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A very happy moment for this Amma: snuggling newborn Gideon so his mama could get a shower. (“Don’t hurry, honey! Take as much time as you need!”) (Photo credit to Bethany Miller of Dandelion Pie.)

Here we go: A wee blog update, and then to the new baby news! 🙂

Blog Update: As you undoubtedly have noticed, gentle reader of my blog, over the past few months, I’ve been less consistent in publishing blog posts. My life is rich and o’erfull and I think constantly about things that I want to share with you. But. My habit of writing a book-length post, anytime I sit down to write anything has gotten in my way of posting regularly.

I like writing these long, meaty posts, I do! Adding interesting links and lots of photos–oh, and dashing outside to take more photos!–and then driving to Mom’s house to borrow a photo from her album, and then doing a bit of research and adding another link or two–I love it! But these types of posts, as you can imagine, take an enormous amount of time. (And that doesn’t even touch on the countless hours that I indulge in editing. My, how I love to edit. Seriously.) So, lately, when I sit down to write, I feel tired, in anticipation. I wonder, for instance, if there is gas in the car. If my memory card will hold more photos. If my iCloud account is up to date. Etc. And then, glory be, my writing time is up.

On the other hand . . . these long, detailed posts (believe it or not!) fetch my blog a ton of traffic, which is a very good thing. I like traffic.

But. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I want to go forward, as I face my blog’s 5th-year anniversary next month. Do I continue as I have been, or do I re-tool what I envision vomitingchicken.com to be?

I’ve thought a lot about this. I’ve prayed. I’ve pondered. I’ve mulled. I’ve stewed. I think . . . I think I’ve made a decision.

As I look forward to (hopefully!) the next five years, I’ve decided that perhaps I don’t need to write a book every time I sit down to write in this space. My life is full, actually it seems to get more full, the older I get. New friends, new family members, new opportunites, new varieties of heirloom tomatoes to grow (!!), new blessings, new babies to love on. 🙂 New. Puppies. (Yes!! Don’tcha want to know about them?? I’ll reveal all, I promise!)

Gosh! Here are just a few things from this current season that I want to share with you:

• Insights on fighting an aggressive weed like Hairy Galinsoga
• Intensive garden/farm tips I’ve picked up from actual farming pros this year
• My crushing disappointment in my heirloom tomato patch 🙁 (alas)
• The rout of my chicken coop this year. (Yes.) (Alack.)
• My ever-changing and heart nest situation; heartaches and triumphs.
• Homeschooling one little Mack this fall: my bewildering strategy going forward
• Amalia in college . . . in just a few days. And migraines. Lots and lot of migraines. 🙁

So, in regards to blog posts, I’ve decided that sometimes a bite is what is called for, rather than an entire meal at one sitting. Do I hear an amen? (And a burp!?) I’m giving myself permission to change things up. To publish short little posts more often. 🙂 Are you relieved, just a little? I am. 🙂

Because . . . maybe all I want to say, this day, is . . .

Rejoice with me! I have a new grandson!

Allow me to present Master Gideon Talakae’u Lotulelei, new prince of the family. 🙂

Our daughter Bethany found out early in her pregnancy that she had placenta previa, so she took her pregnancy one day at a time, hoping that the placenta would move in time for her to deliver vaginally, but not placing any bets on it. Late in her pregnancy, her midwife wisely set up a meeting with a surgeon, and they set up a c-section date a good two weeks before baby’s due date. Then Bethie’s body pushed the date up several days, and the c-section actually happened on Bethie’s birthday, August 10th.

Baby Gideon is perfect in every way. We are relieved everything went so well. We are so grateful for this new little blessing. Mama Bethany and Papa Saia are doing fine, too. 🙂 I’m counting my blessings that this new one will be so close, and that Bethany actually doesn’t mind my meddling just a little (the instinct to meddle A LOT, of course, runs strong in my veins!!).

I’m looking forward to lots of baby-holding this fall, as well as plenty of play dates with my granddaughters Anya and Eleanor who live very close, and a trip to St. Louis this fall to catch up with my sweet grandsons Wesley and Emmett. (See what I mean about my life being rich and full??)

Making time for grandchildren is not a chore; it’s an unmitigated blessing. 🙂

And it doesn’t take many words to say that.

*hugs*

Gideon’s foot. Notice the long monkey toes? They come from me. 🙂