Thanks to the tremendous blessing of work Bobby received last week, we were able to get our van back from the mechanic. (We have the best mechanic in the world save for two things - he lives too far away and is next to impossible to get a hold of by phone. But he’s good and he’s inexpensive.) It has now been sitting in the driveway for a week, going absolutely nowhere. Not because it doesn’t work but because going places takes gas, gas takes money and the only places I’d go I’m likely to spend money anyway. We’ve saved a lot of money the last few weeks by seldom going out. It’s not like we’re big spenders anyway, but we’ve sure cut back and learned to make do.

Use it up
Wear it out
Make it do
Or do without

We've listed our van on craigslist, hoping to sell it and buy the 15 passenger we've had our eye on for months.  The fella still hasn't sold it and it just sits... and sits...  and sits...  He finally started moving it around a bit and I checked the tires and they're not as bad as I expected they'd be from sitting.  The good news is he's also come down to $1500, which is what we're trying to get out of our van.  Just praying about that one.

Bobby is working again this week, praise Yah! Looks like we’ll make the mortgage payment after all. I hardly know what to do with myself with him gone all day. I’ve gotten the kids back to some semblance of a schedule. I feel terrible that I can’t seem to keep up with this, but I’m learning. Learning to keep up with it and learning to be okay with it when I can’t.

That 99% health my family enjoys most of the time (mentioned a couple posts back)...? Well, I’ve been suffering that other 1% the last few days with a head cold. I was tickled to discovered a couple boxes of echinacea tea in the pantry that I’d gotten this summer when we had whooping cough - I forgot all about them. Also I’ve gotten to try out the elderberry cordial I made this summer. It’s delicious! So soothing to drink a hot cup of it with a dash of lemon.

I’m hoping it’s just the bug but I sure haven’t felt like doing anything. It’s hard to get around, hard to get motivated.  Not sleeping as well, my hips are starting to ache and sometimes they spaz and just give out on me.  I feel terribly pregnant all of a sudden and am very much looking forward to having my body back here in a few weeks (Baby’s new nickname is Body Snatcher). I suppose it’s a combination of several things; Bobby working, financial strain, being sick, being 35 weeks pregnant, the short days and dreary weather. I’m ready for a break, a change of scenery. I wish I’d gotten to paint my living room while the weather was still warm. It’s a dark green kind of color and I’ve been longing to brighten it up and redecorate. It’s also time to get things ready for the birth, but some things are just going to have to wait a bit while we scrounge up some money. But these are just more "things" I don’t have and I must focus on what I do have. Contentment is the key.

I do have a huge pile of scrap fabric and a sewing machine. Sewing is my favorite indulgence this time of year. It hurts to sit for too long, but it’s not like I can with five kids anyway! These days we’re taking turns as they continue to sew up a wardrobe for their rag dolls. Farra made a little boy doll yesterday and today she’s going to learn how to make pants for it. I got out some fabric I’d bought a few months ago and finally sewed myself a nursing dress. I love jazzing things up with appliqué and always come up with something unique. The downside is that these skirts and dresses become "special" and I have a hard time making them every-day wear which is what I could really use. But it’s so much fun.

My mom gave me about 50 movies she’d weeded out of her huge collection and I finally got them listed on half.com. I am amazed at how easy it is to sell things there! If you have movies or books or music that you don’t want lying around, get yourself an account and make a few extra bucks. All you have to do is type in the UPC/ISBN and it (usually) pulls an entry right up and you fill in the blanks about the item's condition. It usually recommends a price and you can adjust it as you see fit. It goes into your inventory and you get an email when someone’s purchased it. You click a button to print the packing slip, pack it all up and drop it by the post office within 3 business days. half.com reimburses you for the shipping costs and I’ve only shipped a few packages, but it looks like I’m actually making a little money off the shipping. Some of the movies are going ridiculously cheap, less than a dollar, but they were free to me and every dollar counts. Anyway, I just wanted to say it’s really easy and anyone can do it. I’ve started listing some books, too.

We had our first snow the other day. Nothing significant, but it came down in pretty flakes for a couple hours, melting on the ground. I was feeling particluarly foggy-headed and so wasn't as excited as I usually am.  The kids are itching for some sledding snow. I still need to reorganize and make the sleds, hats and mittens more easily accessible. Yeah... I’ll put that on my list of things I don’t really feel like doing but ought to.

Gosh, I’m terrible the last few days! All feel like doing is sewing or writing. I’m actually looking forward to having the baby so I can have a week off. It’s not so much that there’s that much to do, but postpartum is the only time I don’t feel guilty for not getting it done!  A whole week off didn’t exactly happen last time because Bobby had to work and I was alone with the kids a lot, but this time I will make use of my friends’ offers and call for back-up so I can stay down for at least one solid week. My older kids have learned so much since Royal was born, though... I know they’re going to be such a blessing this time. They can do just about all the housework that needs to be done, if directed, and they know how to use the stove, oven, microwave, etc.

I’ve got a lot of other thoughts tumbling about my head, but will have to get to those later. Right now I owe a letter to a dear old goat in Oregon.