MIA

just to explain why i'm MIA this week.  Blogger isn't cooperating for me and my pictures won't upload as they once did...i hope it can be resolved soon and i'll be back to posting our usual riveting family news! ;)  have a great weekend everyone!

look up child

Lauren Daigle is slaying it these days...bursting into 2019 with a Grammy, lots of play on mainstream radio with You Say (which i've mentioned here before~ cuz i'm a wee bit of a fan of hers :)) and a blazing message of Truth and Love and Hope that seems to be catching some positive attention.  Go Lauren- keep shining!!

 and just because, here's another winner...

Look Up Child

he still cracks me up

seriously Jeff....

the things he does.

the story here is pretty funny.  to us at least.  maybe a bit less to his eldest daughter, however.

on this day, Jeff had Joelle a wee bit nervous that he was going to be entering the same tournament she was wrestling in the very next day.  in the very same weight class as some of her friends/teammates.  notice the heart rate monitor around his chest?  he'd had all his running gear on to go for a real run, but told her it was to cut weight for the tournament.  she kept asking questions, starting to wonder if her crazy father was serious.  to antagonize her further he then went to find Adam's singlet, put it on and had me take his picture, sent it to her and then told her he'd ordered the singlet especially for the BIG day.  she was....um....not impressed.  which of course made Jeff only torment her further.  he knew all the right answers just to make the story seem legit.  anyway, needless to say i guess it isn't cool when your 50 year old father wrestles in the same tournament as you.  which he didn't, but of course he always has fun contemplating it!

these two

awww...so happy for this girl.  after two seasons of wrestling at McMaster, a couple injuries that set her back, and a determined comeback with lots of grit and bravery on the mat, this girl is off to the nationals in Calgary later this month.  her dream come true.

(the pic below was from a Mac organized photo shoot they did of all the wrestlers~ i can't take credit for that one.  obviously!)

 

this weekend she earned silver at the provincials. what a fun day it was to witness~ although completely nerve wracking at the same time.  

so proud of you Joelle, regardless of where you placed.  such courage required for this amazing sport, and i love seeing that developed in your character. 

Adam had an equally impressive weekend, winning four of six hard fought matches to walk away from his provincials with fifth place.  his poor muscles where feeling it the next day after so many head to head battles (though he only mentions it if i ask.  never complains, this kid).  Jeff was with him while i was with Joelle, so i was thankful a few of his matches had been recorded.  

Adam has this quiet presence and nerves of steel, and i love what this sport has taught both of them about determination and perseverance.  way to work hard Adam! 

so fun, the best days...

when the artistic gene skips you and your daughter gets it instead

another creation by my Layla.  

i give her the verse and she creates it, so beautifully too! i love seeing the results...

a boy and his shoes

this guy contemplated, researched, waffled back and forth, but finally landed on this shoe as his post-Christmas purchase~ funded in part from Grandma and Grandpa's cash gift, part from our regular contribution and part his own money saved.  a super sweet basketball shoe for this upcoming basketball season.

he's hoping for extra airtime and speed off these babies!

2019

something about the promise of this budding bulb drew me to it as i enter a brand new year.  a discounted after Christmas Amaryllis that holds promise of growth and beauty and life.  

nothing much yet, barely worth a second glance even.  simply and slowly, however, it's cutting through the dark soil~ the dirt, the ugly.   it soaks up the water i offer and reaches purposefully for the sun.  it will be particularly thirsty as it begins the active stage of growing, says the store provided tag.  i read that it will bend toward the light and therefore the pot will need to be turned regularly to keep the plant growing upright...each day i wake and check for signs of change, hoping my attentive care will result in a beautiful bloom in time.  it seems slow and i wonder "am i giving it enough water, am i watering it too much??"

this Amaryllis is not that much different than my life.  lots of dry hard soil that needs to be softened, readied for growth.  parts that are even quite ugly, unattractive and dull.  parts that are needing redemption, and parts that can feel the suffocating weight of sin, inside and out.  parts of me that long for more of the grace of Jesus to cut through the dirt and rain on the dry and cracked places of my heart.  for beauty to come from the slow process of hard growth.  for more solid strength of character with roots reaching deep.  and more and more i wish to have the posture of leaning in to Jesus each and every day.  waiting, trusting, hoping through 2019...