I am still alive...

Not sure exactly what the deal was, but I couldn't access blogger or gmail for a while.  I think I have resolved the issue finally.  So much has happened so I'll try and put up some posts this week to catch up.

How have y'all been?

Kind regards,

"What's wrong with getting married young?"

Mr. Sojourner & I May 1999; 1 year and 1 month before getting married.

I was reading a discussion board where a lady asked, "Do you want your children to get married?"  I read many responses like this: "I want my child to be happy, and if they want to get married- great, but I don't want them to get married young."

This got me thinking: what is wrong with getting married young?!

So, I started another discussion asking just that.  I also shared my story:

I got married at 18 and started having kids at 19. This isn't what I thought I wanted when I was young, but I am so happy and have no regrets.

If I would have done things they way I thought I wanted to once upon a time I would/have:

*Gone to college to be an elementry teacher which I now know I would have regreted.
*Been in debt over a degree I wasn't happy with.
*Forced to work FT because of said debt.
*Maybe not have had as many kids as I do now because of all that.
*Not known the joy of being a stay-at-home Mom that I never in a million years would have thought I would do and love the way I do.
*Dated, lost pieces of my heart to, and been heart-broken by multiple guys.

I realize everyone's stories probably wouldn't be the same as mine.  And, that getting married young is not right for everyone.  But, I know many people who married young and are very content.

Over and over I read responses like this* (*this is one statement that says all of the many things people said so you have some idea): "When you get married young you miss out on thing like: living life, sowing your wild oats, going to college/getting an education, traveling, making mistakes, being sound financially, enjoying single life, enjoying life without kids, gaining work expereince, falling in love and have your heart broken, having fun, etc.etc."

All these responses really threw me for a loop.  I don't feel like I missed out on on anything for marrying young, but I guess that's just me?  These responses also shed some light, for me, on what is truly viewed as priorities in Western culture.

What are your thoughts on this issue?

Baby Names

Mr. Sojourner and I have always had a boys name picked out and always struggle with agreeing on girls names.  We have three girls and think this must have beens God's way of helping us to learn compromie.  Whatever the reason....here we are again without a girls name.  Just in case it is a girl I want to be prepared...

So, I only have one stipulation with name picking and that is that I want the name to have a nickname that ends in "ie" or "y."  I know it's silly, but it's now tradition.  Here are some names I have been looking at (but I am open for any suggestions!):

Katherine (Kathy)
Isabella (Izzy)
Eloise (Ellie)
Olivia (Livy)
Virginia (Ginny)
Eloise (Ellie)
Abigail (Abby)

I need some middle name suggestions too.  I also like the middle name Faith, but not sure which name (if any) of the above that might fit with.

Help me name my baby, if it is a girl. Give me some ideas to suggest to Mr. Sojourner so that maybe we can agree on one. :)

What are your suggestions?

Kind regards,

Three Great Things on Tuesday

1.) I made the world's best homemade chicken noodle soup complete with homemade egg noodles.  My family said so, so it must be true, right?  It was something that I have been craving so I was pleased. :)

2.) I made my first trip to the outdoor fish vendors.  My sidekick Little Sojourner and a good friend of mine tagged along.  I was brave.  I bought.  I came home with fish.  I am so excited about what I am going to make.  I'll share more about it later this week!

3.) I read this great blog post by a very talented lady who I always enjoy reading.  I think she does a wonderful job of portraying and defending biblical womenhood.  You should go check out her blog Boundless Treasures.

What great things happen to you this fine Tuesday?!

Kind regards,

Worry and The Word

Lately there have been a few things on my mind that seem to consume my thoughts with worry.  Things going on in the lives of extended family that I am 1,000's of miles away and have no control over.  The progress of Middle Sojourner and knowing how to continue helping her overcome her fears.  Our future here in West Africa.  The escalating security issues where we live and in places around us.  How this will effect our future and the plan we feel God has for us.  Etc.  Etc.  Etc.

Life is filled with many worries.  God knows our nature to worry and that is why He has included so many verses about it in His Word.  I have been clinging to these verses:

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.  Philippians 4:6-8

For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?  Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?  "And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?"  And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.  "But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!"  Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'  "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.  Matthew 6:25-34

What verses are an encouragement to you in times of worry?

Dwelling on the things worthy of praise,

My Adventures in Baby Registery

I have to admit that I am not really organized or a very good at planning ahead.  I never have been, but I'm pretty sure it has gotten worse over the years.  But, when you are having a baby 1,000's of miles away from family and friends (not to mention cilvilation with Targets and Walmarts and all that), and add to that that it takes 4-8 weeks to get mail...you have to do at least a little bit of planning ahead.  So, this has been my adventure the last week trying to figure out what we need for this baby without actually going to a store and looking at things.  I'm pretty sure not having had a baby in 5 years is also sort of playing against me in this.  I have very little idea what I might need!

We will be here a year after baby #4 is born so I am trying to be minimalistic.  We have been given me a hand-me-down infant carseat, walker, and bouncer....sweet!  And, I have arranged to buy a used pack-n-play bassinet and booster seat/high chair from some friends of ours that will be leaving in October...also amazing.  With some basics taken care of I am not too concerned.

One huge thing that will be on the registry is cloth diapers.  I have not done this with my other kids, but think it is the best option for us here.  Disposable diapers are expensive and very poor qualitry here.  Not to mention, because I think I've already harped on it quite a few times, the huge garbage issue here as well.  As I have been looking into the cloth diapers I am a bit nervous.  Did you know there aren't tips on how to use these things in Africa?!  (Well at least I haven't found them.)  So, I am a bit concerend that I will spend large quantities of money (those suckers are expensive!) on something that will fall apart in the African water and heat.  Thankfully my friend has pioneered it for me and given me all her advice.  I love it when friends do that for you.

So, as I am registering I came across this contraption and am pretty mortified....

Picture Credit.

What the heck?!  Gross.  (You remember my nose issue?)  I will not be doing that.  You definitely will not see that on my registery.

*Edited to add:

Picture Credits.

The first picture isn't that great, so just to clear up exactly what the contraption does (and what I will NOT be doing), here is another picture.

*Linking up to Try New Adventures Thursday @ Alicia's Homemaking.

Kind regards,

My 1st OB Adventure in Africa

Baby #4

Yesterday I had my first OB visit here in Africa.  I had been dreading it and therefore procrastinating it.  I really do not like to go to the doctor ever, but lauguage and cultural complications were making me dread it even more then usual.  I decided I would procrastinate until my second trimester and then make myeslf go.  Thankfully a friend offered to go with me and her French is much better then mine!  That helped ease my dread a little.  I can function pretty well in the local language but most medical terms are in French (and those I am definitely not familiar with) so I was very glad to have her there.  Between her French, my local language, and the tiny bit of English that the doctor knew we faired pretty well.  I feel much better about follow-up visits.  The doctor asked me all the normal questions (they don't do paperwork here because the litteracy rate is so low, so the doctor asks all the questions and records them).  Then, she led us to the ultrasound room.  As I was following her I was thinking she is really, really tall.  Of course part of that may be that I am only 5'2" and another part might be that African women have a thing for high heels (which I do not really understand, I would definitely die trying to walk around these horrible rocky roads with high heels).  She did an ultrasound and we heard the heart beat.  She *thinks* it is a boy, but wasn't able to get a really good look this time, so we won't know for sure until next ultrasound.  She did all the measurements and everything looks good.  She said I'm in my 5th month.  We asked for pictures and she sends me home with two very similar pictures of the head.  So, now I have two pictures (one shown above) of my babies head.  It's not quite the cute prfofile pics I have with my other kids, but maybe we can work on trying to explain that and ask for a new one next time?  We will see.  Oh, and she gave me a script for all the blood work I have to get done.  I am dreading all that even more.  I do not like needles.  Did I mention I am a total baby?!  No, but you figured it out, right? ;)

Kind regards,