Today I left Joshua somewhere. Alone. For three hours. With people I'd never met before. And 16 other children. With a snack and his coat & boots & shoes. And a hug & a kiss. And a prayer.
I put Joshua in a County program called Totspot - for 3 hours, once a week. He's been in 'parented' programs very similar to this for the last year or so, but this is the first unparented one. Where I have to leave him.
He's been in other childcare situations, at church, for example, but I've always been just a "page" away. I could come running if necessary (which, thankfully, it hasn't been).
But now...I'm home, and he's 4 miles away. When I left him, he was having a blast - he'd already painted a picture and was playing with other children. He's in his element, I think. I hope!!!
I miss him.
But then I remember he's only "on loan" anyway...but that doesn't make me care or love him any less. Probably moreso.
Anyway.
Dustin is napping, and I've got some things to do. If I can take my mind off of my big-boy long enough, I might actually accomplish something.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Friday, January 4, 2008
Picture updates...
Well, let's work our way backwards from Christmas! Here are some long-awaited photos - these are what make blogs that much more interesting!! I *love* pictures!
Joshua with his new airplane (which can be tranformed into a chopper, a car, or a submarine as well:
This is what Dustin does with Joshua's drum set while Joshua is not looking:
Dustin has decided he would like to be a trumpetter like Daddy (he found a turkey baster and decided to do this himself!):
Graeme and his boys on Christmas morning:
Me with "Dustin-the-Builder":
The boys in their Ikea chair swing:
The boys investigating Dustin's pirate ship...
The boys got these reindeer hats at the Mall when Gramma & Grampa & Daddy took them to get their Santa picture done:
Joshua making a snow angel before Bible study one day:
Joshua being a good big brother and trying to teach Dustin how to make a snow angel:
Joshua's big job on garbage day is to bring in the garbage can after the garbage man comes. He goes all the way to the end of the driveway and wheels this thing all the way back!! What a big helper!
Dustin the donut-man...Graeme brought home leftover donuts one day from a job he was at - nobody knew that he'd brought them home. Suddenly we realized Dustin was missing...we found him upstairs in the kitchen, standing on a stepstool at the counter, one donut in each hand, and bites out of two other donuts. What a monkey!
Dustin likes his winter gear:
Horsie-time!
Just like his mama! Don't worry, I don't actually let him drink the stuff! He had picked up this can from a box in my office that had not yet been put away...and decided he'd like to cart it around the house!
Joshua being a good big brother again, helping Dustin drink:
At Hallo-Balloo:
Some fall pictures - we had fun in a leaf pile one day!
Joshua enjoying a tire swing Daddy built for him!
Joshua with his new airplane (which can be tranformed into a chopper, a car, or a submarine as well:
This is what Dustin does with Joshua's drum set while Joshua is not looking:
Dustin has decided he would like to be a trumpetter like Daddy (he found a turkey baster and decided to do this himself!):
Graeme and his boys on Christmas morning:
Me with "Dustin-the-Builder":
The boys in their Ikea chair swing:
The boys investigating Dustin's pirate ship...
The boys got these reindeer hats at the Mall when Gramma & Grampa & Daddy took them to get their Santa picture done:
Joshua making a snow angel before Bible study one day:
Joshua being a good big brother and trying to teach Dustin how to make a snow angel:
Joshua's big job on garbage day is to bring in the garbage can after the garbage man comes. He goes all the way to the end of the driveway and wheels this thing all the way back!! What a big helper!
Dustin the donut-man...Graeme brought home leftover donuts one day from a job he was at - nobody knew that he'd brought them home. Suddenly we realized Dustin was missing...we found him upstairs in the kitchen, standing on a stepstool at the counter, one donut in each hand, and bites out of two other donuts. What a monkey!
Dustin likes his winter gear:
Horsie-time!
Just like his mama! Don't worry, I don't actually let him drink the stuff! He had picked up this can from a box in my office that had not yet been put away...and decided he'd like to cart it around the house!
Joshua being a good big brother again, helping Dustin drink:
At Hallo-Balloo:
Some fall pictures - we had fun in a leaf pile one day!
Joshua enjoying a tire swing Daddy built for him!
Ways to Maintain a Healthy Level of Sanity
I saw this on a friend's profile on facebook, and I thought it was just way too good to keep to myself!
- At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on, and point a hair dryer at passing cards. See if they slow down.
- Page yourself over the intercome. Don't disguise your voice.
- Everytime someone asks you to do something, ask if they want fries with that.
- Put your garbage can on your desk and label it "in".
- Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addiction, switch to espresso.
- In the memo field of all your cheques, write, "For smuggling diamonds".
- Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy.
- Don't use any punctuation
- As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
- Order a diet water whenever you go out to eat, with a serious face.
- Specify that your drive-thru order is "to go".
- Sing along at the opera.
- Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme?
- Put mosquito netting around your work area and play tropical sounds all day.
- Five days in advance, tell your friends you can't attend their party because you're not in the mood.
- Have your co-workers address you by your wrestling name, Rock Bottom.
- When the money comes out of the ATM, scream, "I won! I won!"
- When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling, "Run for your lives, they're loose!!"
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Happy New Year!
Well, obviously I missed the "Merry Christmas" part of the greeting. It's been a while since I've had a chance to blog at all, so here I am again. Finally.
It's been *good* here lately. We had a good Christmas, and have had some fun times with family and with friends. I got to play the Wii for the first time on Christmas day, and a couple days later, Jordan & Carly brought their Wii over to our house and we had Curtis & Darcy over as well for Wii, popcorn, chocolate, diet pepsi, and cookies. We also got a new game, Jungle Speed, which involves, you guessed it, speed (not the kind you buy on a street corner), a totem pole, and engaging in a battle with opponents who have the same symbol on their card as you do. Such fun!! :) Joshua & Dustin got spoiled rotten, BUT I am pleased with the restraint *certain* grandparents exercised when it came to gifts for the boys this year.
I can hardly believe that the New Year is almost upon us already. I am looking forward to planning another year - Graeme and I are going to make some changes to the way we do "life", and we're pretty excited. It's a new season, and changes can be good!
I also had a chance to grieve with a friend today who recently lost her 17-week (in utero) baby just before Christmas. It was a baby girl - they named her Quinn - Mama is doing fine, but it's a tough loss. The coroner (I think it was) suspected kidney failure in the baby. This would have been her fifth child. God is faithful - He is her Comforter and her Rock. It always amazes me when women can be so strong through something like this. I mean, it's not like they're emotionless, actually, quite the contrary - they're seeing that it's OK to grieve and love that little one that much of the world says isn't even a "human" yet. I think there is strength in grieving and pressing into God.
My next post will hopefully have some pictures in it! It's been too long since I've posted pictures - they just take SO long with dial-up!!
G'night!
It's been *good* here lately. We had a good Christmas, and have had some fun times with family and with friends. I got to play the Wii for the first time on Christmas day, and a couple days later, Jordan & Carly brought their Wii over to our house and we had Curtis & Darcy over as well for Wii, popcorn, chocolate, diet pepsi, and cookies. We also got a new game, Jungle Speed, which involves, you guessed it, speed (not the kind you buy on a street corner), a totem pole, and engaging in a battle with opponents who have the same symbol on their card as you do. Such fun!! :) Joshua & Dustin got spoiled rotten, BUT I am pleased with the restraint *certain* grandparents exercised when it came to gifts for the boys this year.
I can hardly believe that the New Year is almost upon us already. I am looking forward to planning another year - Graeme and I are going to make some changes to the way we do "life", and we're pretty excited. It's a new season, and changes can be good!
I also had a chance to grieve with a friend today who recently lost her 17-week (in utero) baby just before Christmas. It was a baby girl - they named her Quinn - Mama is doing fine, but it's a tough loss. The coroner (I think it was) suspected kidney failure in the baby. This would have been her fifth child. God is faithful - He is her Comforter and her Rock. It always amazes me when women can be so strong through something like this. I mean, it's not like they're emotionless, actually, quite the contrary - they're seeing that it's OK to grieve and love that little one that much of the world says isn't even a "human" yet. I think there is strength in grieving and pressing into God.
My next post will hopefully have some pictures in it! It's been too long since I've posted pictures - they just take SO long with dial-up!!
G'night!
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Our Christmas Letter
Here is the letter we sent out with our Christmas cards this year!!
Happy Winter, Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings…we prefer “Merry Christmas”!
It’s been a year already? How the time does fly…and how much we seem to be able to pack into 12 months!! I’ll highlight a few happenings & blessings for you!
We are a busy little family! Our children ensure lots of activity and zero boredom – I vote “naptime for all”, but sometimes the boys don’t really seem to be on board with that. Having said that, I am blessed to have two boys who STILL nap, although Joshua is showing signs of giving up his nap altogether. That will be a day of mourning for me. There, is, however, the time of day, co-ordinated with Dustin’s nap, known simply as “quiet time”. I shall be taking full advantage of that in the coming months!
Joshua, now 3 ½, continues to amaze us with his insights, observations, and interpretations to all sorts of situations. He was old enough to attend our church’s Vacation Bible School this summer – a highlight for him! It’s like a little 3 hour day camp, every day for a week, where the children learn Bible songs & stories, do crafts, play games, and have a snack. Joshua was quite exhausted by the end of the week – he was falling asleep on the van ride TO the church! Having graduated from the nursery, he now happily attends Sunday School every Sunday. Joshua has learned how to print his name, loves to “read” and delights in word recognition, and is learning to tell time. He’s a genius!
Dustin is…well…Dustin. He is a completely different ball of wax from Joshua. He is one mischievous little boy!! We used to call him our little urchin, and one day I decided to look up the meaning of the word “urchin”. The definition, according to the source I found, was “mischievous child”. A perfect fit. Dustin is a climber, runner, big eater, and charmer. He is now big enough to know how to push Joshua’s buttons, which means I am playing referee a lot of the time now. Dustin is not talking as much as Joshua did at this age, but he is incredibly expressive and stubborn and won’t stop until he knows we understand him. It’s a good thing we’re doing sign language with him!
The boys are busy four mornings a week – Tuesday mornings, they go to the church’s childcare while I am at Bible study; Wednesday morning we’re running off to Playradise, a giant indoor playground that our church sets up for community families; Thursday morning will find us at Moms & Tots Playspot at an arena close to our home, and Sunday morning is church nursery & Sunday School. With all of that, I’m not interested in trying to squeeze in “just one more schedule activity”. I need some spontaneity in my life, as do the boys!
Graeme is doing well with the pharmacy. It’s overwhelmingly busy at times, but the lack of space just won’t allow for any more bodies. So we keep praying that the staff we do have will become even more superhumanly efficient than they already are. Last night we had our staff Christmas party, complete with spouses & children, and we had around 26 people here. It was hard to get an exact count with all the children running everywhere! We are blessed to have the employees we do. Graeme has also recently gotten involved in planning a ministry event in our church, planned for February, as well as getting his hands dirty with volunteering to be part of the Men At Faith In Action (you figure out the acronym), a team of men who will be called up on to do small maintenance tasks or building projects at the church. I am more than pleased to see him get involved in things other than the pharmacy and home life. He needs an outlet, too!
I am still attending Bible study at our church. We just finished up a series by Beth Moore called Believing God – but even though the series is officially over, I have much to complete by way of homework, and much to put into practice. What a journey!! I also left the community choir I was in last fall (2006) and joined our church’s worship ministry – I sang in the choir, and then was asked to be part of a 6-voice ensemble that sang for our Easter Service, which was a huge highlight for me. I also sing on “front-line” about half of the Sundays. A new worship pastor started at our church in the fall, and he is a joy to work with and work under. It’s nice having someone else tell me what to do for a change! He put together a choir and we sang for an Alvin Slaughter concert – what a rush!! That was an incredible joy – an experience I won’t ever forget. If Alvin Slaughter ever comes back to town, I will most certainly do what I can to be in the choir again! I will close out the year with singing at church this coming Sunday, as well as for our church’s Christmas Eve service.
Our church went through a crisis this past summer/fall – our senior pastor was struck down with a heart attack in mid-August, and then a massive stroke three days later. We have prayed for a miracle – and we got one! It’s the first time I’ve witnessed a miracle of this sort – but God has truly worked in Pastor Rick’s life. Although Pastor Rick still suffers from aphasia (difficulty with speech) as a result of the stroke, he is improving every week, and even preached two Sundays ago! The doctors and other medical staff are simply amazed – a man who was at death’s door twice in one week, now preaching and almost fully functional? It was nothing short of a miracle. My words fail to convey the gravity of the situation, but our faith has sure increased in these past months!
In June, we gained a new sister! Graeme’s youngest brother, Jordan, tied the knot with Carly, and then quickly whisked her off to Hinton as he started his first year of residency for medical school. They’ll be back this coming summer, and hopefully they’re back to stay! Graeme was a groomsman in the wedding, and Joshua & Dustin were ring-bearers. Dustin was in a decorated wagon, and Joshua pulled him down the aisle. SO cute!
Also in June, right after Jordan’s wedding, we took a trip to Victoria with the boys. It was a much-needed break from the rigors of life here – especially for Graeme to get away from the pharmacy. We had a great time – it was only a week – but we enjoyed the parks, the harbor, the museums, and for me, the gym at the hotel we stayed in! Joshua still thinks it’s “our” hotel in Victoria, as if we own that room or something! It was sooo nice to get away.
In August, we moved. Yup. Again. What were we thinking!!??!! Well…we were thinking that it was time to fulfill a dream of ours, and invest in an acreage. So, we now live **information deleted** – a perfect distance. We have a 1 ½ storey home on a 3-acre lot, well-treed, nice rolling yard (nice little hills for tobogganing), a fire pit, a tire swing courtesy of Graeme, a hammock courtesy of Graeme’s birthday, an apple tree with monstrous apples, and a lot of space for the boys to run! We enjoy the peace…the darkness at night…the fresh air… The move-in was not without its headaches and setbacks, but we think we’ve overcome them for the most part. With decorating the tree and the house for Christmas, it’s finally feeling like home. We are starting to be able to do projects because we want to do them, not because we have to.
I may be facing knee surgery sometime this coming year – I had an MRI a couple of months ago, which showed a torn meniscus with some cystic growth at the back of the knee. That would explain the recurrent intense pain I’ve been having whenever I do even simple things like bike riding or walking with the boys!! But, I have to exercise – I’ve already been set back enough as it is – and so knee surgery is probably the only option I have to turn this thing around and get back on track with my workouts (and therefore energy and everyday life). I will be seeing a specialist of some sort sometime in the new year – the referral has been made, and now I’m just waiting for the phone call.
We have been blessed this fall with fewer big events, and we’ve been able to focus on taking care of the house and getting our country life started. It’s been an adventure, and we’re just thrilled to be living out of the city again. We are looking forward to Christmas celebrations with family & friends, winter wonderland fun-time with the boys, cross-country skiing on our property (okay, that’s just me), and simply enjoying some time as a family…maybe cozied up in front of the fireplace with a mug of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate…
We pray that you will be blessed this Christmas season, just as we are blessed in our reflections on the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. May your new year be filled with joy, peace, growth, renewal, and refreshing! Rejoice!
In Christ,
Graeme, Melissa, Joshua, and Dustin
Happy Winter, Merry Christmas, Season’s Greetings…we prefer “Merry Christmas”!
It’s been a year already? How the time does fly…and how much we seem to be able to pack into 12 months!! I’ll highlight a few happenings & blessings for you!
We are a busy little family! Our children ensure lots of activity and zero boredom – I vote “naptime for all”, but sometimes the boys don’t really seem to be on board with that. Having said that, I am blessed to have two boys who STILL nap, although Joshua is showing signs of giving up his nap altogether. That will be a day of mourning for me. There, is, however, the time of day, co-ordinated with Dustin’s nap, known simply as “quiet time”. I shall be taking full advantage of that in the coming months!
Joshua, now 3 ½, continues to amaze us with his insights, observations, and interpretations to all sorts of situations. He was old enough to attend our church’s Vacation Bible School this summer – a highlight for him! It’s like a little 3 hour day camp, every day for a week, where the children learn Bible songs & stories, do crafts, play games, and have a snack. Joshua was quite exhausted by the end of the week – he was falling asleep on the van ride TO the church! Having graduated from the nursery, he now happily attends Sunday School every Sunday. Joshua has learned how to print his name, loves to “read” and delights in word recognition, and is learning to tell time. He’s a genius!
Dustin is…well…Dustin. He is a completely different ball of wax from Joshua. He is one mischievous little boy!! We used to call him our little urchin, and one day I decided to look up the meaning of the word “urchin”. The definition, according to the source I found, was “mischievous child”. A perfect fit. Dustin is a climber, runner, big eater, and charmer. He is now big enough to know how to push Joshua’s buttons, which means I am playing referee a lot of the time now. Dustin is not talking as much as Joshua did at this age, but he is incredibly expressive and stubborn and won’t stop until he knows we understand him. It’s a good thing we’re doing sign language with him!
The boys are busy four mornings a week – Tuesday mornings, they go to the church’s childcare while I am at Bible study; Wednesday morning we’re running off to Playradise, a giant indoor playground that our church sets up for community families; Thursday morning will find us at Moms & Tots Playspot at an arena close to our home, and Sunday morning is church nursery & Sunday School. With all of that, I’m not interested in trying to squeeze in “just one more schedule activity”. I need some spontaneity in my life, as do the boys!
Graeme is doing well with the pharmacy. It’s overwhelmingly busy at times, but the lack of space just won’t allow for any more bodies. So we keep praying that the staff we do have will become even more superhumanly efficient than they already are. Last night we had our staff Christmas party, complete with spouses & children, and we had around 26 people here. It was hard to get an exact count with all the children running everywhere! We are blessed to have the employees we do. Graeme has also recently gotten involved in planning a ministry event in our church, planned for February, as well as getting his hands dirty with volunteering to be part of the Men At Faith In Action (you figure out the acronym), a team of men who will be called up on to do small maintenance tasks or building projects at the church. I am more than pleased to see him get involved in things other than the pharmacy and home life. He needs an outlet, too!
I am still attending Bible study at our church. We just finished up a series by Beth Moore called Believing God – but even though the series is officially over, I have much to complete by way of homework, and much to put into practice. What a journey!! I also left the community choir I was in last fall (2006) and joined our church’s worship ministry – I sang in the choir, and then was asked to be part of a 6-voice ensemble that sang for our Easter Service, which was a huge highlight for me. I also sing on “front-line” about half of the Sundays. A new worship pastor started at our church in the fall, and he is a joy to work with and work under. It’s nice having someone else tell me what to do for a change! He put together a choir and we sang for an Alvin Slaughter concert – what a rush!! That was an incredible joy – an experience I won’t ever forget. If Alvin Slaughter ever comes back to town, I will most certainly do what I can to be in the choir again! I will close out the year with singing at church this coming Sunday, as well as for our church’s Christmas Eve service.
Our church went through a crisis this past summer/fall – our senior pastor was struck down with a heart attack in mid-August, and then a massive stroke three days later. We have prayed for a miracle – and we got one! It’s the first time I’ve witnessed a miracle of this sort – but God has truly worked in Pastor Rick’s life. Although Pastor Rick still suffers from aphasia (difficulty with speech) as a result of the stroke, he is improving every week, and even preached two Sundays ago! The doctors and other medical staff are simply amazed – a man who was at death’s door twice in one week, now preaching and almost fully functional? It was nothing short of a miracle. My words fail to convey the gravity of the situation, but our faith has sure increased in these past months!
In June, we gained a new sister! Graeme’s youngest brother, Jordan, tied the knot with Carly, and then quickly whisked her off to Hinton as he started his first year of residency for medical school. They’ll be back this coming summer, and hopefully they’re back to stay! Graeme was a groomsman in the wedding, and Joshua & Dustin were ring-bearers. Dustin was in a decorated wagon, and Joshua pulled him down the aisle. SO cute!
Also in June, right after Jordan’s wedding, we took a trip to Victoria with the boys. It was a much-needed break from the rigors of life here – especially for Graeme to get away from the pharmacy. We had a great time – it was only a week – but we enjoyed the parks, the harbor, the museums, and for me, the gym at the hotel we stayed in! Joshua still thinks it’s “our” hotel in Victoria, as if we own that room or something! It was sooo nice to get away.
In August, we moved. Yup. Again. What were we thinking!!??!! Well…we were thinking that it was time to fulfill a dream of ours, and invest in an acreage. So, we now live **information deleted** – a perfect distance. We have a 1 ½ storey home on a 3-acre lot, well-treed, nice rolling yard (nice little hills for tobogganing), a fire pit, a tire swing courtesy of Graeme, a hammock courtesy of Graeme’s birthday, an apple tree with monstrous apples, and a lot of space for the boys to run! We enjoy the peace…the darkness at night…the fresh air… The move-in was not without its headaches and setbacks, but we think we’ve overcome them for the most part. With decorating the tree and the house for Christmas, it’s finally feeling like home. We are starting to be able to do projects because we want to do them, not because we have to.
I may be facing knee surgery sometime this coming year – I had an MRI a couple of months ago, which showed a torn meniscus with some cystic growth at the back of the knee. That would explain the recurrent intense pain I’ve been having whenever I do even simple things like bike riding or walking with the boys!! But, I have to exercise – I’ve already been set back enough as it is – and so knee surgery is probably the only option I have to turn this thing around and get back on track with my workouts (and therefore energy and everyday life). I will be seeing a specialist of some sort sometime in the new year – the referral has been made, and now I’m just waiting for the phone call.
We have been blessed this fall with fewer big events, and we’ve been able to focus on taking care of the house and getting our country life started. It’s been an adventure, and we’re just thrilled to be living out of the city again. We are looking forward to Christmas celebrations with family & friends, winter wonderland fun-time with the boys, cross-country skiing on our property (okay, that’s just me), and simply enjoying some time as a family…maybe cozied up in front of the fireplace with a mug of marshmallow-topped hot chocolate…
We pray that you will be blessed this Christmas season, just as we are blessed in our reflections on the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. May your new year be filled with joy, peace, growth, renewal, and refreshing! Rejoice!
In Christ,
Graeme, Melissa, Joshua, and Dustin
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Voice of Truth
Every once in a while, a song comes to mind...and keeps coming to mind...and then you hear it on the radio...and then you hear it again....and it's like God is trying to tell you something...
Oh what I would do to have
But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
Oh what I would do to have
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
But the stone was just the right size
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says "Do not be afraid."
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.
I will listen and believe,
"Voice Of Truth"
by Casting Crowns
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes to climb out of this boat I'm in
Onto the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
To the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out his hand
But the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling me
Time and time again. 'Boy, you'll never win!'
"You'll never win"
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth
Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name and he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again "Boy, you'll never win!"
"You'll never win"
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says "Do not be afraid."
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.
But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
From on top of them looking down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me
But the voice of truth tells me a different story
The voice of truth says "Do not be afraid."
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth.
I will listen and believe,
'Cuz Jesus, You are the Voice of truth
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Steppin' it up
I think there comes a point where you just throw your hands up in the air and say, "This is CRAZY!! Something has GOT to change, or I'm going to go completely bonkers!"
I often wonder - have I fulfilled my destiny? Am I even on the right path? I don't mean with marriage, kids, etc - I know those relationships are meant to be. I know that God has set me here.
But within this context, am I on the right track? Beyond the scope of being a mama, what am I meant to be? What am I meant to do? Surely I'm not meant to be a worn-out 29-year-old mother of two. Surely I'm not meant to go through each day wondering if and when I'll reach my dreams. Goodness, I know I'm not meant to merely exist within this God-given role of wifedom and motherhood!!
What holds us back, I wonder? For both Christians and non-Christians, I would daresay that fear is a major demotivator. I would even take it a step further and say that fear of failure is a major demotivator. How many dreams and aspirations die because we fear to fail? As I look back over the last 15 years of my life, I could make a list as long as my arm of the dreams - both long and short-term - that have been dashed.
I'm not talking about certain dreams; things I have no control over - I'd dreamed of being a mama by the time I was married for 2 or 3 years. I never wanted to lose those babies...I never wanted to go through that pain... in the middle of dreams that die beyond our control comes new life and new dreams. God chose a better path - God gives new hope and growth despite the death of a dream. In that pain, God shapes us and transforms our hearts beyond our own graspings. I can never explain why a good God would allow such suffering; all I know is that He IS good. He IS faithful. He IS loving. If God didn't allow challenges to come into our lives, we would never be refined as gold is refined by fire. That's the best I can explain it.
I have dreams. I have goals. But I also have failures. I fail daily. I don't want to, but I do. On my own, I am weak.
I have goals. I do not want to be worn out already. I dream of having more children (this isn't news). I dream of having energy. Ironic, I know. I dream of being healthy. I long to know people - to find out what makes people tick. I deeply desire to grab hold of those things that make people inwardly successful. I want to get close to people who have fulfilled their passions, and follow the same path! I want to be a God-follower, but O God, I am so unable!!
I want to be a woman of influence...I want to change lives...I want to have my own life transformed...I want to be so much more than "worn out". I grieve at all the possibilities that lay before me, yet I have no power to attain them because of my current limitations. I know I have the potential to "get there", but I'm afraid to step out in faith. God will supply the shortcomings - I know this in my head, but my heart won't follow quite yet. I'm afraid to step out in faith because there are people close to me who will work tirelessly to squelch my dreams and desires.
I deeply long to take risks. But I feel so trapped by the undertakings of those who are afraid to risk themselves. I want to live outside of my little box of tiredness. Faith means stepping out even when we can't see the answer, and watching God supply. I can't imagine that God would lay a desire so strongly on my heart (and I'm not talking just about babies) and then not allow me to fulfill it. At this point, it's not God who has stopped me, but I've allowed people to stop me.
I know that dreams happen in a season. I understand that my dreams won't all come true tomorrow. I want to live in the joy and anticipation of fulfilling my destiny in Christ. But one mention of dreams...one twinkle of life in my eye...and the dreams are stepped on and trodden upon as foolish... unattainable... too much work... too complicated.... I'm afraid to even mention those dreams anymore because I'm tired of the opposition.
Last I checked, achieving goals was not easy. It's not straight-forward. There's a process and juggling that has to happen. I don't want to go through life taking the easy straight smooth path...that's boring! I want to go where God wants me to go...I want to live a life that breathes the essence of my Lord & Savior...I want to live a life where people want to know my Reason for living...I want to go to my grave and have people say of me, "She wasn't afraid to pursue her God-given dreams." I want my kids to be bold & courageous and embrace their destiny with vigor and passion, and let nothing stand in their way. I want my kids to see that modelled in ME!
I want to worship. I want to sing. I want to dance. I want to be *allowed* to be excited about my faith. I want to have energy & strength again. I want to erase the effects of past illnesses & circumstances - I will allow them to shape me and motivate me further, but I don't want to hinder me anymore. I want to be free to live abundantly. I want to surround myself and learn from people who are passionate about the same things I am passionate about. I want to give of myself more than I could even fathom.
It's time to take action. One small step at a time. The steps will likely be so small that they will probably go unnoticed. And then, one day, maybe years from now, my biggest critics will realize that I've done far more with my life than they *thought* I could ever do, based on man's limitations. Maybe they'll realize that God is so much bigger and able. And then they'll wonder what they missed out on. And then maybe, just maybe, they'll use their remaining days to take risks and act in faith, and let God do amazing things in them, too.
Oh God, would you do some incredible things in me in these coming days, months, & years? Would You unsettle me from the comfort of complacency? Would You burn a holy fire in me that is unquenchable? Would You open doors of healing and opportunity? Would You increase my faith?
Now, I will wait on you, Lord, for the "steps"...and I will pursue You...and only You...my God... Let Your fire fall...
I often wonder - have I fulfilled my destiny? Am I even on the right path? I don't mean with marriage, kids, etc - I know those relationships are meant to be. I know that God has set me here.
But within this context, am I on the right track? Beyond the scope of being a mama, what am I meant to be? What am I meant to do? Surely I'm not meant to be a worn-out 29-year-old mother of two. Surely I'm not meant to go through each day wondering if and when I'll reach my dreams. Goodness, I know I'm not meant to merely exist within this God-given role of wifedom and motherhood!!
What holds us back, I wonder? For both Christians and non-Christians, I would daresay that fear is a major demotivator. I would even take it a step further and say that fear of failure is a major demotivator. How many dreams and aspirations die because we fear to fail? As I look back over the last 15 years of my life, I could make a list as long as my arm of the dreams - both long and short-term - that have been dashed.
I'm not talking about certain dreams; things I have no control over - I'd dreamed of being a mama by the time I was married for 2 or 3 years. I never wanted to lose those babies...I never wanted to go through that pain... in the middle of dreams that die beyond our control comes new life and new dreams. God chose a better path - God gives new hope and growth despite the death of a dream. In that pain, God shapes us and transforms our hearts beyond our own graspings. I can never explain why a good God would allow such suffering; all I know is that He IS good. He IS faithful. He IS loving. If God didn't allow challenges to come into our lives, we would never be refined as gold is refined by fire. That's the best I can explain it.
I have dreams. I have goals. But I also have failures. I fail daily. I don't want to, but I do. On my own, I am weak.
I have goals. I do not want to be worn out already. I dream of having more children (this isn't news). I dream of having energy. Ironic, I know. I dream of being healthy. I long to know people - to find out what makes people tick. I deeply desire to grab hold of those things that make people inwardly successful. I want to get close to people who have fulfilled their passions, and follow the same path! I want to be a God-follower, but O God, I am so unable!!
I want to be a woman of influence...I want to change lives...I want to have my own life transformed...I want to be so much more than "worn out". I grieve at all the possibilities that lay before me, yet I have no power to attain them because of my current limitations. I know I have the potential to "get there", but I'm afraid to step out in faith. God will supply the shortcomings - I know this in my head, but my heart won't follow quite yet. I'm afraid to step out in faith because there are people close to me who will work tirelessly to squelch my dreams and desires.
I deeply long to take risks. But I feel so trapped by the undertakings of those who are afraid to risk themselves. I want to live outside of my little box of tiredness. Faith means stepping out even when we can't see the answer, and watching God supply. I can't imagine that God would lay a desire so strongly on my heart (and I'm not talking just about babies) and then not allow me to fulfill it. At this point, it's not God who has stopped me, but I've allowed people to stop me.
I know that dreams happen in a season. I understand that my dreams won't all come true tomorrow. I want to live in the joy and anticipation of fulfilling my destiny in Christ. But one mention of dreams...one twinkle of life in my eye...and the dreams are stepped on and trodden upon as foolish... unattainable... too much work... too complicated.... I'm afraid to even mention those dreams anymore because I'm tired of the opposition.
Last I checked, achieving goals was not easy. It's not straight-forward. There's a process and juggling that has to happen. I don't want to go through life taking the easy straight smooth path...that's boring! I want to go where God wants me to go...I want to live a life that breathes the essence of my Lord & Savior...I want to live a life where people want to know my Reason for living...I want to go to my grave and have people say of me, "She wasn't afraid to pursue her God-given dreams." I want my kids to be bold & courageous and embrace their destiny with vigor and passion, and let nothing stand in their way. I want my kids to see that modelled in ME!
I want to worship. I want to sing. I want to dance. I want to be *allowed* to be excited about my faith. I want to have energy & strength again. I want to erase the effects of past illnesses & circumstances - I will allow them to shape me and motivate me further, but I don't want to hinder me anymore. I want to be free to live abundantly. I want to surround myself and learn from people who are passionate about the same things I am passionate about. I want to give of myself more than I could even fathom.
It's time to take action. One small step at a time. The steps will likely be so small that they will probably go unnoticed. And then, one day, maybe years from now, my biggest critics will realize that I've done far more with my life than they *thought* I could ever do, based on man's limitations. Maybe they'll realize that God is so much bigger and able. And then they'll wonder what they missed out on. And then maybe, just maybe, they'll use their remaining days to take risks and act in faith, and let God do amazing things in them, too.
Oh God, would you do some incredible things in me in these coming days, months, & years? Would You unsettle me from the comfort of complacency? Would You burn a holy fire in me that is unquenchable? Would You open doors of healing and opportunity? Would You increase my faith?
Now, I will wait on you, Lord, for the "steps"...and I will pursue You...and only You...my God... Let Your fire fall...
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Window woes
Ready for some humor?
Several weeks ago, someone drove through my husband's pharmacy window. The entire front of the store, which is in a large building full of medical services, doctors, lawyers, and accountants, is made of glass. This poor elderly gentleman, who is a customer of Graeme's, hit the gas instead of the brake when pulling into the parking stall. Smashed the window. Thankfully he had security film installed last time this happened - it kept the shattered glass held together, much like a broken windshield would be. The building wouldn't allow Graeme to put up any sort of blockade, like those nice yellow parking stall blocks you see everywhere - they said it wasn't aesthetically pleasing. So, Graeme gets another smashed window. (The building has now authorized and ordered large cement planters to be put in front of Graeme's store on the sidewalk it's a wide sidewalk and there's lots of room).
So anyway, since the frame was bent in addition to the windows being broken, it was a more intensive repair. Rebuilding the frame took weeks. So Graeme and his poor staff have been holed up in this 450 square foot DARK business (no more daylight) with the windows boarded up.
Last week, the frame and windows were finally ready to be installed. Being that the store is small, and being that Graeme had to disassemble all the fixtures and such at the front of the store to allow access for the workers to repair the window, you can imagine that the entire store was in complete disarray.
In walks this gentleman. He comes through the window with such authority, walks through the swing door into the front area of the pharmacy. Everyone thought he was a supervisor or something. He's just standing there for a while, so Graeme (who is freezing, by the way, from the cold air coming in the front of the store and is consequently bundled up in two sweaters and is NOT looking like a pharmacist) asks if he can help the gentleman. The man hands Graeme a prescription. Graeme says, "We're actually closed today."
"Why?" says the man? Like, did he not realize that he walked through a 9' x 27' opening, over top of broken glass, and through the back of the pharmacy? Did he not see the fixtures all over the front of the store? It's obvious that the store is in no way functionable in its state. Graeme just looked at him. Dumbfounded.
The man then gets his prescription (Graeme was there to fill emergency stuff for patients), and proceeds to walk out the big window AGAIN! (I think it was the same man - could have been a different one, though.) The workers tell the man that it's dangerous and he should really have gone out the door. In a thick Ukranian accent, he declares, "I go to church every Sunday, I pray, I be just fine!"
Another man yells to Graeme from outside, "Are you open?!?" Graeme says "Not really, but if you need something, I can take care of it for you." The man responds, "Should I come in through the window or through the door??!!!"
A lady walks in. Through the door. Oh, yes, it bears mentioning that there's a sign on the door that says something to the effect of "We're closed due to major window repairs. However, if you need something urgently, we can serve you." She walks in and asks Graeme if she can transfer her prescriptions out. "Why?" "Because you're closed." "Well, I can fill it if you really need it." "You mean you'd do that?" I ask the question, do people not read????
Graeme also fielded several phone calls from patients - he only had access to one phone, so many people were leaving messages on voice mail. You wouldn't believe the number of people who requested a transfer out because Graeme was closed!! I mean, his phone message specifically said he would be there to fill things if patients needed them!
What a lesson in observation...
I know I'm missing some anecdotes. But that's the general idea...
Must run - Dustin's up!
Several weeks ago, someone drove through my husband's pharmacy window. The entire front of the store, which is in a large building full of medical services, doctors, lawyers, and accountants, is made of glass. This poor elderly gentleman, who is a customer of Graeme's, hit the gas instead of the brake when pulling into the parking stall. Smashed the window. Thankfully he had security film installed last time this happened - it kept the shattered glass held together, much like a broken windshield would be. The building wouldn't allow Graeme to put up any sort of blockade, like those nice yellow parking stall blocks you see everywhere - they said it wasn't aesthetically pleasing. So, Graeme gets another smashed window. (The building has now authorized and ordered large cement planters to be put in front of Graeme's store on the sidewalk it's a wide sidewalk and there's lots of room).
So anyway, since the frame was bent in addition to the windows being broken, it was a more intensive repair. Rebuilding the frame took weeks. So Graeme and his poor staff have been holed up in this 450 square foot DARK business (no more daylight) with the windows boarded up.
Last week, the frame and windows were finally ready to be installed. Being that the store is small, and being that Graeme had to disassemble all the fixtures and such at the front of the store to allow access for the workers to repair the window, you can imagine that the entire store was in complete disarray.
In walks this gentleman. He comes through the window with such authority, walks through the swing door into the front area of the pharmacy. Everyone thought he was a supervisor or something. He's just standing there for a while, so Graeme (who is freezing, by the way, from the cold air coming in the front of the store and is consequently bundled up in two sweaters and is NOT looking like a pharmacist) asks if he can help the gentleman. The man hands Graeme a prescription. Graeme says, "We're actually closed today."
"Why?" says the man? Like, did he not realize that he walked through a 9' x 27' opening, over top of broken glass, and through the back of the pharmacy? Did he not see the fixtures all over the front of the store? It's obvious that the store is in no way functionable in its state. Graeme just looked at him. Dumbfounded.
The man then gets his prescription (Graeme was there to fill emergency stuff for patients), and proceeds to walk out the big window AGAIN! (I think it was the same man - could have been a different one, though.) The workers tell the man that it's dangerous and he should really have gone out the door. In a thick Ukranian accent, he declares, "I go to church every Sunday, I pray, I be just fine!"
Another man yells to Graeme from outside, "Are you open?!?" Graeme says "Not really, but if you need something, I can take care of it for you." The man responds, "Should I come in through the window or through the door??!!!"
A lady walks in. Through the door. Oh, yes, it bears mentioning that there's a sign on the door that says something to the effect of "We're closed due to major window repairs. However, if you need something urgently, we can serve you." She walks in and asks Graeme if she can transfer her prescriptions out. "Why?" "Because you're closed." "Well, I can fill it if you really need it." "You mean you'd do that?" I ask the question, do people not read????
Graeme also fielded several phone calls from patients - he only had access to one phone, so many people were leaving messages on voice mail. You wouldn't believe the number of people who requested a transfer out because Graeme was closed!! I mean, his phone message specifically said he would be there to fill things if patients needed them!
What a lesson in observation...
I know I'm missing some anecdotes. But that's the general idea...
Must run - Dustin's up!
Hormones affect us all??
I was reading my friend Paige's blog - she always finds the most amazing articles and I love reading what she comes up with. The things she posts aren't always pretty, but they are good food for thought.
She recently wrote a post concerning birth control pills, citing an article from Environet Daily. I was totally shocked!
ENVIRONETDAILY
Birth-control pills poison everyone?
Environmentalists silent on threat from water tainted with estrogen
Posted: July 12, 2007 1:00 a.m.
Eastern© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
While environmentalists are usually vocal about perceived threats ranging from pesticides to global warming, there is a silence when it comes to one threat already harming the water supply: hormones from birth-control pills. (to keep reading click here).
My first thoughts were of horror & shock - and wonder at how much this has caused problems for both men and women alike in their struggles with infertility? Could this be partially to blame? How many reproductive diseases are linked to this?
God help us...
She recently wrote a post concerning birth control pills, citing an article from Environet Daily. I was totally shocked!
ENVIRONETDAILY
Birth-control pills poison everyone?
Environmentalists silent on threat from water tainted with estrogen
Posted: July 12, 2007 1:00 a.m.
Eastern© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
While environmentalists are usually vocal about perceived threats ranging from pesticides to global warming, there is a silence when it comes to one threat already harming the water supply: hormones from birth-control pills. (to keep reading click here).
My first thoughts were of horror & shock - and wonder at how much this has caused problems for both men and women alike in their struggles with infertility? Could this be partially to blame? How many reproductive diseases are linked to this?
God help us...
Friday, September 21, 2007
Erranding...
Today I had 4 hours OFF! Four hours to run errands, kid-free. Four hours to totally blow and waste, if I wanted to. I chose to run errands.
In this order:
In this order:
- The Bank (deposit, thankfully!)
- The Pharmacy (pick up a couple things)
- Water Warehouse (duh - water!)
- Home Sense (look around - we had a gift card - I didn't buy anything)
- Future Shop (information gathering)
- Ikea (a few things, misc)
- Michael's (duh!)
- Home Depot (pick out paint colors for Joshua's room)
- Chapters (crossword puzzle book)
- Save-On (groceries)
- Registries (I had to change my drivers' license address)
- Panago (for dinner!)
Okay, so it was really fun! And the best part is this: I only spent $155.93 ! :) When is the last time I ran 12 errands in one day and only spent that much money? Like, NEVER!
Yup, I'm pretty satisfied. It's *date night*, so we're going to settle in and watch a movie-o now. Our babysitter was at a funeral today, so obviously we let her off the hook.
It's been a good day. A horrid sleep last night, but a good day today. We took the kids to Millenium Place to play in their indoor park. They had a ball! Then lunch, then erranding time! :)
G'night!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
I must be crazy...
Good grief. I feel horrid today.
It can't be because I didn't get enough sleep - Graeme let me sleep in this morning.
It can't be because I'm not eating - I'm eating a well-balanced diet right now...
It can't be because I'm bored and don't have anything to do - believe me, there's plenty to do around here.
It's likely not from my sick Dustin - he's a bit more of a handful, and it's a bit draining, but not that draining.
Hmm. I think it might be because of the absolute craziest workout ever that I did last night! Good grief! I'm not sure what I was thinking.
The other night (so, Monday night), I got on the rower, felt great, and proceeded to absolutely smash my personal best for 10K, within my one-hour workout, during which I posted a personal best distance by a respectable amount. I thought last night, that since I have an option to "re-row" a workout and use a paceboat based on my previous workout, that I should try and "keep up" to that workout from Monday night.
Usually I wait at least 3 days between the really heavy workouts like this. I mean, an hour of rowing is a lot of rowing, but when it's an hour of hard-core blood & guts rowing, it's a bit more of a challenge. So normally I wouldn't have re-rowed until Thursday. I would have opted for a lighter or shorter workout instead.
Well, I got a little ambitious. I re-rowed last night instead. I was doing great - keeping pace - until the last 7 minutes, at which point I hit a wall, and my second wind never came. I did finish within about 60 metres of my Monday's distance, which is still good, but let me tell you, the workout just didn't feel as good. It'll be a couple days before I row again. I'm exhausted!!
Must run - er - walk - er - lay down - ... :)
Good day!
It can't be because I didn't get enough sleep - Graeme let me sleep in this morning.
It can't be because I'm not eating - I'm eating a well-balanced diet right now...
It can't be because I'm bored and don't have anything to do - believe me, there's plenty to do around here.
It's likely not from my sick Dustin - he's a bit more of a handful, and it's a bit draining, but not that draining.
Hmm. I think it might be because of the absolute craziest workout ever that I did last night! Good grief! I'm not sure what I was thinking.
The other night (so, Monday night), I got on the rower, felt great, and proceeded to absolutely smash my personal best for 10K, within my one-hour workout, during which I posted a personal best distance by a respectable amount. I thought last night, that since I have an option to "re-row" a workout and use a paceboat based on my previous workout, that I should try and "keep up" to that workout from Monday night.
Usually I wait at least 3 days between the really heavy workouts like this. I mean, an hour of rowing is a lot of rowing, but when it's an hour of hard-core blood & guts rowing, it's a bit more of a challenge. So normally I wouldn't have re-rowed until Thursday. I would have opted for a lighter or shorter workout instead.
Well, I got a little ambitious. I re-rowed last night instead. I was doing great - keeping pace - until the last 7 minutes, at which point I hit a wall, and my second wind never came. I did finish within about 60 metres of my Monday's distance, which is still good, but let me tell you, the workout just didn't feel as good. It'll be a couple days before I row again. I'm exhausted!!
Must run - er - walk - er - lay down - ... :)
Good day!
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
What I love about Dustin
So, where do I start with my Dustin? My baby, my baby-sweets, my Dustinator, my crazy goose, my bugaboo, my little rascal...we called him an urchin before we discovered that "urchin" actually means "mischievous child"...and that pretty much pegs him perfectly! Dustin is so many things wrapped up into one fabulous little package. I love Dustin because he is SO different from what I ever expected we'd have in a child - especially since Joshua has always been so calm...so cautious...hee hee...I can hear you laughing already! *They* tell you that you can wonder how two children who came from the same parents can be SO incredibly different, but you don't believe it until you live it yourself. When we were expecting Dustin, we told ourselves that if we ended up with another Joshua, that would be so neat - because we love Joshua sooooo much. But, it was soon apparent - as in, three or four months before he was even born - that Dustin was going to be a different ballgame altogether. And - surprise! - we love him JUST as much as Joshua.
I love Dustin because he is a nutcase. He is crazy, free-spirited, fabulously in love with life and exploration. I love Dustin because he is anything but predictable, and brings so much color into our lives - don't get me wrong, Joshua brings color, too, but Dustin's rainbow is in a completely different color palette!
Dustin loves to fling himself backwards out of arms or chairs - falling backwards and laughing his head off in the process. Or he likes to play "Blow Me Down" - something he and Joshua saw on The Wiggles one day, and so Dustin climbs onto Joshua's bed and blows himself down - falling over and laughing himself silly. He loves to climb. He loves to pet unsuspecting kitties. "Frogs and snails and puppy dog's tails, that's what little boys are made of." Yes, our Dustin is indeed a little boy. To the core.
Dustin constantly tries to do the things his big brother does. Climb/jump on the couch. Play his recorder. Make funny fish-faces. Make rude noises. They're quite the duo, those two.
I love Dustin because he's a go-getter. A little too much of a go-getter at times, but he has a zest for life that I dare not quench. I must learn, under God's wisdom and guidance, to direct Dustin's vigor for life into something productive and positive. This is where the rubber will meet the road -Dustin's intensity may be a challenge, but God is faithful and will have to do a good work in both of us to bring Dustin to a positive place in life. I have little doubt that Dustin will do great things. Completely different things from Joshua, but great all the same. Just as honorable.I love Dustin because he is never boring. He has always been quick to smile & laugh, but he is also quick to be silly to make others laugh, too. His favorite pre-nap game right now is to run around to the other side of his crib (we have a space between his crib and the wall lest he bangs the wall incessantly and wakes Joshua) and give us that urchin grin. Then when we move to get him, he squeals and runs to the other side again. It's either that, or he crawls under his crib, lays on his back, and then LIFTS the crib off the floor with his incredible leg power. Once he's accomplished this minor feat, he then will go to Joshua's room and move furniture - push it 20 feet down the hall to Mommy's & Daddy's room - furniture that is four times his size! Now you know why we call him The Dustinator. 
I love Dustin because he is 100% pure BOY! He loves to go down the slide on his tummy and then stand up, clap, and say "Goo dob!" meaning, you guessed it, good job! When he gets outside to play, his first mission is to find the biggest pile of dirt and dive in with his whole body. He doesn't mind getting dirty. He loves it, in fact. Give the kid a pile of dirt and he'll be happy for hours. Who needs toys? DIRT!
I love Dustin because he is 100% pure BOY! I know I already said that, but it bears repeating... the boys love to go frog-hunting. Joshua is more sucessful at catching frogs than Dustin is, thankfully, and you'll find out why in a moment... One day after some frog-hunting exploits, Joshua caught 3 little frogs and put them in his little red sand pail, then put the pail on the deck. He turned around to play with something else, leaving poor little Kermie and his friends unattended. Next thing we know, Dustin has the red sandpail in his grubby little hands, and is - *shudder* - lifting the pail up to his face as if to drink! Yes, he was trying to eat the frogs. We caught him just in time. Literally. Could you imagine? Oh, I also learned the other day that Dustin likes cat food - we were checking on the Skrettings' cats and next thing I know, Dustin's chewing on something that smells suspiciously like catfood! Yup - I asked him how it was, and he goes "MMMMMMM!" - just like he does when he has ice cream or chocolate milk or some other delightful treat.
I love Dustin because he teaches us about life. About taking risks. About not being afraid to try something new, because there will always be Someone to watch out for us. About not being afraid to make mistakes. About exploring and not being afraid to get a little beat up along the way. He teaches me that my Heavenly Father delights in me when I'm passionate about life, the same way I delight in Dustin and his passion for life. He teaches me to laugh. Did you know God likes to sing over us? I love it when my children sing with me. How much moreso does our Heavenly Father delight when we sing to Him, our Creator?
Paige reminded me that my *sigh* at the end of my post about Joshua should have read *contented sigh*. How true, and it applies to Dustin as well. When I think of Dustin, my heart melts. He drives me batty sometimes, but I love him with my whole heart and he's my bestest little buddy. He's precious. Wonderful. Nutsy. Beautiful!!
*contented sigh*
I sure love Dustin. God gave us a pretty special little boy when He gave us Dustin!
Saturday, September 15, 2007
What I love about Joshua
Been reflecting today - and I wanted to share some of my thoughts. I've gotten to spend quite a bit of unique bonding time with each of my boys lately, aside from regular stay-at-home-mama responsibilities. It's been neat. Today I'll share about Joshua - this might be a long post, which is why I'm only writing about one of my boys at a time. :)
I love Joshua because he's my bestest big buddy (not to be confused with our bestest little buddy, Dustin). He loves to laugh, and he loves to have deep conversations. Lots of "why, Mommy?" questions pop out of his mouth throughout each day. Sometimes it can bet a little annoying, but then I remember that he is a sponge. Every question from a child is a teachable moment. Will I take the time to teach him that his curiosities are valid? Will I take the time to give him the knowledge he craves? Or will I teach him that he is simply an annoyance and a hindrance to my "Mom-duties"? Joshua is a very bright child and keen to know everything about everything!!
I love Joshua because he likes to read. I recently bought him a Little Critter compilation book - a book with 7 Little Critter stories inside. He has the whole thing memorized - all 50-something pages of it - and "read" about half of it to his Auntie Carly the other weekend. His recall is amazing. I sometimes get annoyed that he wants to have me read to him so much, but then I remember that his little brain is wired this way and that I need to nurture him. Yes, there is a time and a place where I simply can't read to him and that he needs to understand that, but my first and foremost "Mom-duty" is to teach and instruct him. Whether this be stories, or taking him outside to chase frogs or grasshoppers, or teach him how to use a hammer and nails - he is my little man and he wants to learn.
I love Joshua because he is so forgiving. We can have a really rotten day together, and at the end of the day he'll still crawl up into our laps and snuggle and together we can wash away the negatives of the day. He teaches me about God our Father in this way - as His children, we mess up, too, but as we crawl into his lap at the end of the day for a snuggle, He washes away all the hurts of the day, too - wipes them clean and still loves us deeply. Unconditionally. No matter how much Joshua upsets me, disobeys me, or frustrates me, I will still love him unconditionally.
I love Joshua because he is funny. I think (as do many other parents) that God made kids cute so that they would survive their toddler years. :) We can be in the middle of trying to reprimand him for something, and out of his mouth comes the funniest reply - and we're melted into a pitiful puddle and our "reprimand" is completely lost, or so it seems. We carry on with our day and we never have another trouble similar to the one we had before "the reprimand".
I love Joshua because of his incredible memory. I mentioned before about reading books - well, he recalls things from months and months and months ago that we'd even forgotten - things from spending time at Gramma & Grampa's house, things from Canada Day, even things from our old house from last summer and things from when Dustin was first born that we haven't talked about in ages. He amazes me. Yesterday I was looking for my brown extension cord so we could make cookies together, and after I'd spent a few minutes looking, Joshua asked me what I was looking for and then promptly told me where I'd put it. Duh! Of course. He truly amazes me.
I love Joshua because he is *usually* so honest. He tells it like it is. He generally isn't afraid to rat himself out on something. Of course, he has learned that if he does something bad, he will get into trouble...but even more recently he has learned that if he does something bad and lies about it, he will get into even more trouble. I love Joshua because he makes funny faces, says "excuse me" when he burps or toots, has good manners, and cleans his plate (except at dinnertime, which is an entirely separate matter). I love Joshua because he is usually a good big brother, except for tonight when he swiped a towel out from under Dustin's feet, causing Dustin to be completely up-ended and get very upset. He likes to take Dustin by the hand and teach him. The very first thing that Joshua tried to teach Dustin, when Dustin was but a day old, was that the round thing ticking on the wall is called a clock. Funny kid. So eager to learn (check out the pictures - he wants to print already, and is doing very well!). So eager to teach. So eager to share with strangers about his love for frog-hunting at our new home in the country. 
*sigh*
I love Joshua. God sure gave us a pretty special little boy.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
More "doing" stuff :)
I had a responder to my last blog post, which feeds into my facebook account (where the responder, umm, responded - duh!). Here is Dreena's response, worth noting:
People can't model what they have not been shown or given themselves. I guess the other part of that problem would be the assumptions that we ourselves make about the other person when we perceive that we have been treated unfairly. It's a crazy crazy thing - dealing with emotions!
My response was somewhat along these lines: I know that what she's saying about us perceiving things wrongly in some situations...but sometimes the offence pretty blatant and there really isn't any room for doubt...those are the times I'm referring to!
Sadly, the people often causing the offense usually have no clue that they're being so rude, and if you gently address them on it, then the situation only gets worse. Some people just can never be wrong about anything, right? *sigh* This is where decisions have to be made - keep the relationship superficial - don't let them "in" - or just completely walk away. The trouble here is that if it involves family, as it often does, then you still have to make a bit of a compromise somewhere - it's SOOOOO complex! What to do, what to do...
Graeme has a day off today, so we'll be doing some yardwork around kids' naps and such.
I had a good workout last night - totally KICKED my previous 35-minute time on the rower!! (I just couldn't do a full hour last night - I had some things to take care of, still, and I also knew my energy wouldn't last a full hour. So I settled for a hard 35-minute row.) Yeah, I'm pretty happy about that. Just when I think I can't push anymore, my body and "second wind" kicks in and gives me just that little bit extra. The other night I totally kicked my previous 10K time, too, so yeah, I'm stoked.
I've been spending more time rowing lately because I'm desperately trying to find music that "fits" a rowing rhythm, which you can't do until you're actually rowing to the music! Out of 5 CD's, I think I've got about 7 songs so far. Then, once that project is finished, I'll be able to just enjoy the music and not think so much about the rowing - which should yet improve things. Yippee!
Okalee dokalee - Dustin is sleeping, so I need to make hay while the sun shines *and the frost is melting*!! :)
Blessings on yer day!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Doing right the wrong way?
So, I've been reflecting lately.
People can be so harsh and rude sometimes. Then you walk away feeling like garbage because of how they treated you.
Case in point: the other day I was doing something and I was reprimanded by someone for not doing it correctly.
Okay, so I don't mind being told if I'm doing something wrong. Or if I need to be corrected. But I much prefer to be corrected in a non-*stupid* manner - i.e. I don't like to be made to feel like I'm an imbecile. Nobody does. You'll get farther with me if you treat me like an adult.
So here's the deal - A scripture came to me as I was drifting off to nap this afternoon. I can't remember the reference (I need to seriously brush up!), but the scripture says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (I think it must be in Proverbs.)
Similarly, I wonder that if we, as a human race, chose to treat each other differently when it came to correcting each other - be it a boss correcting an employee, a parent correcting a child (even sometimes grown children), or a child correcting another child - that we could perhaps have a more harmonious existence. Can we then paraphrase the scripture to say, "A gentle rebuke/correction turns away wrath, but a harsh rebuke/correction stirs up anger"??
Okay, so I suppose that if someone doesn't really care about their relationships with the people they've just corrected, then they may feel free to continue harshly rebuking. However, if we actually cared about one another, and desired to carry our relationships farther than a simple superficial level, then perhaps we need to re-evaluate how we treat each other and in what tone of voice we speak in our challenges and suggestions.
So, there you have it. My rant for the day. Take it lovingly. :)
People can be so harsh and rude sometimes. Then you walk away feeling like garbage because of how they treated you.
Case in point: the other day I was doing something and I was reprimanded by someone for not doing it correctly.
Okay, so I don't mind being told if I'm doing something wrong. Or if I need to be corrected. But I much prefer to be corrected in a non-*stupid* manner - i.e. I don't like to be made to feel like I'm an imbecile. Nobody does. You'll get farther with me if you treat me like an adult.
So here's the deal - A scripture came to me as I was drifting off to nap this afternoon. I can't remember the reference (I need to seriously brush up!), but the scripture says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." (I think it must be in Proverbs.)
Similarly, I wonder that if we, as a human race, chose to treat each other differently when it came to correcting each other - be it a boss correcting an employee, a parent correcting a child (even sometimes grown children), or a child correcting another child - that we could perhaps have a more harmonious existence. Can we then paraphrase the scripture to say, "A gentle rebuke/correction turns away wrath, but a harsh rebuke/correction stirs up anger"??
Okay, so I suppose that if someone doesn't really care about their relationships with the people they've just corrected, then they may feel free to continue harshly rebuking. However, if we actually cared about one another, and desired to carry our relationships farther than a simple superficial level, then perhaps we need to re-evaluate how we treat each other and in what tone of voice we speak in our challenges and suggestions.
So, there you have it. My rant for the day. Take it lovingly. :)
Friday, September 7, 2007
Trusting...
When all else fails...
when circumstances around you are unstable...
when people frustrate you to no end...
when unforeseen problems arise...
when situations are out of your control...
Whom do you trust?
I've just had a recurring thought this week - a thought that's always in the back of my mind, and one that I live by daily - and it's this:
When circumstances around me are unstable,
when people frustrate me to no end,
when unforeseen problems arise,
and when situations are out of my control,
I trust in the unfailing love of God my Savior.
I see people - even Christians - around me, fretting about this and that, worrying about how someone else's child is going to turn out, wanting to control everyone else's every move, and worrying about money when they've got loads in the bank, and I think to myself, "I'm SO glad I can rest in the love of God my Savior!" Sure, people frustrate me, and situations arise that have the potential to be all-consuming and sleep-depriving, BUT I am comforted by my all-knowing, ever-present Heavenly Father.
Therefore, I will not fear. I will not become restless. I will not become frustrated or anxious. God's timing, His strength, His wisdom, and His care are ever with me. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that God is sovereign and will meet my every need - physical, emotional, financial, relational.
I encourage you to do the same. Surrender. Simply rest.
when circumstances around you are unstable...
when people frustrate you to no end...
when unforeseen problems arise...
when situations are out of your control...
Whom do you trust?
I've just had a recurring thought this week - a thought that's always in the back of my mind, and one that I live by daily - and it's this:
When circumstances around me are unstable,
when people frustrate me to no end,
when unforeseen problems arise,
and when situations are out of my control,
I trust in the unfailing love of God my Savior.
I see people - even Christians - around me, fretting about this and that, worrying about how someone else's child is going to turn out, wanting to control everyone else's every move, and worrying about money when they've got loads in the bank, and I think to myself, "I'm SO glad I can rest in the love of God my Savior!" Sure, people frustrate me, and situations arise that have the potential to be all-consuming and sleep-depriving, BUT I am comforted by my all-knowing, ever-present Heavenly Father.
Therefore, I will not fear. I will not become restless. I will not become frustrated or anxious. God's timing, His strength, His wisdom, and His care are ever with me. I don't have all the answers, but I do know that God is sovereign and will meet my every need - physical, emotional, financial, relational.
I encourage you to do the same. Surrender. Simply rest.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Counting again
I've decided that when I'm feeling glum, I should start counting. I'm feeling kinda Eeyore-ish - mostly exhausted - so here we go again. In addition to the previous post's blessings, here are some more recent ones (i.e. the last day or two):
My blessings:
My blessings:
- Little boys who get up from their naps for the third time in half an hour - he should be sleeping, but at least it means he's potty-trained (because a lot of 3-year-old boys aren't).
- Being exhausted from being woken up twice by Dustin last night - because it means he's teething and he's developing normally.
- Being up late tonight baking muffins for the nursery at church tomorrow (J&D are in the nursery while I volunteer at the elementary VBS), because it means my kids will have a healthy snack for tomorrow instead of the sugar-laden alternatives.
- Baking muffins for the nursery (yeah, I know, I already said this one) - because it means I have a kitchen and a working oven and the money to buy the ingredients to make the muffins.
- Long volunteer forms - because they make me ponder the past and reflect on how God has worked in me and through me, bringing me encouragement for the day.
- A baby who isn't napping - when I give him some reeeeally diluted juice for the first time (like 10% juice & 90% water) to fill his tummy and hopefully encourage his nap, he makes a sweet face and says, "Mmmmm....." every 10 seconds - he makes me laugh, and laughter feeds the soul. And I get to have a moment alone with my littlest one.
- A floor full of books that haven't been put away - because it means my boys are interested in stories and books and reading.
- An office full of still-unpacked boxes, because it means I have an office!
- Jesus Christ - who reminds me on days like today that service brings joy, and makes me wonder why I've been hiding all this time!
- My hands and feet - I can walk and serve - and my pastor can't right now because he's in hospital waiting on his miracle from the God he serves and loves. And I'm reminded to pray for him.
- A busy week of VBS ahead - because it means that my boys will get lots of non-Mommy interaction, and it will prepare Joshua for his own VBS program next week and hopefully prepare him for being in a different room for Sunday School next year.
Have you counted your blessings today?
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Counting my blessings...
Here's the scoop -
I so often get sidetracked by the negatives in life. A messy basement. Friends who drop off the face of the planet. Bad relationships that I've done everything I can to restore, but the other party won't work in the reconciliation process. Sickness. Etc, etc, etc.
So, I'm going to make a goal of counting my blessings. As a well-known hymn says, "Count your blessings, name them one by one...Count your many blessings, See what God has done." When we count our blessings, the miseries and discouragements fall by the wayside. So, in an effort to counteract all the negatives flying my way, I'm going to tell the world about some of my blessings!
Here we go.
Good night!
I so often get sidetracked by the negatives in life. A messy basement. Friends who drop off the face of the planet. Bad relationships that I've done everything I can to restore, but the other party won't work in the reconciliation process. Sickness. Etc, etc, etc.
So, I'm going to make a goal of counting my blessings. As a well-known hymn says, "Count your blessings, name them one by one...Count your many blessings, See what God has done." When we count our blessings, the miseries and discouragements fall by the wayside. So, in an effort to counteract all the negatives flying my way, I'm going to tell the world about some of my blessings!
Here we go.
- Graeme
- Joshua
- Dustin
- My home - a roof over my head.
- This acreage - room for the boys to run around, fresh air, and privacy.
- Frogs to catch. Tonight, we all went outside (Curtis & Darcy, Charis, Jordan & Carly, Graeme & me, and Joshua) to catch frogs after birthday dinner.
- Little boys who love to sing themselves to sleep.
- Poopy bums who sing at the top of their lungs after bedtime in order to let the world know they need to be changed! (Dustin)
- A messy kitchen - it means I've been able to host family for a birthday party.
- Our fire pit - to relax outside after a lont day.
- My voice - I can sing and praise God.
- My eyes - I can see the wonder and majesty of His creation.
- My ears - I can hear my boys giggle, and the birds sing.
- Sorrowful boys who call for their Mommy & Daddy - because it means they love us. When Graeme and I were outside enjoying our fire tonight, we heard Joshua calling us around 10:00. Graeme went into the house and asked "Where are you, Joshua?" - and he was standing on the front porch. He had turned on every single light in the house, looking for us (even though we'd told him we'd be out by the fire pit). We ended up bringing him outside to snuggle with us and watch the fire with us.
- My office - I have a place to craft.
- Friends - those who reach my heart - encourage me, uplift me, pray for me, and love me in spite of myself.
- God - His love is higher and farther-reaching than anything else in this world.
- Music - an outlet for my soul, an outlet to worship God with.
- Owls - I'd never seen an own SO close - he was less than 10 feet from my head tonight! Wow!! I got a picture - I'll post it once I download it from our camera.
- The rain - it means our lawn will be watered.
- Bats - they eat mosquitos at a rate of up to 600 per hour!
Good night!
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Ups & Downs
So, here I am again. Since my last post, we've already had over $1500 in expenses to fix the previous owners' messes, with another $1500-$2000 before it's all said and done and fixed. And then the carpet goes in after that.
Our house is still a disaster. I desperately want to be unpacked!
Yesterday was Graeme's birthday. I surprised him in town and took him to Montana's with the kids for dinner. We got out of there with about 3 minutes to spare before one of the kids melted down. You just know when you're about to reach *critical mass*. We got Graeme a hammock for his birthday - he and I set it up last night after the littles were in bed - we had a fabulous time!! It's a double hammock - for two people, but I have to lose about 30 pounds before our combined weight makes us "legal" for the weight restrictions of the hammock. :) BUT, it's a very cool hammock. Something totally out of left field - something we could never use in town - something just PERFECT for relaxing outside on our acreage!
I just found out a friend has a blind baby - could be genetic, not sure yet. They will find out at the end of the month. Matthew may never see.
Graeme's grandfather had a heart attack, followed by an angiogram where they couldn't do the angioplasty so they had to do triple-bypass surgery. Recovery has not been smooth, and it seems like Graeme's parents have to be "on" the nurses & doctors constantly to diagnose this symptom or that.
Our pastor had a heart attack on Sunday. He had an angioplasty done on Sunday night/Monday morning. Was recovering nicely. Then - wham - a stroke hit him early this morning. It's pretty severe - it affected the side of the brain that controls movement and speech, etc. The next 72 hours are critical. He's only 48 (or thereabouts - definitely younger than 50) years old.
I guess my "house woes" are small in comparison to these things. God, may You put things into perspective for me once again. Your hand is bigger than my basement. Your hand is bigger than Pastor Rick's stroke. Your love is bigger than my insufficiencies. Your strength is stronger than a broken heart. Your grace will be sufficient for this day - for Your love is better than all this life has to offer. Bless...protect...heal...God, You are still in the miracle business...may Your will be done....
Our house is still a disaster. I desperately want to be unpacked!
Yesterday was Graeme's birthday. I surprised him in town and took him to Montana's with the kids for dinner. We got out of there with about 3 minutes to spare before one of the kids melted down. You just know when you're about to reach *critical mass*. We got Graeme a hammock for his birthday - he and I set it up last night after the littles were in bed - we had a fabulous time!! It's a double hammock - for two people, but I have to lose about 30 pounds before our combined weight makes us "legal" for the weight restrictions of the hammock. :) BUT, it's a very cool hammock. Something totally out of left field - something we could never use in town - something just PERFECT for relaxing outside on our acreage!
I just found out a friend has a blind baby - could be genetic, not sure yet. They will find out at the end of the month. Matthew may never see.
Graeme's grandfather had a heart attack, followed by an angiogram where they couldn't do the angioplasty so they had to do triple-bypass surgery. Recovery has not been smooth, and it seems like Graeme's parents have to be "on" the nurses & doctors constantly to diagnose this symptom or that.
Our pastor had a heart attack on Sunday. He had an angioplasty done on Sunday night/Monday morning. Was recovering nicely. Then - wham - a stroke hit him early this morning. It's pretty severe - it affected the side of the brain that controls movement and speech, etc. The next 72 hours are critical. He's only 48 (or thereabouts - definitely younger than 50) years old.
I guess my "house woes" are small in comparison to these things. God, may You put things into perspective for me once again. Your hand is bigger than my basement. Your hand is bigger than Pastor Rick's stroke. Your love is bigger than my insufficiencies. Your strength is stronger than a broken heart. Your grace will be sufficient for this day - for Your love is better than all this life has to offer. Bless...protect...heal...God, You are still in the miracle business...may Your will be done....
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Moved in...sort of
The "big move" happened on Saturday. We all slept here on Saturday night. The house is still an absolute disaster zone, although with help from Karen, Peter, Matthew, Melissa, Ryan, and Sharon, we had a kitchen that was set up, beds that were made, and tummies that were filled. All of our bedrooms are about 90% in order, and the kitchen is about 99% in order. Yippee!! We had our first home-cooked meal the other night - chicken breast, pasta, and sauteed zucchini. Wow. Yum. Deeee-lish!
We had some surprises, sadly. Graeme spent about 8 hours cleaning up the JUNK the previous owners left behind. It cost us $450 to have it hauled away. Then, when the carpet-layers came on the 2nd (the day after we took possession, and two days before we had the 'big move'), they pulled up the carpet and found some fairly major wet spots with some mold on the baseboards. Can you say, ****ARGH****! We were SO miffed - our inspection showed no water damage or anything, and no moisture readings, so this was obviously a problem that had happened since the time we bought the place to the time we took possession. I.e., the previous owners didn't disclose everything to us. Meaning that we now have a much bigger problem than unpacked boxes.
So, we had to have someone in to rip out all the drywall in those two areas (one was overflow from the foundation, but thankfully no cracks, and the other was a sump pump failure that we weren't told about). They had to determine the cause of the leakage and moisture, and take care of the mold. Now we have to pay someone to re-build our basement walls. Then we get to have the carpet put in at the end of August. THEN we can move into our basement.
The previous owners also let the yard go to pot. It was beautifully mowed and trimmed when we bought the place, but there are weeds upwards of 4 feet high in spots. It's very frustrating - this is not the condition we bought the place in, and as a result, we are having to do days and days of work just to get it back to square one! (Not to mention the in-house cleaning besides the junk hauling - it was quite dirty.)
So, all in all, it's been a really rocky start here. We are hoping for some sort of compensation for all of this, but the likelihood of that happening is slim to none. So, we'll be a few thousand dollars out of pocket...money we don't really have. So, feel free to donate to the "save the LaRue's basement fund". :) Ha ha, just kidding (almost). :)
In a more positive light, Joshua has already caught a frog. I'm not too keen on showing Dustin the frogs - I'm afraid he'll eat one. The kids have been sleeping relatively well here so far, and we've been doing not too badly, either. Graeme has enjoyed mowing his lawn, and we are building our office. A neighbor lady stopped by today to introduce herself and bring by some muffins she'd just made. YUMMY!
My friend Paige is expecting another baby - I'm so excited for you, dear lady! Woo hooo!! Another friend, Jen, is expecting her first baby - exciting times! And friends left, right, and centre are getting engaged! Such fun.
Graeme's grandpa is having open-heart triple-bypass surgery today. He's 83, and healthy as a horse otherwise, but has three 90% blockages from what I've been told. He should be out of surgery by now, or close to it, at least.
I'll post some pix of the house as soon as it's picture-worthy...and I'm on dial-up now, so it could take positively forever to upload pix. So I might burn them to disk and take them somewhere where it will only take half of forever to load onto here!
Cheerio - enjoy your day!
We had some surprises, sadly. Graeme spent about 8 hours cleaning up the JUNK the previous owners left behind. It cost us $450 to have it hauled away. Then, when the carpet-layers came on the 2nd (the day after we took possession, and two days before we had the 'big move'), they pulled up the carpet and found some fairly major wet spots with some mold on the baseboards. Can you say, ****ARGH****! We were SO miffed - our inspection showed no water damage or anything, and no moisture readings, so this was obviously a problem that had happened since the time we bought the place to the time we took possession. I.e., the previous owners didn't disclose everything to us. Meaning that we now have a much bigger problem than unpacked boxes.
So, we had to have someone in to rip out all the drywall in those two areas (one was overflow from the foundation, but thankfully no cracks, and the other was a sump pump failure that we weren't told about). They had to determine the cause of the leakage and moisture, and take care of the mold. Now we have to pay someone to re-build our basement walls. Then we get to have the carpet put in at the end of August. THEN we can move into our basement.
The previous owners also let the yard go to pot. It was beautifully mowed and trimmed when we bought the place, but there are weeds upwards of 4 feet high in spots. It's very frustrating - this is not the condition we bought the place in, and as a result, we are having to do days and days of work just to get it back to square one! (Not to mention the in-house cleaning besides the junk hauling - it was quite dirty.)
So, all in all, it's been a really rocky start here. We are hoping for some sort of compensation for all of this, but the likelihood of that happening is slim to none. So, we'll be a few thousand dollars out of pocket...money we don't really have. So, feel free to donate to the "save the LaRue's basement fund". :) Ha ha, just kidding (almost). :)
In a more positive light, Joshua has already caught a frog. I'm not too keen on showing Dustin the frogs - I'm afraid he'll eat one. The kids have been sleeping relatively well here so far, and we've been doing not too badly, either. Graeme has enjoyed mowing his lawn, and we are building our office. A neighbor lady stopped by today to introduce herself and bring by some muffins she'd just made. YUMMY!
My friend Paige is expecting another baby - I'm so excited for you, dear lady! Woo hooo!! Another friend, Jen, is expecting her first baby - exciting times! And friends left, right, and centre are getting engaged! Such fun.
Graeme's grandpa is having open-heart triple-bypass surgery today. He's 83, and healthy as a horse otherwise, but has three 90% blockages from what I've been told. He should be out of surgery by now, or close to it, at least.
I'll post some pix of the house as soon as it's picture-worthy...and I'm on dial-up now, so it could take positively forever to upload pix. So I might burn them to disk and take them somewhere where it will only take half of forever to load onto here!
Cheerio - enjoy your day!
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