God Loves to Celebrate

Happy 10th Anniversary to Us!!

Our Anniversary was on a Friday a couple of weeks ago, and we celebrated by dinner out at the Keg.  On the Wednesday just before, on 'date night' while Nolan was at Awana, we went ring shopping for a band to match my wedding band.  We hit the mall and didn't find one at the first jewelry store where we got the initial band; too bad, since they were going out of business and everything was on sale.  Right across the aisle was another jewelry store, but they didn't have anything similar enough either.  I guess this is why you can have three of them in one mall - the third one was the charm (and was, actually, called Charm).  They had a very similar band for a decent price, AND, while I was trying it on, I noticed that the mall system was playing the song we walked down the aisle to at our wedding. 

It's like God was saying, "I like you guys!  Anniversaries are to be celebrated, and I'm celebrating with you.  Good job!"

So awesome.

For This I am Thankful...

Happy Thanksgiving, Canada!  We just drove home from Mom & Dad's today after an uneventful-but-great-to-be-with-family weekend.  The clouds parted and we enjoyed some sunshine - ironically, at dusk, so it was in our eyes, but I'll still take it!  The colors were so rich and spectacular it didn't even matter that I finished my book half way through the drive.

For that, I am thankful.

We had perhaps the best drives yet with Nolan, both there and back.  He woke after 20 minutes on the way home and I thought that might be all we got (no...!) but he did fall asleep again after a while and slept quite a long time (whew).  He also slept pretty good at Granny & Papa's, and had a great time with his cousins.  He's growing and maturing and talking and joking.

For that, I am thankful.

I left a box of goods with Mom for a sale table at their upcoming women's conference.  It's satisfying to make stuff that other people might actually want and use.

For that, I am thankful.

I am reminded most days in one way or another that God made us each different, and he did that on purpose.  Our job is to love Him and let Him help us learn to love each other, not only when people are like us and please us, but in all circumstances.  It's not natural, but it's so necessary for a good life.  He loves me in spite of the way I continually need improvement, and that's a great encouragement.

For that, I am thankful.

Madeline went to soccer practice tonight and connected with a great friend.  I'm glad she's on a team with some friends from last year, glad she enjoys the sport, and glad she gets a chance to play.

For that, I am thankful.

And you?  What are you thankful for?

Hope

I picked the hope mug again this morning.

I showed you these before: the mugs we got from Mom & Dad for Christmas.  The plan was to swap them back out once the holidays were over, but they are still in the cupboard, mid April.  Outside still looks like January, so maybe once it's green we'll do that.

I've gotten into the habit, though, of picking the mug I use based on what I would like to see or feel in my life at the moment.  Often it's the green Joy mug, but the Hope mug sees a lot of use, too, and Peace....  It's such a nice addition to the morning coffee to have a calming thought inhaled in, affecting my whole being.

This week, this is what I hope:

that spring will come
that M will get through the teenage years without being too scarred by them
that she would be strong mentally & stand strong against the pressure of her peers
that Sean and his business would thrive
that N will sleep through the night one day and not need to nurse to sleep and I'll be able to leave him  knowing he's fine without me
that God will answer prayers for the salvation of friends and family
that I would hold on to joy; enjoy friends and have meaningful work both raising my children and otherwise that this marriage will only get stronger and last forever
that my light would shine
that I would be open to people and opportunities
that God's kingdom would come on earth as it is in heaven
that we would find a dress for M's grad that she loves and that we are happy with
that Sean would find a good friend to spend time with now that one has moved away
that N's cold would be gone soon and not spread to his lungs or ears

I am so thankful that my hopes don't have to remain just hopes, but are prayers that the Answer hears.

Thankful for...

Veterans and all those who have sacrificed so we can enjoy peace and freedom.
A day off with the family at home.
Hours playing and enjoying each other.
Bright fabrics.
Online shopping.
Etsy.
Quilts.
A win for M's soccer team.
Sleepovers at Grandpa's.
Brownies and cookies and desserts.
Pinterest and new ideas to try.
Small group friends.
A new niece arriving soon.
"Dada" and "Mama."

Nolan at Nine Months

I've had a nine-month-old for a whole week now, and the biggest development is that HE'S WALKING!!!  Yes, an early stepper; takes after his dad, who according to my mother-in-law also walked at nine months.

I counted around 35 steps at the library the other day - they've got a great open space for him to cruise around in.  His balance is great, he can stop and go, and turn around... so fun to watch.

We had him dedicated at church this past Sunday.  I always find baby dedications to be a special time, since the congregation speaks out loud these words:

As your faith community, we support you as you bring this child of your love and the love of your Heavenly Father. As you commit your child and yourself to the Father, we commit ourselves to you, to support, to encourage, to pray and to take an active part in the nurturing of this young life. As God is our witness, we receive this child in love, and promise to be unto your child, father, mother, brother, sister and friend.

It is one way that you can practically feel the ties between us growing and strengthening.  A great picture of church, and a great reassurance that we are not alone in our desire for this boy to grow up with a heart for Jesus.

We are so thankful that our parents could be there as well as a few of his aunts, uncles, and cousins, and that they could all spend the day with us.

Thanks, Mom.

Thanks, Mom.

You raised the three of us to believe that people matter, and that quietly making time for others while you go about your business is the best way to live.  You taught us to use our imaginations and be creative; to be curious and to 'look it up!'  You modeled how to put others first, but at the same time not to back down when it comes to right and wrong.  (Why do I feel like I'm writing a eulogy?)  I appreciate all the adventures you took us on, and that you made everyday stuff into adventures.  Thanks for all the times you said no (Really?  The bathing suit with the zipper down the front wasn't a good idea??  Even if I sewed it shut to avoid accidents?) and for all the times you let me make my own decisions and mistakes.

Thanks for laughing at me when you realized I was in third, not first, and that's why I couldn't get the car started at the stop sign without stalling.  Oh, I mean for being patient when teaching me things.  Even when I was an impatient learner. ("Okay, I get it - I don't want your help any more!")

Your homemade card is in the mail.  You should get it tomorrow. (I learned that remembering people is important, but I didn't learn how to consistently get cards in the mail on time.  Oops.)

Truly Thankful

I often find myself writing thank you notes in my head.

So many things that we have for Nolan were gifts, and as we use them I find myself appreciating the person who gave it to us.  Honestly, if thoughts were known (and we're all glad they're not, right?) you'd already know how much I appreciate you.

But I do have to get those thoughts down on paper and into your hands, and it's a job I don't mind doing.  The reason it's not already finished (besides the fact that my list is pages long), is that I have to make them before I can write them.  It is more meaningful for me to give a card I've made, so my thank you's must be homemade to convey the sincerity of my thanks.

While they are not complex designs, sometimes finding time is an issue, so forgive me if it takes a while.  It is on its way.

Starts with plain white cut-in-half cardstock, then a hand drawn line around the outside, and a strip of blue ribbon.  Some I had, some more I picked up for this.

Then the stamped onesie, 'thank you' written in, stapled on with blue staples to blue scraps for mats, bottoms torn.

Then ready to be written with the thanks and thoughts in my head, and off to your hands.

I am truly grateful.  So many gifts filling my boy's room, and so many gifts in my friendships with you.  So much to be thankful for.

Three Weeks Old!

 Three weeks into our new life - I am so full of love for this boy, so grateful he's an easy baby, and so glad that I get to spend my days, evenings (even when they are fussy!) and nights with him.

Grateful on a Monday Morning

 I am a little tired this morning, but will pop in a workout video anyway, when I've finished here.  Monday mornings are always a full-head-space time for me: planning the week's meals and shopping list, thinking of the week and our plans and what needs to be done when, doing cleaning and chores and fitting in work, too.  I don't dislike Monday mornings, I just am aware that they take a different level of attention, and I'm feeling like a nap to start off the day wouldn't be a bad thing.  I am thankful for this Monday morning.

I've been napping more lately... I think that's ok for being almost 33 weeks.  I am thankful for this little active one inside me and look forward to our meeting! 

Especially since things may get infinitely more crazy before baby comes in January.  We are looking at the possibility of moving.  Looking after our future and investing... we want to buy another place and keep this one to rent out.  We already have people anxious to move in here, but we don't get to go look at places till tomorrow.  There are two that are possibilities in our minds, but I am convinced that our God is big and powerful and on our side, so I am praying for a great house at a great price at the perfect time.  I have my ideas of what those would be, but I am trusting in Him and in Sean and we'll keep you posted.  I am thankful for potential and exciting times.

I have had better mornings lately getting M out the door - my attitude has improved as I've been more aware (thank you, small group) of what I am letting into my life and how that affects what comes out.  I want to have a heart full of peace and joy, so when I tell M to get a move on in the mornings now, it's usually more patient and kind, sometimes joyful even - she likes her silly mom and if I can help her mood stay up, I will keep trying.  Amazing how that makes so much sense and how little we think about it - My actions affect her actions.  My words and tone of voice affect her words and tone of voice.  My attitude affects her attitude.  And until she learns to control those things on her own, I will keep trying to lift her up in all those ways.  How easy it is to bring her down (and let her bring me down!) - but I am the adult!  I am the parent!  I am the one who's responsibility it is to be aware and intentional about my actions, words and attitudes.  How else is she going to learn it?  So I am thankful for a week of good mornings, and look forward to more as I keep working on me.

Have a great Monday!  What are you thankful for?

I thought I'd link up with all the other grateful people over at A Holy Experience today...

Five Years Ago...

Thankful for my Handiman!

I put up photos recently of our bathroom reno; on Saturday, the man of the hour put a new back door on the house.  What a hero.  While he was doing that, I finished chopping down my caragana bushes that had grown into unruly trees, hoping that next spring I might get a nice new start to a hedge between us and the house to the west.  We took a little trip to the dump to get rid of the old door, the branches and M's old box spring, and when we got back, Mr. Fixit fixed M's squeaky bed frame, too.

Today we went on a tour of the hardware stores and came home with some subfloor, another box of flooring, an 8 foot length of countertop, two base cabinets and some lighting... all for my NEW STUDIO.  Did I mention that he's a hero?  I would honestly have been content with just my desk and a couple of shelves, but no, I get a 7x8" corner.  The base cabs and my desk are both unfinished, so I'll have to pick a stain color, and a paint for the outside bits, but oh, is it going to be nice.

Drums moved to the corner; my desk will go along that far wall.

Countertop, two cabinets, subfloor... oh, and a pile of magic bags!

 I'll keep the pictures coming as we get to it.  :)

Spilling the Beans

I think I felt it.  I knew it would happen sometime this month, but these first few, you don't know if that's really what it is.  There have been a few times over the weekend where I wondered if that's what I was feeling...

What am I talking about?

This little jumper:

Yes, it's true.  I think I've finally told most people in person, so I can start filling you in on the details here now. I am at about 17 weeks, and due in the middle of January.  We have been married 4 1/2 years now and finally came to a point where we decided that yes, this is the route we want to go - our family of 3 has been great, but all three of us agree that a new little one around will be something we will never regret.

This is the other reason it was time to go through the storage rooms and all that baby stuff - not just for the garage sale!  I got rid of our old crib in the garage sale, but we've got a much newer one given to us already.  We have a stroller, a high chair and a booster seat for the car - I think the only other big ticket item we'll need is the car seat.  That and boy clothes if that's what it happens to be.  Oh, and a change table, I guess, and a snuggly that Dad won't be embarrassed to be seen in, an RESP, maybe a new toy or two, and boxes and boxes of diapers!  Other than that, babies don't need much, do they?

I really feel that for me, there is no greater job in this world than to raise up children who love God.  I look forward to being Mom to one more. 

I am very grateful to God for this amazing gift, and I am grateful that I get to share our news with you!  Linking up today with all the others counting the ways they're thankful.

Date Week

With M off at camp this week, Sean and I are enjoying date week.  I'm not sure when 4 nights has been long enough to call a week, but it will have to do.  (For the record, I like when camp starts Sunday and ends Saturday.  Drop off at 5 on a Monday?  Hello?  He's working so I have to take them myself - what kind of a start to date week is that?)

Monday was a a great night for visiting at camp, but not so much for the dates...

Tuesday we went out for dessert with a couple from church that we have enjoyed getting to know there, but have never gone out with.  It was a great night.

Wednesday's plans changed when it was too windy to go kayaking.  : (  We went for coffee instead, and browsed at SportMart.  We were looking for running clothes for me, since I got a little overheated when I went Tuesday morning, but didn't find much (the overheating may have had more to do with the fact that it was already up in the 20's at 8 am than that I was wearing a cotton t-shirt...).  After checking out the whole store, I was back at the front and saw a rack with a "Spring Coat Sale" tag on it.  It didn't even register to me that in Jasper I found a jacket I really liked but couldn't afford and checked every store we saw for it until I saw that glimpse of green on the rack - IT WAS THERE!  And on sale at a half decent price!  Woo Hoo - I am grateful for the nice find.

Tonight we went golfing together.  Sean golfs pretty much every week.  This was my first time all year.  There's a group from church that goes every Thursday, so we joined them and ended up in a foursome with the church secretary and her husband and had a great time.  Nice to see Peggy outside work, too!  (Although she hosted us girls who work at the church for lunch on Tuesday and put on an amazing spread in her gorgeous yard... that was pretty awesome, too.)

Tomorrow night we're having a friend over for supper and then are going mini golfing together.  It should be a hoot.  A great date week.  Have I mentioned that I have a wonderful husband?

Date ideas, anyone??  Please share your everyday dates and the special ones - I always love to hear new ideas.

things that made me happy this week

Tuesday
- Taking M out for ice cream to celebrate finishing grade 6.
- Walking by the lake, enjoying the beautiful weather, seeing 4 pelicans.

Wednesday
- Washing my Escape (with one bucket of water!)
- A heavenly hot night with no wind and no bugs and hours on the deck with a good book.

Thursday
- Extreme Pitas for lunch for me & the girl.
- Walking out of the restaurant to see my Escape shining beautifully clean in the sun.
- Watching Women's World Cup Soccer.

Last weekend was full of great things (celebrations & visits with friends / family, Red Lobster, Bonfire at a friend's place, Girl Guide camp, an afternoon nap, church picnic at the camp & Sean rocking in the baseball game...), and this weekend promises to be another great one, celebrating weddings with friends.

I really love summer.

counting up thankfuls

I've mentioned before that one of the books I have with me when I spend time with my Lord in the mornings is a Gratitude Journal.  I've written about my motivation to start one, on a summer road trip.  And I've mentioned the book One Thousand Gifts and directed you over to Ann's website to find some wonderful encouragement.

One thing I haven't done - until today - is list here what I am thankful for, and link it to Ann's weekly gratitude post.  This is what I wrote today in my Gratitude Journal today, and because I was inspired to start numbering them (to 1000 and beyond), these are # 345 - 349:

• A thoughtful gift from a thoughtful friend. 
• Following an impulse and finding it blesses others and me as well.
• Wedding showers and joyful times.
• Sunshine on the deck and painted toenails.
• No wind walks with Sean.

And this will take you to all my posts marked Thankful.

10 000 Hours

I experienced a parenting fail again this morning.  A parenting fail is where the kid goes out the door to school and she doesn't have a smile on her face and on this side of the door, I'm thinking, "Why?  Why do I lack patience?  Why do I frustrate her and why do I let her frustrate me?  When will I learn???"

This happens too often for my liking, but thankfully, not as often as it used to.  And the negative effects didn't even last too long, amazingly, because I remembered something I read recently.  It was the "when will I learn" question that did it - that gave me the answer.  10 000 Hours.  That's the answer.  If you want to be good at something (like managing mornings with children??), it takes lots of practice and hard work.

I read this quote in Michael Hyatt's post on Why Real Creativity Requires Significant Work: "In his book, Outliers: The Story of Success, Malcolm Gladwell talks about the “10,000-Hour Rule.” The basic idea is that success in any field is, to a large extent, the result of practicing a specific task for 10,000 hours—or more." That has stuck with me all week, and rather than being a downer and causing me to think that I'll never get there, it has proven to be a motivation.  Keep trying, keep practicing.  Yes, I'll fail, but then I get a clean slate to try again.  To keep working on it, whatever the 'it' of the moment is.

I hope this encourages you.  Lots of what we do in life is hard work - keep at it.  Keep working hard at the things that are worth doing well...

I felt like myself.

Yesterday morning I went with a handful of other women to serve at the Chili for Children program.  We had a fun time getting to know each other over setting up and chopping veggies, walking over to the second location and finding a hobbit door...  None of these women had been to C4C before, and they were all quite impressed with the people who ran the show, the children that they were able to serve, and excited about the possibilities of doing this again.

Last night I went out on the Love Lives Here bus with 13 great people from church.  The bus hits the streets of North Central and the Core, offering warmth, food and drink and Jesus' love to anyone who needed it - there were a good number of 'divine appointments' and our crew got exposed to a whole range of what the crew sees on a regular basis.  None of these friends had been on the bus before, and by the end of the evening their eyes had been opened to a whole new side of life in our city; a side where spiritual forces do very real battle, where prayers and our availability and Jesus' name are powerful weapons.  Many of these friends are interested in going back; all were grateful for the experience.

These were two of the projects offered through our Westhill Serves weekend, and having just been to three of them (our whole small group went out to paint at the camp today), I am fully content that the reasons we put on this event is sound, and was met in a very successful way.  We do it because serving is one of the three main purposes of our church (Love God, Love Others, Serve the World), to give opportunities for people to serve, and to expose them to new ways to serve.

I was also struck by something else.  Feeding hungry inner city children is great, and I'm glad there is a group who does that; it's not my thing.  Loving on the street workers and gang members is important, and I'm so glad to know this bus is out on our streets while I'm safe in bed.  It, however, is not my thing either.  My thing - my thing - is getting other Christians to go and serve there with me - my thing is taking people to places they have not been, exposing them to what more there is in life and faith.  I want to see Christians 'get it' - to know how they can live an abundant life, fully loving and serving, fully experiencing all that God has for them.  I'm thankful for the chance I had to go on those projects yesterday; I'm trusting that the friends I took along were changed by God because of their experiences.

Sometimes I forget, in the details, that this is the part that fills me.

I'm thankful for this reminder of who I am meant to be.

Up Rather Than Down.

When I sit down to 'do devotions' in the morning, I have 4 books with me usually. 

• My Bible, which is the one constant, whether the others get opened or not.  
• My journal, which is the next most used, and truthfully, I can easily spend more time writing than I do reading.  
• My notebook where I write out prayers for M - I find it helps me think clearly about what it is I want for her.
• My gratitude journal, where I jot down things I am grateful for.  Helpful to focus myself on what is good around me.

I wanted to share what I wrote in M's book today, because I think it applies to me as well as her, and maybe you'll find it helpful for you, too.

I pray for up rather than down.
Optimism rather than pessimism.
Acceptance rather than grumbling.
Willingness rather than laziness.
Good rather than bad.
Cheerful rather than grumpy.
Positivity rather than depression.
Up rather than down.

T is for Thankfulness

I am thankful that I get Thanksgiving off so we can go to Winnipeg and spend the weekend with family.  I am thankful that we will be there for Zachary`s dedication, too!

I am thankful for companies with lifetime guarantees that happily send you replacements...

A week or so ago, I was prepping some fabric for magic bags, using my rotary cutter and big olfa mat, and my cutter started to stick.  It was starting to go before, and I went to get my other one, but the same thing was happening with that one - we pulled them apart, but the blade was wearing right into the metal post, so not fixable.  I`ve had them both for a long time, and now in one night, they both died.  I tossed them in the garbage and went out the next morning to Fabricland to get a new one.  Looking at the packaging, I saw a `Lifetime Guarantee`notice... so when I got home I went out to the garage to dig through the bag of kitchen garbage to find the cutters in case they needed proof - I don`t know what what was in there that was so gross, but ick!  This morning I finally got around to calling their office, and within 5 minutes was giving a cheerful lady my address so she could send me two new ones.  Just like that.  Thank you, Olfa!

Being Grateful

**This is a re-post of what I just put on my Churchy Blog.**

We stopped at the library before our holidays last week, and one of the books I picked up was on living a thankful life.  It's written from a very open spiritual perspective, so I'm reading 'lightly' but there are some true principles and some good ideas in it to build practices of gratitude into your life.  I can't separate that in my mind from the one we must be thankful to, so these become spiritual practices more than simply being thankful.

• When you're feeling down, you will feel better if you decide to dwell on what is good in your life and give thanks for those things. 
• Develop 'triggers' in your life - decide that your first thought when your feet hit the floor will be "I am thankful for this day and all that it will bring," or decide that every time you close the house door behind you, you will think, "I am thankful for this home and for my family, and am glad I get to return here to them every day."
• When someone helps us, like the server or cashier, say a genuine thank you - they will have a better day, and you can let that remind you that God made and cares for that person.  You can in that small way be a part of God's caring for them.
• Start a gratitude journal and write in it every day what you are thankful for.  I started one and today will be day four that I write in it.  You can ask me how that's going in a couple of weeks!

What practices do you have that remind you to be thankful?