which one doesn't belong?

i mentioned a funny Florida experience i wanted to share this week.  it's super light and pointless in light of last week's post, but memorable and fun nonetheless...we were in Florida, nearing the end of our week.  and wouldn't you know it, out of nowhere there appeared one day a shiny, pretty, deep red, and very expensive looking McLaren.  and didn't it park right next door to our rental condo!! 

for those of you who might be like me, the name "McLaren" meant absolutely nothing.  nada.  zippo....i'm not up on sports cars.  not a bit.  to be honest, they feel super indulgent to me, and like a giant waste of money.  just being real.  i'm sure i'd enjoy a fast ride in one, but after that, just give me back my ten year old Honda minivan and i'm good.  (FULL DISCLOSURE~ i'm not always as content with everything else in my life, however, just before you go concluding that i'm some sort of saint.  not even close.)  anyway, Adam, on the other hand, is a big fan of cars and especially those expensive and unique and very fast types.  he knows features, prices, model types, specs, etc....not sure how he retains such knowledge, but he does.  so imagine his excitement, along with the other three boys (Jeff too!), when our condo neighbours pulled up in this spectacular red McLaren.

which we later learned was parked behind the Porsche that they had in the garage.  well, we quickly determined these wealthy neighbours had some rich friends because Adam nearly lost his mind when this Lamborghini pulled up to visit....

i admit, this even impressed me a bit.  it was matte black, and crazy cool to see in motion.  low to the ground.  stealth-like.  like something from a movie.  so as you can imagine, by now the boys were fully enraptured with what was unfolding before their eyes...as you can also imagine, watching them so close to all this "money" was a bit unnerving for me.  i was weary from saying "just look, don't go close....stay back...etc..."  i eventually went in to get ready to head out for dinner.  a few minutes later Jeff came in and told me to step out on the balcony and check out the boys....this is what i saw!

what?!?!?!  now all three were seated in the McLaren, and their excitement was super cute.  i was about to have a heart attack, but apparently the car owners were enjoying showing off their prized cars and seemed unfazed by the occupants and their unwashed hands and impulsive tendencies.  fun moment for Adam especially...

Jeff snapped the picture below on his cell phone.  it's like one of those puzzles in kid's magazines where you have to find the items that don't belong or look out of place in the picture.  

how funny is that??!  this picture makes me laugh...even still, we concluded we are the truly rich ones.  we drive a well used eight seater van filled with kids~ that's so rich!!!

yonas

this week i was planning on posting a funny little occurrence i wanted to tag onto the Florida posts....more to follow on that next week. 

 

today, instead, the greater news worth mention is the super exciting way we received an update on our sponsored child, Yonas, just last week.  you all remember Yonas, right?  i've mentioned him lots since 2010, and specifically here and here.  as a result of those posts, other families heard about Yonas and wanted to help his situation too.  that means seven families now contribute to his sponsorship and hold him up in prayer and love him from far...cool!!

 

anyway, so, here's how it went....

friends of ours just spent the past month in Soddo, Ethiopia, as part of a journey their family is taking across the world.  they were there working at a hospital using their physician skills and giant hearts to encourage the staff and impact the patients they cared for, not to mention the huge impact this must be having on their four sweet kids who are soaking up this experience as well.  i was so stunned to learn that they would be going there, to that city, as it happens to be exactly where AJ is from.  crazy...in conversation about Ethiopia, i mentioned how i'd just received word on our sponsored child, Yonas, who had recently been sick and required medical care.  Yonas is HIV+ and has been taking ARV medication since his diagnosis, however the recent mention of illness had us concerned and it was on my heart and mind.  after some time passed i heard from Rose by Facebook.  she mentioned that she'd been speaking with a friend from Addis who suggested they try to find out more info on Yonas and see if there was some way to connect with him to receive firsthand news on his condition.  this blew me away.  Rose and her family were now about about six hours away from Addis in Soddo, plus she was busy in her role at the hospital, not to mention the parenting of her four kids, but that did not deter her.  she set to work with the little information i had given her and basically, over the course of several weeks she tracked down the gentleman who facilitates our sponsorship of Yonas.  this was not easy.  she had to dig and turn many stones all before finally reaching this contact.  they connected by text and agreed to attempt to connect on the last few days when they returned to Addis, prior to leaving Ethiopia for the next destination on their journey.  well, down to the final day and final hours of daylight left in Addis, we had not heard any positive news and it looked as though the connection might not happen after all.  that morning as our family prayed before breakfast, i specifically asked God for a last minute miracle to allow us to communicate our love and care to Yonas.  i knew it was already afternoon in Addis, and the hours were passing quickly.  i also knew how much difficulty i had making timely connections with contacts in Ethiopia.  it didn't look very positive...so, my kids hopped on the bus for school and less than thirty minutes later i received a Facebook message from Rose. she said they were on their way to meet the contact person after all.  i could not believe the news.  then, minutes later my phone rang, and it was Rose on the other end, loud and clear, apparently in a vehicle with all of her family, on their way right then to meet Yonas at a hospital some thirty minutes away.  in a van, all six of them, on their way to meet our dearly loved sponsored child, at some vaguely known location...all because they cared!  like i said, they have giant hearts~ compassionate and giving hearts filled with the love of Christ for a child they'd never met. wow.  so, the tears came then.  i stood in awe.  first~ of a God who truly 100% has a heart that bends to the orphan.  a God who knows each one by name, a God who had not forgotten sweet Yonas in his plight, and was allowing us to step in and demonstrate care and love to him in that very moment.  God heard my prayers that morning and undoubtedly was orchestrating the course of events on that final day of possibility.  He is above all things, and i always take comfort in knowing that.  He used R&R and their family in their willingness to love sacrificially and also displayed His great care about the details of our lives in the entire process...so moving...

Rose called shortly after to tell me they had just met with Yonas. 

here is her Facebook picture from later that day...my heart...

 

 

they had pictures, video, and some news on how he was, even though some of the information seemed to be inconsistent and slightly confusing.  undoubtedly "stuff" always gets lost in translation, but overall they seemed thrilled to report Yonas appeared healthy and well and very typical of a robust 15 year old boy.  we aren't sure he knew how much he is loved by families here in Canada~ i hope now he knows more than ever. 

 

 he was there at this medical facility receiving necessary dental care, and seemed to suggest he was doing okay and taking his medications regularly.  they gave him a few special treasures, communicated our love for him as best as they were able, and prayed with him before leaving.  i can only imagine what he was thinking...

 

 

he really didn't know how to speak English, they said, and so i'm hoping it was clear to him through translation that he had been pursued, was deeply loved and being prayed for by many back in Canada...i hope he laid his head that night and felt the love of his Heavenly Father in a more real way than ever before.  i continue to pray his future feels hopeful to him, and that we will continue to see evidence of our support in tangible ways.  that he grows and thrives and becomes the young man God intends.  i hope and pray this with all my heart.  Rob and Rose~ we are forever grateful for this extra large effort you made on our behalf, for Yonas....bless you!!  Jeff and I had a conversation later that night about our many amazing friends.  such beautiful examples of lives lived well and for the service of God.  amazing....thanks so much! 

 

one of the sponsor families summarized our thoughts in a prayer a while back..."We ask You to continue to shelter and provide for Yonas, confident in Your vast and effectual love for him. Your love for the fatherless reassures us, may it be as a warm quilt, tucked close around him. Show us if there are other ways Yonas may be cared for, we pray, amen."

 

spring break (part two of two)

hold it, we went to Florida?!?!  when was that??  haha...funny how quickly it can feel like a distant memory.  whoa...lots going on in the last few weeks since pulling into our driveway after the glorious vacation in the sunny south.  still, glad i was refreshed for the busy month upon us.  from appts. to wrestling tournaments, to special occasions to basketball games to daily life filled with all the usual blips along the way~ biiii-zzzzeeeee.  so i will retreat into the memories of the blissful week for a few short moments before i resume regular life on this regular day (a snow day, i might add....on March 31st, no less! thankfully, by dinner we'd already seen much melting and warm sunshine.  yep, only here can you have a snow day on a Tuesday and forecasted t-shirt weather on Thursday!  at least it isn't predictable and boring! :))

so, here goes....more pictures, for my memory's sake!

with most of the pictures you'll notice a recurring theme...or subject, i should say :)...that's because i got the pictures from her phone.  i love her take on the week.  a different and fun angle that is soooo her....

the siblings...Adam was on vacation with us, really he was~ he's just not as big a fan of photo ops with his sisters...

always a highlight seeing Jeff's parents while we are there too...here the girls are sitting on the golf cart that they took for a spin.  we had a fun stroll gator hunting too~ and we saw a couple! (so neat...especially because they didn't lunge at us! :)) nice to catch up by the pool with them after a few months of being away, share dinner together, and even go prom dress shopping one morning!  no dress, but still a fun time....

 

 

 not the finest family picture below, but it is what it is!  

oh, the sunsets........take me back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

so, that's basically a wrap.  Florida 2015.  so thankful it happened!

spring break (part one of two)

aaahhhhh....where to begin??  i'm feeling the post Florida fog today.  everyone is getting back to routine here in our household, but i'm waffling somewhere between now and then~ frequently picturing what we would have been doing last week at this time.  yes~ the time away, forced to be crammed in a van for over 38 hours all together as eight, was soooo necessary and good.  there were, as expected, highs and lows~ but the highs far outweighed the lows, and the funny moments and memories shared (like when there was "no room at the inn" for our crew, hotel after hotel near the Florida border at the end of a long day of travel.  yep~ last year it worked to just pick a hotel we liked when we felt like stopping...this year, it didn't!  next year, we pre-book!!) were worth every moment of planning, packing, every mile driven and dollar spent (US dollar, that is...yikes! :)).  it was real deal family bonding.  something i often feel is even more crucial with our larger family.  the week was perfectly delightfully hot.  it had a Caribbean feel to it even....daily we had the super hot sun but always a nice breeze to cool you enough to stay out in it...okay~ i won't go on and on about that. :) that would be cruel...

first stop~ McDonald's in Ohio.  AJ's post "hotcakes" contemplation...

first day by the pool~ time spent with this girl was a highlight for me.  we had lots of conversation, walks on the beach, and just fun hanging out.  she also had time to make two new friends at the resort, swim like crazy, and stay up late with the rest of us.

three ham bones~ nothing changes! :)

oh, the manatees...one of my favourite things about our Florida destination.  i heard someone refer to them as "giant baked potatoes" floating in the water....not far off, actually.  they aren't pretty, but so cute and laid back and fascinating...they love the warmer waters in the marina by our condo, so they gather to frolic and surface to blow air and entertain onlookers.  it is a sight to see...there is a mom and a calf (dark brown~ they lighten up later) in the picture below.  

late afternoon beach walk...bliss!

this guy read a whole book this week....so nice for me to see

a huge highlight for at least half of us was going to watch Team Canada play baseball against the Baltimore Orioles rookie team.  

Joelle met six school friends, all there to watch their other school friend, Tyler (#19), pitch three awesome innings.  he did great under intense pressure.  he had to have the biggest fan support there that day, and i can only imagine how nervous that made him feel.  

pretty cool event and super neat to see the inner workings of higher level baseball.  scouts intently watching with their radar speed guns measuring pitches, quiet note taking, head shaking, recording of player's activity on the field.  no popcorn or hotdogs or lighthearted conversation among these guys.  it was a whole different world and quite interesting to observe.

bumping into Roberto Alomar was kind of cool too.  Hudson got a picture with the former second base legend of the Toronto Blue Jays.  Hudson was carrying his ball glove and Roberto asked why he wasn't holding an Alomar glove!  it was funny...

this, my dear readers, is a horseshoe crab, which Adam later researched and informed me was closer to belonging to the arachnid family than the crab family...so, wanting to make my big brother proud (Joe~ aka the turtle catcher), i fearlessly clasped on to its hard shell exterior while AJ snapped the picture.  impressive, i know...

these feet...they were busy this week.

part two next week!  so glad to note the highlights here~ always fun to have and look back and remember where the kids were at and what vacations were like.  not too many years left with all of us together, i expect....sadly...
as i said to the kids on Monday morning, "don't be sad it's over, be glad it happened!"  wish it was my original quote, but it's not~ i heard it once and it stuck with me.  so true though...i'm completely glad it happened!

ofsaa, elbows and podiums

both of my girls competed at OFSAA last week, the all-Ontario tournament where highschool wrestlers who qualified in their region meet to face off~ the best in the province competing for the top six positions, and ultimately, the gold, silver and bronze medals. 

 

 

it is intense, fun, and a huge culmination of a long season of dedicated training, conditioning, and competing.  St. Clair Secondary School wrestlers travelled with a group of seven qualifiers and Jeff was giddy happy to accompany and offer coaching assistance to the head coach, not to mention taxi services and physiotherapy assessments when needed. 

 

 

sadly, the physio was needed by his very own daughter when Joelle dislocated her elbow in what ended up being the final match she was able to wrestle on that final day.  she was still in the running for bronze when she landed kind of freakishly and the injury occurred.  serious pain rattled her instantly.  she was a total trooper on that mat, most concerned about whether she'd be able to wrestle again next season. :) she handled her agony with unexpected grace and politeness, and the grit she had displayed through each match was evident as she persevered through the pain of joint dislocation.  a quick trip to ER, x-rays and a splinted sling all happened in time to allow her to return to the venue in time to step up on the podium and receive her ribbon for finishing sixth place.  sixth out of 31 girls in the province.  Hannah also finished in sixth place from 25 girls in her weight class.  both girls showed true courage and grace over the course of the tournament. 

 

 

i was proud of their growth and effort. we both were. OFSAA 2015 is in the books, and with no shortage of excitement at that!

 

 

 i'm happy to save the details here, and am thankful to tuck away another wrestling season that developed more character qualities in these two~ qualities that i believe are helping shape them for life...

a month of pics

we have a very excited ten year old (double digits!!!) drummer in the house...he's been banging away (behind two closed doors~ which has actually been very tolerable and even enjoyable)~ often emerging from the basement sweaty and with his shirt off.  we will see where this goes...i'd love to see him officially learn in time, but for now it is just fun and non-structured "i'm in a rock band" style play.

 

Valentines...

serious cuteness with these two tournament buddies...at a wrestling tournament in Brampton (followed by the snow storm of all snow storms that nearly stranded us in the middle of a monumental white out.  yuck.  so thankful to get home that night...)

 

a few days after getting his first drum kit, Hudson saw this guy playing in the hallway at the tournament we were attending. he was joined by a couple others on guitars.  Hudson sat there quietly soaking it all in.  it was so interesting to see how drawn he was to the group.  everytime i'd walk by the small group of musicians, i'd notice they were just jammin', no conversation, just music. 

 

back yard skating, early February before the skies let go of endless loads of snow...soon after this photo it seemed extra difficult to keep up on the "snow removal" efforts.  wow~ some good arm workouts though...

skating and hot cocoa.  a necessary pairing.



now, enough of the winter.  a little spring soon, perhaps?? :) 

self portrait

i'd say Hudson worked hard to nail the right shade of brown...

not bad, not bad...nice effort and detail buddy! :)