... you go looking for your pots and pans in the toy box, rather than the cupboard... sleeping in consists of 7:30am
... staying up late consists of any time after 10pm
... you know that the washing machine can remove stains, but crumbs are a whole other story
... everything you own that has any value is at least 4 feet off the ground and progressively climbing
... your vocabulary is reduced to derivatives of "no" or "stop" and the ever favorite "don't touch"
... the most used implement in your house is a broom, closely followed by a vacuum
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Mt. Baker
Friends of ours sent us an email inviting us to hike up Mt. Baker this past Saturday. It read as follows:
This picture best shows the "steeper section." Just below the tree in the center of the photo is a person (can you find them?) Oh, and that tree is about 1/4 of the way up the steeper section. It was 600 ft of vertical ascension with very minimal lateral movement!
We were OVERJOYED to make it to the top and be able to sit down!
As was the wind. Dan is trying to brace himself and Joel, so as not to be blown off the mountain!
....that are haunting every muscle in our body days later!
A Summer Hiatus
The dehydrator is
finally put away and all those berries (strawberries, blueberries,
cherries and raspberries) are stored away for the winter. Dan sure is
happy that he doesn't have to pierce any more blueberries by hand to
help with the dehydration process. We've frozen berries for later use
including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and handpicked
blackberries.
The ugly egg dresser (its missing the bright yellow knobs) has FINALLY been painted.
And yes, we did complete the job with new dresser knobs that aren't sooo ugly. Silver ones to be exact.
I've spent endless
hours putting books back onto the shelves. And yes, my desire for
"perfection" and nicely lined up books has been thrown
away. I've learned to "let it go" and I'm mostly just happy
to have the books off the floor!
The garden has finally
granted us some bounty. My first tomato of the year. It tasted about
as good as it looked (which really wasn't that great). But no need to
worry, we've had a few more since and they have been much better.
This year's garden was pitiful due to late planting and bad weather.
But we got beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and celery from the
garden. I was disappointed that my zucchini failed again and that I
only got a handful of peas before the plant died.
Our summer has been
busy! We also went to three weddings, and took a two week road trip
to Eastern BC/Alberta. Our lives have been full of winter
preparation, raising a young man (and a few of his friends), and
trying to rest in those days off. We hope to be more purposeful in
blogging a bit more frequently (but that's no guarantee). Especially
since we have succumb to the parental bedtime of 9 o'clock! But you
would too if your kid didn't sleep well at night! So, we apologize
for the summer hiatus. But we hope the fall and winter brings a
"bounty" of blog posts.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
It's Happened!!!!
Our lives will never be the same after today... Joel has learned how to crawl!! He has been lurching forward for the past couple of weeks and coming closer and closer to the real event. Then yesterday he finally put one hand in front of the other just once or twice. Today he was up to four or five hand over hands movements at a time, slowly making his way across the room.
The baby proofing has begun earnestly today with electrical outlets plugged, coasters put away and anything else that we think he could get into moved out of range. There are sure to be things that we've missed and he will get into, but that's all part of the wonderful adventure of parenthood.
The baby proofing has begun earnestly today with electrical outlets plugged, coasters put away and anything else that we think he could get into moved out of range. There are sure to be things that we've missed and he will get into, but that's all part of the wonderful adventure of parenthood.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
A bit of encouragement: Mothering
I read this on someone's blog and found it to be quite encouraging. Its a bit long, but worth the read.
Motherhood as a Mission Field
By: Rachel Jankovic
You can find the original post here.
There is a good old saying, perhaps only said by my Grandfather, that distance adds intrigue. It is certainly true — just think back to anything that has ever been distant from you that is now near. Your driver’s license. Marriage. Children. Things that used to seem so fascinating, but as they draw near become less mystical and more, well, real.
This same principle certainly applies to mission fields too. The closer you get to home, the less intriguing the work of sacrifice seems. As someone once said, “Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom with the dishes.” When you are a mother at home with your children, the church is not clamoring for monthly ministry updates. When you talk to other believers, there is not any kind of awe about what you are sacrificing for the gospel. People are not pressing you for needs you might have, how they can pray for you. It does not feel intriguing, or glamorous. Your work is normal, because it is as close to home as you can possibly be. You have actually gone so far as to become home.
There are a number of ways in which mothers need to study their own roles, and begin to see them, not as boring and inconsequential, but as home, the headwaters of missions.
At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there is perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things that you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field.
Think about the feeding of the five thousand when the disciples went out and rounded up the food that was available. It wasn’t much. Some loaves. Some fish. Think of some woman pulling her fish out and handing it to one of the disciples. That had to have felt like a small offering. But the important thing about those loaves and those fishes was not how big they were when they were given, it was about whose hands they were given into. In the hands of the Lord, that offering was sufficient. It was more than sufficient. There were leftovers. Given in faith, even a small offering becomes great.
Look at your children in faith, and see how many people will be ministered to by your ministering to them. How many people will your children know in their lives? How many grandchildren are represented in the faces around your table now?
But I’d like to challenge you to look at it differently. Giving up what you cannot keep does not mean giving up your home, or your job so you can go serve somewhere else. It is giving up yourself. Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don’t like the green beans. Laugh when your plans are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can’t read anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them.
It is easy to think you have a heart for orphans on the other side of the world, but if you spend your time at home resenting the imposition your children are on you, you do not. You cannot have a heart for the gospel and a fussiness about your life at the same time. You will never make any difference there if you cannot be at peace here
God loves the little offerings. Given in faith, that plate of PB&J’s will feed thousands. Given in faith, those presents on Christmas morning will bring delight to more children than you can count. Offered with thankfulness, your work at home is only the beginning. Your laundry pile, selflessly tackled daily, will be used in the hands of God to clothe many. Do not think that your work does not matter. In God’s hands, it will be broken, and broken, and broken again, until all who have need of it have eaten and are satisfied. And even then, there will be leftovers.
Rachel Jankovic is a wife, homemaker, and mother. She is the author of "Loving the Little Years" and blogs at Femina. Her husband is Luke, and they have five children: Evangeline (5), Daphne (4), Chloe (2), Titus (2), and Blaire (5 months).
Motherhood as a Mission Field
By: Rachel Jankovic
You can find the original post here.
There is a good old saying, perhaps only said by my Grandfather, that distance adds intrigue. It is certainly true — just think back to anything that has ever been distant from you that is now near. Your driver’s license. Marriage. Children. Things that used to seem so fascinating, but as they draw near become less mystical and more, well, real.
This same principle certainly applies to mission fields too. The closer you get to home, the less intriguing the work of sacrifice seems. As someone once said, “Everyone wants to save the world, but no one wants to help Mom with the dishes.” When you are a mother at home with your children, the church is not clamoring for monthly ministry updates. When you talk to other believers, there is not any kind of awe about what you are sacrificing for the gospel. People are not pressing you for needs you might have, how they can pray for you. It does not feel intriguing, or glamorous. Your work is normal, because it is as close to home as you can possibly be. You have actually gone so far as to become home.
Home: The Headwaters of Mission
If you are a Christian woman who loves the Lord, the gospel is important to you. It is easy to become discouraged, thinking that the work you are doing does not matter much. If you were really doing something for Christ you would be out there, somewhere else, doing it. Even if you have a great perspective on your role in the kingdom, it is easy to lose sight of it in the mismatched socks, in the morning sickness, in the dirty dishes. It is easy to confuse intrigue with value, and begin viewing yourself as the least valuable part of the Church.There are a number of ways in which mothers need to study their own roles, and begin to see them, not as boring and inconsequential, but as home, the headwaters of missions.
At the very heart of the gospel is sacrifice, and there is perhaps no occupation in the world so intrinsically sacrificial as motherhood. Motherhood is a wonderful opportunity to live the gospel. Jim Elliot famously said, “He is no fool who gives up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Motherhood provides you with an opportunity to lay down the things that you cannot keep on behalf of the people that you cannot lose. They are eternal souls, they are your children, they are your mission field.
Faith Makes the Small Offering Great
If you are like me, then you may be thinking “What did I ever give up for them? A desk job? Time at the gym? Extra spending money? My twenty- year- old figure? Some sleep?” Doesn’t seem like much when you put it next to the work of some of the great missionaries, people who gave their lives for the gospel.Think about the feeding of the five thousand when the disciples went out and rounded up the food that was available. It wasn’t much. Some loaves. Some fish. Think of some woman pulling her fish out and handing it to one of the disciples. That had to have felt like a small offering. But the important thing about those loaves and those fishes was not how big they were when they were given, it was about whose hands they were given into. In the hands of the Lord, that offering was sufficient. It was more than sufficient. There were leftovers. Given in faith, even a small offering becomes great.
Look at your children in faith, and see how many people will be ministered to by your ministering to them. How many people will your children know in their lives? How many grandchildren are represented in the faces around your table now?
Gain What You Cannot Lose in Them
So, if mothers are strategically situated to impact missions so greatly, why do we see so little coming from it? I think the answer to this is quite simple: sin. Discontent, pettiness, selfishness, resentment. Christians often feel like the right thing to do is to be ashamed about what we have. We hear that quote of Jim Elliot’s and think that we ought to sell our homes and move to some place where they need the gospel.But I’d like to challenge you to look at it differently. Giving up what you cannot keep does not mean giving up your home, or your job so you can go serve somewhere else. It is giving up yourself. Lay yourself down. Sacrifice yourself here, now. Cheerfully wipe the nose for the fiftieth time today. Make dinner again for the people who don’t like the green beans. Laugh when your plans are thwarted by a vomiting child. Lay yourself down for the people here with you, the people who annoy you, the people who get in your way, the people who take up so much of your time that you can’t read anymore. Rejoice in them. Sacrifice for them. Gain that which you cannot lose in them.
It is easy to think you have a heart for orphans on the other side of the world, but if you spend your time at home resenting the imposition your children are on you, you do not. You cannot have a heart for the gospel and a fussiness about your life at the same time. You will never make any difference there if you cannot be at peace here
God loves the little offerings. Given in faith, that plate of PB&J’s will feed thousands. Given in faith, those presents on Christmas morning will bring delight to more children than you can count. Offered with thankfulness, your work at home is only the beginning. Your laundry pile, selflessly tackled daily, will be used in the hands of God to clothe many. Do not think that your work does not matter. In God’s hands, it will be broken, and broken, and broken again, until all who have need of it have eaten and are satisfied. And even then, there will be leftovers.
Rachel Jankovic is a wife, homemaker, and mother. She is the author of "Loving the Little Years" and blogs at Femina. Her husband is Luke, and they have five children: Evangeline (5), Daphne (4), Chloe (2), Titus (2), and Blaire (5 months).
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Zoo
We took our zoo to visit the zoo! Here is Joel riding his favorite pet crocodile! Joel named the crocodile Crickey!
Teapot Hill
Our first hike with Joel in the hiking backpack. He loved it! He even managed to fall asleep on the hike.
Great Scot!
An update on life
This month, so much has happened.
...so many things have changed in the lives of AmanDan and Joel.
We have become the proud new owners of the Purple People Eater, for lack of a better name. We have begun adjusting to the minivan ownership and all that it brings with it. We have enjoyed using it for two hikes, a trip to the parents house, and the Highland games. We still walk for everyday items from the grocery store, although that's been a bit difficult as we have three kids.
Oh, yah. Amanda is back to work for the month of June. Apparently, the other nanny had a mental breakdown, and Amanda was requested to begin working again. And since she is still waiting (3 months and counting) for the government to approve her continuing maternity leave, we decided to take the plunge and bump up the finances and start working. Its been a nice change of pace to be back at work. Cypress is a great help with Joel and River, well.....at least he's not that much of a challenge anymore. Its been great to have Joel in a more consistent routine since Cypress's preschool schedule has forced the napping and eating into set times.
Joel now has two teeth and is eating solids like a grown up. He sure loves anything that we eat, including Indian samosas, Chinese food, pizza, steak skewers, avocado.....oh, the list could go on. He has also started to become mobile. He doesn't quite crawl yet, but he does propel himself forward (and on some occasions backwards and under the couch!) He is also walking around the coffee table, but cannot pull himself up yet. He loves to walk when you hold his hands. Yesterday he walked almost all day at the Highland games.
Dan had a job interview the other day for a position at MEI Middle School. We hope that this will bring about a new job for him come September. We will find out later this week.
Add a trip to the zoo, a hike up Teapot Hill and to Lindeman Lake (with 3 kids, all under 5), the Highland Games, to your daily life and you'll have a glimpse of our lives over the past month. Its been busy, but good. And its only about to get more adventurous. Bring on July!
...so many things have changed in the lives of AmanDan and Joel.
We have become the proud new owners of the Purple People Eater, for lack of a better name. We have begun adjusting to the minivan ownership and all that it brings with it. We have enjoyed using it for two hikes, a trip to the parents house, and the Highland games. We still walk for everyday items from the grocery store, although that's been a bit difficult as we have three kids.
Oh, yah. Amanda is back to work for the month of June. Apparently, the other nanny had a mental breakdown, and Amanda was requested to begin working again. And since she is still waiting (3 months and counting) for the government to approve her continuing maternity leave, we decided to take the plunge and bump up the finances and start working. Its been a nice change of pace to be back at work. Cypress is a great help with Joel and River, well.....at least he's not that much of a challenge anymore. Its been great to have Joel in a more consistent routine since Cypress's preschool schedule has forced the napping and eating into set times.
Joel now has two teeth and is eating solids like a grown up. He sure loves anything that we eat, including Indian samosas, Chinese food, pizza, steak skewers, avocado.....oh, the list could go on. He has also started to become mobile. He doesn't quite crawl yet, but he does propel himself forward (and on some occasions backwards and under the couch!) He is also walking around the coffee table, but cannot pull himself up yet. He loves to walk when you hold his hands. Yesterday he walked almost all day at the Highland games.
Dan had a job interview the other day for a position at MEI Middle School. We hope that this will bring about a new job for him come September. We will find out later this week.
Add a trip to the zoo, a hike up Teapot Hill and to Lindeman Lake (with 3 kids, all under 5), the Highland Games, to your daily life and you'll have a glimpse of our lives over the past month. Its been busy, but good. And its only about to get more adventurous. Bring on July!
Thursday, June 2, 2011
The buggy before the horse...
...or in our case, the car seat before the car. Actually, its not even a car. Its a van. And what better to go with Joel's new car seat, than a new van?!
We were lovingly gifted G-ma's old van, since she is no longer able to drive. So, after much contemplation, and a very selfish act of Amanda's mother, we accepted the generous donation. We would have preferred to continue to live without a vehicle, but basically my mom said that she is forcing us to take the van so that she doesn't have to come out and pick us up all the time. And for taking the van, she would lovingly gift us a half years worth of insurance. How could we refuse?? Actually, we did refuse, but my mother forced us to take it anyway. She said she was being selfish. We will gladly accept her selfishness.
We feel quite hesitant about owning a vehicle. In some small way, we feel like we are violating our own morals of car free living. I guess for us, the temptation is to fall into the pattern of using the car for daily living and give up on walking. But our intention is to continue to walk. To only use the van for long distance trips. (yah! camping! road trips! vancouver!) Groceries will continue to be hauled home by hand and cart! Trips to the mall will still be on foot (or by bike if we can manage)!
There is a part of us that feels like we are giving up that "Car-Free, Care-Free" mentality we had for almost 5 years. Without a vehicle, you don't have to worry about gas prices, break-downs (and the exorbitant costs), and the various other issues that crop up with owning a vehicle (you never get a speeding ticket on foot!) Its going to be interesting to see if we can stick to our walking ways, even with the possession of a vehicle.
We were lovingly gifted G-ma's old van, since she is no longer able to drive. So, after much contemplation, and a very selfish act of Amanda's mother, we accepted the generous donation. We would have preferred to continue to live without a vehicle, but basically my mom said that she is forcing us to take the van so that she doesn't have to come out and pick us up all the time. And for taking the van, she would lovingly gift us a half years worth of insurance. How could we refuse?? Actually, we did refuse, but my mother forced us to take it anyway. She said she was being selfish. We will gladly accept her selfishness.
We feel quite hesitant about owning a vehicle. In some small way, we feel like we are violating our own morals of car free living. I guess for us, the temptation is to fall into the pattern of using the car for daily living and give up on walking. But our intention is to continue to walk. To only use the van for long distance trips. (yah! camping! road trips! vancouver!) Groceries will continue to be hauled home by hand and cart! Trips to the mall will still be on foot (or by bike if we can manage)!
There is a part of us that feels like we are giving up that "Car-Free, Care-Free" mentality we had for almost 5 years. Without a vehicle, you don't have to worry about gas prices, break-downs (and the exorbitant costs), and the various other issues that crop up with owning a vehicle (you never get a speeding ticket on foot!) Its going to be interesting to see if we can stick to our walking ways, even with the possession of a vehicle.
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