Friday, February 29, 2008

"Great things He hath done"....

"Great things He hath done"....


For all those who wondered, "HOW will Jessica ever get married?" I am announcing you can put your worries to ease! THE LORD has been at work! :)

The adventure bearded Nathan Black went fishin' and has caught himself a lil' wifee!

We have set our wedding date for April 5th, 2008!

Since the 19th of Febuary, my family and I's life has been an exciting blur. I want to type all the details out for all of you but I am thinking I will have to collect my thoughts and make sure I get dates right before I share. The cute pictures of us will have to do!

It is SO amazing and I feel so totally overwhelmed at ALL the Lord has been doing for me! I look back at the past few years and I can clearly see now His hand in my life and how He has been preparing me to be Nathan's wife! I feel overwhelmed with joy and so unworthy for all the great things that God has done!

Don't forget to take notice of my new blog page title ("Lil' Wifee to be" is Nathan's nickname for me! ;) And check out my hobbies and interests on the side (if the type is too small, blame blogspot! ;)


2 Funny Farmers-to-be!

A comment from the hubby to be....
My precious Jessica, what great things God has done for us! As I look back at this past week, I can see so clearly the working of the Lord to bring about his perfect plan for our lives. So many little miracles and signs make it a certainty that God has prepared us for eachother from the moment we were reborn into his family. As we seek to follow him into this new life together, may the Lord use us to accomplish great things for His name, and make us a living testimony before a lost world that he is able to free us from the power of sin to live a new life through His power. What a tremendous thing he has done for us! "Lord help me to live worthy of your calling on my life."

My lil' Wifee, we're still at 100%, and we're going to keep it that way! When God does something it's done right! Your unworthy and immensely blessed hubby to be! Nathan

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

This morning mom and I went out to check on Melita and the kids and while watching them I noticed something special about Eliana! I said to mom, "Eliana is really my gift from Melita." Mom said, Why?

Wanna know how I know?

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Oh happy day for the Momma!

This morning when I checked on Melita at 9am, she was under the "barn" in a kicked-out nest. Very odd for her to be laying down away from Chava and Milcah in the morning. I knew she was going to birth today. I fed the girls (Melita got up and ate also) and I watched Melita for about 15 minutes. She would get up from her nest and her tail would go straight up and she would push. She did this about every 5 minutes.

I decided to go get mom. On my way in, Justy (who was out working on his work project) said, "What's going on?" I yelled as I trotted toward the house, "Melita is having her babies today!" He laughed at me and said, She is always having her babies everyday. ;) I went in and got mom and together (along with my aunt Tammy's camcorder) went out to observe.

Melita still was pushing every 5 or so minutes. Mom left after about 30 minutes. I hung around until 10:20am. When I left, Melita got up from her nest and whined for me to come back to keep her comfee'. Poor girl. I went in and got ready for the day...I got online with in the intention of doing some book sales. I sent 2 emails and then back out I went with mom at about 11:15 am. Melita was pushing and standing up in her nest. The nest she hooved out reminded me of Big bird's nest on Sesame street (childhood flashback ;). Her nest was in a bad area we thought though...too much wind and chill. We coaxed her over into the birthing stall with some crack corn (which is a treat here...I use corn sparingly, think bout' it, the food companies put corn in pet foods as a filler...another post.. ;)

Anyway, she came into the birthing stall with no problem. She ate her corn and then commenced pushing again. I was near her head and bent over to pet her and she reached up and licked my face. ;) hehe Getting her tongue ready to clean babies and a thank you to me. ;) She laid down and the pushing got more closer together. I kept checking her birthing area and suddenly a small balloon like object appeared (the baby bag.)

Both mom and I prayed over her. She got back up and pushed the water bag down (it is hanging on her). She laid back down and began pushing again. A little hoof came out! The bottom of the hoof was facing down, which means the baby would be born head first...if the hoof was upward, it would be born bottom first).
"Lil nose came out"


Then the hoof disappeared...then a little nose and the hoof came out!! The water bag was not broken around the baby yet. Both mom and I were praying and crying and we both were encouraging Melita. The little hoof disappeared. Just the head was coming out. We knew we may have trouble. (Mom threw me cleaning wipes to wash my hands with in case Melita needed assistance.) The bag of water still had not broken. Melita's pushing was getting harder. She was having a tough time of it. She stood up. After a couple seconds of pushing, the bag broke. The baby's shoulders were stuck and Melita's pushing was choking the baby (who was coughing and gasping.) It was the scariest looking thing, the little head being stuck like that. Melita was whining. Mom said, Jess your going have to help her..."Please don't die, please don't die". (mom was praying out loud! and crying)...


I went directly behind her and I started to put my fingers up top and on the side, Mom said, not on the top, on the bottom. I switched finger positioning and the next push came in seconds and I enlarged her a lil and hooked my fingers onto the babies front folded legs and helped pull him out. He came out nicely! :) (Were you holding your breath? I was writing this. ;)


I used the nose sucker (which was a joke...be sure to buy something worth it...a deal is not always the best thing!) on his mouth and nose. (My dad suggests shop vacs...haha) He was coughing a lot. Melita was licking him off and I got some of the baby goo off with a pink towel.

Melita then had a funny object coming out..."Maybe it's the placenta...she only had one baby." I said to mom...Nope, it wasn't the placenta! :) It was baby #2!!! The twin to baby #1! They were sharing the same bag! Baby #2 came out in proper position (hooves firstly). After she was born, another odd shape was coming out...placenta for sure this time...I thought. ;) I couldn't see any hooves, no little nose...nothing....

Little Girl
Waiting while Melita Pushes (girl in front, boy in back)


15 minutes pass and the object is still 3-4 inches out. I tell Melita, Push, push push...come on girl! She is busy licking babies. I then see black hair in the bag that is coming out. Another baby! Push Push Melita, this baby needs to come out. She is laying down. She started to push. Hard time again. The baby is stuck. Mom and I literally push her to her feet. Mom said, you have to help her get that baby out. I put my fingers in again and next push I enlarge her a lil and pull. The baby was coming out breech!!! Bottom first!!!! It fell out on to the ground and mom and I stared at it...IT IS HUGE!!! LONG legs!!! I tell Melita, You have a basketball player! ;) hehe He is a huge one, no wonder she had trouble pushing him out (and being born bottom first).

Big baby boy!


Mom cried, I was very involved in the delivery and clean up. Mom said, You would make a great midwife. You can deliver your brothers and sisters anytime! ;)

The rest is sweet. Melita cleaned her babies. (the placenta came out 1 hour and 15 minute later). The first kid is a boy, Rosh Johannan. The second, his twin (not identical) a girl, Eliana Tikvah. And the third, a boy, Adriyel Moishe. <3>
Rosh Johannan nursing
Eliana Tikvah
Adriyel Moishe
Up and about with momma'
(she had not yet delievered placenta in this photo)


Monday, February 18, 2008


My mom said she has been waiting for another thought-provoking post to be added to my blog.

Yes, I am behind in my thought provoking ones. I have several stewing.

Yesterday and today I have been thinking off and on about infant potty training...huh, you say?



I never heard of it until 4-ish or so years ago. I read up on it a little. When we moved here to VA (almot 2 years ago!), I found a book at the library called Infant Potty Training and also Trickle Treat!!! :o) I think I read them 2ce each to make sure I got the concept down. (Course' I spit the bones and eat the meat with these books...discarding and new age-y stuff)

Did you know letting your baby/child potty in diapers is a western invention?

Many places overseas families potty train infants by the time they are walking.

Yes, potty training babies is do-able. It may not be the thing for all mommies and families, but *if I have my own, I will letcha' know how it goes. ;)

Think about it...why do we train our babies to potty in diapers and get them comfortable to have yuck so close to themselves??? Then we have to untrain them and retrain to get them to sit on a potty. Doesn't make sense to me.

Now, for those wondering, my mom didn't do infant potty training.

Info on Infant potty training....
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/articles/general-view/archive/1996/june/07/potty-training-answered/
http://www.diaperfreebaby.org/
http://www.nogreaterjoy.org/articles/general-view/archive/1996/february/07/one-more-time/

And, no...I wouldn't do the diaper free baby....I would keep a cloth diaper on baby when at home and a Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diaper when out and about. (I got it all planned huh? ;)

For momma's who decide infant potty training isn't for them...OR for momma's who infant potty train and use disposable diapers like pampers and huggies...do you know what is in them??

The ingredients in Huggies, Pampers and others like them is terrifying!

SODIUM POLYACRYLATE - This is the chemical, added in powder form to the inner pad of a disposable, that makes it super-absorbent. When the powdered form becomes wet, it turns into a gel.

*It can absorb up to 100X its weight in water.

*It can stick to baby's genitals, causing allergic reactions.

*Reported to cause severe skin irritations, oozing blood from perineum and scrotal tissues, fever, vomiting and staph infections in babies.

*When injected into rats it has caused hemorrhage, cardiovascular failure and death.

*Has killed children after ingesting as little as 5 grams of it.

*Causes female organ problems, slows healing wounds, fatigue and weight loss to the employees in factories that manufacture it.

DIOXIN - This is the chemical by-product of the paper-bleaching process, using chlorine gas, in the manufacturing of diapers.

*It is a carcinogenic - cancer-causing chemical.

*The EPA lists it as the MOST TOXIC of all cancer-linked chemicals.

*In small quantities it causes birth defects, skin/liver disease, immune system suppression & genetic damage in lab animals.

*Banned in most countries, but not the United States.

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH CHLORINE?

"The pulp and paper industry's practice of bleaching pulp whiter than white with chlorine produces a large class of chemicals known as organochlorines, some extremely persistent and toxic, which include the infamous dioxins and furans."

". . . their effects are particularly threatening to the most vulnerable of us all: developing infants and children." Source: Liz Armstrong & Adrienne Scott: "Whitewash; Exposing the health and environmental dangers of women's sanitary products and disposable diapers - what you can do about it."

TRIBUTYL TIN (TBT) - An environmental pollutant, considered highly toxic, that spreads through the skin and has a hormone-like effect in the smallest concentrations.

*It harms the immune system and impairs the hormonal system.
Speculated that it could cause sterility in boys.

TO DYE FOR?

"Damage to CNS (Central Nervous System), kidneys and liver can be caused by dyes found in some disposables."

Ain't the above HORRIBLE?

Looking for alternatives?
Severth Generation and Tushies offer disposables.
Cloth diapering is always an option too! :) I have bout 10 cloth diapers I have found over the years in my hope chest...the ones I like the best (not sure if the work the best...yet to be tried) are
http://www.mother-ease.com/ :)

OKAY...so there be some thought provoking thoughts for some of ye'. :)

You should never know what to expect when you come to my blog! You are getting a peek at what is in my mind...be ah'skeared'...very ah'skeared'! ;)

Jessica

UPDATE: (*10:07 am Feb 18., 08')

This morn', I showed mom my post and she pointed out that chlorine was also by the Nazi's in WWI and WWII... I found the below info. on chlorine. Remember chlorine isn't only in your baby's diapers, but in public drinking water, pools, cleaners, etc. etc.

"It WWI Nazi's Fritz Haber who came up with the idea to use chlorine gas to subdue (via suffocation) troops in the trenches; he saw this type of weapon as no worse than bullets and artillery shells."

"Chlorine gas can effect your health, depending on how much of it you have been exposed to and for how long. It is corrosive and irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract. Exposure to low amounts may cause a sore throat, eye and skin irritation and coughing. Exposure to higher amounts of the gas can cause narrowing of the bronchi, burning of the eyes and skin and a blue coloring of the skin. It can also cause a build up of fluid in the lungs and pain in the chest."


"Chlorine reacts with organic matter in drinking water to produce trihalomethanes, which may cause cancer and possibly developmental effects."

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Where have I been?

This morning, mom woke me up and said, "I smelled smoke outside and went outdoors and it's really smokey outside....here smell my hair? My hair smells like smoke!?" ;o) (It's a girl thing ;)

Smokey Morning!

I grabbed Gracie, my cat, and went downstairs and peeked outside. Smokey alright. The land was covered in a smoke fog. After getting chore clothing on, I went out and the air smelled like an open wood burning stove (I love them things!). Unbeknownst to us, this weekend, brush fires started down in NC and the smoke is now traveling up this way. Thankfully, it's rained a lil' here and the smoke has almost disappeared here in Franklin. Pray for those whose land and homes were affected by the fires. This a.m we were unsure if the fires were heading this way or if it was just the smoke, so we came up with a fire routine. Load all the animals in the Gospel mobile (dad's white work van) and Justy's truck and head towards....? Richmond, I guess. We even prepared animal feed to go. No, we weren't concerned for the house, just our animals. They are like family. :) Our home and material objects aren't important to us (and the land and house are insured ;). hehe (I am laughing.)

Big News! Melita has lost all the ligament in her tail today! It's her due day too! I told some of ya' that she lost it all 2 wend. ago, well, forgive my excited ignorance, I now see she had a little more ligament to lose. The underside of the tail is very flabby now and I REALLY can put my pointer and thumb fingers in a circle around her tail bone...Melita tail has been sticking up for 3 days and today it's starting to arch!
If ya don't know what I mean....here is a great goat site with pics of what I am trying to describe.
http://jekuthiel.com/pgdoe.html

Jasi (my 3 year old cousin) is coming our way today for a stay! Yahoo! She was talking on the phone to mom earlier and was very excited about coming...Mom asked, Do you want to come to our home? "Yes, I want to come to your home for my vacation." ;) hehe

Jasi and Gracie

I cleaned the house today and I am about to do some sewing. I am working on 3 crayon bags that I am bartering with. The first one is done and it turned out SO cute!

Before I sew, I am off to check Melita again!
Jessica

Below are some pics of what's been going on at our home the past week....
Fluffy hatched 6 ducklings!


WOAH! Big Momma Melita in the pasture!

We have been clearing land past 2 weeks or so.

Me, talking and using a wheelbarrow...dangerous thing to do.

Jon's just hanging around! ;) (he can hold himself up like that 4 a while!)


Justy is at work this week...he didn't have far to drive...just outback! ;) He is re-doing old window screens! The mask isn't because he likes the doctor look, but because the windows may have old lead paint. If ya got any handy guy stuff for Justy to do, just let me know...he does excellent work (I am not biased a bit) and he takes cash, money order and paypal. ;o) heehee

Pics of dad and mom out working to come. I have one of dad using his chainsaw and once the computer allows me I will post that too. ;) AND since Jasi is coming I am sure you will find pics of her (and stories) on either mom or I's blog. ;) hehe

Sunday, February 3, 2008

My momma's bloggin'!

Finally! Some of mom's heart thoughts are revealed on her blog!

You will notice my mom and I have a lot in common! ;) That's cause we love itch' other. ;)

I seen a funny saying in a store once, Mirror, mirror on the wall...I am my mother after all! ;) hehe

http://www.keepmecomfee.blogspot.com/

Friday, February 1, 2008

Calling all fashionably modest... ;)

The Modest Boutique is open! :o)

I am currently adding more items each day. IF you are looking for a certain size or style in clothing, please email and I will let you know what I have yet to put on the boutique. Our book and other treasures area has lots more to be added as well. Miss a day, miss a deal! :o)

Each order gets a free surprise gift!!! :o)

Grand Opening Contest!The Modest Boutique is officially open and is running a raffle! Leave a comment to this post to be entered into the drawing! The drawing will be done on February 14th!

IF you advertise about the boutique's official opening on your blog or website, you may be entered twice! (Please post your the link to your blog/site to be entered twice.)

So...what can ya' win?

2nd and 3rd Prize - Store Credit Coupons!
Grand Prize - SURPRISE!

http://themodestboutique.blogspot.com/

http://themodestboutiquebooksvintage.blogspot.com/