Bed bugs, lice and a bit of puke......

Greetings! I trust you are all doing well? I have noticed that the comments have been low as of late.....

As I shared in last post, Tim and I had a wonderful week visiting my family in Oregon. Here's another pic from the journey....my niece, Gracie, loves this little stone frog in my parents' yard. It reminds me of this weekend.....

We were so encouraged and blessed by God's provision and grace. I shared that I would need to remember God's faithfulness this week to get me through some of the difficult times that were sure to come.....

Well...they started up again on Thursday. I started getting chills Thursday morning and then
a tummy ache and painful joints.....then we went back to work with the kids and our 11 year-old brought over lice and bed bugs. Eeeww. Thursday night, I decided it would be best to nip those nits in the bum....so we treated the lice, boiled his clothes and shaved his head. It was a pretty big and ooky job, but it was done and we had some "bonding time" as a result. We're hoping the lice are gone and we're praying the bed bugs disappear...so far so good. But then the five year-old decided to be a booger. His defiance was clear and so we put him to bed a bit earlier than usual thinking that his belligerence had a lot to do with being sleepy and crabby.

Then, at about midnight, there was a knock at our bedroom door. It was our five year-old....he had puked ALL OVER his bed, the floor, over toys and books, leaving a trail of chicken, rice and vegetable puke from his room to his bathroom...then all over the bathroom...the shower curtain, bath mat and toilet. The smell was enough to burn your nose hairs and permanently damage your senses. I gagged and having the flu myself, began to hurl. Thankfully I didn't have anything in my tummy, so it was just water. Good thing, too.

So we spent the next hour or two washing, scrubbing and wiping off books, blankets, carpets and our boy sat on the couch with a bowl, some bubbly water, and a blanket. Every few minutes he'd say, "B....B....B? Who's gonna sit with me?" I explained that it was going to take two people to clean up all the puke and that he needed to stay still and rest. Yeah, right.

At 1:30 am, I finally collapsed into bed, shaking and trembling in joint pain and stomach cramps. Tim collapsed on the couch as our boy couldn't go back to sleep in his room. Tim got far less sleep with a five year-old staring at him all night.

The morning was filled with laundry washing and trying to get a hold of a carpet company that could get rid of the carpet puky smells and the stains. Our boy managed to ruin two rugs, five books, and two towels with the puke....they were just beyond help. Then we called his family to see what they wanted us to do with him....

This is where I began to go a little nutsy. His caregiver explained that he was just playing games with our heads so that he could go home....he just worked himself into a tizzy bit of stress and made himself throw up to get attention. AAACKKKK! I thought, "No kid is that nuts...throwing up sucks, there's no way he MADE himself do this....right?"

As the morning went on, his behavior got worse and worse. He was demanding and found every possible way of destroying or disrespecting our home and our authority. But he did it with such an innocent cheeky smile on his face that really could be read as devious and evil. I was stunned......and low on patience. Tim and I discovered that what his caregiver had said was totally true. Whenever he would begin to complain about his tummy aching, I would give him the bowl to puke in, but I'd say, "If you puke you can't watch a movie or play a game because you're sick." And immediately he's push away the bucket and be "just fine".

Then he'd ask for some food and juice....I'd get him just a little (because if he IS sick, I don't want to make things worse!) and he'd 'change his mind'....he wanted ice cream and cookies instead....then if I wouldn't give it to him, he'd say, "My tummy hurts, I can't eat it..." Or I'm not hungry anymore....surprise, surprise.

So we decided to treat him as a very sickly boy... bucket had to be with him at all times....no playing outdoors....he had to rest on the couch all day....no nintendo or games....just movies and rest. Needless to say, he seems to be "feeling much better" now. Mmmm. What a booger.

Oh, Lord. Give us grace to get through these next few weeks of work!

And then the Lord had my dear friend, Rebecca, call from "the promise land", Manitoba (or so she thinks). It lifted my spirits and gave me such joy....the evening got better. And then the Canucks won....that helped, too. God was giving new grace....

And today, things seem to be going better...His mercies are new every morning....no puking, no bed bugs....dead lice are gracing the linens of our older boy. Ahhh, things are slowly getting back to normal. In fact, our younger, puking boy is "all better"....no complaints of tummy pain or even appetite trouble....he is totally back to the normal boy we know....still defiant, but when I told him that sick kids can't have dessert, he miraculously recovered.....sugar covers a multitude of sins. :) If only I could take joy in the times of trial....I'm learning and God is good.

Be blessed.

This week.....

Greetings! What a week it's been! As many of you know, Tim and I went to Oregon this week to visit my family and catch up with some old and new friends. Tim got lots of good pics in...hence the photo. So much to share!

But first, I have to tell you a few stories....
Tim and I have been overwhelmed with the amount of planning and business that has to take place before we leave for the Philippines and like I shared in the last post, things have not been easy. But God has been faithful and this passed weekend my friends, Heidi and Kate, came over and talked some sense into me.....

They could see that I was fried and began to sort through my long list of things that I had to do this month and the next before leaving. And ya know what they did? They delegated. They did the hard part for me....! They began to devise plans as to how to get others to help carry the load. I was in tears. The hardest part of all of this has been to ask others to help because I know that most people are busy....but Heidi and Kate cut my work load ooodles! They volunteered their services and the services of others (they just don't know it, yet!). I was truly humbled and blessed. Thank you Kate and Heidi.

But they also taught me that I cannot begin to think that I can walk this road alone....just with Tim. They shared that it is a joy to be a part of the process and that God has blessings in store for those that help out, too. I am learning not to carry all my burdens on my own.

Then this week, as I said earlier, we went to Oregon and the coolest thing happened! You see, seven or eight years ago, I worked at Starbucks in Gresham, Oregon. I loved that job because I had the opportunity to meet some interesting and amazing people. There was a little Jewish lady with a French accent that used to come in and with her beautiful smile, would order her special latte. She was very particular about that latte, too.

Over the course of a year, we got to know each other to the point of committing to pray for one another. We lost contact and I moved to Canada for good. To be honest, I didn't think much about her in university and the monotony of life settled in.

But then I was recently talking to my mom on the phone and she was telling me a this lovely little lady who was a patient of the doctor she works for. She shared that she felt a connection with this lady and told me more about her.....then it clicked! It was the SAME LADY! I told mom to see if she'd like to come to our dinner we were having with some old friends and then this little lady and I began to e-mail back and forth!

Could you believe it? She remembered me and was able to come to dinner on Tuesday....she still had that same beautiful smile and was filled with the love of Jesus (hence the picture below...see the beautiful smile??)....she shared her faith with me and we had a wonderful time. She committed, once again, to pray for Tim, the Philippines journey and for me. I was so hugely blessed. Leave it to God to be the one who reunites kindred hearts together after so many years and under such circumstances as a Starbucks coffee.

Not only that, but my parents' neighbors and my godparents, the ones I grew up with...babysitting their kids, giving them music lessons, swimming in their pool...they all came, too! And many of them committed to pray for us and even decided to financially help us! We were so amazed at God's grace and my parents were blessed by it, too. Many of them I hadn't seen in 6 years, but they were still so supportive and just a huge blessing. God was showing us that He STILL is a God of miracles and blessing.

At the end of our dinner, my godparent and her family gathered around Tim and me. They prayed the kindest prayers and did some spiritual warfare on our behalf....then they worshipped over us and even helped clean up! What an evening.....
When things get rough (as I will share in the next post), I have to remember this particular day and thank the Lord for His gracious provision and faithful encouragement. Be blessed!

Colds and Confirmations.....

Greetings! Oh, how the days are getting longer, but time seems to be going faster....

Monday morning I woke up with a big, swollen gland on my neck....the "Governator" would say that it was "not a tumor"....although it certainly felt like one. I had been sore throat-y and phlegm-y for a month, but figured it was allergies caused by the beautiful display of God's Spring pleasure in my yard.....um no, it was not that.

It seemed I had a bacterial infection in the glands in my neck associated with sinuses. Mmmm. Apart from the difficulty in turning my neck and the feeling as though my head was going to explode, waiting three hours in the walk-in Care Clinic, was great fun. Two antibiotics and two antihistamines later from a doctor who seemed as though I was taking too much of his time, I was literally walking in the clouds. Ahhh Spring. I am feeling a bit better now.... the swelling in my neck is going away, too! Yeah, God!

This has been a hard week for Tim and I. We've been fighting some discouragement as satan is working overtime to get us distracted and fearful. It doesn't help being sick, either. It seems to exaggerate the situation. Ya know? We've just been coming into logistical difficulties around silly things like buying computers, losing driver's licenses and bank cards....being overcharged for items we have no control over. And yet, we are encouraged by the small things like a friend of mine offering some vitamins and spending a couple of hours playing cards with Uncle Bob and Sylvia or that I had enough energy to pack a portion of the kitchen. I am delighting today that I have a chance to sit down and write after a week of business.

A BIG blessing this week was that Tim and I got attend one of our girls' "Confirmation" ceremonies. Our 12 year-old girl (and her sisters) goes to a Catholic school and though I've heard there seems to be a stigma associated with Catholic school-goers, she deeply loves Jesus and takes joy in these ceremonies. I do, too.....especially when you can make faces at the kids and embarrass them with a little waving! :)

Although I am not Catholic, I was blessed to see how clear and 'confirming' this event was to the kids. It preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the 'Confirmandi' or candidates had the opportunity to share their love for Christ in a very public way. These kids are given a choice to be confirmed....they aren't forced to do it....they choose a sponsor that walks them through what they really believe in their heart is the purpose for their life and the truth of Jesus. Then they are honored for their faith by the archbishop of Vancouver and are prayed over for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It isn't some 'new age' voodoo thing, but one of great truth and reverence. I was in awe with the respect and honor these 37 candidates showed to God through their behavior, words, and attentiveness. They were desiring to be 'true witnesses of Christ'. They knew it was a BIG deal to have their lives controlled by the Holy Spirit....it is a decision that should be marked by great reverence. It's a big decision and I was glad to see how encouraged our girl was and how sure she was of her choice.

Ya know, reflecting upon seeing a few of our kids receive Jesus into their lives, I think a ceremony of some kind where they are given the opportunity to share what they really believe and where they have a sponsor who walks them through those beliefs should be in every denomination.....like 'confirming' what they believe in a public setting to give them confidence and faith....so that others can walk along side them and encourage them in reminding them of the commitment and sacrifice they have made to follow the teachings of Christ and be filled with His Holy Spirit.

We have ceremonies for weddings, funerals, and banquets for accomplishments and parties for birthdays, but what about a kid (or adult) who makes the hardest and most important decision of his life....? We pray a prayer with them and give 'em a Bible.....are we communicating the deep value of the moment? Yeah, a ceremony would be a bit spendy, but if there's a party in heaven when a person makes Jesus Lord of their life...I wanna be at a party, too! Our 12 year-old certainly felt grown up in her faith....I loved seeing that. Maybe there's room for change in how we celebrate new life in Christ.

Be blessed!

"Be my delight..."

Greetings! Tim took this picture at Stanley Park today and I really love it! It's not often that you see a swan nowadays.....especially one so purely white...most of the time they are kinda dirty and grey colored. It certainly beats running into Canadian Geese, that's for sure!

I have been pondering what it means to have all my delight in the Lord.....You see, I ran into an article in a magazine here in Canada that read,

"Is God Poison?: a growing movement blames religion for all the world's ills, from the war on terror to AIDS in Africa to child abuse" and I wondered, "whoa...that's a heavy statement and to a dying and depressed world, I can see how God would be seen as such". Religion certainly does not seem to bring peace......

Upon reading the article, I discovered that what was missing in their arguments was a 'true' representation of the character of God. They spoke of how evil and destructive followers of 'God' can be and it included Christians, Jews, Muslims, and every other supposedly "peace-loving" religion, too. But perhaps basing their entire view of God on fallible man is not a good idea. I don't think we humans know God well enough to show by our actions that He isn't poison, but rather He is the antidote to the poisoning of our souls from the ultimate enemy of humanity...your know who I mean, right?

I t is my hope and my prayer that one day, I will reflect the true character of God....

What does this have to do with delight? Well, I notice that when I commit my day to delighting in the Lord, I seem to not hurt others around me! No, it's the truth! I know I hurt others and a lot of times when I cause pain, I don't even know it. But when I truly delight in the character of Christ...my God- His justice, mercy, grace, love, faithfulness, power, patience, His coming glory, Christ's sacrifice, His revelations, His forgiveness- I find that I live without fear of hurting others around me....because they're not getting hurt! His delight creates in me a clean heart, a pure mind, and encouraging and exhorting words. Even when the truth is spoken and the truth can hurt, there is understanding and grace....I wish I could delight in the Lord EVERY MINUTE! Delighting in Him creates peace....it comforts the brokenhearted, serves the poor, desires reconciliation, seeks the best in everyone.....THAT doesn't sound like a God who should be blamed for war, AIDS and child abuse.

Maybe that's the point....religion WITHOUT GOD causes those things....we've been too busy creating religions that we forgot to get to know GOD!

Psalm 37 says,

"Do not fret because of evil men
or be envious of those who do wrong;

2 for like the grass they will soon wither,
like green plants they will soon die away.

3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

4 Delight yourself in the LORD
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:

6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn,
the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when men succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

8 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.

9 For evil men will be cut off,
but those who hope in the LORD will inherit the land.

10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;
though you look for them, they will not be found.

11 But the meek will inherit the land
and enjoy great peace.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous
and gnash their teeth at them;

13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked,
for he knows their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword
and bend the bow
to bring down the poor and needy,
to slay those whose ways are upright.

15 But their swords will pierce their own hearts,
and their bows will be broken.

16 Better the little that the righteous have
than the wealth of many wicked;

17 for the power of the wicked will be broken,
but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The days of the blameless are known to the LORD,
and their inheritance will endure forever.

19 In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.

20 But the wicked will perish:
The Lord's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields,
they will vanish—vanish like smoke.

21 The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;

22 those the LORD blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be cut off.

23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,
he makes his steps firm;

24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

25 I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.

26 They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be blessed.

27 Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.

28 For the LORD loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
They will be protected forever,
but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off;

29 the righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom,
and his tongue speaks what is just.

31 The law of his God is in his heart;
his feet do not slip.

32 The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
seeking their very lives;

33 but the LORD will not leave them in their power
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD
and keep his way.
He will exalt you to inherit the land;
when the wicked are cut off, you will see it.

35 I have seen a wicked and ruthless man
flourishing like a green tree in its native soil,

36 but he soon passed away and was no more;
though I looked for him, he could not be found.

37 Consider the blameless, observe the upright;
there is a future for the man of peace.

38 But all sinners will be destroyed;
the future of the wicked will be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD;
he is their stronghold in time of trouble.

40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in him."

Perhaps this passage explains what so many "God-following" people are missing (myself included). Every religion worships gods or God, but when we truly KNOW the true God, our reaction to following Him should represent His character and His heart. His heart puts an end to poverty, war, AIDS, and child abuse.....and I should, too....by His power and His mercy. "HELP ME, OH LORD!" Be blessed.

New life is ALL OVER THE PLACE! .......

Happy Easter Monday everyone! I hope that your Easter was filled with the love of Jesus and that the joy of His resurrection surpassed your wildest dreams!

Easter, and this whole 'spring-y' season are filled with the testimony of new life. Yesterday, I went walking through my garden and was amazed at how quickly so many of the flowers burst open. It was just a few days ago when I ventured out to check on the stubby stems and VOILA! Today they are in FULL bloom! And to be honest....I am feeling the same way....overwhelmed with 'bloom-y-ness"....it's the opposite of "gloominess". Yes, I feel as though new life is springing into my spirit.....ahhhh the fantastic corny-ness of it all! And yet, here's why.....

As many of you know, Tim and I are finishing up the last two months of our four-year term in our group home. The kids are beginning to understand the magnitude of the move and it has been my deepest desire to see all the kids come to a realization of how much they are loved and that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them more than any one on earth ever could.

I shared a couple of weeks ago that our 12-year-old met Jesus and the joy that filled him was unlike I'd ever seen.....that left one more boy in our care who hadn't met Jesus....hadn't experienced the joy and comfort of knowing a loving God who'd be with him for all eternity.

This weekend, he met Jesus! No, he didn't DIE...he became ALIVE!

Here's his story.....

He is a quiet, guarded kid. He's always been uncomfortable with any form of affection. The occasional bright-eyed, beautiful smile occurs only when you've REALLY amused him. He's well-behaved, for the most part, and unfortunately, has learned a lot of things from the other boy who came on the same weekend....the kid who stole Tim's camera. However, there is a softness, a compassion about this kid that I've never seen in any of the other kids we've had. He is always patient and though doesn't say much, strives to speak truth as much as possible.

He's endured many hardships and at 11 years old, he's experienced more rejection than people 4 times his age. His maturity amidst his circumstances is astounding. This week he had just moved from one relative to the next...he didn't say much.

Knowing that this had been a hard week, we took the Easter holiday to the extreme....we always have an Easter egg hunt and mass-quantities of Easter goodies, but we felt like we needed to make him a really BIG Easter basket complete with fake plastic grass (you know the kind) and various cheesy "break-after-one-use" dollar store items. We included a little tiny Bible, too.

He didn't comment on the basket, but gobbled down most of the candy. Before bed, we asked him if it would be okay to go to church because it was a very special day. He said he didn't mind, but wanted to know what time it ended. :) He's very particular about time.

Sunday morning I made a special Easter breakfast because my parents always did and with this kid being the only one in the house, I wanted to make sure he felt extra special....'cuz he is. Then we talked. I asked him what he thought about Easter and what it was really about. He said he didn't know. I asked him if he wanted to know...and amazingly, he said, "yeah".

I told him that Easter actually started with Christmas. That God sent His precious and only Son to earth because we were hurting each other with selfishness and malice. That Jesus came to teach us that there was a better way to live.....one that says instead of beating up the guy who stole your i-Pod, give him your PSP and cell phone as well. Our boy just listened. Then we got to the angry people who didn't like what Jesus was saying even though it was from God.

Jesus died at the hands of angry men just because He loved them. God wanted to communicate just how precious the people of the world were to Him by showing them the greatest sacrifice. Because of that sacrifice, we can talk freely to God and live forever with Him. AND that wasn't the end of the story....Jesus is ALIVE TODAY!

Long story even longer, our boy seemed mildly bored, but listened and then we headed to church.....we felt that since our church is located in the same building as a Starbucks, we needed some hot chocolate and a latte before heading into the sanctuary. Good call.

Our boy had never been to church and the look on his face as he watched these "crazy weirdos" dancing and raising their hands while singing to the projection screen was just a little bit nutsy. I tried to translate. And Tim was leading a portion of the worship so that helped, too.

Then children's church was cancelled. He was stuck in the service with me and Tim. I thought that was gonna frustrate him, but playing Mah Jong on my cell phone helped and he even looked up some of the Scriptures in my Bible during the message! Mmmm. Then it came time for the invitation to meet Jesus.....and then communion.

I carefully asked our boy if that was something he was interested in. He shrugged and said, "I dunno." I told him that he didn't have to and that it was a really big decision....it meant that all the people all over the world who believed in Jesus were a part of the his family...that asking Jesus to take control of His life meant that no matter where he went, Jesus would be with him and would walk beside him no matter what came his way....that Jesus would send His presence in the form of the Holy Spirit into his heart to help him bless the people around him and love them with the love God showed when He placed His Son on the cross....that this was the biggest decision he'd ever make, so if he didn't want to do it, that was okay.

Then he turned to me and said, "okay, how do I do it and how long is it gonna take?" I think my smile from ear to ear scared him a bit. We prayed and he asked Jesus to take complete control of his life....to teach him to treat others with love the way He does....to forgive him of all the crappy things he's done and that he was happy to one day see Jesus face to face in Heaven. Whoa.

Then we took communion....he commented on the stale cracker and wondered why we only got a teeny cup of juice....I told him that when he gets to Heaven, there will be a feast and he can have more. :) I welcomed him to my family and had him meet more of his new brothers and sisters....they were ecstatic to meet him and prayed blessing over him. His smile was priceless even if he said nothing.

Then he got a new BIGGER Bible....he smiled bigger. I gave him a hug and he didn't push me away. I told him that Jesus was there ...now inside of him and he could talk to Him anytime he wanted. He nodded and said, "When are we going? I wanna hunt Easter eggs." I laughed and asked if he would ever want to come back to church....he said, "Yeah, maybe...." Good enough for me! His smile has remained and even today he is sure of his decision. A new life is forming in him. I am humbled by the power and mercy of God.

Be blessed.

The baby story......

Greetings! This is Naomi! This is Naomi just a few short hours after giving birth to her second son, Jordan Levi. We have been praying for this little one for a long time. The doctors were concerned that he wasn't growing properly in the womb and with Naomi and her family leaving for the Philippines in June, little Jordan REALLY needed to grow.

After many weeks of prayer and advice from her midwife, Naomi was finally give the 'okay' to birth at home.

So this past Tuesday, I got a call early in the day from Naomi saying...."I think today's the day!" I'm having minor contractions, but I'll call as things progress. By 4:45 pm, she was in full labor! Contractions were coming faster and more intense.

I headed over there as well as her doula, midwives, photographer, videographer, husband, and friend. It was a full house! We frosted Jordan's birthday cake, made granola, prepared the birthing pool, laid our fresh towels, took care of her little one, Noah, who was watching "Buzz Lightyear" upstairs, and all the while, Naomi labored......pacing the house.....moaning and smiling....then crying and giggling....she was great.

Then things started REALLY happening.... she got into her bathtub and then got out for a break only to have her bag of waters break and spew across the bathroom.....it really did! It was time to get the party started! With all of us in and out tending to whatever was needed, the excitement was getting intense. I went and got Noah from upstairs to cheer on his mommy as she pushed Jordan out.

Then she wanted to head to the pool in the living room....yes...a POOL IN THE LIVING ROOM! Talk about luxury! It might've been a blow-up kiddie pool, but it was still a POOL IN THE LIVING ROOM!

Then her hubby joined in the pool party and got in position to catch his son from his laboring wife.....no sooner did I get Noah in the room that Jordan Levi, at 6:05 pm, shot out into his father's arms! We were all in tears and with cameras clicking and shouts of joy, Jordan entered Naomi's arms and was wrapped in a warm towel. Ahhh. His eyes were wide and his cry was a beautiful sound. Even Noah was mesmerized by the sight of his fragile new brother.

Jordan was able to get a good latch for nursing and his daddy cut his umbilical cord. The midwives began to stitch Naomi up and nine months of growing pains and heavy loads came to a close. With her homeopathic remedies and a warm blanket, Naomi rested on the couch sipping licorice tea and basking in the joy of her new son. What a blessing.

Then it was time to cut the birthday cake, clean up the crazy mess, eat some soup and make phone calls! What a great day. Even the weather was full of joy....sunny, warm and clear. A good day for a birthday. Just in time for Easter, too! What a joy to celebrate new life on the most powerful week of new life in Christ Jesus! There's a message in there....Great pains to great life in eternity....Mmmm.

With the birth of Jordan now in the past, their packing for their journey to the Philippines begins and that means our packing starts, too. Heavy. Be blessed!

Sorry for the delay!

Greetings! I said last post that I'd share a bit about our time with my brother and his family, but I have to quick share some breaking news that I'll elaborate on in the next post!

My good friend, Naomi (who is also heading to the Philippines) just had her long-awaited baby boy! Tuesday, April 3rd at 6:05 pm, weighing 5 lbs. 10 oz., Jordan Levi Bjorgan was born in a home water birth. In perfect health and already nursing, Jordan is a testimony of God's great love and mercy. Naomi's labor was very short and all of her birthing desires were met. Her hubby even got to catch Jordan and cut the cord! Surrounded by doulas, midwives, and friends, this birth was well-supported and I was blessed to be a part of it. I'll share a photo or two next post.

As Easter is nearing, I can't help but be amazed at how great God's love is for us and how that love is shown daily.....not just at Easter. When my brother, Andy, and his wife, Ruth, arrived with my niece and nephew, I was filled with uncontrollable, giddy love for them....I wanted to eat them...or something...I just couldn't get enough of them even when they were misbehaving!.....

hence all the pictures. :) Tim was pretty "camera-happy" and the kids didn't mind getting their photos taken. In fact, my niece, Grace, posed for hundreds of pics and was slightly disappointed when the modeling session ended! Ahh, to be 3!

But I felt as though I'd experienced just a taste of God's giddy love for us....the kind of "agape" love that would do ANYTHING for us....even give up the life of His precious Son, Jesus. When Ben and Gracie were here, I felt their parents' love for them so strong that it brought me to tears....their discipline was consistent, their guidance unwavering and their encouragement to them was a blessing to witness. What Godly parents they are! Grace and Ben are seeing God's love for them everyday through their parents. What a blessing!

Grace was never short of entertaining songs and games....she always looked for one of us to include in her adventures. And Benjamin's disposition and character exuded such peace even when he wasn't feeling very good.We went to the Aquarium and a beluga even smiled at Tim! We got ice cream and went to Granville Island, but the true event was hanging out at our house enjoying conversation and playing goofy games.

Andy and Ruth were so laid back and flexible, too! Our time together was restful and seeing them brought me a lot of joy. It was painful, too as I can only count on one hand the times we have left to be with them. I never want to lose that connection and I am so thankful the Lord brought them.

I'll try to be more consistent with the postings....Be blessed!