Three More Sleeps !!!!!!

Ask me how excited I am?!?!?!?! Only three more sleeps until we head off into the wild blue yonder, a.k.a. Philadelphia and New York!!! Yippeee!!! I just spoke with Na tonight and we were trying to form some kind of plan of all the things we'd like to do while we're there . . . We figured that the girls should head off to New Hope (a quaint little countryside where you can buy homemade Christmas crafts) while the guys go to a Flyers game ... I'm sure this will be agreeable to Tony :0) I hope he's not TOO disappointed at missing out on the crafts :0)

Today, as Na and I were chatting, we realized that Tony and Jaime had the same ideas - both wanted to take the other to a sporting event of the other's liking (Jaime=basketball, Tony=hockey). It really is the city of "brotherly love"!!! Sounds like they need some 'alone' time to me :0)

Our kids are counting down their own 'sleeps' until they get to stay with Nona and Pop. They always love to head to the mountains and receive the kind of care only my Ma can truly give. I miss it, myself, actually ... sometimes I just wish I could be a kid again and have my mom comb my hair after a bath in that "mom" way (slicked full-on to the side :0) or have cinnamon toast before bed or hear her tone of voice when I would tease her and joke around for HOURS at a time or watch the look on her face when she'd win at cards AGAIN and AGAIN ... it's easy for us moms to forget that we were all small children once too. I used to love to curl up with my Dad and watch John Wayne movies or chop wood for a nice big "faarrr" or play 'slap hands' with him (determined that I would get him next time .... didn't happen too often :0) or when my dad and I would scheme and hide rubber snakes at the end of my mom's side of the bed - I think that was one of my favourites!!!

I know my kids are going to have their own fun memories with Non and Pop. It comforts me and makes me so thankful that we still have them here to enjoy . . . It's so important to make the most of the time we have together. Spending those little, consistent moments together is what helps us to define who we are . . . our relationships with those people who have known us longer than anyone else bring a deeper meaning to our day to day lives that effects the way we love our own little families. It is in our own childhoods that we learned to love and be loved, forgive and be forgiven, trust and become trustworthy, value and be valueable, choose and be chosen, wound, be wounded and heal . . .

Well, I better wind up for the evening ... Regina's almost finished her reading (Hot Chocolate Friendship - Great read :0) and Maria's almost done her bath. I'm pretty sure Lou has beaten "Rhino" on his Spiderman game for the ump=teenth time and my smooth-jazz CD is almost done (a great little compilation of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Connick Jr., Norah Jones, Michael Buble and a couple of accepella Christina Aguilera . . .good stuff).

Be well and take care of your souls, everyone. May you all be blessed with health, healing and a surrendered heart. Know His grace and receive His love and mercy wholeheartedly . . . read the book of Romans sometime . . . it's a good one :0)

Are Your Shoeboxes Filled Yet?

It's that time of year again! I always start to feel the "rush" of Christmas when we try to meet the deadline for filling our Samaritan's Purse Shoeboxes! It's such a great way to remember how blessed we are. The little Dollar Store down from our house gives 10% off for "shoebox items". We stocked up and headed home to organize and fill them up. Regina brought home a shoebox from school and we picked up a couple extra from our church as well. We always do three boxes for kids the same age as ours. I love to watch our kids choose gifts for other children (rather than the usual "can I have this? can I have that?" :0)

At the moment, Lou is setting the table (he just finished making 'microwaveable' potatoes), Regina and Maria are cleaning up the play-dough (and finding yet ANOTHER new and wonderful way to ARGUE! :0) Tony has gone to bed sick and I'm waiting for the roast to 'beep'. Oh - and Regina, our 'budding vegetarian' has chosen brussel sprouts as the veggie for this evening's meal - much to her brother's chagrin . . . It's been a 'hot chocolate' day and I'm so thankful for a warm home and good food to eat.

There are instruments to practice and laundry to be done - but for the moment, I am just thankful to sit and listen to the comforting sounds of our home and family. I suppose I'm being a little sentimental because of our upcoming trip. Oh . . . sounds like Regina has decided to start her piano practice already - "Deck the Halls" number 285 and counting . . . at 100 mph, I might add . . .

We're sure hoping the weather improves. Last time I went through the Minn/St.Paul airport they had to 'defrost' the plane by spraying this anti-freeze stuff all over it and I almost missed my connector flight! I had just finished sharing the gospel with the gentleman sitting next to me who had noticed I was reading Brendan Manning's 'Ragamuffin Gospel' - a GREAT read . . . (he had just gone to Atlanta for the basketball final four - 'never hear of it', I said . . . and his jaw dropped . . . a great conversation starter - what can I say? I'm a hockey girl, born and raised :0) Anyway...as I panicked and ran off the plane to do a 30 minute gallop across a HUGE airport (including a MALL!!!) he yelled out, "Keep the faith sister, keep the faith!" I made it JUST in time (the last one on the plane and it was ready to leave) A great memory :0)

Well, I better check on 'the man' . . . he must be REALLY sick - I haven't seen or heard from him in hours. He's usually the "suck it up buttercup" guy :0) I'll have to file this little bit of information away for future use next time I'm under the weather and would like to stay in bed . . . hmmmm . . . like mother like daughter (right, Ma? love you!)

Good night and God bless!

Then and Now . . .

Kids are playing a video game and brownies are in the oven - so I thought I'd sit down and have a little blog-time.

I've spent alot of time today thinking about how far Tony and I have come from when we started almost 10 years ago. When I write that number, it sure doesn't seem like alot - but it FEELS like so much more. I remember the hair dresser asking me how long I had known Tony on the morning of our wedding. I said, "We've only known each other for about a year . . . but I can hardly remember what it was like without him." (And believe me - there was a whole lot of "stuff" before Tony that I was glad to "forget" :0) The fact that I can remember that conversation all these years later - wow! - but truly, it's a strange thing. And yet, as much as I feel like it's always been this way for us, sometimes I feel like it's the first time I'm looking in his eyes and it feels like when we first fell in love. (sappy, I know . . . sorry :0)

My parents will be married 45 years in a few months. It amazes me. It's too hard to imagine where Tony and I will be in another 35 years or what our children will be doing - or if we'll have grandchildren?! Yikes!

We've hummed and haughed and stewed and stuffed about going on our trip to Philadelphia. We really thought that we might bring the kids. As much as we'd love to do that, Tony and I are looking forward to taking our first trip together - just the two of us! No kidding! We've had a night here or a day there . . . but we've never gone anywhere without the kids for this long or this far. I made this video today of a bunch of family photos for the kids with music and everything - "guilt" gift . . . a 'just in case anything happens to us' gift - I can be a little dark sometimes :0) Flash Back: Right before my surgery, this summer, I went into this full-on house cleaning mode - top to bottom! Even the basement got it . . . Tony was astounded :0) It's definately NOT my normal behaviour - I told him, "but if I die and you have to a have a funeral, I don't want anyone to see a dirty house! :0) All the women in my family will understand this and laugh - maybe it's an italian thing?

Anyway . . . back to the topic . . . Tony and I have never been as close as we are today - and I've come to realize that we will continue to grow closer every day as long as our FOCUS continues to be the health and well-being of our relationship and our family. There have been times when this has NOT been the case - for both of us. It's during those times that we start seeing the "greener grass over there". I'm so thankful for God's grace at these times. It's God who gives us a greater perspective of our lives and shows us a better way . . . He opens our eyes to see our self-centredness and unwillingness to sacrifice our own way for His. Because of Him, we can forgive each other, love each other and commit to our marriage - come what may . . .

So, I'm turning 33 in a couple of weeks and can't help but think that this is the year I got a Jeep "Liberty" and I'm going to see the Statue of "Liberty" . . . weird, hey? One of the things I've always loved most about Tony is the way he has always given me "the liberty" to be myself - whoever that may be at any given moment :0) And I have learned to do the same for him. All my crazy ups and downs and round and rounds - he has loved me, respected me and stuck with me. I have come to see that being steadfast in your ways and being a little more sensitive to other's feelings can be a good thing :0) I have learned that an adventure can sometimes be about "the long run" . . . and not just a short term 'fix'. And I think he's delighted in all my impuslive, fun-loving ways - he's hiked mountain trails, paddled about on a VERY deep and scary lake (right, hun?) and opened himself up to things he would never have thought he could do because I pushed (just a little :0) Then there were the numerous times Tony encouraged me to follow my dreams and did whatever he needed to do to take care of our little, daily, life-details so that I could focus on finishing the task at hand. What more could a girl ask for?! And with God's grace, mercy and good will . . . we've come this far. Who'd have thought?! Not us, that's for sure . . .

I think, in all of this, the best part is that our children have come to see that a marriage is a delicate balance that takes a willingess to support one another, respect for one another as individuals, commitment to one another as husband and wife, encouragement for one another to follow our dreams, a sense of humour to soften life's little bumps and the belief that NO MATTER WHAT, we only want to be with each other in this life.

Thanks for your love, Tony - you're one of a kind . . . I'm glad God thought this would be a good idea.

Art Imitates Life . . .

I was just commenting to Tony how difficult it was to post a new entry on our blog. After two, quite 'heavy' entries, here we are - back to our day to day . . .

It made me think about watching TV . . . on one channel you receive news of war, famine and poverty . . . flip the channel - and we have baseball, fashion TV and home reno shows! Wow! It's TOO easy to "forget" what's going on outside our own little worlds . . .

On the way home from school on Friday, there was a BEAUTIFUL rainbow in the farmer's field near our house. It was fantastic . . . we all saw it and then . . . poof . . . it was gone - then a few moments again, it was visible as the clouds moved past the sun again. It made me think about how easy it is to miss God's promises if we're not paying attention (and how He always provides a second chance :0)

Tony's mom is heading to El Salvador on Tuesday - please pray for safe travel and a good visit with her family. We heard recently that the situation in El Salvador is increasingly more dangerous and we are quite concerned about her going. Also, we'll be praying for Tony's dad, who will be staying here for the 10 days that she is gone. (We'll be feeding him regularily :0)

Well . . . in the next couple of weeks, I will be turning 33 . . . for my birthday, Tony and I are going to visit Naomi and Jaime in Pennsylvania. I'm still in a bit of shock over the whole thing - but am growing more and more excited everyday. Please pray that all of the little details will be worked out according to God's good plans (these tend to stress me out a little :0) and that our time together would be blessed and fruitful . . . and of course, that our finances would be super-naturally stretched by God :0) We've never met their newest addition (a beautiful little boy that our niece Hannah calls, "Jo-Jo"). We're really looking forward to seeing them again - we haven't seen them since they came for Tony's graduation 2 years ago. Been awhile.

It was a very relaxing day. Gina got her turn with the flu that has been travelling around our home and we all spent the day in our jammies. We had a great game of "Life" (Lou walked away a multi-millionare . . . not very humbly, I might add - he has his mother's cometitive streak). We got a breath of fresh air (and Timmy's coffee) while we took the kids and the dog for a little stroll. I love the autumn air in the early evening! Then, went to say good-bye to Tony's mom (and send photos with her of all of us! - I have had a lot of fun playing our with the computer making movies and burning CDs of all the photos . . . it's like scrap-booking except with sound and movement!!!) Tony's back to work tomorrow for a long stint of shifts and a new week begins.

Here's a great song that describes how I was feeling today . . . I pray that it will bless you all greatly and that you have a week full of recognizing the amazing promises and creation of God.

"Indescribable" - Chris Tomlin

From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea

Creation's revealing Your majesty

From the colours of Fall to the fragrance of Spring

Every creature unique and the song that it sings

All exclaiming -

Indescribable, uncontainable

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name

You are amazing, God

All powerful, untamable

Awestruck, we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing, God

You are amazing, God

Who has told every lightning bolt where it should go?

Or seen heavenly storehouses laden with snow?

Who imagined the sun and gives source to its light?

Yet conceals it to bring us the coolness of night

None can fathom . . .

Indescribable, uncontainable

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name

You are amazing, God

Incomparable, unchangeable

You see the depths of my heart and You love me the same

You are amazing, God

In the midst of a storm . . .Jesus slept peacefully

Kevin, the young man we've all been praying for, died yesterday. It is a tragedy that my mind cannot comprehend nor make sense of. At the very least, it has caused us to remember how precious the moments that we have with loved ones really are.

When I was a teenager, I remember many evenings spent at home with my parents. This did not occur out of a sincere desire to spend time with my parents at 15 years of age (sorry Mom and Dad) . . . I would ask to be able to go out with my friends consistantly on a daily basis . . . However, many times, my father would say, "no". "Why?!" I would ask (try to imagine a lovely "whine" with that question :0) "Because I said so", was the only response - no matter how I questioned, whined, begged, pleaded or tried to negotiate my way out of the house, my father's response was still the same . . . a simple, patient, calm, "no". This would absolutely infuriate me to no end. (I know that there are those of you who are chuckling at this, knowingly . . . )

Last night I had a similar reaction to the news of this young man's death. Please let me express that I am not equating the tragedy of losing a child with my teenage social life - only focusing on my reactions to circumstances out of my control.

And this is the point . . . I have had conversations with my mother about many situations that we find ourself wondering, "how do people get through that without having faith?" Yet, on the other side of that argument, I find myself questioning, "how do we accept these circumstances while maintaining faith?" What appears to be random acts of meaningless tragedy do not fit well with the idea that God has plans . . .

I am a confident (albeit, perhaps overly-confident) individual. I have confidence in God and in my family, my husband, my children and my friends. I am an optomist and an encourager. I especially delight in encouraging people to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. I can list dozens of good reasons to do so . . . I enjoy trying to be convincing. However, this event does not fit well on my list of good reasons to believe in a loving God. And here is part of the problem . . . it's not that this 'could' happen to anyone - this WILL happen to everyone. We will all face our mortality at some point . . . and we have NO idea when that will be or what it will look like . . . period. Faith and acceptance go hand in hand when you are a Christian - for me, it is one of the hardest dycotemies to realize.

I was thinking about how animals will grieve the loss of their young. Elephants even have "grave yards" that they will carry bones of lost herd members miles and miles to leave them. And when they pass by an "elephant grave yard", they will even pause, walk slowly and touch the bones in a very calm manner. Many creatures display mouring-like behaviours when members of their group/family are lost. However, of all God's creation - we humans are the ONLY ones with the ability to question. It is the flip side of also being able to CHOOSE.

When we 'reason' out our existence, we can create lovely little compartmentalised theories, philosophies and even theologies to help us in our understanding of the world around us, the world within and even God. And then something that is un-reasonable occurs and for me, I struggle to find "my bottom line".

I read the book of Job today. I really don't enjoy that book in the Bible. I've read it many times and I still cringe everytime I envision Job experiencing pain after pain after pain. Yet, it helps me to remember that as close as my Saviour is - closer than the very air I breath - that God is God and I am not.

God can handle my questions, frustrations, desperate pleas to get what I want and my tantrums. He knows me better than I know me. He knows us all the same way . . . and when I've finished my ranting, He's there to say, "because I said so." And that's that.

Now that I'm a parent, saying 'no' to my children is something I have to do on a frequent basis. I try to say 'yes' as much as I can - but sometimes, it's just not going to happen. And sometimes, I cannot give an explanation because my reasons are too complicated for my kids to understand. So, it just has to be, "because I said so." I'm thankful that my Dad said 'no' to me (on occassion). It taught me to respect his authority (whether I agreed with it or not :0) and to accept situations that I have no control over. Thanks Dad, I love you too.

And thank You Lord, for loving us all the way You do - even when we don't understand.

The Road to Eternity . . .

How can we possibly know what the day will bring us? On Sunday we witnessed the birth of two new spirits into our home as well as the baptism of a soul already committed to following in Christ's footsteps.

Last night, we received a call to pray for a young man, only 14, in critical condition after an accident that could've happened to any one of our children (or us at his age . . . ) Tony and I did not sleep well. I found myself praying fervently in my mind, then sub-consciously in a shallow state of sleep, then, even out loud with Maria who found her way into our bed at 4am.

I found myself struggling to pray for God's will - fearful that it could possibly mean having to face the loss of a young life. Instead, I shouted and cried out to the Lord in my heart and in my mind, "Will he praise You from the grave? Will the dust praise You? Will one gone from this world tell of Your righteousness?" . . . words from Psalm 88. Instead, I prayed for a long and abundant life for this young man - full of God's praise, purpose and glory. I pray for healing, strength, wisdom for his doctors and nurses, comfort for his family and a hope that cannot be shaken in the One who promises to be faithful.

I have listened to Brian Doerksen's "you shine" all day today. This CD is FULL of songs of God's faithfulness - it's just what I needed today. Worship through tears is the hardest worship of all. Father God, help us to have an eternal vision of Your unfailing love, so that our time here, however long, may be steadfast and sure. Help us to trust in You and may we all, in need of Your ways receive Your healing, Your all-sufficient grace and much-needed mercy. I pray in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Here is a song that helped me keep perspective today:

"Your Faithfulness"

I don't know what this day will bring

Will it be disappointing

Or filled with longed for things

I don't know what tomorrow holds

Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

I don't know if these clouds mean rain

If they do will they pour down blessing or pain

I don't know what the future holds

Still I know I can trust Your faithfulness

Certain as the rivers reach the sea

Certain as the sunrise in teh east

I can rest in Your faithfulness

Surer than a mother's tender love

Surer than the starts still shine above

I can rest in Your faithfulness

I don't know how or when I'll die

Will it be a thief

Or will I have a chance to say good-bye

I don't know how much time is left

But in the end I will know Your faithfulness

When darkness overwhelms my soul

When thoughts are storms of doubt

Still I trust You are always faithful

Always faithful

The Wonderful World of ADHD...or maybe it's just me?!

Today started out ok . . . I caught Louis trying to let the cat out as he was trying to let the dog in, early this morning. This came after repeated attempt to get him to stop bothering his sisters, whistling constantly and basically just bouncing off the walls . . .

I'm not a morning person - as those of you who know me KNOW . . . so - it's always an interesting mix at 7am . . . there is little wonder why Pop and Lou get along so well at the start of a day . . . it won't be long 'til Lou is tossing the cutlery into the drawer from 5 feet away at 6am because he's "just doing the dishes" (right, Dad?) :0)

Anyway, after getting the kids to school (late) and parking in the wrong place (as I was told to move by the principal) . . . I headed over to teach piano to a student's house I visit every Tuesday morning . . . not too bad, so far.

Teach was a joy - as usual. We chatted and chose Christmast pieces (can you believe it?) . . .

Then it was off to C,C,C (my weekly lady's group) to visit with the girls and take part in Terry's "Colors" group . . . a personality work-shop. Being the only "orange" in the group, I became the spokesperson for all things "spontaneous, creative and disorganized" . . . the REALLY funny part came when I looked up at the clock and realized it was already 10:45am (I was supposed to leave the church by 10:15am in order to make it to my Spanish Class at 10:45 . . . hmmm) Life carries on. My friend Wendy graciously offered to go for coffee with me and review whatever I'd missed (she's Lou's Spanish teacher at school . . . ) Phew! Thank the Lord for Wendy and her Columbian roots . . . :0)

After a lovely and "conversation-filled" hour and a half (I tend to talk alot when I meet new people . . . nervousness, excitement, probably both . . . ) I headed home to call my friend Naomi (whom I have meant to call for a few weeks but then got a message that SHE had called to check in with me . . . huff . . . procrastination, procrastination, procrastination . . . if it's not in front of my face - where does it go?) Noticing that the time had now become dangerously close to 3 pm and I was supposed to pick up the kids today (I should leave the house by 2:50) . . . I quickly got off the phone and raced out the door. Thank the Lord (again), Tony surprised us all by getting off work a little early and meeting us at the school - the girls were already with him in the playground when I arrived . . . God is good (and SO patient with me :0)

I came home, got Maria into a nice warm tub (not feeling well) and got ready to teach my 4 o'clock student (who phone at 3:58 to day she had forgotten her book and was just leaving her house . . . 20 minutes away . . . she's "orange" too . . . we get along great! :0) 'No problem,' I said, 'I'll be here . . .'

In between lessons, Tony came to tell me that our pastor had phoned to inquire of some help from him . . . while Tony was trying to convey this information to him, I interrupted 3 times . . .I finally said, "Sorry, hun. Just give me some kind of hand signal so I know when you're done." This actually worked great! I love my hubby . . .

Other news . . . I just finished reading a GREAT book called "The Long Way Round" by Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman (based on the TV show that was on the Outdoor Life Network). What a wonderful read of adventure and the human spirit!

Well, that's all for now . . . God bless and good night!

A Very Special Day

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord. 'Plans that will prosper and not harm you. Plans for a hope and a future.' " Jeremiah 29:11

Sometimes I feel like my prayers are obligatory. I may even want to pray, but the expectation that God will actually answer in a way that specifically relates to the prayer I've offered, can be very, very small. I know He hears my prayers, I know that He is in control. But there are many times that I do not understand His ways or have the slightest clue what His plans could be for a given situation. And there are many more times that I wonder if any of my prayers make any difference at all . . .

Today was not one of those days. Today, I saw God's work lived out in the hearts and minds of people that I have prayed for many times. I am absolutely overwhelmed by God's grace and mercy in this moment and am more thankful for Him than I have been in a long time.

My account of recent activities actually begins at church last night. We had a guest pastor from El Salvador who, as Tony puts it, gave us a real "kick in the pants". God knows what we need to hear and how we need to hear it! I don't know if I've ever observed Tony responding to a sermon audibly :0) It made me think of how the kids used to cup our faces in their tiny little hands so that they could look straight in our eyes and get our undivided attention. That's what God did to us last night.

Fast foward, slightly, to this morning . . . Tony and I decided that our family needed some uninterupted focused-time . . . so, off we went to Drumheller. On the way, Tony and I were able to re-connect with the kids and share a little bit about the sermon last night. There's nothing like being trapped in a car for hours with your parents' full attention . . . good times . . . :0) I also read a little bit (in Spanish BTW) from a book entitled, "Tiempo De Retos" (Time of Challenges), written by this same pastor. I felt like I was back in grade 1 trying to read "Mr. Mugs" . . . anyway . . . we really appreciated being able to just get away for a little while and were looking forward to our evening activities . . .

Tonight, we were honoured to be able to celebrate with our cousin, Norm, at his baptism at Centre Street Church. It struck me, half way through a worship song - that Norm was worshipping his Saviour and Lord, Jesus! MY Saviour and Lord, Jesus. Now, I know that I share my Saviour with many others - but on this evening it just hit me - Norm's soul is safe on high with Him who died for us and he is about to declare his faith and be baptised! After the blessed event, (and after Aunt Sue and I were allowed to give a cheer and a loud, "Praise the Lord" :0) I looked over and saw two, beautiful, smiling, loving faces . . . Kimberly and Hugh.

There I saw two people who will share in Norm's new spiritual life more intimately than anyone on this earth. In this miracle called "family", they will share together all the glorious and abundant blessings of God's goodness and learn to offer back to Him their hearts in worship. Together they will grow, learn, forgive, seek, pray and obey . . . they will encourage, love, support and hold each other accountable like no one else could. The experiences they will share with God and each other will affect them more deeply than any other in this life.

Right at that moment I asked God to bring this family to mind often that I may remember to continue to pray for them . . . because today, I saw how God answers prayer . . . and my heart is full.

I have thought and thought about how to share the rest of my evening . . . should I break it into two entries . . . should I wait until tomorrow to share the rest? No . . . everything that happened today happened today and I will share it all with you and continue to give God glory.

The service was finished and we had said our good-byes. It was time to get the children home to bed and prepare for another week. On the way home, to our surprise, Maria asked, "What does it mean to accept Jesus?"

As Tony and I fumbled to find a simple answer for our youngest, I offered a slightly desperate prayer in my heart, "please, Lord, let her know You, really know You, deeply." I think we said that to accept Jesus was to ask Him into your heart so that He would live HIS life through you. We told her that we all need forgiveness for all the wrong things we'd ever done or will ever do and that the Lord knows it all already, that's why He died for us. We left her with, "If you ever want to pray and ask Jesus to come into your heart, you can talk to mommy or daddy anytime." Tony was quick to add, "and only do it if you want to, we won't make you do it, if you don't want to." :0) (ah, my husband - protector of all things 'sincere' :0) Louis also added that he had already asked Jesus into his heart when he was "really little" . . . he 'remembers praying with mom', he said. (Been there, done that . . . he's far more experienced than his two little sisters, I guess. But mom remembers the date: June 24th, 2001 He was 4 1/2 and it was in the evening, before bed. He was sleeping in the top bunk, Regina was below :0)

Well, little did we know that while we were sharing all of this with Maria, Regina was in the back seat, quietly having a moment with Jesus, all her own. When we got home, she secretly took me aside and whispered in my ear, "While we were driving, I asked Jesus into my heart!" Her face was glowing and her eyes were wide . . . I was speechless! She added, "When we went to the grocery store, I even listened when you asked me to stay with Daddy - and I know that was God! He changed me!" How I love my little, Regina . . . but wait . . . there's more . . .

After I had finished hugging Regina and quietly prayed with her in our piano room, I told her she should share this with her father. While she was on her way out - Maria came in and whispered in my ear ('What's with all the whispering?!' I thought). She quietly asked me if I would pray with her because she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart! What?! We called Regina back in and the three wee ladies of the house prayed together. This is what Maria prayed, "Lord, I love You. I want to be a better person. Please come into my heart, Jesus and forgive me for my bad choices. Thank You for my family. I love You. Amen" Now that's faith. That's the powerful, life-altering faith of a child. All of heaven is rejoicing tonight - I know that for sure! :0)

After we had congratulated the girls and tucked all the kids into bed, Tony and I did a re-cap of the days activities. "Do you think they know what it means?", he asked. "Yes," I replied, "they know it for the simplicity it is. It's us adults that try to complicate it." "Hmm", was his response. "Hmm" was mine. Do I wonder if our girls knew what they were doing? Yup. Do I trust that God knows what HE is doing? You bet. He heard their prayers and I know that He has plans for us all that are plans of prosperity and hope and a future - and that includes our kids.

We all have days that stand out in our minds as pivitol; our wedding day, the days our children were born, days loved ones die, and for some, the day we accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour of our lives - the day we offered our lives back to Him in response to what He did and who He is. Today is a day to remember in our home. Today is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! At our old church, there would be a yellow rose on the stage, symbolising that someone had received the salvation offered through Jesus. I don't know what traditions our new church has - but I think I'm going to go and get two yellow roses for my girls tomorrow and place them on our table . . . just because.

I wonder what He's got planned for tomorrow? :0)

A Day in the Life ... of our Cats?!?!

Since we've adopted "Uno" and "Dos" last January, life has become a little more interesting around here . . . Rosie loves the company the two 'little critters' provide - and we have had endless giggles at their "cat-ly" behaviour.

If the two of them aren't tearing around the house at 100mph, then they're crashed-out in the most amusing positions! :0) "Uno" has taken to trying to get outside lately - we have caught him on numerous occasions 'mid-leap' out the door (as well as on the drive-by, "Hey - isn't that our cat?" four doors down the block!) "Dos" likes to fetch . . . no kidding . . . I have lost more hair elastics to that cat! We can spend hours tossing the elastic in the air for him and he'll bring it right back . . . He could teach Rosie a few things! :0)

I don't know what it is exactly about these two cats - but as bad as they can be . . . we are a bunch of softies around here and are always commenting "oooo . . . look how cute . . . " (oh brother!)

Anyway - it's the end of a long week and I thought a little humour was in order . . . so here's some "cat" humour . . .

SOME CAT RULES:
All Rules can be broken when you feel like it.Don't worry about vet bills, someone else will pay.Know where the sock drawer is for those catnaps.Help with jigsaw puzzles.Sniff every stranger.Be astonishingly mysterious.When in doubt, chase something.Don't play in plastic bags.Ignore your mistakes.When in doubt, let your tail do the talking.Never sleep alone.Curtains are for climbing only.All chairs belong to the cat of the house.Baths are for Dogs!Feeding time is when YOU want to be fed.Go absolutely berserk for no apparent reason.Scratching humans and furniture is a no-no.Try to keep that mouse alive for your human.Make the world your playground.Whenever you miss the sandbox, cover it up. Dragging a sock over it helps.If you can't get your way, lay across the keyboard till you do.When you are hungry, meow loudly so they feed you just to shut you up.Always find a good patch of sun to nap in.Nap often.When in trouble, just purr and look cute.Life is hard, and then you nap.Curiosity never killed anything except maybe a few hours.When in doubt, cop an attitude.Variety is the spice of life. One day, ignore people; the next day, annoy them.Climb your way to the top, that's why the curtains are there.Make your mark in the world, or at least spray in each corner.Always give generously; a bird or rodent left on the bed tells them, "I care".

THE UNIQUE WORLD OF CATS!
Screaming at the can of food will not make it open itself. I should not assume the patio door is open when I race outside to chase leaves. If I put a live mouse in my food bowl, I should not expect it to stay there until I get hungry. The guinea pig likes to sleep once in a while. I will not watch him constantly. If I bite the cactus, it will bite back. I will not stand on the bathroom counter, stare down the hall, and growl at nothing right after my human has finished watching "The X-Files". Television and computer screens do not exist to backlight my lovely tail. No matter how dangly and attractive they are, my human's earrings are not cat toys. If I play 'dead cat on the stairs' while people are trying to bring in groceries or laundry, one of these days it will really come true. My human is capable of cooking bacon and eggs without my help. The canned cat food is already dead. I do not need to kill it by swatting bits of it all over the floor. I am a carnivore. Potted plants are not meat. I will never be able to walk on the ceiling, and staring up the wall and screaming at it will not bring it any closer. It is not a good idea to try to lap up the powdered creamer before it all dissolves in the boiling coffee. The goldfish likes living in water and must be allowed to remain in its bowl. If my human wants to share her sandwich with me, she will give me a piece. She will notice if I start eating it from the other end. I cannot leap through closed windows to catch birds outside. The large dog in the back yard has lived there for six years. I will not freak out every time I see it. I am a neutered cat, not a peacock, and prancing around with my tail fluffed up will not make my parts grow back. If I must give a present to my humans's overnight guests, my toy mouse is much more socially acceptable than a live one, even if it isn't as tasty.

And my personal favourite . . .

MORE CAT HUMOUR . . .WHAT THEY REALLY THINK ABOUT US!
DAY 752 - My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while I am forced to eat dry cereal. The only thing that keeps me going is the hope of escape, and the mild satisfaction I get from ruining the occasional piece of furniture. Tomorrow I may eat another houseplant.
DAY 761 - Today my attempt to kill my captors by weaving around their feet while they were walking almost succeeded, must try this at the top of the stairs. In an attempt to disgust and repulse these vile oppressors, I once again induced myself to vomit on their favorite chair... must try this on their bed.
DAY 762 - Slept all day so that I could annoy my captors with sleep depriving, incessant pleas for food at ungodly hours of the night.
DAY 765 - Decapitated a mouse and brought them the headless body, in attempt to make them aware of what I am capable of, and to try to strike fear into their hearts. They only cooed and condescended about what a good little cat I was... Hmmm. Not working according to plan...
DAY 768 - I am finally aware of how sadistic they are. For no good reason I was chosen for the water torture. This time however it included a burning foamy chemical called "shampoo." What sick minds could invent such a liquid. My only consolation is the piece of thumb still stuck between my teeth.
DAY 771 - There was some sort of gathering of their accomplices. I was placed in solitary throughout the event. However, I could hear the noise and smell the foul odor of the glass tubes they call "beer." More importantly I overheard that my confinement was due to MY power of "allergies." Must learn what this is and how to use it to my advantage.
DAY 774 - I am convinced the other captives are flunkies and maybe snitches. The dog is routinely released and seems more than happy to return. He is obviously a half-wit. The Bird on the other hand has got to be an informant. He has mastered their frightful tongue (something akin to mole speak), and speaks with them regularly. I am certain he reports my every move. Due to his current placement in the metal room his safety is assured. But I can wait, it is only a matter of time.

Ways to Amuse Yourself in a Traffic Jam! :0)

It took over an hour to drive the kids to school yesterday morning! Making the most of a frustrating situation - I happened to have the camera in the Jeep! Here's what we look like on our way to school! :0)

What could be better than driving down the road listening to Willie Nelson's Greatest Hits?! The kids already know the words to "On the Road Again!" and given our circumstances - we all thought it was fitting to play that song over and over . . .

We eventually arrived - and the rest of the day went smoothly. I couldn't help but thinking about Pastor Doug talking about what's really inside of us coming out in traffic! :0) There was definately a moment when all I wanted to do was turn around, go back home and crawl back into my nice warm bed - just give up for the day! But, since we were all together anyway, I was happy to have some fun while we had the chance. Those little, precious moments with your loved ones can happen at any time!

When we finally arrived at the school - I ran into Pastor Jairo on his way out . . . he said, "you really are turning into a Latino!" . . . my clock runs at a different pace from the rest of the world most of the time :0) That's actually really funny - because anyone who knows me, knows that I'm late most of the time already!! It's TONY that actually gets irritated when I'm not punctual! Go figure!

Well, I've been a little under the weather for the last couple of days . . . haven't strayed too far from my cozy covers and hot bath. Hopefully I'll be up and feeling better soon. Please remember me in your prayers! :0) Thank you and God bless . . .

More Wedding Photos ...

I must mention - at this most manificant of weddings - there was not one, but THREE Chocolate Fountains, thank you very much! :0) At one point, Regina and I were merely eating the "chocolate soup" of our plate with spoons! It really was lovely . . .

A Wonderful Wedding

Well, "little cousin" Jenny got married today . . . what?! I remember when she was born! Where did the time go?! It was only yesterday that she was one of my bridesmaids and only in high school! How many times did people comment today that our kids are getting "so big"? And they are! So are all the others! Tony and I counted 17 grandchildren on the way home from the reception tonight (that's just the generation of Lou, Regina and Maria) ... with my sisters and I and our cousins, we count 14! (We got a great picture of the "older" generation of cousins BTW . . .didn't take too long to get organized either! :0)

It was really great to see all of the family - you knew it was one of "our" weddings when there was a stampede for the dance floor when the "chicken dance" came on! :0) And what fun to dance the "Butterfly" with Louise' father and Dave's girlfriend. Where else but at a wedding can you dance a polka, the twist and the two-step with everyone from 6 months to 65? I think the greatest part was knowing that even if we don't get to see each other as often as we may like, when we do get together, it's just we saw each other yesterday! I especially loved being able to dance with my cutie-patootey husband (I don't get to see him in a suit that often). We actually got to dance to the Van Morrison version of "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" (which was supposed to be our wedding song . . . ah well . . . 10 years later - better than never! :0) You're still the one for me, babe!

Maybe the most tell-tale sign of aging was the fact that our greatest enjoyment came from watching the little kids on the dance floor together . . . the "10 and under" crowd . . . watching our girls dance and being able to dance with Lou was such a treat; definately a moment we'll remember for a long time.

It was a wonderful day and a great wedding . . . Jenn has always been one of my favourite people and to see her marry someone as special and gentle as Calvin, makes me feel very happy for them both. I don't think I've ever seen either of them happier - it was truly a blessed day!

Happy Thanksgiving Everybody!

The air was crisp and fresh ... the turkey was cooked (by my mother-in-law :0) and a feeling of thankfulness and well-being was all around! We had a great thanksgiving celebration! We were able to invite a family new to our great city over to join us in our festivities and we enjoyed the comfort of the familiar faces around our table, as well.

The other day, the two girls had a special thanksgiving chapel at school. What an amazing blessing to live in a country where we can praise the name of our Lord and Saviour openly and in our schools! One of the songs the kids sang said, "Thank you God for all the things you've made - and thank You for making me!" I loved that! Of course, the tears were falling and then Tony and I got the giggles ... But that little song made me realize how thankful I really am for my children, my husband, my parents, my sisters and all my friends - just to start! :0)

I pray that this day, God would be glorified and ENJOYED in all our hearts and minds and that His praise would be on our lips! I pray that He would WAKE US UP to His amazing love and faithfulness! Happy Thanksgiving! (Here are the girls - "Turkey Hangover" under the table, late Saturday evening :0)