Christian Family Traditions

Elizabeth and I have now been in our modest home now for a little over three months. We have since been blessed with an adorable daughter that we love from the very depths of our hearts.

 Elizabeth has posted on her HOMEBIRTH EXPERIENCE. If you have any questions about it she will be happy to answer your questions. You can either post your questions under that blog entry or you can email us directly : )



Now that we seem to be finally settling in to our house, my question to you is this, What are your family's Christian traditions? With this I'm not talking about holyday traditions, but rather the day to day traditions. For example praying before a meal as you give thanks to the Lord for providing and blessing you. That is just one example.

I was not raised in a home where we belonged to a fellowship. I can remember going to church when I was very young, but I think we stopped going on a once-every-now-and-then basis once I was about eight. That being said, I can still remember us giving thanks at the dinner table. My family still does this, but only on holydays at formal family dinners.

As the head of my household it is my responsibility to set the standard for my family. Having not been raised by a godly father, nor having been raised around one, I am desireful of examples of how to be one. I know that it is my responsibility to instill in my children habits that will lead them in a
healthy relationship with our heavenly father.



Personally I try to maintain a personal tradition of reading ten chapters a day from the word of God, sometimes I don't succeed, but the wealth of learning is rewarding daily. I'd prefer to read five in the morning and five in the evening, but I usually have to read them all in the evening. Being a stay at home father has changed my schedule significantly. It typically takes about an hour, but sometimes less to read my quota.

Some people say they couldn't do that or that they don't have the attention span for it. I'll admit there are times I have to read a verse three or four times before I really begin to understand what it says. It's easy to skim over verses just doing a cursory reading, because in reality we don't really understand what is being said. I am guilty of this when it comes to books that have a long line of genealogy or even the book of Romans for example. The way that Paul phrases so many of his ideas in that book just leads me to scratch my head. I will admit there are times where I have read entire passages in that book several times, just to be left with a vague idea of what he was trying to convey.

This struggle to understand is worth it when I consider an eternity with our heavenly Father.

It also feeds my brain for a day of pondering the Word of our Lord!

So help me out, what did your family do on a day to day basis when you were growing up? What does your family do today?

What are ways that a father can build up his family on a daily basis? Did your father do something special?

I am asking you to respond. Write as much as you choose. It is all for edification. Glory be to our Lord, our Savior.

 

A petition from the McCartan family

 

 

Here is a photo of us just weeks before Abigail was born.

Be productive in reading the Word of God. It will make you wealthy, healthy, and wise.

Back to Eden's Garden!

Ok, this will be a simple entry.

Recently I became aware of a new gardening technique that requires minimal weeding and no water except after seeding. No joke, and I'm sure I know what you are thinking. That's impossible unless your garden is covered in rocks and who can till that! Well here's the bonus, it doesn't involve covering your garden in rocks and you will also never have to till it either! Seriously!

 

I recently came across a documentary that shows this method. Simply put, you design your garden like nature. You don't till the soil for a multitude of reasons, but also you don't have to water. Leaving the soil alone keeps moisture in the ground and prevents weeds from germinating. The solution to all those problems and soil erosion? Woodchips!

 

Now these aren't "bark nuggets" but legitimate chippings from entire branches of trees bushes and shrubs.

 

 

 

We have a half acre in the back that we are considering gardening in this method, its the field that we used to have our goats in. We miss our goats, but this may be a good way of utilizing the field.

The field has been fallow as long as we know of. The house is about twelve years old. And we know that the field was certainly left alone for the two years before we moved in, and aside from the goats being in there, it has still been left alone. The field has a mix of meadow grasses, pesky weeds, and the typical wild herbs you would expect to see in any southern field.

 

I'm pretty certain we are going to do this. So watch our journey, it is going to be interesting.

 

I apologize for the odd fish-eye-lens effect, but this was the best panorama I could take with an IPhone.

 

So what you are looking at is the gate we have that separates our back yard from the back field.

The odd box object to the left of the gate is what used to be the housing for the goats. It was a dog house prior to that.

 

Here are some before pictures to give you an idea of what we are starting with. Now the theory is that you are not supposed to begin this program until fall, because that is when the leaves naturally fall from the trees. We'll see if we make it that long before we can't help ourselves. The underlying theme of this method is this. It's not supposed to be alot of work once the garden is established. That can take three years or more depending on where you liv and what materials you are relying on.

 

 

The most of this grass is about knee high, I think it's still growing from where the goats ate it. Other grass is up to my hip.

 

I'm not sure what this shrub is but it looks like it will be simple to deal with. It'll probably become a blogpost of it's own.........

 

This is a grain that grows in the field. I'm not familiar enough with the various grains to know what this is.

 

Here's our little dog Trixie next to a semi-common weed we have back there.

 

 

What is certain is this. If you follow this method aggressively and fulfill all of it's tenants, you will have the best garden you have ever had-growing the best produce you have ever tasted and you will not have to weed (as you currently know it) except with a rake, you will not have to water, and you will not have to till. Just plant your favorite seeds, and eat. Those are the steps, albeit, only after the garden is fully established.

 

Our soil in the back field seems to be very nice already since it's been left alone and has alot of diversity, so I am hoping that helps with the decomposition of the wood chips.

 

So our back field can be a test plot for you if you are on the fence about it. It will be alot of work upfront, but that's normal. It will all be worth it. I'm excited and eager. That is......if we move forward with it.

 

Here is the link to the documentary, watch it now! It will change the way you look at everything!

God Bless!

 

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/11883/Back-to-Eden

 

The Blessings of New Life

The Blessings of New Life

 

“A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.” John 16:21

 

I must start this posting by stating I had a very easy pregnancy. The morning sickness was mostly isolated to a few weeks in August as we traveled to Colonial Williamsburg and back. I did have lots of swelling despite being on the Brewer Diet. My only other complaint would be the emergence of the dreaded PUPPS rash all over my stomach during the last two months; the intense itching was terrible. My only forms of relief were using black tar pine soap and drinking dandelion root tea. The tea helped the most. 

 

As my estimated due date approached, many people started asking if I was afraid of giving birth naturally. Most of the people I worked with were very uneducated about homebirths and many made predictions that I would ultimately beg to go to the hospital. To be quite honest, I was not afraid. I had stayed away from the “What to Expect” books (don’t ever buy these as a gift) and had focused on reading positive homebirth stories and hypnobirthing methods. Ultimately, the hypnobirthing was thrown out the window as it promised that I would not be in pain. I was in ALOT of pain.

 

I went into labor on Sunday with irregular contractions which I misinterpreted as Braxton Hicks; they soon escalated into 10 minute apart contractions the next day. By 8 pm on Monday night, the contractions were under five minutes apart. Unfortunately, it was excruciating back labor as the baby was trying to turn. She had been in the correct position (head down, face down) for the last three months but had turned during the last week (head down, face up). I took multiple showers and had Michael rub my back during each contraction just trying to get a bit of relief. My midwife checked me around 11:00 pm and I was only dilated to 3. She left around 2:00 that morning to get some sleep but the baby had other plans. My water broke at 5:30 am in a big gush and I told Michael to fill up the birthing pool.

 

After my midwife arrived, I was only at a 5. At that point, I started to get pretty discouraged. I was still experiencing back labor and by the time 9:00 rolled around, I was spent. I dozed between the contractions. Sometimes, there was enough of a lull that I could fall asleep but then the contraction would be twice as long and twice as hard. I was exhausted and needed relief. The midwife checked me again around 9:30 and I was only at a 7. I wanted to cry at that point.

 

She did give me some hope, though. If I could keep from pushing for the next half an hour, she would help thin my cervix manually or use some evening primrose oil. I clutched to that hope and ran with it. After what seemed like hours of contractions, I asked “How much longer?” It had only been 10 minutes. That was disappointing but I knew the end was near. The apprentice and my husband offered some much needed encouragement.

 

At this point, I asked my husband to pray over us once more as we began the final legs of our journey. It was such a special moment for me to have my husband there to not only offer encouragement but spiritual guidance as well.

 

Around 10:00, she manually pushed the rolled lip of my cervix back during several contractions and immediately, there was relief. I could feel the baby start to go down the birthing canal! Each contraction was bringing me closer to seeing my child! I found new energy and was very excited. Another eternity went by but soon I felt a very bad burning sensation and my midwife told me to reach down to feel the baby’s head. I remember saying that I didn’t want to (mostly because I was so focused on getting it out!) but she convinced me to take a break and let my body stretch. I reached down in the water and felt an immense amount of hair waving back and forth in the pool. Like seaweed in the ocean….

 

I joked that if the baby had that much hair, think of the beard it must have!

 

We were certain we were having a son,

 

A few more big pushes and I felt a huge gush! The baby was out! The midwife caught the baby and handed it to me. Michael and my mother-in-law gathered behind me and we all just couldn’t believe there was this crying, slippery baby with tons of hair. It was such an amazing feeling of relief. I remember saying over and over “Hi baby, it’s okay!” After a few minutes, the midwives were asking me to check on the gender of the baby and to our surprise it was a girl! What a wonderful gift from God.

 

The next few hours were a blur. I remember taking some Hem Halt, being lifted out of the pool, and placed next to the fireplace while we waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsing, the placenta to deliver and stitching up a small tear. Various members of Michael’s family stopped by to see the baby and soon the midwives and my mother-in-law packed up their bags. Our little family was alone for the first time.

 

 

 

 

Takeaways for first time moms:

• When shopping for a midwife, think about what you need from her on your birthing journey. Are you one of those who ask lots of questions and want scientific answers? Do you need a cheerleader when that day comes? Ask for a client list. Call some of those clients and ask questions about the midwife – not their birth story. Everyone I talked to said the midwife I used was great and amazing but she wasn’t what I needed when that day came. I needed a cheerleader offering encouragement during every contraction and I was left discouraged more than once when I saw my midwife ignoring my pleas. I am thankful that I had a husband who stepped into that role.
• Ask about her methods for turning babies, dietary recommendations, and exercise regimens. My midwife did not know of any ways to turn a baby – others can. It may not have worked but we could have at least tried them. Having a child is comparable to running a marathon – you need to train for the big day. I wish I would have done more exercise than walking.
• Childbirth does hurt but there is a quote that I clung to: “The power and intensity of your contractions cannot be stronger than you, because it is you. - Unknown” Each contraction is one closer to bringing you to your baby. Embrace them and celebrate the end of each one.
• Don’t starve yourself during the birth. I did because I wasn’t hungry and have had a hard recovery. Force yourself to eat. Make smoothie ice cubes with a bit of avocado to keep up your energy. Drink chlorophyll water.
• Educate yourself. Do you want the Vitamin K shot and the eye drops for your child? We chose not to do either. Even if you have a hospital birth, you can opt out of these things. Let the placenta completely quit pulsing before the cord is severed. Newborns need this extra blood in their system. If you test positive for Group B strep, there are natural ways of combating this. Look for natural alternatives in everything you do – your baby will thank you for it.

 

Tips for newborns:

• Be sure to wake them up to eat in the beginning. Abigail wanted to sleep a lot and I thought it was just because of having a hard labor. She actually had jaundice and that can cause them to sleep too much.
• Co-sleeping has been the best thing for us. No blankets on the bed for the first few months. After that, be sure to have separate blankets for you and your spouse. Abigail always snuggles up underneath my arm and I have a light blanket covering the two of us.
• Clean around the umbilical cord during each diaper change with a Q-tip and water. Dry it with the other end. Continue after the cord falls off. If it starts looking reddish after the cord falls off, clean and slather with antibacterial ointment.
• Do not clean your child during the first week. Let the vernix soak into the skin. After that, you can wash the baby twice a week with a mild soap like Dr. Bronners. Be sure to get into the rolls around their neck and open their hands…it is a hiding spot for lint. If you cannot get them to open their hands, try stroking the back of the hand.
• Use reusable diapers to save money and as a healthy alternative for your child. We have not had a single case of irritation or diaper rash. There are many reviews out there and find what works best for your family. I currently use Diaper Safaris with Organic Indian pre-folds (Diaper Safari’s inserts are too bulky for daytime use) and Lalabye Baby diapers. I bought them from http://www.ecobabybuys.com/. They send daily emails with featured products at huge discounts. You may not get to choose from many colors or styles, but you can save a lot of money this way on baby products.

 

I will be posting a list of baby essentials for new moms/baby shower gift ideas as well as useful home remedies later. At this point, Abigail wears store-bought onesies and hand-me-down clothes. Soon, I will be making plain dresses for the upcoming bigger sizes and plan to post sewing tutorials. Please let me know if you have any other topics you would like for me to post on!