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.

training

on this day, these guys were hard core.  running in the rain. covering longer distances than the previous day.  all preparation for the upcoming cross country meet in a week and a half.  i don't care (really i don't) if they finish last at the school event.  they have worked hard.  faithfully.  with endurance and perseverance.  not all runs have felt great, not all kilometres have passed quickly.  doesn't matter to us.  we're proud of the effort and the "stick-to-it-ness" we have seen.  Layla is the biggest fan of the sport.  the boys are still showing-up strong.

 

 

AJ has been training as well.  he just wasn't in this particular photo.  he's not old enough to compete at the meet, but he sure loves practicing with the bigger kids at the school.  he holds his own remarkably well.  must be that Ethiopian blood. 

proud of you Layla, Adam, Hudson and AJ.   

love Mom, your biggest fan!

this makes me smile~ installment #2!

couldn't resist posting AJ's first tests of grade one.  his first tests ever, actually!

 

 

so fun to see his work actually being done.  he's really doing it!!!  admittedly, he seems like a young grade one student.  and grade one is a big jump from senior kindergarten.  i had my doubts about whether he would be able to do this.  the structure, the academic level, the whole thing.  not that he isn't capable, just that he had such a slow start and he's been in "catch-up mode" since JK.  so, you can well imagine these tests he brought home in his backpack made me smile.  he was so happy to show me.  he was so genuinely proud of his results.  i love how he wrote the date on the math test.  precious. precious. precious.  now, if i could just freeze time......