Yesterday afternoon our dear friend Andrew finally ended his battle with Leukemia and went to be with Jesus.
I don't have words. I am not a wise person full of insight and poignant words. I can cry and I can bake. And I can listen to this song over and over and over again.
Continue to pray for our friend Suz {Andrew's wife} and her two sons, Jacob and Daniel.
I am not the most spirit-filled person at 6am. Especially when it's 6am and I am changing wet sheets on the top bunk. True story.
I was driving home from my parents' house on Saturday night and all three boys were asleep. At a stop light, I turned around and stared in their sweet, sweet faces as they breathed deeply in absolute peace and relaxation and I felt so blessed. I am blessed. And in that moment, thoughts of wet beds and early mornings are about the farthest things from my mind.
But then 11:30pm comes and Jude throws up all over himself. And it's sheet-changing time again. But we get through it. And both boys {Noah had a fever} napped on and off all day on Sunday and today woke up feeling well enough to fight with each other so I sent them both to school. Also a true story.
Last week while I was sick, Jamie took Blaise and Jude {on his non-school day} to the Y in the mornings and one morning, Jamie came to pick up Blaise and he was on the other side of the play area, away from the other kids. The childcare worker handed Blaise to Jamie and said,
So Blaise had some difficulties this morning with other children. He was hitting children.
On the head.
With a book.
Oh my. I laughed out loud when I heard this but not out of pride {of course I'm not proud} but it's just what it is. Poor kid has learned to hit from his older brother and is doing what he knows. So we're continually emphasizing his need to be gentle and not to hit. When we were out for dinner last week, Blaise was getting rough with Noah as he was grabbing Noah's arm and pinching him so I said,
Blaise, be gentle. Gentle touches.
Blaise looked at me and then looked at Noah and embraced his arm and gently stroked it. Again, I laughed. He's a smart cookie and he knows. So we'll keep working on it, but it's good to know that he's learning to be gentle and understands how to do it.
And today after a wicked spin class at the Y I picked Blaise up and they said that instead of throwing a ball at the baby's head {!}, he waved instead. Progress indeed!
Right now I'm sitting in a very quiet house. Blaise is asleep. The boys are at school. I'm munching on sugar snap peas and hummus {I'm trying to be good although I totally sabotaged myself by buying a bag of peanut butter cups. Sigh.} and it's so quiet that I'm tempted to put some music on. But then I stop and just embrace the quiet. There is so little quiet in my life that I need to soak it up and remember what quiet feels like.
Today the wind is blowing and it's a winter wonderland out there. I am thankful for a home with heat and hot showers. I am thankful for a good school for my kids and a fridge with yummy food in it. I am thankful for parents who come and spend the day with us on Sunday to help keep the crazies at bay. I am thankful for Jude and his sweet heart that I see tuned towards Jesus, especially in prayers like this, "And thank you God for sending Jesus as a baby and that He died on the cross so I didn't have to die." Such a gem. Such sweetness in my heart.
Even though I am missing Jamie, I am learning how to lean even more heavily upon Jesus and His people.
It seems as though we are finally settling into a bit of a routine and it seems to be working. The boys are doing well at school and I'm finally getting in some exercise at the Y {now that Blaise has dropped the morning nap gloryhallelujah}. Jamie and I are getting out every now and then and the Christmas and Advent preparations are in full-swing.
I'll be doing Advent envelopes with the boys again and I'm looking forward to continuing that tradition with them. We'll also be reading the first bit of Luke 2 every day with the boys and you better believe that the Christmas music will be playing non-stop. {Have you heard that Page CXVI is putting out an Advent album? It releases on December 3rd! Get your copy here!}
I have so many hopes and dreams and things I want to do but I'm striving for simplicity. So some things will have to wait. All good things. But sometimes the best things are few. Refined and focused and lovely and soul-refreshing. So we will do a few of the best things and wait and anticipate celebrating Jesus' birth here in Canada. Surrounded by family and friends in the snow and cold with slippers and hot chocolate, winter coats and boots, church and neighbours and candles and sparkly Christmas trees. I am embracing Christmas and winter and choosing to love each and every moment of it {even when it's so cold that tears stream down my face. *sob*}
I
remember when I first got married and my parents' house still felt like
"home". I had two homes. The apartment I lived in with Jamie in Kitchener and the
semi-detached house in Toronto that my parents and brothers still lived
in.
The longer we were married, the more the house that Jamie and I lived in seemed like home.
And then when we started having kids it was solidified. We moved a bunch of times, but home, our home was wherever we all lived together whether it was on Brant Avenue or Gaw Crescent in Guelph or Plot 334 Kampala, Uganda.
With
our move back to Canada closing in on us, I oscillate between calling
it "Canada" and "home" when I talk to the boys. I think for Jude, Uganda
is home. For Noah, home is in Canada. But for both of them, we will be
changing it all up. The house we left is not the house we'll be moving
back to.
This house in Kampala has become my home, but growing up in Canada for 29 out of 31 years, for me we are going home.
it's no secret we love our christmas movies and music. in fact, last year someone told me that i own more christmas music than anyone else they know {my iTunes "christmas jollies" playlist has 191 songs.}. i take that as a compliment.
and then this year jamie suggested {aka challenged} me/us to watch all our christmas movies. in the words of barney stinson, "challenge accepted!".
so... music and movies - christmas style. {insert gangnam style music here.}
first up is boney m. seriously. does anyone NOT like boney m at christmas? maybe i shouldn't ask that. i'm sure there are some out there who very much do not like boney m. but me? LOVE it. i wonder if it's because it makes me think of my sister and i love my sister. last year i bought mary's boy child and have already had numerous dance parties to it. besides, if there's any christmas music that feels appropriate to listen to in africa, it's mary's boy child. by boney m. watch this video. it's a-maze-ing.
and mariah carey. i love her christmas album. i love mariah. is it really christmas if you haven't listened to "all i want for christmas is you"? i think not.
last year i was introduced to an incredible band called folk angel. they first released a christmas EP in 2009 and then an entire album in 2010. last year i bought both and loved listening to both old favourites and new songs that they cover. their music goes deeper than santa and christmas trees. i blogged last year about their spoken word piece called "god with us" - the lyrics are incredible. definitely worth a listen to. they just released their newest album. it's likely i will buy this one as well. {because i'm so close to 200!}
so. this year we're attempting to watch all our christmas movies. we made a list and we've got 21 christmas movies. here they are {if you're curious}:
the holiday *
love actually *
how the grinch stole christmas {cartoon version}
how the grinch stole christmas {jim carrey version} *
national lampoon's christmas vacation *
the santa clause
the santa clause 2
the polar express*
home alone
home alone 2
white christmas
charlie brown christmas
8 crazy nights
elf *
christmas with the kranks
miracle on 34th street
christmas carol {the old version}
simpson's christmas special 1
simpson's christmas special 2
all i want for christmas
muppet's christmas carol
the ones i've put an asterix by are our favourites. national lampoon's is a family favourite and tradition from jamie's family and i've grown to love it. {that's marriage for ya.}
the grinch is a big favourite of mine because i love jim carrey. {the holiday is also quickly becoming a favourite of mine. because really? i love jack black. i think i have a thing for funny guys.}
and the boys really love the polar express. i like it too.
i've crossed out the ones we've watched already. so it looks like we're 6/21 so far.
we have a bunch of other kids christmas movies that we haven't "counted" towards our list, but the boys have already watched a bunch of them. one i got last year that is sweet and tells the story of christmas without annoying music {actually, the music is pretty good!} or voices is the very first noel. i highly recommend it. it's told from the viewpoint of one of the wise men and it's all in rhyme. it's very well done. you can actually watch the whole thing on youtube.
so those are some of our favourites. what are yours?
we're slowly getting into some semblance of a routine. blaise only woke up once last night to eat at 3:45am and then slept 'til 7:30am. glorious. absolutely glorious. he's getting better at going down for his naps, but we're still working on it.
i've been baking lots more and crocheting and am currently on the hunt {which likely means i'll just ask my mom to send me some} yarn that's in the colours of angry birds which i can hopefully crochet for christmas for the boys.
we've sorta scrapped the "screen time tickets" for now, but we do only let the boys have 30 minutes on the iPad at a time. {noah would literally play all.day.long.}
anyway, i thought i'd share with you a few lovely things that i'm loving these days.
chocolate. all things chocolate. i hit this phase every time i have kids. i mean, i love chocolate in general, but this is intense. it comes on strong at the 2 month mark post-partum. i could just eat bar after bar after bar of chocolate {and i have. but not every day.}. it's ridiculous and i'm trying to curb it. but right now i'm currently loving snickers and twix. chocolate and caramel-y goodness. *drool*
lullabies. even if you don't have babies or young kids {or kids at all} get this album. re-done hymns speaking God's truth and peace to your heart. so lovely. {i absolutely love Page CXVI and would recommend all of their albums for anyone who loves hymns.}
i finally got into angry birds. it took angry birds star wars to do it for me. i think it's cute. and i secretly try and beat all of noah's high scores when i play but man! the kid is shockingly good! an addicting game made even better by using one of the best movie series of all time.
i downloaded this book to my kindle a couple weeks ago when someone posted on facebook that it was free. i thought, why not? a free book on parenting couldn't hurt and if i don't like it, i'll just delete it.
i have thoroughly enjoyed this book so far {not quite finished}. as i've entered this new phase of parenting three little boys, jamie and i have been reflecting on parenting and what life was like before kids and how things have changed since. benjamin kearns is funny and speaks frankly while also communicating some powerful truths about parenting and God's desire to refine and shape us as parents. it's not free anymore, but it is only $2.99. well worth it, i'd say.
i'm still loving the homemade graham crackers i posted about last week {just took a batch out of the oven minutes ago. the house smells lovely!}. i'm itching to pull out our christmas decorations out and get started, but that will have to wait until this weekend.
and speaking of christmas, i'm hoping to post a few entries on some of our favourite christmas things. stay tuned for more!
we had a date night last night, jamie and i. {courtesy of one spectacular kelley myles who is a genius at getting children to stop freaking out and go to sleep!}
we went to my favouritest place, mishmash. it was jazz, blues and rock night. just a chill evening where they play everything from BB King to The Stones to Dizzy Gilespie and Pearl Jam. they played black magic woman which i totally grooved to thanks to guitar hero enlightening my sometimes limited music awareness.
it was a nice, quiet night out.
{also i really like that at night, people smoke shisha and it smells absolutely delicious. the grape flavour always smells the best.}
on the drive home we talked about each other and other people and both agreed that while we could have married other people, no one would really even compare to each other. maybe that's arrogant, but i think it's probably an arrogance that more marriages could stand to have.
and it makes me happy that we're both happiest with each other.
almost 8 years of marriage {and almost 13 years together!} and we still think we picked the best.
i'm thankful to God for bringing us and keeping us together. {and for the so many people that i know still pray for us and have since our wedding day.}
*in hindsight and after someone's comment, arrogance isn't probably the best choice of words. but somehow it communicates a certain...vibe for how we feel about each other. like "we got the best out there when we married each other. sorry world, but you lost out."
another no-church sunday for us today.
but today i was prepared. i did a little lesson for the boys on palm sunday.
we made palm branches {i like calling them palm fronds} and waved them and shouted hosanna! and i read the story of palm sunday to them.
noah commented, i think the people were really happy to see him!
oh how they were, my sweet boy. and how everything changed within a week.
making a way for the king of the universe
singing this song in my heart and with my lips today and forever:
i know christmas has past but i couldn't resist this after a friend sent it to me knowing my love of christmas music and also? the last song they do? perfection.
enjoy.
i can't believe it's november 25th already. craziness.
we've been busy here!
we had our first visitors this past week {did i take pictures? of course not. ugh.} and i went on my second ever boda boda ride {it was much better during the day than at night}.
i bought christmas presents at the craft market {have i mentioned how much i love shopping without my kids? so.much.easier.}, i wrapped christmas presents {which jude got into while i was blow drying my hair and totally opened at least one present and then proceeded to adorn himself in said christmas presents},
wrote {or at least started to write} christmas cards,
made the Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake {and it was just as amazing as she described},
and even completed making my advent envelopes {here's a sneak peek}!
i've started playing christmas music and on saturday we'll be decorating our tree!
i love christmas and since i've become a parent i've found an increased richness to this holiday. i've searched for ways to make memories but also tools and ideas to teach and instill in my kids the true meaning of christmas. this year we are starting a few new christmas and advent traditions. i'm excited to have this time with just our family to strengthen us as a family unit and solidify the traditions we'll decide participate in possibly for the duration that our kids are at home - maybe even longer!
{on monday i'll be sharing some of the tools and ideas we're enjoying during this Advent season with our kids and our family. so stay tuned!}
until then, happy friday and enjoy the christmas tunes!
i almost feel as though i can't even write words to do this day justice.
it was perfect.
jamie and the boys brought me breakfast in bed {okay, so i was pulling on my jeans as they walked into the room, but it's the thought that counts, right?} and then gave me a couple cards {thanks amanda for the sweet card and hilarious lollipops!}.
i came out to the living room to discover that they had put up "30" garlands everywhere {again, thanks amanda! you are one thoughtful, wonderful girl!} and the new coldplay album playing {shhh! it's an illegal copy, but jamie's buying me the real one in 3 days when it officially comes out!}. go and buy mylo xyloto when it comes out. just do it. it's freakin' awesome. i've been listening to it non stop all day long.
then i hopped in the car {yes. i am driving in kampala. this is a blog post for another day.}, cranked up the coldplay, and drove to meet my sweet friend, kelly at a wonderful french bakery called le patisserie. we had lattes and apple turnovers that had the most delicious apples inside the butteriest, flakiest pastry ever. perfection.
outside le patisserie
then we drove to friday market where we walked and talked up aisles and aisles of gorgeous african art, jewelry, musical instruments and general creativeness.
i bought some pretties for me, an apron, a light shade to cover up the hideous florescent light fixture in our dining room and a cool wooden block thing that you can change to show the month and day for "educational" purposes for the boys.
after a very productive shop at friday market {i'll be back.} i drove home and hung out with the boys for the afternoon and even got to have a wee nap.
also, did i mention that all this week jamie has gotten up with the boys in the morning so i can lounge in bed a little longer? i married up. just sayin'.
then jamie and the boys and i got back in the car and drove to the mall and did a bit of looking around. i got the boys some juice boxes and we waited for jamie to finish paying for the other things.
then we went over to cafe java's and i ate the most delicious curry EVER. it was their coconut fish curry and OH.MY.GOSH. it melted in my mouth. buttery, coconutty, deliciousness.
then we ordered dessert {why yes i did pack up 1/2 my dinner so that i could still have room for their brownie sundae! how did you know?} and nick and trevor surprised me with this fantastic batik for our dining room! great job, guys!
and then, our dessert came out and all the waiters sang to me. ha! love it. sneaky, sneaky, guys.
and then we stuffed ourselves with delicious ice cream and chocolate brownies.
{note jude's finger reaching out to nab some of my ice cream!}
easy there, big fella.
i was so blessed today. by friends a far sending me sweet messages on twitter and email and by friends here treating me to breakfast {thanks kelly!} and giving me very thoughtful gifts.
teapot from kelly, sugar bowl from our housegirl elizabeth and delicious camembert cheese from a fellow missionary, lynn {who remembered our conversation about our mutual affection for cheese.}
i wouldn't change a thing about today and my heart is full.
*also now? i'm going to watch The Fellowship Of The Ring - per my request. happy birthday to me!
it all started in a rusty red car driving along a scenic route on the north island in new zealand in 2000.
a song came on.
it was catchy.
i'd never heard it before.
and i really liked it.
the announcer {in her adorable kiwi accent} said it was a song called yellow by the british band, coldplay.
i was hooked.
and today they are by far, my favourite band of all time.
i have loved every single album for different reasons.
i love how each album reminds me instantly of a specific time in my life. parachutes reminds me of my time in new zealand and directly after when i returned back to canada. yellow and sparks{this should have been the song jamie and i danced to at our wedding} remain two of my most-loved songs. a rush of blood to the head reminds me of the winter in toronto; crunching down snow-covered sidewalks at night while listening to politik or the scientist. x&y will always remind me of the months jamie and i spent living with my mother and sister in law and while fix you is such a great song, some of my favourites from that album include 'til kingdom come and swallowed in the sea.
and then there's viva la vida or death and all his friends. jamie and i purchased this one while in england on our way to ireland. and then? we listened to it for 5 days straight while driving through the irish countryside. sometimes i can still smell that gorgeous irish air when life in technicolor starts playing.
and now a fifth album {mylo xyloto} is being released just 3 days after my 30th birthday {that would be october 24th}. and i'm pretty pumped. {because someone is buying it for me, right?}
also? i have never seen coldplay live.
never.
this is a travesty.
it's also on my bucket list {okay, so i don't really have a bucket list, but if i did have one, this would be ... definitely in the top 5}.
did you know they played downtown toronto {for free} a couple weeks ago?
yes.
they did.
and where am i?
not in toronto.
sigh.
but that's okay.
this post doesn't really have a point, other than i felt like i should catalogue my love for coldplay over the years.
that is all.
happy random thursday!
we are all here to find the place where our restless souls will be free we were all made to see our hearts could not rest until found in thee divine invitation
you have redeemed my soul from the pit of emptiness you have redeemed my soul from death
i was a hungry child, a dried up river i was a burned out forest, and no one could do anything for me but you put food in my body, water in my dry bed and to my blackened branches, you brought the springtime green of new life and nothing is impossible for you you have redeemed my soul
this week i've been able to worship with page cxvi in person and it's been so wonderful. i hadn't heard of these songs before but i love them. (neither are written by page cxvi, but their take on them - as usual - is fantastic.) i thought i had blogged about page cxvi before, but i can't find it. well, i love them. check them out.
Jude is 4 days away from turning 2 years old.
How did we get here?
How did time fly by so quickly?
I don't know, but I am holding onto each day and trying to remember to live.in.each.moment.
For the longest time every time we introduced Jude, he would get a hearty,
Hey Jude!
with a big smile and usually a comment about the Beatles.
It's a good thing we like the Beatles (and I love that song) and I hope Jude will too because he's likely going to get it for the rest of his life.
So in honour of the Beatles, Jude, and his approaching 2 year birthday enjoy this collection:
love this movie.
cutes patoots. love his pronunciation.
ukulele!
if you watch only one of them, this is the one to watch.
we head to the airport in 45 minutes.
i am quietly freaking out.
have i forgotten anything?
do i have all my information that i'll need?
i'm going to miss my kiddos.
jesus, keep and hold my sweet boys. watch over them. protect them. sustain my parents as they watch them. keep and protect jamie and i. go before us. lead us to the home you've prepared for us.
It's been a little while since I shared the love so here we go.
If you are looking for a good flip flop I will always recommend Sanuk. I bought my very first pair of Sanuks in 2006 (I'm still wearing them!) and instantly fell in love. They are comfortable and I could walk for a really long time in them. They run around $30-45 but are so worth it (as I am clearly in my 5th year! that's a long time for a flop!). I figured, though, that wearing flops year round might be too much for my 5 year old Sanuks so I bought a new pair to bring along and spice things up. Oh my gosh, you guys, these are the yoga mat line and that means that the sole of the flop is made from yoga mat material. So.Stinkin.Comfy.
I think if I were sticking around in Canada I might have gone for a different style but these seemed to be the most versatile and I'm glad I had Jen there to give input and help me choose ones that are different enough from the ones I already have.
I bought mine at North by Northwest but you can purchase them directly from Sanuk. You should check out the site anyway. It's well-designed and there's a roll-over link that tells you how to pronounce Sanuk. I like.
I had been looking for a wind-up flashlight for each of the boys to take to Uganda when we go and I found some adorable ones at a cute toy store in Fergus called Jester's. I loved how they seemed able to sustain rough play as well as be stinkin' adorable. We have the Panda bear one and the Duck one.
The pump just pops out of the side you and just squeeze it to recharge the battery. I'd recommend these flashlights for kids even if you're not going to Africa. If your kids are anything like mine, they play with flashlights and then lose interest and leave them on. This way you don't go through 5 million batteries. You just pump it up (say it like Arnold - go ahead) and you've got light!
This particular brand is called Ecotronics and they were $11 a pop. A bit pricey, but we'll never have to spend money on buying batteries so I think it's a fair trade off.
And of course, the token "yum" piece - Mini Eggs. Dang. I can't get enough of them. I bought one of the BIG bags a couple weeks ago to save for Easter with the boys but wouldn't you know it, I opened it one day and it is slowly dwindling. Oh well. Seriously, who doesn't love Cadbury Mini Eggs?
As for music, I have been randomly singing out lines from the Mumford & Sons song Blank White Page. It's because the song just circles around and around and around my head. You know a song is good when you don't mind it "stuck in your head". The entire album is solid and while it's not new, it's good. So I'm sharing the love, okay?
Can you kneel before this king and say, "I'm clean, I'm clean" ?
But tell me now where was my fault, in loving you with my whole heart?
As I ponder Good Friday (tomorrow), I'm incredibly grateful that I can kneel before THE King and say that I am clean. All because of Jesus. Taking my sin. Paying the penalty that I should have paid.
Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole life. Lead me to the truth and I will follow you with my whole life.
I hit the gym this morning with the boys (but only after Jude took off down the driveway before we even got into our car and got a huge goose-egg on his head because he tripped and fell - good times), made an early lunch (it was good, but apparently I was the only one who thought so) and read stories with the boys.
Speaking of lunch, I gotta say, every time I buy one of the Piller black forest style cooked/smoked hams I love them. You can do so much with one (well, the ones I buy are the half hams) and so far I've got a ham & potato soup and a red pepper, ham & pasta dish out of this one with much more left over! So when they're on sale, I buy at least one, sometimes two and freeze them. You really can't go wrong - plus the boys like ham.
And ever since the dreaded dentist appointment of 2011 and was told I have multiple cavities I've been taking dental care a lot more seriously. I mean flossing at least every other night, if not every night. (So I didn't use to floss. I learned my lesson. You should floss too!) Anyway, my dentist recommended an electric toothbrush so I went out and bought the Oral B Vitality and I LOVE it. It has a 2 minute timer on it and the biggest thing for me is that at night I realized I was so tired by the time I was brushing that I'd just do a quick brush and then bed, but the timer helps me keep brushing until the 2 minutes are done. It comes with a charging stand which I like (we'll see how this goes over in Africa, though). I like. It was ~$30 so about mid-range - not $10, but not $100 either!
And I'm fairly certain I've blogged about this before, but for goodness sakes, I love our sound machines. I started using a sound machine for white noise when Noah was about 4 months-ish and we haven't looked back. The white noise has been a familiar sound/thing that no matter where we go, it's somewhat comforting. Also, I know that neither boy need the white noise to sleep as they've fallen asleep without it, but it's helpful if we're watching something after the boys have gone to sleep and we know we don't have to worry about them waking up from our noise. It's comforting to us, too. Who knew?
We have two different ones; the Conair sound machine and the Obusforme Sound Therapy. I like both of them.
And as for music, I'm still loving Sweet Thing's Change of Seasons. I heard it on the radio awhile back and immediately really liked it.
After a quick google I found out that Sweet Thing is from Toronto which makes me like them even more. Love me some good hometown musicians. I love their harmonies and I like the lyrics to this song. Here's the live studio version of Change of Seasons.
And ever since the dreaded dentist appointment of 2011 and was told I have multiple cavities I've been taking dental care a lot more seriously. I mean flossing at least every other night, if not every night. (So I didn't use to floss. I learned my lesson. You should floss too!) Anyway, my dentist recommended an electric toothbrush so I went out and bought the Oral B Vitality and I LOVE it. It has a 2 minute timer on it and the biggest thing for me is that at night I realized I was so tired by the time I was brushing that I'd just do a quick brush and then bed, but the timer helps me keep brushing until the 2 minutes are done. It comes with a charging stand which I like (we'll see how this goes over in Africa, though). I like. It was ~$30 so about mid-range - not $10, but not $100 either!
