Looking back.....going forward

Last day of 2008, it's hard to believe that another year has gone by. As I re-read my journal and my blog it seems so much has happened in our lives and yet.....not alot has changed. I know that probably sounds confusing to some, but to me it makes perfect sense.

On Sunday Pastor Phil gave us our yearly spiritual check-up, he asks a variety of questions and we are to think through and analyze our responses to different situations. It's always a good reminder to me. A few questions I intend to look a little more closer at are.
If 2009 is the last year of my life, what legacy will I leave behind? With God's help, what new decision will I make today to invest differently? What help do I need to move forward in this this decision? If I am to be the change I want to see in the world what must change in me?

Good questions, I hope to spend some time seeking God and getting the answers.

Going forward... we have a new little addition to our family.
Everyone meet Sasha,


we just got her last night. She is a nine week old, apricot coloured cockapoo. I had been looking for a puppy for quite some time and just hadn't found the right one, until now. What a bundle of fun.

Blessings

the boys

Double Warning!!!
this blog too, is going to make me cry.
Kyle & Darcy.
Two very special men in my life, who like their sister are such a blessing to me and their dad.

Kyle at 6'3" towers over me and his dad, I call him my gentle giant. He too is willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. He has a great sense of humour, sometimes it seems to be a little warped but hey it's makes life interesting.

Darcy at 5'11" also is taller than me but he isn't as intimidating as his brother. He has a very quiet nature about him and seems a little shy to those he may not know. He's not nearly as talktative as his sister, (I don't think anyone is) he's got his own way about him.

Life with Krystle, Kyle & Darcy has been amazing so far. I look forward to many, many more years.

I'm feeling very nostalgic today as the 2008 year comes to an end and I thought it fitting to remember the three very best gifts I have ever received.

Blessings

"krys"mas angel

Warning!!!
Content of this blog is guaranteed to make me cry.

Krystle. My girl.
We gave Krystle the "angel of friendship" to add to her collection of Willow Tree Angels. We gave her this one because she has the heart of a true friend, one who, you know you can count on in times of ..... anything.

We were blessed to receive this precious gift from God, oh so many years ago, and we're still blessed. I remember being a little overwhelmed with the responsibilities that were required to raising a child and I'm sure we've made our share of mistakes. In spite of what we did or didn't do right, I must admit, I am very proud of the person Krystle has become. She's a woman of great faith, who knows her heart and mind. Who's willing to go the extra length for her friends and family.

In Jeremiah 29:11 it says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Knowing that God has the best laid plans for her it's exciting to watch her become an independent young woman following her desire to serve the Lord.


Blessings

because it's Christmas

We had such a wonderful time we had celebrating Christmas with our family.

A few highlights.


Darcy received a ring with a diamond and his initial engraved in it.

Kyle got a digital camera.

Krystle was given diapers and some money - she's choosing to bless the children of Ethiopia in her upcoming trip to that country with her work.

We also got the game "Are you smarter than a 5th Grader?" for the family.




Blessings

Christmas present

I was given a wonderful Christmas present, a picture of "my" kids. As the un-official babysitter to all of them, of course, not all of them at the same time, I feel like I can call these kids mine as each one of them have a very special place in my heart.


Our church is been blessed with three great Pastors.
Pastor Phil & Jen are blessed to have four children, Caleb, Benjamin, Jessie & Sadie.
Pastor Tim & Monica are blessed with two little girls, Maia & Eliana.
Pastor Tom & Lynette are also blessed with four children, Lucas, Sarah, Jillian & Carrie.

The Roglerty's (a combination of the Roes' (Pastor Tom), the Wagler's (Pastor Phil) and Doherty's (Pastor Tim) gave this Christmas card to everyone in the church.


I love having these little people in my life and I take as many opportunities that I can to hang out with them.

Blessings

..and the stockings are hung

on the chimney with care. Well for us it'll have to be the shelves, the corn burner stove doesn't have an actual chimney, as it's vent is at the bottom that goes outside.

It's beginning to look alot like Christmas.... everywhere you go, and finally in my house too. I found stocking holders so that the stockings can be hung, the Christmas tree is decorated and the rest of the lights and novelties are set about the house. The baking is done and we're finishing up with the shopping today.....with 5 days left to spare. whew

Krystle is coming home on the 23rd and is able to stay for 1 1/2 weeks she heads back to start 2nd semester. I'm really looking forward to spending some quality time with our family and extended family over the holiday season.

Blessings

Christmas Centerpiece

Huron Ridge Acres offered a Fresh table centerpiece class tonight that I attended. We took several types of greenery (white pine, cedar, blue spruce and juniper), put them all together with red carnations and white mums. I also added gold Christmas balls and some ribbon I had leftover from an arrangement I was given last year and voila this is what I made.


Blessings

Tis the season

for card making and cookie baking.
My sister came up a couple of weeks ago and we got our Christmas cards made, this year I made 3 of each 6 designs.

Then today, she (my sister) came up and we got our Christmas Baking all done. After 5 hours we made Magi Turban Cookies, Papa's Peanut Butter Balls, Church Window Squares, Reece Peanut Butter Cups, Chow Mien Noodle Cookies, Butter Tarts, Hello Dolly Squares and Neapolitan Squares, whew! I still need to make Sugar Cookies, but I'll wait until Krystle is home as she enjoys baking too.

I cannot imagine trying to get all that done by myself, it makes it alot more fun to do this with someone. Becky and I not only get our baking done but this is also a great excuse to get together and catch up with each other.

Blessings

Christmas Party

Last night the women of w.h.a.t. (women's hearts always together) met together to enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner prepared and served by Mary Lou.

Virginia, Pearl Ann, Norma, sitting in front of me is Delse, Jane and behind her is Ruth, unfortunately Phyllis was not able to be there.
These are the women of w.h.a.t. who have decided this year to begin an intentional relationship with each other and together grow closer to God.

We have been meeting weekly since October to study the book "Fresh Brewed Life" by Nicole Johnson. It's a book that helps one process the daily grind of life, and that allowing one to be ground fine by God to make you able for all things. On our own we read each chapter and personally do the fresh-brewed adventures as suggested in the book. We then meet each week to discuss as much or as little as we want, praying together and supporting each other through this life.

I am so thankful for each of these ladies in my life. Their unique giftings, personalities and experiences that they share are a blessing to me.

Blessings

Advent

November 30 is the first Sunday of Advent.

As I begin to ready, not only my home but also my heart, for the coming of the season, this video that was shown at a weekend seminar at our church as part of understanding the way one views money, sure put things into perspective for me.

After watching the video I was angered that we have become so consumed with what we can get out of this life. We tend to live in a self-centered world, without worrying about others. Christmas time seems to be such a stressful time for people, trying to get 'everything' done as if something catastrophic would happen if you didn't get the sugar cookies baked, the house completely clean or that present (which you're not even sure they'll like) purchased. Memories of Christmas should not be of a "to do" list, but a "to be with" list.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only one month away. I hope to keep this video in my mind as I chose to spend more time and energy being with my family and friends and less time giving in to consumerism.

John 3:16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."
HE is the reason for the season.

Blessings

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire....

well maybe not quite.
How about corn burning to keep the house warm.

Yes, we finally got the stove put it and have it working to keep the farm house warm. Unfortunately the company we ordered the pedestal base from sent the wrong one and rather than wait another potentially 3 weeks, Wayne decided to put square flagstone in for it's base.

We also found the T.V. cabinet that we were looking for in Cambridge one day while we were visiting Krystle. We brought it home a week ago, so the room is slowly coming together. Now I wait for the furniture. When I ordered it I was told it could take from 6 - 8 weeks, I keep hoping for the 6 weeks as opposed to the 8 weeks, so we'll see.

Blessings

Wint'ry World

I absolutely love this weather, with giant snowflakes gently falling to the ground and the world covered all in white. Mind you, I do not like having to drive in it, nor shoveling it off the walk, but when I sit and look out the window in the comfort of my home where I am all warm, it's just beautiful.

Getting all this snow helps to put me in the Christmas mood, I'm ready to start playing the Christmas CD's that have been packed away, drag out the decorations, and start baking up all those delicious Christmas goodies. My sister and I already got our Christmas cards made so that's done.

I anxiously await when those old classic Christmas shows are on T.V. there's just something about those old Classics that says Christmas to me.






Watching these old shows brings back great childhood memories of Christmas for me, so even though my kids are well past the age to watch them, I still take time to enjoy them, even if it's by myself.

Blessings

Stand still

For those of you (bliss) who have been faithfully following my blog, you'll notice that I haven't written anything in quite some time. Basically because not much is happening, not with the room we're trying to renovate nor with my life.


We're patiently waiting, Wayne more so, than me. We ordered a pellet stove to sit in the corner of the of room and a pedestal that it's to sit on has been on back order for quite some time. So, until it comes nothing else can be done. garh

I don't 'do' patience or waiting well. I also don't like living in disarray, I believe there is a place for everything and everything should be in it's place. It makes life a little difficult living with three men. Who, not only leave there stuff lying around, but also expect me to know where it is. double garh

But I guess there is no use complaining, it's just the way life is.

Blessings

Renovations update

The family room with the painting and flooring all done.

Ready to start the kitchen


Don & Wayne working away


I'm very happy to say that the kitchen is done. We're still waiting on the stove and of course the furniture for the family room to be finished.

Blessings

Ice, Ice Baby

Kyle returned home from a week in Miami where he and some of the crew at Ice Culture created yet another ice lounge. This video is one from the Toronto lounge, but I presume the element is the same.

It's exciting for me to watch my son become such a dependable young man. Since working with Ice Culture (almost right out of high school) he's been sent to many different places - Washington, California, Rhode Island, Chicago, and now he can add Miami to his passport.

Home life is very different when kids start to leave. Krystle is living in Cambridge while she attends Heritage Baptist College & Seminary School, she's now in her 3rd year. The boys (Kyle & Darcy) still live at home but with Kyle's job, like I said, he sometimes is away from home for extended periods of time. Darcy too will be gone for a weekend here or there as he goes to his friends homes, leaving Wayne & I home alone. I remember thinking when my kids were younger and all living at home how I wished to have time alone. I guess you need to be careful what you wish for.

Each new stage in life always seems to take me by surprize and usually some time to adjust to it. Living with adult kids has some different and unique challenges but overall I absolutely LOVE it. Unfortunately for me, by the time I'm used the stage I'm in, the next one starts to come along. >.<

Blessings

Decisions, Decisions

We've finally started the renovations to the family room.

As we took off the carpet that we added in 1986 we found this 'lovely' one lying underneath.

We took it out as well and removed the panelling that has been there since the room was built in 1974 and plan to start from scratch.

After we married in 1986 we slowly started renovating the farm house, which Wayne has been blessed to live in his whole life. In fact he's been in the same bedroom the whole time too. We started with the master bedroom and the upstairs bathroom. As our kids joined our family we renovated the other bedrooms one by one. In 1988 we gutted the kitchen added new drywall, cupboards and appliances. In 1990 we gutted the main bath room and added new drywall, cabinets and bathroom fixtures including a jacuzzi tub.

Each year we put new wall-paper a fresh coat of paint and new carpet or linoleum in each of the remaining rooms of the house, until 1998 and the whole house had been redecorated.

After getting all the rooms done, I was finished with renovating. So we didn't do anything for a few years until it was time to start all over again.

In 2002, we started out by simply wanting to freshen the master bedroom and upstairs bathroom since those were the first two rooms we did after we were married. But then it sort of snowballed and we ended up doing the master bedroom, the upstairs hallway, the upstairs & main bathroom, two of the kid's bedrooms, the entry room, the laundry room and the kitchen. Now in all fairness it was only paper & paint, but again after completing all that I was finished, until now.

So now another cycle of renovating has begun with the family room.
Since we decided to gut the room there are so many decisions to make from the colour of the walls, to which type of flooring do we want, to adding new furniture, sure it's great but what style, colour and more importantly how much is this all going to cost.

Well I'm excited to say all those decisions are made and now I wait, until the painting of "Tate Olive", the laminate flooring "Honeytone Washington Oak and the sofa (encore forest), love seat (encore forest), chair & 1/2 and ottoman (both Latino Coffee) are all added. Once it's done I'll be sure to post a picture.

Now the next decision .......which room should be next on the list?

Blessings

Postscript

So as a postscript for my birthday. I received these flowers from my daughter.

Krystle totally surprised me and came home. We were together yesterday as we celebrated Thanksgiving with our extended family, so I was not expecting anything. I must admit that when I hadn't received a phone call from her, I was a little disappointed, but these flowers and her surprise more than make up for it.

Blessings

Birthday wishes

Today is the first anniversary of my 40th birthday. I guess I'm not quite ready to admit my age.

For 10 years I celebrated my 29th birthday, then last year I decided to jump straight to 40. I never thought I was one to be bothered by age. Growing up I always looked forward to birthdays and being another year older and the cool stuff that each age allowed.

Last year the kids gave me this digital camera for my birthday. It was such a perfect gift.
Although now when I ask to take a picture of anything that they're or we're doing they say "mom you're not going to blog about this are you?" which I answer "of course I am!"

I know aging is something I cannot change and should likely embrace, but I'm not ready, so I won't be jumping to the next big number until the math no longer adds up with the ages of my kids. So when you wish me a 'happy birthday' don't ask me how old I am, because if you do, I'll tell you that I'm really celebrating the "whatever year" anniversary of my birthday.


Blessings

w.h.a.t.

The acronym w.h.a.t. stands for women's hearts always together, this is a group of inter generational women, who meet weekly to intentionally develop relationships with each other. We (women) all need a support system, our husbands can part of that system, but they cannot understand the myriad of emotions that we as women go through, only our women friends can do that.

In 2006, God laid it on my heart that we needed a group for women to get together and to support each other. There is an amazing group 'Heart to Heart' that meets in the daytime for all women and it is wonderful as it's meeting a need as there are usually anywhere from 45 - 60 women attend. But for those who work during the day..... I felt something more was needed and so w.h.a.t. started.

We started in 2007 with the book "Queen of the Castle" and we met for one complete year. We decided to stay together for six more months and studied the book 'What happens when women walk in faith'.
This fall, two new groups have started, one group is studying "Fight like a girl" by Lisa Bevere and our group is reading the book "Fresh Brewed Life" by Nicole Johnson. It's about waking up to the life that God wants you to have. It takes you on a personal journey with God and your journal. We met for the first time last night. I'm so excited to see where God will lead us, and how He will challenge us as we take this journey together.

Now most of you know, I am someone who loves to journal, so this book will be perfect. I've read it before and am really looking forward to reading it again with this group of women. I'm hoping that this will give me another opportunity to a deeper personal walk with God.

Blessings

Life goes on

It never ceases to amaze me that no matter what has happened in your life, whether it's big things - like the accident (see previous post) to small things - like day to day living, that life continues to go on. I know, it's not that profound, but there are moments that I wish I could freeze frame and enjoy just a little bit longer.

Last Sunday was one such day. Krystle was home from school and she had convinced her brother Darcy to play a game of Guess who?

For those of you who've never played, here's a brief summary of the game: each player picks a card of the characters that are on the identical boards and you begin by asking questions that would define their character. IE: Does your person wear glasses? or Is your person a girl?, and so on. Until you only have one person left 'standing' and are able to guess who. On the box is says recommended for ages 8 - 12. Did I mention that Krystle is 21 and Darcy is 18?

So anyway, they decide to play this game with a little twist and called it Subjective Guess Who?
Questions varied anywhere from Does your person play the tuba? or Is your person involved in the Russian Mafia? or my all time favourite Does your person smell of cheese? I don't think I've laughed so hard in my life. I mean how can you decide the answers to those questions. Ironically, out of the 5 games they played they were able to correctly guess who 4 of them.

Blessings

Thankful

I am so thankful today. I mean most days I'm usually thankful but today.... well you read the story and then tell me.

We received a phone call this morning at 12:45 AM from the Huron OPP informing us that our son Darcy had been in a 'minor' accident. As I'm listening to the officer explain the situation to me, my brain is unable to comprehend the words being said as I am only able to hear the pounding of my heart.

Learning that Darcy was OK, I was then able to understand that we were needed to come to the scene of the accident so we could pick him up and bring him home. Coming upon the scene of any accident usually gives me goosebumps but knowing that someone I love dearly was involved had me full of tears as we approached this accident scene.

I was overwhelmed with emotions as I saw my son get out of the police cruiser and saw that he was OK. After seeing that he was OK, we then took a look at the vehicle, thankfully it was too dark, or I might have really lost it.

Later today, I then went to Exeter Collision to see how badly it was damaged and to retrieve any personal items from the truck.
This is the front fender on the passenger side where it hit the telephone pole.


The diver side rear fender as he bounced around and landed in the ditch, after rolling it once.


And a view of the tailgate.


If I stop and think about what could have happened.....
So needless to say I am thankful. Today and always.

Give thanks to the LORD, for HE is good. Psalm 136:1

Blessings

Autumn

Today is the 'official' first day of Autumn and it's probably my favourite time of the year. I enjoy the warm sunny days, the cool nights and the slowing of the season. It's a good time to reflect on the busyness of the summer and to intentionally slow life down and settle into winter.

ROAD LESS TRAVELED - by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth

Then took the other as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet, knowing how way leads onto way
I doubted if I should ever come back

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence
Two roads diverged in a wood
And I took the one less traveled by
And that has made all the difference

Have you ever looked back at your life and wondered what it would have been like had you taken the other road?

Blessings

RCMP Musical Ride

On Thursday September 11, I along with Lorraine and her kids enjoyed watching the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride.
Here are just a few of the highlights.

It was a captivating show.

They performed many different routines.

Truly an awesome display of riding.

One of the lines in an Alan Jackson song is: where were you when the world stopped turning on that Septemeber day, for many of us we can remember exactly where we were 7 years ago when we heard the news about the planes that crashed into the twin towers.
This was definitely a better way to remember 9/11.

Blessings