunch and gave us a generous gift card to Target, as well as a couple of outfits for Claire. This was such a great blessing, and we are so thankful for their kindness.

~QUESTION HEARD EVERY DAY THIS WEEK: "When will baby sister be here?" After an answer is given, squeals of excitement echo throughout the house. :)

We love you all! Scribe will post information about Claire on Tuesday after the delivery, and we'll put pictures up as soon as we get home from the hospital (ah, the advantages of having a laptop...which we obviously don't have.:) Thank you for praying for us!

Love,

Queen Mom for all of us

"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know that the LORD He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise; be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations."

Psalm 100

Holiness-Chapter 5 "The Cost"

"Which of you, intending to build a house sitteth not down first and counteth the cost?"

Luke 14:28

Ryle opens this next chapter with the following exhortation:

"No doubt Christ's way to eternal life is a way of pleasantness. But it is folly to shut our eyes to the fact that His way is narrow, and the cross comes before the crown."

In this first part of the chapter, he addresses what is costs to be a true Christian. He explains that one's relationship with Christ will cost a man his self-righteousness, his sins, his love of ease, and the favor of the world. We're reminded that is doesn't cost much "outwardly" to call oneself a Christian. However, according to God's Word, "it does cost much to be a real Christian. There are enemies to be overcome, battles to be fought, sacrifices to be made, an Egypt to be forsaken, a wilderness to be passed through, a cross to be carried, a race to run."

**Ryle is very clear that the following discussion has nothing to do with what it costs to SAVE a Christian--nothing less than the blood of Christ does that. He's considering here what a man should be willing to give up in light of his salvation.***

1) His self-righteousness-A man must realize that there is nothing good in him and that he is a poor sinner saved by grace. He can trust in nothing but Christ alone for his salvation.

(This understanding, I think, grows deeper and deeper the longer you're a Christian. You see more and more how wicked your heart is and how amazing the grace of God is...)

2) His sins-A man must passionately "give up every habit and practice which is wrong in God's sight. There must be no separate trust with any special sin which he loves. He must count all sins as his deadly enemies, and hate every false way."

Ryle speaks this painful truth when he states that, "often our sins are as dear to us as our children: we love them, hug them, cleave to them, and delight in them."

3) His love of ease-Ryle's sums this up perfectly....

"He must take pains and trouble if he means to run a successful race toward heaven. He must daily watch and stand on his guard, like a soldier on enemy's ground. He must take heed to his behavior every hour of the day, in every company, and in every place, in public as well as in private, among strangers as well as at home. He must be careful over his time, his tongue, his temper, his thoughts, his imagination, his motives, his conduct in every relation of life. He must be diligent about his prayers, his Bible reading, and his use of Sundays, with all their means of grace. In attending to these things, he may come far short of perfection, but there is none of them that he can safely neglect."

He then refers to Proverbs 13:4, which caused me to see this particular Scripture verse in a whole new light.

"The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat."

It is so often my love of ease that causes me to stumble in those areas above that Ryle addresses. His insight into the battle with the flesh is right on target as he affirms that "we hate trouble. We secretly with we could have a vicarious Christianity and could be good by proxy, and have everything done for us. Anything that requires exertion and labor is entirely against the grain of our hearts. But the soul can have no gains without pains."

4) The favor of the world-We must remember that the world is going to think ill of us. They'll mock us, ridicule and despise us and our opinions and practices. We'll have our "words perverted" and our "actions misrepresented." This is the very thing that John 15:18-20 reminds us. We're not greater than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was persecuted and so shall we be. He was hated, and the world will hate us, too.

Ryle closes this section by acknowledging that giving up these four things are hard. But, "where is the item that could be removed?" Who would truly say that "we may keep our self-righteousness, our sins, our laziness, and our love of the world, and yet be saved?"

Pressing On,

Queen Mom

This Woman Deserves A Party...

Well, not really. I didn't deserve a party, but the lovely Spencer ladies so graciously blessed me with a most delightful baby shower/tea party this past Friday anyway. Everything, from the table decorations to the marvelous food, was truly a feast for the eyes. It was so humbling to see the elaborate display that had been prepared to celebrate the arrival of Claire Jubilee.

These are the beautiful petit fours we feasted on, and they turned out to be Little Bit's favorite dessert from the "tea box" I was able to take home.

Here's the breathtaking display of cream scones, homemade strawberry curd, clotted cream, and strawberries.

Everyone had tea at an elegantly decorated table, and chocolate mousse with cream was calling all of our names!

Of course, this party had lots of pink tissue paper, pink wrapping paper, and pink gift bags!

Miss Caity made Claire this magnificent baby blanket, trimming it in pink satin ribbon.

Boo was my very capable assistant, making sure Mommy kept on track and passing the gifts around for everyone to see.

Here's just a sampling of the wonderful clothes I received. My friends did such an amazing job of getting me what I needed, from baby booties to onesies to dresses to diapers to baby gowns (I LOVE baby gowns!), etc. I must say that all of my friends have quite the talent for choosing just the right gifts.

My neighbor and friend, Debbie, blessed me again with another handmade blanket. She's given one to both Boo and Little Bit. This one was just as lovely.

Here are Claire's handmade blankets. What a blessed baby she is! Miss Caity made the one to the left with the elegant ribbon, and Miss Marissa gave me the one in the middle, which is so soft and cuddly and just plain adorable. The one on the right is from my friend Debbie, who happens to be teaching Whistler how to crochet beautiful blankets such as this one.

Ok, Mom, here's the "I'd like to see a picture of you in your last weeks of being pregnant" picture. That's the sweet Medora (affectionately called "Dori" and "Dora" by our cute Boo). She and Marissa give great back massages by the way.

Here's a delightful group of lovely young ladies. On the left, to the front, is Marissa. Behind her is Medora, who is seated next to her sister, Camilla. On the front right is Caity. Marissa and Caity are 2 of the 3 Spencer ladies who did all of this hard work! Their Mom, dear Linda, somehow managed to escape my camera. She, of course, taught her talented daughters how to be such masters of hospitality. My friend, Debbie, asked me on the way home if Linda entertained "professionally" because everything was so beautifully done. :)

Here's Boo and Miss Marissa. Boo loves to have her hair done by the Spencer girls.

We were blessed to have many "little princesses" at the party, too. From left to right are, Charlotte, Emma, Judith, Liana, Boo, Whistler, and Rue.The girls quickly donned the aprons for play time outside.

I'm so grateful to all of my friends who blessed me with their presence, their thoughfulness, and their gifts. (I remember being given a shower for the arrival of Little Big Man. My dear friend prepared everything, and NO ONE showed up. I felt horrible for her. ) It was such a blessing to have my friends choose to bless me with their time. I hadn't seen some of them in months and even years! Thank you! Thank you!
Thank you, too, to my dear friends, the Spencer ladies, who so selflessly blessed me with an amazingly special day. I truly felt like "Queen Mom," and I'm grateful to you beyond words.
Thank you, Miss Caity, for taking all of these lovely pictures for me!
How blessed Claire is to have so many precious friends waiting to love her and encourage her in the LORD. How rich I am to know the generosity of such dear, dear friends who have given me such joy.

The Story and the Name--Part 2

Several years ago we had a Pastor who was teaching on the topic of "miracles." He came to the conclusion that miracles don't really happen today. I can't remember what definition he used in his understanding of a miracle, but I do remember teaching Scribe and Little Big Man when they were little, from a Baptist catechism, that a miracle "is something that only God can do."

Wayne Grudem, in his Systematic Theology, defines a miracle as a "less common kind of God's activity in which He arouses people's awe and wonder and bears witness to Himself." That very kind of activity is exactly what God did with the original diagnosis that we had received from the perinatologist.

Mountain Man and I arrived at our follow-up appointment with complete peace. This peace was such an amazing manifestion of God's grace. Never in my own power could I have willed myself to be at peace about such a potentially life-threatening diagnosis. Yet, God gave us such calm spirits, ready to accept whatever His will was, and it was truly that "peace that passes all understanding."

The perinatologist (the one I have seen for my past few pregnancies) looks at the ultrasound and immediately says, "The placenta is no where near the uterus. There's definitely no concern about placenta accreta. The other doctor must have looked at the ultrasound wrong."
What? The other doctor, who just happens to be an expert in placenta accreta diagnosis and treatment, whose most recent surgery related to placenta accreta took 16 hours to complete, resulting in a hysterectomy for the Mom and partial loss of her bladder, happened to look at the ultrasound wrong? No. God did the very thing my other doctor said could not happen. He moved the placenta, so that there wasn't even a concern of this very serious condition!! Mountain Man and I were stunned!

We had prayed that God would not allow the placenta to penetrate the uterine wall and that He would give us peace. Not only did He give us peace, but He answered our prayers beyond what we asked. We didn't have to wait and wonder for the rest of the pregnancy, and we were deeply humbled by God's mercy.

Having experienced such a miracle, we wanted to give our baby girl a name that would bring glory to God, expressing our praise for His amazing deliverance. Thus, Next Girl will be named..

Claire Jubilee

Claire is Latin for "bright" or "illustrious." "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27:1)

Jubilee is Hebrew for "one who rejoices." "But I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the LORD because He hath dealt bountifully with me."
(Psalm 13:5,6)

We rejoice in the miracle that God has done with this pregnancy and our hearts rejoice in the light of His salvation. Won't you praise Him with us?

The Story and The Name--Part 1

"We don't have statistics for you," replied the perinatologist (one who was filling in for the doctor I normally see). She had just finished explaining that my first ultrasound gave cause to be concerned about an alarming diagnosis of placenta accreta. Her response regarding statistics was in regards to the fact that I will be having my 6th c-section with the delivery of Next Girl. The look on her face was one of incredulity, akin to , "I just can't believe you're this stupid."

The ultrasound showed that the placenta was covering the uterus. Thus, it was a concern that the placenta could attach too deeply to the uterine wall, creating the condition known as placenta accreta. When this condition happens, it almost always results in a hysterectomy at the time of delivery and there are varying degrees of this complication that can result in damage to other organs, such as the bladder. The placenta looks for things to "feed on" and attach to, almost like a cancer, and often it attaches to other organs.

Of course I was upset, and when I saw my regular OB and told him the news, I quickly tried to draw out some reassurance from him. His response was not reassuring at all. If I did end up having placenta accreta, he wouldn't be doing the surgery. (I later found out that cancer specialists often do these types of surgeries because of the intricacies and danger involved in detaching the placenta.) So, I said, "But the placenta can move, right?" He gave a sigh and confidently stated, "The placenta is not going to move."

The perinatologist said we would do additional bloodwork that would give us more information and, of course, follow-up with another ultrasound. Simply not knowing and yet having to wait was so difficult. I searched the internet for more information, and most everything I read was devastating.

Of course, Mountain Man and I prayed. We also wanted to ask others to pray, but honestly, we were cautious because we knew that some of the potential reactions might not be compassionate or favorable and some family and friends might worry excessively. So, I shared our request with a couple of friends, asking them to pray that God would remove this danger and that the placenta wouldn't attach abnormally, but most importantly, that God would give us peace regardless of His will.

The wait to return for that second ultrasound seemed to last forever, and the diagnosis was nothing that we expected to hear.

I thought only mothers could multi-task so well...

You can tell a few things from these pictures...

The obvious of course is that Little Bit is quite attached to Scribe (no pun intended..) and that Scribe loves to have Little Bit tag-a-long wherever he goes, including his daily sword-fighting exercises.

The other is that Little Bit is not our first child....do you know a parent who would allow her first

child to have such an adventure? :)

That's Customer Service

The children and I love the Lamplighter books. These are beautiful hardbound books of stories from many years ago. They range in variety from historical fiction to character building and more. Currently, we receive automatically whatever new books they release, and Exiles in Egypt was one of them.

Not having read the book, yet, we weren't aware of anything objectionable. In fact, I wouldn't assume there was...but we received a letter from Lamplighter yesterday apologizing for an illustration that "is not appropriate for our readership." Included in the letter was a beautiful, perfectly-sized illustrated sticker to place over the picture as well as a coupon for $5.00 off any title in their collection. The owner ended the letter by stating that he hoped "this oversight will not depreciate your confidence in us."

How refreshing and encouraging.

You can see their lovely books for yourself at http://www.lamplighterpublishing.com/

A.G. Russell's Youngest Fan?

Little Bit decided after dinner last night to have some leisure time. When we walked in the "cottage" room, we found her perusing an A.G. Russell knife catalog while holding her baby doll.

Quite the combination...but I'm sure her future husband will love her for it. :)

Holiness-Chapter 4 Part 4

This book has some of the longest chapters I've ever read! There seem to be several chapters in each chapter. Of course, there is so much "meat" in each chapter that you have to chew slowly. Otherwise you'll miss so much of what Ryle is saying. Nonetheless, we'll finish this book, even if it takes us a year! :)

In this part of Chapter 4, Ryle closes "The Fight" with reminders of how to practically apply what we've read thus far.

1) Don't waste your life struggling hard for the rewards of this world. You need to know Jesus and fight the Christian fight, knowing you'll have an everlasting liberty.

2) If you're already a seasoned soldier, remember these things.

a) We must always put on the whole armor of God--we can't afford to lay even a piece of it aside.

b) Don't entangle yourself with the affairs of this world. Keep your focus on pleasing your Saviour.

c) Remember those who "seemed good soldiers for a little season, and talked loudly of what they would do, and yet turned back disgracefully in the day of battle."

***This is a most disturbing transformation to observe in the lives of those we have known to profess to know Christ. To watch them willfully walk away from the very truths they once grasped, to live lives so contrary to their profession, and yet, in some cases, still proclaim to know Christ, is heartbreaking. This Christian life truly is a battle, and so many surrender so easily to the temporary pleasures of this world in exchange for their souls. Ryle's constant urging to be on guard shouldn't be taken lightly. All we have to do is look around and see so many whose lives are a warning to us....but for the grace of God...

d) Remember "that the eye of our loving Saviour is upon us, morning, noon, and night. He will never suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear. He can be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, for He suffered Himself, being tempted. He knows what batles and conflicts are, for He Himself was assaulted by the prince of this world. Having such a High Priest, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession."

***I was just studying the other day the very passage that Ryle refers to here, Hebrews 4: 14. Matthew Henry explains this "holding fast to our profession"......"Let us never deny Him, never be ashamed of Him before men. Let us hold fast the enlightening doctrines of Christianity in our heads, the enlivening principles of it in our hearts, the open profession of it in our lips, and our practical and universal subjection to it in our lives."

e) Remember that many have fought the battle before you and have been more than conquerers. "Christ's arm is just as strong as ever, and Christ's heart is just as loving as ever."

***This is why we have to be in the Word, reading of those who have come before us and their faith and their victories. There's so much benefit in reading the accounts (from the Bible as well as biographies) of others who have struggled and pressed on and fought the good fight and run the race. Regardless of how difficult the fight is, God is faithful.

f) Remember that our time here really is short. Let us fight to the finish and never surrender.

***Our time here really is short, but sometimes the days seem so long and the battles seem impossible. When discouragement sets in, I think of each of our precious children. These battles aren't just about me. The choices I make...quitting or pressing on...giving in to discouragement or trusting in Him though the way ahead of me is so uncertain...all affect our children. For me to surrender is to surrender them. This thought often keeps me pressing on when I just don't think I can.

Ryle closes this chapter with these words of exhortation. "May we never forget that without fighting there can be no holiness while we live, and no crown of glory when we die."

Pressing On,
Queen Mom

Whistler's Favorite Muffins

Whistler loves these muffins. They're her favorite, and we'll be making up several batches of these this week as we prepare foods in anticipation of Next Girl's arrival. These are great to freeze and pull out one at a time. Just warm in the microwave.

Poppy Seed Pound Cake Muffins

2 c. flour
1 T. poppy seeds
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 eggs
1 c. plain yogurt
1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stir together flour, poppy seeds, salt, and baking soda. In separate bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in yogurt and vanilla until well blended. Stir in flour mixture until moistened thoroughly. Spoon into greased muffin pan, and bake 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Makes 1 dozen. You can substitute different flavors of yogurt, too, such as lemon, blueberry, or raspberry.

~from my absolute favorite freezer cookbook Don't Panic-Dinner's in the Freezer