Adoption Awareness

Well, November is almost over and with this month being Adoption Awareness month, you may have thought I had forgotten, especially seeing that the last two years I've written a number of blog posts in this particular month on the topic of Adoption.

Nope, not forgotten.....just waiting for something to strike me to write about. I felt I had written quite a bit about Adoption the last few Novembers and I wasn't sure what I could add to it. If you haven't read those blog posts, I encourage you to do so. Some of them are long, but worth the time to read (am I allowed to say that about my own writing?! I  hope that doesn't come across the wrong way..). You never know - it could help you in YOUR journey or someone else's. Because guaranteed if it's not you dealing with infertility, someone close to you is as infertility affects 1 in every 4 couples. And when we talk infertility, the topic of Adoption is not far behind......trying to know whether it's for your family or not, which can be so hard considering everyone else thinks it's the answer and solution. Besides, adopt and most likely you will get pregnant! That's what happened to my sister's husband's aunt's daughter's niece. (I hope you know I am being sarcastic.....;)

After giving my readership an opportunity to ask me whatever about adoption, I answered the questions I received in the following links back in November 2012:
Adoption Q & A Part One
Adoption Q & A Part Two
Adoption Q & A Part Three

Last year, November 2013, I wrote about 5 things Adoption has taught us:
What Adoption Has Taught Us Part 1A
What Adoption Has Taught Us Part 1B
What Adoption Has Taught Us Part 2
What Adoption Has Taught Us Part 3
What Adoption Has Taught Us Part 4

Lots of reading material for you! In the meantime, I will continue to think about what to write about this year in regards to Adoption Awareness. I have an idea or two, but please let me know via here or email me whether there is something you'd like me to write about as well. You can always remain anonymous if you leave a comment here, I do not mind that at all.

I hope to have a write up later this week or next week. Give me your thoughts! :o)

Last Hike of the Season = Photo Shoot

I had planned to do this blog post Friday night, but just when I was about to start, our power went out. Thankfully it came back on after an hour or so, which is good because it was a cold night for no heat!

It is now Monday night, and as I write this, my bath tub is full with water, flashlights are on the counter and my phone is fully charged. You'd think I am expecting the power to go out again! Well, that is because I am. The wind is blustery out there, blowing upwards to 80-100 kms an hour! It is supposed to be like this all tonight and into tomorrow. You know it's windy out there when the water in your toilets have white caps. (I am kidding, but the water is moving all around in them!)

But despite the wind, today was very warm, which reminded me of some pictures I took when the kids and I went on another fall hike. I shall let the pictures do the talking......some of them are my new favs!!

I took some pictures of the kids in the cornfield nearby, but Linc was just way too concerned about the farmer. "The farmer get mad at me, mom! I in his corn!!!"

Yup. There's no question. We have the cutest kids on the planet.

Before/After

It's a dark and stormy wintry night......and Winter doesn't start in 5 weeks!! Oiy. But no complaints here!! Why?! Because I don't live on the other side of the lake - in Buffalo, NY. My, oh my. Can you imagine receiving two meters of snow, with possibly another meter on its way?! Can't picture it? Here, have a look at this. Unbelievable.

I had these pictures planned as a Before and After, but I have now added a new category: Middle, thanks to Fall ending so suddenly and Winter coming so early.

So here is my Before picture of some trees in my front yard:

Middle:

After:

But it wasn't just my trees changing in a month. So was my driveway.

Here is my Before:

And After:

It's amazing the difference a month makes!!

Surprise!!

Well, it happened. We knew it would sooner than later, but didn't really count on how soon sooner meant.

It started yesterday and stopped this afternoon. By the time it was done, we had at least 3-4 inches of the white stuff. Thankfully it looked really pretty and so it was somewhat welcomed.

The best part though was the snow was damp, which made perfect packing snow! So out we went. We right away built a snowman. Well, *I* built the snowman while Lincoln and Keziah ate the snow. And ate some more. And just in case they thought I wouldn't feed them lunch, they ate some more yet, with Lincoln even calling his handful of snow a "hotdog". Crazy kids!! ;)

Lincoln was quite thrilled and in awe with the snowman, which made the snowman smile.

So while we were all happy, including the snowman.....

...there was one little creature that, if he could cry, he would have. Keziah called me over to come and look at the "poor little guy who is lost, looking for his mama", and even me, the non-animal/creature lover, felt sorry for this guy. Looks like we weren't the only ones that were surprised with the snow!

Yeah, I don't think I have ever seen an ant walking across snow so slowly and gingerly.  But whether we like it or not, it looks like winter has started. It is hard to imagine that less than a week ago we were outside in 19 degree sunny weather! Oh well. Complaining about it isn't going to make it go away and so we might as well embrace it. Which I do.....until I have to bundle and buckle the kids up in the car with the wind howling in and all around. Sigh. Maybe I won't go anywhere for the next 5 months. Oh wait, if I don't go anywhere, my sanity will! So, I shall do my best to take in all in stride :o).

Eighty-Five!!!

No, I am not talking about degrees in Fahrenheit. Or how many inches of snow is being predicted for the winter. Or how many days till Spring (I wish!).

Yet, that number is significant. Why? Because it is how old my dear grandmother turned the other day!!

This woman is the epitome of everything the Lord calls a woman to be: full of service to others, kind, loving, putting others first, teaching the younger ones and to do everything in service to Him.

I enjoy our visits together, where we talk about church things, life issues, as well as current events. She is up-to-date on all of them. She knows what is going on Today.

And not only does she keep up to date on the Present Age, she is actually further advanced than I am when it comes to technology. For this lady has an iphone, and actually knows how to work the thing!! That's my Oma for you! ;o)

This past Saturday, the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren came together to celebrate the milestone of 85 years. While not everyone could make it (all her children were there, but some of my cousins and their children live Out West and understandably couldn't make it), the fact that so many of us were there screamed PHOTO OP!!!

Looking for Oma is like looking for Waldo. But she is in that picture somewhere!

Oma with a large group of her great-grandchildren. There are 13 still out west, as well as one or two here that were kind of done having pictures taken and so are not pictured here.

The kids were asked how much they loved Oma. Thiiiiiiiiiiisssss much! :o)

Oma with her children:

And with her daughters and sons in law:

Oma, (yes, I can write to her this way because that's how tech-savvy she is.....she knows how to get onto my blog!!) you are such a blessing to us. We praise God for being near to you all these past years. I know the last 21 years have been lonesome with the passing of Opa, yet you remain upbeat and tackle each day with purpose. You are a godly example for me. May God continue to bless you with health, peace, and comfort each and every day He allows you to enjoy. We love you!!

We Shall Not Forget

Lincoln and I were able to take in the Remembrance Day ceremony at the cenotaph this morning. It's the first one I've been to in forever, and I am glad to have attended it. As others have said, it is one of the last public ceremonies that mention God through prayer and songs. I was actually pleasantly surprised in how often we prayed! And how often God was addressed.

Our school attends, grades 1 - 8, and two of our students were privileged in placing down a wreath. The service overall was beautiful and humbling (we won't talk about the singing though.....yikes. A school band or choir would definitely help in this department). I am thankful I went.

 

The service was quite well-attended, thanks to the beautiful weather; the recent events of the deaths of two of our soldiers on home soil had a large part of this as well.

We don't get to see The Canadian Mounted Royal Police everyday!

Although Lincoln couldn't see a whole lot, and the service was an hour long, he was pretty quiet. His reward for good behaviour?! :o) He was allowed to sit on this:

Watching the News tonight, seeing elderly men cry as they Remember what they were involved in so many years ago was heart wrenching. We just have no idea what they have been through, as well as the images that go through their minds. May we continue to pray for our veterans, as well as our troops in the present day, wherever they are, not only today but everyday.

Last Camping Adventure of 2014!

I heard that our pleasant Fall weather is about to come to an abrupt halt in a few days. Something about Polar Vortex, frigid temperatures or something?! I am choosing to ignore these warnings, and to keep my head in the sand, er, leaves. 

One way of denying what is coming, is to relive a bit of our Fall adventures, like our Thanksgiving camping. We have been camping at this time of year for at least 14 years. At first we camped on our own, with friends visiting etc. but they never stayed. Until we started camping with Jenn and Jay. They went with us once, and that was it. They were hooked.

And so for the last 9 years, Jenn and I eagerly pick out our campsites (always being too late to pick out the two we want....you'd think we'd have this down pat by now. Maybe next year?!) and plan the menus. And every year it has been so. much. fun. How we love this family like crazy and thankful for each of them!! So what better way than to spend of all weekends with them on Thanksgiving weekend.

9 years ago, there were 4 adults and 4 kids. We are now at 4 adults and 8 kids (Owen has a friend that has come with the last 3 years and looks to be hooked as well). Yup. Loads of fun! Here, I am sure the pictures will prove it. Between the biking, the playgrounds and fun at the campsite, so many memories were made:

We go to this park every year, and the last few years, Keziah collects acorns and puts them all in this hole in the tree "for the chipmunk, Mom."

Keziah finally conquered her fear, and climbed up and over this apparatus:

Any guesses as to what is going on in *these* pictures?! :o) Hint, we are across the road from each other....one site is electrical. One is not.

Yearly badminton duels. We forgot the net but no matter. I knew there was a reason why we take so much rope with us camping. And yes, making very clear boundaries is also imperative.

Mmmmmm! Pie iron pizzas over the fire!!!

Someone was quite mesmerized by the fire.

Enjoying a yummy Thanksgiving meal altogether. So many blessings in and around this table.

The weather was fantastic. Cool but sunny....

 ...until Monday morning, in which we woke up to rain. That's why we bought a large trailer!! So we all have somewhere to go! With space for the kids to have their own game, and adults have theirs, we are nicely spread out while we wait for the rain to end.

So glad all those shoes were outside of our trailer - can you even imagine the stench if they were also in the trailer?!!?

And that's a wrap of our camping adventures for 2014! We haven't dared to try winter camping yet - have you?! Once the kids are older, we will have to give it a try.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend (my Canadian friends) or will have one in a week or two (my American friends). I have no idea when other countries celebrate (or even if they do) Thanksgiving, but I wish you all many thanksgiving days, giving thanks to our Heavenly Father, the Giver of so many undeserved gifts.