As I saw my hubby for the 15 minute drive home before he hopped in his car to go to his job, we quickly filled each other in on 'our' respective days, and then he told me about a call I had received and needed to respond to ASAP. As he left, the last words he said to me were:
"Vanessa, don't stress, just pray!"
My dear hubby knows me far too well! I love him so incredibly much!
However I did stress and stress and stress some more. I don't like the person I am, the mother I am, the wife I am when I stress. Why is it that something so basic and so simple in my Christian walk, is so hard? Why can't I just stop 'stressing' and hand it over to Him, pray about it, get quiet and really seek Him? Why don't I trust that He has the best interests of my family in mind and that I don't have to go about this alone?
Some times I think it is because I feel so incredibly alone as I walk this walk and really don't have the community or support to confide in. However, He should be and is enough. So I will stop stressing and go pray, or at least try to stop stressing while I pray! :o)
If anyone has the secret to this, please let me know........
Friday, 16 November 2012
Saturday, 6 October 2012
My secret little dream....
So I am back at work. Nope, I am not with the government right now, or should I say not yet. I am working at the big mall really close to us called Cross Iron Mills. For those of you that don't know or haven't been, you need to check it out. It is an outlet mall, and it is big. Not to mention the fact that you can really get some great deals at all of the outlet shops.
I am working at a store called RW & Company. I have always liked their clothes, but haven't really shopped there too much. Ok,to be honest, I haven't really shopped at all it seems in the past few years. I have either been pregnant, just had a baby, or trying to lose the baby weight and still am, so I have neglected my wardrobe. Now, though I can wear some nice, new clothes and get them at a very good discount.
While working retail is hard (and very hard on the feet), I have always secretly wanted to work in a clothing store. Since being in High School I have had this desire to work in a clothing store. The ultimate dream would be to go and 'buy' the clothes, especially for RW& Co as their fashions are European inspired and they are now getting in items that are made in Italy or Turkey. That will not happen anytime soon, but for now.....I feel kind of giddy working here.
I get to dress people up, I get to find clothes for their body type, skin tone, personal style preference. It just makes me happy! So while I don't have a 'government' job, I am really having fun working here and fulfilling a little dream that I have had since High School (now if only I still had the body I had in High School, it would be a lot easier to 'dress')! So if you are ever in the mall, make sure you pop in and say 'hi'. Plus this RW & Co is an outlet store....the only one in AB. There are some super deals to get your hands on.
I am working at a store called RW & Company. I have always liked their clothes, but haven't really shopped there too much. Ok,to be honest, I haven't really shopped at all it seems in the past few years. I have either been pregnant, just had a baby, or trying to lose the baby weight and still am, so I have neglected my wardrobe. Now, though I can wear some nice, new clothes and get them at a very good discount.
While working retail is hard (and very hard on the feet), I have always secretly wanted to work in a clothing store. Since being in High School I have had this desire to work in a clothing store. The ultimate dream would be to go and 'buy' the clothes, especially for RW& Co as their fashions are European inspired and they are now getting in items that are made in Italy or Turkey. That will not happen anytime soon, but for now.....I feel kind of giddy working here.
I get to dress people up, I get to find clothes for their body type, skin tone, personal style preference. It just makes me happy! So while I don't have a 'government' job, I am really having fun working here and fulfilling a little dream that I have had since High School (now if only I still had the body I had in High School, it would be a lot easier to 'dress')! So if you are ever in the mall, make sure you pop in and say 'hi'. Plus this RW & Co is an outlet store....the only one in AB. There are some super deals to get your hands on.
Friday, 5 October 2012
Venting after an extremely LONG day....
Sometimes I need to vent! Do you ever feel like that? Is it just me? Days like today, I get to the end and think oh I will turn in early and have a good rest.....but I can't sleep. It is Friday so my hubby is out working at the Center and I honestly like to wait up and hear how everything went, plus I worry a bit about him. Tonight, however, I really need to sleep, but can't and it is frustrating!
My little princess got home this morning at 5:30 am. I am so incredibly blessed to have such an amazing husband (daddy to my 3 darlings) who does anything and everything for his family. I don't know what I have done to deserve such an incredible man----thank you LORD!! He drove home early from his work last night because she was not breathing right. Do you know how scary it is when your child is struggling to breathe? He got home and I had her ready to go right away with him. Fortunately they got in right away---probably because her oxygen levels were low and she is only 3. Then the waiting game begins. They couldn't keep her at Urgent Care, so they transferred her by ambulance to the Children's Hospital. John also could not ride with her and had to follow the ambulance as she was still on oxygen. I stayed at home with the boys and tried to get some sleep (yeah like how do you sleep when your child is in the hospital) as we don't really have anyone to contact in case of emergencies such as these.
So first she has pneumonia, then it isn't. Then she has a viral infection that has symptoms like Pneumonia. They finally discharge her and they get home very early this morning after zero sleep. My poor hubby! They also send a prescription home with 3 separate things scribbled on it, an inhaler with a chamber and some antibiotics. However, they never told us what to do with any of it. There was nothing on the bottle of antibiotics telling us how much to give her and how frequent we should give it to her. So I call the hospital. I get transferred, then I wait, and wait some more. The nurse was really good about it, I just was getting tired of waiting and still had a very active 1 year old to chase after. As it turns out, the bottle of antibiotics was sent with her from Urgent Care and they never should have sent it without the dosage and frequency information (so he was telling me that it was a big no, no). So I say, fine, I will just toss the antibiotics out and use the prescription that the hospital wrote me. The nurse says, I can't do that because she needs the antibiotics. I inquire as to what she needs it for. He then tells me that they are treating Gigi for two symptoms, first the pneumonia and second asthma. I then tell him that they told us last night that she did not have pneumonia, to which he responds and says yes she does as we have her blood tests back and her white blood cell count is very high indicating that there is an infection. I am quite upset by this time as they never told us any of this at the hospital---like nothing! Plus they tell me that I need to go back to Urgent Care and get them to tell me how much of the antibiotic she needs. Erghh!
I also discovered last night that our furnace is not working....so i make a few calls, pack up Jude, put Gigi back to bed (as by this time she is convinced that she is all better) and head to Urgent Care. Jude falls asleep (great timing) and then I have to wait for over a half hour as they sort everything out. They call the hospital have her records sent over, can't understand what the doctor wrote on her chart, call back to confirm, but it is busy for a while, and then they finally get through. So I finally get everything sorted and get home. I am asking myself what the heck just happened? This is our medical system? This is the health of my baby girl and it was the most frustrating process I have ever been through. I feel like we are just numbers on an assembly line! I was so angry. They also prescribed her three different types of 'steroids'. I am thinking, good grief she is 3 years old and they are pumping her full of steroids? Why? They didn't even take the time to explain her diagnosis, what was going on! Am I the only one who wants to know this stuff? Would you not want to know what the doctors diagnosed your child with?
I also called our Homeopath and emailed our practitioner who we usually see. She got back to me right away----and gave me some options. Here's the clincher, we have no benefits right now, and so these prescriptions are pricey, and we are also not covered for Homeopathic medicine either (it's the consults that add up, the remedies are very cheap). So what do we do? Which route do we take? I know which one I would prefer.
You see one of the first questions they ask you is whether or not she is up to date with her vaccinations. We don't vaccinate our kids through the health system, we do homeoprophylaxis, which is a homeopathic vaccination. So she has all of the protection that she would get through the 'vaccination' schedule. It is not illegal to do this, but the way you are treated it is like it is. Suddenly, it is our fault that she is sick because we didn't chose to do 'their' vaccinations. Even though the girl who is vaccinated is still getting pneumonia and being treated for the same symptoms. That doesn't matter though. They spent more time asking about her vaccinations than they did about what her symptoms were. What is wrong with our medical system? I feel like nobody wants to get to the root cause, they just want the quick band-aid (you know the quick fix) and let's move her on down the line so we can get to the next number, I mean patient.
So frustrating, so, so frustrating.
That is my vent for the night.....I will try and get some sleep now that I have got it off my chest! :o)
My little princess got home this morning at 5:30 am. I am so incredibly blessed to have such an amazing husband (daddy to my 3 darlings) who does anything and everything for his family. I don't know what I have done to deserve such an incredible man----thank you LORD!! He drove home early from his work last night because she was not breathing right. Do you know how scary it is when your child is struggling to breathe? He got home and I had her ready to go right away with him. Fortunately they got in right away---probably because her oxygen levels were low and she is only 3. Then the waiting game begins. They couldn't keep her at Urgent Care, so they transferred her by ambulance to the Children's Hospital. John also could not ride with her and had to follow the ambulance as she was still on oxygen. I stayed at home with the boys and tried to get some sleep (yeah like how do you sleep when your child is in the hospital) as we don't really have anyone to contact in case of emergencies such as these.
So first she has pneumonia, then it isn't. Then she has a viral infection that has symptoms like Pneumonia. They finally discharge her and they get home very early this morning after zero sleep. My poor hubby! They also send a prescription home with 3 separate things scribbled on it, an inhaler with a chamber and some antibiotics. However, they never told us what to do with any of it. There was nothing on the bottle of antibiotics telling us how much to give her and how frequent we should give it to her. So I call the hospital. I get transferred, then I wait, and wait some more. The nurse was really good about it, I just was getting tired of waiting and still had a very active 1 year old to chase after. As it turns out, the bottle of antibiotics was sent with her from Urgent Care and they never should have sent it without the dosage and frequency information (so he was telling me that it was a big no, no). So I say, fine, I will just toss the antibiotics out and use the prescription that the hospital wrote me. The nurse says, I can't do that because she needs the antibiotics. I inquire as to what she needs it for. He then tells me that they are treating Gigi for two symptoms, first the pneumonia and second asthma. I then tell him that they told us last night that she did not have pneumonia, to which he responds and says yes she does as we have her blood tests back and her white blood cell count is very high indicating that there is an infection. I am quite upset by this time as they never told us any of this at the hospital---like nothing! Plus they tell me that I need to go back to Urgent Care and get them to tell me how much of the antibiotic she needs. Erghh!
I also discovered last night that our furnace is not working....so i make a few calls, pack up Jude, put Gigi back to bed (as by this time she is convinced that she is all better) and head to Urgent Care. Jude falls asleep (great timing) and then I have to wait for over a half hour as they sort everything out. They call the hospital have her records sent over, can't understand what the doctor wrote on her chart, call back to confirm, but it is busy for a while, and then they finally get through. So I finally get everything sorted and get home. I am asking myself what the heck just happened? This is our medical system? This is the health of my baby girl and it was the most frustrating process I have ever been through. I feel like we are just numbers on an assembly line! I was so angry. They also prescribed her three different types of 'steroids'. I am thinking, good grief she is 3 years old and they are pumping her full of steroids? Why? They didn't even take the time to explain her diagnosis, what was going on! Am I the only one who wants to know this stuff? Would you not want to know what the doctors diagnosed your child with?
I also called our Homeopath and emailed our practitioner who we usually see. She got back to me right away----and gave me some options. Here's the clincher, we have no benefits right now, and so these prescriptions are pricey, and we are also not covered for Homeopathic medicine either (it's the consults that add up, the remedies are very cheap). So what do we do? Which route do we take? I know which one I would prefer.
You see one of the first questions they ask you is whether or not she is up to date with her vaccinations. We don't vaccinate our kids through the health system, we do homeoprophylaxis, which is a homeopathic vaccination. So she has all of the protection that she would get through the 'vaccination' schedule. It is not illegal to do this, but the way you are treated it is like it is. Suddenly, it is our fault that she is sick because we didn't chose to do 'their' vaccinations. Even though the girl who is vaccinated is still getting pneumonia and being treated for the same symptoms. That doesn't matter though. They spent more time asking about her vaccinations than they did about what her symptoms were. What is wrong with our medical system? I feel like nobody wants to get to the root cause, they just want the quick band-aid (you know the quick fix) and let's move her on down the line so we can get to the next number, I mean patient.
So frustrating, so, so frustrating.
That is my vent for the night.....I will try and get some sleep now that I have got it off my chest! :o)
Thursday, 4 October 2012
Falling off the wagon
I feel as though I have 'fallen off the wagon'. Ok, I confess, I really have fallen off the wagon...not just feel like I have, I HAVE! I was doing really well, recording all of my many blessings, those 1000 blessings, those 1000 gifts to be thankful for. Now with 'Thanksgiving' just days away, I am feeling a little guilty.
I still have months of gifts to record on my blog because I am SOOO far behind. I have a little book that sits beside my bed and I try and record. It's only three; 3 gifts per day. That should not be hard, but lately it has been non-existent. I know that things seemed 'not as bad' when I took the time to be thankful.
Lately though, I have been so frustrated and angry. I hate not knowing how things are going to 'pan' out. I hate always wondering, questioning whether we will make it, whether or not God is on our side (even though I really do know the answer). I also wish that we were never called to be in Ministry.....it is so hard! Really, so hard! I have read books, blogs, articles, I have spoke with many, I mean many people in Ministry and there are some really tough times. So I should know that this is a time to grow, a time where God is teaching, pruning, picking out all those ugly spots that need to be picked out. I know that the pruning, the learning, the lessons, will never stop, as long as I am willing and committed to follow God's will, not mine.
For me it is the roller coaster of emotions that I just can't deal with. One minute we receive news that the funding is not coming in as we expected, the next we have witnessed God come through in a way we never expected and then all of a sudden we have a sick girl who will be transferred to the Children's Hospital tonight. So one minute I am angry and yelling at God, the next I am praising him and so completely amazed at what just happened and then I am on my knees worried and praying for the health of my little girl. I must look like a lunatic! And some how I am supposed to 'count'. I know that I do have so much to be grateful for. I am so blessed, but it is just so hard sometimes. I need help getting back on that wagon......I need an extra dose of faith and trust.
These three right here are worth more than 1000 gifts......they are the reason I am so thankful and have so much to praise Him for. Not to mention my incredible, amazing husband. I'm getting back on that wagon! :o)
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
I still have months of gifts to record on my blog because I am SOOO far behind. I have a little book that sits beside my bed and I try and record. It's only three; 3 gifts per day. That should not be hard, but lately it has been non-existent. I know that things seemed 'not as bad' when I took the time to be thankful.
Lately though, I have been so frustrated and angry. I hate not knowing how things are going to 'pan' out. I hate always wondering, questioning whether we will make it, whether or not God is on our side (even though I really do know the answer). I also wish that we were never called to be in Ministry.....it is so hard! Really, so hard! I have read books, blogs, articles, I have spoke with many, I mean many people in Ministry and there are some really tough times. So I should know that this is a time to grow, a time where God is teaching, pruning, picking out all those ugly spots that need to be picked out. I know that the pruning, the learning, the lessons, will never stop, as long as I am willing and committed to follow God's will, not mine.
For me it is the roller coaster of emotions that I just can't deal with. One minute we receive news that the funding is not coming in as we expected, the next we have witnessed God come through in a way we never expected and then all of a sudden we have a sick girl who will be transferred to the Children's Hospital tonight. So one minute I am angry and yelling at God, the next I am praising him and so completely amazed at what just happened and then I am on my knees worried and praying for the health of my little girl. I must look like a lunatic! And some how I am supposed to 'count'. I know that I do have so much to be grateful for. I am so blessed, but it is just so hard sometimes. I need help getting back on that wagon......I need an extra dose of faith and trust.
These three right here are worth more than 1000 gifts......they are the reason I am so thankful and have so much to praise Him for. Not to mention my incredible, amazing husband. I'm getting back on that wagon! :o)
Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!
Saturday, 8 September 2012
Pinned and Tried
Ok, here I am for my second 'pinned and tried'. I wanted to share some things I did for my little monkey's first bithday, but the camera is out in the van still (don't worry, it is well hidden) and I am not about to run out in my pj's to grab it, so it can wait until next week! :o)
I have to share this awesome shower/bath tub cleaner that I found on Pinterest. When I lived in Korea, I burnt my lungs out from some pretty strong cleaners I used. It was horrible! You see in Korea, when you move into a new place, the previous tenants do not have to clean the place before they move (disgusting hey). So, when my boss got me a bigger place to move into, I was naturally super excited (if you saw my first place you would understand my excitement--it was sooo tiny). I got my new place just in time for my mom and sister to come and stay. However, as I mentioned it was not cleaned before I moved in and the previous tenant smoked. YUCK! I ended up having to bleach EVERYTHING! I actually scrubbed the vinyl floor with bleach. It got to the point where I was dumping bleach, pure bleach right on the floor. Not smart on my part, but it got the black, smoke ridden floor back to it's honey brown, new state. It looked fabulous once I was done. I have not been able to use strong cleaners or bleach ever since. I really burnt my lungs out and was sick for a good week after my cleaning episode.
So fast forward 8 years and three kids later, I don't like to use strong, powerful, chemical ladden cleaners. The worst thing to clean for me has always been the bath tubs/showers because of all of the soap scum, hard water stains, etc. Plus when you give your kids baths every other day, you have to clean it often. I found this cleaner on pinterest and had to try it. I am hooked. It works amazing! I just cleaned my bath tub tonight and it is so sparkly and clean. Plus you barely have to scrub it and I know that I will not wake up sick tomorrow from the smell or chemicals! You really must try this!
Tub and Shower Magic Recipe
I have to share this awesome shower/bath tub cleaner that I found on Pinterest. When I lived in Korea, I burnt my lungs out from some pretty strong cleaners I used. It was horrible! You see in Korea, when you move into a new place, the previous tenants do not have to clean the place before they move (disgusting hey). So, when my boss got me a bigger place to move into, I was naturally super excited (if you saw my first place you would understand my excitement--it was sooo tiny). I got my new place just in time for my mom and sister to come and stay. However, as I mentioned it was not cleaned before I moved in and the previous tenant smoked. YUCK! I ended up having to bleach EVERYTHING! I actually scrubbed the vinyl floor with bleach. It got to the point where I was dumping bleach, pure bleach right on the floor. Not smart on my part, but it got the black, smoke ridden floor back to it's honey brown, new state. It looked fabulous once I was done. I have not been able to use strong cleaners or bleach ever since. I really burnt my lungs out and was sick for a good week after my cleaning episode.
So fast forward 8 years and three kids later, I don't like to use strong, powerful, chemical ladden cleaners. The worst thing to clean for me has always been the bath tubs/showers because of all of the soap scum, hard water stains, etc. Plus when you give your kids baths every other day, you have to clean it often. I found this cleaner on pinterest and had to try it. I am hooked. It works amazing! I just cleaned my bath tub tonight and it is so sparkly and clean. Plus you barely have to scrub it and I know that I will not wake up sick tomorrow from the smell or chemicals! You really must try this!
Tub and Shower Magic Recipe
12 ounces white vinegar
12 ounces liquid, blue dawn detergent
Directions:
1. Heat vinegar in microwave until hot and pour into squirt bottle.
2. Add the Dawn soap. Put the lid on and gently shake to incorporate.
3. You now have a powerful cleaning product that will melt soap scum and tub and shower buildup, clean sinks, appliances and just about anything. Just spray it on, scrub, rinse and be amazed. For tough soap scum build-up, spray the mixture on and allow it to sit as long as overnight. Then, scrub and rinse.
12 ounces liquid, blue dawn detergent
Directions:
1. Heat vinegar in microwave until hot and pour into squirt bottle.
2. Add the Dawn soap. Put the lid on and gently shake to incorporate.
3. You now have a powerful cleaning product that will melt soap scum and tub and shower buildup, clean sinks, appliances and just about anything. Just spray it on, scrub, rinse and be amazed. For tough soap scum build-up, spray the mixture on and allow it to sit as long as overnight. Then, scrub and rinse.
Friday, 31 August 2012
Pinned and Tried
I have always wanted to make a list of all of the things that I have 'pinned' and actually 'tried'. I have seen boards on Pinterest that do the same, but maybe if I start a 'Pinned and tried' Friday on my blog, it will force me to blog more, keep on top of this thing, feel like I have something to 'blog' about. Plus, I pin things and think to myself...I wonder if that really works or if I could actually pull that off, or that is too much work, but it looks nice. Trust me I have had some awesome successes and some epic failures (which I never took a photo of because I was so mad that i wasted the time, and supplies trying the darn thing and rather than trying to salvage it, I threw it ALL in the garbage).
My first 'pinned and tried' post is a yummy new recipe that I LOVE. I am not a pork eater. It kind of grosses me out and i am always afraid of under cooking it and getting worms! (not presenting a pretty picture here, I know). Not to mention the fact that I really don't know how to cook it. However, I can across this blog and have been slowly trying to change how we eat. I found this recipe for Pork Tenderloin and had all of the ingredients (except the pork) on hand. I went to the store and bought the pesticide/hormone free pork tenderloin and tried this easy recipe. It was DELICIOUS! A huge hit. Even my picky three year old loved it and kept asking for more chicken. She had no idea what 'pork' was, so I explained. She had a twisted expression on her face, but asked for more. I made it again last night and it is now a staple! Plus I always have leftover rice, meat and veggies, so tonight we had stir fry and it was just as tasty! Yay, I love finding and trying new, easy, yummy recipes.
Try it and let me know what you think! Or heck play along and let me know what things you have 'pinned and tried'!
Have a great long weekend! We are off to celebrate a little monkey's 1st birthday!!!
**Recipe and picture taken from 100 Days of Real Food**
On a little side note. The only thing that I did differently was omitted the cilantro. I didn't have any on hand and my DH is not a fan of cilantro.
My first 'pinned and tried' post is a yummy new recipe that I LOVE. I am not a pork eater. It kind of grosses me out and i am always afraid of under cooking it and getting worms! (not presenting a pretty picture here, I know). Not to mention the fact that I really don't know how to cook it. However, I can across this blog and have been slowly trying to change how we eat. I found this recipe for Pork Tenderloin and had all of the ingredients (except the pork) on hand. I went to the store and bought the pesticide/hormone free pork tenderloin and tried this easy recipe. It was DELICIOUS! A huge hit. Even my picky three year old loved it and kept asking for more chicken. She had no idea what 'pork' was, so I explained. She had a twisted expression on her face, but asked for more. I made it again last night and it is now a staple! Plus I always have leftover rice, meat and veggies, so tonight we had stir fry and it was just as tasty! Yay, I love finding and trying new, easy, yummy recipes.
Try it and let me know what you think! Or heck play along and let me know what things you have 'pinned and tried'!
Have a great long weekend! We are off to celebrate a little monkey's 1st birthday!!!
**Recipe and picture taken from 100 Days of Real Food**
On a little side note. The only thing that I did differently was omitted the cilantro. I didn't have any on hand and my DH is not a fan of cilantro.
Grilled Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin
Yield: 4 – 5 servings (depending on the size of your tenderloin)
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lbs pork tenderloin, organic and/or local recommended
- ½ cup soy sauce, low-sodium recommended
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup water (optional)
Directions
- Mix together all marinade ingredients from the soy sauce down to the garlic (including the water if using to help cover the meat).
- Pour marinade over the pork tenderloin in a fairly small container so the liquid covers the meat. Let it marinate in the fridge for 30 – 60 minutes (the longer the better although if you are really short on time 20 minutes will do the trick). If the marinade doesn’t fully cover the meat then flip the pork halfway through the marinating process.
- Heat up the grill to a medium-high temperature (we like to spray a little cooking oil first to prevent sticking).
- Grill the pork for about 10 – 15 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees F.
- Slice and serve warm with other Asian inspired dishes…enjoy!
Wednesday, 22 August 2012
This golden moment....
There are some moments while trying to be a parent to your precious gifts from God that just make things golden. That just make all of the tears, prayers, sweat, blood, sleepless nights, worry, doubt, frustration worth every single moment. Tonight I had one of those moments and it made my heart so happy! I thanked God for this moment, for this precious 5 year old boy. For taking those extra minutes when I was so tired and had so much left to do, but put it aside and cuddled and talked with my boy. I need to take more of those moments!
My boy shared his heart, his feelings, his fears, his dreams with me. Sometimes I take his age and intelligence level for granted. We talked about all sorts of wonderful things. We shared the gospel, we talked about Bible verses, we discussed the plans that God has for him, he shared his vision for preaching and building a church and for telling the people how much Jesus loves him. He told me the story of how Peter became a disciple and I was shocked. He knew more than I did. This boy of mine has such a passion and love for the Bible, for Jesus, for the world. I love his pure innocence, his faith, his desire for all people to know and love Jesus as much as he does. I love his love for God's word and his confidence to share what the Bible says. I learn so much from him and see so many of my faults and imperfections while talking to him and listening to him. It is truly humbling. I found myself confessing and seeking forgiveness for my sins, right there while lying in bed cuddling with my 5 year old.
Then I was choking back the tears. My boy told me how much he loved his family. How much he loved me, his daddy, his sister and his brother. He told me that his family was so precious and that when he was a grown man and a daddy he would still love his family. We talked about him being a Dad and all of the things he was going to teach to his kids and how it was most important to teach them about God and the Bible. He told me that he wants nine kids (I pray that the Lord is equipping a strong wife for him right now); 6 boys and 3 girls. He told me what a great Aunty his sister Genesis was going to be and that Uncle Jude would be a cool Uncle too. He then told me that I was going to be a really good grandmother to his kids. It was so sweet, so pure, so loving and I had to fight back the tears. These moments, these little conversations just melt my heart and make me realize how incredibly blessed I am.
This precious boy has been through a lot this past year. I am so thankful for his resilient, forgiving, loving nature. He had a rough school year where at one point he was in tears and didn't want to go back because he had no friends. My social butterfly who loves everyone, who talks to and can encourage anyone, was constantly being told that "on the friend scale of 0 to 10 he was zero"! For some strange reason the boys in his class had it in their heads that they were only allowed one friend per day and as he was the new kid in town and did not go to the same church as most, nor participated in the same hockey team, he was zero. There is nothing more heart wrenching as a parent to see the look of hurt, dejection and pain in your child's eyes. To see your child's spirit crushed and to watch him try and keep those tears from falling. We went to the teachers, John spoke with some of the kids, but right to the very last day of school he had to put up with being told that 'you are not my friend today' and watch as the kids refused to sit by him. You know, we as his parents handled it worse than he did. This little boy prayed every night for his 'so called' friends and thought that if he could just go to their place and arrange a play date they would be his friends.
We, however, witnessed him doing things that he would never do just to get attention. I watched as he would try all sorts of shenanigans to get kids to take notice of him and guess what, he usually landed himself in trouble. I never dreamt that I would have to deal with these issues in Kindergarten. That I would have to have talks with him about what true friendships are. That I would have to tell him that you can't force people to be your friends (I mean I deal with that, but he shouldn't have too). That I would have to sit him down and tell him to stop doing these things to get their attention. True friends will want to play with you, talk with you, pray for you, take time for you and not expect you to do silly things in order to take notice of you. The saving grace this past year, was his incredible teachers. They understood him, loved him, saw his unique enthusiastic character. They encouraged him and they just loved him. They saw how incredible his heart was, how much he loved Jesus and how much he loved his classmates. They also had talks with the class every single day about being friends with everyone, but it obviously did little.
We have moved and are consequently trying to find him a new school and really pray and figure out what is best for him. He has also had to endure a lot of tests recently and we are going through more to find out what is going on. Nothing serious (we hope), but none the less it will have an impact on his schooling and learning (somewhat). After my conversation with him tonight, I realized how important the heart is. I may stress and worry about how much he will learn, how fast he will learn, whether or not he will be at the top of his class, or the bottom, how academic he will be, whether or not the curriculum is too challenging or not challenging enough, how much time he is spending doing his printing, the constant battle to do some printing, that he can't count to 100 yet, that he is not reading yet, especially novels! I know that this little boy of mine will learn, and he will get through. I also know that I will continue to place more emphasis on developing, nurturing, protecting, and guiding his heart.
The Bible says that you can have all knowledge, faith, and prophetic powers, but if you don't have love, you have nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). The Bible also says that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart and then to love our neighbour as ourselves (Luke 10:27). Love God first and foremost! I think my boy is well on his way. I pray for his heart and I pray for good, solid, biblical wisdom, I pray for love. I don't care if he is the next Einstein, I care about where is heart is at!
My precious boy, my miracle, oh how you have taught me so much and have made this journey as a parent worth more than gold itself. I pray that we will share many more golden moments like tonight!
My boy shared his heart, his feelings, his fears, his dreams with me. Sometimes I take his age and intelligence level for granted. We talked about all sorts of wonderful things. We shared the gospel, we talked about Bible verses, we discussed the plans that God has for him, he shared his vision for preaching and building a church and for telling the people how much Jesus loves him. He told me the story of how Peter became a disciple and I was shocked. He knew more than I did. This boy of mine has such a passion and love for the Bible, for Jesus, for the world. I love his pure innocence, his faith, his desire for all people to know and love Jesus as much as he does. I love his love for God's word and his confidence to share what the Bible says. I learn so much from him and see so many of my faults and imperfections while talking to him and listening to him. It is truly humbling. I found myself confessing and seeking forgiveness for my sins, right there while lying in bed cuddling with my 5 year old.
Then I was choking back the tears. My boy told me how much he loved his family. How much he loved me, his daddy, his sister and his brother. He told me that his family was so precious and that when he was a grown man and a daddy he would still love his family. We talked about him being a Dad and all of the things he was going to teach to his kids and how it was most important to teach them about God and the Bible. He told me that he wants nine kids (I pray that the Lord is equipping a strong wife for him right now); 6 boys and 3 girls. He told me what a great Aunty his sister Genesis was going to be and that Uncle Jude would be a cool Uncle too. He then told me that I was going to be a really good grandmother to his kids. It was so sweet, so pure, so loving and I had to fight back the tears. These moments, these little conversations just melt my heart and make me realize how incredibly blessed I am.
This precious boy has been through a lot this past year. I am so thankful for his resilient, forgiving, loving nature. He had a rough school year where at one point he was in tears and didn't want to go back because he had no friends. My social butterfly who loves everyone, who talks to and can encourage anyone, was constantly being told that "on the friend scale of 0 to 10 he was zero"! For some strange reason the boys in his class had it in their heads that they were only allowed one friend per day and as he was the new kid in town and did not go to the same church as most, nor participated in the same hockey team, he was zero. There is nothing more heart wrenching as a parent to see the look of hurt, dejection and pain in your child's eyes. To see your child's spirit crushed and to watch him try and keep those tears from falling. We went to the teachers, John spoke with some of the kids, but right to the very last day of school he had to put up with being told that 'you are not my friend today' and watch as the kids refused to sit by him. You know, we as his parents handled it worse than he did. This little boy prayed every night for his 'so called' friends and thought that if he could just go to their place and arrange a play date they would be his friends.
We, however, witnessed him doing things that he would never do just to get attention. I watched as he would try all sorts of shenanigans to get kids to take notice of him and guess what, he usually landed himself in trouble. I never dreamt that I would have to deal with these issues in Kindergarten. That I would have to have talks with him about what true friendships are. That I would have to tell him that you can't force people to be your friends (I mean I deal with that, but he shouldn't have too). That I would have to sit him down and tell him to stop doing these things to get their attention. True friends will want to play with you, talk with you, pray for you, take time for you and not expect you to do silly things in order to take notice of you. The saving grace this past year, was his incredible teachers. They understood him, loved him, saw his unique enthusiastic character. They encouraged him and they just loved him. They saw how incredible his heart was, how much he loved Jesus and how much he loved his classmates. They also had talks with the class every single day about being friends with everyone, but it obviously did little.
We have moved and are consequently trying to find him a new school and really pray and figure out what is best for him. He has also had to endure a lot of tests recently and we are going through more to find out what is going on. Nothing serious (we hope), but none the less it will have an impact on his schooling and learning (somewhat). After my conversation with him tonight, I realized how important the heart is. I may stress and worry about how much he will learn, how fast he will learn, whether or not he will be at the top of his class, or the bottom, how academic he will be, whether or not the curriculum is too challenging or not challenging enough, how much time he is spending doing his printing, the constant battle to do some printing, that he can't count to 100 yet, that he is not reading yet, especially novels! I know that this little boy of mine will learn, and he will get through. I also know that I will continue to place more emphasis on developing, nurturing, protecting, and guiding his heart.
The Bible says that you can have all knowledge, faith, and prophetic powers, but if you don't have love, you have nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2). The Bible also says that the greatest commandment is to love God with all of our heart and then to love our neighbour as ourselves (Luke 10:27). Love God first and foremost! I think my boy is well on his way. I pray for his heart and I pray for good, solid, biblical wisdom, I pray for love. I don't care if he is the next Einstein, I care about where is heart is at!
My precious boy, my miracle, oh how you have taught me so much and have made this journey as a parent worth more than gold itself. I pray that we will share many more golden moments like tonight!
Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Brave or Afraid?
We have poured everything into this Ministry and in three short weeks, we are without our Plan B. You see I am supposed to go back to work and my job is back in Regina. John has been asked to stay on, but this small amount he makes for a huge 12 hours a week, will not pay our bills. This Ministry is not a part time Ministry. Full time is putting it mildly. It is not a job where he can work 9 to 5 and just leave everything at work. Oh, but the experience he is getting is second to none. He has had to deal with more things in these past few months than most have to deal with in 20 years. Still, it is hard, so very hard. I am a Planner and I don't have a plan. Our plan is to simply let God be in control and it is the hardest, biggest leap of faith we have taken yet.
One day as I was crying out to God, I read this quote from one of my favourite bloggers over here. I think she sums it up beautifully!
"But bravery is sometimes being the only one who knows you’re scared to death and acknowledging just how much you need God."
One day as I was crying out to God, I read this quote from one of my favourite bloggers over here. I think she sums it up beautifully!
"But bravery is sometimes being the only one who knows you’re scared to death and acknowledging just how much you need God."
Saturday, 18 August 2012
And the award for worst blogger and mother goes to
ME!
I am so behind! I haven't even done a post for Jude's 10 month update (nor the picture), let alone the 11 month update. He will be a year old in a couple of weeks! I haven't done one scrapbook page for him, not one. Not even a digital one! Ahhh! Oh yes, and the pictures of this little monkey are almost non-existant in comparison to the other two. Something I was determined to NOT let happen!
This blog, I love my blog, it's my outlet sometimes, it's my record, it's a way of keeping my family and friends updated as to the 'goings on' in the Gooch household (whether or not they care), but I just can't keep up. I still have so many posts in the 'draft' status. Pathetic. Things are not slowing down either. I have to go back to work here soon and that means I have to get everything else in my life organized. Not to mention the fact that I have a boy starting Grade one and I haven't decided what school to put him in yet.
None the less I will leave you with a joke from my three year old. She is quite the comedian (I say she has her Daddy's sense of humour--ha!)
Gigi - Daddy, do you want to hear my joke?
Daddy - Sure, let me hear it.
Gigi - 16, 14 (laughs hysterically)
Daddy - 16, 14? That's your joke?
Gigi - Yeah 16, 14 (laughs some more)
So there you have it, the joke of the day......16, 14!!!
Oh and apparently, we are no longer allowed to say "Winnie the Pooh" because it's a potty word! (Man she is a smart little cookie!) ;o)
I am so behind! I haven't even done a post for Jude's 10 month update (nor the picture), let alone the 11 month update. He will be a year old in a couple of weeks! I haven't done one scrapbook page for him, not one. Not even a digital one! Ahhh! Oh yes, and the pictures of this little monkey are almost non-existant in comparison to the other two. Something I was determined to NOT let happen!
This blog, I love my blog, it's my outlet sometimes, it's my record, it's a way of keeping my family and friends updated as to the 'goings on' in the Gooch household (whether or not they care), but I just can't keep up. I still have so many posts in the 'draft' status. Pathetic. Things are not slowing down either. I have to go back to work here soon and that means I have to get everything else in my life organized. Not to mention the fact that I have a boy starting Grade one and I haven't decided what school to put him in yet.
None the less I will leave you with a joke from my three year old. She is quite the comedian (I say she has her Daddy's sense of humour--ha!)
Gigi - Daddy, do you want to hear my joke?
Daddy - Sure, let me hear it.
Gigi - 16, 14 (laughs hysterically)
Daddy - 16, 14? That's your joke?
Gigi - Yeah 16, 14 (laughs some more)
So there you have it, the joke of the day......16, 14!!!
Oh and apparently, we are no longer allowed to say "Winnie the Pooh" because it's a potty word! (Man she is a smart little cookie!) ;o)
Friday, 10 August 2012
God Knows EVERYTHING
We have made some huge decisions in our life recently. We have prayed, we have sought His voice, His will, we have talked about it into the wee hours of the night when we desperately need the sleep, but just can't. We continue to pray about it and we strive to push on, push forward. Those that know our hearts and know us well, offer words of advice, encouragement and prayer, oh how we need prayer. Those that know us, know our desire to live for God and for God alone. We don't really care what others may say, think or do, we have seen it and been through it all and God has carried us through. What I have discovered, is that when we believe in a big God, a God who can do anything, a God who loves us so much, a God that has so much mercy and grace bestowed on us when we don't deserve it, we will see God work in the most incredible, miraculous ways.
We know that God wants us here, in this Ministry. We have said "Yes", but we are so scared! We are stepping out in a huge, massive, leap of faith like we have never done before. This time there is no Plan B. We are not afraid to go where we believe that God wants us, heck we have moved half way around the world because we knew that He wanted us there. Even when we 'failed', we learned, we grew, we persevered. So did we really fail? I know that I am richer in so many ways because of every journey we have been on. When I am tired and am listening to the voices of the world, they tell me different. They tell me how much we really have 'failed'. Then I read this beautiful, touching and extremely timely post from Ann Voskamp.
"We are saying yes – to whatever we are breathing after.
What do I breathe after? Some kind of success? Some kind of status? Some kind of Pinterest loveliness?"
"As long as we are breathing – our lives are meant to say Yes to God."
This one hit me most
"You can trust the goodness of God and who He is...... You can say Yes"
You see it has been a real rough year, but one that we again learned so much in. I did not want to say 'yes'. In fact I have been begging to be taken out of Ministry. I can't do this, I can't handle it, it is too hard. However, every time I sat down and prayed about this I got these verses, these blog posts, oh so many ways God placed it on my heart and on John's heart and we knew we had to say 'yes'.
We are not in Ministry to 'get rich', we are not in this Ministry to get a plaque of recognition or to be famous. We are not in this Ministry to get our status bar raised in society. We are simply here because God has placed this incredible burden on our hearts and because we care more about 'souls'.
It has taken me a long time to understand and get that I can trust God and that He really does know my heart, our hearts and that if we are willing to say 'Yes', He is FOR US. I can say Yes and He will be right there with me, with us. He really does know Everything! Keep us in prayer as we continue to say 'Yes'.
We know that God wants us here, in this Ministry. We have said "Yes", but we are so scared! We are stepping out in a huge, massive, leap of faith like we have never done before. This time there is no Plan B. We are not afraid to go where we believe that God wants us, heck we have moved half way around the world because we knew that He wanted us there. Even when we 'failed', we learned, we grew, we persevered. So did we really fail? I know that I am richer in so many ways because of every journey we have been on. When I am tired and am listening to the voices of the world, they tell me different. They tell me how much we really have 'failed'. Then I read this beautiful, touching and extremely timely post from Ann Voskamp.
"We are saying yes – to whatever we are breathing after.
What do I breathe after? Some kind of success? Some kind of status? Some kind of Pinterest loveliness?"
"As long as we are breathing – our lives are meant to say Yes to God."
This one hit me most
"You can trust the goodness of God and who He is...... You can say Yes"
You see it has been a real rough year, but one that we again learned so much in. I did not want to say 'yes'. In fact I have been begging to be taken out of Ministry. I can't do this, I can't handle it, it is too hard. However, every time I sat down and prayed about this I got these verses, these blog posts, oh so many ways God placed it on my heart and on John's heart and we knew we had to say 'yes'.
We are not in Ministry to 'get rich', we are not in this Ministry to get a plaque of recognition or to be famous. We are not in this Ministry to get our status bar raised in society. We are simply here because God has placed this incredible burden on our hearts and because we care more about 'souls'.
It has taken me a long time to understand and get that I can trust God and that He really does know my heart, our hearts and that if we are willing to say 'Yes', He is FOR US. I can say Yes and He will be right there with me, with us. He really does know Everything! Keep us in prayer as we continue to say 'Yes'.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
Terrible 3's?
Before I became a parent, it seemed that every parent or parenting type show, magazine, blog, etc. always talked about the Terrible two's. So naturally being a new parent with my first extremely active, little boy, I was a bit scared to approach the two year old era. I remember Zech turning two and I was thinking, is it really going to get worse.
It is not that he was a 'bad' kid, he was so extremely active, curious, inquisitive, talkative. We really have to be on him ALL OF THE TIME! You give an inch to this kid and he takes a mile, running full speed ahead. So imagine my shock when someone told me.....oh no sweetie (which really meant you naieve, inexperienced, newbie) it is actually the trying two's and the terrible three's! All I thought at that point was 'What I have another year to wait for the terribleness'! I must say that they were right, the three's were definitely harder than the two's.
Next, enter my darling daughter. She is pretty easy going, loves to please, most people think that she is the cutest thing ever---angelic they have said. Oh yes, while she may have the appearance of an angelic little being, she is not to be underestimated.
My friend had to watch her and Jude for a couple of hours. It was so funny to hear her comments about how my Gigi and her Stella (who is 4) played. She said that while Gigi seems so shy and passive, perhaps angelic, she has this strong-willed, stubbourness to her and she gave her Stella (who is a leader) a run for her money. I laughed and thought finally someone who understands and sees all sides of my beautiful little girl.
So yes the terrible three's are upon us. They came in right when she turned 3 on June 5th. I think a couple of weeks ago, we had the ultimate terrible 3 day. I kind of had to stand back and take a few deep breaths to compose myself. The thoughts at that point were to offer her for sale, ok, just a loan for a year or two......until the terribleness is over! Ha.
Do you want to hear about my day with my 3 year old? Nah, probably not, but I will tell you anyway.....so that one day I can show this to her and say 'see' this is what you were like. Perhaps when she has kids and is going through the EXACT SAME PHASE. I do love her to bits and pieces and looking back we can only laugh, but going through it.....I was fuming.
We got up earlier than normal it seemed, she wonders into my bedroom and is hungry. Desperately hungry! This kid could eat 5 breakfasts and then nothing else for the rest of the day (they say that breakfast is the most important meal....right?). She eats and then runs upstairs to 'wash' her hands. She is gone an awful long time...so I go up to find out what she is doing. I come in and see that her hair is a mess. She has ripped the pretty little pony that I gave her out and it is everywhere. I them look in the garbage and find long strands of HER hair. I ask her....and do you know what she says?
"Oh mom, I was just brushing my hair."
I question her further and she gets animated and gives me a demonstration of how she was brushing her hair. She is such a great little actress already.
I beleived her as I scanned her hair for missing chunks, but couldn't find any. She also has a tonne of hair.
She begs me for snacks and more breakfasts, but if I give in she won't eat lunch. She then finds her nailpolish and asks if we can paint nails. I told her not right now, but after lunch we could paint princess nails. She throws a fit and demands that we do it now. It is one of those 'No I want to do it now' tones and she has this growl that goes with it. I send her to her room.
I then tell her to come down after about 5 minutes which gave her plenty of time to think about her sassyness and that tone that she used---it won't fly with me. She comes down and holds up her nails and says with a big proud grin "look mom, I painted my nails".
Oh she painted them alright, I mean all of her fingertips were bright red. I had this mortified look and all I could think of is 'where' did she paint them and where am I going to find the rest of the nailpolish. I sprint up the stairs (I was quite impressed with how fast I took them.... two at a time). I locate the bottle and I search. To my relief, there was only a tiny drop that fell on top of her teapot. Yup, the carpet was ok. I then lectured her, tried to wash her finger tips and told her she was no longer allowed nail polish. You disobey me, there are consequences (this speach must have sunk into their heads by now).
She then bit her brother (her oldest one and sometimes I don't blame her as he puts her through the ringer...but this time it was completely uncalled for and it was right on the cheek). By the end of the day I was so ready for her to just go to bed.
I washed her hair and was combing it as we were getting ready for bed. Guess what I discovered? She now had bangs. At first I was wondering how come she had so many baby hairs and then it dawned on me. She did cut her hair. So I asked her again.....and I found and held up the scissors. She finally admitted it, but so casually and with this tone of well of course mom I cut my hair, like what three year old doesn't cut their own hair. Then there were lectures.......about lying, cutting hair and about lying. I was livid.
I am just letting those bangs grow in.....I must say that she didn't do a bad job (she will read this when she is older so she doesn't get any ideas in the ripe young age). I may have to fix them a little bit. She is quite the little sass pot. While this is a super trying age, it is also a really cute age. She is so talkative, animated, and loving. I especially love hearing her prayers at night.....they are so stinkin cute. Sometimes the way she gets angry and tries to 'tell us' is absolutely hilarious. A couple of times we go to give her heck for speaking to us that way, but have to turn away as we are busting a gut. It was just so funny.
Ahhh the terrible three's........
It is not that he was a 'bad' kid, he was so extremely active, curious, inquisitive, talkative. We really have to be on him ALL OF THE TIME! You give an inch to this kid and he takes a mile, running full speed ahead. So imagine my shock when someone told me.....oh no sweetie (which really meant you naieve, inexperienced, newbie) it is actually the trying two's and the terrible three's! All I thought at that point was 'What I have another year to wait for the terribleness'! I must say that they were right, the three's were definitely harder than the two's.
Next, enter my darling daughter. She is pretty easy going, loves to please, most people think that she is the cutest thing ever---angelic they have said. Oh yes, while she may have the appearance of an angelic little being, she is not to be underestimated.
My friend had to watch her and Jude for a couple of hours. It was so funny to hear her comments about how my Gigi and her Stella (who is 4) played. She said that while Gigi seems so shy and passive, perhaps angelic, she has this strong-willed, stubbourness to her and she gave her Stella (who is a leader) a run for her money. I laughed and thought finally someone who understands and sees all sides of my beautiful little girl.
So yes the terrible three's are upon us. They came in right when she turned 3 on June 5th. I think a couple of weeks ago, we had the ultimate terrible 3 day. I kind of had to stand back and take a few deep breaths to compose myself. The thoughts at that point were to offer her for sale, ok, just a loan for a year or two......until the terribleness is over! Ha.
Do you want to hear about my day with my 3 year old? Nah, probably not, but I will tell you anyway.....so that one day I can show this to her and say 'see' this is what you were like. Perhaps when she has kids and is going through the EXACT SAME PHASE. I do love her to bits and pieces and looking back we can only laugh, but going through it.....I was fuming.
We got up earlier than normal it seemed, she wonders into my bedroom and is hungry. Desperately hungry! This kid could eat 5 breakfasts and then nothing else for the rest of the day (they say that breakfast is the most important meal....right?). She eats and then runs upstairs to 'wash' her hands. She is gone an awful long time...so I go up to find out what she is doing. I come in and see that her hair is a mess. She has ripped the pretty little pony that I gave her out and it is everywhere. I them look in the garbage and find long strands of HER hair. I ask her....and do you know what she says?
"Oh mom, I was just brushing my hair."
I question her further and she gets animated and gives me a demonstration of how she was brushing her hair. She is such a great little actress already.
I beleived her as I scanned her hair for missing chunks, but couldn't find any. She also has a tonne of hair.
She begs me for snacks and more breakfasts, but if I give in she won't eat lunch. She then finds her nailpolish and asks if we can paint nails. I told her not right now, but after lunch we could paint princess nails. She throws a fit and demands that we do it now. It is one of those 'No I want to do it now' tones and she has this growl that goes with it. I send her to her room.
I then tell her to come down after about 5 minutes which gave her plenty of time to think about her sassyness and that tone that she used---it won't fly with me. She comes down and holds up her nails and says with a big proud grin "look mom, I painted my nails".
Oh she painted them alright, I mean all of her fingertips were bright red. I had this mortified look and all I could think of is 'where' did she paint them and where am I going to find the rest of the nailpolish. I sprint up the stairs (I was quite impressed with how fast I took them.... two at a time). I locate the bottle and I search. To my relief, there was only a tiny drop that fell on top of her teapot. Yup, the carpet was ok. I then lectured her, tried to wash her finger tips and told her she was no longer allowed nail polish. You disobey me, there are consequences (this speach must have sunk into their heads by now).
She then bit her brother (her oldest one and sometimes I don't blame her as he puts her through the ringer...but this time it was completely uncalled for and it was right on the cheek). By the end of the day I was so ready for her to just go to bed.
I washed her hair and was combing it as we were getting ready for bed. Guess what I discovered? She now had bangs. At first I was wondering how come she had so many baby hairs and then it dawned on me. She did cut her hair. So I asked her again.....and I found and held up the scissors. She finally admitted it, but so casually and with this tone of well of course mom I cut my hair, like what three year old doesn't cut their own hair. Then there were lectures.......about lying, cutting hair and about lying. I was livid.
I am just letting those bangs grow in.....I must say that she didn't do a bad job (she will read this when she is older so she doesn't get any ideas in the ripe young age). I may have to fix them a little bit. She is quite the little sass pot. While this is a super trying age, it is also a really cute age. She is so talkative, animated, and loving. I especially love hearing her prayers at night.....they are so stinkin cute. Sometimes the way she gets angry and tries to 'tell us' is absolutely hilarious. A couple of times we go to give her heck for speaking to us that way, but have to turn away as we are busting a gut. It was just so funny.
Ahhh the terrible three's........
Tuesday, 31 July 2012
1000 Gifts
671. Happy birthday Canada!
672. Team Canada.
673. Free Carnival.
674. Taking a little drive and exploring new parts of this great country.
675. First day of VBS.
676. Learning new songs and actions.
677. Meeting with friends at the park.
678. My wonderful hubby who brought us all cold drinks on this hot day!
679. Surviving another Zumba class.
680. 5 minutes in the van by myself.
681. Seeing how excited they are to go to VBS.
682. Celebrating 33 years and reflecting on how good God has been.
683. Birthday breakfast with a wonderful friend.
684. Sushi and a birthday cake.
685. My always thoughtful hubby!
686. An informative meeting.
687. Seeing him make it through dentist and doctor appointments.
688. VV boutique and coupons.
689. New direction for a ministry.
690. Watching them sing and perform all the new songs they learned in VBS.
691. Doing a special craft with them.
692. Girls who love to watch and hold my baby.
693. Hotdogs.
694. Cleaning a house that desperately needed to be cleaned.
695. Our first date night without the kids in at least a couple of years.
696. Yummy Thai food with my amazing husband.
697. An amazing walk in an amazing park with breathtaking views.
698. Praying at this amazing spot with my hubby.
699. Dessert.
700. Brown bags, imaginations, dinosaur hunts.
701. Swinging in the park--the simple things.
702. Little helpers in the kitchen.
703. Water tubs and balloons.
704. Cloud dough.
705. Stuffing gopher holes.
706. Seeing them run crazy on the acreage.
707. Celebrations and meeting new people.
708. Incredible views.
709. Live Jazz bands.
710. Sleeping in.
711. Time with just my baby and I.
712. A friend's birthday party.
713. Seeing how awesome our kids get along and play together.
714. Getting Ministerial perspective from a PW who has been in the field for about 25 years.
715. Feeling encouraged.
716. Knowing that people are supportive and are praying for us.
717. Supportive boss.
718. Excellent options for employment leaves.
719. Getting away.
720. Relaxing at Cascade Ponds.
721. Picnic lunches.
722. Stopping at the candy store.
723. Memories of my childhood (Mojo's--anyone remember them--the candy thrown at the parades?).
724. A new splash park on an extremely hot day.
725. Seeing how much they love the water.
726. Completing yet another application.
727. A car ministry.
728. Funny videos.
729. My husbands heart for the Youth.
730. Water wars and hearing all about it.
731. My little family.
732. Going out for lunch.
733. Driving to check out more new places to live (it's nice to have that option).
734. Finalizing, scanning and signing the paperwork for my leave (eeekkk)!
735. Trusting that God will provide for us.
736. Reflecting on all that He has already done for us.
737. A clear sign from God that it was not the house for us.
738. A playdate with friends we have not seen in a very long time.
739. Catching up.
740. More tests and answers for my boy.
741. Hanging with friends.
742. Looking at yet another place with a massive yard.
743. That I can administer my kids vaccination protection myself.
744. Homeopathic options.
745. Viewing yet another place that was identical to one we used to live in and meeting the landlord who seems 'normal'.
746. Visiting with the Lee family.
747. Watching cousins cuddle in bed.
748. Viewing more places and finally hearing an answer from a place that we had applied on.
749. His 1st preaching assignment.
750. Hearing how it went.
751. Seeing God work on people's hearts.
752. Connections and him being asked to preach at other churches and clubs.
753. An afternoon with friends.
754. Friends who are helping us look for a place to live.
755. Being short-listed for a job I had applied on.
756. Finding a place that we really liked that has more than we ever hoped for.
757. Being offered two places to live (we actually have options and decisions to make).
758. Getting the place we really wanted.
759. Booking the moving truck and actually getting one for the day that we need it.
760. Time to study for an exam.
761. Meeting with good friends.
762. Sad that they will be leaving soon!
763. Feelign so blessed that God brought this wonderful friend into my life.
764. My hubby who takes all of the kids to the mall.
765. Writing my exam, even if I think I bombed it.
766. Packing.
767. Urgent Care
768. A hubby to talk with when I feel like I just can't go on, like life is just too much (he always gives me perspective).
769. Knowign that with God, I will get through this.
770. Chatting with a good friend on the phone.
771. Picking up the keys for our new place.
772. Visiting and getting to know our new landlords while our kids played together.
773. Knowing that this was totally, 100% God and hearing their amazement too on how everything worked out.
774. Lovign our new place, the space and the location--God is sooo good.
775. Getting the moving truck.
776. Packing it up and a friends to help my hubby.
777. Unpacking and organizing.
778. Kids running around life crazy, screaming and yelling and not having to worry about 'someone' below us.
779. Sleeping in our new place.
780. My hubby preaching again.
781. Him packing and movign more things.
782. Walking and exploring our new neighbourhood and parks.
783. Supper at our friends place.
784. My hubby who always, always works so hard to get us moved, packed, unpacked and never fusses or stresses about it (so unlike me).
785. A wonderful, loving, amazing God who always gets us through.
786. Getting our full damage deposit back without a hassle.
787. Sweet justice and seeing the realization on our old landlord's face on how wrong she was.
788. Saying goodbyes to neighbours, and knowing that we need to pray a lot for him.
789. A fresh start in a new place, new community that we really love.
790. A sense of peace and security--our safe place.
672. Team Canada.
673. Free Carnival.
674. Taking a little drive and exploring new parts of this great country.
675. First day of VBS.
676. Learning new songs and actions.
677. Meeting with friends at the park.
678. My wonderful hubby who brought us all cold drinks on this hot day!
679. Surviving another Zumba class.
680. 5 minutes in the van by myself.
681. Seeing how excited they are to go to VBS.
682. Celebrating 33 years and reflecting on how good God has been.
683. Birthday breakfast with a wonderful friend.
684. Sushi and a birthday cake.
685. My always thoughtful hubby!
686. An informative meeting.
687. Seeing him make it through dentist and doctor appointments.
688. VV boutique and coupons.
689. New direction for a ministry.
690. Watching them sing and perform all the new songs they learned in VBS.
691. Doing a special craft with them.
692. Girls who love to watch and hold my baby.
693. Hotdogs.
694. Cleaning a house that desperately needed to be cleaned.
695. Our first date night without the kids in at least a couple of years.
696. Yummy Thai food with my amazing husband.
697. An amazing walk in an amazing park with breathtaking views.
698. Praying at this amazing spot with my hubby.
699. Dessert.
700. Brown bags, imaginations, dinosaur hunts.
701. Swinging in the park--the simple things.
702. Little helpers in the kitchen.
703. Water tubs and balloons.
704. Cloud dough.
705. Stuffing gopher holes.
706. Seeing them run crazy on the acreage.
707. Celebrations and meeting new people.
708. Incredible views.
709. Live Jazz bands.
710. Sleeping in.
711. Time with just my baby and I.
712. A friend's birthday party.
713. Seeing how awesome our kids get along and play together.
714. Getting Ministerial perspective from a PW who has been in the field for about 25 years.
715. Feeling encouraged.
716. Knowing that people are supportive and are praying for us.
717. Supportive boss.
718. Excellent options for employment leaves.
719. Getting away.
720. Relaxing at Cascade Ponds.
721. Picnic lunches.
722. Stopping at the candy store.
723. Memories of my childhood (Mojo's--anyone remember them--the candy thrown at the parades?).
724. A new splash park on an extremely hot day.
725. Seeing how much they love the water.
726. Completing yet another application.
727. A car ministry.
728. Funny videos.
729. My husbands heart for the Youth.
730. Water wars and hearing all about it.
731. My little family.
732. Going out for lunch.
733. Driving to check out more new places to live (it's nice to have that option).
734. Finalizing, scanning and signing the paperwork for my leave (eeekkk)!
735. Trusting that God will provide for us.
736. Reflecting on all that He has already done for us.
737. A clear sign from God that it was not the house for us.
738. A playdate with friends we have not seen in a very long time.
739. Catching up.
740. More tests and answers for my boy.
741. Hanging with friends.
742. Looking at yet another place with a massive yard.
743. That I can administer my kids vaccination protection myself.
744. Homeopathic options.
745. Viewing yet another place that was identical to one we used to live in and meeting the landlord who seems 'normal'.
746. Visiting with the Lee family.
747. Watching cousins cuddle in bed.
748. Viewing more places and finally hearing an answer from a place that we had applied on.
749. His 1st preaching assignment.
750. Hearing how it went.
751. Seeing God work on people's hearts.
752. Connections and him being asked to preach at other churches and clubs.
753. An afternoon with friends.
754. Friends who are helping us look for a place to live.
755. Being short-listed for a job I had applied on.
756. Finding a place that we really liked that has more than we ever hoped for.
757. Being offered two places to live (we actually have options and decisions to make).
758. Getting the place we really wanted.
759. Booking the moving truck and actually getting one for the day that we need it.
760. Time to study for an exam.
761. Meeting with good friends.
762. Sad that they will be leaving soon!
763. Feelign so blessed that God brought this wonderful friend into my life.
764. My hubby who takes all of the kids to the mall.
765. Writing my exam, even if I think I bombed it.
766. Packing.
767. Urgent Care
768. A hubby to talk with when I feel like I just can't go on, like life is just too much (he always gives me perspective).
769. Knowign that with God, I will get through this.
770. Chatting with a good friend on the phone.
771. Picking up the keys for our new place.
772. Visiting and getting to know our new landlords while our kids played together.
773. Knowing that this was totally, 100% God and hearing their amazement too on how everything worked out.
774. Lovign our new place, the space and the location--God is sooo good.
775. Getting the moving truck.
776. Packing it up and a friends to help my hubby.
777. Unpacking and organizing.
778. Kids running around life crazy, screaming and yelling and not having to worry about 'someone' below us.
779. Sleeping in our new place.
780. My hubby preaching again.
781. Him packing and movign more things.
782. Walking and exploring our new neighbourhood and parks.
783. Supper at our friends place.
784. My hubby who always, always works so hard to get us moved, packed, unpacked and never fusses or stresses about it (so unlike me).
785. A wonderful, loving, amazing God who always gets us through.
786. Getting our full damage deposit back without a hassle.
787. Sweet justice and seeing the realization on our old landlord's face on how wrong she was.
788. Saying goodbyes to neighbours, and knowing that we need to pray a lot for him.
789. A fresh start in a new place, new community that we really love.
790. A sense of peace and security--our safe place.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
Who are you keeping company with?
What would the world look like if Christians didn’t care about
keeping up with the Joneses but about keeping company with Christ? -Ann Voskamp
I read these words and they hit me hard. I can't hold back the tears. Why am I so concerned at what 'people' think about us, about our calling, about the way we choose to live our lives, about the fact that we don't have a 'house' of our own, that we are the lowly 'renters', that I spend more money lately shopping at second hand shops to clothe my kids, that I have made a pledge to my husband that we will not buy another piece of new furniture (only used or second hand--because we live in such a throw away society).
I have been pouting over finding the perfect place, over how certain things look, or don't look, how big it is, how big the yard is, will we have enough room to be 'comfortable'. Yet there are millions of people who call a mere 'box' their home. What is wrong with me?
You see I have worried more about what others are doing and keeping up with the Joneses and I have failed to keep company with my Christ, the one and only, who truly loves, accepts, and desires to know me for just plain old me. He doesn't care about these ridiculous things that I stress and worry about for nothing, he just wants a piece of me, of my day and I am too caught up with other meaningless, trivial 'things'!
Shame on me! If I could just draw closer to Him, sit down and have a nice, relaxing conversation with Him whom I love so much, but yet fail to show it with my actions, or with the way I spend my hours. I am convicted and I lose it and beg for forgiveness.....now I just need to
show Him and remember who the best company truly is. I need to not let these be empty words....or the words of the hypocrite that I am.
I read these words and they hit me hard. I can't hold back the tears. Why am I so concerned at what 'people' think about us, about our calling, about the way we choose to live our lives, about the fact that we don't have a 'house' of our own, that we are the lowly 'renters', that I spend more money lately shopping at second hand shops to clothe my kids, that I have made a pledge to my husband that we will not buy another piece of new furniture (only used or second hand--because we live in such a throw away society).
I have been pouting over finding the perfect place, over how certain things look, or don't look, how big it is, how big the yard is, will we have enough room to be 'comfortable'. Yet there are millions of people who call a mere 'box' their home. What is wrong with me?
You see I have worried more about what others are doing and keeping up with the Joneses and I have failed to keep company with my Christ, the one and only, who truly loves, accepts, and desires to know me for just plain old me. He doesn't care about these ridiculous things that I stress and worry about for nothing, he just wants a piece of me, of my day and I am too caught up with other meaningless, trivial 'things'!
Shame on me! If I could just draw closer to Him, sit down and have a nice, relaxing conversation with Him whom I love so much, but yet fail to show it with my actions, or with the way I spend my hours. I am convicted and I lose it and beg for forgiveness.....now I just need to
show Him and remember who the best company truly is. I need to not let these be empty words....or the words of the hypocrite that I am.
Sunday, 1 July 2012
Spider Veins
Found an old post in my drafts that I had to share! Totally cracks me up! Thank goodness she has never asked about my 'spider veins' again! She is probably too terrified! Ha!
How do you explain what 'spider veins' are to a 2 year old? (yes--confession time, I have unsightly spider veins)
Genesis - Mom (pointing to my unsightly spider vein) do you have an 'owie'?
Me - No dear, that is just a Spider vein (said this so casually like she knew exactly what a spider vein was and is)
Genesis - (with a really concerned look on her face) Mom, a spider bit you?
Me - No, it's just a spider vein (wondering whether or not to give her a human anatomy lesson at this point)
Genesis - You mean a spider lives there? (she is trying to touch it now)
Me - No a spider doesn't live there. (now for the art of distraction as I have no idea how to explain what a spider vein is) Where is your new book, bring it here and I will read it to you.
Genesis - Ok, Mom.
She runs off to get her book and I breathe a sigh of relief. What a hilarious conversation, but I have to admit I felt quite self conscious talking to her about my Spider Veins and now I will let the whole world know that I have them. Ha!
How do you explain what 'spider veins' are to a 2 year old? (yes--confession time, I have unsightly spider veins)
Genesis - Mom (pointing to my unsightly spider vein) do you have an 'owie'?
Me - No dear, that is just a Spider vein (said this so casually like she knew exactly what a spider vein was and is)
Genesis - (with a really concerned look on her face) Mom, a spider bit you?
Me - No, it's just a spider vein (wondering whether or not to give her a human anatomy lesson at this point)
Genesis - You mean a spider lives there? (she is trying to touch it now)
Me - No a spider doesn't live there. (now for the art of distraction as I have no idea how to explain what a spider vein is) Where is your new book, bring it here and I will read it to you.
Genesis - Ok, Mom.
She runs off to get her book and I breathe a sigh of relief. What a hilarious conversation, but I have to admit I felt quite self conscious talking to her about my Spider Veins and now I will let the whole world know that I have them. Ha!
Saturday, 30 June 2012
1000 Gifts
567. Going to the park.
568. Seeing him get back at the Youth Center.
569. Knowing that God has stirred a passion in his heart.
570. The last swimming lesson.
571. Seeing how much she loves the water.
572. A babysitter who could watch Zech while we were swimming with the little two.
573. My kids doing chores and helping me clean.
574. Seeing and hearing Bill Hybels preach a great message.
575. A 'life verse' and thinking how I need one.
576. Vietnamese food.
577. A clean house.
578. Lunch with good friends.
579. Heading to the bouncy castles for 2 hours or running, screaming and jumping.
580. Feeling blessed to have hubby's who are so involved and playful with the kids!
581. Celebrating 3 years with our beautiful little girl.
582. The look on her face when she woke up to a bed decorated with balloons and streamers.
583. Her 1st hair package. She was supposed to have it washed, dried and cut and styled, bust she was a little scared so they just did the cut and style.
584. Princess sparkles, bling and curls.
585. The special treatment they gave her and the free cupcake ring she got to pick out for her birthday!
586. Picking out her b-day cupcakes.
587. Her special birthday supper---breakfast supper.
588. Her big brother praying for her and asking God to watch over her---ahh melt my heart!
589. Seeing her play with her presents.
590. Going for a nice long walk with just my girl and my baby.
591. Making it up the massive hill.
592. Surviving 4 hours of dentist appointments.
593. Compliments on how well behaved our kids were for those 4 hours.
594. Free toothbrushes, picks, toothpaste, toys, etc. from the dentist.
595. Hearing that I have no 'big' cavities, just some old ones that needed to be repaired (I was convinced I had massive cavities).
596. Finishing the final preparations for the party.
597. Seeing how excited she is for her party!
598. Having the party at 'The Garage'.
599. Setting up and knowing that we will have enough space.
600. Watching the kids go crazy.
601. Seeing her with her little 'girlies'.
602. Homemade ice-cream cake.
603. An ice cream bar with lots of yummy toppings.
604. Watching her open her presents.
605. Time with family.
606. Watching cousins play.
607. Bouncy castles.
608. A little fearless, 2 year old (Emmett) soaked from sweat.
609. Daddy taking the older two to Banff.
610. Sleeping in and cuddling with my baby.
611. Hearing about their time in Banff and how mych they love having 'special' days.
612. Watching my boy stand up for himself and for his team to some bullies at soccer.
613. His field trip to Dairy Queen.
614. Listening to him tell me how to make ice-cream.
615. That God hears and knows my every thought and will answer in the most timely ways.
616. John meeting up with an old friend and encouraging him and offering biblical wisdom to him (this friend leads a really rough life and needs a lot of prayer).
617. Seeing how God is using my hubby and all of his weaknesses.
618. More dentist appointments and knowing that we have coverage (for most of it).
619. Bubbles and playing outside.
620. Pulling my kids in their space ships.
621. Bouncy castles and new friends.
622. Feeling like I have known her my entire life.
623. My knight in shining armour who came to rescue me.
624. New silly games.
625. Trying to catch up on blogs and emails.
626. A safe trip and good driving weather.
627. My 15 year High School Reunion. Thanks to T and C for all the planning and preparations! You guys are awesome!
628. Seeing old friends, their spouses and meeting their kids.
629. Watching our kids play together and reminisching on old times.
630. Spending the night with my sister and her family.
631. An incredible father for my kidlets and knowing how lucky I am to have him.
632. An awesome breakfast---thanks Mel!
633. Seeing my Grandma (the last goodbye right before she passed--so, so grateful)!
634. A safe trip home.
635. My wonderful husband who gets Zech up every morning, gets him ready, feeds him and takes him to school (only 6 more days left).
636. Audiologists.
637. Xerion and the Acute care.
638. Idelweiss Village, their cheese, meat and marzipan iced cakes.
639. Soccer was cancelled, so a suprise Daddy/son movie date.
640. Two sick little ones finally getting some much needed sleep.
641. Hearing all about the movie from one excited little boy.
642. Hearing Daddy's take on the movie and how hilarious it was to see his boy laugh so hard (most people were laughing at Zech because of how hard and loud he was laughing).
643. Celebrating the life of my dear Grandmother, my last grandparent passed away and she has been such an incredible, important part of my life. I will miss her so much!
644. So very thankful for last visits and being able to say good-bye!
645. A beautiful, intimate funeral service.
646. Re-counting memories of my Granny.
647. hearing my cousin give an awesome Eulogy totally depicting my dear Granny and her many unique characteristics.
648. Getting back just in time for him to go to work.
649. The rain holding back enough to still play.
650. Watching him play his last two soccer games for the outdoor season.
651. The coaches who volunteer their time and skills.
652. The Family Center's open house.
653. Friends that come out to support us.
654. Supper with good friends and the time to catch up.
655. Kindergarten graduation.
656. Seeing how much care she invested thie year for each child.
657. Celebrating his 'enthusiasm'.
658. Sports day.
659. Hearing all about how fun one of his last days were.
660. School's out for Summer!!
661. A young girl accepting Jesus into her heart.
662. An amazing friend who watched our kids so that John could mentor this young girl.
663. Hearing how well he did getting his cavities filled.
664. Celebrating my nephews 2nd birthday.
665. Answers from some tests.
666. Jiggling and wiggling my way through my 1st Zumba class.
667. Exhausted kids falling into bed.
668. Family time at Elbow falls.
669. Racing with my kids, even though I looked ridiculous.
670. Relaxing around the lakes by Elbow Falls.
568. Seeing him get back at the Youth Center.
569. Knowing that God has stirred a passion in his heart.
570. The last swimming lesson.
571. Seeing how much she loves the water.
572. A babysitter who could watch Zech while we were swimming with the little two.
573. My kids doing chores and helping me clean.
574. Seeing and hearing Bill Hybels preach a great message.
575. A 'life verse' and thinking how I need one.
576. Vietnamese food.
577. A clean house.
578. Lunch with good friends.
579. Heading to the bouncy castles for 2 hours or running, screaming and jumping.
580. Feeling blessed to have hubby's who are so involved and playful with the kids!
581. Celebrating 3 years with our beautiful little girl.
582. The look on her face when she woke up to a bed decorated with balloons and streamers.
583. Her 1st hair package. She was supposed to have it washed, dried and cut and styled, bust she was a little scared so they just did the cut and style.
584. Princess sparkles, bling and curls.
585. The special treatment they gave her and the free cupcake ring she got to pick out for her birthday!
586. Picking out her b-day cupcakes.
587. Her special birthday supper---breakfast supper.
588. Her big brother praying for her and asking God to watch over her---ahh melt my heart!
589. Seeing her play with her presents.
590. Going for a nice long walk with just my girl and my baby.
591. Making it up the massive hill.
592. Surviving 4 hours of dentist appointments.
593. Compliments on how well behaved our kids were for those 4 hours.
594. Free toothbrushes, picks, toothpaste, toys, etc. from the dentist.
595. Hearing that I have no 'big' cavities, just some old ones that needed to be repaired (I was convinced I had massive cavities).
596. Finishing the final preparations for the party.
597. Seeing how excited she is for her party!
598. Having the party at 'The Garage'.
599. Setting up and knowing that we will have enough space.
600. Watching the kids go crazy.
601. Seeing her with her little 'girlies'.
602. Homemade ice-cream cake.
603. An ice cream bar with lots of yummy toppings.
604. Watching her open her presents.
605. Time with family.
606. Watching cousins play.
607. Bouncy castles.
608. A little fearless, 2 year old (Emmett) soaked from sweat.
609. Daddy taking the older two to Banff.
610. Sleeping in and cuddling with my baby.
611. Hearing about their time in Banff and how mych they love having 'special' days.
612. Watching my boy stand up for himself and for his team to some bullies at soccer.
613. His field trip to Dairy Queen.
614. Listening to him tell me how to make ice-cream.
615. That God hears and knows my every thought and will answer in the most timely ways.
616. John meeting up with an old friend and encouraging him and offering biblical wisdom to him (this friend leads a really rough life and needs a lot of prayer).
617. Seeing how God is using my hubby and all of his weaknesses.
618. More dentist appointments and knowing that we have coverage (for most of it).
619. Bubbles and playing outside.
620. Pulling my kids in their space ships.
621. Bouncy castles and new friends.
622. Feeling like I have known her my entire life.
623. My knight in shining armour who came to rescue me.
624. New silly games.
625. Trying to catch up on blogs and emails.
626. A safe trip and good driving weather.
627. My 15 year High School Reunion. Thanks to T and C for all the planning and preparations! You guys are awesome!
628. Seeing old friends, their spouses and meeting their kids.
629. Watching our kids play together and reminisching on old times.
630. Spending the night with my sister and her family.
631. An incredible father for my kidlets and knowing how lucky I am to have him.
632. An awesome breakfast---thanks Mel!
633. Seeing my Grandma (the last goodbye right before she passed--so, so grateful)!
634. A safe trip home.
635. My wonderful husband who gets Zech up every morning, gets him ready, feeds him and takes him to school (only 6 more days left).
636. Audiologists.
637. Xerion and the Acute care.
638. Idelweiss Village, their cheese, meat and marzipan iced cakes.
639. Soccer was cancelled, so a suprise Daddy/son movie date.
640. Two sick little ones finally getting some much needed sleep.
641. Hearing all about the movie from one excited little boy.
642. Hearing Daddy's take on the movie and how hilarious it was to see his boy laugh so hard (most people were laughing at Zech because of how hard and loud he was laughing).
643. Celebrating the life of my dear Grandmother, my last grandparent passed away and she has been such an incredible, important part of my life. I will miss her so much!
644. So very thankful for last visits and being able to say good-bye!
645. A beautiful, intimate funeral service.
646. Re-counting memories of my Granny.
647. hearing my cousin give an awesome Eulogy totally depicting my dear Granny and her many unique characteristics.
648. Getting back just in time for him to go to work.
649. The rain holding back enough to still play.
650. Watching him play his last two soccer games for the outdoor season.
651. The coaches who volunteer their time and skills.
652. The Family Center's open house.
653. Friends that come out to support us.
654. Supper with good friends and the time to catch up.
655. Kindergarten graduation.
656. Seeing how much care she invested thie year for each child.
657. Celebrating his 'enthusiasm'.
658. Sports day.
659. Hearing all about how fun one of his last days were.
660. School's out for Summer!!
661. A young girl accepting Jesus into her heart.
662. An amazing friend who watched our kids so that John could mentor this young girl.
663. Hearing how well he did getting his cavities filled.
664. Celebrating my nephews 2nd birthday.
665. Answers from some tests.
666. Jiggling and wiggling my way through my 1st Zumba class.
667. Exhausted kids falling into bed.
668. Family time at Elbow falls.
669. Racing with my kids, even though I looked ridiculous.
670. Relaxing around the lakes by Elbow Falls.
Friday, 15 June 2012
How do I title this....
It has been months since I sat down and tried to devote some time to this seriously neglected blog. I planned it all week.....Friday night will be the mad blog marathon night in which I catch up on a lot of blogs. I am not going to disclose how many 'blogs' are sitting in the draft box! :o) However, it is just now that I am sitting down. Kids won't sleep, they keep fighting over the silliest things, I threaten, I take toys away, I get angry, then my oldest is yelling so loud that I feel the blood begin to boil, as I just got the youngest down and he is not a heavy sleeper. Luckily he sleeps through the commotion. I walk into their room to see what is going on, and my oldest had puked. He is desperately trying to clean it up (bless his heart for trying, but it kind of made more work for me), so I just spent the last half hour cleaning up puke (you know why he puked----he was chewing on a dumb balloon and he made himself gag, so up came everything he had for supper). Yup, my Friday night blog night alright!
Ever since I started blogging I have 'blogger brain'. I am not sure if that is a real term or not, I think I made it up and maybe it's not even the right term. However, those who blog will get what I am saying (I hope---maybe I am mad)......you know the constant blog posts running through your head at sometimes the most random and inopportune times. Yup, I think I would have thousands upon thousands of posts if I only had the time to sit down and write out all of the posts that flow through my head. At the same time, I am glad that I haven't wrote some of these posts out as they would reflect emotions that I am not really proud of.
Hence the reason for a long, much needed break. The last few months have been a bizarre roller coaster ride of emotions. I, unfortunately have not handled it very well. In fact I have really went into hibernation mode and have not had the desire to be around anyone or anything. I have hit a wall of depression like I have never ever experienced before. I have cried a lot, I have yelled a lot, I have taken emotions out on my husband and my kids and I am so not proud of that. I have never felt so desperate, I have never been so angry, I have never felt the range of emotions that I have had these past few months. I am not going to go into the details, some are gory, breath taking, miraculous, horrendous, venomous......see a roller coaster! At one point we were instructed to take legal action, I wanted more than that. My husband has been the sane one, the solid rock, the one to remind me that God does see and knows everything, that God does vindicate.
I feel like I have had to do this so often since becoming a Christian, since devoting my life to Christ. Turn the other way and let Christ vindicate. So many horrible, hurtful accusations, lies, rejections, words, so many false assumptions, feelings of abandonment, of never belonging, of never being understood. Who do I trust? Who do I turn to? Who will understand me? Who will accept me and all of the mistakes I make? Who will love me no matter what? Who will see and hear and accept the burdens I have in my heart? Who will take this pain, sorrow, sadness from me? Who do I go to for help when I can't do it anymore? Who will give me peace, give me rest? Who will help me with the physical suffering, the mental anguish? Who will have mercy on me? I have the answer, I have had it all along, but I have been searching in the wrong places.
I realized something, and it took me to get to this broken, fallen, messy point in my life. God is enough. He knows everything I am going through, he knows my every thought, even when I try and 'hide' it from him. I don't need to 'fit in', I don't need to try to reconcile and restore relationships that have went south for the 100th time and be blamed continuously for them when I have tried everything and it isn't reciprocated. He knows the steps I have taken. I don't have to prove myself to people who will never see or accept the truth. I don't have to let the pain, and heart ache of being rejected for the way I desire to live my life fully for Him consume me. I am not alone in this. He loves me, He loves you, He created me, He created you and that has to be enough, that will be enough.
There have been these verses, that I have pondered for months now. I have read commentaries on them, I have read every single translation I could get my hands on, I have talked to my husband about them, I have yelled at God about it, I have begged him to leave me alone, I have tried to hide it, reject it, but He is relentless and He never gives up. For a week or so, it seemed that every time I went to the Bible, it was right there, I would go online to read scripture and guess which verses appeared. I would read blogs and here was the same portion of the Bible. You would not believe the people that He all of a sudden brought into our lives.
God of All Comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-11) ESV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a] 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[b] of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
So my God, is the God of all comfort, he knows all of our afflictions and he really truly has used these afflictions that we have had to endure to comfort others. It is not an easy road, it will never be. I have begged Him to take us out of Ministry as I haven't been able to handle it, I am not ready, I am not equipped, I am not good enough and I really haven't had a loving heart. However, he hasn't, he isn't and he won't. In fact, He has thrown us into it, into it like we have never been before and it is scary. He will work through our weaknesses, He will be there to comfort us. He is enough!
Ever since I started blogging I have 'blogger brain'. I am not sure if that is a real term or not, I think I made it up and maybe it's not even the right term. However, those who blog will get what I am saying (I hope---maybe I am mad)......you know the constant blog posts running through your head at sometimes the most random and inopportune times. Yup, I think I would have thousands upon thousands of posts if I only had the time to sit down and write out all of the posts that flow through my head. At the same time, I am glad that I haven't wrote some of these posts out as they would reflect emotions that I am not really proud of.
Hence the reason for a long, much needed break. The last few months have been a bizarre roller coaster ride of emotions. I, unfortunately have not handled it very well. In fact I have really went into hibernation mode and have not had the desire to be around anyone or anything. I have hit a wall of depression like I have never ever experienced before. I have cried a lot, I have yelled a lot, I have taken emotions out on my husband and my kids and I am so not proud of that. I have never felt so desperate, I have never been so angry, I have never felt the range of emotions that I have had these past few months. I am not going to go into the details, some are gory, breath taking, miraculous, horrendous, venomous......see a roller coaster! At one point we were instructed to take legal action, I wanted more than that. My husband has been the sane one, the solid rock, the one to remind me that God does see and knows everything, that God does vindicate.
I feel like I have had to do this so often since becoming a Christian, since devoting my life to Christ. Turn the other way and let Christ vindicate. So many horrible, hurtful accusations, lies, rejections, words, so many false assumptions, feelings of abandonment, of never belonging, of never being understood. Who do I trust? Who do I turn to? Who will understand me? Who will accept me and all of the mistakes I make? Who will love me no matter what? Who will see and hear and accept the burdens I have in my heart? Who will take this pain, sorrow, sadness from me? Who do I go to for help when I can't do it anymore? Who will give me peace, give me rest? Who will help me with the physical suffering, the mental anguish? Who will have mercy on me? I have the answer, I have had it all along, but I have been searching in the wrong places.
I realized something, and it took me to get to this broken, fallen, messy point in my life. God is enough. He knows everything I am going through, he knows my every thought, even when I try and 'hide' it from him. I don't need to 'fit in', I don't need to try to reconcile and restore relationships that have went south for the 100th time and be blamed continuously for them when I have tried everything and it isn't reciprocated. He knows the steps I have taken. I don't have to prove myself to people who will never see or accept the truth. I don't have to let the pain, and heart ache of being rejected for the way I desire to live my life fully for Him consume me. I am not alone in this. He loves me, He loves you, He created me, He created you and that has to be enough, that will be enough.
There have been these verses, that I have pondered for months now. I have read commentaries on them, I have read every single translation I could get my hands on, I have talked to my husband about them, I have yelled at God about it, I have begged him to leave me alone, I have tried to hide it, reject it, but He is relentless and He never gives up. For a week or so, it seemed that every time I went to the Bible, it was right there, I would go online to read scripture and guess which verses appeared. I would read blogs and here was the same portion of the Bible. You would not believe the people that He all of a sudden brought into our lives.
God of All Comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-11) ESV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a] 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers,[b] of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.
So my God, is the God of all comfort, he knows all of our afflictions and he really truly has used these afflictions that we have had to endure to comfort others. It is not an easy road, it will never be. I have begged Him to take us out of Ministry as I haven't been able to handle it, I am not ready, I am not equipped, I am not good enough and I really haven't had a loving heart. However, he hasn't, he isn't and he won't. In fact, He has thrown us into it, into it like we have never been before and it is scary. He will work through our weaknesses, He will be there to comfort us. He is enough!
Tuesday, 5 June 2012
Happy Birthday Princess Gigi!
I can not believe my Princess turned 3 years old today. We have been counting down this year for months it seems. She had her birthday planned for seriously a couple of months now. Every night during our cuddle time, the topic of discussion always revolved around 'birthdays'. I had to laugh because Zech always tries to convince her that she needs some type of 'army' theme thrown into hers, or perhaps some warriors, super hero's, and guns. She usually agrees, but sorry Zech there will not be any 'manly' things at this Princesses birthday!
We had a busy day. I decorated her room in streamers and three pink balloons last night. She got her new Dora computer first thing this morning and loved it. She then got to open the rest of her presents and was so cute. She just kept thanking us. She played and we then had a quick lunch and headed to Beaners. I booked a girly package for her. They were supposed to wash her hair, blow dry it, cut it and then style it with pretty curls and sparkles. She was a little terrified, so we didn't do the wash, or even the blow dry. She did get some fancy bling put in her hair, and loads of sparkles and of course princess curls. The lady who did her hair was awesome. She really made such a big deal about it being her birthday. After we were done, Daddy whistled (she always goes to daddy to show him how she looks) and she was pretty happy. I didn't know how much she liked it, she really seemed shy and quite scared. We then took her to the mall, had her pick out some cupcakes and did some shopping as she requested breakfast supper for her special birthday supper. Funny girl. She looked up at me and said "Mom, is my hair falling out?" and I said "yes because it is such a rainy, dreary day". She was quite upset about this and then told me that we needed to go back and get them to do it again. So that meant she liked it. I will post more about my girl and a letter soon.
We had a busy day. I decorated her room in streamers and three pink balloons last night. She got her new Dora computer first thing this morning and loved it. She then got to open the rest of her presents and was so cute. She just kept thanking us. She played and we then had a quick lunch and headed to Beaners. I booked a girly package for her. They were supposed to wash her hair, blow dry it, cut it and then style it with pretty curls and sparkles. She was a little terrified, so we didn't do the wash, or even the blow dry. She did get some fancy bling put in her hair, and loads of sparkles and of course princess curls. The lady who did her hair was awesome. She really made such a big deal about it being her birthday. After we were done, Daddy whistled (she always goes to daddy to show him how she looks) and she was pretty happy. I didn't know how much she liked it, she really seemed shy and quite scared. We then took her to the mall, had her pick out some cupcakes and did some shopping as she requested breakfast supper for her special birthday supper. Funny girl. She looked up at me and said "Mom, is my hair falling out?" and I said "yes because it is such a rainy, dreary day". She was quite upset about this and then told me that we needed to go back and get them to do it again. So that meant she liked it. I will post more about my girl and a letter soon.
Her new Mini Mouse Jumper
Her big brother was so excited for her birthday too! He told everyone at school, everyone at the mall, superstore and well anyone who would listen that it was his sister's birthday. The most precious part was just before I snapped this photo, he asked to pray for his sister. So he prayed for her and thanked God for her and her birthday and asked God to keep her safe. A proud parent moment for sure! Love these three and I love watching how much they love one another.
Princess hair and curls. Too bad you can't see all of the sparkles!
My girl on her third birthday!
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Jude at 9 months
I am trying to catch up and keep better records. I feel like, you being my last child, have been a little neglected in the recording of the milestones department, and yes even taking pictures. I have been quite slack. You have changed so much this past month.....
Jude at 9 months:
- weighs 20 lbs 11 oz.
- is 30 inches long.
- wears size 12 month clothing and some 12 - 18 month clothing too.
- is constantly on the go and still very much obsessed with going up the stairs (our gate isn't long enough, so we have to get a little creative----you always find the holes, or move things over so you can squeeze through)
- finally had two teeth pop through (while we were on holidays).
- now bite me during feeding all of the time and think it is funny.
- have been quite fussy with your eating lately--naturally so I guess!
- went on your first holiday and had so many firsts (camping, seeing the Enchanted Forest, seeing farm animals, the beach and the cold Okanogan lake, going to the States, seeing and feeling the ocean, the sand, touching star fish and other sea creatures, visiting cousins in Oregon, going to Aquariums)
- continues to pull yourself up on to anything and you will let go now--yikes.
- does the bear crawl a lot.
- loves to be around other children, especially your brother and sister.
- plays peek-a-boo.
- is still really happy and content. You have no problems playing and entertaining yourself. I forget that you are around sometimes.
- loves cuddles and snuggles.
- loves bath time, swimming and anything water related.
- is such a chatterbox.
- still gives the best kisses.
- moved to your own room now and you hate it!
- has about two naps.
- still not sleeping through the night....it's worst than ever I feel!
- loves to be outside and go for walks in the stroller.
- has an obsession with balls.
- still love your nummies!
Jude at 9 months:
- weighs 20 lbs 11 oz.
- is 30 inches long.
- wears size 12 month clothing and some 12 - 18 month clothing too.
- is constantly on the go and still very much obsessed with going up the stairs (our gate isn't long enough, so we have to get a little creative----you always find the holes, or move things over so you can squeeze through)
- finally had two teeth pop through (while we were on holidays).
- now bite me during feeding all of the time and think it is funny.
- have been quite fussy with your eating lately--naturally so I guess!
- went on your first holiday and had so many firsts (camping, seeing the Enchanted Forest, seeing farm animals, the beach and the cold Okanogan lake, going to the States, seeing and feeling the ocean, the sand, touching star fish and other sea creatures, visiting cousins in Oregon, going to Aquariums)
- continues to pull yourself up on to anything and you will let go now--yikes.
- does the bear crawl a lot.
- loves to be around other children, especially your brother and sister.
- plays peek-a-boo.
- is still really happy and content. You have no problems playing and entertaining yourself. I forget that you are around sometimes.
- loves cuddles and snuggles.
- loves bath time, swimming and anything water related.
- is such a chatterbox.
- still gives the best kisses.
- moved to your own room now and you hate it!
- has about two naps.
- still not sleeping through the night....it's worst than ever I feel!
- loves to be outside and go for walks in the stroller.
- has an obsession with balls.
- still love your nummies!
Thursday, 31 May 2012
1000 Gifts
533. Getting back into Canada quick and easy (with no lines).
534. Exploring Vancouver and the gorgeous weather we had!
535. Taking the kids to the Aquarium.
536. Finding a camp-site with a pool and hot tub!
537. Exploring and walking around downtown Vancouver--such a beautiful city, especially when the sun is out!
538. Playing silly racing games with my kids (while strangers were watching).
539. The beach.
540. Supper out at a restaurant and receiving compliments on how cute and well behaved my kids were. (they caught us on a good day--lol)
541. Spending the day in the area that my hubby was born.
542. Watching live, huge crabs being caught for supper and seeing how excited the kids were to see this.
543. Time in the pool and seeing how confident they are becoming.
544. Dinner with Mike, Liana and Lexi. Seeing their new place and watching how much my kids adored Lexi.
545. Finding a short cut home (which would have made the trip to their place sooo much easier)!
546. Fisherman's wharf.
547. Talking with a 'real' fisherman--definitely the highlight of Zech's day!
548. Crab poutine (oh my....to die for)!
549. Time at the beach, yet again!
550. Late night swim with daddy when they should have been sleeping (he surprised them and they were over the moon).
551. Packing up and getting things down in a timely manner.
552. Knowing that my kids enjoyed their vacation as they cried when we told them we were heading home.
553. Seeing 3 bears on our way home!
554. Arriving home safely.
555. Sleeping in.
556. Watching Zech at soccer for the 1st time.
557. Meeting a new friend (to me) - someone John knew from years ago at his Young Adults group in Kelowna and finding out that our boys are on the same soccer team and that our girls are close in age.
558. Reminiscing on all of the memories I have of my Dad and being thankful for the time I did have and these memories that will never be taken or forgotten.
559. Getting back into our routine.
560. Hearing how some of his friends missed him.
561. Getting to see our doctor in a timely manner.
562. Finishing all of my purchases for her birthday.
563. The excitement as we prepare and plan for the party.
564. Watching how hard he tries in soccer.
565. Volunteer coaches.
566. Cheering, encouraging and supportive parents.
Wednesday, 30 May 2012
1000 Gifts
479. Getting on the road for our first ever 'Gooch' camping trip!
480. Hearing and seeing how excited they are for the trip.
481. Fanny packs full of snacks.
482. New toys and books for the trip.
483. Celebrating all the moms and my Mom too!
484. A bouquet of dandelions and Happy Mother's Day wishes from 2 sweethearts.
485. The Enchanted Forest.
486. Staying at the Kuipers farm and enjoying the beautiful view.
487. Campfires.
488. Watching my boy be a 'farmer' and help plant the grapes.
489. The beach and nice, hot weather.
490. My favourite doughnuts---a treat for mother's day.
491. Good meals with good company.
492. Getting on the road again.
493. New sights along the way.
494. Taking the 'wrong' road and turning it into quite the adventure.
495. Getting through the border crossing and explaining to the officer 'why' we are at this border crossing!
496. Finding a hotel after surviving some pretty crazy, windy, mountain roads and passes.
497. Free breakfast!
498. A cheap tire at Walmart and a very handy husband.
499. Coastal highways.
500. Half way to one thousand! :o)
501. Arriving in Canon Beach, Oregon.
502. Setting up camp.
503. Goodwill deals (a heater/fan).
504. A trip to Costco and seeing how much cheaper it is in the States!
505. Watching the kids go nuts on the beach.
506. Heavenly seafood - thanks Norma Jean (a great, cheap restaurant in Seaside).
507. Finding and moving to a new campsite suited more towards kids (playground and pool).
508. Going to a new beach, exploring the rocks, building sand castles and taking naps.
509. Fun in the swimming pools.
510. Turning in early, after a long, fun day.
511. Hearing about how much fun they had during our cuddle time.
512. More beach time!
513. Seeing how awesome my hubby is at playing and interacting with our kids.
514. A rainy day drive.
515. Tillamook foot long jerky factory.
516. A last seafood supper at Norma Jeans.
517. A quick, easy drive to John's cousins place.
518. Beautiful views.
519. A wonderful lunch with wonderful company.
520. An afternoon/evening out for John and I (his cousin took our older two, so that we could go into town and enjoy some time to ourselves)
521. Just Jude and Mommy and Daddy.
522. An awesome Mexican meal at Chevy's.
523. That my kids listened!
524. A wonderful breakfast.
525. Wonderful conversations and hearing about the amazing things that God has done in their lives.
526. 19 years in the Mission field with the First Nations people here in Canada - a book to be put out soon (can't wait to read it--they have such a wealth of knowledge and Godly wisdom).
527. Feeling so incredibly blessed by John's cousins ---too blessed.
528. Driving back and getting through I-5 traffic.
529. A cheap, nice, huge, hotel (timeshare) booked by John's cousin for us to spend the night in.
530. Memories of a trip that my parents, sister and I took years ago to the exact same place.
531. Sleeping in a King sized bed again.
532. Watching these three and their make believe play.
533.
480. Hearing and seeing how excited they are for the trip.
481. Fanny packs full of snacks.
482. New toys and books for the trip.
483. Celebrating all the moms and my Mom too!
484. A bouquet of dandelions and Happy Mother's Day wishes from 2 sweethearts.
485. The Enchanted Forest.
487. Campfires.
488. Watching my boy be a 'farmer' and help plant the grapes.
489. The beach and nice, hot weather.
490. My favourite doughnuts---a treat for mother's day.
491. Good meals with good company.
492. Getting on the road again.
493. New sights along the way.
494. Taking the 'wrong' road and turning it into quite the adventure.
495. Getting through the border crossing and explaining to the officer 'why' we are at this border crossing!
496. Finding a hotel after surviving some pretty crazy, windy, mountain roads and passes.
497. Free breakfast!
498. A cheap tire at Walmart and a very handy husband.
499. Coastal highways.
500. Half way to one thousand! :o)
501. Arriving in Canon Beach, Oregon.
502. Setting up camp.
503. Goodwill deals (a heater/fan).
504. A trip to Costco and seeing how much cheaper it is in the States!
505. Watching the kids go nuts on the beach.
506. Heavenly seafood - thanks Norma Jean (a great, cheap restaurant in Seaside).
507. Finding and moving to a new campsite suited more towards kids (playground and pool).
508. Going to a new beach, exploring the rocks, building sand castles and taking naps.
509. Fun in the swimming pools.
510. Turning in early, after a long, fun day.
511. Hearing about how much fun they had during our cuddle time.
512. More beach time!
513. Seeing how awesome my hubby is at playing and interacting with our kids.
514. A rainy day drive.
515. Tillamook foot long jerky factory.
516. A last seafood supper at Norma Jeans.
517. A quick, easy drive to John's cousins place.
518. Beautiful views.
519. A wonderful lunch with wonderful company.
520. An afternoon/evening out for John and I (his cousin took our older two, so that we could go into town and enjoy some time to ourselves)
521. Just Jude and Mommy and Daddy.
522. An awesome Mexican meal at Chevy's.
523. That my kids listened!
524. A wonderful breakfast.
525. Wonderful conversations and hearing about the amazing things that God has done in their lives.
526. 19 years in the Mission field with the First Nations people here in Canada - a book to be put out soon (can't wait to read it--they have such a wealth of knowledge and Godly wisdom).
527. Feeling so incredibly blessed by John's cousins ---too blessed.
528. Driving back and getting through I-5 traffic.
529. A cheap, nice, huge, hotel (timeshare) booked by John's cousin for us to spend the night in.
530. Memories of a trip that my parents, sister and I took years ago to the exact same place.
531. Sleeping in a King sized bed again.
532. Watching these three and their make believe play.
533.
Friday, 4 May 2012
1000 Gifts
I have been counting in my wee little book that sits beside my bed. Even though these past few months have been so extremely challenging on so many levels, it is a break to just sit and count the simple things at the end of the day.
387. Her first swimming lesson and seeing how excited she was.
388. The Zoo and the perfect weather we had.
389. Watching how excited they were to be at the zoo with their good friends.
390. Hanging with our good friends too! Love Team B!
391. Playing outside and enjoying some beautiful weather.
392. First time on the trampoline for Jude and seeing the expression on his face.
393. Going for ice cream.
394. Listening to him read his 1st two books all on his own.
395. A chance to vote, even though I think the 'politics' in this election were beyond ridiculous. I can not believe the lies, scandals, fear mongering, and the fact that people won't look into it---pathetic.
396. Getting in two workouts.
397. A new dress for me.
398. Finding the perfect items for my girls birthday coming soon.
399. Volunteering at his school.
400. Listening to him as he is 'Star of the Day.'
401. Hearing his class pray and their prayer requests and feeling so incredibly blessed that they can all openly share their faith.
402. Watching him crawl everywhere and play so independently.
403. Cuddles with just Zech, Mom and Daddy and seeing how happy he was for some alone time.
404. Volunteering for his special 'Art' day.
405. Learning about "Monet".
406. Taching
407. Cochrane Christian School Grand Opening and giving all the glory to God.
408. Watching him sing his little heart out and do all of the actions.
409. Busy bags to keep her entertained throughout the speaches.
410. Getting a haircut (3 inches off).
411. Passport pictures completed.
412. Accountability partners, when I need them most!
413. Handing in our passport application.
414. Cuddles with my two boys!
415. Reading timely blog posts.
416. Swimming lessons for Jude and Gigi and seeing how much they love being in the water.
417. A wonderful babysitter for Zech and knowing that we can leave our kids with someone now.
418. Baby sales and getting shoes for a great price!
419. Running into a friend I haven't seen in a while at the Baby Sale.
420. Playing outside as a family on the trampoline.
421. Beautiful weather.
422. Knowing that God is in control and has us in the palm of his hand as we pray for a friend of ours who just found out he has a brain tumour and is waiting for more results.
423. Words of encouragement and knowing that others see and understand what we have been going through.
424. Having good friends over for supper.
425. New recipes that were a hit.
426. A new playground to let them run wild on.
427. a picnic in the mountians.
428. How God puts certain people in our lives at timely occasions.
429. Watching our kids run, play, scream, and laugh with their older kids.
430. Going for ice cream together.
431. Hearing our friends preach a good message and a timely one too.
432. Hearing our kids talk about how much fun they had and sharing how thankful they are for the fun day.
433. A hubby who gets up, gets him ready for school, takes him to school and lets me sleep in after a rough night.
434. This phase and trying to enjoy it, take in all He wants me to learn from it - even when it is so hard.
435. watching him explore everything with his new found freedom that he has crawling.
436. Hearing all about his first day at soccer adn seeing how excited he was.
437. Discussing our 'favourites'.
438. A new month.
439. Unexpected cheques.
440. Knowing that summer is just around the corner.
441. My 1st Zumba class.
442. Celebrating 8 months.
443. Watching him pull himself up and walk around the furniture for the first time today.
444. Getting errands done with my hubby helping me out.
445. New books for him to read.
446. Excitement over dandelions that remind me of how excited I was as a kid to see the 1st 'yellow flowers'.
447. Watching our friends boy and seeing how much fun they all have together.
448. making it through another eventful week.
449. Helping him prepare for 'Fear Factor' night (worms, crickets, cow tongue).
450. Hearing how successful it went (and wishing I could have been there to see it).
451. Hanging out with Daddy where he works and watching them go crazy over the worship music.
452. Another fun day at swimming lessons!
453. A new Farmers market and a beautiful bouquet of flowers--free.
454. The trade show and running into friends.
455. Exploring new roads - very scenic.
456. An early Mother's Day celebration (Korean BBQ)
457. letting all 3 explore the beaches at Lake Minnewanka.
458. Our little family picture.
459. A new to us tent trailer.
460. him scoring his 1st goal at soccer (and the funny story behind it).
461. A daddy that helps him and treats him afterwards.
462. Alone time and prayer time with Zech and hearing how much he loves soccer.
463. His excitement over the tent trailer.
464. Making plans and getting the kids input (Gigi asked if we could see Lions and Elephants at the beach).
465. Meeting friends at the mall whom we have not seen for a very long time.
466. Watching our kids interact together.
467. Watching our baby boys who are only a couple days apart.
468. A 'quiet' day for John.
469. His excitement to get ready and go play soccer.
470. Jude's first tooth! (finally)
471. Finding our keys.
472. A great meeting with our new found Financial Advisors - love how open, informative and transparent they are.
473. Meeting with his teacher and the discussions we have.
474. Friends that can help him out with the electrical.
475. Finishing packing.
476. New, yummy cookies.
477. Their beautiful, sensitive hearts (watching Godtube and seeing them cry and pray for the kids owies).
478. Hearing their conversations:
Z - Gigi, I made you a card (which he really did and even asked me how to spell her name)
G - Oh, is it for my birthday?
Z - No, it's just because I love you.
G - Oh thank you, that is very kind!
387. Her first swimming lesson and seeing how excited she was.
388. The Zoo and the perfect weather we had.
389. Watching how excited they were to be at the zoo with their good friends.
390. Hanging with our good friends too! Love Team B!
391. Playing outside and enjoying some beautiful weather.
392. First time on the trampoline for Jude and seeing the expression on his face.
393. Going for ice cream.
394. Listening to him read his 1st two books all on his own.
395. A chance to vote, even though I think the 'politics' in this election were beyond ridiculous. I can not believe the lies, scandals, fear mongering, and the fact that people won't look into it---pathetic.
396. Getting in two workouts.
397. A new dress for me.
398. Finding the perfect items for my girls birthday coming soon.
399. Volunteering at his school.
400. Listening to him as he is 'Star of the Day.'
401. Hearing his class pray and their prayer requests and feeling so incredibly blessed that they can all openly share their faith.
402. Watching him crawl everywhere and play so independently.
403. Cuddles with just Zech, Mom and Daddy and seeing how happy he was for some alone time.
404. Volunteering for his special 'Art' day.
405. Learning about "Monet".
406. Taching
407. Cochrane Christian School Grand Opening and giving all the glory to God.
408. Watching him sing his little heart out and do all of the actions.
409. Busy bags to keep her entertained throughout the speaches.
410. Getting a haircut (3 inches off).
411. Passport pictures completed.
412. Accountability partners, when I need them most!
413. Handing in our passport application.
414. Cuddles with my two boys!
415. Reading timely blog posts.
416. Swimming lessons for Jude and Gigi and seeing how much they love being in the water.
417. A wonderful babysitter for Zech and knowing that we can leave our kids with someone now.
418. Baby sales and getting shoes for a great price!
419. Running into a friend I haven't seen in a while at the Baby Sale.
420. Playing outside as a family on the trampoline.
421. Beautiful weather.
422. Knowing that God is in control and has us in the palm of his hand as we pray for a friend of ours who just found out he has a brain tumour and is waiting for more results.
423. Words of encouragement and knowing that others see and understand what we have been going through.
424. Having good friends over for supper.
425. New recipes that were a hit.
426. A new playground to let them run wild on.
427. a picnic in the mountians.
428. How God puts certain people in our lives at timely occasions.
429. Watching our kids run, play, scream, and laugh with their older kids.
430. Going for ice cream together.
431. Hearing our friends preach a good message and a timely one too.
432. Hearing our kids talk about how much fun they had and sharing how thankful they are for the fun day.
433. A hubby who gets up, gets him ready for school, takes him to school and lets me sleep in after a rough night.
434. This phase and trying to enjoy it, take in all He wants me to learn from it - even when it is so hard.
435. watching him explore everything with his new found freedom that he has crawling.
436. Hearing all about his first day at soccer adn seeing how excited he was.
437. Discussing our 'favourites'.
438. A new month.
439. Unexpected cheques.
440. Knowing that summer is just around the corner.
441. My 1st Zumba class.
442. Celebrating 8 months.
443. Watching him pull himself up and walk around the furniture for the first time today.
444. Getting errands done with my hubby helping me out.
445. New books for him to read.
446. Excitement over dandelions that remind me of how excited I was as a kid to see the 1st 'yellow flowers'.
447. Watching our friends boy and seeing how much fun they all have together.
448. making it through another eventful week.
449. Helping him prepare for 'Fear Factor' night (worms, crickets, cow tongue).
450. Hearing how successful it went (and wishing I could have been there to see it).
451. Hanging out with Daddy where he works and watching them go crazy over the worship music.
452. Another fun day at swimming lessons!
453. A new Farmers market and a beautiful bouquet of flowers--free.
454. The trade show and running into friends.
455. Exploring new roads - very scenic.
456. An early Mother's Day celebration (Korean BBQ)
457. letting all 3 explore the beaches at Lake Minnewanka.
458. Our little family picture.
459. A new to us tent trailer.
460. him scoring his 1st goal at soccer (and the funny story behind it).
461. A daddy that helps him and treats him afterwards.
462. Alone time and prayer time with Zech and hearing how much he loves soccer.
463. His excitement over the tent trailer.
464. Making plans and getting the kids input (Gigi asked if we could see Lions and Elephants at the beach).
465. Meeting friends at the mall whom we have not seen for a very long time.
466. Watching our kids interact together.
467. Watching our baby boys who are only a couple days apart.
468. A 'quiet' day for John.
469. His excitement to get ready and go play soccer.
470. Jude's first tooth! (finally)
471. Finding our keys.
472. A great meeting with our new found Financial Advisors - love how open, informative and transparent they are.
473. Meeting with his teacher and the discussions we have.
474. Friends that can help him out with the electrical.
475. Finishing packing.
476. New, yummy cookies.
477. Their beautiful, sensitive hearts (watching Godtube and seeing them cry and pray for the kids owies).
478. Hearing their conversations:
Z - Gigi, I made you a card (which he really did and even asked me how to spell her name)
G - Oh, is it for my birthday?
Z - No, it's just because I love you.
G - Oh thank you, that is very kind!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)