Twitter - A Game Changer

Okay, so I may really be behind in the game, but I just finally took the jump and discovered Twitter.  I have an account that I keep more professional as a teacher tweeting or mostly retweeting things that hit me in the world of education, politics, science, social justice, the environment, etc.

I also just created a more personal one where I tweet, retweet things with respect to motherhood, marriage and faith as a continuation of www.MomsMoments.ca.  @DeeperMoments.

Its amazing to have so much information at my fingertips!  Twitter makes it so much easier to scan the news, see and easily share what authors and speakers I respect are tweeting and blogging about when I just have a few minutes on my cell.  I'm not one to sit on the home computer very much because frankly, there's not enough time in the day, so I otherwise am terrible at keeping up with blogs or randomly searching online for anything at all.

But Twitter... well... that's a game changer.  Its opened up a whole new level of awareness of the world, of innovation, of encouragement, challenging me to continue to be  more intentional in motherhood, marriage and faith, as well as a teacher and human being in today's society!

If you haven't already, check out Twitter and see the world come to you rather then you having to feel in the dark because there's no time to keep up with what's going on in the world!

See you on Twitter!  @DeeperMoments

Mélanie

Running Mama - setting goals!

I have not been able to figure out how to carve out the time to get my running in on any sort of regular basis since my running partner's injuries have forced her to stop running.

I have missed it.

Greatly.

Such a great stress relief.  Sanity "me"-time where I don't have to think about anything at all.  I can think or pray if I want to.  Or I can zone out and just run.  Alone.  No one vying for my energy or attention or needing something from me.  Just me and the trail... putting one foot in front of the other.

LOVE IT!

This spring I have finally made a way to prioritize my running again.  Strengthening workouts, varying my runs in lengths and intensity, and the big difference: I set some goals. 

I have had my eyes set on running a 10km for some time, but an old injury and lack of time to train kept me away from pursuing it.  I decided this was finally the time to do it. I registered for a race.  I've never raced for running before.  Only for cross-country skiing back in high school and university, where training was always done as a team and running was always just for cross-training.  Never my main sport.

What a difference setting a goal has made!  As I longed for a Garmin GPS watch like my friend's, I chanced upon "Runtastic" a free app on my blackberry which made all the difference to my running!  I could now not only track distance and time, but my PACE.  Suddenly, I started racing against myself (I'm rather competitive).  And what do you know, with a race in sight and my pace being the only thing on my mind as I ran (so amazing to for a moment forget all the other stresses of the week!), I started to get faster!

My first race was April 22nd on the hilliest course ever.  My cross-country skiing training came in handy there with all that hill work!  I exceeded my goal on that frigid day:  I ran the 10km well under an hour.  Actually 7 minutes faster then I had set as a goal for myself!  Not only that, I came in 5th out of the 37 women running and 2nd in my age category!  (okay, small crowd that day, but man did that feel good!!)

Have you ever surprised yourself??  I sure did that day!

Knowing that I could not only break 60 minutes on a hilly course like that, but actually compete, my goals got loftier!  I wanted to get even faster!

The next race was set for a month later.  May 27th.  This time, I would be running with a friend.  A seasoned runner and his son.  That would be different.  Having never run together before, who knew if we'd keep the same pace, if we were best to run alone?  But being as competitive as we were, it ended up being a personal best for the three of us, keeping a crazy fast pace that we didn't even know we could keep (because we didn't want to get beat by the other)!  That day we broke under 50 minutes and I again pleasantly surprised myself!

So yes... now my eyes are on the next goal... finding the next race... finding a way to keep up my running in the summer once the kids are out of school will be the challenge, so I believe repeating the results from my last two races come the fall would make me happy!

For now, the next goal is training with my 9 year old daughter for her to run her first 5km in September, then I might sneak in a 10km race the following weekend.

What a difference goal setting can make!  And what a high you get from not only meeting your goals but exceeding them!  Pushes you to keep discovering what you are capable of!

I've got the bug... So exhilarating to be doing something for myself that's so good for my mind and body!  Makes you stay young I think... Haven't felt that rush since university!  LOVE IT!

The 100/0 Principle

Do you have a relationship in your life that you are ready to give up on? You're so frustrated with the person you don't know why you even bother?

Well, we all know the golden rule:

Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.

But its not always so easy to live out when we face frustrating people that make us want to throw our arms up in the air...

So what do we do? Give up? Is the relationship worth all your effort when it feels like they're giving you nothing back?

The golden rule was summed up in practical ways in this 100/0 Principle that really resonated with me. Its meant for the relationships that you feel truly matter... whether it be a coworker you just need to get along with because you work so closely together... a friend... a sibling... an in-law... a spouse... whatever relationship you find yourself in that might be strained at the moment.

Check out this brief video to see what its all about... you'll get the idea.

The 100/0 Principle - see this brief video to get the gist of it.

Relationships that matter are worth the time and effort. I truly believe it. We need faith that things can and will change. I do... do you?

Time Well Spent

As I was cleaning the house this afternoon, two thoughts kept running through my head... The first is that my energy spent on cleaning the floors and vacuuming seems so futile... if only a house could go from chaos to clean as quickly as it goes from clean to chaos when little ones are around... My toddler has recently discovered our unbabyproofable pantry and a new hobby has become emptying cereal boxes and pasta everywhere... I mean I can't fit EVERYTHING on top of the fridge!!!

The second thought that's more importantly been coming back to me is this... I chose well today.

I could have kept myself busy at work all day, but instead, I chose to cancel an appointment and work from home, allowing me to drive the kids to school this morning and join my 2nd-grader on their class field trip to the skating rink.

I chose well.

We had a blast skating together. She didn't even care that her friends were around, my girl just wanted to skate with her mommy and didn't like the time I ever so briefly went around the rink chatting with another parent... no this was OUR time together, no other siblings around, just the two of us (the 50+ other 2nd graders on the ice didn't seem to matter). We started playing tag to catch each other on the ice, with a few of her friends even joining in at the end. Awesome mother-daughter time!

Best of all, I was so excited to see that in 2nd grade, though you're already trying to be a lady and mimic the older kids in the way they dress and do their hair, it's still cool to reach for mom's hand as we're walking to the rink with the class... That made my day ;)

The overriding lesson of the day?

The house, the laundry and my to-do-list from work... those things will all get accomplished eventually... As pressing as they sometimes feel, in reality, they can and must wait. The bottom line is this:

I'll never regret giving my kids more of my time... building bonds, communication, character, faith...

That will always be time well spent at the end of the day.

Marriages need protection!

In November, my husband and I were in Vancouver for his graduation from the Arrow Leadership Program. During that time, we took part in 1-day marriage seminars which was awesome and we still have things to debrief from that time together! I left there very encouraged about the state of our marriage and of our communication as a couple.

Oh how much we have grown over the last 10 years of marriage! Has it already been that long?? Crazy. (we celebrate our anniversary in a few months!) Making more time for fun as a couple and family being a priority on what to improve upon as we wrap up a crazy busy year of me back to work and a husband in school... We look forward to a change of pace in the coming months but in the meantime we continue to steal time away for quality time together and the girls and I have been doing a lot of skating to get outdoors while daddy is studying!

Back from Vancouver, I was already thinking about marriage when I was once again reminded of how important it is to PROTECT our marriages, investing in our relationship with our spouse instead of so easily taking it for granted, as I recently heard the crushing news of another marriage going south. I took this news hard... this was a family I was once very close to in my younger days... I was SHOCKED at the news and the circumstances. And it just reinforced the fact that we MUST invest in our marriages and do all we can to protect them. The greatest gift we can ever give our kids is to keep our marriages strong... It is clear once again as the kids in that family are now left in the balance trying to figure out life in light of their new hurtful circumstances... tough way to begin a new year...

In all of that, I am more thankful then ever for my awesome husband. We are SO blessed with our beautiful children. I continue to commit to being intentional in loving my husband and family well... (read Nicolle Huggins' article in the Feb/March 2010 issue of Mom's Moments for more on that! - coming soon!)

PANIC MODE

Well I don't know how things are in your part of the world, but around here, the past two weeks, everyone seems to be in complete panic mode regarding the H1N1 flu pandemic...

News of the 13-year old hockey player and now the 2-month old baby who have died of H1N1 have for sure fueled the panic.  Add to that the vaccine shortage... people lining up 5-6 hours to get their shot... people getting turned away because they don't fit into the high risk groups (kids 6 months to 5 year being among the high risk group accepted at the moment).  Lots of indecisiveness and confusion about what to do with the vaccine... We are bombarded by conflicting information on a daily basis.   We have decided to go ahead with the H1N1 vaccine (despite my having been the biggest skeptic when it comes to the regular flu shot, I'm thinking that this isn't the year to be a skeptic and I'm trusting the advice of my friends and family who are in the medical world!)  I'm not writing this to get the debate going about whether to vaccinate or not... that's a personal decision... do your research and decide for yourselves!

Rather, I'm writing to address the mass panic... It is easy to live in fear... in fear of getting sick... in fear of germs everywhere... in fear of our children getting sick and ending up like the kids we've heard about on the news... 

PANIC

FEAR

WORRY

I have caught myself begin to panic a few times over the last couple of weeks... but I just need to recognize it, and change the fear and worrying into prayer... The panic around me has fueled my prayer to God for my children and our family... for health, for protection, and for so much more...

Prayer and looking to God's truths in scripture give me peace as they take my eyes away from my circumstances, and rather remind me that there is an all-knowing, powerful God who is present and at work - not just in a cosmic distant way, but in a close and personal way.  He knows me, my family and everything about us, and even better, He loves us and cares for us.  Prayer keeps me focussed on who God is and melts away fear and worry.

Now does that mean that we will be free from illness, tragedy and heartache in our lives?  No.  But I do believe that God hears our prayers and answers them in ways that He knows are best for us in the long term.  That can be impossible for any of us to understand depending on what we're coping with.  In the face of those difficult times, I do believe that God gives us the strength to handle whatever we are up against just when we need it, and that it somehow fits into a larger plan that I may be unable to make sense of in the moment.

Here are two of my favourite verses that bring me hope and peace - as well as a few others!

"Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and your outstretch arm.  Nothing is too hard for you."  Jeremiah 32:17 

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest." - Jesus (Matthew 11:28)

"Do not be afraid, for I am with you"  Isaiah 43:5a

I leave you with this prayer from Romans 15:13 :  May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Starting off the Day

This morning as I lay in bed, I could hear my 6-year-old daughter singing quietly to herself in her bed. What a great way to start the day. I much prefer when she wakes up singing then when I have to wake her up, exhausted on a school day, and she's whining and complaining that she's too tired to get up yet... I choose singing over whining any day of the week! (if only it were my choice to make)

I do have other choices to make that affect my mornings though... will I press snooze, which results in a rushed morning to get myself ready and everyone up and going too... will I eat breakfast right away as I feed the girls, or will I get busy with 1001 tasks only to realize that I'm grumpy because I still haven't eaten (I don't function well without breakfast)... and the one which has the greatest impact on my day: will I sit and take a moment to read my Bible as I eat breakfast before I rush off and continue with the rest of my day (before or after the kids have eaten)...

Why is that last one so significant? Because I find that reading my Bible in the morning sets me up for a better day. It gets me refocused, invites God into my day from the start, and leads to a heart of prayer as I sit in the car driving to work, or doing tasks around the house - praying for my husband, my girls, friends, family, etc. In short, it puts life in perspective and reminds me that God is with me through each moment of my day.

I find that I've not been starting off my day right the past while, and I've been feeling it... impatience... rushing from one task to the next feeling like I'm not getting ahead... I have had seasons where I can pour into deeper studies, and others where I can barely get to just read a brief devotional with reflections written by various people based on a short passage. I'm in a busy season, and knowing that I've been missing the mark too often in past months, I'm back to picking up a devotional, though light, it at least is a start to get me focused in the morning and is better then nothing!

So I may not be able to choose if my daughter will wake up singing or cranky, but I can choose to take even just a minute to refocus my day by reaching for God's Word. What a difference it makes to my day!

Back to Work

So here it is... the moment you block out of your mind while on maternity leave (at least I do!)... the time has come for me to return to work...

I was back last week, but full swing next week with classes starting. I'm thankful that I'll be part-time (for the first time in my life) and have a more flexible morning schedule to be there for the girls before school and daycare. Ah... daycare... it always plays a number on my mind to put one of my babes in daycare... until we get settled and everyone gets accustomed and happy in our new routines. I'll also be there for them as they hop off the bus, so that works out wonderfully!

The first thing I find myself doing is selecting the perfect pictures to print off to have with me at school. It's so easy to get busy with work and not notice it taking over... I don't want to forget my girls in my days and that they need me more than any of my students do. I've learned over time that my only role where I am NOT replaceable is that of being a MOM to my 3 daughters. So when work and other responsibilities start creeping in, I want to remember all the fun we've had this summer so that I continue to prioritize making more time for my girls and family fun during the year when life is busy.

So here we go... another year at work... I already miss my girls. I already missed out on the beautiful sunny days last week and it drives me nuts! And I don't like that I'm turning the computer on again on a more regular basis... I LOVED the break I took this summer from working on the computer!

Speaking of the computer... I am also thankful for the help I've had with Mom's Moments in all the planning that took place last spring, so that I can keep up my newly expanded editing role there without it overwhelming me throughout the year. Great topics and people lined up to write for Mom's Moments and Deeper... I'm excited about that... stay tuned for the latest at www.momsmoments.ca (or rather just subscribe so you don't miss a thing and get an email every 2 months with what's new)!

I have a full plate this year... I pray that I can keep it all in balance! I'm feeling pretty good about it all so far with scaling back to being part-time, but I know it won't be easy to keep it all in check! I would give anything to be home full time... but its not an option for our family at the moment! Such is life... In the meantime, I'm praying for wisdom, PATIENCE, and energy so that I can keep up with everything while not missing out on the important things in life!

Learning from Others

Over the past summer months, I have spent a lot of time with a lot of different people as we've visited family and had various friends staying with us as well.

I've noticed that each home and family has its own rhythm and habits... It's been an interesting thing to observe... from the way parents interact with their spouses and with their kids and neighbours... to their routines and how connected they are in their communities... to their attitudes and habits in the kitchen, the house and the environment!

I've noticed that I've changed as a result of living with my friends and family... It's in the little things really... but it's made a difference in our home at times!

• I've seen kids eating solid foods earlier then I normally introduced it to mine... it actually impacted how my youngest made the transition over to table foods over the summer, and she's a wonderful eater now (except for fresh fruit... I don't know if its the slimy feel of foods she can mush in her hands, but those don't make it to her mouth for some reason...)
• I watched some take a minute to fold a load of laundry as soon as it was out of the dryer. I've found that taking that minute on the spot when I can to deal with one load at a time has avoided "laundry mountain" to pile up and clothes gets put away much faster without me having to set aside a night to "deal" with it!
• I saw some fill the dishwasher as they go... when it comes to the dishes, I was one who couldn't justify using the dishwasher unless I could fill it... but I've now learned that even if I just have one bowl and glass at the moment, it always fills up eventually and its one less job for my list of things to do (even if the dishes are still dirty - at least they're out of sight!)
• Even though I am fairly careful to care for the environment, I've learned that there is still room for improvements in the little things - like filling the juice containers instead of buying juice boxes for their school lunches to reduce waste!
• I saw a mom pull out a chapter book to read to the kids any time there was a lull in the day at the cottage... sure I read to my kids every night, but we haven't gotten into chapter books... hmmmm...
• Seeing how different people operate in their kitchens and how they fit in prepping their meals in their days has motivated me to have a lot more fun in the kitchen (my husband loves to cook... I tend to step aside or do the bare minimum). It's been fun to experiment and cook some great yummy new foods the past while!

There's so much more too... like attitudes and family routines regarding physical activity and health, to safety while on outings, or playtime with the kids, (I even noticed that I sat to play more board games with the kids when we were at the cottage... why don't we make more time for that at home??), etc... 

In short, I have LOVED every moment of visiting with SO MANY friends and family over the summer. I've learned some things along the way, and it's been a joy to get a glimpse into everyone's lives and catch up, hear their hearts, worries, plans and dreams for the future and just have lots of good old plain fun and laugh together.

Thanks to all whom I've crossed paths with over the summer... it's been a blast :) Hopefully we can do it again soon!

Summer Resolutions

School's out for summer... that brings mixed emotions for me...

For sure I'm SOoooo excited that summer is finally here! Tomorrow is Canada Day! The warm weather has arrived... the days at the cottage... the swimming... many days out in the sun... much visiting with family and friends...

But mixed emotions because it means that as my baby girl celebrates her 1st birthday in less then a week, the end of my maternity leave is fast approaching. Though summer is just beginning, I already have the end of it at the back of my mind, as I head back to the classroom in September, and will of course be doing some reading and preparation over the summer. That being said, I'm feeling like I need to do a few things this summer...

Now that we are free from our school and extra-curricular activities, there is less running around, and we're well on our way to relaxing and playing more. I want the girls to rest more (I want us all to rest more).

I'm also feeling the need for a major technology fast. I want to break free from the computer. Though I love the convenience of my Blackberry (new in the last few months), I also really want to get rid of it... it allows me to be at the computer when I'm not at the computer... I just want to get away from the computer altogether!! And I am excited to have reconnected with many dear friends through Facebook in the past month or so, and I particularly love catching up with my family (currently my immediate family in 3 continents and 2 provinces, and extended family in 4 continents and I think 5 provinces). Facebook has been really neat for getting a glimpse into each other's daily lives despite living so far apart! Having said that, I've just turned off all of the email notifications and I've taken the Facebook application off the main screen on my Blackberry... I'm feeling a bit too connected... I just need a break from technology in general... I don't even feel like turning the TV on at night! I will for sure continue to keep in touch with friends and family with Facebook, but not having it so ever-present on my phone will be a welcome break!

I'm thinking I might just pick up my scrapbooking stuff again (after over 3 years) and maybe get a bit caught up. I've also got a few French books to read for September, despite Molière and Les Misérables perhaps not being my first picks for summer reading, it'll be a good break and might just lead to me doing more reading in general!

So, I'm off to spend more time with my three girls... reading lots with my oldest as she becomes a more confident reader, reviewing basics with my 3 1/2 yr old before she starts school in the Fall, and watching my baby getting more steady and quicker on her feet, discovering more table foods and becoming more proficient at drinking milk from a cup. I also look forward to enjoying much time in the water with all 3 - the oldest is my fish, an awesome swimmer, my middle just on the verge of swimming on her own, and the youngest is splasher extraordinaire!

I also look forward to squeezing in whatever quality time we can with daddy when he can manage to take mini breaks from school... (like this past weekend's impromptu trip to the Toronto Zoo).

All in all, I just feel like I have to be even more intentional about how I use my time because I have an acute sense of my time at home being short now!! I want to enjoy every last bit to the fullest before I head back to work!!

Do you have any summer resolutions?

Sweet & Nutty Moments in Life

There are two phrases I seem to hear myself say a lot: "Nothing drives me more nuts then..." and "There's nothing sweeter in the world then..."

The problem is that lately I've been catching myself saying those statements in reference to several different things. I suppose that's the problem with absolute statements like ALWAYS, NEVER and NOTHING... we use them way too frequently... oh well... I thought I'd make lists to go with those two phrases... (in no particular order):

Nothing drives me more nuts then...

• having my peaceful shower interrupted by loud kids barging into the bathroom.
• running out of milk or cereal in the house (that was a pet peeve way back in university!).
• the laundry sitting in baskets waiting to be folded long enough that new loads have to be washed, only adding to the mounds to be folded and put away... making me dread the task all the more (see the vicious cycle?!)
• being woken up too early in the morning by whining kids pulling on my arm to come downstairs... (I much prefer when they crawl in and let me keep sleeping for a while longer!)
• little ones making my chair swivel from side to side when I'm trying to work on the computer...
• the kitchen cupboard door falling off its hinges and onto my toe (needs some loving and slight repair!)
• finding dishes around the house once I've just finished doing the dishes and drained the water... (I really should use the dishwasher more often)
• kids not responding when being called incessantly by another... be it a sibling, friend, or whoever... Respond when someone calls your name please!! (that goes for adults too I suppose!)
• receiving spam from myself... yep, that's my name and email address... but I KNOW I didn't send those!! I wonder who gets spam from me and thinks I sent that junk??? (know that it wasn't me!!)

Now on to the other list... Here's where I want to break into song like Maria in The Sound of Music with "these are a few of my favourite things...", minus the rain drops on roses (though that is beautiful) and whiskers on kittens... (our house is on a Sound of Music kick the past while since my daughter went to see the musical last month) Back to my list (again, in no particular order)...

There's nothing sweeter in the world then...

• the warmth and peace of a sleeping baby curled up in my arms hearing my girls spontaneously start to belt out praise songs to God (though it's not uncommon for them to break into song with ABBA and the Sound of Music these days too... it's sweet, but not the same in the least!).
• hearing the giggles and hearty laughter of our kids and seeing them make each other laugh is even sweeter.
• being out in nature exploring with the girls.
• snuggling in my honey's arms.
• enjoying the company of good friends and family on our back deck, at the cottage, (or anywhere else for that matter!)
• reconnecting with an old friend feeling like you can pick up where you left off.
• being invited to swim in our neighbour's pool with the kids at the end of a HOT summer day!
• putting your list of things to do aside (like cleaning a dirty kitchen) to push giggly girls on the swingset in the backyard after dinner with a bit of hide-and-seek thrown in. Makes everyone's day in the end! (not sure why I don't stop what I'm doing more often to play...)

Next time I hear myself say those phrases with something different... I'll add them to my list! What about you? What drives you the most nuts? What are your sweet and special moments? Post a comment and share!

Check it out!

My blog was just posted over at www.5minutesformoms.com. Thought I'd share my interview with you!

The markers of a good day...

I just read a post on my friend's blog which made me laugh... Laugh because I could so relate to having both the "Survival Days" as well as the perfect days where I feel like an awesome mom and wife - the house, clean and in order, the kids happy and well fed! (I could somehow really relate to the beds getting made first thing as a marker of how successful I am at keeping on top of things!)

Today's been a pretty good day - busy and productive for sure, but still not without its hiccups! I have to laugh thinking back to my busy morning... girls dressed and fed (including myself!), beds made, laundry started before leaving for the school bus, then off to drop my second off to preschool (feeling like a pro mom so far!)... looking at the time to see if I could squeeze in a trip to the grocery store before my doctor's appointment and still make it back to pick her up in two hours... Then looking in the rear view mirror, I realized I hadn't brushed her hair or her teeth this morning... oops... she wasn't with her sister when we did that... right... well her hair looked fine, thankfully that braid was holding tight and keeping the hair out of her face... and the teeth... well let's just say that I never thought I'd be giving my 3 year old gum to freshen her breath on her way to preschool because it got lost in the details of a busy morning! Yikes! Oh well... just have to laugh at myself on that oversight and carry on with the busy morning! Just glad I had the gum in my purse! And I was able to get the doctor's visit AND groceries in before picking her up... YAY! A good day indeed so far!

Beautiful

Today was a beautiful day. Sunshine, a new niece, my babe cut her first two teeth, the girls had their first swimming lessons of the season, and we enjoyed a BBQ with good friends. A beautiful day of blessings.

Yesterday was a day of waiting... Waiting to hear from my "baby" brother for news of the induction and labour/delivery, this being another high risk pregnancy for my sister-in-law... Waiting to hear from a good friend as she awaited news of a major decision that has been a long-time coming and a longstanding prayer request... Yesterday I took the kids to the park before lunch and enjoyed the sunshine as I continued to prayerfully and anxiously wait. Funny to have two things I've been praying about for months both come to a head on the same day. If only all prayer requests had a date when you knew the answer was due!

The funny thing is that yesterday I woke up feeling like it was going to be a great day filled with blessings. I don't particularly get strong feelings like that often, but yesterday I did. It felt like God would just be pouring out His favour down on many and be in the business of answering prayers.

If only I always had such confidence in how things would turn out when I pray and life feels uncertain. I'm getting used to God's answer being WAIT, instead of a quick resounding YES! Often times, I'm learning that the waiting has been to prepare me, to mould me, to stretch me... deepening my faith and reliance on God by the time the answer finally does come. Maybe it's easier to be confident in expecting an unmistakable yes when praying for others then when you're the one in the midst of a crisis, decision, or life event (major or minor). I suppose that's why it's so important to have others around us praying for us as well, so that their confidence encourages and strengthens our faith when we need it!

So yesterday I waited, expecting big things from God... and God did bring upon blessings but mostly in the trivial (like dry pants on my preschooler after a few accident-filled days!). Sure enough, I still had to wait... wait another day for the beautiful healthy baby girl who made her appearance early morn!... and wait longer still for my friend's situation to get resolved. So we keep praying and waiting for that one, all the while thanking God for the blessings and answered prayers of the day! Beautiful blessings indeed!

The "H" Word

I'm talking about Housework... Is it just me or does it never end? Making beds, cleaning bathrooms, floors, the kitchen and dishes, (fish bowls), the dustballs, and when did those finger marks appear on the TV AGAIN? oh and there are more here on the wall... and here... and what splattered on the cupboard door? oh and those patio doors...! And why is the front entrace all cluttered again!? And let's not forget the truly never ending laundry... I think that's become my least favourite job around the house because there truly is no getting away from it... first you sort it, then you get the loads washed and dried... if you're lucky, you have time to fold them right away, but more often it seems to sit in baskets way too long... then I'm in need of doing new loads and the folding just piles up! Oh, then it needs to get put away... and we start all over again! With every member of the family we've added, laundry seems to have multiplied exponentially!

It can get discouraging sometimes to feel like I can't keep up. I usually get into a good groove, trying to get the bathrooms clean and caught up on the laundry before the weekend comes, but I'm on leave at home full-time and I still find it tough to keep up! Energy levels are low in my still sleep-deprived state... and I'm trying to make the most of my time with my girls at home so it's kind of something that needs to get done now and then and in between... How in the world did I do it last year working full time? I recall having a mid-week blitz when I could to clean bathrooms and get a head start on the laundry so that I wasn't hit with everything on the weekend... I'll be back to work in the fall... I'll have to find some way to make it work!

Whether you hire someone to help with housework or not, none of us can get away from housework altogether... it's everwhere we turn and we all need to find some sort of balance with our home, family and work! I can't fully relax when I see a mess or a job waiting for me at every turn... though I've had to learn to just let it go at times so that I can make the most of my time with the kids and head outdoors to play and get some fresh air instead of staying in to vacuum... some jobs can just wait! I've also learned to take it one job at a time. I space some out during the week, but I still like having a blitz cleaning day where I get many jobs done all at once, that way they're done and I don't have to think about them and the kids generally like to help on those days... It will be tougher when I'll be back to work, but we'll figure something out... I've done it before! And now that the kids are getting a bit older, I also think I've gotten myself some pretty good little helpers who like being by mommy's side!

Happy cleaning! I know you face it just like I do ;) I leave you with a poem that was given to me... it is mounted on the wall in our mainfloor bathroom...

Excuse This House

Some houses try to hide the fact

That children shelter there;

Ours boasts of it quite openly,

The signs are everywhere.

For smears are on the windows,

Little smudges on the door;

I should apologize, I guess

For toys strewn on the floor

But I sat down with the children

And we played and laughed and read;

And if the doorbell doesn't shine

Their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose

The one job or the other;

I want to be a housewife

But first I'll be a mother.

Holidays...

My husband and I have always lived in a place where when we have any time off, we have family we like to travel to visit. So summers, Christmases, March Breaks, Easters and many weekends have often been spent on the road, visiting with family. This year must be the year that we have stayed put the most! This summer we went a bit stir crazy at first... we were accustomed to heading to camp where my husband directed the boys camp for a couple of weeks as soon as school was out... but instead he had to cancel his speaking engagement at the camp for the staff training as we awaited the late arrival of our newest baby girl... it was odd to still be home once school was out, but obviously necessary! We did make it to the cottage and visited here and there, but spent much of the summer at home getting to know our new babe. Then Thanksgiving, we had our baby girl dedicated at church... so we stayed home again and had family and friends over. Christmas had us stay put again... very strange for us. Then this March Break we welcomed a friend and her three beautiful children into our home and enjoyed many outings and the amazing summer-like weather outdoors. Again, another holiday at home.

Don't get me wrong, we have stolen weekends away to visit family over the past year, but when the long stretches come, we've been staying put. It's been awesome to really settle into our home, being around for our kids to play with their neighbourhood friends when they're off school... just more relaxing and less rushing around, more discovering what our town and area has to offer and the kids really having a blast playing and using their imaginations. I must admit that I am looking forward to being on the road more this summer with the girls while my husband is in school to spend some quality time with my family and to get to the cottage, but I think it's been ironically stretching us out of our comfort zones to stay at home. Sounds crazy doesn't it!? But we've always been so antsy to hit the road when we have any length of time off, that it's been new for us and awesome to be content where we are, to not feel like we have to spend every break on the road... catching up on rest and quality play time with each other instead of running all the time. We've also been connecting with some amazing friends and neighbours more by not being on the road so much. As stir crazy as we thought we'd be at the start of last summer... I've come to welcome breaks at home... but no worries, we haven't given up on our visiting as we very much enjoy those times too ;)

March Already

Wow, I can't believe my last post was February 2nd! I've had a couple of posts running in my head that I'd love to sit down and write when I have a bit more time... I am proud of myself for having been off the computer this month though! We enjoyed family day weekend (a lovely new statutory holiday in Ontario giving us a long weekend in the middle of cold February!) Except it wasn't cold. My hopes of tobagganing and skating outdoors with our visiting family didn't quite materialize as we had a warm spell the week before that melted all the snow! Despite not getting to enjoy the winter sports with the kids, it was just great to see them have a blast together. We've been singing a lot of ABBA since then as my sister's daughter LOVES Mamma Mia... now my girls are hooked and are singing ABBA non stop! Poor daddy who is so outnumbered with all these girls! Now February is gone, I thought the sickness would go with it... but I woke up to a little one with the sniffles and congestion this morning... here we go again!! It deceivingly looks like spring outside with the snow mostly melted away and the blue sky and sunshine, but is that glacial wind (not to mention the sub-zero temperatures) ever COLD!! Looking forward to the warmth now... I'm a Northern girl... I like winter to come and stay... when the thaw comes, you know spring is here... these fluctuations in temperature all winter long make it tough on the psyche to get through the next cold spell (and I could do without the ice from the thawing and freezing)!! I'll be back soon I hope to write those posts I haven't had a chance to yet!!

A world of hurt

The past year, my senses have truly been heightened to those hurting all around me... close by and abroad... Friends living far from family, unable to return to their home country where they would be persecuted for their faith in Christ... friends with struggling marriages... some facing nasty custody battles and endless legal proceedings and false accusations... too many walking with loved ones through their fight with cancer... friends struck suddenly with inexplicable illnesses that have momentarily and at times permanently rocked their worlds... others struggling with infertility... husbands working far from home... then news of a baby girl (seemingly barely 1 from the photos) battling with stage 4 cancer... and reading the stories of some of the children members of my church's mission trip to Cambodia are encountering...

I have also recently been introduced to the International Justice Mission and have just read a book called "Terrify No More" which tells of their work in Cambodia and around the world to free and seek justice for victims of sex-trafficking and of bonded labour, etc. I'm also finishing a book called "One - A face behind the numbers" where Vaden Earle from Absolute Leadership Development brings to light the injustice that so many in the world face and our need for us to step up, become aware and take action!

All of this has led me to one main response... Why am I so blessed Lord? I have a loving and faithful husband, healthy beautiful children, a lovely spacious home, a tight-knit loving extended family, caring friends and a wonderful church community. We are blessed beyond belief. As I sat the other night praying for those hurting around me and wondering why we are continually blessed, the answer that came was this...

We are blessed so that we may bless others.

We can't respond to others' stories with the fear of illness, injury or accidents striking our family. That response keeps my eyes on me. It's selfish and a useless waste of energy and emotion - though I sometimes have to remind myself. No, I really believe that we are blessed so that we can bless others with our time, our resources, our friendships and our prayers.

I wrote about my desire to teach my kids about compassion back in October... getting their eyes off their own little lives and desires and to recognize the needs of others around them. I think I am the one who has been learning the lesson more than anyone. It's so easy to get consumed by my own busy life and family, with my only worries being paying the bills at the end of the month, getting my kids through their colds and flus and preparing my 3-year old for school in September.

I have been feeling a new and increasing burden to pray for those who cross my path the past while. You know, it's a funny thing to pray more for others. It takes my eyes off me and my troubles as they arise which seem SO BIG when they're my main focus. But as I look to God and trust Him to act in the lives of others, lifting them up in prayer, it builds my faith to remember that God is a powerful God who will take care of my worries which seem to be nothing at all regardless of how bad my day seems!

I am blessed. As John Waller talks about in his song "The Blessing", I can and will choose to be a blessing!

Mom knows best?

My husband starts school on Monday. In 12 months he'll be a paramedic! It's kind of a career change, but not a surprising one... he's worked a lot with youth in camp ministry, in the business world and in the fire service. Bottom line, he loves people, is a problem-solver, has a cool head in a crisis and thrives on that adrenaline rush. My mother-in-law couldn't be happier about this... she says that she's been after him to do this since he was a little boy! I guess moms really do know their kids.

I'm a high school teacher, and I'd have to say that one of the things that angers me the most is when students are told (by whomever - guidance counselors, teachers, parents, coaches...) that they will NEVER be able to do this or that... I grew up with a dad who used to tell me that the world was my stage. That I could do whatever I put my mind to. I vividly remember back in high school when my university applications were due... I had no idea where to apply or what to study. I pleaded with my dad to just tell me what I should do!! But he wouldn't. He said that this was one thing I'd have to figure out on my own... that got me thinking about what I really loved, and learning about the life around me and kids were two of those things - so off I went to study Biology while in the concurrent education program (allowing me to get both my undergraduate and teaching degrees).

I think the reason why I'm so bothered when people come down on kids and teens is because I do think that people can do what they put their minds to. Just take my husband and I for example... I was the straight A high school student... he was far from it... I did okay in university and worked hard... he went back to do an undergraduate degree in the health sciences earlier in our marriage and was way surpassing the majority of my university grades with marks mostly in the 80s and even some in the 90s! If you'd asked his high school teachers if they saw that in him back in the day... they probably would have said NEVER! Just goes to say that we need to believe in our kids. Looking at our own girls, who knows what they'll choose to do with their lives down the road... as much as my 6-year old enjoyed taking out her "doctor's kit" to care for me when I was sick yesterday (with her stethoscope and many needles!), in all honesty, I know that when she faces a crisis and sees any type of blood or trauma, she goes into panic/hysteria mode. So I'm guessing that she might not have her daddy's aptitude for the medical field or emergency services... having said that, I'm not going to start telling her that she could never be a doctor. Who knows how she'll develop and grow and mature over time!? I pray that God gives my girls direction and wisdom as they grow up (Colossians 1:9-14), and in the meantime, we are doing our best to help them to discover and develop their strengths and God-given gifts. The most important thing is that our kids know that we believe in them and that God has a plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11-13) then the possibilities are endless... I've seen what otherwise unmotivated students can do when they begin to see that you believe in them. It changes everything.

"Let's tell our young people

that the best books are yet to be written;

the best paintings have not yet been painted;

the best governments are yet to be formed;

the best is yet to be done by them."

- John Erskine

Welcome 2009 - Here's to Living in Transition No More!

Last year was... well... interesting! I was back at work, pregnant, rushing all the time... JD was #1 with the girls in the morning and after school most days not leaving him much time in between to get much done (now he understands!)... we didn't know from one moment to the next if we were moving to another city as my husband seeked out various job opportunities... Our move was looking like it would be shortly after the baby was born and I didn't know when or how I would even think of getting the house packed while teaching full-time, or after with a newborn! In sum, 2008 was a draining year - physically and emotionally! The highlights: my husband and I drew closer together through the roller-coaster ride and we welcomed our third beautiful baby girl into our family... true blessings ;)

Now on maternity leave since the summer... we've made a decision which is carrying on into 2009... We will no longer "live in transition"! What do I mean by that? I've spoken to a few friends recently who know exactly what I'm talking about... living in transition is when you're not sure how long you'll be staying where you are, so you hear yourself say things like "If we stay, we need to do this..." or "When we move, I'd like to do that..." It's always talking about the what might be and so you become paralyzed in the present and stopped from carrying out many things! We had been living in transition for almost 3 years! Since we left Northern Ontario two weeks after the birth of our now 3-year old for my husband's work, we've had two "temporary" moves, at first with the intention of moving back North, then to move to Ottawa...

This past summer, we finally decided to stay put. Funny how a decision to stop living in transition can change life... We put a swing set up in the back yard... finally rearranged the girls' rooms around (I have a very happy 6-year old in a very PINK room! And a baby finally in her crib in her own room)... We finished the basement which remained in a state of demolition for over a year... Deciding to stay put and to no longer "live in transition" means that we're finally settling into our home. Finally sorting through boxes we've been carrying around from move to move for TOO long. Finally finding a place for everything and getting rid of a ton of stuff we don't need. It feels GREAT to be getting organized and to allow ourselves to set some roots.

We love our home, our neighbourhood, our church and my daughter's francophone school. We are very blessed and are glad to not constantly hear ourselves talking about possible moves. Does that mean that we will never move? No. I don't put it past God to have other plans for us! But it does mean that we're not talking about it anymore! If and when the right opportunity comes along, then we'll talk, but for now, we're all about living each day to the fullest as we truly settle into our home and our community. Feels great to be home!

Happy New Year!