"syrup please?"

at the dinner table a few weeks back, with a second helping of mashed potatoes on his plate, AJ looked at Hannah beside him, pointed to the gravy pan and said "syrup please?"
apparently i'm straying too far from the "gravy days" of my childhood and really need to make potatoes and gravy more often.
one comment and it totally made the two hours prep and clean up of that massive meal worth it.  cute, cute, cute...in my very biased opinion...

track stars

recently, well~ actually a month ago already (i've been busy, what can i say?!) three of our kids competed for their school at the London CASSO track meet.  it's held every year at the Western University track and it's always a great day of competition and exercise.  Jeff captured a few pics on his new phone (that he adores) and i'm so glad he did....the first isn't super clear, because of the sheer speed she was running...too hard to focus and keep the subject in the photo :)

 they ran,

they jumped,

they posed for photo ops,

and then they ran some more.

H, A, and L~ we are so proud of your effort and courage....you guys did great!

a few good men

how about you?  know any good men?  any that stand out in your world as top-notch, real-deal, manly men that live solid lives with character qualities that separate them from the masses?  i do.  i most definitely do.  which is special~ especially special when you consider we live in a society that seems to be running low on fine men of high standards. 
three stand out in my life, with many more deserving honourable mention.  my father-in-law, my dad and the father of my kids.  love them all so much.  some consistent core values shape these three.  strong work ethic, reliable, stable men who provide security and strength to those around them.  they are loyal to their wives and children.  they bring a special presence to their homes.  my father-in-law adds a dose of crazy to life which has nicely translated to his son.  makes life interesting and funny.  even if he hardly acknowledged me the first day i showed up at his home when i was seventeen years old (i'm over it, really i am....), he's pretty terrific now.  he is generous with his time and always willing to lend a hand to fix this or that...my dad is a rock, solid in his faith and sure of what is not seen.  love that...plus, he'd get up from a deep sleep and wait in my room until he found the mosquito that pestered me, without complaint...are you listening, Jeff???  while Jeff isn't so into rescuing me from annoying bugs, he is delightful still after all these years.  as i often tell him, he adds sunshine to my days (i know you are all wondering why i tell him this when his self-esteem is already so.......shall we say, healthy?).  he loves me~ and that's worth a lot.  he drives a mini van without shame, and i heard this week that the vehicle a man drives says a lot about his values and choices.  yep, and we don't have many any other choices, so i'm glad he's ok with this!  i think i'll keep him...
there are others too.  brothers, brothers-in-law, pastors, friends who model sacrificial love to their spouses and families...actually lots of men i know that stand out as excellent!  to all of the above, today we celebrate you and wish you a really Happy Father's Day.  thanks for making a difference!  now go grab the Kleenex cuz i probably made you all cry...admit it...

why sleep on the bed......

when you can sleep under it??

once and awhile when i check the boys before i drop myself into bed i notice AJ has fallen out of bed and onto the floor, from the bottom bunk to the carpet.  this night, however, struck a nerve of fear when briefly he was nowhere to be found.  i had to literally hang my head over the far side of his bed and look underneath, where he was tucked snug against the back of the set of drawers, fully hidden by the mattress and bed frame above him.  i took hold of an arm and a leg and dragged him out where i could reach him before depositing him back into his bed, safely snuggled under the covers.  he slept through without noticing, but it was fun to tell him about his wild sleeping antics the next day.  and very briefly when i stared at him lying there, it reminded me of his early start in life when soft carpet under him as he slept would have been a luxury.  sooo thankful he's here....so thankful he's with us....

garden reds and greens

the only thing better than planting a garden, tending the garden, watching it grow, and eating the fruits of your labour is watching your dad do the planting, the weeding, and then still getting to enjoy the harvest...

lately it's been blissfully yummy as we've enjoyed the results of his toiling...don't worry, he really does enjoy it and is sure good at it...i'm not asking him to do this, honest!  sooo, spinach and strawberries are bountiful.  combined with grilled chicken, lots of toppings and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing is one of my salad favs...so healthy too!!  once the kids got over the shock that this was the dinner meal in its entirety ("yep, really, we're just having salad!  honest, you'll survive") most actually really liked it.  i have sliced a fresh baguette with it before to calm their anxiety and sooth their carb cravings and that is delicious too....
thanks Dad!!

gla update

in the days to come i'll update when able about the current situation at GLA orphanage in Haiti, where Hudson spent 14 months of his life.  i love their hearts, their hope, their love for Haiti's children.  the first link is thoughts from Molly who has been at GLA's Toddler house for ten years.  she is such a shining beacon there~ filled with compassion and humility as she tirelessly serves.  then there is this encouraging post by Susan, an RN there in the NICU.  she shares firsthand what is being done for some of their newest little admissions...it is beautiful and inspiring to hear how these kids are being loved inspite of all the baggage that accompanies their little bodies.  please, if you pray, remember these children in your prayers...

god's littlest angels

probably better that i not write much today, and simply share the link.  please read this, stare at the photos and see if there is any way you can help.  God's Littlest Angels in Haiti saved Hudson's wee life in 2005.  they continue to do more of the same.  as an organization they are near and dear to our hearts.  these kids are near and dear to the heart of God....