5QF ~ March 30

I wrote out this post last night, scheduled it for today, and when I looked at it... nothing I posted was there.

Weird.

I'll try again.

I took Ian to the doctor today because he's been so sick this week and wasn't getting better. Turns out he has bronchitis. He feels terrible and seems to be getting worse and I've never seen him like this. I even called the hospital tonight to ask a few questions and they were very helpful.

Tomorrow is Julie's birthday sleepover and I don't know how I'm going to handle all the prep work, baking (cake and cookies for decorating) as well as overseeing everything on my own.

It's been a very busy week and I'm bone tired.

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Today is Friday, which means it's time for Mama M's Five Question Friday blog hop.



1. What giveaway would you like to do on your blog?

I'd like to give away a spa certificate. I don't think I'd enjoy a facial, and I certainly wouldn't want a massage and having some Stranger Danger rubbing their creepy hands all over my body.

But... apparently the vast majority of people do enjoy these types of things, so I'd like to give that to someone.

2. If you had to choose between natural artistic ability and natural athletic ability, which would it be?

Natural artistic ability. I'd love to be able to draw or paint, or play the piano well. Or sing...

But I can't do any of the above.

I wouldn't want to have athletic abilility because then I'd have to do things like run. Ew. If you ever see me running, please call the police because there's a killer after me.

3. Do you ditch the coat the minute it becomes "spring" or are you a holdout for more cool temps?

I hate wearing a coat. It's bulky and hot and I don't like it. I take one in the car with me in case I need it, but I seldom wear it. Ian calls it my Linus Blanket.

4. What would you do if you won the mega millions lotto of 1/2 billion dollars?

Barf and then faint.

I'd buy all new socks and underwear. And pillows.

And then I'd travel the world with Ian and the kids.

5. You are at a hotel by yourself...what do you do?

Sigh.

I need to savour that thought for a moment or two.

I'd take a long, hot, bubble bath, put on brand new pjs, climb into bed and watch a movie while eating pizza from Pizza Hut.

And then I'd sleep and sleep and sleep...

Have a great Friday!

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Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life to join in on the fun!

Thursday Already??

I don't know how that happened.

Well I do, actually. It's been a very busy week.

Monday we had a real estate agent over to discuss our plans to sell. He was here for about two and a half hours and answered every single question we had. I feel much more at ease. He's even going to take us through a couple of rental properties so I can see what's out there.

Tuesday was my sweet Julie's 11th birthday. Ian had blown up balloons the night before and covered her bedroom floor for her to see when she woke up in the morning, then he made her cinnamon rolls for breakfast. For her birthday dinner, she asked for ham, mashed potatoes, corn, dressing and gravy, with a marble birthday cake for dessert. I was watching her opening the rest of her gifts and couldn't believe how quickly the last 11 years have gone by. I love her so much, and I'm so proud of her. She has always been a lovely girl, but she's turning into this beautiful young woman. So thankful she's ours.

Ian was very sick on Tuesday. He had this crushing weight on his chest and a wicked cough and headache. He stayed in bed most of the day. I was getting pretty worried about him because he doesn't often get this sick. He was better yesterday but then it hit him again today. If he's still this sick tomorrow I think I'll take him to the doctor. Which he'll hate, but I'm worried.

Wednesday morning was my bible study and since Ian seemed to be better, I left the littles at home with him. Good thing I did since there wasn't any child care this week. In the afternoon, Matthew and I went to his playgroup and then my sweet Mama came for dinner. I cooked a roast in the crock pot, mashed potatoes and carrots, with a vanilla birthday cake for dessert. We were celebrating both Julie and Jordan's birthdays.

Today was Jordan's 4th birthday. She also woke up to balloons all over her bedroom floor. She wanted Sam and Julie to stay home from school to hang out with her today so.... we let them. She asked for chocolate cupcakes for her birthday cake so I baked those for her. She also wanted ham, mashed potatoes and corn for her birthday dinner, just like Julie. I had some ham left over from Tuesday, so I put that out as well as roasted chicken for the rest of us. Once she ate her cupcake she opened her gifts and I was very teary watching her. Where have the last four years gone? Such a precious little girl.

Julie is having a sleepover birthday party on Saturday, so if you all could pray for my sanity I'd appreciate it. I'm not sure what the total guest count is at this point but does it matter? I'll be crazy by morning. Tomorrow I need to bake three dozen sugar cookies for them to decorate, as well as bake her birthday cake.

Yes. Another cake. Which will bring this cake baking business to a grand total of four this week. I always bake the girls their own cakes for their special days, then one for the family celebration.

My sincerest thanks to Walmart for having cake mixes and icing on sale for $1 each this week.

I think that's about it. More packing this weekend, church and hopefully I'll get over to my mom's to visit.

I've started reading The Hunger Games with all this free time I have (that was sarcasm in case you missed it) and I'm just not feeling it. I'm not surprised... I didn't get the Harry Potter or Twilight hype either.

That's enough rambling.

Over and out.

Super Quick Update

I'm still alive.

We've been very busy packing and cleaning these past few days, and yesterday some sweet friends from our church came to help us paint our house. I was on baby duty, which was a good thing since painting frustrates me and makes me use words that aren't very Christian, if you catch my drift.

This week will be very busy as well. Tomorrow we have a real estate agent coming over in the afternoon, Julie's birthday is on Tuesday, my mom is coming for dinner on Wednesday, Jordan's birthday is on Thursday, and Julie is having a bunch of her girlfriends over for a sleepover on Saturday.

And now... I sleep.

A Post In Which I Talk A Lot

It's been a day.

I spent the morning at the church for the first day of our new bible study. We're going to study the book of James with Beth Moore and I could not be more excited. I love Beth and I love the way she teaches. Our group has a good feel to it too which is really nice.

Afterwards Ian and I had lunch with the littles and then spent some time talking. And when I say talking, I really mean talking Kate off the ledge. I am so stressed out right now... it's unbelievable. I am a total crankasaurusrex.

I don't like change. I really, really, don't. I quite like when things are the same. There is comfort and security there that I appreciate.

Right now? Feels like everything is changing and I don't like it one bit.

I still can't get used to our new cable. I can't find my shows, I can't find what we've taped. I can't find where the kids shows play on demand. Ian repeatedly shows me but I'm just not getting it. So I've pretty much stopped watching tv altogether. Rogers was overpriced and had the worst customer service ever but their cable was easy to use and I could find my dang shows.

Why am I having such a hard time letting go of this house? It's the right thing to do and it's the right time to do it, so why the fuss?

I lay awake at night wondering if we're taking the easy way out. If this will really solve our problems or just create new ones. If I failed my family because I didn't return to work months ago.

Ian is a very logical man. And, thankfully for me, a very patient one. He works with facts and figures because they don't lie. When he shows me on paper how everything will work out, I see it. When he explains that had I returned to work, my income would have gone to daycare because he wouldn't have been able to spend 8-10 hours a day job searching, networking, following up, etc with two small children to care for. And then, once he found a job I'd come home again with nothing to show for my efforts.

I just feel as though everyone is looking at me, wondering why Kate didn't do something to help the situation. That they are looking down at me.

But feelings lie and facts don't. I have to remind myself of that all the time.

Another fact? We have a lot of people who love us and want to help us. People I didn't think even liked me. We are regularly getting phone calls and emails asking what they can do to help us.

Isn't that sweet?

It sure is.

Except... I have a very difficult time asking for and accepting help. And when I say very difficult I really mean that it's next to impossible for me to do it. I could be on fire, see you with the hose in your hand and still not ask you to help me. Why? Because you might be busy, or not like me, or need that water for something more important.

Don't roll your eyes. If you've been reading my blog for awhile you know that I am full of issues.

Want to hear another one of my many issues?

Ok.

I can't handle having people in my house. It freaks me out. I can't explain why, it just does. And this weekend, we're (hopefully) going to have people in our house helping us (gah! that help thing) paint and do some small repairs.

I am anxious already. I can see it now... me, collapsed on the floor in an anxiety induced coma. Do you think they'll just cover me with a dropsheet and paint around me??

In case you're wondering, I did have a therapist. A lovely one. But she moved away and I haven't found anyone new yet. Perhaps I need to move that a little higher on my To Do list.

Moving on.

Today I cleaned and disinfected one of our bathrooms and cleaned out the cupboard. Good thing I did because that thing was almost as nasty as the Walmart bathrooms.

Jordan figured out how to open the front door this afternoon. Doesn't sound like a hard task, but she has little hands and hasn't been able to pull it open before. I guess she got tired of me telling her we'd go outside later and decided to take matters in her own hands. So thankful that Julie was on the porch and caught her red handed.

In my efforts to become more active, I've started walking around the block after dinner. I'm enjoying the warmer temperatures and the sky has been so clear that we've been able to see the stars so clearly.

Tonight Sam came walking with Jordan and me. We ended up walking around the block five times! Hey, as long as my (soon to be) teen is talking, I'll keep walking. I know how precarious our relationship will get in the next few years, so I want to make sure we have a solid foundation of openness and trust now.

And here I am, talking your ear off. According to my schedule, I should be packing up my bedroom. But I'd rather talk to you. Or read my new book that came in the mail today: You're Already Amazing by Holley Gerth. I'm going to be reviewing it on my blog. Just so you know... I love it so far. I cried just reading the intro.

I suppose I should wrap this up now and head to bed. Tomorrow we have a lot to do and no time to waste.

See you Friday :-)

It's Just A House

That's what I keep telling myself.

It's just a house, Kate.

Yet, I am so sad to leave it.

I remember how we would drive by every single day during the building process, trying to figure out what work had been done that day. We would sit on the curb across the street and stare at it in silence, full of excitement.

"We're going to fill that house with children," we'd say.

And we have.

13 1/2 years we've lived here.

We chose the cupboards and the counters, the tiles in the bathrooms and carpet colours.

My mother and I wallpapered the living room, side by side.

I know all the floorboards that creak when you walk on them.

I can remember the day I brought each baby home from the hospital.

I love watching the sunset from my kitchen windows.

Letting go is so hard.

I am surrounded by half packed boxes and I feel like my house is in chaos.

I know that moving is the best thing for us, yet I am struggling with sadness and feeling so overwhelmed. There is much to be done.

One step at a time and it will get done. Just keep going, Kate, one step at a time.

Week At A Glance

I've been truly enjoying the wonderful weather we've had this past week. Last night I was out talking with our new neighbours for a couple of hours while all of our kids played together. Any friends I had in my neighbourhood have long moved on, and it feels so good to have a friend here again.

Jordan and the new little girl across the street are practically besties already. And their birthdays are only a day apart. So cute.

Sam has spent more time outside this week than he ever did last summer.

I started feeling a little bitter this morning - I've prayed for new friends for the children, for me... and now they're here and we're leaving! What's up with that, God?? But I know He's prodding us to move for a reason, and I trust that wherever we end up, He's got everything worked out already. So, I'll enjoy things as they are for now.

Here's a glimpse of what's been going this week.

Packing has begun at our place. We are really doing this, full speed ahead.

Ian had the hardest time trying to get Matthew into this sleeper for bed. It had all sorts of snaps that criss crossed and folded over and whatnot. He kept muttering, "what's up with this sleeper voodoo business?"

Turns out he put it on backwards. Bless.

I gave in to peer pressure and started playing DrawSomething on my iPhone. I think that's what it's called, anyway. Not being one to read instructions, I jumped right in. I stared at this picture for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what my friend drew before I read the instructions. Oops.

Matthew's had a touch of croup this week, and we've been spending a lot of time together in the bathroom, running the hot shower. Here he is, comfortably sleeping. Finally.

The next morning, Jordan wanted to play with Matthew, so I lifted her into the crib with him, much to his delight.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Get in mah belly!

We switched cable/telephone/internet providers yesterday and that will save us over $100 a month while giving us more stuff that I don't understand but is very exciting to Ian and Sam. All I know is I can't find my shows and I can't operate this darn thing. Ian has given me two "tutorials" but I can't absorb anything. Really, I just want him to set up all the channels I watch and "favourite" them so I only have to push one button.

So far... not a fan. Change blows. I hate change even more than I hate sharing.

Occasionally I play Family Feud on my iPhone. My friend sent me a Fast Money round request. If my score bumped us up to 200 or more, she'd win $1,000.

Oops.

And there you have it, my week at a glance.

Changes

We are enjoying unseasonably warm temperatures this week and I'm so thankful for the sunshine. I'm sure we'll get more snow before Spring officially arrives, so I'm soaking this up.

The children all have small colds right now. Matthew's cough sounds a little croupy so Jordan and I took him outside this afternoon and sat on the porch for a half hour. I was hoping the fresh air would help him breathe better. Julie and Jordan chalked on the driveway while Matthew and I cuddled.

We made some decisions last week and after letting them sink in, I'm finally ready to share what's going on with us. I trust that I am safe to share my heart here and am hopeful that I won't receive too much judgement.

Ian and I have decided it's time to sell our house. We feel that by doing so, we will be able to eliminate our debts and start fresh, owing no one. We plan to find a home to rent and, after saving for a few years, purchase a new home. This is a temporary situation that will give our family a better future.

I am of two minds considering this decision.

On one hand, I am scared and I feel like a failure. We are not losing our home by any stretch, rather we are choosing to give it up. But still, we will no longer be able to call ourselves "homeowners". I didn't know I was so prideful...I thought this last year shattered any last vestiges of that, but I was wrong. I keeping thinking about what people will think of us.

And when I think about that a thought comes to me crystal clear... WHO CARES what people think of us? Everyone will have an opinion but the only opinions that matter are Ian's and mine. If someone judges us for this path, then they don't truly know or care about our hearts.

And on the other hand, people... I am excited! I have been absolutely longing for a fresh start and this will give us that. A chance to get out from under the debt and pressure and just start over. To be able to say that we don't owe anyone anything. To be able to go out to a movie and not worry about breaking the bank. Or to grocery shop without a pit in my stomach. To take our children on vacation.

Ian truly believes that this is God's will for our family and we are trusting in that. We told Sam and Julie after school on Friday and once they realized we planned to keep them in the same school and church, and that we'll be keeping our cat and dog, they began to get very excited. We explained that a house is just a building. But it's us that makes a home, and that can be anywhere.

I was nervous about telling my mom, but she was so supportive and is very excited to see where we end up. She agrees that a fresh start will be good for us.

We've started packing up the house and decluttering. I can't believe how much stuff we're throwing out and donating! Why oh why do we have so much stuff?? I can't wait to see the look on the guy's face when he comes to pick up our garbage tomorrow! I think he already hates us.

So there you have it. We are moving. We are moving. I think I need to say it out loud a few more times before it sinks in. I love this house. We've had a lot of wonderful memories here. But to be honest, we have a lot of painful ones too.

It's just a house, Kate.

So prepare yourselves, friends. I will be up and down and back and forth in the coming weeks. I may be sad, I may be excited, I may be overwhelmed and crabby... hang in there with me. And if you are so inclined, we are always thankful for any prayers said on our behalf.

There are many good days ahead.

Counting Mine {211 - 225}

Feeling many emotions about the future today. Fear and excitement being the two biggest emotions. Trusting God to bring all the pieces together for us.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
211} feeling my child kicking and moving within me, and knowing that God and I are working together
212} the sound of horses galloping
213} Willow standing at the window, protecting his people
214} being able to cry out to a God that hears me and cares for me
215} second chances
216} dandelions hand-picked by my children
217} the way my daughter longs to be like me, making me want to be better, so I am worthy of being looked up to
218} silence, except for the sound of a clock ticking
219} the simple beauty of the word "mother" and all the love that it implies
220} friendships that endure
221} Mondays and the fresh week that follows...full of opportunities
222} before and after pictures
223} hearing how God is working in people's lives
224} the sound of Ian's heart beating
225} seeing my babies on the ultrasound screen
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If you are counting your own blessings and blogging about them, will you leave me a comment with the link to your blog, or share them with me at katieb38@hotmail.com? I'd love to know how you are being blessed through your journey!

Week At A Glance

I was busier than usual this week, and while it would seem I had more opportunity to take pictures each day, it didn't exactly work out that way.

Here's what this past week looked like for me.

Jordan loves to have her nails done. She lines up all of the nail polish and then after great deliberation, she chooses her colour. Or colours as it's been of late. She likes to have "rainbow fingers".

This is what Matthew wore to church last week. I think his shirt looks like something Freddy Krueger would wear.

After breakfast of cereal and applesauce, ready to tackle his day.

A page from my gratitude/prayer journal. One of my favourite pages.

A dude in the grocery store, at 3:55 pm, wearing pjs. I think we all know how I feel about pjs in public. GROSS.

Don't forget to move your clocks forward an hour tonight. I've been WAITING for this day.

Have a great weekend :-)

5QF ~ March 9

Today is Matthew's 9 month birthday! And how did he choose to ring in this wonderful day? By sleeping through the night last night.

Thank you, sweet one. Keep it up and we'll let you stay.

Yesterday's playgroup went pretty well. Matthew barfed on the carpet but the hostess was really cool about it. There were a lot of kids there. Three other infants aged 5-9 months that were all girls, so Matthew had his pick ;-) And there were quite a few preschoolers as well. Turns out one of the ladies there is close friends with Sam's french teacher. Small world. We talked about all things parenting and it was nice. I was the oldest mother there, something I'm noticing all over the place. It feels weird but it is what it is.

In the evening I drove Jules to Girls Club and had tea with Cindy. One of the many things I love about her is that not only does she hear what I say, but she hears what I don't say. She's one of my monkeys for sure.

Did I mention that Matthew slept through the entire night? I don't care if I did because it bears repeating.

Ian and I made some difficult and painful decisions this morning but we are relieved to have made them and will move forward in faith. Hopefully as things solidify I'll be able to give more details. We are grateful to have so many people praying over us right now and look forward to seeing God's plan for our family unfold.

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Being that it's Friday, it's time for Mama M's Five Question Friday blog hop.



1. Are you looking forward to the time change this weekend?

Yes, YES I AM. I love the idea of longer days with more sunlight and it means Spring is right around the corner. I am VERY excited and I don't even care that we'll lose an hour of sleep to get it.

2. Are you getting the new iPad/would you want a iPad?

I don't get the thrill of the iPad. Unless I'm missing something major, it just looks like an oversized iPhone to me. So no, I won't be getting one and no, I don't want one.

3. If money was not a problem, what is the one thing you would splurge on?

Probably a new van. Ours is on it's last legs (wheels?) and I think it's operating on pure prayer, to be honest. I have loved that van every single minute we have had it and will miss it when it dies and goes to Van Heaven.

4. How did you and the Mr. (or Mrs.) meet?

It's super secret.

5. Summer is right around the corner. Bikini or one-piece?

One-piece. You are welcome.

Have a great Friday!

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Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life to join in on the fun!

It Was A Good Day

You know those days when things start out good and just keep getting better and better?

That was yesterday.

The weather was so nice yesterday. At one point it reached 16 degrees (about 60F) and it was like heaven.

The littles and I headed over to the church for my Bible study at 9:30.

Matthew moved up to his big boy carseat over the weekend and looks mighty pleased with himself whenever he's sitting in it.

So cute. And growing entirely too fast.

Jordan stayed in the nursery/toddler room but wasn't too happy about it. Apparently she thought she was going to be a part of the study too. However, the lure of playing with play doh - something I can't stand and avoid bringing out at home at all costs - eventually helped her warm up to the idea of being there. I kept Matthew with me.

What a lovely way to spend a morning. We shared a bit about our stories and where we were at, what brought us to the church, stories about our children and child birth and family and tattoos... all over the place conversation and it was so nice. We won't start the actual study until the 21st because next week is our Spring Break.

Afterwards, the children and I came home, loaded Matthew in his stroller and headed to the park to enjoy the sunshine and warmth.

I'd love to show you a picture of Jordan so you could see how cute her outfit was, or her pretty hair that she let me style for a change.... but she's in this phase where she'll either flat out refuse to let me take her picture or she deliberately does this weird smile.

After playing at the park for a bit we took a walk around the block, then Matthew sat in his stroller on the porch while Jordan walked around and I cleaned up the yard a bit. Lunch and naps followed.

I met my new neighbours last night and they seem to be really nice people. We stood at the park talking for about 35 minutes and seemed to click. I'm hoping that we'll continue to get along well and be able to get together with our kids this summer.

Dinnertime was a noisy affair as it always is. People laughing, teasing and talking over each other all at once. I love nights like that. Ian and I will look at each other across the table and wink because we know these are the days.

Once the children were all in bed asleep, Ian and I had a great heart to heart about our future and some tough decisions that we may need to make soon. He soothed some of my fears and affirmed that we are doing what we feel is best for our family, and the opinions of others will not have any weight on what we choose to do. I don't know why I worry so much about what other people think. One of my many flaws.

Oh! I almost forgot to tell you. Not only did Matthew pull himself up on the chair to stand, and then cruise along the chair this week (which I immediately called my mother to tell her because I was so excited and she loves to hear this stuff first hand) but yesterday he WAVED at me.

So.CUTE!

Ok, I can't sit here talking to you all day. I am in the middle of making cake balls to take to the playgroup I'm trying out this afternoon. Hopefully I won't feel too nervous or talk too much and I'll get invited back. I'll let you know how it goes.

Have a great day!

Answered Prayers

Today has been one of those feel good days and I've just been soaking it up.

Matthew is becoming more and more mobile every day. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth, but only takes one or two "knee steps" before he flops on his belly. But he has mastered the army crawl and has gotten quite fast at it. He knows what he wants and goes for it!

Today he sat looking at one of the chairs in the living room, and right before my eyes I watched him pull himself up so he was standing. He looked over at me and just beamed. The more I clapped and praised him, the prouder he looked and the harder he laughed. Then he started slowly working his way along the chair until he got to the edge. He looked at the foot stool, then back to the chair, then to the foot stool. And then he went for it. Bless his heart, he fell between the two, but he tried! I was so excited.

I got to see every single second of it.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love being at home with my children? These moments are so precious.

I've had two prayer requests answered in the last 24 hours and it's been so exciting. I've been praying about so many things lately that I'm sure God is getting a headache just from the sound of my voice.

One of the things I've been praying about is an opportunity to connect with other mothers who stay at home, who also have young children. We don't really have any MOPS groups that I can find, and I don't want to pay for a class and find out we don't like it. And the Early Years Centre I checked out smelled and looked dirty. So... I just asked God to open a door for me and He did! A friend of mine contacted me yesterday to invite me to a Mom & Baby group that has recently started. The woman hosting it lives just down the street from me and has a 3 1/2 year old and a 7 month old. How perfect is that?? I'm so excited to go. That's on Thursday afternoons from 1:30 - 3:30. I'll have to leave a bit early in order to get Sam and Julie from school, but it'll be so worth it.

The other thing is, I've been praying for awhile now about an opportunity to join a Bible study. I used to be a part of a group of lovely women who I loved dearly and trusted with my spiritual journey and I've been missing them so much. I started going to the Wednesday morning Coffee Break at my church back in the Fall, but it just didn't feel like a good fit for me at the time. When I was ready to try it again I learned that it had been cancelled for some time. I just started praying that God would open a door for me to join in somewhere and He did! This morning I received a message from a lovely woman from my church letting me know it's starting up again this Wednesday and I just can't wait! Apparently we're going to be doing a Beth Moore study and you know how I love me some Beth Moore.

I have other things I'm praying about, and God will answer those in His time, in His ways. But I feel as though He is giving me something to help me as I wait for those answers. Does that make sense?

I feel as though something big is about to happen. I can't explain why I feel that way, I just do. I'm not saying that suddenly everything is going to become perfect, but I just sense that something good is coming. I hope I'm right!

I was supposed to be returning to work part-time next month, and then full-time beginning in September to July to cover a maternity leave, but then on Friday that offer was taken back due to some immediate internal changes. I'm ok with it, and will look at some other options. Obviously I am hoping that I will be able to continue to stay at home with the children a little longer, but I'm trying to keep my mind open.

Ok, I think I've talked long enough for one night. You are now free to go.

:-D

Counting Mine {196-210}

"Fear not for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name;
you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned."
Isaiah 43:1-2
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
196} the way a certain smell can immediately take me back to a special moment in time
197} dreaming of people who have left my life, like a special visit
198} singing in worship along with 8,000+ Christian women at Women of Faith
199} finding a treasured item I thought was lost forever
200} meeting Angie Smith at Women of Faith
201} hugs and kisses from my family after being away from home
202} Jordan climbing into bed with us every morning
203} when Ian turns down my side of the bed and puts my lamp on for me at night
204} soft mittens
205} hope
206} a weekend with no responsibilites or anywhere to go
207} heart to heart conversations with my Mama
208} love, in all its forms: romantic, motherly, familial
209} hearing God's voice
210} learning that someone I've been praying for has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour
~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
If you are counting your own blessings and blogging about them, will you leave me a comment with the link to your blog, or share them with me at katieb38@hotmail.com? I'd love to know how you are being blessed through your journey!

Week At A Glance

Seems like I took a lot of pictures this week.

Want to see some?

Sam gave me this gigantic Hershey's Kiss for Valentine's Day.

I don't know why we buy Neapolitan when no one really likes the pink part.

We need to move Mattie out of our room...but where to put him??

She must have done this puzzle a dozen times that first day.

Even teddy bears are subjected to naptime around here.

Came downstairs one morning to find Ian had tackled the dreaded mis-matched sock basket.

Met up with a sweet friend for tea AND bumped into another one while I was there :-)

Loving his music table.

Checking out the snow.

My little peeps sure are messy!

Snack time ~ cupcakes baked with love from Aunt Cindy.

What I'm reading these days.

Always so happy.

Can't believe this was even necessary.

What did YOUR week look like??

5QF ~ March 2

March already!

This month is a big one for us - Julie turns 11 on the 27th and Jordan turns 4 on the 29th. I see lots of cake and balloons and joy ahead.

March also brings spring break for the children. Looking forward to having them around all day :)

I've had a toothache for the last couple of days and it's driving me crazy. My new medication continues to give me the munchies, but I feel nauseated whenever I eat anything. And it makes me so sleepy. I'm a hot mess apparently.

We had some snow this week but it's gone already. I can't remember the last time we had such an easy winter and I'm so thankful for it. In case you missed it, I hate winter with a passion.

Matthew has mastered the army crawl and can move quite quickly. I love sitting on one side of the room and calling him over and watching him hurry. He's been sleeping better these last couple of nights which has been very nice for Ian. He tends to get up with him the most during the night. Something about Kate being a bear in the morning if she doesn't get enough sleep. Or something like that. ;-)

Jordan is all about being a princess these days and she loves for me to read her stories from her children's Bible. We've been cuddling a lot at every opportunity.

Julie is waiting to hear if she got the lead in the school play. She's had four auditions so far and all of the other parts have been assigned except for the lead. It's down between her and two or three other girls. I'm not sure if I'm more nervous that she gets it or that she doesn't. Either way, I'm crazy proud of her for trying out. Crazy proud.

Sam had to do a project this week using only recyclable materials. I'm so glad Ian is so hands on with the children's school work because I would have had zero ideas for this project. Together he and Sam made a robot using an old hard drive for the body, pop cans for the arms, iced tea containers for the legs, VCR cases (remember those?!) for the feet, and so on. It looks fantastic! He presented it this week and I think he'll get a great mark on it.

I think that's all my news at this point.

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Being that it's Friday, it's time for Mama M's Five Question Friday blog hop.



1. Where is your favorite vacation spot and why?

I love the Bahamas. I've been there several times and it's so incredibly beautiful there. I also love Florida very much, lots of family memories there. And I love Sherkston Shores as well, here in Ontario.

2. What is your biggest guilty pleasure?

Naps, my cellphone and my laptop.

3. What is your favorite fashion trend right now? Or, in the past?

I'm not a fashion trend type person. I know what I like and what I don't like when I see it. I was looking in a brochure that came in the mail from my favourite store and I see that stripes and short sleeved sweaters are in for Spring. I don't understand the purpose of a short sleeve sweater. Isn't it supposed to keep you warm? How does it fulfill that purpose if there aren't enough arms on it?? I'm very picky about style and fit and I don't like when people give me clothes. If I didn't pick it out myself, chances are high I won't like it and therefore never wear it.

Past trend... I loved leggings with slouchy socks that matched a big baggy sweatshirt and hair scrunchie. Those were the days. The 90's I believe.

4. What are your spring break plans?

No plans to go anywhere, just sweet time spent together.

5. What baby names do you hate?

Gah. Can you imagine the number of people who could potentially get offended at this question??

I don't like it when babies are named after days of the week or fruit. Or boys names turned into girls names just by adding a letter. Or when parents try to give their kids way out there names in an attempt to be original but just succeed and pretty much guarantee that their kid will get it's butt kicked every day for his/her lame name.

OK, here are some names off the top of my head I don't like: Latrina. Susie. Olive. Rose. John. Pete. Steve. Mike.

*if you happen to be named Latrina, Susie, Olive, Rose, John, Pete, Steve or Mike, I am sorry for offending you.

That's it. Have a great Friday!

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Head on over to Mama M's blog My Little Life to join in on the fun!