'tis the season

i love Christmas.  i always have.  best holiday ever, in my opinion, with Thanksgiving coming in at second place.  Christ's miraculous birth in Bethlehem and the peace, hope and joy that brings to my every day life, well~ it is sooo worth celebrating...God's love came down into our world and changed my eternity...."because of His great love...."  wow...that mind blowing detail can get lost amidst the hustle and bustle and noise and chaos and planning, but what is Christmas without this??

my mom made Christmas awesome when we were kids.  my dad was a willing and happy participant, but there was no doubt that the details of making our family Christmases memorable went to my mom.  she enjoyed it so much.  she still does.  dad earned the money to pay for these "details".  no surprise there, someone had to bring in the pay cheque.  much the same in our house now, actually.  i'll never forget the year i convinced my mom to bump up our gift-giving night (we usually did it on or close to Christmas Eve, but sometimes it was a few days before then) because of the unbearable anticipation i was experiencing.  she agreed, with not too much convincing even, which i remember being surprised by.  i think it was the year i received the prized Easy Bake Oven.  i still have lots of other standout memories too.  i remember stringing popcorn and cranberries for the live tree, baking and consuming loads of Christmas treats, Christmas Eve church services together by candlelight, decorating our home, anonymous giving to those in need, hours of music by Nana Mouskouri and Evie (i was always in awe of how pretty Evie was...and the Christmas season wasn't official until Come On Ring Those Bells was playing loudly on a Saturday morning with me perched by the big box speakers...) belted out from the record player or the tape recorder.  i remember receiving cherished gifts, board games played, late nights with time together by the crackling fireplace...etc....more than ever, i'm thankful for a blessed childhood including wonderfully simple and predictable holidays that shaped me profoundly for these later years.  and to even have the motivation to continue some of these same traditions for my own kids based on the joy and stability it brought to my life, year after year...wow, it was like a gift i didn't even consciously know i was receiving every. single. year.  nothing packaged, nothing purchased~ yet still the best gift parents can ever give their kids.  and i married a man with the same feelings about Christmas and his childhood memories.  his part in his memories may have been a bit more devious, however...because i know for certain i never went into my parents' closet and snooped at my presents early by unwrapping already wrapped presents and then proceeding to play with the unwrapped toys before putting them back in their packages and re-wrapping them at the end of the evening while his parents were out of the house.... :) (who does that!?!?!) but still, there was stable and consistent love and warmth and traditions in his home too.  another priceless gift given to a happy son.  oh, and not to mention the huge dose of grace considering his parents didn't cancel presents altogether that year....

so, as we dive into the busyness of this coming month, i'm remembering the Christmases past that formed the very way i perceive this amazing holiday.  I'm thankful for Boney M and the classic, timeless CD (favourite one of all time!!!) that reminds me of Mary's Boy Child, the tiny baby, the newborn King born from humble beginnings into a wooden stable with livestock , who grew to become a man who then made the Ultimate Sacrifice for all of mankind.  i'm so undeserving~ yet forever grateful...for both the Giver and the Gift this holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

aj quote

lately, AJ is surprising us with random facts about our world.  he's becoming a bit of a walking encyclopedia, of sorts.  (by the way, can you believe they aren't in use anymore???  volume after volume, obsolete, no longer needed...blame the World Wide Web for that one...i'm probably the only one to admit this, but i miss them.  that and film in my camera.  miss that too.) back to the topic...yes, AJ is listening in class.  that is a fact.  Mrs. Ferguson clearly has his attention, long enough at least to retain some bits of information he tucks away in his brain to share with me sporadically through the day.  here's just an example of what i learned from him last week~ all in one day...

first thing in the morning as i woke AJ for school.  he stretched and moaned and hadn't even fully opened his eyes when this gem was shared...

AJ:"mom, do you know what the biggest waterfall is?"

Me: "no, actually i don't.  can you tell me?"

AJ:"yep, it's Sandia."

Me: "Sandia? hmm..." i was thinking, but not saying what i was thinking because he was so emphatic and sure.  Hannah came in to greet him, and i had AJ tell her what he'd told me.  Hannah mentioned Angel Falls (in Venezuela) and AJ had definitely heard of this as well.  i determined to get to the bottom of "Sandia". and, lo and behold, the Sandia waterfall does exist in the Sandia Mountains, found in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  daddy found it first on his iphone.  pretty little waterfall, hey? (i wouldn't be mad to visit there someday.  you know, if i won such a trip. because that could happen twice. sigh....)

 

 

no, it definitely isn't the largest or tallest waterfall, but it does really exist.  oddly, when i questioned his teacher about this she said she hadn't taught about the Sandia Mountion waterfall or even known of its existence.  so, basically, i think AJ may have gotten lucky on that one, but the wide-eyed look of true sincerity has me slightly doubting even that theory.

 

later, in the afternoon as we drove to pick up the girls from wrestling practice...

 

AJ: "hey mom, why can't you see air?"

Me: "umm...good question, but i don't know an easy way to explain it.  you just can't see it!"

AJ: "you just can't see it because it's blank!"

Me: "oh, true."

AJ: "do you know who the first person was to step on the moon?"

Me: "yep, i do!" (happy to finally know the answer to a six year old's questions but resisting the urge to blurt it out) "do you know, AJ?"

AJ: "yes, Mr. Armstrong."

Me: "good job, buddy! but not the husband of your SK teacher, Mrs. Armstrong.  a different Mr. Armstrong.  Neil Armstrong."

AJ: "oh, Neil Armstrong."

 

wow, that's alot in one day!  not to mention all the other little announcements about space and the planets and rotation of the earth around the sun, etc...on other days.

this is the stuff i'll miss when my children are all grown.  not the hard questions, specifically, but the beauty of seeing the world through their eyes as they begin to learn about it and comprehend its workings.  not to mention the grade-1 refresher course i'm getting~ that's always good too.  

 

throwback

throwback photos...in random order...i just came across many of them this week and man, did they ever take me back.  back through years of memories.  years of daily life during both the highs and lows...so bittersweet, if i'm honest.  i won't ramble about it.  lucky you! :) i'll just post the pics...

below, Joelle, happy with a book, fireside at our old house...i will show her this...ahem...

 

Hudson sick for the first time after arriving home.  he was mad at the bowl we kept putting near his face when he started to show signs of retching.  he tried to push it away.  he was honestly convinced the bowl was making him throw-up. it was understandable and pretty cute even.

 



 

 Adam, loving his new brother so sweetly.  i think we were all stunned to see Hudson crashed on the floor.  we knew it had to be bad when he stopped moving.

 

Layla~ antics on the toilet.  that expression was foreshadowing of more amped-up antics to come.  oh yes....

 

Adam and Hudson, on my unmade bed :)

Hannah in her element with Ethiopian friends.  we sooo miss them still. taking our girls on that trip is definitely one of my lifetime highlights.

Harvest Party~ Hannah, back when she took a turn finding candy in the leaf pile.  now she helps with the game while the younger kids experience the fun of it.

Layla, loving the chocolate.  nothing has changed.

 

day 1 with Hudson in Haiti.  he wasn't so sure about us yet, but we were so sure about him.

 

AJ's first experience with whipped cream and cream puffs.  total love of anything pastry ever since.  can't say i blame him. 

 

orphan related

November is National Adoption Month, and this past Sunday was Orphan Sunday.  we recognized this day at our church, the SEMC.  the subject is heavy, i mean, really~ who can even fathom the statistic of 153 million orphans worldwide.  gulp....i know i can't.  another statistic~ 30,000 children in Canada alone waiting for a forever family.  bru-tal...it's too much at times, too large, too daunting.  it's easy to feel discouraged.  really easy.  yet, there is this unmistakable biblical call to action that spurs us on.  God's heart bends for the orphan, it's mentioned many times in His word.  this stuff isn't my bright idea.  it isn't even the scheme of the Orphan Care Ministry or the church as a whole.  it's God's clear and concise instructions, straight from the pages of the Holy Bible.  over and over again.  that's not to say that every person is meant to adopt, or foster, or travel to a far off place to visit orphans in their distress.  not at all.  no, we are all equipped differently.  adoption is not for everyone.  fostering isn't either.  but everyone can do something.  there are endless options not already mentioned.  prayer, child sponsorship, volunteering with a local CAS, supporting organizations that help both alleviate the orphan crisis and halt it's further growth, etc...there is much to do.  many little lives depend on our action.  i've added a couple links.  they are powerful and inspiring~ a combination of truths that cover the topic well, better than i could.

Eric Ludy~ Depraved Indifference
Orphan Sunday 2012 clip
Creation Groans

a moment to pause, and an aj quote

i have to pause before i go further...today, as i sit to type my weekly entry into our family diary, my heart is feeling a bit heavy.  one of the faithful visitors to this corner of cyber space, a dedicated reader of this humble blog (one of you 12! :)) is no longer reading.  my mom's dear uncle, Ome Jan, passed away last week after a period of deteriorating health.  he was 85 years old.  this man was special.  he was soooo loved.  i spoke about him here on his last birthday.   i'm so blessed to have known him.  my mom cared deeply about Ome Jan, he was so much more than a far away uncle.  it was beautiful to watch the connection they shared, as many cups of strong coffee were enjoyed while they discussed life together...she's feeling the loss, as are his three sweet children and grandchildren back in Holland.  today they celebrate his life and remember all the ways he touched theirs.  our thoughts and prayers are with Meindert, Henriette,Yolanda and their families today.  hugs from me to you...

on to sweet AJ.  each night before i hit the pillow i get my two youngest boys up to the bathroom to increase my personal odds of having uninterrupted sleep.  it's called strategy.  overall, there's less chance of running the washing machine at 3 AM, less chance of seeing one of them hovering over me with nothing but the "sense" of their presence jolting me from my state of blissful sleep.  yes, this routine works.  they both don't necessarily need to be woken, but at this point, the guaranteed success of a dry night is worth it.  plus, if you're bringing one, you might as well bring both.  so, Hudson walks there himself, but AJ often needs a guiding hand.  he set foot on the floor last night, eyes squinty and steps swerving...i held his hand.
AJ: "Mom, now i know how to count backwards with words."
Me: smiling...thinking that i'm sure gonna miss these sleepy revelations once these boys grow up..."Wow, how do you do that, AJ?  Count backwards with words?? Can you do it for me?"
AJ: now in the bathroom..."Well, i don't really want to, but i can go to the bathroom..."
Me: "Okay buddy, that's just fine...maybe in the morning."

moments of pure delight.  love them.

charmer

first, the back story...Layla has a brand new, fresh out of school teacher this year for grade five.  Mr. J. is married to a super sweet lady who babysat our crew for lots of years.  did i mention she's very brave??  :) she was always "a hit" when she came, bringing fun crafts and activities for the kids to do while Jeff and i were out trying to salvage our sanity enjoying our date without kids in tow.  then our babysitter grew up and met a fine young man.  he was fun and funny (and paid attention to the little cherubs) and the kids quickly decided the young couple was a perfect match.  E&J pretty quickly determined they were meant to be married, and on their wedding day Layla and Adam stood as their flower girl and ring bearer. 
fast forward to today.  Mr. J. finally graduated from many seemingly endless, gruelling years of juggling a family and school work, and today is the new, full-time grade 5/6 teacher at TCA.  such a happy surprise for miss Layla.  
well, let's just say Layla's interest in school is at an all time high.  there are daily "Mr. J." stories painstakingly recounted as i listen on, doing my very best to piece together the missing parts.  she shares riddles, gestures, funny comments, crazy moments, and on and on and on....get my drift? :)  Mr. J. dare not leave for a day or ever be sick, because then her sparkle dims a bit and school is just way more ordinary. 
so, Mr. J. has also openly shared with his class his passion for the Baltimore Ravens football team.  this is something that has stuck with her, and suddenly, our not-very-interested-in-football daughter is talking football and showing interest in the game.  not only that, however.  she's taken to marking her tests and assignments with messages much like the one below. 

this is her spelling test.  in the corner "Ravens Do Rock".  along the edge "Your teaching does too! Du-hh!"  oh my....super cute, for now at least.  hopefully Mr. J.'s good with sap, because i can just imagine his Christmas card...

this is curious...

...hmmm....not sure what to say....i never want to be overly critical of my children on this blog, but the reality is the picture below was, shall we say, jaw-dropping  somewhat surprising.  :)

i mean, really~ both Jeff and i stood and stared.  down at the paper, up at eachother, down at the paper, up at eachother.  and so it went.  our faces mirrored both confusion and astonishment.  could it be a mistake? or was this award really meant for our dear Hudson?

well, yes~ actually it was!  i had to ask his teacher how she came to this conclusion when choosing from an entire grade three class.  there are, after all, monthly character awards given at Hudson's school, and perhaps "Enthusiasm" or  "Compassion" or "Energetic" or "Funny Guy who can Dance" :) might have been better fits.  there are other suitable choices!  she shared the story that led to her decision.  apparently Hudson was seen walking the hallway after the others had come in the classroom.  his teacher asked him what he was doing.  he responded that he had been running down the hallway, which is not allowed, so he decided to turn around, go back to the end of the hall, and walk properly the second time.  she appreciated his honestly.  so, there you have it.  we'll celebrate the small victories, even if they sprout out of original disobedience!  just cracks me up.  never dull around here, that is for sure.