A Valentines Gift...

This is one of those stories that just HAS to be shared.


First off I am going to share a photo of an artifact from my early teens.
When my parents moved a couple of months ago I found a bin of notes and who knows what else that I had saved over the years. On sunday morning Eliana brought me the bin of notes and this little note was the first one I pulled out.

 Feel free to take time to snicker and laugh now.....

Okay here comes the cool part

That's right, back in 1995 - I was 14 - and in my cheezy, over dramatic doodle something cool happened. No matter if you believe that you were destined to be with your spouse or if you are more inclined to think it was a matter of chance and choice.  Either way this is still cool.


To me it speaks of a God that knows where we are going.  He is not blind or lying when he says that He knows the plans he has for us.


I have to say that this little gift has added something special to this Valentines day, not only am I married to my best friend and the greatest guy around but I know I am exactly where I am meant to be.

Crafting Genius

  So I thought I would inspire you all with my crafting genius.  The holiday season is when crafters come out of the closet and paste their beautiful creations around their homes and share them with friends and family.


Well this is me sharing...although you may not want to follow suit - I thought you would want a chance to admire our fine work.  Although I can't take much of the credit Gabe and Eliana did most of the original artwork. :)

Morning Devotional...

Well after my long absence from blogging I am apparently making my comeback with a rather personal reflection but it is God's work that I know that He is working out in more than just my life. So welcome to my morning devotional. Tomorrow morning I will be sharing this at the staff meeting at my school - I covet your prayers in this.


I don't now about you but there are seasons in life, or perhaps it is just a fact of life, that is full of sorrow as well as joy. I so loved Linda's reminder last week about counting our blessings and keeping our eyes on God's goodness and faithfulness in the big and small things. With that very premise in mind I wanted to take a peak at a slightly different angle of this - being able to see God's goodness and faithfulness even in the midst of our own pain and suffering.
Obviously in our communities right now we feel the weight of sin - the overwhelming sorrow of loss and I know in a much less dramatic circumstances I have sometimes found myself equally disillusioned by what I have perceived was a lack of God's goodness. I have been reading "One Thousand Gifts" by Anne Voskamp and I wanted to share the quotes that struck me so profoundly that I felt that gut wrenching guilt because I knew her honest voice was echoing the voice in my heart.


Ann relates the beginning of her journey of living a life of thanksgiving by sharing her honest feelings about trusting God - even as a Christian


"Is this the toxic air of the world, this atmosphere we inhale, burning into our lungs, this -No, God? No, God, we won't take what You give. No, God, Your plans are a gutted bleeding mess and I didn't sign up for this and You really thought I'd go for this? No, God, this is ugly and this is a mess and can't you get anything right and just haul all this pain out of here and I'll take it from here, thanks. And God? Thanks for nothing. Isn't this the human inheritance, the legacy of the Garden?
I wake and put the feet to the plank floors, and I believe the Serpent's hissing lie, the repeating refrain of his campaign through the ages: God isn't good. It's the cornerstone of his movement. That God withholds good from His children, that God does not genuinely, fully, love us."


For me this lie has whispered in the back of my mind. Through the past couple years I have especially felt myself giving way before this lie. A Good, Sovereign, God who does nothing, while I watch those close to me loose husbands and children - mothers and fathers. While I watch personal injustices go unaccounted for - the widow taken advantage of, the fatherless cast aside. I have felt my heart scream as Anne screams. I just never had the courage to say it aloud. I felt as if I was one before the firing line and the suffering continually hit closer and closer to home. I was afraid if I spoke out against the one with gun the wound would be more than I could bear. But I continued to read...and God continued to speak to my scared broken heart and bring more revelation.


Again I rob another's words that so adequately capture the hope in it all.


"If the rent in the canvas of our life backdrop, the losses that puncture our world, our own emptiness, might actually become places to see.
To See through to God.
That which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave."


When we can step back from ourselves, like Linda reminded us last week, we can catch a glimpse of an Eternal God. Who sees the grand tapestry and not the tangled thread. When I step back and take a moment to recognize who I am accusing - I am appropriately reminded "Who am I?" Who am I to know the mind and plans of Almighty God.
So what then?
Even as lately as this past Sunday I was reminded that I need to hold up my shield of faith to protect my heart and mind from the lies of the enemy and that I need to soak myself in the truth of God's word and in who He says he is. To remember that His grace is sufficient, that He loves with an everlasting love, that He is Good, That He is God. In the midst of chaos and sadness - injustice and sorrow. He is still God and He still wants to open our eyes to His goodness.

My Thoughts on Week Three...

To put it mildly this fall has brought a few changes.  On purely an emotional note I feel like I have jumped out of one of Mary Poppins chalk paintings into the real world.
I have been so lucky to have spent the last 5 yrs at home with my two kids but this year was the big leap back into 'real life'.  


Eliana has started full time kindergarten and has been on a permanent adrenaline high.  Her mission has been to makes as many friends and learn as many things as she can. Her teacher assured me that she is adjusting well and is very confidant.  I am still trying to decipher if that means - "your daughter is taking over the class". lol


Gabriel is so lucky to have one of his favourite people as his 'Nanny'.  He gets to stay home with 'Mimi' who has been doing a great job of planning little adventures and doing things that make him feel just as special staying home.  He still is adjusting Eliana being gone and they are so adorable when they hug goodbye in the morning.  


Tomorrow will be day five of my new job and I am totally enjoying the process of becoming an adult again! lol Its great to be working in such a great place and with such nice people.  I am still working on how to carry on life while working...I'll let you know how that goes.  Chances are though if I haven't blogged in a while, its because I am buried under a pile of laundry and need to be rescued.


Ed as always is my tangible sticking place.  I thank Jesus so much for bringing us together and giving me someone who knows just how seriously to take me. 


SO I have to say - so far so good.  There are pros and cons in this new life that we have but I know that God's grace is sufficient and I am confident that we are right where He wants us to be - learning and growing in the ways we need to learn and grow right now.

I Heart Faces - Back to School!

My oldest just finished her first week of Kindergarten...big week in our family.  So this challenge was mostly a challenge of which picture to go with!! I chose this one because the scope of the photo makes her look even tinier and I think every momma thinks their 'baby' is still to tiny to be going to school on the first day of kindergarten!

Apple Sauce Crotch

Last week was Eliana's first week of Kindergarten and the first week of a new kind of life for this family.  Getting up before 7:30 is new for the kids and I but I have no doubt we will adjust quickly.


The funniest thing Eliana came home saying this past week was 'apple sauce crotch'.  Knowing that I was loosing something in translation I asked for the context and learned that every time they sat down at group time they would say 'apple sauce crotch, put your hands in your lap'.  I couldn't decoded it until I conferred with some other moms - sure enough it made a lot more sense as
"Criss Cross Apple Sauce - Put your hands in your lap"
This helps the kids sit cross legged for group time.


I love that I can look forward to all sorts of new adventures and 'lost in translation' moments in the coming year.

Our Family Vacation

We left this past week for our first organized family vacation. We have done lots of other trips as a family but the focus of this one was to just relax and be a family together and I have to say it was the best yet.  We made the short trip to the coast and spent the first afternoon greeting the ocean.  Eliana was afraid of salt water for some reason but after much coaxing and a little squealing she got her feet wet and realized she could live through the encounter.  We rounded out the afternoon watching some crab fishing from the dock and beach combing for shells.

The next day we bravely ventured into the big city to the aquarium which turned out to be a highlight for the kids.  They were mesmerized by the sea life and in the end Eliana's favourite exhibits were the beluga whales and the jellyfish while Gabriel's favourite was the crocodile.  I loved it all but was particularly thrilled to get to touch a bunch of different star fish (which feel like rough rocks) and a sea urchin (which is really poky). The only one I didn't like touching was a star fish that looks kinda like a sunflower (lots of points) because it was slimy and squishy.

The next day was exciting for Ed and I  - the airshow. It is our third year in a row going and it is so awe inspiring that it just isn't getting old.  The kids loved it too and it was fun to watch them getting into the displays and getting excited for the loud planes (CF-18's!!) and bombs (pyrotechnics :)

Actually after the first set of pyrotechnics was set off Eliana was very distressed and asked Ed, "Why are they bombing Canada??" lol she was ok once we explained it was just part of the show.  Gabriel on the other hand...I don't know if he even noticed the jets sometimes - he just wanted to see more 'bombs' lol I guess that is a boy for you.  There were so many great planes and pilots at the airshow I would be sure to bore you with the details so I will summarize: A-10 is amazing in its capabilities, Bud Granley and his son defy everything you assume about flight, and the Snowbirds put on one of the best shows I have ever seen them do. 

The entire trip we were able to stay with some dear friends which made our evenings just as memorable as our days.  The kids loved playing with 'little sammy' and martina and are still talking about them non stop.  On Saturday morning Leanne and I went blueberry picking and it was such a great way to spend a morning.  While we were out the boys made waffles and bacon so we were treated to a nice breakfast when we got back.  Ed's blood pressure was through the roof but he made some great waffles :)

That evening when we returned home we went to the drive in to wrap our whole trip up. It was a perfect end to a great trip.  I love my hubby and kids and it was a great way to take the time to just enjoy who we are to each other.