all for one

 Last weekend our family all piled into one house, sometimes one house sometimes another, but generally as many as possible under one roof

to celebrate and honour a decision both lifetime and daily

of striving to show Katherine Rose
the unwavering, persevering, patient and leading love of Jesus.


This little family felt this Divine embrace having family so near,
making an effort to be together

to share together
to commune and wash dishes together

The littlest people were all so good!
The sharing
the laughing
the running
the vroom-ing
the tickling
the chasing
the wondering
the hugging

the older joining the younger
the younger watching the older
the older watching out for the younger

The hopes of raising all the little ones in the way everlasting
The hopes of the parent making that plain and visible every day
in marriage
in being a mom
in being a dad
in being a mom to a mom
and a dad to a dad

 This family of five is so blessed to have such yearning hearts a text away
a phone call close
a babysitter in the same room
...
uncles as friends
aunties as hilarious climbers of hay bales
(or at least attempting)

and as this family at ladybug farms reflects

we praise God for such a family to be a part of

a family of chaos

perhaps,

a family of sacrifice

definitely

a family of prayer

absolutely

a family of nuts

that too!

but a family of love

through and through

and through.

So as we strive to raise our children along the path already 

worn down by a few

and yet not visible to all

we are thankful for 

the prayers

for our first

for the man 

we see him 

quickly growing 

into

and for the love

for our second

for the boy

he has always 

been

the sparkle

and sense of

humour ever apparent

in his travels

and for the hope of our third

that as she watches her family

yearning to communicate her desires

running a tad behind and yet so ahead of those before

laughing

squealing

embracing

open arms to boppa

phone calls all for nana

special special days with meamme

and hugs for only aunties and uncles 

and no one else thank you very much

that she will see the Grace that brought her to us in the first place

and the love marked so plain on the faces of her whole family today 

and tomorrow

and tomorrow there after.

thank you dear family

your everyday to us 

is a gift.

 

kids and quacks

Alexander is brave
-"dese ducks not scareee!"
he chases them all over the coop, finally petting them near the hole of water.

Alexander is brave
-"dese dikins not scareee!"
he chases the chickens as well, hoping one will slow down for a scoop.

We CANNOT go get the mail without a stop at our neighbours to feed the bunnies, pet the ducks, chase the chickens, rock in the hammock, and bounce on the "amboreen"

and he is not alone in his vote.

Katherine is crazy
One and a half and jumping with two feet already leaving the ground
Katherine is crazy
One and a half and learning how to lay down on the "up up up" so Alexander can bounce her

We CANNOT stop at our neighbours with out "up up up" and there is no "awdone!" to hear, she would bounce all day.
Not so with nap time "awdone" or meal times "awdone" or road trips "awdone, awdone, awdone"

Benjamin is old
Plugging vacuums in, changing batteries, getting the milk out of the fridge, spit able toothpaste
Benjamin is old
His five year old mind shines through in his remonstrating Alexander "Ah-lex-zan-der! Put that down"  and his guiding Katherine "come this way little sweetie"

We CANNOT do something one way and then expect to do it differently the second time!  He is hard worker, dependable, trust worthy and spunky.  "Benjamin what happened to that hanger?"
"it's a long story mommy"

...

a fantastic life it is.

thankful for time together

Nothing says Happy Thanksgiving like a picture of a turkey!

and this turkey was having a grand time with nieces and nephews

sons and daughter

brothers and sisters

mother and wife

all together for a weekend of thanksgiving

of talks and walks to the park

big kids and little kids

ladybugs and ladders

eating and playing

up the slide

and down

a time to catch up

to share difficulties

to share hockey games

to share dreams and prayers

to celebrate upcoming new babies

and growing so fast babies

and of course

to share in some pumpkin pie.

Ajay

Mommy met this boy at Subway

His name is Ajay

and he lives in the untamed north

the beautiful north

the north we love

Ajay doesn't know about the north

and the fishing

like the 6 lb lake trout that Benjamin caught

(and had NO interest in touching;)

Ajay is from East India

and he works at the Subway  

in north Saskatchewan

He doesn't know about the winter that's coming

This is his second year in Saskatchewan

his first this far north.

Does he know it's a delight to

lick and scoop snow?

Does he know how to make a fire?

Does he know that you have to refill the wood box for next time?

He lives 15 minutes from us, does he know all of this stuff?  Should we tell him?

Hey Ajay, we will try and find you when we come back!

We will try and show you the fantastic beauty of the north

the cold places you can sled through

and the warm places you can take your socks off at.

Ajay told mommy that he had no friends here

well, Ajay!  

We will do what we can to fix that!

As you work for your residency

As you work to go back to school in Toronto

As you work in aviation mechanics

like you did at home.

We will offer a bit of our love of the north

and hopefully a bit of our time together as a family

as yours is so far far away

(but you said you were hoping to go visit soon for a few months)

and see your best friends

your crazy siblings or relatives

and enjoy some much needed family time

which is why we come so far north

and which is how

mommy came upon meeting you.

Blessings and friends to you

Ajay

(and thanks for lunch)