Arg.

The ants do persist. And one bit me today. They are getting desperate? I have seen them on clean counter, dairy products, meat and grease products, apple juice, mints, chocolate, the salt shaker, cardboard boxes, the sealed foil on a snack bar, my co-sleeper bassinet, my pillow, the sink, the window, the floor, my body, house plants, the coffee maker, the dresser, my bedside table. I guess you can tell from this that I've seen them in every room of the house, regardless of the presence or absence of food. They also seem to know now when I'm about to smash them, and they try to get away. They are also harder to smash.

I'm afraid they'll decide it's time for revenge, and I'll wake up one night covered in them.

Help?

Little Toot grows!

We had a check up with Dr. Blair today, and the Lord has blessed us with a very healthy pregnancy so far. Here is what LT looks like today:

See how big he's getting? We're so proud of him. We heard his heart, and it sounded so strong and steady.

Yay LT!

A new strategy

Well, the pest control guy just came by and put some kind of ant gel behind the outlets (you were right, April!) to help rid us of these pests. I wanted him to put it behind ALL the outlets because knowing our ants like I know them, they're likely to find another entry point; but after begging an extra room out of him (the room with all our baby stuff) and having him say how unusual it is for them to show up where there is no food (even though I've seen them in there---on baby stuff), I decided to zip it. We'll see how things go after a week or so.

Is it possible to have a crack free house? Imagine if you had a crack free house and perfect screens on your windows. You could have fresh air and NO BUGS. Sigh.

In other news, school is starting back tomorrow (originally they were going to be out until May 11), now that the president's budget has been passed with relatively little media attention, and we can quit worrying about the piggly flu. Hahaha. Well, I'm not really exposed to much media anyway, though I could be with the news sources available on the internet.

I've been thinking about doing more freezing of meals. Trey and I find that when I make a dish for just the two of us, we get tired of the leftovers after two days and then it goes bad. Too much wasted food. I suppose I just need to start freezing two thirds of the meals I prepare. I'm not having much inspiration with which meals TO prepare in the first place. I should make Trey come up with some. And I want to try the farmer's market here for produce, but I don't think they open until May 16. I think there is one a few miles south of us in Schertz.

Update on the Ant War

I'm still losing. We haven't lost any food lately, but they keep finding new little ways to come in and go to . . . something. Sometimes I can't even figure out where their little trail leads. Maybe our house is just in their way.

I tried putting out bait in mounds of sugar and they walked right around it. Guess they aren't interested in sugar. I can't quite figure out what they ARE interested in, except for anything that I haven't ant-proofed yet.

Trey says that I should be sure to mention that there is more going on with us than an ant war. We are staying plenty busy (or I'd probably be nuts from the ants). I'm figuring out how to keep house and plan/fix meals (while pregnant--it's better, but still a challenge), and Trey is wonderfully patient and supportive as I do figure those things out. Christ Pres is very active, too, so there is almost always something going on at church or with our friends from church. We have something scheduled for every night this week! Crazy!

It's our first week doing youth group without the family meal and Pioneer clubs meeting at the church. Usually, youth group has ceased for the summer, so for the first time, the church marquee says "Youth Group Wednesday 5:30" under the time for Sunday worship! It's an exciting time!

April 17, 2009

It's raining here in New Braunfels. LT may have actually heard some thunder. He is becoming his own little person even though he is still inside me. His dad came to bed last night after I was asleep and apparently had some play time with him while I was oblivious. It's nice that we can do that now, and I try to enjoy all the conveniences of pregnancy (but am still looking forward to the baby times, even with the new trials that come). Trey can really feel him moving around now that he's a little bigger. He is such a wiggle worm, and he does like showing his dad and me how strong his kick is.

Our out-of-town friends coordinated with our friend April in San Antonio and with Trey's family (who were here this past weekend) to surprise us with a baby shower last Saturday. It is probably not terribly hard to surprise a pregnant woman, but Trey and I BOTH were completely surprised and felt so loved. LT got some precious things, and Trey and I got some little happies, too. It was so fun to see all the people who had coordinated to sneak those gifts out here to us and feel for a little while that we aren't so far away after all.

We're still settling in very well out here and are thankful for God's gracious provision for us. Meanwhile my uncle in Maryville, Tennessee has gotten very sick, is in ICU, and does not have a good prognosis. He is in his 50s. My heart is torn because I know my place is with Trey, and I cannot be present in Tennessee right now or even in Mississippi where my grandmother and mother and aunt are (my other aunt is in Alabama). I am with Uncle Duff and Aunt Lorna and my cousin Sarah Catherine as often as I can be in prayer, and my sweet Dad reminded me that I shouldn't think of prayer as a little, ineffective thing; God uses our prayers. Uncle Duff has always been a picture of God's giving heart to those around him. He has always given of his time and love, not to mention his material resources, to so many who have given nothing back to him. I know the Lord has a plan for Uncle Duff, for his good and not harm. Our whole family needs God's grace to realize that and to continue to trust God through this hard time.

God is good, and all things come from His hand to His children.