Mustard Rock

Today after church we are going to pack up the car and wait at the border for 2 hours and then start driving to Yellowstone. We have a few stops on the way as well where we will set up camp. It should be interesting with a 21-month toddler; hopefully there will be time for sitting in the camping chair with a good book in the shade, too!

Last week was fairly busy (for me); I almost worked a full 40 hours! 3 days were at Columbia, 1 day was split between a side job for my friend's mom's friend/watching Kate while Michelle went to a matinee, and 1 day was contract labour for my past employer Abbey Medical--that was a hot day to work outside! 32 degrees and we're not talking fahrenheit! I had prayed for strength for such a busy week, and God graciously gave me what I asked for.

Joey's Last Day

Today marks the end of a school-year of babysitting! Last September Michelle arranged to watch baby Joey during the day for her friend. Michelle took Tuesdays, and I took Thursdays. Joey is only two months younger than Kate and it has been fun to watch them grow up, reach different milestones, and learn to play together. Joey started crawling, walking, running, climbing, etc. several months before Kate did, but Kate was quicker to use her 'fine motor skills' to use a spoon, or do a puzzle. Michelle wasn't able to continue watching Joey in the spring due to her pregnancy sickness, but I continued on Thursdays.

As for me, it was strange enough in the eyes of our culture to be a stay-at-home Dad for two days a week, but to babysit someone else's kid as as well!?! Unheard of! But I enjoyed it. It gave me a chance to rest from my physically demanding job--still earning a few bucks--while having a chance to spend more time with my daughter.

Kate can't really say her own name yet, but she can say Joey's: "Dough-whee!"

It is the last Thursday of the school year today; summer vacation is coming and next September Joey will have alternate arrangements. So long, little buddy. It was good to get to know you.
Kate on Joey's last day

Norwex Car Wash

The weather was so nice today and I hadn't washed the car for more than a year so I took some norwex products and a bucket of hot water to the driveway area and gave the 'ol car a scrub. Wow did the windows look shiny! It worked really well and I didn't need a hose...however the paint job is getting kind of beat up so it can only look so good...maybe a wax would help...maybe a norWAX, ha ha.

Michelle is doing quite a bit better (almost 14 weeks pregnant), thanks God! We got out to watch a slopitch game on Wednesday and that was a lot of fun--we knew a lot more people on the team and in the stands than we had expected! Kate liked stepping up and down the bleachers too. Last night we got out for our first date in about 2 months, dinner at BP and we watched the A-Team at Silvercity.

In my continuing health soap opera--er, saga--I have discovered that I seam to be mildly lactose intolerant...so much for all my milk protein! Goats milk seems fine though. I had suspected it a long time ago but my symptoms weren't too severe so I wrote it off as something else.

What Kate Did

Kate sails in her diaper box
Kate likes to colour

Kate is usually getting her nose into something these days. As long as she has her nap and goes to bed at a decent hour we all get along! Michelle is doing a bit better lately so that is good! We experienced the goodness of the church lately with different people helping out with Kate when I was at work and Michelle couldn't take care of her. I'm doing pretty good too. Just don't mess with my schedule too much and I'm happy. :) Baby Potts seems to be doing alright too; Michelle heard the heartbeat at her midwife appointment last week. Lately Baby Potts likes California rolls and is not too fond of chicken.

The Great Adventure

The smell of adventure was in the air. The rain had cleared. We set out.
We drove to the Bay with Kate in tow. They did not have what we were looking for.
We drove home.
Kate and Michelle had nap time. I played settlers online.
I won.
I lost.
I mopped the floor.
Then later we set out for part 2. We drove to Superstore (the rain had cleared).
We stuffed Kate into her stroller in the underground parking lot despite her roiling protests-
The pigeons flew to the next row of parking stalls-
We shopped. We found what we were looking for. We left.
Mission accomplished.
It was nice to get out with Michelle 2 times yesterday! 10 weeks. Things are looking up.
But we are not out of the woods yet!

Do Not Fear

Do Not Fear, I am still alive. I haven't posted anything lately because there hasn't really been anything noteworthy to post. Other than Michelle being sicker than a dog, I guess, which isn't really a noteworthy thing to brag about, except for the excitement related to the reason she is sick, which is she is nurturing a tiny person, currently about 1 gram in weight and 1/2 inch in diameter...yes we are expecting a baby in December! But as with Kate's first trimester (or two), things aren't much fun and Michelle spends her day lying on the couch--she can't even take care of Kate really so we have friends and family helping out on the days that I'm working. So I have been busy playing house, mostly...and it's been a bit of a stressor but not overwhelming--yet.

Keep the Faith, Fight the Fight!

Hypoglycemia, cont.

Hypoglycemia doesn't seem to be bugging me as much anymore. I can go longer without food and not notice. I can eat a little bit of sugar and still feel okay. My brain feels normal most of the time. I am thankful! Just working on building up some strength and energy, mostly.

I think consuming essential oils helped a lot (omega 3s and 6s). Also just eating well over a long period of time. The third thing that has contributed has been a lack of big stressors lately. Or maybe I'm more 'immune' to stress? Ha!

I have developed a taste for vegetables. Raw spinach? mmmm! (I get some weird looks when I pull out my bag of spinach sometimes.) Carrots--I used to like these more, they're still good, but they're suspect in favour of celery and romaine lettuce. I like bell peppers a lot more than I used to, as well.