I wish they made laundry baskets big enough for adults - so we could fill them with fresh warm laundry from the dryer and burry ourselves right in the middle of the warm good smelling clothes. As a person I think its so important to have a safe place to go, a special place where you can "let your hair down" and be vulnerable and completely taken care of. For some this is in the middle of a frozen lake, up on a mountain, smack dab in the middle of their cozy bed or in their prayer chair. Sometimes for me - I close my eyes and imagine that I am curled up in God's palm, or on his lap as he sits on his throne - and its in those moments that I don't have a care in the world, I am just surrounded by the warmth and love of Jesus. The funny thing God makes this is available to me all the time - but I don't go there nearly as frequently as I want to. So to all my amazing friends and family - I encourage you to take some time today (whatever you can afford) to go and hide away and be blessed as you rest knowing God has got you in the palm of his hand.

Chess Game

Ade trying to teach Sam and I the fine art of Chess playing on friday night.

I am getting the hang of it I think...

Thanks Grandma Bonnie and Grandpa Paul for the games!

Lazy Sunday

Does anyone else find that when sunday afternoon comes it feels like it would be against our human nature not to nap? Ade, Sam and I often find this.... Of course for Sam and I this isn't just a Sunday afternoon ritual, but it's almost as if there is something in the sunday morning air that just makes napping on Sunday better - its most likely because Ade is with us.
This last sunday was the best. Ade brought be breakfast in the bathtub, then we went off to church where we heard a great message, and then out for a lunch date with our whole family - Jasper included (she has to stay in the back of the truck of course). Then we picked up two steeped tea's and then sat at our special spot near our home. Its this really neat old shed with 3 big trees and a small garden in the summer. In the summer it is surrounded by miles and miles of yellow canola flowers - but in the winter bare feilds - which makes it easier to see Jasper when she runs in the feilds. She gets so excited when we take her places. I heard this quote once... "If only I could be the person my dog thinks I am" thought it was funny. She gets so excited when she see's Ade and I - she has licked Sam's face a time or two, and barks in the blazer when he cries but that is about the extent of their interactions thus far. Our outting was followed by a sunday afternoon nap, watching the football game, yoga and leftovers. Sam's got a stuffy noze cold- so he is pretty cuddley right now - SO I am in cloud 9 with all the cuddles. Can't be that bad - he is still sleeping through the night and feeding OK. Praise the Lord that our little doll neice Paige is out of the hospital and at home recovering from a bad case of croup. Answer to many prayers. God is so good, and I thank Him for Sundays - and most of all my beautiful family to share my sundays with.

Our little Peanut

This is our little Sam just before going to Church one morning last week. He sure brings us so much joy. I love to hear him laugh and sing. What a gift from God! He is about 3 1/2 months old here.

Book Worm...

Well I am sure most of you think that I've fallen off the planet - but the truth is this. Our walls finally got repainted after 9 months.... so Sam and I were out of the house for the last couple days of last week. Then Adrian took Friday off, so we hung out for 3 days, and therefore don't get much blogging done then...

And I started and completed a novel in about a day and a half... just too good to put down. Actually I have been reading mainly this author lately - Harry Lee Kraus M.D. He is a surgeon from down in the States that writes Christian novels. The last one I read was "Stainless Steal Hearts". I wouldn't suggest it for anyone under the age of 16. It is a ficitional suspense novel about abortion and research. There were parts that made me sick due to the discriptive explanation of the abortion procedure. I almost had to stop reading the book but decided that I must finish it to see the good come about... I look at Sam everyday and couldn't imagine ever not having him - or ending his life for that matter. There is one passage that really hit home for me...

"It just confirms to me how blind the public really is to what is going on in the abortion industry! Its so ironic, really. One one hand we have technology that is improving our ability to save younger and younger 'premies,' and we fight like crazy to save them and at great expense. On the other hand, and in the same town, you have a woman exercising her right to kill and unborn child nearly the same age. It just doesn't make sense!" (Kraus, p.294).

It just doesn't make sense to me either.

This touches pretty close to home for me with the health profession that I am in. We admit 23 weekers that are perfectly formed - but tiny kicking and crying and fighting for life. There is so much pain, hurt and brokenness in the world. I know that God weaps heavily over all the brokenness he see's in the lives of the people he's created. It brings me great relief knowing that one day all the sadness will be gone. I look forward to that day...

I would encourage you all to read this book. Make sure you have a box of tissue next to you while you do, and a couple of days to spare - because it's hard to put down. Also stumbled upon an article the other day in my Today's Parent magazine (Jan edition). Called "Two little, Two young" written by a mother of some babies I had the chance to take care of during their stay in the NICU. Very well written and worth a read.

Well enough with putting life on hold for my book reading. Responsibility beacons...supper and cleaning the kitchen.

I also am in the process of switching our cleaning supplies over to Melaluca. I am quite happy with their products so far... and Ade really likes their Gold Bar.

Enough for now.

Ice Fishing

Jasper and Mom

All tired from so much running and sliding...

Yesteday we went out to Pigeon lake and went ice fishing with my Dad. It is always to weird to me how we can drive on the frozen water. Its funny how you hear the long resounding cracking of the ice and can skate over the cracks. The ice was about 2 feet thick - Ade assured me that it was safe. This was Sam's first time ice fishing - he slept most of the time, but was quite facinated when we showed him down the ice fishing hole. Grandpa Paul used his new ice fishing tent that he got for christmas, and even brought the propane heater for inside - so it was nice and toasty. We didn't catch any fish, but we all sure had a good time. Jasper loved to run and slide on the ice and play with us all. She is such a good dog and so full of life.



Grandpa Paul and Sam in the tent fishing