My very first appointment with the midwife today went fabulously! I loved the location of course...overlooking the huge waves were amazing and so calm and peaceful. But even more calm and peaceful was the midwife and her assistant. She answered all my questions I had been saving up after reading 2 Ina May Gaskin books, even about the shoulder dystocias with the girls (though she said from the sound of it they weren't true shoulder dystocias). She told me everything she has and does and is prepared for. All of her experience, being at this for 34 years, being both an RN and a Nurse Practitioner eases any fears I have of her ability to care for me and the baby being so far away from the hospital as it is. Dave and I brought all the kids with us so she could meet everyone, the kids just ran around the house and the grounds playing and exploring and they were so wonderful about all of that. We talked about a waterbirth and she said she was a professional heated tub we can use! That sounds great! And basically we just talked and got to know each other! Dave really liked her which I was relieved about, it's extremely important we are a team on this one. We also talked about how I go through transition and get stressed out, deliver the head to quickly...etc, things like that. I love the way she really just listened and reassured me. I've been doing so much reading and research. I really want this birth to be wonderful. Every birth no matter what has been wonderful, bringing my children into this world. But I would like this birth NOT to be stressful if at all possible!  It's exciting and stresslifting just thinking about NOT leaving the house and worrying if I will have to deliver a baby on the side of the road! That alone has lifted an immense amount of stress off of me!

After the appointment we went down to Lanikai Beach and got to swim with lots of Turtles! The are so neat to watch I don't know why! I suppose because you don't see a whole lot of Ocean Life up close. It was really fun, sometimes the beach is a little stressful for me with all these little ones but it was relaxing. It was funny to see the looks we got with 4 little ones (Bella was with us) Jon (who's 14) and another one on the way....I laugh at what others were thinking that I couldn't actually hear.

 At one point Dave turned to me and said, "See 4 little ones isn't very many kids at all!" He's right.....I know it's all the hormones swirling around....but I love my babies. Life is extremely overwhelming sometimes but then there are times like today that for a little bit, all is calm and peaceful within watching those little toes dance and run in the shore break, those are the times you really feel the blessing of God's hand upon your family. I know people think we are a little off for having all these babes especially so close together and truthfully sometimes I am roaming around looking for my marbles myself. But THESE little moments are when I find my answer. When I know what God has given us in these little souls is so much richer than any worldy treasure.

So I am really stressing out about Home schooling this week......since I started this school year doing my own curriculum, and then jumped on board in October with the Sonlight curriculum, we are a little behind to say the least. We have to give all the curriculum back by the beginning of June and of course we have a baby coming in May so I'd really like to be done by the time the baby got here. But we are behind! I don't really want to cut corners, I don't really want to cut out History and Science (which we do everyday)....so I'm not sure what to do.

If we have school everyweek day, including holidays (yuck) we can catch up. But is that fair to the kids? Don't we all need a little break sometimes?

Or do I cut out the Histoy and Science that is "extra" and concentrate on the Reading and Math (essential) and just plug on through.

I'm also not sure if we can hold onto the curriculum for a little bit in the summer to catch up but I don't know how that will work with a newborn......

What would you do?