Randomness

One more night and then my hubby comes home! Yay!! We are all excited! But in the meantime, I have another lonely night ahead of me. So lucky you - I shall blog :o)

I was going through my pictures and found a few random ones that I thought you'd might enjoy.

Nathan took Keziah out on a date awhile back, which resulted in her coming home with a fish. I was quite surprised, but let me tell you, the relief I felt was immense when I heard that the pet store had only kittens, hamsters and fish. I have never welcomed a fish more so than Bluey, knowing how close it was to having to deal with a kitten or hamster (which, by the way, will *never* happen.....). Bluey thankfully lasted more than 3 days. Not more than 3 weeks, but at least more than 3 days.

Who knew I'd actually miss this face?!

The camera never does a sunset justice.....

Not sure if you are familiar with this treat below. If you don't know what it is, I warn you not to find out. Because once you are introduced, there is no going back. Even the mice in our home couldn't resist!! It broke all our hearts that we had to throw it out, thanks to them! (Chicago Mix Popcorn - Caramel and Cheese Popcorn in one bag. Yummy!)

How many Helders does it take to change a light bulb?! Or maybe I should ask, how long does it take when you have this many Helders changing a light bulb?!

He will regret this picture one day......but I sure won't! :o)

Keziah's little Frog Oasis she created, to hopefully entice a dear little frog to become her pet.

The best I could do with the eclipse that happened a few weeks ago. Did you manage to catch it? It was amazing.

What a joke - I saw that chocolate milk was on sale last week, so I bought it. Well, wouldn't you know it that while it *looked* like it was on sale, they shrunk the bags!! So what used to be 4L, is now 3L! The bags hardly fit in a regular milk container! Pathetic.

With Nathan gone, I've had a bit of fair time on my hands, so I picked something up that I haven't touched in at least two years! Way back when (like 17 years ago), I had the "bright" idea of cross-stitching a birth announcement for every niece and nephew born to us. Who knew we would be blessed so many?! You can tell I obviously came up with this idea when my first nephew was born, 'cause if I knew I'd have 24 (plus one more in a month or so, DV), nieces and nephews, I think I would have been smarter. I think 15 of my nieces and nephews have one already, so yeah, a wee bit behind. But hey, better late than never!

These boots best describe our creative, flashy and eccentric girl. I saw them second hand and knew exactly how she would react. I gave them to her last week and she has yet to take them off.

Reason #348 that Nathan needs to come home:

I asked Lincoln to find the hair clippers. True male-style, he not only couldn't find them, he left every single cupboard door open!! How are things like that innate?!

I shall leave it at this. Seeing that picture of our bathroom reminds me it no longer looks like that! We've recently renovated this bathroom, bringing it out of the 80s and into 2015. Next time!

Take care!

Sigh. Sigh. And Triple Sigh.

It's Tuesday evening. My hubby is gone for the week. My Blue Jays are getting absolutely spanked. And the Leader of my country has gone from someone I was thankful to have at the helm (even if he wasn't perfect) to someone who makes me embarrassed I am a Canadian.

So how is your week going for you?!

Sigh.

I know.....really, that my Blue Jays got royally beat up (pun intended....) is not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things. Actually, it's not even a deal in the grand scheme of things. So, who cares about them? Well, I kind of still do......but not when I put things into perspective.

And, really, my husband is gone for 4 nights. That's it! Just 4 nights! Yes, he was gone last week for 3 nights and now 4 nights, but really, to put it blunt: he's not dead! I am not a widow!! Not a big deal then in the grand scheme of things. So do I have a right to sigh?! Sort of......but not when I put things into perspective.

Now, to our new Prime Minsiter. Mr. Justin Trudeau.

Marks for good looks? Ummm, maybe 7 out of 10.....if this is what turns your crank.

Marks for Politic knowledge? Can one give a negative?!

My, oh my. Certainly a bigger deal than the Blue Jays winning or losing, or my hubby being gone for 4 nights. When I think of the future with him as our leader, sitting with the bigwigs of other countries like Putin, Obama and others, I can't help but shudder, wince and hang my head in shame.

How is it that Canadians elected someone to lead their country who has zero, that's right, ZERO!!! experience in politics other than living in the Prime Minister's home when his father was Prime Minister?!?! (and don't Canadians remember when his dad was Prime Minister and the damage he did......interest rates, anyone?) I mean, really, I don't even hire someone inexperienced to babysit my kids!! Let alone lead my country! Have we not all applied for jobs where the term "Experience Needed" is mentioned first and foremost?!

What were we Canadians thinking?!

Oiy.

Time for perspective again, or I will sit here, dwelling and disbelieving, become negative and grumpy, which is just not healthy. Or the way God wants me to live. Oh, that's right - God. Wait a minute - there's the perspective: It's actually not Mr. Justin Trudeau in control, my God is the One who has it all in His hands! He is the One who has given Trudeau the authority of leading this country (whether Trudeau recognizes it or not). It is God, our King and Ruler Supreme who has a plan for this country, and maybe that plan is for us Christians to get off our butts (those of us who are sitting on them) and get a voice! We need to be heard! We need to do something. It is time, it is time!!

So, with remembering verses like the ones below, I shall ask for forgiveness of not doing enough. I shall remember and take comfort in the fact that we all have a King to answer to, even Mr. Trudeau. I shall ask for the Spirit's help in not putting my trust in the economy, or platforms, or governing rulers, but only in our God. And I shall not only pray for me, but for all Canadians, including Trudeau. Certainly not our choice of a leader, but a choice has been made, and I must respect that. I pray he will begin to recognize Who put him in this tremendous task of leading our country, Canada.
:
Ps. 72: 8: He will rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. 

Ps. 2:  Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? 2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. 3 "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters." 4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. 5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, 6 "I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill." 7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery." 10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Ps. 146: 3-6:  Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, 6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever. 

Ruler supreme, who hearest humble prayer,
Hold our Dominion, in thy loving care.
Help us to find, O God, in thee,
A lasting rich reward.
As waiting for the better day,
We ever stand on guard.
God keep our land, glorious and free.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!

And So It Starts....

Yup, that's right. 6 weeks after the fact, I am ready to write about her first day of school. No, it hasn't taken me this long to get used to the idea of her going to school every day. It actually took about a week and a half, but I am doing pretty good with it all.

 

That first week was not fun at all....lots of wandering around, restlessness, boredom, tears, and wasting time was done. And I am not talking about Lincoln. It was me! Lincoln wasn't the only one lost, so was I. Oh how I have missed her presence, so I have learned to really soak it all in when she is home.

I also learned the second week that I could not drop her off at the bus stop. Yup, I am a suck. Usually Nathan takes her, but one time he couldn't, so it was me. There she goes.....climbs the big steps, sits in the first seat, looks out the window and mouths "I love you, mom!". That did me in. I came home and told Nathan he has to take her from now on.

I am happy to report that since then, I have learned to control myself and can now take her to the bus stop without melting into a puddle of tears. In fact, I see how happy she goes, and my heart is so happy for and with her!

And good news - Lincoln is also getting used to this new normal as well! He has gone from asking about Keziah 6 times an hour to 2 times a day. HUGE improvements, that's for sure!! He still says most mornings that he doesn't want Keziah to go to school, but it's short-lived.

This was him that first morning:

 

But we both only had to wait about 1.5 hours before we saw her again for the opening assembly. Keziah is going to a school aptly called Grace Christian School. Grace - it's really what it's all about in our lives: God's grace. And when we realize God's grace given to us (out of His love for us!), then we recognize the need to give grace to others.

And then we had the rest of the day to wait for her to come home. We passed some time at Lincoln's favourite place (other than a restaurant :o), The Early Years Centre, and then home where he had fun washing all his cars from camping dirt.

 

I tried not to look at the clock every 34 seconds as we counted down to picking her up from the bus stop. But finally the time came to go get her! Clearly I was not the only one excited!!

And here she is, exhausted but full of stories. And those stories have not stopped, which I am so glad for as I hardly heard a peep about her kindergarten days.

6 weeks later, this girl is still very excited to go to school. I don't hear a word about what they are learning unless it's about gym (yay! My kind of girl!!), but I hear lots about recess - who she is playing with, what they are doing, what "the boys are always doing" (usually getting into trouble in her eyes :o). She is having a g.r.e.a.t. time and we are so thankful.

We have gotten into a pleasant new rhythm of life, adjusting and learning to make the best of it, especially Lincoln. More about his days the next post!

Surprise Start to September!

I am not sure if you gathered this about me yet from my last posts, but I was somewhat dreading September. I actually *love* the month of September, but this September. Meh. It could have started and passed without me noticing and I would have been just fine. I just was so not ready to send Keziah off to school every day. So to avoid thinking about it, we took off camping!

Someone was not able to enjoy their reservation at our most favourite camping park, and so we jumped all over it. 4 days later we packed up and headed out to Arrowhead Provincial Park for the Labour Day Long weekend. And what a weekend it was to end our summer - lots of heat, sand, campfires, hikes, bike rides, swims and rock climbing. It was fan.tas.tic. Here, let me show you:

 

 

 

 

 This boy and his cars. They are his treasures, treasures that are played with day after day after day after day after, well, you get the idea.....

 

 

 

 

The girl is petrified of anything cutsie, like kittens, puppies, hamsters etc. (which, by the way, I totally understand....), but climbing rocks at an incline that makes my momma's heart stop? Nope, no problem at all!!

Arrowhead has a really neat waterfalls/rapids. Due to it being later in the summer, the water wasn't overly high, which meant the kids could go in with Daddy. They loved it and I love these pictures!

 

The day we were to leave to go home started a bit earlier than we would have wanted. Like, 4 am early. Keziah came to us, short of breath. Did you know she has asthma?? No, we didn't either!! So you can imagine our concerns when she just could not get her breath and we had nothing with us to help her. We are so thankful to God that this happened on this camping trip, at a park with a hospital 10 minutes up the road, as opposed to the park we were at earlier in August for two weeks, where the hospital is 2 hours away! After a good dose of Ventolin, she was breathing much better. Now we know to add puffers (inhalers) on my What to Pack List.

Despite this scare, we enjoyed an unexpected 5 days of togetherness, doing something we love so much: camping. And it helped me to not focus on what was to come the day after we got back. But as you know, it's October, so clearly I survived What Was About To Start when we got back from camping. More about her first day and how we have survived this transition next time.

August Accomplished

Today is the first day of October. OCTOBER!!!! How did this month get here so quick? It kind of snuck up on me because September felt like August with the weather. Except one HUGE difference. Keziah started school. But let's deal with that next time I blog as I am still getting used to her being gone 5 days a week.

So back to August, when it was still summer, long sunshiney days spent together with friends and family.

 

 

I took the kids and visited my sister and her family at a Bible Camp 3 hours away. We stayed with them at the resort for 3 days. It was a like a Vacation Bible School - with a program in the morning and one at night. While Keziah absolutely loved the programs, Lincoln despised them. Oh, this child has a lot of growing up to do in a year to be ready for school. But overall, we had a lot of fun of relaxing and spending time with loved ones.

Lincoln was sad to leave......buffet food. All you can eat. That was his high-light!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below - the kids found a drainpipe and then spent a considerable amount of time yelling messages to each other. Ah, childhood. Love it.

 

 

We won't talk about the weather, as it was terribly cold and wet. But the kids didn't care. Why can't we be more like them?! It was amazing because two weeks later, we were back up in this area for an unplanned camping trip, and it was plus 30 degrees and so, so humid! So humid that our dear brown eyes ended up in the hospital! But more about that next time. I believe this wraps up August.