Santa

miss Z. was priceless at Jeff's (aka Dave :)) work Christmas party for the kids.  she must be at the very perfect age because she was chatty and curious and super sweet with Santa, stuffing her nervousness aside and embracing those moments when he was present with her...it was actually adorable...and this picture was my favourite.  this was near the end of the party when Santa had to leave, and only after she asked him where he was going, where his sled was, how he was going to get up on the roof to get it, etc...

caught it

not all mornings go like this one did.  lots of typical sibling stuff happens here too, all too often.  whining, tormenting, arguing...(ever see the movie Groundhog Day?  nevermind, no reason...) 

but not this morning.  

soooo, i snapped a quick photograph as evidence!

on this day Miss Z. sat in her usual spot for a piece of toast, farther left on the bench~ and i kept noticing her little butt was shimmying over closer to AJ.  she said "my sit closer to you AJ, okay?"  and joy of all joys~ for on this day, he obliged.  no argument.  just sweetness in return.  proud moment.  i loved it.   

reflection

Christmas is upon us.  i love this season.  amidst the crazy hustle and commercial everything, i consciously take time to reflect.  what an amazing Hope we have.  what eternal promise contained in this short verse our talented Layla so beautifully created on our chalk board.  what amazing context for the most wonderful holiday!  

and then there's this song. i've definitely shared the link before.  it should be an annual thing, i make no apologies.  so good...

and even a tiny smidge better?  a current favourite of mine~ this one ....a repeat from last year i think.  but honestly, never too much of this message.  Christmas in a nutshell, from a nutcracker of course :) 

good one, i know.

Merry Christmas season to all!

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!