Plum Pickins

The state of Kansas is well known for its Sandhill Plums. Okay, maybe the only people who know about the plums are Kansans or those related to a Kansan. So I guess that wouldn’t really make them ‘well known’ by anyone other than us. The point being that there are these plums that are unique to the hills of Kansas. They grow on thorny bushes in the ditches or in fields and are super tart to taste. Now that my out-of-stater’s are up to speed…

I remember my grandmother having Sand Plum Jelly on the farm. My grandfather told me that she made it every year that there were plums. I don’t really like jelly and can’t distinctly remember ever tasting Sand Plum Jelly before, but I decided that this would be a wonderful opportunity to make jelly for the first time! My mother-in-law and mother and myself (none of which were avid jelly producers) got together and made some jelly last week. I have to say it was a lot of work, but with 3 of us it was manageable. Tacy (mother-in-law) did the hardest part of picking the plums ahead of time. We had 3 gallons to work with and no idea how much juice this would make. We washed them and got rid of the bad plums. Then boiled them to extract the beautiful pinkish reddish juice. Of course it was over 100 degrees that day and soooo hot in the kitchen. After that we used a nifty metal “seeder” (I don’t really know the technical name) that they used back in the day. This allowed us to squeeze every ounce of juice and pulp out of the plums and leave the seeds and skins inside the metal cone. Then there was the discussion of how much sugar to add. Side note – if you are a jelly lover, then there is a reason that the serving size is 1 tablespoon. We used 11 POUNDS of sugar! After sampling the juice (I thought there was no way that it could really be tart enough to need that much sugar) we determined that it really needed that much sugar. So we cooked up the juice, sugar, and pectin – and poured our jars of jelly. For not really knowing what we were doing or if it was going to be any good, we sort of went all out. We ended up with 39 jars of jelly! Since the going rate is $5 a jar, I figure we can sell them 2 for 1 since it is our rookie batch. We will collect some feedback and jack the price up next year based on "overwhelming popularity".

A Special Introduction

Lawrence was able to meet his sweet cousin on his one month birthday. It was such a special few days. My sister and her family were passing thru Pratt on their way to their new home in Illinois. We got to spend a few days with them and they got to cuddle with Lawrence. Lynn turned 3 and we helped her celebrate her birthday. She was SO good with the baby and was so much help in taking care of him. Auntie Abby has been trumped and is no longer the popular choice. I suppose I can live with that!

:)

I am sooooo thankful for people who are much wiser than myself.

Let me start be saying that Lawrence slept in his crib for 3 hours last night. We feed him. He then slept in his crib for an additional 3 hours. This meant that Corey and I also slept for 6 hours ..... in bed ..... TOGETHER :)

We are figuring out some of Lawrences issues with crying all the time and not sleeping. With the help of our doula and a chiropractor, we have figured out that my body is simply not producing enough milk. I am nursing and nursing, but he is just not getting what he needs. In discovering this, it broke my heart to know that I havn't been providing the nuturients that he has been desperately needing and wanting. But more importantly, my heart is filled with relief and joy to know that my baby is going to be just fine and we can easily fulfill his needs from now on. Praise the Lord! I now have a baby who is content and rested; with a big ole plump belly on him! And better yet - a mama who is swimming gracefully rather than sinking, motivated to move forward, and packing 6 hours of rest! And after 6 1/2 weeks -- it feels pretty darn good.

Lessons from a seven pounder

Lesson #1: Cuddle Much

It is amazing what can be packed into a 7 pound package. I have a cuddle bug on my hands. My first weeks with Lawrence in my life have reminded me that I need to sit and be still. And oh what a challenge this is for me. I can’t hardly sit and watch a movie without folding laundry, going thru the mail, sleeping, or all of the above! This little man can hardly sleep without cuddling up on either Corey or myself. This means many hours of sitting very still.

As bad as it sounds, this is a little hard for me. I have been taking care of myself and a self sufficient husband until now. These days I sit and nurse for at least 7 hours a day. I sit and “nap” day and night. I sit and rock back and forth. This is so not natural for a girl who doesn’t sit. But I love feeling Lawrence’s little body curled up in a ball and resting on my chest.

Isn’t it ironic that one my challenges with Lawrence coincides with one of my struggles as a Christian. The Lord longs for me to sit and be still. All He wants is my time and attention. And that is the hardest thing for me to give. I love to serve, I love to worship, I love to help people, I love to provide for my family, I love to give financial support. Those things are easy for me to give. But my time - that is precious. The Lord longs for me to give Him what is most precious to me. And that is what I will give Lawrence and what he needs most from me right now. I will appreciate the moments that we have all cuddled together on the couch where I can hear his every squeak, breath, and toot. Those times are pretty precious.

Lesson #2: Sleep Fast

We are learning to sleep fast in the Bevan household. When it is your turn to sleep then it is: PJ’s on, teeth brushed, lights out, eyes closed, and you’re off -- in a matter of minutes. This is precious time and it is not to be taken for granted. Corey usually takes one nighttime session for me so that I can sleep in our bed (alone). This gives me anywhere from 2 to 4 hours of good rest. I am so grateful for that time and thankful for the fact that I can usually sleep fast.

Lesson #3: Shower Little

Ok, not really. I do usually work a shower into my day. Although it is pretty tempting some days since it is usually a toss up between taking a shower or a nap. And I won’t lie, some days the nap totally trumps the shower. So be sure to call before you come by :)

Pictures!

Insanity

At moments I feel that I am going insane. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Although fully aware of this definition, exhaustion prevents me from thinking any further and changing things up. If I seem a little loopy next time you see me, I appreciate any grace you can afford and simply plead insanity.

Phone Number

I wanted to let you all know that my phone number is changing. I am finally converting to a Kansas area code and a Verizon plan. My new number is 316.347.0176. It is now active and I'll likely cancel my Colorado number on Monday.