Pinterest...and other addictions

Have you heard of Pinterest?  Are you using it?  I like it a lot it...I think.  If you don't know, it's a type of virtual "corkboard," where I can pin pictures of ideas, and when I click the picture, it leads me to a blog or other website, that gives me instructions on making what's in the picture.  I can see how it could take way too much of someone's time, though.

When I have a nursling, which is at least every other year, I find myself sitting in my chair a LOT.  While I'm there, since I don't watch TV, I find things that I can do on my iPhone. 

I read from Proverbs, or other favorite passages, I go through Facebook and tell friends happy birthday, like some posts, comment on a few, and respond to private messages.  With the last nursling, I played Angry Birds.  I finished all of those, though.  With the one before that, I played Crush the Castle.  At night I like to play Sudoku, to exercise the brain.  But during the day, I go to Pinterest.  I have over 1,000 pins, over 100 followers, and I follow over 100 people.  I really enjoy Pinterest.  I, however, am always concerned that friends will think that I sit in front of my computer all day, pinning away.  I just wanted to clarify, that when I'm on there, it's because I'm feeding the baby. 

As the baby gets older, I'll spend less time looking at the iPhone, and more time looking at him, because he'll be looking at me, and I love that interaction!  I spend lots of time looking at all my babies, but even more so once they realize they can look at me while they eat ;)

I enjoy coffee, chocolate, Pinterest and Facebook, but truly, they aren't things I could live without, like my Bible.  Hopefully, I don't allow anything in my life to become a god, so that I am neglecting my God. 

Why the name? And other random questions...

Just some insight into our family :)

First, why Nineandcounting?  It all began with AIM.  Does anyone remember Instant Messaging? That was in the days before Facebook.  Anyway, we had six children at that time.  My "nickname" was NCMomof6.  After announcing that we were expecting, I was instant messaging with my mom, and she commented that I would now have to change my nickname.   Hmm...since I didn't want to change my name every time we had a child, and since I didn't know just how many children the Lord had in store for us, I decided that we were a family of nine.  And counting. So that became my nickname there, as well as on ebay, and other websites. 

And now for that list of FAQ that and family with more than 2.5 children seems to have encountered...

What does your husband do for a living?

Well, my husband is a hard working diesel mechanic, and a very good one!  He's been doing that for 29 years now.

Oh my goodness, 11 kids! You must love being pregnant, right?

To be honest, I enjoy the end result much more.  I suffer with gestational diabetes, and therefore must stick my finger at least 4 times a day, plus stab a needle into my side twice a day to push insulin into me to help the baby.  I have varicose veins, which cause swelling and pain in my leg, and I suffer with sleeplessness and leg cramps.  Not exactly all fun...

My goodness, 11 kids, you must be a saint. How do you do it?

My children would be happy to attest that I am not.  And I do it one at a time, with God's grace and wisdom.  One would do well to realize that I didn't have all 11 at once - it isn't like I have 11 little toddlers running around...

Do you run a daycare?

No.  Maybe I should.  I'm experienced.  And could certainly use the money.

Are you crazy?

I'm sorry, what did you say?  I couldn't hear you for the voices in my head...


Have you figured out what causes that?

Yes! And I'd say that we've pretty much perfected it.

How many kids do you want?

All of them.

Are you from a large family?

Yes.  I have a brother.

Are you going to have any more?

Not in the next few months.

What do you drive?

A 15-passenger van.

You must have a big house?

Actually, thanks to God, we do.  But until six years ago, we lived with seven children in a single-wide, three bedroom mobile home.  We were a very close family ;)

Are you Catholic?

Nope.  Baptist.

Are those all YOUR kids?

Actually, they're God's children, but he has graciously loaned them to me.  I'm certain it's because I haven't gotten it right yet, and He is the God of the second (and third, and fourth, etc.) chance.

My favorite, of course, How DO you get them to behave so well?   

I would tell you, but you would roll your eyes, and tell me that you tried that and it didn't work for you :)

You've sure got your hands full!

Indeed I do, as well as my lap, and most of all my heart :)

Have a great evening!

^"Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.  As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth.  Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them:" Psalms 127:3-5

As Christmas approaches...

Well,  what a busy time I've had!  My dad had pneumonia, which means I worked for him at the restaurant.  Still Christmas shopping :(  Looking so forward to Emily coming home tomorrow, and Robert later in the month! We can begin Christmas baking - cookies, candies, cakes, oh, my!  The children will decorate gingerbread houses!  Everything is so exciting this time of year...

Just a few weeks until we get to meet our newest son, David.  Very much looking forward to that. 

The most exciting news in the house this week, is our sweet Jonathan tenderly asked Jesus to save him :)  We are so blessed that each of our children, at a young age, have come to a saving knowledge of Christ.  What a reunion in Heaven we are going to enjoy one day!  We are so blessed beyond measure :)

"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3 

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15:10

As Thanksgiving approaches...

Last year, Thanksgiving just wasn't quite the same.  There was an empty chair where Robert sat at the table, and it was saddening.  This year, even more saddening, Robert and Emily's chairs will both be empty for Thanksgiving dinner.  It would be so easy to sit and dwell on the fact that my two oldest children, whom I've known the longest of all of them, won't be joining us during this special time.  It would be easy to say that we're just not having Thanksgiving dinner, since we aren't all here anyway, and my best kitchen helper (Emily) won't be here to help, and besides that, I'm eight months pregnant!

That might be the easy thing, but not something I would ever consider.  While part of my family is missing, most of my family is here, and we have much to be thankful for, this week, and every week of the year!  I'm thankful that my oldest two children ARE in the freezing cold of Chicago, every single weekend, sharing the gospel of Christ, compelling the unchurched to come with them to church, and serving in the ministries of Hyles-Anderson College and First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana.  I am thankful that we HAVE food to eat, a beautiful kitchen in which to prepare it, a large, gorgeous dining room table from which to eat it.  I'm thankful that although I have two children who can't join us, I have eight children still under my roof, with which to share meals.  I'm thankful that in just one month or so, I will have the indescribable pleasure of meeting my eleventh child, my eight son, and teaching and training him for the Lord, for as long as He allows.

There are so many, many blessings that I am thankful for that there is just not time or space for me to put them all into a post.  I am glad that there is a holiday called Thanksgiving day, but my prayer is that I will always live in thanksgiving, as I have been blessed beyond measure.

 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  I Thess. 5:18

Where has the year gone?

Wow!  What a year it has been:

I spent most of the first part of the year preparing myself and my daughter for her Freshman year at Hyles-Anderson College.  In May, my firstborn graduated from the same, Magna Cum Laude, and appeared in Who's Who Among American Colleges and Universities.  I'm one proud mommy.

The birthdays began in March, and have continued each month - so we've enjoyed a lot of cake!

It's often been an April Fool's Day joke around here, that mom is expecting...well, as other times, my two oldest, who are on Facebook, thought that would be funny.  I was thinking at the time how funny it would be if the joke was on them.  As it turned out, on April 4, our next son was conceived :)  He is expected to arrive right around Christmas.

I had a wonderful time shopping with my oldest daughter, getting everything she would need to live "on her own" at school.  She had lived at home or church for all those years, and had very few "dress" clothes, so she got almost an entirely new wardrobe!  What fun times we had :)  And then the sad day arrived, in August, when it was time to make the drive to Indiana again, and to leave another piece of my heart there.  It was a difficult time, made easier only by the knowledge that she is right where God wants her to be.

Even more exciting, is that a young man who spotted her at church this summer, a Sophomore at Hyles-Anderson, has taken an interest in her.  She had her very first date in October!  What a special, special evening :)  The college takes great measures to protect the young people, and they offer many activities at the college so that they are able to "date" with many boundaries.  They offer a few off-campus activities each year, again with many boundaries, and it was one of those to which the young man asked her to attend with him.  They make a cute couple, and I've had the opportunity to spend some time with him.  He is an incredibly unique young man - like no other I've known.  It's funny to say that, as so many times over recent years, the same has been said to me of my lovely daughter. God has surely blessed us with amazing children.

Again, even MORE exciting news!  Emily has been telling stories since she could talk.  I would write them down for her when she was little, and sometimes we would video them.  Once she could write, she began writing stories.  Several years ago, she began writing a series of children's books, based on a cute puppy.  Just before she left for school this year, her first book was PUBLISHED!  We've since had a second book and a coloring book published, as well.  She not only wrote these books, but illustrated them, as well!  You can see them at Spot the Puppy, if you'd like.  We've had many bloggers to read and review the books, and feedback has been wonderful.  Again, a proud mommy moment :)

My oldest son is in a relationship with a young lady who is a Junior at Hyles-Anderson, and he is excited at the prospect of one day marrying and having a home of his own.  His talent was quickly recognized by the staff of the college, and he was hired, as a Sophomore, to work in their media department, with the online college.  He continues to work there, and does a fabulous job!

The children still at home continue to do their schoolwork, spend time playing together, and grow quickly.  They are all a tremendous help with the "baby" who is 1 1/2, and into EVERYTHING.  We are all excited and anticipating Christmas break from school - so my oldest daughter is home, AND the newest brother!

I haven't done much writing since I was young, though I wrote a lot then.  It's time I find a little time to keep the blog up, if for no other reason than to remind myself of just how blessed I am.

Kids Stay and Play FREE at Disney World

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Mary-Belle Simmons
Dream Vacation & Cruise
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Mary-Belle@DVandC.com