And we’re back…(34 week update included)

This has been one crazy week.

Let’s start with getting a call late Monday night from my sister.  My parents were leaving the driving range and my mom fell in the parking lot and broke her left leg just below the knee cap.  Not only did she break it, but she broke both the bones.  I was told she would have a CAT scan the following morning to see if she would need surgery.  The doctor and dad (who has coached for 40 years and seen his share of broken bones) didn’t feel that it was bad enough to need surgery.

On Tuesday morning though, they found, via the scan, that she did indeed need surgery.  She had chipped off a piece of the bone.  But, they had to wait until the swelling went down.

Now, we live almost three hours away but through coordination with my sister, came up with a plan for me to travel on the weekend and she would go up for the surgery (Mark’s schedule and the kids’ schedules kept me from going up for the surgery).  Surgery was slated for Thursday, if the swelling went down.

Wednesday, I got up to do my normal routine, and then realized that it wasn’t going to be normal.  I could barely move and felt just plain awful.  Got breakfast made and commanded the children to eat while I laid down on the couch.  I believe I must have had a touch of a stomach bug because after much sleep and a few trips to the bathroom (sorry for all that information…but it just adds to the story), I felt better…at least enough to converse with Mark.

By Wednesday, also, they had finally figured out the right dosage to give my mom so her pain was manageable and she was finally able to sleep a little on Tuesday night and Wednesday.

Now yesterday, Thursday, rolls around with a little bit of queasiness and weakness…but I was able to sit up, through school, and take the kids to piano lessons.

I laid down with Josiah during naptime and right before my doctor’s appointment (regular 34 week check up) and notice that there’s a reflection outside the window, which opens to the back of the yard.  And the reflection keeps moving.  I thought that was quite odd but didn’t think much of it (probably the swing moving by the breeze or something).  I also noticed that our A/C wasn’t running.  Hmmm…that’s really odd considering it’s 95 degrees outside and our designated 75 degree temp is not staying 75 degrees.

So, after Josiah’s asleep, I got my 5 minute nap and I get up to go the bathroom and hear water running.  How odd, sense everyone is inside and no one was near running water.  I peeked out my bedroom window and see an a/c man around our unit.  I stepped out the door, tried to get his attention but he didn’t hear me.

Then I thought, well, maybe Mark called them (although we’d never used them before) and asked them to come and just forgot to tell me (as crazy of a week as it’s been).  Stepped back in, called Mark and confirmed that I wasn’t insane, and that he had not called them.

I stepped back outside (with large dog in tow) and finally got the gentleman’s attention and asked him what he was doing.  He told me the address he was supposed to be at and I confirmed that was our address but that we had not asked them to come out.

“Yea,” he said, “I thought it was kind of strange I didn’t see any of our stickers on there.  But they told me this address and that there was a dog but it would be put up and that no one would be home.”

He then called the office and confirmed it was a different house number, but same street.  Hilarious!  And, he was pretty much finished with the cleaning when I “caught” him.  I tried to pay him for his work but he told me not to worry about it.  I felt so bad that he was working in that heat and then had to go and really work.  Not sure what all he did but it looks great and he said it needed it.

And then, as he was leaving, Sunny barked.

All that to bring us to my 34 week check up.  Everything looked great!  Considering that I felt horrible the day before, this was good news.  I think I may have gained one pound in six weeks.  Not bad, I say.  Not only that but I measured two weeks smaller which means I’m not “packing it on” like everyone thinks.  He felt that because of my height (although I also thinking having five babies helps) I’m more stretched out.  Baby is healthy and happy and that end that’s sticking out making me look half pregnant is his rear as we had thought.  Because I have a well worn uterus, there is still a possibility of a flip…but we’ll deal with that if the time comes.  We discussed that I wanted to do an epidural  free delivery and he was god with that.  Then I brought up the “i” word.  And, of course, he was really generous and we all agreed if there was no medical problems then waiting until I was close to 41 weeks would be fine before scheduling the induction.  He also said he would “help me along” when it got closer and I’m all for that!  I would schedule it for right at 41 weeks but he’s scheduled to leave for Alaska that Thursday and we’ve scheduled Ace’s birthday party for that Saturday so it would be best to do it that Monday or Tuesday if I don’t go into labor on my own.  So pray that I do!!!  But not before we get Super Grandmere up here to help!

And then, when we got home, the not so great news was that my meal I had prepped and cooked (so I thought) in the morning was not indeed cooked.  The chicken was raw.  And it was pushing 6 o’clock.  Off we went to Great Wraps, where kids eat free with every adult meal purchased.  We begged and pleaded coerced our friends Tracy and Kevin to come with us so we could get all our kids meals free (it’s great when their little one isn’t old enough to get a meal).  And the nice guy working there (who remembered we had come in another time…that was like two months ago), gave us free fries for the kids.

I’m getting so much free stuff, the lottery almost (and I do mean almost…but definitely not) is sounding good!

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Where it all started…

I forgot to get a picture of the B&B we stayed at but here is a link.  Mark planned months in advance for us to spend the night, the night of anniversary, where we spent the night ten years before.  It’s a little inn in Americus, Georgia (pretty much nothing big is there).  We went there on our way to our honeymoon destination, Kissimmee, Florida.
On the way there this time, we decided to take our time and stop at one of Georgia’s “natural” wonders…Providence Canyon.  I use the term natural loosely.  It was actually created in the 1800s due to poor farming practices.  The farmers who settled there did not provide proper water run off and the loose soil created this…
It actually created a total of 16 of them.  One hundred and fifty foot canyons smack dab in the middle of nowhere (trust me…it was very hard trying to find lunch before we got there…and we ate at a very nice cafe in a gas station…okay it wasn’t nice but the food was good).
It’s nickname is “The Little Big Canyon.”  And kind of shows what can happen in a “short” span of time.

The soil segments were just beautiful to look at.  Most trees were not planted but do aid in slowing down the erosion. 

At the canyon…
If you go, where comfortable hiking shoes and an hour and a half hike will bring you to the bottom of the canyons to explore the plant and wildlife that lives there.  We didn’t bring those things and since I was seven months pregnant voted to stay at the top and look out thankyouverymuch.
After our stay at the inn (which was quite uncomfortable, but the food was delicious.  I’m more of a keep it cold and I’ll sleep but the owners felt 75 was cool enough for their guests…so with the ceiling fan still on high, I tossed and turned all night long), we headed out about 20 minutes to Andersonville Prison.  If you are up and up on your Civil War  (or War of Northern Aggression) knowledge, you’ll know that this is the place where a Civil War prison was located.  It held over 40,000 Union soldiers and was built to hold far less.  They just kept bringing them in .  The conditions were horrible and many died because of lack of food, water, and ideal living conditions.  It’s a sad part of our nation’s history but one that needs to be remembered.  
An example of the structures the prisoners created to live in and the fence that surrounded them.  Our great B&B hosts talked about how the fence wasn’t even completed when prisoners started pouring in.  The Confederates had built three walls but were still working on the fourth.  The Union soldiers, because of the familiarity of brother against brother, and because of etiquette back then, didn’t try and escape.  They stayed where they were put.  Although escape might have been easier when boys and old men were guarding you (remember the able bodied men and boys were fighting in the war).
Also on the site, besides a cemetery, where veterans and the Union soldiers are buried (it really puts into perspective the number of men who died during their imprisonment…grave after grave and so many marked “Unknown Soldier.”), is a POW Museum.
The sacrifices and struggles these POWs and their families went through was displayed very well.  We could have easily spent all morning there and still not read and seen everything.  It was not enjoyable but it definitely was enlightening, somber, and reflective, as we realized the hardships and the situations the POWs experienced from the Civil War all the way through the current wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
This is the monument erected to honor all prisoners of war.  It was quiet, peaceful, and sad all at once.
South Georgia is the place to be if you want to experience some interesting and unique history.  I grabbed up tons of brochures to help plan a family trip!  

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Meet the Newest of the Bunch…

Please do not despair…we did not go and have Bryant and leave everybody in the dark!  No, no, no…this whole journey started about a month ago when our last cat passed away.

Mark and I were both pretty sad.  He had been with us since before we were married.  He was a good cuddle cat and we’re still not used to not having a cat in the house.

However, I’ve been asking Mark about getting another dog.  Our sweet Sunny girl is fast approaching 9 years old.  She’s not a puppy anymore and she won’t be here forever…so, introducing a new puppy would be nice to give Sunny a companion and also teach her how to be a good family dog for our family.

We had a bunch of travels this past month (pictures to come), so Mark asked me to wait until we got back from our trips before we started looking for a puppy.

I waited, passed up a cutie of a puppy and then waited some more.  Every once in a while, I would surf PetFinder and narrow down what I thought could be a potential add on to our bunch.  This one little puppy and two of her siblings kept showing up.  I just knew someone would want to adopt her or them.  They were fluffy and puppy cute and adorable.  But, I waited.

This past week was designated as “the week” to look for a puppy.  Our plan was to go to a local pet store where they hold adoptions for a local pet rescue foundation on Saturday.  We didn’t make it.

Petfinder got the best of me, and we contacted an agency that had the fluffy adorable puppies I had seen.  They were an hour away but we checked to see if they might be able to meet us halfway to look at the puppies.  I completed an adoption form and then was contacted by the foster mom.  She wanted to come by with the puppy we had our eye on and her siblings for us to choose from.  We set up a meeting for Thursday afternoon.  I could kick myself for not getting pictures of those puppies…but I didn’t.  I thought there were only three of them.  There were six.  How do you choose a puppy for your family out of six???

She brought them out one by one and put them in a portable fence and we were able to play with and look at each.  The last one she brought out was the one I had seen online.  Fluffy, adorable, and when she handed her to me, she stayed put.  Content to sit in my lap.  Mark and Ace found another puppy they just loved.  Mark tried to pick him up and hold him but he just wouldn’t stay still.  Quite energetic.  I picked up one of the others and let the Calm One in with her siblings.  She just sat down and rested.  I also noticed she was the smallest of them all. 

The foster mom shared that the puppies were found on the side of the road with their mom and a litter of pit bull puppies.  The mom was almost dead and was trying to nurse both litters.  The puppies didn’t look too hot either.  It’s nice to see that they are all growing and thriving now.  The foster mom also told us that the Calm One was the most gentle and laid back of the bunch.  She sounded like our match.

But there was more test…how would Sunny respond to a new puppy.  We went inside with the Calm One and let Sunny in from the back yard.  She went up, sniffed, and walked away to get petted.  We put the Calm One down, and Sunny again sniffed, wagged her tail, and then walked away.

This was our dog!

So, without further ado…meet Ginger!

Yes, she’s tiny.  She’s part cattle dog and part…hmmm???  She is pretty gentle but playful too. She loves to trip us up when we walk and nip at our heels (a puppy trait that is being dealt with).

She also loves to chase and play with the kids.  The first day we had her, she wouldn’t go to sleep until we were all in bed…she slept all night.  She was sooo tired from playing with and listening to the kids.

And my belly is a good puppy prop to escape kids!  

Ceili Rain is our most timid child and we were slightly worried about her reaction.  She was a little shy but eventually started petting Ginger.  Now, she’ll follow her around and pet her and say, “Puppy!”  They do adore each other!

The rescue agency we went with was Old Fella Burke County Animal Rescue.  And they were wonderful!  I really appreciated the kindness and speed at which we were able to get through this adoption (all the speed caught Mark off guard a little!)!  So if you live near me and are looking for a puppy/dog or other pet, check out their website.

But seriously, our next addition will be Bryant!  So, stay tuned in a few weeks to see our newest human addition.

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There and Back Again Part Two

So, from my last post, you saw we had a plan. NTB could fix the van and we were stuck for several hours waiting on my parents to come with both their cars to take us back to their house.  What to do, what to do…

Eating sounded.  Although Mark and I had very little appetite from the emotional stress of being stranded.  Right next door was a Chick-fil-a.  Of sorts.  It was called Truett’s Grill and had a sit down service type restaurant in it.  It was very pretty, clean, and had a neat toy train that ran all the way around the store (near the ceiling).  And the kids could push the button to make the train go (they pushed it so often, I think they almost broke it).  It also had a jukebox playing great oldies!  We ate, enjoyed a/c, and got refueled.  I say refueled but Liam continued to run on fumes…which mean the was ultra hyper.

As we left the restaurant, I checked my phone for messages from my parents and saw we had a voicemail. It was the mechanic.  Mark talked to him and he said he would probably have the vehicle finished by 8.  It was 6.  He was the brother, who left work at another NTB store to come across Atlanta to help us.  He went to the warehouse, checked out the parts, and started working on the van.  The bad thing was that it was going to cost a little more because it had nothing to do with the brakes.  It had to do with the wheel.  Bearings in the wheel had come loose (and flown out…which was the thud thud we heard as we drove over them), causing lots of other issues.  However, it was a quick fix, and the parts were available and he was willing to stay late, away from his family, to help us get home.

 So, I contacted my parents, with the plan they would come on, the kids and I would return to their house and Mark would hang out until it was fixed.  We walked around several of the stores nearby (thanking God there were places to go so the kids wouldn’t be bored and try to tear up the NTB waiting room).  We were heading to our second store at about 6:45 when Mark gets another call.  The van was almost finished.  What?!?  Woohoo!  I called my parents to tell them to turn around.  We were going home!  However, they were already there.  They drove by the store we were at and took Mark to NTB while the kids and I went to Target to feast on icees (for them) and a nice double chocolate something or other ice cream (for me).  By the time we were finished, Mark pulled up in our Crimson Cruiser and he and I both thanked God for all of His provision that day…

especially when he talked to the mechanic who told him that our wheel (not just the tire…the entire wheel) was about to fall off.  Any more waiting and we would have not only been stranded but probably seriously hurt.  If we had been on the interstate…well, there’s no telling.  We are all too aware of how God provided for us this day and wanted to share!

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There and Back Again…

This weekend we headed out to visit my side of the family.  We squeezed in birthdays for June as well as a retirement party for my daddy (and yes, he’ll always be my daddy).  Overall, it was a great trip.  And after I get pictures from our anniversary overnighter up, I’ll post pictures from this trip…but first, a story!

All weekend, we could see God’s hand watching over us.  Josiah felt a bug on him and started walking towards the house…Uncle J met him before Mark got there and pulled off a tick that was just crawling around.

And then Monday…well, Monday…was one right after the other of God’s hand of protection on us.

 On Monday, we got up to leave my parents house and head over to a Memorial Day celebration that they were working at (my dad makes pens out of wood…beautiful work…he also makes them out of other materials using a lathe).  After visiting with them, meeting veterans and getting in a little shopping, we headed out a little after lunch.  A rough start off included losing Josiah’s balloon and trekking up a hill to get him another.  I think I freaked out the vendors from the sweat pouring from my face and my large belly!  We were not right on the interstate for a long while, so we settled in and looked for a place to eat lunch.  About a mile out from lunch, the car jerks from side to side and then a few seconds later we hear something thud thud under the car.  Mark and I both think that we’ve lost a tire.  So, he slows down and pulls over immediately.  We both get out and all tires look great.  No flats.  Not even close to a flat.

Hmmm…that was weird but the van seemed to be running fine, so we hopped back in and took off.  We got our lunch, some running around, and a bathroom break done and then we hit the road.  A few more miles down the road, the ABS light comes on for the antilock braking system.  We grab our manual and look it up while Mark pulls over.  Nothing to worry about it seems, the ABS is just a back up braking system and as long as the brake light doesn’t come on, we can head on out and make it home.  Mark checks for leaks.  I press on the brake and hear an air sound coming out.  Mark notices too but it still doesn’t seem too concerning.  He drives it around a vacant parking lot and then turns it on and off.  The ABS light stays off.

So, we figure we’re safe and can get back going.  Driving down for several more miles Mark notices a slight grating sound as he’s driving.  It’s not constant but is frequently enough that he worries.  I dismiss it, for once, and think it’s just the road grade.  Then, the ABS light comes on.  Goes off.  Comes on.  Hmmm…that’s really weird.  Then the grating noise gets louder.   I ask Mark if we should check with Gippas (GPS) and see if there is an Autozone near by.

First, blessing of protection.  There is.  And then we pray it’s open.  It is.  Mark pulls in.  Consults the people there.  They run a quick diagnostic but can’t be for sure if it’s the brake pads.  Then a mechanic who worked at Honda came in and heard the discussion.  He thought we may have lost the brake pads and the metal shavings were irritating the ABS sensors and the grating was the rotor messing up.  He suggests we take it to NTB (National Tire and Battery) and let them look at it.  If they’re open…and they are.  So we head over there.

An hour and half of waiting and we get the word that it’s the brake pads, rotor, and caliper (I know that’s not spelled right…forgive the dysfunctional auto author…but this locked up when they were trying to pull it into the garage), that needed to be replaced.  The mechanic that Mark started with at NTB said he could get it fixed by noon the next day.  Okay, so then we start plotting calling my parents and figuring out what to do the rest of the day and where to go for the night.  We tossed around the idea of a hotel (which happend to be less than a mile away).  The mechanic offered to take us there and get his brother to help.  Then the mechanic says he’ll have his brother over and he can guarantee if fixed by 1 in the morning.

Did you get that?…this guy and his brother were more than willing to come work, away from their families, to fix our car so we could get on the road.   Mark insisted that they not do that.  The guy he had been working with had children our age so I think he empathized a lot with our predicament.

The plan was decided (and changed several times) that we would wait on my parents to finish their show, go back to their house, unload, and then drive both their vehicles to pick us up.  That would put us back at their house for the night at around 8 and then they would go in late to work the next day to take Mark up to wait on the van.  I would stay at their house (which was an hour away) …to be continued  (Just because it’s getting late and I’m hungry 🙂

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Review: Boudreaux’s Butt Paste

I have a ton to share from our Memorial day weekend…but first, a review (and please know that I’m typing this after a very long weekend followed by a very long, adventurous trip home…lots to share I promise it’s coming but first I must get this done and sleep).
Boudreaux's Butt Paste

After having four children with perfectly non-irritating, non-sensitive skin, we had Ceili Rain.  And Ceili Rain, can get a diaper rash if you look at her funny.  Whether she has on a cloth diaper or disposable diaper is irrelevant…if she goes, well, poop, then you wait to say, wash your hands or finish pouring a drink, she’s got a diaper rash.

Now, I have friends who are pharmacists, and their excellent knowledge in all things medical comes in handy.  They introduced us to a diaper cream, right before Zoe was born, and we were sold on “pharmacist invented” diaper creams.  This diaper cream has worked wonders on the occasional outbreak from one of our kids.

And it’s worked wonders on Ceili Rain but never very consistently.  It helps to heal but it never really prevented any diaper rash.

Probably when Liam was a little baby, I started hearing about Boudreaux’s Butt Paste but never thought much about it because I had this other cream AND I cloth diapered and everyone knows that cloth diapered babys do not get diaper rash.

Then I had Ceili Rain…and as I stated earlier, she does wear cloth diapers and she does (boy does she ever) get diaper rash.

I got two different creams in the mail, the regular butt paste Boudreaux's Butt Paste

and the all natural paste.  Boudreaux's Butt Paste

And, since Ceili Rain is such a good baby, she decided to have her rash flair up a day or two later.  So, off to testing we went…

Both creams did exceptionally well at treating her rash AND preventing one.  In fact, we used it for a couple of weeks but now only use it when we start to see her rear get red.  They are no to low odor (I really didn’t notice any odor at all with either of the creams), which is nice.   When I’ve used a standard store diaper cream on Ceili Rain, I feel like I’m carrying around a hospital ward…it just plain stinks.   Also they are not greasy and stick on your hands after you apply them to the baby.  However, they do stick to their sweet bums…I’ve always noticed that there is still some on her rear in the morning after applying it at night…and she’s a very wiggly sleeper.  Ceili Rain dreads diaper changes when she gets a bad rash but as soon as I put the Boudreaux’s on, she calms down which, to me anyway, indicates that it’s soothing and doing it’s job. 

I think if I had a choice, though, I would go for the all natural cream.  The regular cream is a brownish color and it does stain diapers.  Not a big deal if you use disposables.  But I primarily use cloth diapers.  So, when someone asks to see the diapers we use, I always have to explain that the brown smear is not “poop” but diaper cream.  And I’m pretty sure not all moms believe me.  The natural cream, however, is a nice white color, therefore it won’t stain your diapers.  That’s pretty nice.  Add to the fact that it uses all natural ingredients and it makes for one happy mama to a sensitive skin baby!

I can definitely recommend Boudreaux’s Butt Paste as a great tool to help keep your baby happy (because diaper rashes make for grumpy babies.  Believe me.  I know.).  At $5.99 for a tube, it can be pretty expensive but a little bit of cream goes a long way.  It’s definitely worth it to have somethign that you know will protect and treat your baby’s rash.  I’ve also spotted a coupon, recently for the cream.  Something other effective diaper rash ointments do not put out!

For more information on Boudreaux’s Butt Paste, click here.

Disclaimer:  This is a Mama Buzz review. The product was provided by:Blairex Laboratories Inc. for this review.

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The Not So Good News

I did fail the one hour glucose test.  So a few weeks ago, I started checking my sugar levels twice a day.  Today, I got to go see Dr. J and go over my numbers.  I thought they looked great…especially my after meal numbers.  The problem was with the numbers after fasting all night.  Those were borderline high.  Because of that, and because my diet really is pretty good (minus the icees), Dr. J opted to put me on a medicine at night.  Here’s the mystery to me though.  A couple of nights ago, I had ice cream and red velvet cake (not a slap of healthy in sight) and my numbers in the morning were the lowest they’ve been.  I’ve noticed that when I eat ice cream at night my numbers tend to be lower…am I on to something here that could be beneficial for pregnant ladies everywhere???  I think doctors should order a study to see if ice cream at night helps lower blood sugar in the morning…I’ll be the first to volunteer.

And now some lighter news…
Mark met me at the doctor’s office to entertain the kids while I was waiting on and seeing Dr. J.  There’s a great little playground between the office and hospital so they were thrilled to be there.  Aside from Ace suffering a traumatic fall which seemed to only hurt when he spied what he thought might be blood on his arm…it was a good time.  Mark relayed the following story to me…

Liam was hanging on a piece of equipment and two moms had come in with their kids.  Mark eavesdropped on their conversation with Liam.

Mom:  Are you a monkey?

Liam:  Yes ma’am.  My mommy says I am.  She tells me “Monkey, monkey!  Who’s my monkey?”

I need to be really careful what I teach them!  But that is our special song and it’s fun to share it with him…usually he’s swinging (I mean swinging) from my arm when we sing it.

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Singing and Playing In the Rain…

Spring and summertime around here means some rain and mostly thundershowers.  So it’s few and far between that we have a warm rain where the kids can go out and play…and having been an avid rain-player as a kid, I throw encourage them to get out and enjoy the fun wetness that God provides (since it’s free and all).  Ceili Rain really got into it this time.  She seemed oblivious to the rain splashing on her face and thoroughly enjoyed riding her “horsey” in the downpour.

Mud.  That seems to be Josiah’s most favorite thing these days.  Piling mud up in buckets and dumping it out.  Yep…that’s fun for a boy.

Ace enjoyed gathering in the mud too.  Liam and Zoe played but didn’t have as much fun as these three seemed to be having.

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Aceisms

I usually put a lot about what’s up with Liam…but this here’s for Ace.

After Mark introduced the kids to Family Mint.  They calculated how much they had in their “account” and decided to go get groceries with me.  We spent about 30 minutes in the toy department (and about 5 in the actual grocery department) as they looked through/picked out/redecided on what they wanted.  Ace settled on a nice set of action figures that were very reasonably priced.  They were military style which was pretty neat and had a lot of gadgets with them.  Varying ones with different activities to do and such…so he picked a set of just two figures and then a special figure that did something neat.  This was despite his ability to purchase sets that included more stuff and other fun things.  I couldn’t figure out why he got the two action figure set until we were checking out.  He looked at me and said, “Mommma, I got these two for my brothers.”  And he did.  It touched my heart to see him share his money with his brothers.  They were thrilled to say the least.

***
During family worship at home on Sunday night, Ace was reading the verses Mark had given him and he continued reading past his designated stopping point.  We politely pointed it out and he said, “I like reading.  Especially the Bible.”  (Can you see how big my heart is swelling up???)

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