Seems I've become a crafting fool these days. I must be trying to fill the void left by my scrapbooking hiatus. I'm nearly finished with the second niece's Christmas gift afgan and have all the stuff I need to start (and finish) the last one. I also went out and got some new stuff to knit my mom the scarf she's been asking for since I started this knitting nonsense. I also picked up a bunch of stuff for my newest endeavor--quilting (also for a pending Christmas gift) so we'll see how that goes. Who's got time to procreate these days anyway?

Speaking of which, I am happy to say that the apparent recent baby boom is at it's end. Everyone's had their babies, as far as I can tell, and no one new is pregnant (right? Yeah, I think so). In light of this all, and the previous bee problem we were dealing with this summer, and not having our debts payed down as much as we'd hoped (or really at all), and the discovery that our apartment is getting smaller by the hour, etc... In light of all of that, we decided to put off our plans for family-making for a while. Really, we're going back to the old plan, made in the days when baby-fever wasn't eating at us so bad. Just another year... Not so bad. Again, just another example of how rash decision-making based on current circumstances usually turns out to be a bad idea for Jeff and me. Make plans and stick to them as best as we can and so much as God will allow... That's pretty much the theme for Jeff's and my life together.

In other news, my brother has returned from his summer job! He has a new out-of-state girlfriend, but he seems to be very happy all the same, so good for him. I've not met her yet, so there are no "little voices" to speak of at the present time, but I think the thing that everyone was really, really, REALLY missing out on the last time when I voiced some disapproval was that my brother spent a great deal of his time being not so happy. I think that's all the reason I need to not approve. Notice, I realize that my not approving means really not-so-much in the grand scheme of things; it's just my opinion. Disapproving, but tolerant is what I try to shoot for, and I think at least, that I kept my opinions to myself, which is all anyone can ask me to do. Kept them to myself except for mentioning them here, which I should be allowed to do, and then they were promptly relayed to places that they never should have been. So anyway, TJ seems to have found himself a really nice girl this time, by all accounts and so far seems to be very happy, so I think it's great. His happiness is the only real requirement I hold over his girlfriends, and most haven't seemed as concerned about it as they maybe should have been.

And of course, he insists upon keeping up good relations with the ex's, which I don't understand for the life of me. In my opinion, at least, there ought to be an extensive cooling-down period with no contact at all. The more intense the relationship, the longer the time to stay away from eachother. I can't imagine being in an intense relationship, ending it, and trying to smile and be nice while watching my new "friend" move on with his life. Then again, it's been pointed out to me that I am not an expert in that field and what the hell do I know anyway? Right, well, anyway...

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Before And After

Would I get a discount if I birthed the baby in the store? - 5/16/05
The end is near? - 5/13/05
The progession of me - 5/10/05
Cleaning update - 5/7/05
Pre-nesting - 5/7/05