National Adoption Month

wow.  so many thoughts on the significance of National Adoption Month.  adoption has impacted our family in too many ways to mention.  it's profound loss, it's beauty, it's trauma, it's joy, it's grief, it's amazing, it's redemptive, it's exhausting, it's difficult...

but it's worth it.  

and then i read/watched...

this story

 it reminded me that it's really about daily grace, kindness and self sacrifice.  timely for me...it's about being open to the needs around you.  the messy, the sad, the painful.  it's about stepping outside of our comfort zones (do i have to??) and wow i still have so much to learn in this area....it's not about self-preservation but more about a daily lifestyle that demonstrates the same love Christ showed to us when we were broken and lost.  He loved us, even though...

check out the link.  beautiful people living open handed among the brokenness.  inspiration in the flesh.

❤

this...

while some of us weren't exactly hoping for the arrival of snow in the first half of November, especially on the grand scale that it came, we rallied and made the best of it.  "neighbours helping neighbours" was the theme of the morning, and then the kids moved on to snow forts and snow angels and a challenging snowman created by Miss Z., Alemayehu and myself.  more importantly, hot cocoa and marshmallows were enjoyed as well.  i wish all the pictures were fine to post, because i did get some adorable ones.  but here are a few....

can you spot the "snow crew dream team" heading to the neighbour's driveway? :)

 on the bright side, we are all practiced up now for the cold and snowy winter days that loom just around the corner!  

these two

i snuck my phone out quick.  thus the reason for Joelle's expression.  had to capture this moment at Ryerson University last weekend, although they will hate the picture.  that's not the point really...it's so much more than the photograph.  both girls wrestling for opposing schools for the first time ever...and still, close friends between matches.

two sisters~ brave and gritty and resilient~ and man do i ever adore them...if they only really knew my mama's heart.

such a joy to watch them do something so intensely difficult and come out better for it.  these are days they will cherish beyond the wins or losses of the day.  one day when life changes and they find themselves in a different stage and potentially mothers themselves, chasing after little ones or driving them all over the place, they'll be so thankful for the university days that helped shape their character.  the days where they learned to grind out the tough parts and dig deeper than they knew they could.  i'm thankful we live in a country that affords my daughters the endless opportunities to participate in sports just like wrestling.  i so wish it was an option back when i was that age.  i really think i could have been a champion...haha...still, so happy to cheer them on mat side and see them in this part of their becoming... 

the haul

2019.  there was lots of candy to be had.  like wayyyy toooo much candy...even though they were fighting the blustery weather conditions the kids seemed to cash in with more than enough candy to go around.  they are even sharing with their older siblings and parents. :)  it's a small gift that AJ doesn't seem to like any of the chocolate bars with peanuts or peanut butter~ so i'm happy to take those off his hands.  the things we do for our kids....

little miss Z.- an adorable fairy- bounced back nicely after her tooth extraction that morning and fluttered around from house to house as the trick or treating was in full swing.  

right about when the candy coma set in...

not many years left of this!

cross country

cross country 2019.  Alemayehu makes it look pretty easy.  he snagged 2nd place at the first meet which qualified him for the district race.  so fun to watch and always makes me pause and feel super thankful that his body is healthy and able to participate.

   

even better when your oldest sister is home to watch! :)

then in Blenheim, at that next level he ran like the wind and through the wind, literally, and finished 7th out of 60 boys.  pretty impressive!  some Ethiopian genes working in his favour, i'd say!  i wasn't able to go that day, but a teacher snapped a picture just after the race finished.  

good job buddy!!!

hockey firsts

this was a special thing.  so fun to watch.  so fun for Hudson to experience.  first time ever playing an actual hockey game with his dad, his brother and his cousin.

pretty sure he loved every second of it!  so did i! :)

gratitude

in this season of thanksgiving i'm so grateful for things like sunflowers and fresh pumpkin pie...

and stories like this.  

how awesome is this guy?!  what a life changer...love it!!