Any JW moms??? [Archive] - MotheringDotCommunity Forums

Guava~Lush

09-17-2003, 06:17 PM

Hi Mojo, thanks for replying! Although I was raised in the truth, I made some pretty, um, unwise choices. But I really try hard to appreciate the good things. Like, at least he is not abusive and he does not mind my raising ds in the truth, at least for now. We have issues about not getting along and I have to try really hard to not look for ways out. He is a good person but just lost one of his jobs a few weeks ago, and in the begining I was supportive, now it's like get off your butt! I think all my complaints are normal, marriage issues, not so much JW ones!!lol! Oh well. And I want another child and he isn't even interested in affection. I read the Family book over and over. While it's good for me, I recognize he needs help. I just try to leave it in Jah's hands. Throw my burden, i guess. But I feel lonely. And then I get resentful at the elders, cause no one has made a sheperding call on me...ever!! OK they probably think because my dad is the TM school overseer, that he helps me. While that is true, I like a little interest being shown. And my dad can only do so much being my dad, KWIM? I know I sound confused, oh well!
Thanks again for posting, and take care!

aMie

09-21-2003, 07:05 PM

Hello Lotusbirth! I can totally understand what you are dealing with. i am going through a similar problem. I am very new in the truth, not baptized yet (but working on it!). A lot of our problems stem from my husbands choice in entertainment (raunchy movies & tv shows, violent video games, heavy metal music) and I don't want to be a part of it. The problem is he is worldly and I can't expect him to change for me, ya know?! And a couple times a week I have to hear "2 years ago you would have watched that with me." or "You used to like that song". He just doesn't understand that I am trying to better myself. He sometimes seems to resent it. However he would never NOT let me attend meetings or take our children. He has aknowledged that "if there is a God" than this is the right path. I guess all you can do is keep praying about it.
Sorry about the long vent. I didn't realize I was holding so much in!

Guava~Lush

09-22-2003, 07:01 PM

Hi Amie! First let me say how happy I am you are on your way to baptism! It is a difficult road, as we know, and I hear where you are coming from. I am so sick of the violence on tv and movies, and my dh said the same thing to me.Plus I used to be such a metal head!! And he said I listened to devil music lol he's a dance trance freak. I thought my change stemmed more from having a child. That I am more aware of all the junk- violence and stuff on TV. It should have been my christian conscience, lol! Well, you just hang in there, he sounds very understanding. I have a huge problem with the video games. Not me, my dh playing them constantly, urghhh! We had another huge fight about it. Not a good thing for me to do, but we were all at our wits end, and I get really sick of feeling left out. Oh well, I am glad to know my fellow sisters are here!

And Amie, you just keep moving forward! I think of all the young people in my hall who were raised in the truth but don't seem to want to commit to it. It took me too long and with alot of mistakes, but I am reassured by Jah's mercy. Keep in touch!!

Dr.Worm

10-02-2003, 02:06 PM

Wow! I really haven't been here in a while! It's so great to see all the JW mommies!

Lotusbirth, my situation is kinda like yours...I grew up in the truth but then fell away. I think the big thing for me was my dad died when I was 17 and I became very depressed...you know, the "anxieties of life." Anyway...I got married to an unbeliever also and I kind of was thinking about coming back. My mom is a JW and she never gave up on me...especially when I had my daughter, Julia. It was really Julia that made me stop being so selfish. Please email me if you ever want to chat. Nebacanezur@aol.com....I didn't choose that email:rolleyes:

Guava~Lush

10-02-2003, 08:21 PM

Thanks for your reply, I will email you. You can PM me too. or email.
I am trying everyday to be 'peaceable', and we've been getting along ok, now I am having problems with relatives, a cousin in particular who doesnt want the truth 'right now'. The emails have been personal attacks at me. It's like, what next? Plague? Locusts?
I have to say though, I totally agree with kids changing you. My ds is so important, his life is in my hands, and if I don't do the best I can and help him to love Jehovah, I personally, would feel bloodguilty. But I am such a dramatic person anyway!:D
My dad was the same for me. I am really glad you have your mom. Mine left the truth. And it's been a year since I talked to her. And she lives 5 minuets away!
I am encouraged that you are thinking about coming back. Things sure got messed up for me when I tried to do everything my way.
May I ask how old you are? I just turned 30:crying Nah, it's ok.:)
Older, but still waitin' for wiser to kick in.
Keep in touch, and like I said Pm me or email. If I don't hear from you, I'll email you too. Keep your head up! I would love to hear how you are.
By the way, how long have you been married? Does your dh mind if you study or go to meetings?
Talk to ya later!

Dr.Worm

10-03-2003, 03:32 PM

Ok...I just got an email saying that there was a new message on here from lotusbirth. Is it just my computer that is refusing to work? ARGH!

Dr.Worm

10-03-2003, 03:43 PM

Ok..so as soon as I put my last post up your post suddenly appeared, lotusbirth...sorry.

Anyway...I'm sorry if I made it sound like I was just thinking of coming back. I tend to not explain myself well on boards. It did take me a while to finally do it but I am back now...last year is when I did it. It's true that we are responsible for our kids so you don't sound too dramatic. My mom told me that it is up to me to make sure that Julia gets to paradise. No pressure there...lol.

I did things when I was out of the truth that I feel bad for now...sex before marriage, drugs/heavy drinking, lies to my mom. So I had a meeting with 3 elders and got a private reproof so I didn't comment or join ministry school til recently cause I got my priviliges back.

I am 26 but feel much older. Julia is 3. My husband doesn't want me, and especially Julia, to be witnesses. He used to be a catholic but no longer. He just basically thinks God is mean and created evil etc. so it is real fun some days.:rolleyes:

But it is worth it. I try to study the Bible Stories book with Julia. She really loves the Baby Moses story(I think mostly cause it talks about him nursing).

Anyway...I hope I answered all your questions. I'm sorry about your mom. I don't know what I would do without her. I am really glad to have met you and the other JW moms on here.

mojomom

10-14-2003, 08:28 AM

Just checking in to see how everyone is?:D We just got back form our special day assembly, it was a real good program. Ds is at the age where he can keep himself a little occupied so I actually got to take notes at this assembly. I told a mommy friend how I really enjoyed the program ,I was not sure if it was the talks or that this is the first time in 2 years I actually heard a talk from beginning to end.:thumb Hope veryone is well and hanging in there:love

Guava~Lush

10-14-2003, 04:42 PM

sweet of you to check in!
I just went to our circuit assembly. I left my ds at home for Saturday's program. I actually got to take notes! I know exactly what you mean. And usually they go by so fast, but on Saturday I felt like the day was long. But it was great and I too can actaully remember some points. Our International convention is in December here, I know most everyone had theirs all ready. But I'm still sort of leary of 4 whole days! How did everyone else handle it?
Hope everyone is good!

mojomom

10-15-2003, 06:58 AM

We have friends who are going to be delegates from Michigan at your convention. I think that is right, it was over the summer that I caught up with them. The 4 day was okay on the kids my dd is 6 so she pretty much keeps herself occupied. We have a trick we sent behind friends with kids so if my son kicks their seat or is talking a little loud they are okay with it. I know the program is good, at least that is what I was told:D I remember the drama:thumb My MIL assures me that you do absorb the info at meetings with kids. She had 5 little ones when she came into the truth and went to all the meetings by herself.
Our convention we had delegates too. It was extra special. Enjoy your convention and day.:love

onegr8mom03

10-15-2003, 11:03 PM

What state are you from?
I'm from Virginia, near the MD / VA boarder but FAR east.
Welcome :p

Guava~Lush

10-17-2003, 03:14 AM

Hi gr8mom!
just thought I'd answer. I'm from Honolulu. Not sure about everyone else.
Take care!

mojomom

10-17-2003, 08:59 AM

gr8mom- I am from Michigan. A suburb 45 minuteswest(I think west:confused: ) of Detroit.

DesireeH

10-18-2003, 02:08 AM

:love Hello! I am from Southern CA. We just had our circuit assembly about 2.5 weeks ago too. I dont remember a thing! LOL Jevin so so hyper. LOL He doesnt want to sit down at all. Up, down, up, down. I go over dh's notes when I get home. :LOL At the meeting though we have 4 baby boys that were all born the same month and 3 girls younger than our boys so everyone is used to baby noise! LOL

onegr8mom03

10-20-2003, 09:24 PM

sorry i'm late in replying.... been out of town.

We were surposed to go to in Crownsville, MD 2-day assembly, we were all ready to go, dressed and everything when we got word that my dh's sister was in labor and since we wanted to be there and knew we could make the assembly up later we missed that one, then we were going to the one scheduled for September in Richmond, VA but when Hurricane Isabell came the area was devestated so now it's been moved to December. We are all looking forward to it!

Dr.Worm

10-30-2003, 01:06 PM

I am from Pittsburgh, PA.

onegr8mom03

10-31-2003, 07:06 PM

boy what a busy week! well month for that matter. Our co was here this week and i heard some of the best talks ever!! he's so great. and both dh and i axillary pioneered this month. whew we are so tired! we had 29 in our congregation do it this month!! not bad for only 97 pubs! it was the first time we did it since ds was born.... fortunately he naps most the time we were out. but it was a lot of fun but i am glad the month is over! :)

hopefully this month will prove to be less busy.

Guava~Lush

10-31-2003, 08:41 PM

I am so jealous you got to AP! I have no time to report this month-except for reading bible stories to ds. I will be counting that! Sounds like a wonderful and spiritually productive month. We had our CO visit last week too, and because I didn't know about it I couldn't get a Tuesday off of work.:crying
But then I found out it was a substitute CO, which didn't matter cause the rest of the talks were great. Sunday's was on the youth, and does our hall need it!

SO the goal for November is to get some real time in field. Anyone else? AT LEAST 12 hours, which is alot for me since my husband usually takes the car and I work 4 days a week.

Hope all is well with everyone else!

onegr8mom03

10-31-2003, 08:49 PM

hehe don't feel bad about the time....after all there are some month's dh and i think while we are cleaning the hall that "hey, it's sacred service to jehovah, can't i count this?" but those are the really desperate months. but fortunately we take a day off work (:tuesday) to go out every week. so really our goal is to do more on saturdays because we usally don't go out on weekends. so for now our goal is 2 saturdays a month. the first and third....but we are going to miss this saturday! (what a great way to start the month!) my dh is having some young boys from the hall over to play video games and stay up all night. he just thought it would be good for them to have a older guy friend to hang out with somtimes. I had an older sister in the hall i always hung out with and it was a real encouragment to me so he's got a point.

onegr8mom03

10-31-2003, 10:47 PM

just a question...
do you gd? my dh doesn't like the idea of never spanking if it seems to be needed since he doesn't want to raise a bad child....
i told him i would just like to make it a last resort...but i don't like the idea of doing it at all because there are better ways. but i was spanked and i liked the way i turned out. so was dh and he was happy with it to. but i know what people will say if they think we are raising a spoiled child!
anyway just thought i'd ask

Guava~Lush

10-31-2003, 11:39 PM

Thats nice that you and your dh support each other, as mine is worldly. But he does not give me a hard time- I just feel like the single mother thing happening when it comes to service and such.
My dad is busy, busy , busy as elder but he helps out when he can. It is such a nice thing your husband is doing. We need more like that in our hall. There are no young adult couples or single ones strong in the truth, they are either older with families or much older. The young ones are like from 12 to 16. Some are doing well and others, well...
I am an only child and didn't really have a good spiritual friend older than me, so when my parents divorced, I kinda did my own thing.

But being that I was spanked, in my opinion verging on abuse when my mother did the hitting, I automatically spanked. But my ds reacts more violently when is his spanked. SO my dh is good at talking it out. And I am much more conscience of my temper and trying to find other forms of discipline.
oh yeah, I pray and pray and pray and.. you get the idea.
Patience and some more patience.
Needless to say I visit the GD board alot:D

talk to ya later,
Malu

mojomom

11-01-2003, 09:20 AM

It is so nice to pop in here and see such nice and encouraging talk.:thumb

Onegr8mom- How nice that you and your family got to auxillary pioneer together. I fondly remember my pioneering days in my before I had kids days. I am sure you and your dh are an encouragement to your congregation? Do you have alot of young families in your hall? I am just asking because we do not. It is our 2 little ones 6 and 2, then it shoots up to teenagers. It has made it a little challenging, so i had to just go outside our congregation and start a playgroup with moms from other halls. That has been such a blessing fro all of us. I think it is great your dh is stepping up to be someone the young brothers can hang out with. i too rememeber haviing older sisters who were my spiritual mothers.

Lotusbirth- How are you? Hanging in there? I too have a goal for double digits for field service. I would like to get 10 hours in. My ds sweet and wonderful as he is has a hard time with service. Like I mentioned earlier we have a congregation blessed with a lot of pioneers but no young kids, so we slow them down. Joey has his own schedule and I have to work around that. He also thinks every person who opens the door should let us come in. He gets upset when they close the door on us. We are getting better with that. My MIL is in our congregation so she helps on her service day which is Monday. My dd is in school during the week so I only have joey by myself for Monday service.
I hope everyone is doing well and it is again so nice to see such encouraging talk among sisters. I wish you the best Lotus birt with your service goal, let us know how you are doing.:love Vickie

onegr8mom03

11-01-2003, 08:23 PM

lotusbirth -- Yeah my SIL has a two year old and a worldly husband (that i think she's actully might divorce now, but that's another story!!) She just got reinstated in March and is doing REALLY good. She does her daily bible reading and prepares for the meetings. She did remarkably well for having a husband that was totaly against her being a witness. Anyway back to the point, I saw through her that doing everything on your own is a lot harder so you are to be commended for your hard work!
ARGH, don't get me started on the lack of young couples!! It's so depressing. I have by best friend who isn't married that we hang out with a lot (she does have a nice young ms boyfriend in a congregatoin 2 hours away) and that's really about it!! Where my husband is from (Fredricksburg) There are tons of young couples. Just last weekend two couples came and stayed with us, which was a LOT of fun because we rarely get to hang out with anyone our own age. The two sets of guys that are dh's age both married wives older then them which puts them way over my age (which would be alright) except they work ALL the time so we can't do anything with them either. DH and i pretty much sit around and stare at each other all weekend or go to wal-mart just to get out of the house! It's so depressing sometimes. But about every month to month and half we go to where he's from and hang out with all the young ones there so we always look forward to that. None of them have kids but they love playing with mine! How old are you btw? I'm 20.
You seem to have it even worse then we do about not having a good friend in the hall. Because at least i do have my bf who's doing really well so maybe I better stop complaining so much!!

Yes, i think i'm going to have to do a lot of praying too because i can see some little kids in my hall and think "man he needs a good spanking!" Which I really don't want to do or save as the LAST [last last] resort.

onegr8mom03

11-01-2003, 08:36 PM

Mojomom: I'm sure you'll see where i replied about the young ones in our hall. Actully my best friend tonight is doing the same thing my dh did last night only for the girls. Hope they don't stay up all night though. We have our meeting at 10. We do have a lot of little kids thought. So we have a nice varity of different ages.
I haven't thought of starting a play grroup with other sisters in different halls. I'd really love to do something like that but i doubt if many are the same age as me. I try to have this one sister in our hall who has a baby only 6 weeks older than mine, over to do things but she's usally busy (then again for that matter i stay pretty busy too!) There is a least a half hour between the different cong. here though which could be a problem. What kind of things do you do for play groups?

How old is your son? Awww...I couldn't imagine anyone wanting to shut the door on a little one. Any snow up in Michigan yet? I've promised to let dh go sking this winter since before he met me he went every year. I've never been!

DesireeH, are you around? Are any of the fires near you or others in your hall? My aunt lives in valley center and she was telling me about all the damage out there. It's so sad! Let me know if you need anything.

Guava~Lush

11-02-2003, 03:20 AM

Hi vickie! My dad has my little one folding tracts. I can't get him to stay on the sidewalk and he's running into yards! Ditto about wanting to go inside homes :LOL
Thanks for the encouraging words, Monday is supposed to be my day too. I promised Jehovah, I have GOT to stick to it ( Jeptha!)

gr8mom! gr8 scotts! you're only 20!!! AHHHH to be young again. Just cause I am technically 30 doesnt mean I feel it. Have to drive by my high school everyday because it's on our highway and it's like I was there last week, but I can't remember what I ate for lunch yesterday, duh!
You are right about young couples. There a lots of young ones but not young strong in the truth couples. And people do get married here young also. Especially on the outer islands - there's nothing else to do! But very few stay together very long or sometimes one is df'd. My neighbor's hall has some nice young pioneer couples, so I like to visit. All my neighbors are witnessess. 2 families above, one couple in front. A young couple with an almost 1 yr old next door, single mom with 2 outa control teens (husband coming back from prison soon for selling drugs, takes the truth in jail) and 3 fleshly sisters taking care of their mom who has Alzheimers and then my dad lives across the street. WHEW! And my hubby was afraid to move in here. Silly :D

The bro's and sis's in California are also in my prayers. I wonder if we will be hearing any letters read from New York or our braches about assitance.

Take good care ladies, must go to bed for AM meeting. Great WT by the way on prayer, didn't you think? I needed it.
:)

mojomom

11-02-2003, 12:31 PM

We just got in from our meeting and the Watchtower was so good. It is a shame but I do need the reminder about prayer and relying on Jehovah more. I liked the point about how Jesus as busy as his life was prayed all the time. We just had our special day and the brother in a talk said if you can count how many times you pray to jehovah in a day you are not praying enough. That stuck with me.

Lotusbirth- I am 30 too. I am the oldest one among my friends except for my Best friend who lives 2 hours away. I was excited about turning 30. I got married young and kinda feel like an adult now. I know that sounds silly but it makes sense to me:D I think witness couples tend to marry early at least here also. I am going to a wedding shower for a sister who is 19, just graduated last year:eek I also was 19 when I got married, but it just seems so young to me now. KWIM? I want my Hannah to at least be able to legally drink at her wedding.:D

gr8mom- I can sympathize with no young couples, they all get married and leave our hall. We get the couples who retire in our hall. Which is very odd because our territory is full of families. Kids and parents everywhere, just not in our hall. Our playgroup started out from my need for the kids to get together. We meet every Friday, we either go to a moms house and the kids have a snack and we do a project or play a game. Then we also go on field trips, for instance this friday because of the holiday we went to a kids musuem and all had a blast. we go to mall play places, parks, zoo, and then every other month we do a moms night out, we go out to eat. In November we are going to do a gift exchange among the moms. Then every other month we do a family night and the dads come with us and the kids we go bowling ,putt-putt or a picnic. I am really trying hard to help us all focus on being encouraging and helping each other out. We have two sisters having babies so we bought them a big gift and made dinners and took the oldest ones with us for playgroup.It is going very well, evryone is being very good none of that mommy competition or some of that pecking stuff that even happens in Jehovahs organization. I have actually been looking at the idea of having no young famalies in our hall as a blessing because the hall nearby that has alot of young couples is having some promblems and not everyone gets along with each other. I am staying out off that stuff. Of course that is how I tell myself it is okay but deep down I miss my girlfriends who moved away.:( Also all the moms and kids ages vary moms 30(me) to 23. and kids from 6 (when my dd is home from school) to 18 month old babies. I have been praying to Jehovah for some encouraging friends for our whole family and really belive this is what Jehovah has blessed me with, because all the other moms in our group are kinda in my situation they come from halls with no kids or they are in a congrgation where they want to meet different famailes.Can you tell I am proud of my mommy friends?:love

Also no snow yet. Lots of brothers go snowbaording up here. We have friends who live in Virginia, I forget where. An elder and his pioneer wife. I miss them alot. My son is 2.5 and my daughter is 6. Also wanted to add that all the mommies have to drive to meet for playgroup, some 30 minutes we try to spread out our areas.
Well i just wrote a book gonna go. I hope you all had a nice weeekend.:love

onegr8mom03

11-03-2003, 10:51 PM

Hello again!
I'm going to catch up to 30 before I know it anyway. Time goes by so fast when you have children, I had no idea! Or I could by like my sister who is 5 years older then me. When I turned 20 she said that soon I'll be catching up to her because she stopped counting after she turned 21. Thought that was funny. and This sister in our hall that we do things with Just turned 30 but she said that she is 18 with 12 years experience. Pretty cute!
Lotusbirth, it must be nice to live so close to other witnesses and family. I live in an upstairs apt above my parents and like 1/4 mile from the KH. (Somehow we still manage to be late for meetings sometimes!) (Side note: my grandfather in law just got out of prison too and got baptised while he was there.It's a huge improvment over what he was, so i've heard) Do you live near a city or is it more rural like? Where did your hubby move from?

I heard from DesireeH that where she is in CA there hasn't been any fire damage to halls or other's homes, sos that's good and she hasn't heard much about people in other halls.

Yes it was a good WT Sunday! (Sadly, and i'm still regretting it, i woke up sunday feeling so sick so dh and i stayed home but it's been awhile since we've missed a meeting. That's been one thing we've been working on. I really love the book for our book study, eh? Going over it together will make it great to use for bible studies!

Mojomom:
We just had our special day and the brother in a talk said if you can count how many times you pray to jehovah in a day you are not praying enough. That stuck with me. That's going to stick with me too!

Yes, I was married when I was 18 and it is young. Even now when dh thinks about how he married an 18 year old he teases me saying i was barely legal!
I wanted to be old enough to drink at my wedding too (That's what I always said growing up) But things change when you meet the one you know you want to marry.

Wow! That playgroup sounds great! I guess I have to wait until Seth get's a little older. Right now all he wants to do is poke little babies in the eyes and put his hands in thier mouths. I'd really love to have some time with other mom's though, it get's kinda lonely when I have to play with Seth all day. (Fun but lonely) Would love to interact with people my own age. Your arrangement just sounds so neat! I'll have to figure out how we can start something like that around here.
My husband tried snowboarding a couple of times but prefered skiing because he was better at it. ha ha

Hopefully you all had a good weekend too!
How was service today?

Guava~Lush

11-04-2003, 04:35 PM

Hi everyone,
gr8mom- hope you are feeling better. I caught a cold last week and the irritating cough is so irritating! Had a very bad day with my son yesterday, plus I was in a hormonal torrent in expectation of my period-yuck. So now I have a headache and cramps, fun!

As a good friend of mine says, "I think Satan is living on my roof." Nothing but stress of money- are we gonna make rent? My husbands job ends in a matter of days, and won't know what were gonna do after that. I think we'll scrape by for Novemeber, but in December we are in trouble- just in time for the assembly!

I am trying to keep calm and keep praying. I know Jehovah won't let his servants down, but I am officially a stress case. Hormones don't help. Not to mention the usual marital problems, oh like my dh has no interest in sex(since we've been married!), we talk about seperating all the time and he stays up all night plying video games. He's a good guy, just would have been a better friend than husband. Too late for that kinda talk! And all of a sudden people I know are getting pregnant, urgh. I have wanted another baby since Justice was born! I can't even get to first base!!:splat

OK enough ranting! I promise I'll write back when I am in a more postive state of mind :D
Take care sisters!!

mojomom

11-05-2003, 12:20 AM

Lotus- hey sweetie, you sound like you are having one of those days or weeks or months. Anyway hang in there.

I can relate to the money issues and job security over the spring dh got fired from a company he worked his butt off for the last 9 years. They got mad at him and decided to be vindictive and fire him so he could not collect unemployment. He was out of work for months and now is working for a good company and we were just waitng for his 90 days so he could get into the union but now there is a hiring freeze. So we are on hold and it is very stressful, dh has had to work 2 jobs just to pay bills and he is running his own start-up company. I am waitng for him to explode from the pressure. I get very stressed with money stuff and I know if I know I do Satan knows it stresses me out and distracts me from what my focus is supposed to be. But I remeber the sister I studied with said "if you are not going thru something stressful that is when you should get nervouse because it means Satan already has you and does need to put the pressure and stress on you." She also said" the day you don't think you need to pray for encouragement and strentgh is the day you should start praying the most." So along with praying for my family I will keep you in my prayers.:love

off topic Lotusbirth why did you pick that name? Is that what you did with your son? That is when you leave the cord attached until it falls off naturally, right? If so, would you mind sharing the experience with me and telling me how you came to that plan? I am a birth nut and would love to hear first hand about this. If you don't mind sharing.

Do any of you guys go to LLL? I attend meeting in the next town over, I am actually training to be a LLL leader. Only my SIL who is in the truth goes to LLL meetings. None of my other firends have ever thought of going. just wondered if you guys have gone?

Take carre hope you are feeling better, both of you guys.:love

Guava~Lush

11-05-2003, 02:46 AM

Hi Vickie, thank you for such sweet words of ecnouragment. I know that all of Jah's people are coping with problems. Jah has provided and I am just gonna keep praying. An interesting thing happened, now that I think about it. I went into work tonight, found out I got the days mixed up. I'm supposed to work tomorrow night! Anyway, our Ministry school got moved to tomorrow night, so I'm like, I'm gonna miss the meeting! But decided to go to my friend's meeting tonight. Got the kid dressed and went, and it was really good for me. My attitude improved greatly, and am very glad I went and got some spiritual association.

Thanks for sharing your experience, your family will be in my prayers too.:love That's a very true thing the sister said about Satan and stress.

Actually, I feel like such a liar with the 'lotusbirth' thing. I love lotus flowers and think it a great name and becuse I occasionaly doula, I'm really into childbirth and pregnancy, etc... I took that name. But it is sooo not me!! I had an epidural, hahahaha!! Also i love anything Egypt, and well, lotus and egypt, In my mind it was a connection. I know, It's kinda stupid. :D

I think it's awesome you go to LLL meetings. Me and another sister keep missing the times to go since it's like once a month! I am TRYING to get my certification for Lactation Educator through CAPPA, and to pass I need to go to 3 meetings. I have to get on that. It's great there's another sister who goes. And an LLL leader! wow, what kind of training do you need for that?

P.S. I would love to see pictures of everyone and their families. What do you think?
Talk to you soon!
Malu

mojomom

11-05-2003, 12:50 PM

That is okay, I thought the Lotus thing was neat but me peronally I am not sure I could handle having the cord on me for 3-10 days:D Your screen name is still pretty though. That is neat about working as a doula. My best friend who is in Califronia works as a doula, she wants to become a midwife but life has given her some detours. She was actually at my sons birth flew in with her dd from Cali. and spent a month waitng fro me to go into labor, my dh says she did a better job then my midwife.

I think it is so cool your are going to be a Lactation Educator, I would love more info about that. Where do you plan on using your training? Becoming a LLL leader can take from 6mos. to 2 years depending on how fast you are and how fast your ACLA is. The longets part is your personal history you have to write about every aspect of your breastfeeding experience, birth experience, family life and how you feel about LLL's concepts and how they apply in your life, it is alot of reading and writing. i think at some point I would like to become a Lactation Consultant. I wanted to be a birth instructor but both my births no matter how hard i worked and planned ended up in C-sections, but breastfeeding I am a pro at, I think I worked extra hard at breastfeeding to compensate the births.:D

I would love to see pictures, gr8mom has a website with pictures of her and her family in her siggy. By the way Gr8mom your boy is a cutey love the hair beautiful color. You look like a happy family:love I will try and have dh load pictures of us, we probaly only have pictures of the kids though. Darn huh:D

Take care everyone.

onegr8mom03

11-12-2003, 08:28 PM

anyone else get swamped this week?!? I still don't have time to catch up with the posts right now, trying to get little one asleep... will write back as soon as i get the chance!
:)

DesireeH

11-13-2003, 02:00 AM

Hello everyone! Wow I missed alot of posts!! :) Its so nice to see you here! :)

I am 23, also got married when me and dh were 18. We have quite a few young families in our hall. Actually 4 of us had baby boys all within 2 months of each other! Must have been in the water! LOL :) Then we had two more families move with with baby girls around the same age. So we are quite loud and busy during meetings. LOL

I have only gone to a LLL meeting once. Its quite far and its at 9 am (we are late risers! LOL)

Thats great some of you are doulas too! Me too! Well I havent attended a birth since I was 5 weeks pregnant but I trained through Dona and went to Seattle Midwifery School (I am originally from WA). I dont think I will be attending births for quite a while though, I cant bear to leave my son for that long. (The last 3 births were 30+ hours and the one lady I spent 2 nights at her house because she kept calling me :eek )

How do you little ones do out in feild service? I am having a hard time right now and NOT doing my best. I was a regular pioneer for a year before I got pregnant and now I need serious help! Any tips?

Its great keeping in touch with you all! :)

mojomom

11-13-2003, 07:31 AM

:wave Hi Desiree.Nice to hear from you. I can sympathize with service being hard. I also regulared pioneered before my dd (who is now 6) was born.I stopped pioneering when I got preg. with her because I had morning sickness real bad and did not even come close to my time those first 4 months. Anyway going from pioneer hours and pace to service with a baby was a big adjustment for me. I felt at first my service was lacking then I realized that this was now giving Jehovah my best even if it was only a hour a week. My dd when she was an infant hated the car so service was hard those first few months and we have always been in a congregation without little kids. I learned very fast who the layed back witnesses were. Ones who did not mind stopping a few times or did not have a goal of so many hours that day. We wold latch on to them as our service partners. Then and even now with my now 2 yr.old son we do better with walking territory, we always tell the brother organizing the groups that we want walking territory. We make it a goal to try to get one hour in and after that hour if our ds is still doing good we shoot fro another 30 minutes and then another 30 if he is still hanging in there. I don't push it, for me the biggest challenge in going out in service with kids, was slowing down. Just remiding myself that I was out in service and that was important. Some days just getting ready to go out is a huge challenge nothing seems to go right when you are trying to get out that door, sometimes it makes me want to yell out loud" Get behind me Satan!":D A freind in another hall has her dh go to the service meeting by himself this gives her an extra 20-30 minutes to get her kids ready and then he picks her up after the groups have been formed.I am not sure what has been a personal challenge for you with service but I am sure one of us mommies have either gone thru it ourselves or know other friends who have.

On a side note where in CA are you? I have a few friends all over, one who is in Northern CA. San Francisco area, she is also training to be a midwife.

Nice hearing from you, glad you stayed safe from the fires.:love

DesireeH

11-14-2003, 05:15 PM

Thanks for the advice! :D Umm, my biggest challenge is just getting up to go! Me and my son are nightowls and we actually have to get up first! The second hardest part is where we live. I am originally from WA state and its so different than what I am used to here. Its drive and honk territory!! LOL I need to get OVER IT. My parents live 25 minutes away so the last few times I have gone with them in walking territory. I just get out the stroller. He likes that better too. I like your plan of one hour goal. That would help. 2.5 hours is just too much sitting in the carseat for him. Thanks!!!

onegr8mom03

11-14-2003, 08:49 PM

Well I was going to try to comment on some things from the past to catch up but there really isn't much for me to say....

anyway. I did go to my first LLL meeting Thursday morning. It was great. I love mothering my son and anything that has to do with doing a better job of taking care of him. I could never be anything like a doula though. I had all sorts of pain medicine during my labor (and glad I did!) It was so long and painful. But I admire anyone who can do it without intervention.

Thanks for the compliments on my family! I'd love to see pics of all yours also!

Service for us is usally during my ds's nap time anyway but since he's only 5 1/2 months he doesn't complain too much anyway. I can see where it might be a problem later on, we really don't have any walking territory in our area. I agree with you, DesireeH, the hardest thing is waking up in the morning! Seth and I can sleep in pretty late sometimes. If we are really late dh goes ahead for the meeting then comes and picks us up, or even worse, if we are all running late we just call the kh and let them know we are on our way and since we normally drive we can take up to two more. Oh yeah that reminds me, because that's what we had to do tuesday when we went out, but the strangest thing happened. My best friend who went out with us that morning said when she got there that no one did a meeting for service. No brother was there so usally one of the pioneers (covering thier head) does the meeting, but this time the "assigend" pioneer (the one who normally does it when no br. is there) wasn't there either so NO one did it (not even any of the other pioneers) and finally a reg. ax. pioneer spoke up and said so what's going on.a reg. pioneer said that since the normally assigned pioneer sister that was to do it when no br was there wasn't there they didn't have to do it, and my best friend was thinking, what? go out in service without a prayer asking for jehovah's spirit? but eventually the "assigned" pioneer showed up and said a prayer because it was getting late so no time for any meeting.... has anyone ever heard of this before? It's lke it was something new .... not a big deal but just never heard of something like that happening before.

DesireeH, i wish there were alot more families in our hall like in yours. Sometimes it gets so lonely. LIke now, friday night and dh and i are alone with no plans for ALL weekend. Just kinda sad that there's no addition spiritual association around here that we all so much need! oh well, maybe that should be one of the things we pray for.

well maybe i've caught up for now...*whew*
luv ya,

Sheryl

Guava~Lush

11-14-2003, 09:03 PM

guess everyone is swamped, I can't seem to even return phone calls!
Since it's 'holiday season', I'll be working a little more often. It's nice to get away from home for a few hours, I must admit.
I was very happy that I got to put in an hour last Sat. in field service. I know it's kinda pathetic, but I'm trying:)
Desiree, I think your childbirth training is so neat, your right about it being harder with the kids. Now that ds is 3, I just do NOT have the energy. I've been procrastinating the LLL meetings that are required for my other training. I start everything, but I never finish. My coloring books were like that as a child, halfway don, I should have known I'd be that kind of person!!

It's encouraging to read everyone's posts. You are all in my prayers. Take care!
Malu

onegr8mom03

11-17-2003, 09:31 PM

I haven't gotten to see anyone else's family....any of you have pics online?
Or you could email me...
:wave

mojomom

11-17-2003, 10:54 PM

http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/k/kazkids

Here is the quick page of pictures I put together. lets see if the it works:D

onegr8mom03

11-18-2003, 04:05 PM

Very adorable kids!
Joey has some cool hair!
How old is hannah? (if you said before, sorry i forgot)

mojomom

11-18-2003, 04:22 PM

Hananh is 6 years old. She is in the first grade. Yeah Joey has some neat hair. His hair color has red and blonde highlights in it. The teenagers in the hall say he has skater hair.

DesireeH

11-20-2003, 03:07 AM

Aww cute pics....I like the memorial one.

My son is on the front page of my website and he and I are on the about us page.......I am working on a babiesonline page right now so I can show you. :)

mojomom

11-20-2003, 11:11 AM

Desiree, Your son is so cute. Your web site is so beautiful. It was fun to browse around it. My SIL uses cloth and has requested a cloth diapering baby shower for her this baby:D I think it will be a first time for all of our friends and congregations. She is so cute, she is trying so hard to convert just one of our mommy friends to go cloth:D I will have to direct her to your site:love

DesireeH

11-27-2003, 10:32 PM

Aww, thanks!

That sounds fun! I would love to go to a cloth diapering congregation baby shower!! :) There were 4 babies born all at the same time when I had my son but everyone thinks I am just being cheap and thats why we used cloth. LOL Too funny. I keep hoping to convert somebody.......hahahahaha......I have one sister converted but she thinks she is done having kids....so if she gets preg then I will have someone to buy dipes for! LOL

elyice

11-29-2003, 01:37 AM

hi all!

I'm Elyice from sunny southern Cali. I am SHOCKED to see friends here!
I am momma to 3, 2 girls 8, 2 and a baby boy 5 months. I am a cloth diapering, no vaxing, co-sleeping, Ap-ing (although I am NOT perfect), dr. Sears groupie Jehovah's Witness Sahm married to a unbeliever.
I was raised in the truth and baptized at 14 yrs. I am almost 29.

I am soooooooo happy I found you guys!:hippie :wave :wave

DesireeH

11-30-2003, 01:38 AM

Hi Elyice! Where in southern CA are you? I am in Riverside county.

How has everyone's weekend been? We went out in service this morning. Caught 4 people at home which is good for our territory. Very nice people too. I needed that. LOL Jev did well too.....he was a happy camper today. I'm trying to keep our goal of going every Saturday whether it be one hour or more, just being out is an encouragement.

Tomorrow we have a special speaker coming from Las Vegas and 2 congregations are going so we are going to have a full house! How fun! I'll keep you posted on what the talk is about. :)

elyice

11-30-2003, 02:25 AM

Hi Desiree,
I am in Los angeles in the "valley" area. San fernando Valley.
I always feel like such a :hippie in the hall. I am glad to see there are other Mothering readers. Desiree you sell Cloth dipes? I am going to checkout your site. I need to switch out of my happy heinys that leak into something else but I am clue less.
:confused: Elyice

mojomom

11-30-2003, 12:49 PM

Hi Elyice, it is nice to see a new friend here. I am also the:hippie in my group of friends. But I have very open minded friends and I have actually given them some new ideas and things to think about.

Hi desiree, We had a very busy weekend and week. My parents and siblings came up from Florida and visited my grandparents in W.VA so my dh drove me and the kids down there to visit them for the week. It was very nice Joey did so good. My grandma's home is so not toddler proof, she has knick-knacks everywhere. He did good though. When we came home Friday my Best friend who is moving to New York came to spend the weekend with us. My dd and her dd are best friends and needed to spend some time together. It has been a busy week and I am looking foward to things slowing down now. Hope evryone else had a great weekend:love

elyice

11-30-2003, 03:56 PM

i just came back from the meeting , i went without the kids. They are all sickspo they stayed home with dad. Wow what a difference! I actually learned something today! :LOL I usually spend 2 hours playing catch my 2 yr old. :jaw i wish i could never take them (not really) !

I finaly felt human being able to breathe. :hippie elyice

onegr8mom03

11-30-2003, 05:12 PM

Hey all!
It's been a really busy week for us too. DH's friend and h is wife came out to see us. A great change from the no young couples we normally have! Welcome here Elyice!

Today it was so hard at the meeting with Seth. He's really starting to be a "bad" little boy. He fusses and i just can't keep him quiet. and he moves SO much. I usally put a blanket on the floor and let him just play for awhile there. He was so "bad" at one point my husband told me to take him to the back and spank him!! *GASP!* Oh and during the prayer.......never had there been a prayer this long and Seth started screaming!! I didn't know wheter to run out or just try to calm him down. What do you all do? I'm so lost when it comes to discpline and the meetings, i mean how am I surposed to help him behave? Isn't he too young? ARGH i'm clueless!

Hope everyone's doing really well.

Sheryl

onegr8mom03

11-30-2003, 05:15 PM

oh yeah Elyice is San fernando Valley south of LA? I'm trying to place it.... we where out in Valley Center near Escondido (sp?) but traveled between LA and San Diago the two weeks we were there.

DesireeH

12-01-2003, 03:15 AM

Hello! Sounds like everyone has been busy! Glad you had fun visiting with friends and family, Sheryl and mojo (what's your first name? LOL)

Today we had a special speaker from Las Vegas. The talk was about prayer and the importance and the brother did a very good job. The hall was packed. We sat in the back school because all the end seats were taken and I always feel bad climbing over people to get out when Jevin is super loud. LOL

Sheryl,
Jevin is the loudest baby in the hall....LOL.....sometimes I dont know what to do either. When he screeches really loud during prayer I try to stay by the seat unless he is super duper loud or the prayer is really long then I just walk to the back quickly. Usually just the walking back makes him quiet. Or if I whisper in his ear "Jev, we are praying to Jehovah" we gets quiet cause he likes when I talk in his ear like that. LOL Usually dh and I take turns getting up with him (unless dh is being an attendant or doing the microphones or something which is ALOT....today he was the watchtower reader so he got first half the of the meeting and I had the second half). LOL Dh got him to sleep by slowly rocking him while standing in the back, the second half was when he was antsy to get down and run, he likes to turn on the water fountain........I think they will eventually out grow it. I dont worry too much about it, we are there and we are trying, right? LOL A little noise never killed anyone. (we have like 8 babies in our hall, so they are used to noise anyways!) When I take him to the back I do try to keep him sitting on my lap so he knows that going to the back isnt playtime but when there are 5 other babies back there that he wants to chase! LOL

Elyice- Where are your HH leaking at (legs, tabs, whole thing)? Maybe I can help you trouble shoot so they will work for you. What detergent do you use? No dryer sheets, right? Are they prints or solids? You'll have to pm me your addy and I can send you a tester, I just started making my own (not pocket dipes though). Its pretty fun but hard to find the sewing time sometimes....LOL......thats why I am up at almost 2 am! HAHAHAHAHA! :)

mojomom

12-01-2003, 12:10 PM

I can sympathize with the noise level. Joey has been our challenge child when it comes to meetings. He is 2.5 and we are just getting to the point where he will sit thru a whole meeting. We would get up alot during the meeting. We also practice our "kingdom hall" voice at home. I have found our family study to be a good time to practice and teach how to act at the meeting. When Joey sits down with us for our study we point out what a good job he is doing sitting and listening, this is how he can sit during the meeting. My dh also has him practice his kingdom hall voice and makes a big deal of how he does such a great job talking quiet. I don't worry too much about the wiggling around, joey likes to move around in his seat alot. We sit in the last row and let him look behind him because no one is there anyway. We let him sit on the floor and look at his great teacher book if he stays in his spot. With both my kids I never really focused on what they did wrong at the meeting I always make a point after the meeting in the car to tell my kids how we noticed they sat quietly and how we were happy they listened and talked in quiet voices. So far by focusing on the postive behaviour at the meetings it has encouraged them to continue and keeps the meetings enjoyable for them. I never want the kingdom hall to be associated with being punished. I know growing up some of my friends if they mis behaved would not be allowed to talk to their friends after the meeting, I still don't see the benefit in that. For me it honestly took practice on my part to get comfortable with the idea that my child will make some noise during the meeting and he does not sound as loud to the friends as he does to me. Usually after the meeting they tell me how they did not even notice he was there. They also might be just being kind, but either way it helps my frame of mind.:love Vickie

DesireeH

12-02-2003, 02:03 AM

Aww Vickie, that is great advice! :love You sound like a great, patient mama! :love

I let Jev sit on the floor too, he rips books up because he is still too young so he just takes stuff out of the diaper bag and puts it back over and over. :LOL

Are you Canada? (behaviour gave it away) LOL We used to live in WA and our circuit assemblies were in Surrey, BC. I miss being so close to the border. :)

mojomom

12-02-2003, 11:23 AM

Nope not from Canada:D I live in Michigan though 20 minutes away from the Ambassador bridge and Windsor. I am actually from Florida, it is funny you should think I am from Canada though. When I frist moved here with my dh all the friends in the hall thought I was Canadian they said I had an accent. My dad is a New Yorker after 30 years living in Florida his accent is as strong as ever and my mom is from West Virginia so she has an accent still , I quess you combine that with Florida and I sound Canadian. Go Figure:scratch I like being close to the border also, we hop over to Windsor a few times a year and Toronto is a great city. We had contact with a great Polish congregation in Toronto we would visit, it was a very hospitable congregation and very loving. We also would visit Toronto Bethel. Not sure where I picked up that spelling of behaviour:confused:

DesireeH

12-04-2003, 02:56 AM

LOL Too cute! I can just picture the accent in my head! :) I havent been to the Toronto Bethel or the New York one yet! I was able to visit Selters Bethel in Germany though. We are planning a trip out to New York Bethel in the next year or two. We just did our first plane ride for 2.15 hours and that was hard enough! LOL

mojomom

12-04-2003, 12:07 PM

We have not been to New York Bethel yet either. My dh's younger Brother just moved to NYC to work with a Japanesse congregation. He speaks Japanesse fluently, we actually have a small Japanesse group in our congregation. In fact our kingdom hall at times resembles a small international convention:D It has been such a pleasure and privelage to meet friends from all over the world, it is one of the things I like about my congregation how diverse the friends are here.My children have been exposed to alot of different things. We have a wonderful pioneer sister from Central Africa who brought her whole family over and was supporting her 3 sisters, 2 brothers and her mom all while pioneering. She is so wonderful to my whole family, my inlaws helped her out alot. Anyway she made a traditonal African dish we had to eat on the floor women ate out of one bowl and the men out of another using our hands and bread. My dd thought it was the coolest thing.

We are hoping to visit N.Y. Bethel in the spring, my best friend just move to New York State 2 hours from NYC so we can visit her for the week and spend the weekend crammed into my BIL's small apartment:D we have not flown with Joey yet, we always drive to Florida. It has always gone well.

Guava~Lush

12-04-2003, 08:44 PM

hi everybody, It's been ages since ive said hi, but I do keep up with the posts. While I didn't quite make my double digits goal for service, at least I went out:)
Elyice, I have to let the kid stay home once n awile even if he's NOT sick just for SANITY, and yes, isn't it great to actually learn something?! Nice to meet you by the way. Last week Thursday was a nightmare, most people laugh when your kid is outa control, but some, like my own dad, love to give me the LOOK, ya know? I take one step and my ds is off like a bolt of lightning, I can't catch him, and running in the KH does not suit a grown woman like a 3 yr old. Oh well, it's kinda nice to hear we are all struggling with this, and Vickie, you do sound like a wonderful mama, what beautiful ideas.

Mine always says he's not going to the meeting. But he is happy once he's there.
Mojomom, your KH sounds great, even if you cant speak the language, it's nice to see all the smiling faces, huh? Our International is in a few weeks, I guess there is going to be alot of media coverage, 12,000 expected for our little island of O'ahu. Alot of the congregations are either putting on luau's or making silk leis or other things for the delegates. It'll be a nice little diverson from the holiday hoopla this time of year.

I keep thinking, 4 whole days!, but I am sure it will go by fast. Many of the sisters here are going to go 'native' as in dress in native garb since the delegates will be. My neighbor is trying to get me to wear a mu'umu'u on the last day, Ya right! No way, and i'm 1/4 Hawaiian!
Anyway, love reading the posts here it is very encouraging for me. Take care sisters!

By the way, the beautiful pictures of everyone's children has inspired me, I finally got my little innocent (NOT) up.
Must take nap for meeting!

mojomom

12-04-2003, 11:08 PM

Lotus ours was also an International and it does go by so fast. Thursday is just a half day for you right? We have friends who are attending the International in Hawaii. I would love to see a picture of you in your mu'umu'u. I have been very curious about what it was like for you growing up in Hawaii? Do you like/ Did you like growing up there? Does it being such a big tourist place affect you? I am curious because growing up in South Florida in a very touristy and transit hall and community I have a very different opinion about Florida then everyone I know who has never lived there. KWIM? I am just curious what it was like for you growing up in such a beautiful but very tourist driven place. Is your congregation very transit people coming and going alot? I love your positive attitude about your service goal.
Thank you guys for the nice compliments. It is definately a struggle for me at times. I wish at times I could just freeze moments and savor them. It is just going by way too fast with my son much more so then when it was just my dd.:crying

Well I hope everyone has a great weekend, we are expecting snow tommorow but Saturday is supposed to be nice hopefully it will be a good morning for service.:thumb It has been so nice to check my email and see "Any JW moms?" on my email. Keep in touch and take care. :love Vickie

Guava~Lush

12-06-2003, 02:23 AM

Hi Vickie!
I had no idea Thursday will be half day,whew! what a relief! I am sorry to say no one will ever see me in a mu'umu'u!:LOL I have renounced them! Besides, I think they are toursity! And only a large Polynesian woman would be able to pull it off! Only Kidding. There are actually some beautiful ones out there, nicely cut and with modern fabrics, just in 'aloha' prints. I guess I am self conscience in prints, all my clothes are very boring. But I will put my little one in a lawalawa on the last day. Thats like a pareau, a wrap with aloha print. Samoan men wear them around their waists like a skirt over their pants. Since he is more Samoan than Hawaiian anyway, :D

Actually, I really liked growing up here. When I was growing up, we always had bro's & sisters from all over the world staying with us. Scotland, England, The Canary Islands, even brother Franz and some pioneer friends of his stayed with our family. I am so gratefull I had that upbringing. And I don't find it too touristy. Hawai'i is beautiful and I can understand why so many people visit.

Although I do get the occasional, "Do you have running water?" and ''Do you use American money?" my favorite is, "Do you live in a grass hut?":confused:
Its all good though, but yeah I think I do see it differently.
How do you see Florida differently from others, I wonder?

I have never been, but Disneyworld maybe one day, sigh... I bet you got that alot growing up?

The bummer about living here is the high cost of living, our paychecks don' t even make up for that. You could work the same job here and get paid less than on the mainland.
And you have to fly to go ANYWHERE! I am scared of flying, guess it's a good thing I can't afford it!! I did all my travelling growing up. Thanks to my mom she took me everywhere in the Mainland and several countries in Europe.
And I love that we always got peole moving in and out of our hall. Having visitors was always a reason for a party! We even get people who just come for the winter, hahahaha!

I soooo hear you about time going soo fast. I love my ds, but man I wish he was little again! We probably won't have another, my husband's decision. Aren't they so good when they are asleep?
Well, you take care and talk to everyone soon!

mojomom

12-06-2003, 11:07 AM

Lotus- That sounds like a wonderful childhood. I miss being so close to the beach know, I think the ocean gets into your system and it is hard to go without. When we first moved to Michigan on hot summer days for a spilt second I would think" Lets go to the beach today" We have the Great Lakes here and they are beautiful but there is no fun like jumping in the waves. The difference with living in Florida is it is so over developed no natural beauty left to it. I go down every summer and it always looks so different new shopping center, restaruant or housing development has been built. I also don't think Florida is a beautiful state so maybe if it was even close to being as beautiful as I have heard Hawaii is, it would be different for me. Everyone up here thinks I am crazy for moving to Michigan, we have alot of friends who "winter" in Florida. Yes I have been to Disney a ton of times and I never get tired of the place I love it! I just know moving to Michigan was the best thing for me and my dh and now my kids. For some reason I think up north compared to Florida people have roots, friends they have had since childhood and famalies live around them. The brothers and sisters in the congregation knew them since they were little and watched them grow up (sometimes that is not a good thing:D) It is just a very different pace of life also hard to explain.
Thanks for all the insite into your life. Belive it or not when I moved to Michigan I got crazy questions. I use to call coke or pepsi "soda" up here they call it "pop"everyone thought that was hilarious, so they would ask "how do you say ketchup or say pizza or water" And they would ask "do have mcdonalds in Florida?" I mean really they have mcdonalds in Japan and they would not have them in Florida:rolleyes: I don't get the questions anymore and try to put a little more thought into the questions I ask visitng friends. Thanks for sharing again:love

Guava~Lush

12-09-2003, 02:34 AM

Hi Vickie,
I guess I would be one of those going, "Michigan? Why?" Only because I run on solar power, I need the sun!! I had no idea they say "pop" instead of "soda". Aren't people funny with their questions?
And Hawaiis over develped, but the outer islands are nice, but boring!!

Anyway, my kid is crazy so I gotta get going, talk to you all later!!

pixie-n-hertwoboys

12-10-2003, 03:26 PM

nak... oh wow! i can't believe i never thought of searching for JW here! anyway, i am sarah, sahm two boys, dh is everardo, i'm 29 been married for almost 5 yrs. baptized for 15 years, pio. for 7 yrs, go to spanish cong. in sunNy SC - dh is orig. from cali and i'm orig from MI.. :wave so nice to see fellow jw's here! theres so much i want to say but will do when i have 2 hands and not have a 3 y/o climbing all over the puter trying to look at the smilies! :D i can't remember who lives in MI - I was at the international this year.... by myself w/ a 3 y/o and a 3 m/o!! crazy me but I loved every min of it.

so glad to read about you guys and have something in common besides the natural parenting!

take care!

will write more later....

onegr8mom03

12-10-2003, 08:16 PM

Welcome Sarah!! Where in SC do you live? Near the ocean, mountains? (are there mountain in SC? :confused: ) How old are your sons?

Yes i've been here the whole time, reading and keeping up with your interesting posts but never had time to reply. Plus I live a fairly boring life way over here in the east so never really had much to say!

I never been to an internation convention. :( It must be so amazing!! We are going to our 2 day assembly this weekend (our third attempt!, first dh's sister went into labor and 2nd the hurricane canceled that one!) Hopefully there won't be anything to ruin this one. I hopeing (and praying) ds will let me enjoy the programs. DH will have to take him sometimes. :) Any suggestions? If standing up with him help keeps him quiet isn't that ok?

Lotus, you mean you don't live in a grass hut?! *snicker*
I think the ocean gets into your system and it is hard to go without
You are SO right! I live on a three mile wide pennisula with the ocean on one side and the biggest bay in the country on the other. I just couldn't go without water all around me.

Vickie, pop is such a funny word to me. i don't think i could get used to saying that! What part of FL did you live? (sorry if i missed that?) My family had a place in ocala (a camper on a lot) and we'd go there every year. I loved it. I haven't been in over 3 years. I wonder if it's changed any. I loved Silver Springs and Weekie Wachee (sp?) they weren't nearly as touristy as orlando. But I bet a lot has changed. I really want to take DH down there and show him allthe places i "grew up" but i bet it'd be kinda depressing seeing how it's changed so much.

anyway that's all for now :)

mojomom

12-11-2003, 08:17 AM

Sheryl- Hi!:wave Nice to hear from you. i was thinking of you the other day, I read a post on here that Virginia just had an earthquake. At least i think it was Virginia:confused: I hope you succesfully get thru you assembly. We still have times during the session that dh walks around with Joey trying to get him to either go to sleep or just give me some time to listen. He was very good for our special day. The conventions are the best for us actually, it is so BIG and LOUD, that when Joey talks people around you can't hear.:D I am from West Palm Beach and Royal Palm Beach they are about 45 minutes north of Miami. My parents are talking about moving to Ocala they like it up theer. It sounds beautiful where you are from, we have driven thru Virginia a few times, my SIL just vacationed there this summer they went to a thing called Camp Jeep it was an off-roading trip. I fought the whole pop thing for along time but I was constantly having to repeat my order at restaraunts and frinde would always ask what did you call it. Funny thing is that Joey calls it soda , we do not nkow where he got it from. I think he just started saying it so he must have heard it when my parents came up to visit last month.

Hi Sarah

:wave It is nice to see a new person here. It is me who is in Michigan. What part of Michigan are you from? I am in Farmington Hills, next to Redford and Livonia. How neat you were at the District convention. Who know maybe we walked by each other, we sit downstairs in the middle behind the speakers. It gives us a free row, don't have to worry about the kids bumbing any one in the head. So did you miss the Silverdome?:D

Well big news here. We have decided to move in with my dh's parents. It has been along decision to make. I am excited about it. I get along very well with his family. Dh lost his job about 6 months ago and got a new one right away, but it is a union job and he is not in the union yet so he is making less money so he has been working 2 jobs and he also owns his own small buisness. needless to say he is overworked and strecthed to the limit. So we decided to move in with his parents who also need help because his dad does not work and his mom is getting to old to keep up the pace she has now. So now dh can concentrate more on his family life and spiritual things which were suffering this last few months and his mom can finally slow down a little. I think also living with his family and having less household care to do I am going to try and auxillary pioneer and by the time Joey is in school I can go back on the pioneer list. Our move with his family is not perminent. I am trying to keep positive about it, I just dread the packing and condensing our things:rolleyes: But the home is big and the kids will have their own room and a playrrom, we get a big bedroom and pretty muchwhat ever else we need to use. It is a great neighborhood we can walk 5 minutes to our kingdom hall and a park and uptown.So that is our exciting news. Yipee!:LOL

I hope everyone else is well and happy, he Lotus keeping busy? and Hope you are well Elyice and desiree:love

pixie-n-hertwoboys

12-11-2003, 10:16 AM

:wave Ok now I have two hands and can type faster! The kids are distracted for at least 10 mins now.... my boys are named Izac Gavin who is 3 and Liam Miqueas who is 9 months. We are in upstate SC so its pretty much flat. We do live about 45 mins from the mtns in NC and 3 hours to Charleston, SC so its not too bad.

I grew up in Flint but am fairly familiar w/ the 'city' area. I worked in Rochester Hills and my sis lives in Royal Oak. Also almost all of my dads family still lives in that area also. My grandpa used to have a boat in st. clair shores. I had a friend that used to live in Farmington Hills - not sure where she is now. or if shes even in the truth anymore. Yes! I do miss the silverdome!!! thats one of the reasons why I went up there this year. Doubt we passed each other as I sat up in the club level and didn't go walking much - kinda hard w/ a 3 y/o and infant. If you saw a frazzled looking mom carrying a baby in a sling and chasing after a toddler then it was me :rolleyes: LOL actually it wasn't that bad. The kids were really good.... although I got the flu on sunday and ended up hearing the afternoon session in my car while I was leaning out the door :Puke sorry tmi! Anyway, our DA in english down here is like 6,000 - like a circuit assembly almost. The spanish does get around 10,000 but still nothing like 40,000. Oh well it still the same message from Jah.

About my congregation. We just were formed 4 years ago with 21 pubs - split again this year and still have 57 pubs. the growth is phenomenal (sp?) so many studies getting baptized not just others moving in. We have our C/O visit the end of the month so we're looking forward to that. We have 4 elders and 1 ms (dh) and 2 pioneers - we lost most of pioneers w/ the split. The cong. has lots and lots of kids but most of them are studies kids. We have one other couple thats good friends w/ us. Not very close to the wife - other than our dh being pals and our boys. I wish I had a 'lets do service and lunch' kind of friend but I don't. The rest of the sisters in the hall are hispanic and don't speak much english so theres a culture gap seperation. But hey life goes on :p

Well, the boys have exceeded the peace limit and I must go make the peace.

Dr.Worm

12-11-2003, 04:44 PM

mojomom, I also wanted to say thanks for the comment about how if things are easy it means satan already has you. I told it to my mom who is also a jw and she agreed. I also know how much praying helps. Even when you don't know how you want Jehovah to help you, just asking him for help gives me such a peace because I know however things turn out, it will be the way it is supposed to be. How are all of you doing? My daughter, Julia, has been sick, my aunt had open heart surgery, my other aunt died...just keep telling myself...satan doesn't have you..satan doesn't have you...:D

mojomom

12-11-2003, 04:50 PM

Hi Sarah it would have been so great to see you at the convention. I actually did see a few mommies wearing slings> I always notice the sling wearing mommies, especially the few I have seen using real slings not the snugli's because we are a rare breed even in Jehovah's orginazation:D
My dh and I are very curios to know the name of your friend who use to live here. My dh grew up In Farmington, it has been his congregation for almost 30 years. So he is very curios to know the sisters name.
Cofession time- I love the provison of hearing the meeting from my car in the parking lot. Especially the last day, dh after lunch Joey was having a rough time, he took him outside to listen in the car. Dh said he he got alot out of the last session.:D

mojomom

12-11-2003, 04:54 PM

Dr. Worm,
Hi I just saw your post after I posted. Thank you for the nice reply. I hope your daughter is feeling better. Once a week lately someone is sick here, between croup, pink eye and sore throats.:eek Very soory to hear about your Aunts both of them.
I am curios about your screen name. Where did it come from? It is a cute one:love

Guava~Lush

12-11-2003, 06:10 PM

dr. worm, :hugs to you. As my dad said last night, letting Jah carry the load for you is essential, and so is the way we react to stress, pressure, persecution we face.
We'll find out tomorrw if dh gets a job. He lost 2 jobs in 2 months and we have been hanging by one slim financial and sanity thread! So I'm just like, 'ok Jehovah, you say you want to cary the load for us, please do and you make our decesions!' That's new for me to do and hard.

But now I am happy to read about you guys. Still fighting the fight with babies in tow!
Vickie, I am so happy for your move! I have tried to convince my dad to get a place with us, but he wont! Something about privacy!umph!
Hey gr8mom, had to cash in all my puka shells just to pay rent! *snicker* So right about that ocean! Just because I don't go the beach every day, doesn't mean I can live without it. Sitting in traffic isn't so bad when you can watch the hotties surfing just to your right!!
:D

pixie-n-hertwoboys

12-15-2003, 11:49 AM

Hello again! How was everyones weekend? Ours was busy as usual. We have school and service mtgs. on friday night then service sat. morning (at our house so I have to clean!) then mtg at 10 am on sunday.... but we went to a gathering at my SIL house sat. and the boys didn't sleep well at all. Well, actually after 2 am they didn't sleep much! :eek so mtg on sunday was ROUGH for all of us.

Vickie - You know the sis I knew.... I think she lived in farmington - but went to the asl cong in warren. or maybe she worked in farmington?? Its been so long I don't remember all the details. Anyway her name is Elizabeth (can't for the life of me remember her last name!) I have a terrrible memory. Then there was another sis that moved from up north not sure where to but her name is Jen. Do you know anyone from Rochester Hills area?

Lotus - have you had your convention yet? I wish I could go again! They are so encouraging. I love hearing the singing the best. My sil and bil were just in Hawaii a few weeks ago - just seeing the pics makes me jealous! I want some warmth. I hate cold weather more and more. I tell dh that in the new system we are moving where it will be 70-75 all day everyday... LOL

So how "natural" are you all? Like what aspects of life are you encorperating the natural way of life? We us cd's, eat 'mostly' organic foods, although we are not vegans I'm not eating red meat (dh is) co-sleep, breastfeed, etc. I guess were not all the way but still enough for ppl to think were nuts! or :hippie
lol I'm trying to get dh to not spank as the first discipline resort... Izac (3 y/o) is spirited and it takes thinking constantly to keep up w/ him. Its so hard. I have found some great articles in the mags regarding this. I actually posted part of an article on the GD board when someone had a question about GD biblically.

I will try to enclude a link of our family. I think on the second page there is a pic of me and Liam at Bethel in ny - hes looking over my shoulder - we took my inlaws in april when liam was 6 weeks old! actually Izacs been to bethel 4 times already and hes not even 4 years old yet.... but we have very close friends there that we go visit so its nice.

http://www.babiesonline.com/babies/o/ourliam

I love seeing the email when someone replies to this thread!

till next time :love

mojomom

12-15-2003, 12:59 PM

Hi everyone, We had a very busy weekend and our days are getting busier as time goes on. We went ovet to my In Laws to paint the kids room and our room and it took pretty much all day. our plans were to go out in service Sunday after the meeting but I forgot we had a kids costume party to go to. So we rushed home Sunday to get the kids dressed for their party. Joey was a bumble bee, Hannah was a butterfly princess and I was a flower garden. I took a leaf style hula skirt(just for you Lotus:D ) and I sewed flowers to it and wore green sweat shirt and pants and sewed flowers onto them. I lookesd silly but we had sooo much fun. It was a great party my girlfriend is very creative when it comes to that stuff. I am so grateful to Jehovah for the new families we have met, they are great for our kids and so encouraging for me and my dh. Right now I am just trying to balance moving in 2 weeks and taking care of the kids without letting it keep me away from the meetings. Joey has a fever now and is sleeping so i am actually able to get some stuff done

As far as how natural we are I would say we are very AP. Both my kids co-slept with us Joey is still sleeping with us and Hannah knows she can come into bed with us any time. I am still nursing Joey and he will nurse until he self weans. Hannah self-weaned at a little over 2. I carried both my kids in slings, Joey longer then Hannah. We use/used gentle Discipline on hannah, she was just very easy and a simple redirection is all she has ever needed. We try very hard to use gentle Discipline on Joey in fact spanking does not work on him it just makes him mad and he loses all focus of what he was being scolded for. So my dh tries to reason with him and I distract him and we use time out. It is funny because when he gets mad at his friends some kids his age would hit their friends in retaliation he tells his friends to "go to your room". We don't eat red meat and until 3 months ago dh and I were vegetarian. It was hard to keep that up finacially and also my kids want chicken and turkey, so we eat a little chicken once or twice a week. I want to switch to organic and maybe when we move out we will have more grocery money so we can switch then. I don't use cloth diapers but my SIL does and I support her:D I think at first my playgroup witness friends thought I was alittle out there but now they come to me for advice and when they found out I was training to be a LLL leader they were very excited and said they wished they knew me when they were nursing. I think, at least for me, when it comes to mommy friends in the truth, being in the truth and raising our kids in the truth creates a very strong bond, that having different parenting philosophys don't become as big of deal as they are outside the truth. All I ask from my friends is that they are kind to their kids and you can see they are top priority and they don't talk down or nasty to their children. I broke off a friendship with a sister because she was just not nice to her dd. So for the most part the mommy friends I hang out with are a full spectrum of parenting styles but they put their heart into raising their children and give their kids all their energy and really participate in their lifes, if they are not like this they don't keep up the whole coming to playgroup routine that we have. Well I think I rambled on a little.:love

onegr8mom03

12-15-2003, 09:38 PM

boy, i'm gone for a couple of days and i miss a lot!! LOL
so...where to start.....

First off, i went to our 2 day assembly and it was GRRREAT! DS did surprisingly well and i had some help from family and friends so i really didn't miss much taking care of him. I even got to use my sling....i was the only one there with any type of carrier at all. (so i was kinda embrassed about using it at first, i got a lot of looks!! but mostly compliements!) but it really came in handy the first day. The one i used was this one that's just two pillowcases sewed togeter to make a loop of fabric and that night i lost it at a resturant!!! :( i thought i'd never make it sunday. but i had my other one, which is this bright african print that i thought would be so distracting....but the dress i wore actully matched it, whew! so ds was able to be in his sling, which gave me two hands to actully use my bible! Most moms there said that had slings but never got used to carring thier babies in them so gave up :( but there were a few that said they loved thiers when thier toddler was a baby. kinda cool. now i keep an eye out for other mommas useing them :)

most importantly when we were at dinner with a friend (an elder actully leaving today to go to the island of dominica (sp?) to help in that area he told us what the d.o. said at the elders meeting on saturday. he said, "You all pray everyday, don't you? but do you read your bible everyday? now what's more important, you talking to God or him talking to you?" Great point isn't it?? I just loved that, I told my parents and they thought it was great too.

Saturday night out here we had bad weather, kinda snowny and icey. Our attendance saturday was 1000 and sunday it was 600!!! People must have been scared to make it out in the snow and ice.

--ok now to catch up with other posts--

mojomom, yeah i heard about the earthquake but no one around here felt it, a bit too far east i presume. but at the assembly they were talking about it and how scary it was in some places!
It's good that you are happy about living with dh's parents. DH and I live in the same house as my parents and for the most part we enjoy it. we actully have somewhat of an apartment. we have our own kitchen, bathroom, living room and two bedrooms. so i do say that it's an apartment above my parents house. Mothering Mag had a few stories about the benefits of living with family in the issue before last. It's nice for the kids to see generations of family getting along. It will be nice that you can help out each other too and denfitly great if dh will have time to focuz on sprititaul things more now :) It sounds like it really will be great to live there. My friend also just moved in with her in laws and it's really helped them give them a fresh start. She has a 10 month old and is pregnant and her husband lost his job!
The packing thing can be horrible, i try to look at it as a chance to get rid of all the clutter we have. LOL every so often i have to do that cuz stuff can really add up!

pixie-n-hertwoboys, you have a beautiful family!!
i wish i was more natural then i really am. it's always in the back of my mind but i just haven't taken the leap into it yet. I do what I can though. I bf and will do so for a long time, and i sling, and co sleep, but that's really about it. I also want to GD but dh thinks we will have a brat.... i'd love to share some articles with him ...which ones did you use?? at first i got dh to agree that it would be a last resort, but now he doesn't think that anymore. I doubt if he really does much of the disapline anyway because i'm the one going to be with ds all the time, so dh will only have a say when he's around *lol*

Dr.Worm -- i'm also sorry to hear about your aunts. *hugs* I hope things are going better now.

lotusbirth --
sorry about your dh lossing his jobs, satan is really making it hard for all of us isn't he! it is a real test as to whether we can let jeh carry our loads :hug
I know about not going to the beach everyday. I don't think i went once last year. well i did have a new born! but i still wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I was really thinking about moving out to where my in laws live but after being there this weekend and fighting that traffic i couldn't handle that!

mojomom (again!) It seems like you have such a great congregation. no one does anything together in mine. I want to start a play group or something to get us moms together. There aren't really too many moms anyway and with seth so young and the weather so cold i don't know where to start. But i think thrusday i'll go around to the moms and see what day would be good to have everyone come over my house. any suggestions on what to do? the kids will range in age from about 3 years down to ds thats 6 months. but i really want to get us together. that's why i'd want to move into the city, i'd have so many more moms to do things with, i long for the adult conversation!
That's great that you are training to be a LLL leader. we don't even have a group in our area so i'm going to my meetings and taking it all in, so maybe (one day) a few of us can start a group in the area.
I liked your ramble. I know i hate seeing that children are treated with so little respect. There is this one little boy in our hall that i just want to run up to and hug and tell him i love hiim because for some reason i get this feeling that he isn't showed a lot of love. :( i think it was the way his mother was raised, i do think his father give him lots of love though. ) but with the such small number of children and mom's in our hall i'd have to invite anyone who is availble to come and not any other of mom's in our hall AP so it's kinda lonely here. i really need to see who is at the surrounding halls.!

anyway i REALLY have said too much! LOL

agape!

mojomom

12-15-2003, 11:15 PM

Sheryl, I am glad to hear from you and you all are okay. I think it is so neat you used your sling. i also use mine at our district because it is so big and crowded it helps me keep an eye od Joey. Our congregation has the privelage of doing the flowers for the stage at the district conventions, so I put Joey in my sling and would sit on the ground arranging the pots of flowers. This year though we did not use the sling but two young sisters in our hall helped with Hannah and Joey because dh was in charge of a group and half the stage so I wanted to support him and help. It worked out great and it is such a wonderful privelage, because usually the Bethel speakers come on the grounds to check out what we are doing, it is how I met Brother Sidlek(sp). Thank you for complimenting my hall, where it is a great congregation none of my mommy friends are from that hall, in fact I am the only mom with young children in my congregation, we are actually the only young married couple in our hall. I HAD to start the playgroup because I kept praying to jehovan for friends for me and my kids and decided I also needed to be proactive and I belive my playgroup and core of friends is how Jehaovah has bleesed me. I also am so excited about getting to know all of you mommies it has been so nice hearing about your daily lives. It would be so neat if we all went to the same assemblies and spotted each other wearing our babies in our slings walking down the corridor:D

About organizing a play group, you will find yourself in charge of organizing it, the times and places to go to giving directions. At first you may feel like you are dragging everyone to come but after a couple of months when everyone warms up they start getting more active about ideas. Although I do the monthly schedules and ask moms if they can volunteer their house. If it something you think you will have some regular moms do, at the first get together ask them to write their name and number and if they will like to host it at their home to write down what day works out for them. We at first met every other Friday now we meet every Friday and at first we met only from 10-12 and all the moms brought a snack and drinks so the host mom would not have to worry about it. Now though we stay all day at times and when we meet at a home we have been doing light lunches. I would suggest though that you keep it real simple in the begginning. Maybe switch between someones home one week and a field trip another. We do museums and indoor play places like the mall and libraries. Spring and summer is much easier to come up with ideas. On your part keep organized, moms seem to like it better if they know someone is in charge and keeping it organized. You wont believe how once it starts getting out that their is a witness play group how fast it will grow. Last winter we had 4 regular moms in our group now we have 13 and they are all from different halls. My thinking in making up the schedule is if I have no suggestions i think where I would probally take Joey that week and make it a play group thing. This way their is no pressure for me to please everyone or worry who is coming, I am gonna be here at this time and day and you can join me if you want. You might be suprised at how much the sisters will appreciate something like this. The moms in my group are like me for the most part in halls with little or no kids or kids they would rather not have their kids playing with, so they have been looking for something like this also. Just have fun and keep it relaxed and simple. Our kids age range is 3 months to 4 year old and every kid has found their place to fit in. I am excited to hear how it goes for you.:love

Lotus- How are you doing, Xmas retail rush is almost over hang in there:love

pixie-n-hertwoboys

12-16-2003, 09:58 AM

:( well, I have managed to catch the flu! uggggh. been out of commission all day yesterday and it was our 5 year engagement anniversary! we wanted to have a nice dinner at least but I couldn't even think of food nonetheless cook it! - feeling a little bit more human today thank goodness! So needless to say my house is a disaster area from no one going behind the boys to pick up and I need to have it clean by tomorrow.... we have bookstudy here on wednesdays and tomorrow there is the first ap mtg in the area and I want to go for some tips, etc. its on baby massage so should be good.

I liked the point of reading the bible every day - like having a conversation you have to stop and listen in order to be heard.

Oh I love br. sydlik!! he is one of my most favorite speakers! he saw us walking in the hall during the session one time and stopped to talk to Izac and myself! It was so sweet - Izac shook his hand and gave him a hug (which he usually doesn't do to strangers - maybe because he looks like a g-pa?)

has the originator of this thread even come back? carriebeary?

it is great reading about everyones lives here.... nice to see how other ap sisters live!

Sounds great about the playgroups! I wish I could get one going here. I wouldn't even know where to begin.... as I don't know many in the english cong. I think its prob. easier living in the city area like you do vickie, many more friends available. I agree w/ the mommie thing - as long as they show love and try their hardest. There is so much abuse going on down here even in jehovah's org. its sad. but I think it has much to do w/ culture.

The articles I found (there are many) were from the g94 11/22 pg. 6-11 "Parenting a difficult child" (this might not apply to you - as we have one!) but it has many other tips and reasons for the behavior. Another one is from the g92 9/8 pgs. 26-27 "The rod of discipline is it out of date?" This was so wonderfully written and gives great advice on the whole discipline area and using the 'rod'.

That would be great if we were all in the same area huh? When I go up to MI next I will let you know...

well, liam is now distroying all my bills :mischief and I am tired and need to rest.

:love and :hug

onegr8mom03

12-16-2003, 03:41 PM

Hello all again!
mojomom -- That is so wonderful about setting the grounds from the conventions. What a privilage! How old is Joey now? (i forgot your alls little ones ages!)
It's a good idea for me to pray about this too. I never really thought about it as something prayer worthy...but it really is. Fine assocation is something that is really needed and I'll keep that in my prayers. But I will also make an effort. It was encouraging that you said that word will get around. I'll start making plans for it Thrusday then after awhile dh and i will visit the hall a little north of here and see if there are other sahm that would want to join in! I'm also going to call around and see what indoor activities are availble now. The cloesest mall is an hour away!! But there is a NASA visitor center just up the road and i'll check into some more. Useing my house in fine though. That will prolly be best for at least the first meeting, to make sure all the little ones get along!! I'm also glad you said to make it for a few hours at first. I was thinking I had to find something for them to do all day! So now it's a bit more realistic and we'll see how it goes.
I can stay pretty organized so that should work out good. Although most moms are a lot older than me so i hope they can deal with me being "in charge" LOL!
Another thing is I know a couple of babes that seem to be raised by thier grandparents for the most part. I think one mom works and her 2 y/o stays with his gmom (also a jw) and my best friend's girl is with her gparents also (she's moved away) I'll check into it further to see if the mom who works has any days off then we could do it on a day she has off. I'm really looking forward to this...i might not wait til thrusday and might start making some calls!

Sarah -- I'm so sorry you got sick! I just got over a cold myself but it took me awhile. Hopefully you'll be feeling better really soon! btw Happy Anniversary!
My house is a disaster too, and i don't have two boys as an excuse! *sigh* Just one dh and myself. But we just got back from a trip and we have that "suit cases still laying around" thing happening. I'll take care of that tonight.

My parents have the bookstudy downstairs every week here too. My mom loves it! In fact for a couple of months while they were working on our hall (we had an outbreak of mold) they had EVERY meeting at thier house!! One sunday over 120 people! It was really crowded but not too bad. Had sound system set up and dad even rigged a camera so people could sit in other rooms and still see! My mom was so sad when the hall was fixed and they took all thier chairs and the living room / dining room was empty. It was a once in a lifetime thing.

The baby massage meeting should be good. I wish i remembered to do that more often. Share any tips with us!

I liked the point of reading the bible every day - like having a conversation you have to stop and listen in order to be heard. Yeah, it really touched home for me because I don't read the bible like i should, (well there really are a lot of things that i need to do to improve) but reading the bible everyday is a good place to start!

I love comming here too and reading about you all and your experiances. Wish there were more of us!! It would be neat to meet at some district convention someday. But I'd have to travel pretty far to meet most of you.

Sarah I know what you mean about the playgroups and this not being a city. I'm so rural here. But maybe starting a group would be a good way to get to know the other english speaking sisters in your hall? I figure I'm just going to take a giant leap in doing this and see how it ends up. Maybe I'll get some good friendships out of it. *shrug*

I loved the articles you shared with me. I printed them out so dh and I can go over them tonight. I read the one on the rod to him already but when we read them together we'll look up the scripture and really give it some time.

I hope you got some rest so you can start feeling better soon. :hug

:love

mojomom

12-16-2003, 06:03 PM

Sarah, I am so sorry you are sick and on your anniversary. Do you usually celebrate your anniversary as a family or just you and your dh? Our anniversary is in March and since we have had children we have yet to go away for the night by ourselves:LOL last year we said that this year we would go away just the two of us but now we have started making plans to go away with the kids for the weekend. We figured living with family it would be nice for us and the kids to get away by ourselves.:D Where did you meet your dh? In S.Carolina? Thank you for those articles next month (sad i know) when things slow down I am going to sit down and read them. After a hectic move I am going to need Jehovah to give me some extra holy spirit.:LOL I also have really enjoyed Br Sidelik's visits to our conventions, dh and I (before kids) went to a bethel meeting where he directed it was just a privelage to hear him talk so wonderfully and honestly about Bethel service. Every time he gives a talk I can't help but think "That is Pharoah":LOL

Sheryl, I loved what you told us about bible reading. i told my dh that. We have not had our cicuit yet but our special day really focused on bible reading and prayer.We had a bethle brother give an amazing tak about what kind of person are you when it comes to field service, when I have more time I will relate some of the comparisons, You all may have heard it already though.

To answer your question Joey is 2.5 he will be three in March and Hannah will be 7 in February.

Well it is our meeting night and I need to get my family out the door and going. talk to you all soon:love Vickie

Guava~Lush

12-17-2003, 06:00 PM

Just wanted to take a few minutes and say 'Hello'. Getting ready for the I.C., as I have dubbed it for tomorrow. Plus I have to work a closing shift tonight-11:30p.m.-urgh! So I have been moving around doing all I can and downing Emergen C and other pills 'cause I am so paranoid I'll get sick. Either from the stress or from the convention with the thousands of people!! SO hugs to you, pixie!!

Thanks vickie, Yes I am in retail hades! so to speak:D
My ds goes around singing,'Chrit-mas, we celebrate Chrit-mas!' YIKES! Pray for me sisters! :shake :hammer I have a little pagan on my hands. Thanks for those article dates, pixie, I have to look them up!!

Thanks everyone for saying how great the convention is. I'm trying to put aside all anxieties and just think about the next 4 days.

Pixie, how did you find an ap class? that sounds way cool. I discovered I was using attached parenting much later. It was all done by instinct, wouldn't you say so? We bought this crib like thing but I couldn't sleep when I brought Justice home. I'd watch him like a hawk. Needless to say by day 2 he was in bed with me! And still is!

Love the thougth about the bible and letting Jah talk to us. So before bed, I picked it up again. Yes, must work on that one.
I'd juslike to say, I am almost jealous of everyone that gets to have bkstudy at their house. Hard work but a great privlege. And I take a sick sort of solace that everyone's house needs to be cleaned, like mine!

Thanks gr8mom for your words. Relying on Jah is like walking over a cliff, at least for me.
Mojo, how cool you got to go to a bethel meeting. My grandparents used to serve there. I've been only once, when I was 11.
Well, that's all I have time for. I'll let you all know how the convention goes.

:grouphug to everyone!
P.S. yeah, where is Carrie?

mojomom

12-17-2003, 07:04 PM

Lotus - Your post made me laugh out loud which I totally needed right now. We were at In-Laws finishing painting our rooms when my Joey had a complete melt down, now dh is with him in the garage trying to distract him enough so he can calm down for his bath. Joey likes to say when Hannah says we don't do birthdays he likes to say to her" I LIKE birthdays" just to get her upset, she gets so worried about him wehn he says that and he thrives on peoples reactions. But your little one sounds soo cute pagan loving and all:love Do the crowds at Dist. conventions make your nervouse? I get very anxious, Ia ctually think I have very mild panic attacks, I get irritable and impatient which is so lovely at a district convention.:D I have over the years learned to find wasy to cope or prevent it. It only bothered me when we moved up to Michigan our conventions are pretty big, compared to our 6000 or so people at my old Florida conventions now we are like 40,000.
Anyway enjoy! :love

onegr8mom03

12-17-2003, 08:52 PM

Lotusbirth-- LOL I can so much relate to your son's "love" of xmas. When i was realy little (i could barely talk) we went to Silver Springs Flordia (this zoo-like) place on like xmas day or eve and it was so pretty with all the lights and I went around say "i wuv christmas" "i wuv christmas" !! My parents were so embrassed because prolly only witnesses were out on x-mas day or eve anyway!! But i soon grew out of that. I was the little child that whenever anyone said "so what's santa bringing you this year" I'd always snap out "I don't beleive in christmas!"
So what is Emergen C? like vitamin c? I actully got a bit of a sore throat after our c. assembly and i came home and took a vit. c and some echinacea and man it's really REALLY helped! Usally I get have to get realyl sick before i start feeling better (after a week or so) and it went away! I'm so happy!

I'm so "jealous" of your 4 day conventions! I haven't had one of those for years and years!

I also did somethings ap by nature. But those "nay sayers" had a stronger affect on me then i realized but once i realized people now adays are doing this style of parenting anyway I know i can combat the people who say i should do things the "normal" way. For example, dh and i said the whole time ds would sleep with us, but after about 2 weeks he went in his crib and that night he slept REALLY good, about 2 weeks later and slept ALL night! So of course we kept that up. Then sometime after 3 months he started waking up a LOT. I fought with that for 2 months until I went to a LLL meeting adn realized he really sohuld be in bed with me. Now we cco-sleep and we LOVE it. It was excatly how we imagined it would be. He sleeps in bed at around 8 then when we come to bed sometime around 10 or 11 we call cuddle. It's bliss! I've always carried ds around and responded to his cry, even when i got advice that crying would build his lungs. :scratch
But when i found out that i could use a sling; What a life saver! It makes me really happy that i've came here to MDC because I've learned so much that makes it easier to keep doing the things I already wanted to do. Now i'm just working on pumping. I'm a full time sahm but i'd like to have a stash of milk --just incase. Plus i'm hoping to be going skiing next week (for the First time ever!) and my mil wil be watching in at the lodge so i need to have milk for him. I'm not doing too well, getting about 2 oz a day. I've been taking fenugreek and some brewer's yeast. (and ate oatmeal this morning) I just got an Advent Isis so hopefully that will make an improvement. Well see how that goes.

Vickie -- I'd love to hear about the comparisons about field service when you have time to share. :) Everyone has such older kids. No one with a babe? 2 is such a fun age! My niece is two and her and her mom stayed with us for two weeks which was a lot of fun. DH threw her around and she loved it! Joey seems like a fun little guy! I think i'd get nervous in a crowd that big too! Our conventions are usally 8,000 or so. One time i went to the Vet in Philly and that was 22k or so i think. I couldn't imagine 40k!!!
How's life in Michigan anyway? When i was in the 7th grade I had to do this huge report on Michigan. I think i still have it somewhere. It was pretty neat. Does it get a LOT of snow. I really wanted to travel around to some of the nice snowy places this winter. DH loves the snow.

This evening i've been trying to call this one mom about the play group idea, but her phone kept ringing busy and it's 9:45 now, so i surpose it's too late to call. I never thought 10:00 was late before, but one time i call my best friend around 10 adn her mom nearly laid me out! She was asleep though. But i know someone could call me anytime before mid-night and that'd be fine by me! :)
I've also been thinking about indoor places we can go. There is a SMALL railway museum really close to us that's cool. You can get inside an old train and everything. You don't find there to be a problem with kids in places like libraries? I keep thinking that places like that and art museums don't want kids there! LOL I'd call first i guess to make sure it's ok. But our library has a chidren section that might be ok. I remmeber going there as a little kid and they had bean bag chairs. That's all i remember about it. It was before i went to Kindergarden.....it might be my first memory!

whew, i've really rambled on here!!

That's all for now! :grouphug

mojomom

12-17-2003, 11:14 PM

Sheryl- You are so cute, I love reading your post. :love I think your like me you write like you talk. I can think a million miles a minute and sometimes talk that way, I love having friends who can keep up. My oldest friend who has known me since I was 11 has learned over the years to read between the lines and keep up with my bouncing around. My best Friend who moved:( was the perfect conversation person, she is Italian like me and moves her hands around while she is talking and is never still and can follow my ramblings. So your posts remind me of me and my friends talking. Service with a 2year old is what you would like to know about? Well i have 2 diffrent versions my oldest hannah when she was 2 was my pioneer baby, I would put in a pioneer service day once a week hopping from car group to car group and she was so great! Service with Joey is very sponataneous, it is hit or miss, I have to watch constantly for my oppurtuniteis. I am always like"Okay he is content let me do this return visit or let me get out and do some not at homes" Or the other side is" Okay he is losing it quick lets do some walking territory or make a snack stop" I have to watch for the trying to sneak inside the house thing, he gets mad when there are kids or toys inside and they wont let us in:D Sometimes I can get 2 hours in, somedays I thank Jehovah for letting me make it thru the service meeting:D You know what though, I pioneered for 2 years after we moved to Michigan and where it was such a privelage and i loved it, pioneering is a very fast pace service day, making the most of your time and with kids we have to slow down, we notice the pretty yards get to answer our dd's insightful questions about the people, find cool places to take breaks, work at making service fun. I loved pioneering and it was a privelage and would love to do it again but service with kids is wonderful and I love the slow pace and even if I talked to no one that day I spent the morning witnessing to my children and enjoying a great morning outside. Michigan is graet I LOVE it! We have gotten a little snow today barely covering the ground, Joey is ready to sled. I love the lakes and the U.P. (upper penisula) is beautiful with great hiking places and camping and the lakes are gorgeous up there. I know Jehovah's holy spirit was behind our move up here, we really flourished spiritually up here and personally. If you ever wanna come up here skiing let me know. I can hook you up with brothers and sisters, in fact the playgroup famalies wanna try skiing as a group we live farely close to a couple of ski places. :D I personally have never skied but dh says he is a natural on the slopes:rolleyes: Modesty is not one of his strong points:LOL So keep us in mind if you decide to travel.

About X-mas, I did not grow up in the truth my mom was babtized when I was 10 and I started studying when I was 11, so I remember xmas and I was talking to some friends of mine who's history in the truth is the same as mine and we were saying that we feel quilty but this time of year we get very nostalgic and catch our selves singing familiar xmas tunes. I know slap my hand. It does not last long though:D

Well thats it need to go pack arggghh!!!!!