700 Years

My first child born here in Twinbrook will be a boy. I was impatient to know, and so I got the ultrasound as soon as possible. I noticed this pregnancy a lot faster than I normally do. It had been while I was getting a massage at the spa that the touch of the masseuse just felt different, especially when her hands lightly brushed against my stomach. From there on I kept an eye out, and my suspicion was correct. I was happy to be having a boy even if I hadn't had much of a preference on gender this time around.

Taken

It's hard to believe just how stormy this winter has been. I've seen ones this bad before, but they're few and far between. We have scarcely seen any blue sky let alone the sun. The clouds are always gray and low-hanging. The snow falls so fast and so often the town can barely keep up. Calun, Ithilas, and Galir have had snow day after snow day. This means the school is actually considering keeping classes going later into the summer. Of course, the boys are complaining about it. Now they're seeing all these days off do have consequences. There has to be equality in all things. Thankfully, the winter season is almost over. I do so miss the sun and my garden.

Daughter-in-Law

Sind and Griselda's wedding was quite unlike Elioviel and Morti's. The two of them barely wanted a ceremony at all. They told us we didn't even have to dress up if we didn't want to. I dressed up, but the rest of the children didn't. Sind and Griselda truly didn't care. That's just how they like things- simple. We had a small private ceremony in the backyard. Though the wedding was performed in such an unusual manner, it was sweet and intimate and I teared up the same as I always have.

TGO New Years Special! Behind the Scenes 2!

In the last Behind the Scenes post created in celebration of The Goddess' Order one year anniversary, I went through all the pictures I had taken of the goofy things my Sims had done since I started the challenge. I have gathered even in just these past few months more than enough pictures for another Behind the Scenes update. Thus, I am uploading this as a special surprise New Years update. Don't worry. You'll get the normal update tomorrow as well (:

We start pretty much around the same time where we left off last time. It is the day of Elioviel and Morti's wedding...

Which Ellothiel clearly wanted to upstage. She pulled out a quick session of poses I've never seen from her before or even seen in general. It was unexpected, but very fun to watch. I think she is trying to look like a model or something here,

but the whole thing quickly goes derpy.

One Special Day

It was the knocking on the door that woke me up. Obviously one of my children wanted to come in, but opening my eyes was much harder than I anticipated. It felt like I had been sleeping for an eternity even though it had been quite difficult to actually fall asleep. The back pain caused by my pregnancy had just hurt that badly. The knocking came again- louder this time. As I wearily sat up, I very vaguely noticed I was not wearing the same clothes I had gone to bed in. My stomach had grown too big for my normal night dress, but for whatever reason it was what I was clothed in.

And, my stomach was its usual size. I started to panic and feel terror as I wondered if I had somehow lost the baby while sleeping. However, there was no sign that such a thing had happened. Even if it had, there was no way my stomach could have shrunken so drastically in a mere few hours.

Treachery

As I feared, the birth of Lomenia, Lithaldoren, and Lueth made an extension to the house more than necessary. We would have had to get rid of everything in the living room to otherwise accommodate them. I thought our family was going to face a huge setback for our goal of returning home. Blessedly, the extension did not cost nearly as much as I anticipated. My older children chipped in yet again, and we also received a large amount of money from another source. I told Elioviel and Morti not to leave me anything. They had to worry about their own children instead. However, despite the many times I told them I did not want money left to me in their wills they went ahead with doing just that. It was frustrating, but with how badly I needed the money I could not decline their offer of love.

On a completely different note, I realized something interesting after the triplets and I worked out some semblance of a schedule for them where I could get more sleep. This is the first time since it was only Elrunamir and Ureliel where the children I've birthed for this task have been equal in numbers for both genders. I've now given birth to 32 boys and 32 girls.

History Repeated

It was bittersweet that the day had to come, but Renia's birthday did come. I still haven't seen Penn's clean face. It's hard to say exactly what he looks like when he has his make-up on. One thing is for sure though, he helped me to make one gorgeous daughter. Even as an adult, Renia hasn't picked up her father's wacky tendencies. Not that I was expecting she would. They've always been so different. Renia has become a bit more a couch potato since she graduated, which worries me that she might have burned herself out a little too much. She picked up many excellent writing skills at her part-time job though, and she has decided to become a full-time writer. It was hard having her go, but it was also nice to have a proper bed to sleep in again.

Too Good to Be True

My toddler and my baby had their birthday on the same day so now I have a child and a toddler instead. We celebrated Sind and Melui's birthdays together. As soon as he aged up, Sind began to show signs that there was something a bit off with him. His actions remind me a bit of how Joseph acted, which is worrying. However, then he changes so quickly and acts completely normal and sweet. He absolutely adores being a big brother. Sind plays with Melui all the time, and actually gets angry sometimes when I interrupt.

The Truth

Sind was born very late in the night. It's been a long time since I've had a child come at such an hour. I was naturally tired from the late night and the labor. It was thankfully that the labor itself was relatively short. I was truly ecstatic to see Sind has at least inherited Paul's hair. Hopefully this means he'll have his pretty green eyes as well. Nevertheless, Sind seems so far to be a calm baby. It really is hard to determine his personality just yet though. He fell asleep quickly, and I fell asleep myself minutes after I got him settled.

Clowning Around

Snowflakes drifted gently down from the sky from morning to sunset. It was very fitting considering that it was Snowflake Day. It had come on a Saturday this year so it was easy to get a large group together for a celebration. Elioviel, Morti, Elediril, Milmarion, Noril, Raradia and her husband, and all the children's fathers save for Christopher were the ones who came. Christopher still had work to do, and didn't have the time to make it over. I cleared out the television area so we could have the space for a proper gift giving party.

The celebration went on for most of the day. We made out well in gifts. Niphredil received three brand new art easels if you can believe it. Three! What are we supposed to do with them all? The other children got some toys, and I ended up with an alarm clock. I suppose it would be useful if Linnatiel and Rorion's crying wasn't already my alarm clock.

Doorstep

With the household finally returning to a peaceful state after all the trouble that's been had recently, I decided to allow Elvaran and Analinde to stay in the same class at school. I don't have to worry about their separation anxiety anymore though. The two appear to have peacefully gotten over most of their issues. However, Analinde has become a more attached to Niphredil in the past weeks. Her actions have put me under the impression that Analinde doesn't want her sister to have her birthday. I think she's been playing with her and pulling little pranks on her more often in hopes of keeping her a child. Niphredil has simply been putting up with the clingy attention like a trooper.

Punishment

Whenever all six of my children are in front me, I really have to stop and wonder once again why I went ahead and slept with another man. The signs of a new pregnant haven't shown yet, but I can feel them coming. I know it will only be a matter of days before my stomach starts to pull a little more tightly against my clothes. I miss the times when I only had Elioviel to take care of. I can't forget that it was my goal to fill the house up though. I've definitely reached that goal. I just hope I can keep my sanity throughout all of this.

Sneaky

With the spring weather being crisp, clear, and refreshing Elediril, Milmarion, Noril, and Raradia spent the entire weekend at the festival. I figured it was fine to let them go as long as they made sure to finish all their chores first. It was also so nice having the house quiet that I even gave them extra pocket money so they could stay out later. I did join them once to go festival egg hunting with Noril and Raradia, but Niphredil became so irritable by all the loud noises that I had to bring her back home before too long.

Out

I was surprised when I found myself dealing with some morning sickness this time around. The last time I experienced any was that awful pregnancy with Elrelas, Henduil, Silmalad, and Alyan. I pray that this nausea is not a sign of a large number of multiples, though I think I would have been able to tell if that was the case by now. Perhaps I'm carrying twins again. I will not know. I've decided to hold off again on finding out the gender of my child again. The excitement of being surprised at Raradia's birth has given me the patience to wait. Whether it's a boy or girl, whether it's one child or two- only at the birth will the truth be revealed.

The Goddess' Order 1 Year Anniversary Behind the Scenes Special!

I feel like Ellothiel right now.

Can it really have been this long already? A year has gone by? It feels as if it's taken forever, but also as if I've only just begun. It's hard to believe I'm more than halfway through the challenge. It's also a bit sad. Doing this challenge has become such a big part of my life that I don't know what I'm going to do when it ends. Another challenge, yeah, but it will never be the same. I'll never get attached to another Sim project like how I've grown attached to The Goddess' Order. It will be special. I probably won't ever be able to leave it alone. Perhaps for each anniversary, or whenever I feel like it, a bit more of Ellothiel's life will be presented to you. I'm sure I have enough creative juices left in me to always find a new story of hers to tell. I'll get lonely without her if I let her go entirely.

That's the future though. Ellothiel still has a lot more to tell you, and many more babies to give birth to. You're stuck with her and me for a little bit longer. And so, in honor of our one year anniversary, I've decided to make this post. There were many ideas I considered, none of which I will tell you in case I decide to do them later. I don't want to spoil anything. What you will be getting is a a behind the scenes look at the lovely Sims of The Goddess' Order. Things go wrong in-game more often than you would think, or otherwise the Sims are just odd. There are also some things I think would be interesting to share, but would weird to include in the storyline.

So here we go, your first look at what happens when you glance your eyes away!

Winter Festival

The Goddess has to be pushing me along. When I met Ricardo Brenner and was given such another perfect opportunity that I could not pass by, I knew there had to be something going on beyond my control. I don't know if there is a certain child that the Goddess wants born or if she simply wants me to hurry up. It might be true that for right now I can afford to have this child so soon after giving birth to Noril, but this pace of continually having children one right after the other cannot be kept on for very long. I at least want to wait until this next child becomes a toddler before I press forward again.

Fifty

I know I've said this before, but ada and Eloril really spoiled me with their presence. One of the things I miss most about them is their ability to deal with the thieves. Since they were able to deal with them so quickly, the alarm was able to be turned off as soon as possible. However, now I have to suffer through it until the police arrive. I keep calm, and tune out the headache I get, by reminding myself of that horrible feeling when that first robbery occurred. The alarm truly is something I'm grateful for.

Decision

As I sat watching Elioviel swim, I kept waiting. Waiting to feel terrified, waiting to see my daughter be pulled under the water by some invisible force, waiting to see her gasp for air, and waiting for me to not be able to do anything to stop it. None of that happened. Elioviel swam peacefully without incident while Zuri and I watched over her.  No matter how much I anticipated the worst, the waiting for something bad to happen was the only bad thing that was happening.

Something similar can be said for Meldiron's death. Of course I'm terribly upset and saddened by his passing, but the horrible depression I was so sure I would fall into never hit. I'm still finding ways to enjoy life. Ada theorized that my resistance to the deep sadness can be likened to a callous. Now that I've experienced such a low, Meldiron's death, which was not as tragic or unnecessary as Cirabel's, won't cause that depression again because I've toughened like new skin over a wound. His words made sense, but I decided to keep waiting in case the feelings merely needed more time to sink in.

Sunset Valley

It was a relatively long trip to arrive at our new house. I knew Eloril was getting a bit frustrated with me since I would not stop glancing back towards the direction of Aurora Skies, but I simply couldn't help myself. My head shifted of my own accord before I recognized what I was doing. I knew it was time to leave there, the certainty of that almost overwhelmed me, and yet it was still very hard to leave. Much like my children back in Appaloosa Plains, my children who remain in Aurora Skies told me to go wherever I could be happy again. However, the feeling that I've somehow betrayed them lingers in my heart. I think my regret is a large part of why the chill of my grief will not depart from my skin.

Thus, it was relieving to be distracted when ada, Eloril, Elioviel, Zuri, and I all finally arrived in Sunset Valley and pulled up in front of our new house. We eagerly got out. The car we were in was spacious, but after five days of almost non-stop driving even that extra room wasn't enough. Elioviel and Zuri were the happiest amongst us to be freed. The relief grew into excitement stepping through our new front door. I had been very much in love with the open design plan since the first moment I saw the pictures. The design is mostly why I chose it.

The house somehow reminds me a lot of home, and I need to be as comfortable as possible right now into order to have a clear mind when I make a final decision as to whether I will stay or go.

Compromise

I thought the wait during the past two weeks to hear of my sister's fate was the worst waiting I would ever have to suffer through. However, the mere two days I had to wait for ada and Ellothiel's return proved to be much more frustrating. Two days was how long ada said it would take for them to travel back to Aurora Skies.

When ada told me he had found Ellothiel alive, I was so very glad. I was even more glad that Garthon and Rieldir were not around because I began to cry from relief. It was not simply a few tears that flowed down my cheeks, but I cried with such an intensity that I have not since when I was a young child. The tears that I've held back through this mess in favor of appearing strong to comfort the others flowed out all in that one moment.

Ada had even more good news for me. Ellothiel was doing better than either of us could have believed. She wouldn't say anything other than that she was able to talk to someone who gave her the encouragement she needed to find enough meaning to want to keep living. Ada says there remains a bit of chill on her skin, yet she can smile, and perhaps more importantly, gather the strength to handle her grief.

It was in some woods where ada found Ellothiel. They went to the nearest town to buy a charger for her phone, and we now resting in a hotel. They rented a long-distance taxi, but even by car the journey would still take at least two days. I let Garthon and Rieldir know the news as soon as they got home. I think they are still somewhat bitter at how Ellothiel was treating them, but they want things to just return to normal as much as I do. They were quietly excited at the prospect of finally having their mother home.

Unfortunately, because they have some kind of mandatory tests going on at school, I wasn't able to call them in sick so that they could wait with Elioviel and I on the day ada and Ellothiel were due to return. I got Eli ready for the day, and we waited on the steps all morning.