Vacation

We are smack dab in the middle of a well needed break from everyday life. We decided this year not to really plan much and just spend some time at home and really relax. That being said, we have managed to keep busy.

We spent some time camping with some friends and their kids. We had great weather and the girls had a blast. We were with three other couples and between the four couples, there were seven little girls so it was a little crazy at times! We had a great time at the beach, Greg got some fishing time in with the lone boys and also with Emily and we spent some nice evenings around the campfire too. It was my first foray into the world of camping as well (at least my first one where I was in charge) and although there are some things that I would definitely change, I do think we will go again next year.

We also went to a water park in Steinbach this week as well. They have a neat little water park there that has both an indoor and outdoor splash pad and pool. The weather wasn't great so we stayed inside and went down the water slides, the lazy river and spent a lot of time in the zero entry area with Danica.

My parents are renting a cabin this year so we will be spending some time there with them. I will post pictures of that once that happens!

Happy Canada Day!!

Happy Canada Day everyone! We hope that you had the opportunity to spend time with family and friends and enjoy some great weather.

We spent this year's Canada Day at the beach. While it was a bit too windy to make anyone really want to get in the water, we had a great time laying around talking, taking the kids to play at the playground and watching Emily participate in her first ever potato sack race (that was so darn cute - of course I didn't get a picture of it as I was helping her keep her sac up while she jumped).

We headed home after a great lunch and then had a bit of a rest before friends of ours came over for dinner. We had a really nice meal with some great wine and enjoyed the company of good friends. The girls played with some sparklers and Danica got a lesson from Uncle Paul on the joys of the various rings on a Blackberry phone.

We are so grateful to live in the country that we do and to be able to freely celebrate the birth of our great nation. Happy birthday Canada!!

Showing off our new Canada Day shirts.

My attempt at a Canadian flag cake - I'll let you be the judge on how much it looked like the Canadian flag!Sparklers.

Changing the ringer on Uncle Paul's phone (and then dancing to the new song).

Summertime Fun

Finally summer has arrived! It took a long time but we finally had a few nice days - the kids got to go outside to play in bathing suits, our garden is growing like crazy and the days are getting longer and longer. We have plans to do some camping later in July and have been spending as much time as possible outside playing baseball and ultimate Frisbee. Emily has mastered bike riding and is always up for a quick ride around the neighbourhood. Danica spends most of her time trying to keep up with Emily and to do all of the same things that she does. We are celebrating Canada Day at the beach on Wednesday and hopefully it will be a nice day. All in all, life is pretty darn good right now and we are looking forward to all the fun and exciting things left to do yet this summer.

Emily is registered for preschool for the fall as well. I can't believe that it is time for her to start preschool already. We are extremely grateful that both sets of grandparents and our sitter are so willing to help us get her to and from school this fall.

Classic - great wedding.

Our new kiddie pool - it looked a lot bigger on the box.

Someone Gets It

Just this week I had the opportunity to talk with someone who has lost a late-term baby. I don't know why I didn't think of this person before, but they had thought of me and yesterday and this morning we had our first conversations.

For the first time, I feel like someone gets it. Someone totally, completely gets it. I was able to be honest for the first time in a long time with anyone (aside from my mother or Greg) about how I really feel. No judgement or condemnation - just acceptance because she has gone through the same feelings as I am now going through.

I think that God has put us in each other's path so that maybe, just maybe, we can help each other sort through and work through things. And for that, I am grateful.

As I know she reads my blog, I'll publicly say thank you to her for having the courage to start a difficult conversation. Thank you for your willingness to open up wounds that are still fresh and raw and to share and to help me. I hope to be a blessing to you as well.

About Time For A New Post

Another month has flown by yet again. I am sitting watching TV on a quiet Sunday evening and thought that it was about time that I posted. As always we have been busy. Our summer sports have started and are now in full swing. I will be sidelined for at least a week or two with a dislocated finger. That nice little thing happened during my Ultimate Frisbee game this past Wednesday. I was able to put the finger back into place myself and aside from it being a bit swollen and sore, it's nothing too bad.

We've taken some time to head out to the zoo and have been making the most of nice weather when it is here. Our weather lately has been terrible - just this past weekend we had to cover all of our plants because there was a frost warning.

As far as my previous posts go, I have been working through things and feel like I have made some progress. I feel called to study Esther, so I have begun that process. I am interested to see what new things I will learn as I delve into a story that I have heard many times before.

Hanging with our cousin.

Checking out the fish at the zoo.
Miss Joe Cool.
Sisters.
Meeting our new cousin Sydney.
Giving Rosie smooches.
Playing with bubbles.

One Set of Footprints

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed He was walking along the beach with the LORD. Across the sky flashed scenes from His life. For each scene He noticed two sets of footprints in the sand. One belonging to Him and the other to the LORD.

When the last scene of His life flashed before Him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of His life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of His life.

This really bothered Him and He questioned the LORD about it. LORD you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me.

The LORD replied, my precious, precious child, I Love you and I would never leave you! During your times of trial and suffering when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.

When I got to church on Sunday, there was an anonymous card in our family mailbox. I don't recognize the handwriting and I have absolutely no clue who gave it to me. Inside was one of the most meaningful messages - "Know that prayers are lifted for you. Blessings and peace to you as you mourn". Since our blog is public, I can only assume that someone who reads it either sent the card or passed on a message to the person who did. So to that end, I wanted to say thank you - the message meant a lot and was particularly uplifting to know that someone cared enough to send the card.

"Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him."

Psalm 91 verses 14 and 15

Ups and Downs

Again, long time no post. Time slips away from me so quickly it's almost frightening. We have had a lot going on lately. Emily has started to learn how to ride her bike. She keeps trying to look at her feet though as she rides so it is a bit of a challenge for her to try to steer and keep her eyes on the road at the same time.

We spent the past weekend in Albertville, MN shopping. My sister-in-law and her family (nephews included) met up with us and we had a really nice weekend together. The boys watched the kids for us quite a bit and Janelle and I were able to sneak away and do some shopping on our own which was a wonderful thing as it gave us a chance to catch up and to spend some time one-on-one which doesn't happen very often. I enjoy being able to spend that kind of time with her and only wish it could happen more often. The weekend was a much needed break for me as well for reasons I will discuss later on in this post.

Emily and Danica also were fitted for their flower girl dresses for my other sister-in-law's wedding this coming October. Emily was fine with the fitting although she had a hard time understanding why she had to leave the princess dress at the store. Danica on the other hand, had a great time at the bridal salon until she had to actually put on the dress - a minor meltdown but nothing that was overly embarrassing. The woman from the bridal shop even recognized me - 5 years later. That woman has an amazing memory. The owner also decided to play dress up with the girls - perhaps a hint of things to come?

For all the fun times we have been having lately, personally I have been struggling. We are fast approaching the date we lost one of our twins and it is hitting me quite hard this year for some reason. Perhaps last year I was so preoccupied with a new baby and a toddler at home that I didn't even note the passing of the date. This year however, has been hard. By this time after having Emily, I was pregnant already. There has been much discussion in our house as to when to start trying for another baby. If the past few weeks are any indication, I am completely, totally not ready for that to happen anytime soon. It almost feels like having another baby is in a way replacing the baby we lost. Whenever anyone asks me how many children I have, I give the canned answer of two, yet my heart wants desperately to tell them the truth - I am a mother of three. The fact that one baby was taken from us halfway through a pregnancy doesn't diminish the fact that we had three children. We had passed the danger zone and were more than halfway through a normal twin gestation. We had a second crib coming, a double stroller and extra car seat was on order. For Pete's sake, my sick leave time was set. As I walk though this valley, I know I will come out the other side stronger and perhaps even learn something. The time away that we had gave me some much needed time for myself - to think and to pray. I'm being led by God, of that I am sure. Where too is yet unknown.

Emily's first attempt at riding her bike - notice where she is looking?

Easter SundayFirst ride of the year in our new bike trailer
Hanging out with our cousins in Albertville
Enjoying lunch at CulversHere comes the bride...
Here comes another bride...