Brrrr...It's Cold!

 

 

We awoke to a chilly -45 degrees Celsius.  (That's -49 Fahrenheit for you Americans!)  All the school buses in our district were cancelled, so the kids got an extra day off. 

 

Sooo....the question is...what do you do on such a miserably cold day?

 

Well, that's not a problem for my kids!  The options are endless....

 

You become a mad scientist and mix unusual concoctions.  In this case it was:

 

salt

pepper

vinegar

dill pickle spice

syrup

oil

flour

water

food coloring

 

Mix

 

 

 

 

 ...microwave the above for about 40 seconds... 

 

 

 

 

...top with ketchup...

 

 

 

 

...and enjoy!....

 

 

 

Oh! And be sure to have the hair of a "mad scientist!"

 

 

 ...Or you can be crafty...

 

 

 

 

 

 

...,read a book in the fort you made with your sisters...

 

 

 

...while your mom makes a huge pot of yummy Summa Borscht!

 

 

 

 

Choices

I'm not gonna lie.  I still struggle, almost daily, with all the things I've mentioned in past posts...frustration, loneliness, depression, inadequacies, and fear.  This morning I did not feel like getting out of bed...again.  Honestly, I am trying.  But it is so hard.  So hard to focus on all the good and all my blessings.  To make the right choices. 

 

I came across this on Facebook and shared it.  It was the "kick in the pants" I needed today and I simply had to share it here as well!

 

 

Today I am thanking God for giving me the nudge I needed!  Yup, it's gonna be a good day after all!

 

 

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 16:34

 

 

 

You are forgiving and good, O Lord,

abounding in love to all who call to you.

Teach me your way, O lord,

and I will walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart,

that I may fear your name.

I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart;

I will glorify your name forever.

For great is your love toward me;

you have delivered me from the depths of the grave

Psalm 86: 5, 11-13

Gratitude

Even though I'm not one to make New Year's Resolutions, I have decided to join the masses in having a gratitude jar.  Most of you have probably seen this on Pinterest or on Facebook, but in case you haven't...a gratitude jar is a simple jar set aside to record all the things you are grateful for in a given year.  I cut a bunch of papers into little squares and placed them in a little wooden box I happened to have on hand.  The box used to hold little chocolate bottles with various whiskey flavors...(sometimes it pays to be a bit of a pack rat! lol!)  I spray painted it and placed the papers in it.  It works perfectly!

 

 

It's so neat to see the kids take the time to write a "gratitude" on a paper and slip it into the jar.  At the end of the year we will read all the papers and once again thank God.

 

Today I am grateful that Alex is upstairs reading his bible...that he understands that spending time reading God's word really does change our attitude and makes us happier...more joyful!

 

In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

Nesting?

This week I have been cleaning.  Deep cleaning. As in move every piece of furniture and wash down every wall and object.  This morning I'm in a frenzy, working frantically, trying to get as much done as possible...(I think that my caffeine fix may have had an impact! :) 

 

I've been searching Kijiji, looking for 2 sets of  gently used bunk beds, a desk, etc. 

 

I'm wanting to quilt.  To make that cute little blanket for our little one. 

 

I'm in the mood to do some sorting, organizing, planning.

 

It's crazy!   

 

I've been trying to not call FOI...trying to not be too impatient...trying not to be a pain in the butt!    Even Martin is beginning to get impatient...and he's the patient one!  This morning I called FOI...anxious for an update.  I must admit I was disappointed.  We have a LID of November 5, 2012 and according to Jane, things have been slow since September.  That means our wait time will be longer...means we will likely be travelling in the middle of Martin's busiest work season.  Not what we had planned/hoped for.

 

With Raina's adoption we had a proposal within a month of having a LID.  We're at over 2 months now.  Last time the entire process, from first home study visit to landing on Canadian soil with Raina in our arms, was less than 9 months.  We knew that was incredibly fast...as in almost unheard of fast.  We're sitting at 7 1/2 months now.

 

I'm OVERDUE folks!  Yes I am!!  I'm feeling like I'm 10 months pregnant...ready to burst! 

 

But, all I can do is take a deep, deep breath, pray, give all over to God once again...

 

And go do some more cleaning!!!

 

PS:  I simply have to share this...In the past few months Raina has been praying that her "little bruder" would come home soon.  Sometimes she calls him by name!  lol!  Last night she prayed the same prayer again...and added TWO names!  One was a boys name and the other a girls name!  lol!  Now wouldn't that be amazing???

More of Christmas 2012

 

The guys left to go ice fishing and the girls are playing quietly, hiding in the fort they made, hoping I will forget that it is nap time/quiet time.  I've decided to humor them for the moment and take the precious moments of quiet to blog.  :)

 

Yes, we are still in the holiday mode and decided to buck the system and keep our kids home from school for a few extra days of "staycation!"  (If you've ever watched Corner Gas...a must watch if you can tolerate some crude language...you will know that Brent Butt takes a yearly staycation.  You really must have an understanding of good ole Saskatchewan humor to "get" the humor.  :)

 

Anyhow, with most of us being ill over Christmas, it feels we got cheated out of all the relaxing, sitting around coloring, playing games, eating, napping, watching movies, etc.  We were so not ready to begin the hustle and bustle of daily life...so we are taking a few extra days to enjoy each other.  I'm sure we won't regret it!  :)   Yup!  I'm smiling a lot!  :)

 

On the 29th...our "Christmas Eve" at home,  we opened the gifts from my sister's family, Kathy & Mark, Owen, Kiannah, and Willow.  Thank you for your wonderfully thoughtful gifts!

 

Malia and Raina waiting patiently to open their gifts...

 



Martin LOVED his gift...perfect for my redneck hubby!  A Duck Dynasty movie!

Kathy...  I love the CD!  :)

 



After the girls were tucked into bed the boys quickly finished the finishing stitches on the last 2 place mats and I finished the last few hand stitches for the girls' blankets.

 

I've always been very organized and prepared, but it seems in the last few years...the faster I run, the more behind I get!  lol!  If I were the type of gal to make New Year's Resolutions I would resolve to somehow figure out a new system of being organized!  Any suggestions are welcome...

 



 

Sunday morning arrived with the usual "Christmas" morning excitement.  The boys trying to figure out what's inside their gift...a Wii hunting game.

 



 

Remember how I mentioned we had captured some pretty cool expressions as our kids opened their gifts?  This is my favorite!!  You could literally see what was going through Morgun's mind!  He got a rubber band pistol and he laughed gleefully at that thought of shooting his siblings with it!  Lil stinker!! lol!

 

Morgun was tickled to get a composite stick.  I took him shopping before Christmas and every place we shopped he looked for a stick, a left handed stick to be exact, determined to buy one with his hard earned money.  Every place was sold out!  He was pretty disappointed at that time, but it all turned out perfectly, as his siblings had already bought this stick for him.

 

 

 

Raina waiting her turn.

The girls both loved their doll bunk beds made by Daddy and painted by Mommy.  We also made little mattresses, pillows, sheets, pillow cases and blankets.  

We had so much fun making these gifts and the best part...each bunk bed, with blankets, etc cost only $15!!  We certainly see this as a God thing.  One day while picking up supplies for work, Martin found some new boards in the dumpster and snagged them.  They were perfect for this project.  Raina really needed a new crib mattress as hers was literally falling apart.  Before throwing it out, I managed to cut enough foam for 4 little mattresses.  How cool is that!?!  I love how God provides!

Christmas 2012

 

So I'm late in wishing you all a "Merry Christmas"...so instead...Happy New Year!  May it be the best year ever, filled with God's richest blessings and mercies!

 

 

As usual I am late with posting about our Christmas.  This year I have a legitimate reason.  We've been sick...at least everyone except me. 

 

On the 21st we opened a few little gifts.  Actually, we didn't "open" them.  Instead we followed a long standing family tradition of placing unwrapped gifts in bowls, and then having the kids line up...youngest to oldest...to make their way into the living room. 

 

This is a tradition both Martin and I grew up with.  Non of our gifts were wrapped.  Rather, on Christmas Eve each kid picked a bowl...the  biggest baking bowl we could find...and placed it in a specific spot in the living room.  Christmas morning would arrive and we would anxiously await being allowed into the living room.  At my home we first had to do all the chores, have breakfast, read the Christmas story, and recite our memorized Sunday School Christmas Concert verses.  Finally, we were allowed in to see our gifts.  Talk about torture!!!:)

 

We wrap most of our kids' gifts, but have carried on a bit of this tradition by placing candy, and small gifts into the bowl...similar to a stocking.  Normally, this would be the gifts the kids get on waking Christmas morning, but this year we opened them on the 21st, because we left for BC on the 22nd.

 

 

 

I have 3 brothers living in the Chilliwack/Abbotsford area and we were thrilled to spend our first ever "away from home" Christmas with them and their families.

 

The boys played Lego...

 

Ginelle and her friend graciously played dress up with Malia...

 

And Raina cuddled with Mommy, fighting a high fever.  Her fever began Sunday night.  For the next 3 days we fought to keep it under control.  She cried and cried, saying everything hurt and cuddled a lot.  Malia came down with a fever the following day.  The youngest 3 all had bad coughs and Martin and Alex were OK but not feeling the greatest for the better part of the week.  I spent one entire night sleeping...or trying to...on the floor beside Raina, who cried every half hour.  The other nights were spent consoling sick kids and listening to their coughs.  On our way home we ended up with one room...unfortunately!  We had booked a 2 bedroom suite...argg!...not sure how that was possible because there was not one 2 bedroom suite in the entire motel!  We did have 3 queen sized beds, which were comfortable, but it was one of "those" nights where someone was coughing from 2:30-7am!  By the time we arrived home the following Saturday, both girls had mostly recovered.  And I was exhausted!

 

 



 

 

Somehow we managed to still celebrate Christmas, open gifts and enjoy the wonderful hospitality.

Our kids exchanged gifts with their cousins and opened a few stocking stuffers from us.  We managed to capture some of the kids' incredible expressions this year...something that is hard to do when 4 kids are opening their gifts at the same time.  I am so incredibly tickled and thankful for these priceless photos!

 

The boys got a Boom Box...Morgun's expression says it all!

 



All it took to please Malia was a few inexpensive, brightly colored hair extensions!  lol!

 



Raina was mesmerized by her jewelry box!  She spent ages looking at it in awe!

 



The girls spent many hours watching Diego on Ginelle's IPhone (or anyone else's for that matter!)

 



 

 

And possibly the most hilarious thing of all...watching my brother Andrew and Martin arm wrestle!  Can you guess who won???  If  I had placed a bet I would have won...my "little" brother is "built" and it's all due to his line of work in construction...look at that muscle!  Yes, he did beat Martin, but had to work for it.  Fun to watch their expressions!  :)