Richardson Report

I had my appointment today.  No change cervically (since I know you all wanted to know that!). We discussed the possibility of induction next week.  I have an appointment on Monday to make a final call on that.  The process would involve going to the hospital the day before in the evening, getting cervidil inserted to soften my cervix, and if that didn't throw me into labor, doing the whole pitocin thing the next day.  Which for me also means an epidural, since I wouldn't do pitocin without that for a second time. HOWEVER - I really, really, REALLY don't want to be induced.  And I honestly don't feel like the baby is ready to come.  However much I wish she was, my mothering instincts (??) or something are screaming at me to just wait and be patient. I forgot to ask the doctor if he would wait longer than 42 weeks.  I know that wouldn't be standard practice and he might have malpractice insurance issues or something that make him nervous to wait. ...

Yesterday for scripture study I was studying in D&C about chastening, which led me to a fairly recent talk by Elder Christofferson about that very topic.  In the talk, he shares a classic story by Elder Hugh B. Brown: April 2011: “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten” God uses another form of chastening or correction to guide us to a future we do not or cannot now envision but which He knows is the better way for us. President Hugh B. Brown, formerly a member of the Twelve and a counselor in the First Presidency, provided a personal experience. He told of purchasing a rundown farm in Canada many years ago. As he went about cleaning up and repairing his property, he came across a currant bush that had grown over six feet (1.8 m) high and was yielding no berries, so he pruned it back drastically, leaving only small stumps. Then he saw a drop like a tear on the top of each of these little stumps, as if the currant bush were crying, and thought he heard it say: “How could you...

Tomorrow is that magical date that we've been waiting for since the middle of March when we realized a new baby was on it's way. I may have high hopes that this baby will come SOON, but I'm prepared to be disappointed. After another visit with my doctor, I haven't dilated any more than I was last week, which wasn't much.  Bummer. But when it finally happens, it will happen fast, I'm sure.  I'm usually pretty quick.  I've been going on walks and eating pineapple and chocolate to no avail all week.  I'm kind of pineappled-out, actually.   The really crazy and bizarre news is that I actually lost a pound.  Like, seriously.  Is that what other people experience who don't have out-of-control weight gain during their pregnancies?  I'm eating whatever I want and as much of it as my squished stomach can take and I'm NOT gaining any weight.  Doctor hasn't seemed concerned - he hasn't even mentioned my weight, so it must not be an issu...

This is one of our family's favorite recipes, but I can't find a version of it online, so I'm posting it here to save it.  It should probably also be named heart attack bread!! For starters, you need enough bread dough (or pizza dough) to make two loaves (or two medium pizzas).  I often use my Better Home and Garden cookbook's pizza dough recipe. For each loaf of cheese bread, mix together 8 oz cream cheese, softened 6 slices cooked, crumbled bacon 1/2 cup diced sautéed onion 1.5 cups grated cheddar cheese Use your hands and just squish that stuff together! Roll dough into large rectangle shape about as big as a jelly roll pan.  Place filling in a long line down the center of the rolled dough.  Make slanted slices into dough along each side and braid shut.  Place on greased/corn meal sprinkled jelly roll pan.  Bake 350 for about 20 minutes or until bread is cooked and browned on top. Let sit five minutes before slicing and serving. Fantastic...

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1993/04/spiritually-strong-homes-and-families?lang=eng I found this awesome talk awhile back.  Our family scripture is D&C 88:119 and this talk by Elder Wirthlin is based on that scripture. However, it is a fantastic few pages of counsel to parents about building a strong family unit and I highly recommend it!  In today's social climate, I firmly believe that we must be purposeful and have firm direction in where we are taking our family.  To that end, I really think that in some ways the idea of having a "house of order" as is mentioned in the scripture is almost the most important principle listed.  Know your goal, and have an orderly, Spirit-led plan for how to reach it. Not that we're perfect in this by any means!!! I had to laugh yesterday when Josh was talking about this concept in Sunday School and how we feel that regular family home evening is so important.  I immediately remembered our most recent one ...