Picture Post

Blue eyed Baby

Brown eyed Beauty

US

Baby's first pickle

Playin' it cool on the merry-go-round

Poker faced on the train

Smiling on the inside on the ferris wheel

In the last few weeks I've received various emails regarding the rising gas prices. All of them full of strategies on how we can force the gas companies to lower their prices. I'm wondering why there is no uproar regarding what the effects of our gas consumption has on our environment, but only what effects our gas consumption has on our wallet? We have plotted plan after plan, to get these gas prices to go down, so that we can continue to use copious amounts of gas without it emptying our pockets. Are there not other options? Car-pooling, taking the bus, walking more and generally using less gas are all reasonable and feasable solutions, but unfortunately we all seem unwilling to sacrifice our standard of living.

My life these days in point form....

- I had my last two wisdom teeth pulled a couple of weeks ago. I had to go back to the dentist a week later because of a 'dry socket'. He put some clove mixture in the hole that tasted so gross that I took it out as soon as I got home. My hubby gave me heck for driving all the way to the dentist for nothing.

- I threw my back out on Wednesday. It was so bad that I was crying and popping T-3's. It's such a blessing having a massage therapist in your extended family (my brother-in-laws sister). I guess my back just had it, too many strains and it just gave out.

- Our basement is finished! There are still many 'little' things that need to be done (ie: baseboards, window frames...), but it was finished enough to get our tv and computer back down here. It is so awesome having my living room back, and having my bay window wide open again.

- My baby is getting more and more skilled at his new trick. He'll crawl to the other side of the room in no time at all. My hubby lowered his crib this morning, just in case he decided to learn to stand up without telling us.

- I've been loving the weather, and I've been loving walking around my new community. Thanks to my walking buddies (my sis and Carol) for making it so much fun, and thanks to my big lug of a son for adding that extra 1000 lbs in my Baby Bjorn when I'm looking for that extra workout.

- I won $25 on a scratch and win bingo ticket!

- God is good all the time!

My thoughts today...

Am I in the business of building bridges,

or am I employed by the demolition crew who burns them down?

See yourself as your Heavenly Father sees you...

Washing you is not a chore, but a joy...

The dirt left behind in the water goes unnoticed...

Only the pure and simple beauty of His child, as we become clean.

I picked up this tag from Erin! I altered it a wee bit......enjoy!


1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
I suppose I would've been another kind of stupid to plan a pregnancy at 16! Haha....so no.
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
No : (
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
I was mortified!
4. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
16!
5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
My period wasn't coming so I went to the doctor (by myself!)
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
I walked to my friends house (who wasn't home!) so I spilled the beans to his mom, then jumped on the phone with my sister who rushed to get me right away.
8. DID YOU FIND OUT THE SEX?
Yes.
9. DUE DATE?
Dec. 15th 2000
10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Taco Time hot sauce and cherry popsicles.
11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Probably the fact that I was 16 and unmarried.
12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
Girl
13. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
A million... well, 50, but same thing.
14. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
No.
15. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
About 10 hours.
16. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
My mommy and sister.
17. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
My mom and sis (who was my AWESOME birthing coach)
18. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural.
19. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
Of course, I'm no super human. I had an epidural but all it really did was numb my legs, which made it harder for me to push.
20. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7 lbs 5 oz.
21. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
Dec. 16th! One day past my due date! Phew!
22. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Jonah Page.
23. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
She is 6 years old! Wow does time fly.....

Ok, so now that you've read all about my unplanned teen pregnancy... now you can be blessed to see God's faithfulness in my second pregnancy!

1. WAS YOUR SECOND PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Absolutely!
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Absolutely!
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
I was scared, excited, overwhelmed and overjoyed.
4. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
22
5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
I took a home pregnancy test in my bathroom, and awaited the results with my hubby.
6. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
Our parents.
7. DID YOU FIND OUT THE SEX?
No way! and it was the most exciting surprise ever!
8. DUE DATE?
September 23rd 2004.
9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Not really.
10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Fruit and Milk.
11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
My sore back.
12. WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND CHILD'S SEX?
Boy!
13. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
A million... well 45, but same thing.
14. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
I had severe lower back/tail-bone/SI joint pain from conception until delivery.
15. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
5 1/2 hours.
16. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
My hubby!
17. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
My hubby (who was my AWESOME birthing coach) and my sis (who was my video taper!)
18. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural
19. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
Of course, I'm still no super human. But again, my epidural didn't work at all! I wish I would'nt have gotten it, then at least I'd be able to say I did it drug-free.
20. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7 lbs. 3 oz.
21. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ?
September 19th! (Yay for 4 days early!)
22. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Daniel David.
23. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
He's 8 months!! Wow does time fly.....

What a blessing it is to look back and see God's hands on my life. What a blessing it is to be a mom of two! What a blessing it is to share a testimony that fairy tales come true, and that there was a prince out there just for me! It's been encouraging to reflect on where I've been and where the Lord has brought me and my growing family. Be blessed today, God is not finished with us!!

My little man is crawling!!!

To: YOU

Date: TODAY

From: GOD

Subject: YOURSELF

Reference: LIFE

This is God.

Today I will be handling all of your problems for you.

I do not need your help.

Have a nice day. I love you,

~God~

HAPPY MOMMY'S DAY

To our mommy's:

May we remember the unconditional love they've shown us through the years, and that even in the hard times, our mother's have helped shape us into who we are today. Flaws and all, our mother's are amazing women, who did the very best they could, and loved us in everyway they knew how.

I'm so blessed to have my mom.

To us mommy's:

May we be encouraged in our destiny as shapers and sharpeners of little arrows, and filled with grace to walk out one of the most important jobs, that quite often goes overlooked and unnoticed.

I'm so blessed to be a mom.

The kids: all excited and ready for Kokums surprise bday party.

Sarah: no idea....

My little family.

Baby's first trip to the Forestry Farm.



Baby's first sunburn.

Baby's first Hummer.

Happy-go-lucky, story of his life up until now.



Elishah Pishah.

No comment.

walking towards the vision, and being faithful in the little things.

"Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"

Matthew 25:23

I love to dream. I could sit here all day and dream, of who I want to be and where I want to go. God gives me glimpses of His heart, and it humbles me to realize that His dreams for me and my family are far greater than my mind could fathom.
A number of weeks ago, God broke my heart for my daughters dad and step-mom. I ached for our relationship to be healed, and for my daughter to be released from my fear and doubt into her destiny as a prophet to bring the word of the Lord to the Ninevah God has placed in her life. God gave my husband and I a picture of what things could really look like, if we lay down our pride, and walk in love and mercy. The dream is huge! But I'm reminded that there are many small steps we need to take to get there, God will not bring the dream to us, we need to walk towards the dream. These steps won't be easy, they will require a daily attitude check, patience and determination to see the Lord's kingdom come. Some things will need to be sacrificed for the greater dream.
Many of us are captivated by our dream, but are unwilling to walk out the little steps that are required of us to walk towards our dream. We sit idle, and lose hope, thinking that reaching our dream is impossible. How could I expect to see my dreams of financial stability and prosperity if I'm unwilling to walk in wisdom and maturity with the money I have now? How could I expect to see my dreams of making a difference in my neighborhood, if I'm unwilling or too lazy build any relationships with my neighbors? How could I expect to see my dreams of getting into my pre-pregnancy pants if I'm unwilling to say no to that chocolate bar, bag of chips, or second helping? I can't!
We must walk towards our God-given dream. He will not bring it to us, He would not be a good Father if He did. The steps we need to take to get closer to our dream will require dying to our flesh and pride and sacrificing short term satisfaction.
I want to walk towards my dream while I'm awake, instead of just dreaming while I sleep. I want to share in my master's happiness.

Nin needs...

Was tagged by Christy,
Google your name followed by "needs" and see what pops up!

1. Nin needs boat repairs
(Well good thing I found that one out!)

2. Nin needs updating
(Sure do, I'm back off to salon very soon!)

3. Nin needs help
(Definately, I can't walk this road on my own)

4. Nin needs help
(Yes I know, I'm so humble)

5. Nin needs to find a date
(Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, still wear it)

6. Nin needs lots of repeating
(Haha, the story of my poor hubby's life)

7. Nin needs no introduction
(lol)

8. Nin needs a range of different plants for color
(Tried that, killed the plants, got some more, killed them too)

9. Nin needs retirement
(I'm a ways from that, and that's a good thing)

and last but not least

10. Nin has everything she needs
(Finally the truth comes out!)

To Kill a Mockingbird....I mean Robin

Saturday morning, 7:45 am....
Bang....bang.......bang.....
What the heck man.
Hubby rolls out of bed, to find a robin, flying into our window, over, and over, and over.
He comes back to bed.
Hubby: You know what that noise is Nin?
Nin (groggy): Yeah, it's a dumb bird, I've heard a few birds fly into our window before, it'll go away.
Bang......bang.......bang.......
What the heck man.
So we get up, have our coffee and sit in our living room, amused at this robin repeatitively banging into our window. We throw things at the window, and watch it fly away, only to come back a few minutes later, and, bang.....bang......bang.....
We think: What a funny bird.

Sunday morning, 6:30 am....
Bang......bang......bang.....
What the heck man!
Hubby rolls out of bed, and in his half asleep state, tapes 6 pieces of paper to our window, thinking now the bird can see, it's a window, not the tree that it sees in the reflection. He comes back to bed....
Bang....bang....bang....
We lay there, with our pillows over our heads.
We think: What a dumb bird.

Monday morning, 5:45 am....
Bang......bang......bang......
What the flipping heck man!!
Nin: Go and do something.
Hubby: ugh....
Hubby rolls out of bed, closes our curtains.
Bang....bang.....bang....
Hubby goes outside and tapes paper on the outside of the window.
Bang.....bang....bang.....
Hubby comes back to bed, and closes our bedroom door.
We lay there, with pillows over our heads.
We think: What a @!**#@! stupid bird.

Monday afternoon, we conspire what we think will be a solution. My daughter and I draw and color a big picture of an owl, and hang it on our window.
"Peck" as my daughter has now named him, doesn't seem to be phased.
Bang......bang......bang......
Monday evening, hubby and I conspire what we think will be another solution. We hang a big blue bed sheet on the outside of our window, and tape the owl on the sheet. Feeling a little embarassed, as our neighbors watch us cover the outside of our window with a bed sheet, we feel a sense of hope.

Tuesday morning, 7:30 am....
Bang......bang.....bang......bang.....
What the @#$**$*^%%#^*&&!&!!!!!!!????? man!!!
Out of ideas, I call Petland, and explain there is a psycho robin that wants to drive me and my family insane, is there anyone who can come and kill it for me?
Petland lady: Uh sorry, no....




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(sorry about the delay in the sound)

Jonah's brother and sister sneaking a kiss....

The Lord has been so faithful in displaying His glory in our midst. I can honestly be confident of this, that he who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. It has been amazing to witness the love and mercy of Jesus Christ in the relationships He's placed in our lives. The possibilities are without bounds within a willing and humble heart. I look forward to seeing where God will take us in this next season.

It's so easy to love someone who does not upset your comfort! True love is displayed for those who hurt us, those who offend and dissapoint. We can fool ourselves into thinking we're mature when we don't allow anyone to upset our prefrences or challenge us. But it's in the relationships that bring out our true colors that will grow us the most, if we choose humility and forgiveness.

I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.

There is so much more to this life than being angry and bitter! There is a sun so much brighter, there is grass much greener, there is air so much sweeter...

I choose life.

Quick update

1. My little girl has been couch bound since Sunday evening with a sprained ankle. I've thouroughly enjoyed babying and taking care of her.
2. My little guy is not so little. He eats two jars of baby food plus cereal a day. He will officially be 7 months on Thursday!
3. I'm finally at pre-pregnancy weight and it feels great! Shopping is fun again! and just in time for summer fashion! Although I'm not a huge fan of the 80's comeback, and I refuse to wear skin tight jeans, big plastic belts and high heels.
4. Seems my hubby and I have been distracted these days, and have lost our objective. But God has been faithful in reminding us, and giving us the grace to walk it out. We are getting together for coffee with my daughters other parents, to continue planting seeds, and building what the Lord has started. Pray as you feel led.
5. My hubby's aunt and uncle from Edmonton are coming in for a short visit this weekend. I'm super excited to see them, for them to meet our big boy and see our new house. They are amazing people, their generosity and servant hearts are something my hubby and I look up to.
They've taken us into their home numerous times, and each time they blow us away with their hospitality.
6. We have someone working in our basement doing the mudding and taping for us. It's so exciting to see this basement finally come together. My hubby has done such an amazing job at getting most of the work done himself, and saving us a ton of money. But he's no mudder and taper, so enter in: outside help. Hopefully these next stages can pass by quickly so we can get out tv and computer back downstairs. My hubby wasn't able to get the internet working up here, so I can only get on here on my hubby's laptop when he's home. I'm going through withdrawls!

Anyways, this is all the time updating time I have. Be blessed, God is good.

I don't like grocery shopping.

I don't like being stuck in a huge store with windows or clocks. I don't like how there are always certain people who have no grocery shopping etiquette, like move your butt and cart out of the way when there are four people waiting behind you to get by. I don't like how time consuming it is and the sinking feeling you get when you realize two hours have passed and your whole evening has been wasted. I don't like when we get one of those carts that pull in one direction, and how heavy and hard the cart is to turn when it's full. I don't like that you get to take part in another kids screaming fit from start to finish, because they're following you up and down the very same isles. We rarely go grocery shopping.

Results: Today I have no food.

The marvelous and amazing things one can do with their face

A nugget of real-life

God led me a couple weeks ago to publicly share a testimony of His faithfulness, and now here I am, doubting the very things I proclaimed that day. I withstanded the waves at first, but I unfortunately have to admit that in the last couple of days I've been worn down. I've been looking at the situation through eyes of fear. It's come of no surprise to me that I find myself in this time of testing.

As I go to the Word I'm reminded that God never changes. He is the same yesterday today and forever, and as He's been faithful in the past, He will also be faithful today. I'm encouraged today with the story of Jacob.

Jacob's name means "the one who takes by the heel." Jacob grasped his brothers heel coming out of the womb. Just as we grasp our own self-seeking agenda and will, so did Jacob. But God loved Jacob! How amazing that He used such a deceitful person to continue the process of redemption! And as the Lord transformed Jacob, He gave him a new name, Israel, which means "let God rule!"

The fact that God can transform a self-seeking and self-interested person and change him into a world-changer is my only hope. He alone can unclasp my human grasp, and replace it with a faithful grip on the knife He's given me to raise. Will He send a lamb just in time? I believe that He will. It may not appear in ways I expect, but I can trust that it is good, and very sufficient.

Happy Resurection Sunday!

A rendezvous with a pony...

and an encounter with a bunny

Egg hunt

Sporting a new do

PASSOVER

On another note.....We're going to my mother-in-laws for Easter supper tonight. I'm looking forward to relaxing with my other family and being blessed by them. It's amazing how different mine and my hubby's families are. I appreciate their differences, and all that I can learn from them. I AM BLESSED!

My not-so-little one is away this weekend with her dad, then back on Sunday morning for church. Am hoping to enjoy a relaxing weekend with my boys. : )

Wednesday I'm off to the salon with my sis-in-law to get my hair done! I can't tell you what I'm doing......cuz I have no idea! So stay tuned and I'll post a pic of the finished product. But I'm so excited, I haven't had my hair done in like a year, not counting the times in between that I did it myself, cuz that doesn't count. ;)

May this weekend remind us all of the sacrifice that was paid for us IN FULL, and the NEW LIFE that we find in JESUS!

Be blessed, God is Good!

Today...3 seperate doses of some real bad news...here is my answer.

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

2 Corinthians 10:4

AMEN

Your Hair Should Be Orange

Expressive, deep, and one of a kind.You pull off "weird" well - hardly anyone notices.

What's" Your Funky Inner Hair Color?

Two peas in a pod.....or potatoes on a couch.....whichever

True colors

My grey hair

Rub a dub dub

The mean things parents do to their kids....or maybe just us.....either way....

I am blessed

I am blessed, I am blessed,

From when I rise up in the morning,

to when I lay my head to rest

For all the worst and all the best,

I am blessed

-Rachel Lampa

I was thanking God for His blessings today. A part of me felt that I didn't fully understand what it meant to be blessed. As I looked up the word, this is what I found.

Blessed: to be blissful, contented, endowed, glad, joyful.

The word blessed is an adjective, meaning, it describes it's noun.

Does the word blessed describe who I am? Or do I allow myself to be described by my circumstances? Far too often, I walk around saying "I'm blessed", but I base me saying this on what I have. It was easy to say "I'm blessed!" when we bought our first house, or when I gave birth to our first son, because I looked around and saw "blessings". But after the death of my nephew, and during the painful prunning process that proceeded, I found myself in a time when it was difficult to see the physical blessings in my life, so "I'm blessed" was never spoken, let alone modeled.

All this time I've been thinking that being blessed has to do with what you have. I thought that when something good happened upon us, then we had been "blessed". But being blessed isn't something that happens to you, it's something you are! It's something that describes you! Glad, thankful, contented, joyful! For all the worst and all the best, I am blessed, from when I rise up in the morning, to when I lay my head to rest. The desire of my heart is to grow in maturity in this area, so that when I say I am blessed, I really am.

I hope you enjoy your time together!!!!!

Phew...
Last night was my hubby's surprise birthday party. I am happy to announce that all went very well, and hubby was totally surprised. I've been planning this for him for about 3 weeks, and you have no idea how hard it has been keeping something like this from him. I swear, I married a super-sleuth, and did he ever pull out his magnifying glass and detective badge yesterday! He was looking up mysterious phone numbers, asking all kinds of questions, my poor brother-in-law was trying so hard to cover things up for me, even went as far as saying, "yeah I called that number, I don't know who it is, I've been doing weird things lately, then I forget doing them." Yeah...
My sis and her hubby were a big help, thanks for everything! As was my dad. They invited us over for supper, so I could get hubby out of the house while Carebear and Firestarted came in and finished the last minute food preps and computer set ups. There was a lot of time to kill at dads, so to distract my hubby, they decided to take apart the wall in my dads basement. Then, half-way through, dad realized it was time to go, so he said, ok, this is good for now (with half of the wall off, the baseboard off, the light switch taken apart....and and and...). My hubby's like, what do you mean that's it? We still have the other half of the wall, and don't you want to at least put your light switch back on? So you can you know, turn the light on and off?? Typical dad, uhhhh....yeah, I guess I could put the switch back on.
Sheesh.
Once I got my hubby here, and he saw all his boy-friends and toys, he quickly forgot about me, so me and my sis and mom went out for coffee and shared some laughs and funny stories. Such a blessing to be so close to my family. And what a weird yet wonderful feeling, to drop everyone off at their houses, by simply driving around the block.
Am so glad it's getting nice out. I'm looking so forward to enjoying this new season. I feel like I missed the whole summer last year, and didn't partake in any of the cool things summer brings. My sis would call me,
-wanna go outside and tan?
-no it's too hot
-wanna take the kids to a park?
-no I'm too tired
-wanna come over and run through the sprinklers?
-no I'm too sore
-wanna just talk on the phone then?
-nah......~click~

God's mercies are new every morning, and each new seasons brings it's own beautiful growth to our lives. There is a time for everything under the sun, rest assured that wherever God has taken you, He will not leave you, He will finish what He's started.
God has been speaking to me a lot about this new season. He told me that I will be seeing many changes, and that many of them will feel very uncomfortable. But to NOT BE AFRAID, for these changes are GOOD. There is going to be a lot of letting go of old, and embracing of new.
My little one had her hair cut recently. I love it.

My little trooper popped out his first nub of a tooth today!! Poor guy is not a happy camper : (

the song in my heart

Holy Fire

Burn away

My desire, for anything

That is not of You

And is of me

I want more of You

and less of me

Empty me

Empty me

And fill me

with You

Looking at flyers with Daddy

Ooooooooh.... I want that

Behold, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert

and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19


I love how God will give me a beautiful illustration of where He is taking me. As I look outside at the new season emerging I am deeply encouraged. The mud covered snow I see melting outside my window, is the same dirt and grime that I feel melting off my spirit. This last season has been a cold one, outside and in. So cold that I found myself cuddling up under a blanket I had hand-crafted out of a security found in myself, not my Father. I ran from God, like Jonah running to Tarshish, I just wanted a place to hide, and sleep.

As the dirt is melting away, I am renewed with a fresh release, to speak the word of the Lord, and to speak it BOLDLY. I am encouraged and deeply humbled by His mercy and forgiveness, and His blessing to move forward in my walk with Him. I'm overwhelmed by a great anticipation of what's to come, as I know I have already seen GREAT THINGS!

This is a new season, of new beginnings, of new life and new heights. It was just before last spring that my husband and I removed ourselves from our outside commitments, and even in most ways, our social life. I think that's why I've found myself looking at this last year as a write-off, feeling like we didn't do anything, and nothing happened. I forget that we have walked through more things in the last year than many walk through in 10. God has shown me that it is in the times of solitude, just as Jesus went off on His own, that God speaks to us the most, if we listen ;)

I'm looking so forward to building new relationships and restoring old ones. I have missed my family, and the joy that is found in sharing His love with others. God is good, and He is never changing. Through the winds and storms He has remained the same, and I am captivated by His love once again. Be blessed today, HE IS NOT FINISHED WITH YOU YET!