What I've done the past few days

I've been really really naughty the past few days. Instead of focusing on the house work like I should of been, I said heck with it and worked on a sewing and a knitting project. I pulled out my material and made a tote bag to match my red baby sling. After I finished that, I got brave and tried to design my own dirty dipes baggie. I did ok, But I messed up on the seam allowance so I had to zig zag stitch around the top of the bag to "seal in" the raw edges that came out of the seam. I'll try to go get more material later to redo the project.
I've made my sling 2 month before Jada was born, and the fabric has been sitting in the drawer ever since waiting for me to remember it. It's a beautiful cotton red floral print. I don't usually gravitate towards red. i was searching for a deep purple or a lilac/lavender calico print... .but I saw this fabric and I fell in love. I'm thinking I should of bought the whole bolt of the fabric becuase I keep thinking of things I'd love to make with it.
Tonight, while waiting for Jada to fall asleep, I sat on the couch with hubby, watched Rudy, and finished a wool diaper soaker. This one took me 4 months to do... I swear. Usually I can get one of these cranked out in a week or two, but this one seemed to take forever. I finally just had to keep working on it from sheer will power and a determination not to waste the yarn I put into it! But it's done, now I can have some fun dyeing it and letting Jada wear it.
Once I figure out how to post pics, I'll show off these two projects.

On another note... I'm constantly amazed how "motherly" Jordan has gotten since Jada was born. She used to be my tomboy who wouldn't have anything to do with baby dolls. When Joelle was born almost 4 years ago, Jordan asked if the Dr could put Joelle back in my tummy. But she's really gotten to be a little mother. She is extremely helpful with Joelle now. If Jada is laying down anywhere, it doesn't take long before Jordan walks over to pick her up and hold her. She's tried to change diapers, feed her, rock her, walk with her...
Today we went for walk, and I got to use my nice new Jeep jogger. Joelle has a little doll stroller and used it for her dolly. Jordan also wanted to take her dolly for a walk so she, by herself, drug my graco stroller out of the closet and down the steps. We went for a nice long walk enjoying the air then came back in so I could start dinner. While I was fixing dinner, Jordan's dolly got "hungry" and so she "nursed" her dolly. She even got a blankie to cover up and be descrete about it!

I have to say... I believe God used Jada to put us in a position to thrive as a family.
One year ago... I was tracking towards full time restraunt management. Meaning long hours, unpredictible hours, and no time together as a family. I was just waiting for Joelle to start all day PreK this next school year. My logic was it would allow us to put the girls in the private school we want them in, and we would also be out of debt completely within 2 years. It was something I could do, and do well. I would of had a title, a status, something recognized by society today. It was my identity.
God has a sense of humor. One of my goals was to of had all my children and be back in shape by my 30th birthday. 2 weeks after my 30th, I found out I was pregnant. A big suprise to say the least and it really "rocked my world".
I knew working full time, especially as a manager, would be out of the question becuase there is no way I'm putting any of my babies in full time day care. (but some how I justified private school and after school care???) So I started preparing to come home. With a heavy heart. Over the next 6 months I was torn between coming home and continuing working. I knew that God was calling me home, but I mourned what I was leaving. My heart was still in my position and my identity was still in my title.
Several weeks before she was born, I worked my last shift as an hourly manager and started my maternity leave, fully intending to come back to work one or two nights a week after. And I came home full time.
Over the next few weeks, I noticed a big change i our house.
The girls were happier. I was no longer picking up Jordan from school and having to rush to drop the girls off at day care to be at work on time. I was home in the evenings more. I was no longer exausted from working the night before and able to spend real time with Joelle during the day. Jordan's behavior improved at school. Her grades in math started to creep up.
My hubby was happier. I was now able to fix dinner (and sometimes have it ready when he got home). There was no need for him to rush to get the girls and fight traffic the come home and then figure out what to make for dinner. There was no need to just stop and eat out becuase it was easier. I could spend more time with him after the girls went to bed. I was home to go to bed when he went to bed. My home got cleaner (slightly).
We were really a family for the first time in a long time.
Last week, I went back to work. I've been transferred to another store, which is better than the one I was at before. It's cleaner, less stressful, and has a great staff. I had an easier time there. But it was different. My heart wasn't there any more. It was at home.
I believe that we would of survived as a family if I did start workign full time like i had planned. But we would not be thriving. We wouldn't of been a family. Just a unit of people living in the same house.
Babies are precious gifts from God. And God gave us more than one gift with this baby. With this baby came a renewed family.