Christmas is here

 the Christmas season is upon us.  like looming large.  gulp.  and i start with a confession.  this year i have not done the best job at "advanced preparations".  lots of reasons, lots going on, and simply to say that it's come so quickly i feel a twinge of regret that i haven't had more time to be still.  more time to lean in to the beauty of it.  more time to soak up "The Gift"...

one thing i have done, and always do~ i have a steady stream of Christmas music playing from mid-November on (just ask my kids haha).  and as always, whether i've been painting walls or running around shopping or baking festive treats, this has helped so much to keep my perspective tuned in to the real reason for the season~ Jesus.  so while i haven't been as still and rested as i'd have liked, i am trying to soak up all that Christmas means~ so tangibly in my life, this year more than ever.  

and in that light and desire to share what i wholeheartedly stand by as the BEST GIFT EVER, i offer a couple treasures....

The Chosen, Season 3  Episode 1 is out now, with new episodes coming weekly.  

i know i've mentioned it before, but it's worth mention again.  totally that good. the timing of this dramatic series in my life was impeccable.  quite literally it gripped my heart and made the story of Jesus and his disciples come to life in a visually fresh and renewed way that has 100% carried me through 2022.  if you don't yet have the app, get it and stream it on your device, but start at the very first episode of Season 1.  i can confidently say you will love it.  

and another.  an old song that i grew up hearing and loving~  Amy Grant's version specifically.  it's called Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song), and this year i'm really enjoying Hannah Kerr's rendition.  

for some reason, it's lyrics jumped right out to me this year, new and relevant, and i've found myself contemplating the place Mary found herself in as she carried the future Saviour of all mankind, the Son of God, in her womb.  the fears, the anxiety, the judgement.  the feelings of inadequacy, the desperate need for strength in the circumstances, the paradox of wonder and inevitable weariness of the literal and figurative weight she carried as the chosen mother of Jesus.  yes, she was also chosen!  a bit of a theme here, are you getting that? :) isn't that so like God though?  He so often calls out to the unexpected ones.  the marginalized.  the poor, the young, the old, the weak, the lost, the sinful~ and He uses them, His chosen ones, to accomplish the life changing transformative work that impacts the world forever.  love that!  to be sure, we are all called, but God never dismisses those typically overlooked by society's standards.  it seems in scripture that He saves some of the biggest roles for exactly them!  think of Moses, Abraham and Sarah, David, Rahab, Jonah, Peter, Paul, and the list goes on...how refreshing.

here are the lyrics, which may have echoed in Mary's heart as she considered all that was to come...

"i have travelled many moonless nights.  cold and weary, with a babe inside.  and i wonder, what i've done, holy father you have come and chosen me now, to carry your son.  i am waiting, in a silent prayer.  i am frightened, by the load i bear.  in a world as cold as stone, must i walk this path alone?  be with me now.  be with me now.  

breath of heaven, hold me together, be forever near me, breath of heaven.  breath of heaven, lighten my darkness, pour over me your holiness, for you are holy.  breath of heaven...

do you wonder, as you watch my face, if a wiser one, should have had my place, but i offer all i am, for the mercy of your plan.  help me be strong, help me be, help me.  

breath of heaven, hold me together, be forever near me, breath of heaven.  breath of heaven, lighten my darkness, pour over me your holiness, for you are holy, 

breath of heaven, hold me together, be forever near me, breath of heaven.  breath of heaven, lighten my darkness, pour over me your holiness, for you are holy.  breath of heaven, breath of heaven.  breath of heaven..."

i so hope these lyrics meet you exactly where you are at today.  sure did speak to my heart.  i pray that this Christmas all of these treasures help you see Jesus as relatable, approachable and tending to our hearts in a very real and present way each day, even outside of this beautiful season.  in the grind, in the yuck, in the loss, in the hard.  wishing you moments of pure joy and wonder this Christmas, and maybe a deeper than ever understanding of The Gift~  "Emmanuel, God with us!"

Merry Christmas!

  Also, i'm going to be intentional to change my pace over the holidays so that includes a short blog break as well.  see you soon! ❤

little speedster

 sweet baby C. (he's 2 1/2 now actually! :)) is becoming quite the little speedster at the monthly Road Runner races.  he runs the full 1 km with Jeff (only sometimes distracted by a squirrel or slide :)) and it's so cute seeing him cross the finish line as he takes in all the people cheering for him. he also appears legitimately excited when they call his name for a ribbon.  plus the free Timbits and play equipment are a fun post-race reward. 

yep he's the only fastest two year old there! in this particular race some other kids in the under 5 category ran a bit faster, but they weren't two!  way to go buddy!

a great way to start a Saturday!

toddler things

 things always go missing around here..

and they always turn up, thankfully.

and i always smile when they do, so that's worth it, i'd say...

two of sweet C's cherished lambs, in the cupboard with the blender...

oh, and all four of his library books in with my baking pans and casserole dishes.  found them in time before racking up late fees, so that was good.

he's still obsessed with our cupboards and the contents they hold. 

and apparently adding to them! what a kid. :) 

Halloween 2022

 so a few weeks late, but hey, in ten years none of that will matter. :) our little dinosaur stole the show with a whole lot more sweet than fierce.  he was into all of it, and even though the weather wasn't ideal, he fully understood the concept of "trick or treating".  

cute time with the little and big ones too.

in a zone

 just a sweet pic this week.  it captures this dear boy so well.

  so much i love about it....

pumpkin patching

 a warm Sunday afternoon of slides and jumping and climbing and tractor rides and pumpkin hunting was sooo much fun for sweet baby C.  AJ was a good sport and came along~  and for that reason and many others he's a great big brother...

Cree was asleep minutes after the van drove away...

the beast

 recently these two very brave ones tackled The Beast and conquered.  so proud of their determination to plow up and through and under and over more than six hours of hills and obstacles they faced in this grueling 21 km Spartan Beast.  yes, Blue Mountain in Collingwood, Ontario proved to be a fierce challenge for the hundreds of Spartan competitors, but both Hannah and Jeff tackled it and can now add it to the other medals they've earned for an unofficial Spartan trifecta.  

so cool, a duo force to be reckoned with...i'm definitely your biggest fan. 💪💪

two sleepyheads

❤

when your bowl and mug match

 sweet baby (not at all a baby) C. spotted this mug in the mix of mugs when the cupboard door was open recently.  he started communicating excitedly that he must have it, so i poured his morning OJ in the cheery yellow mug and he was pretty much as happy as a clam.  (does anyone really know if clams are happy? just sayin'...)

it's the small things, isn't it?! ❤

she's doing it

we love that Layla has tapped into the varsity sport of cross country running.  so good for connecting and belonging to a group with a common purpose of healthy practice and well-being.  she's strong and has endurance and she's got pure grit to do the very hard work of practicing and competing.  her shins haven't been cooperating for her so far, but she's persevering and hoping she's able to compete in two more meets before the season ends. 

proud of your effort Layla!  these are the things that serve you well and help make you even more resilient later in life. Go Lions!

i went west

 it's been a year and a bit since our eldest moved out west, and it finally worked to make the journey to her.  this was big for me.  a huge gift of resources of time and energy were pooled together to help make this happen.  thanks to all who helped me get away with a peace about leaving.  i also had dear Jeffrey fully on board and supportive of this grand adventure i was committed to undertaking.  thanks to grandparents and friends who came alongside.  

so, off i went.  the opposite of a seasoned traveler, but eager nonetheless.  so happy to fly again, and to have my dear daughter there at the end of the flight was a huge gift.  she was a rockstar hostess.  i had literally not even considered how we'd pass the days.  i really didn't care.  all i knew was that BC would be beautiful and the company would be adventurous and fun.  all of that was more than accurate.  so, really, i was kind of just along for the ride (quite literally), in awe of my daughter's tech savvy ability to navigate all things "big city" and my utter ineptness to do the same.  

still, i soaked up every bit of it.  i stood in awe of God's creation.  i had a million questions.  i so enjoyed seeing BC through Joelle's lens too. we ate like we meant business.  we walked 10 km a day.  we rode ebikes at night along the waterfront, we had a crazy high gondola ride leading to views that were utterly breathtaking.  we hiked, we rode a seabus and i took my first Uber.  we swam (me very briefly, but i did it) in a clear and frigid natural pool at the base of a waterfall that took my breath away.  Joelle made it look easy, no surprise.  

off i go.  all by myself.  unheard of.

who knew the fog would roll in heavy, as we circled in the sky hoping it would clear...

she found me in Vancouver instead of Abbotsford and just rolled with it, like she does

Lynn Canyon suspension bridge

the most adorable floating houses, North Vancouver

the view from the pier, North Vancouver

Sea to Sky Gondola, Squamish

the most idyllic little spot i've possibly ever seen.  Lake Alta, Rainbow Park.

Joelle working the neutrals in her parking garage.  she's hilarious.

souvlaki bliss at the most charming Greek restaurant ever...so fresh and flavourful...mouthwatering now even.  

Joelle and I with rented bikes~ touring Stanley Park.  totally refreshing, and again, she navigated even when i almost led her astray.  

the entire time i was there was warm and sunny.  beautiful blue skies and everywhere you turned people were out enjoying the last bursts of summer.

a place i wanted to eat breakfast at for fourteen days straight just to explore the menu.  it was top notch. fresh squeezed OJ and crepes, dreamy. 

Lebanese scrumptiousness.  and the coolest feel to this charming basement restaurant.  

oh, the ebikes.  such a blast, especially when i wasn't nearly colliding with the pole. 

one last picture of the mountains, which only begins to capture the beauty of them.  so vast and so magnificent.  so thankful the whirlwind weekend happened.  

we made memories.  and i sure do love you, Joelle!  thanks for being a "tour guide extraordinaire" and for welcoming me so warmly.  this one will be unforgettable! ❤