Flashback: Xmas Presents 2011

Here's a look at what I gave most of the gals in my family last Christmas.

I rummaged through my very large stash of bed sheets (see "Flashback: Xmas Presents 2010" for what else I did with bed sheets) & made braided rugs.

I cut the fabric into strips, using my rotary cutter (thanks, honey, for that Xmas gift!), braided the strips into one very long strip, and then sewed in a circular pattern on my sewing machine.  I used felt for the backing, which worked pretty well; however, if you're intending to put the rug on a wood floor, you may want to add a strip of rubber to the bottom (so nobody goes flying...and then falling).

It was fun!

Flashback: Xmas Presents 2010

Here are the Christmas presents I made for a few of the gals in my family.  It's always fun giving hand-made gifts, even though my sewing & knitting skills are super simple!!

A few knitted scarves & washclothes...

My mom was empyting her linen closet and needed to get rid of bed sheets she'd had for years.  Some of them had been my Great-Grandmother's.  I used these as well as my own extra bed-sheets to make cloth napkins for my sister & sister-in-law.  I washed all top sheets, cut & surged them.  I was pleased with how well they turned out...

Happy Days Are Here Again

This was Baby Hilburn at 9 weeks...that was 5 weeks ago. 

That's right, folks! I am pregnant again!!!! I am 3 1/2 months pregnant (or 14 weeks 4 days to be exact).

Three months after our miscarriage, we were oh-so-pleasantly suprised to find out that we were expecting another little miracle.

I am enjoying being in the 2nd trimester--no longer sick & getting fatter.

Our midwife doesn't offer ultrasounds (to do that we'd pay a fee to the OBGYN she works with), so we won't get to see Baby Hilburn again until he or she enters this world around April 20, 2013. The above ultra-sound was taken by a charitable organization that graciously offered me a one-time free unltrasound, so that's that!

We have been able to hear the baby's heartbeat several times as well as the super-cool "baby movement" sounds.

Again, thank you to our countless friends and family members who have cried, laughed & cried again with us through life's journey.  We know that we've never walked alone.

This song, by my favorite artist, says it all.

Porches, Phase I

We've needed some porches around our trailer for a LONG time; however, we had to wait to move the trailer to it's final resting place first.

So, now it's time!

Phase I began with adding a roof over this old trailer to:

1. Give added protection against rain & snow
2. Be a buffer between our thin roof & the summer sun

Here's a log of our progress from March to August. At the end of August, when it was still quite toasty outside, we could really feel a difference in the inside temperature of the trailer.  Our a/c units alone actually made it bearable inside this little home on wheels.

MARCH

We collected poles for trusses, and this yellow beast really helped!

Then we (the Biggers) dug 30 holes for concrete piers for the upright poles.

Collecting upright poles...

APRIL

Now it was time to start on the concrete piers (again, 30)!

MAY/JUNE

The concrete piers get a bolt sunk into the middle of each one.  The upright pole will have a hole drilled into the bottom to rest on the bolt.  The strapping will then be attached on either side of the pole to keep it firmly attached to the concrete pier...

And now for the upright poles right against the house...

Project Supervisor #1

JULY

The trusses!!!

Work Bee with the Hilburn boys!  Time for nailers...these guys know how to get stuff done!

 
Project Supervisor #2

Time for some roofing tin, starting on the side that needs it most--south-facing.

AUGUST

Tah-dah!!!  The roofing tine needs to be trimmed up & the roof painted white, but it does the job for now!

Next tasks:

finish up the fire-wood & then move onto the screened-in outdoor kitchen!!

It's been a good summer.









Re-cap: Our April Loss

It's official: I'm the world's worst blogger.

It has taken me 5 months to post anything, although I've written several drafts that just never got tweaked enough to be published (in my opinion).

On April 22nd, at 11 weeks 4 days, we lost our little "Victory." From the beginning, Aaron and I thought we were having a girl; however, when we go on to our own rewards, we won't be disappointed to find out that Victory was actually a boy.  The Lord literally gave us victory and hope when we got pregnant last February.  After almost 11 years of marriage, 4 of those years actively trying for a baby, I was pregnant. 

We hadn't gotten around to trying IVF or any other fertility treatments.  We were just going to play it by ear and see where the Lord took us. 

After 1 1/2 years of trying, I quit my job.  I'd wanted my sole place of employment to be the home-front for a long time: we thought this might help loosen everything up & get to working in the baby-making department.  Alas, after almost 2 years, although I was enjoying working my dream job, I felt certain that I should be adding to our financial future while waiting to get pregnant.  I finally started accepting the fact that I would get pregnant when God wanted me to, whether I was working or not. 

I was able to get my old job back (long story, but God was in ALL the details).  I was happy & more focused than I'd ever been at the office, knowing that I was doing a good thing for my & Aaron's future.

And then, when I wasn't looking, I got pregnant.

So, thank you, Victory, for the joy and hope you gave your mommy and daddy--joy like we'd never felt before.  We trust your heavenly Father in all things.  He is taking care of you so much better than we could.  You will never know pain or heartache.  You are with the One that makes all things new.

"He giveth and taketh away.  Blessed be the name of the Lord."