Katie in ONE!

Happy Birthday to you my baby!!

For 365 days we have held you in our arms and enjoyed the precious moments. We celebrate you today Katie and thank God that you arrived one year ago!!

To my other four children, thank you for loving her, embracing her and just simply being the best sisters and brothers ever!!

oxoxox

Living for the manger

I heard Pastor Robbie Symons speak today briefly while I waited for the boys to have their hair cut. He is the pastor of Harvest in Oakville. He spoke very clearly on the reality of Christmas for christians, it is about the manger! Christ came as a child and we must remember that beautiful fact. We have hope because of that miracle.

I need to let that fact flow into our Christmas....

A meeting place does not always require too much planning! For me, coordinating dental visitis and castle tours comes quite naturally! Odd I agree, however when I can accomplish as many wonderful events in a day with our clan AND include dear friends or family the more exhilerating the moments.

We did just that. Dental visits and off to Dundern Castle. I had the intention of going last year but had to cancel due to sick kids and almost due with baby number five. I had the feeling a walking tour would not go well for me at that stage!! How would I fit this field trip in now? Well, it did. Thanks to my kindred spirit Heather, it all came together! A call to stop what you are doing and come was all she needed to say yes! That is not always possible, but it was the other day. We met, we played, we toured, we talked, we laughed and we were educated with castle history. It was a quiet time of day in the castle and I could tell our brood was taking it in, and well. Over dinner that night they blurted out many details of the day that enriched their lives and demonstrated how wonderful it is to walk through history.




I am so thankful that Heather is a gifted photographer. She inspires me to reach higher in my own quest for photographic moments. I still remember one of my first cameras. The one with the cube flash on the top!? I am grateful for the camera I have now (changed some!) to capture our moments and days and the beauty that surrounds. So thank you Heather for bringing your camera. Funny, my oldest knows her well enough to remind me that it is okay you did not bring your camera today, Auntie Heather will have hers!

























































What turned out to be just a normal day, was an eventful memory maker! I think what struck me on this trip was the fact we have been doing this for twelve years! We have seen our babies grow into little men and women and enjoy one another through time. Truly a blessing and I give thanks to the one who brought us together as friends and sisters in Christ!!

I know many are following through with the Ann Voscamp 'One Thousand Gifts' challenge. I have been writing them down in a journal. I am adding this....

Celebrations

     Life can be so full.  Sometimes in ways that I want to burst I have so much to blog about! I had to load some moments to reflect and appreciate in a blog book I create later!!!

 I am celebrating so much during this Christmas season. I am thankful for so many people and moments thankfully caught with the lens. Above, I celebrate a piano piece that takes my breath away when he plays...

I celebrate time away with my husband, turning forty is meaningful!

We took a special ride in a limo to celebrate Daddy turning forty!

We laughed so hard in the limo! Then we dropped the kiddies and went out for dinner!!

Creating a masterpiece, unique every year and thankful for how the kids are so excited to embrace Christmas and the real meaning, Jesus!

Katie watched and used her new word, "Wow!"

I am thankful to serve such a wonderful husband!

Love celebrating our kids singing!

Celebrations are treasures!

Hanging on...

There days that come along and you feel you are barely hanging on...

Sounds like a country song as I look back and read it! Now I am laughing to myself. But the sentiments remains true,

Days can be icy and cold, but as one of the last leaves from this Japanese Maple clings, we too can hold on because of Christ in us.


We are memorizing Psalm 23 (again!) How easily we can forget words from a Psalm that is well known!

                                        



So often we memorize scripture to music and this time Peter Furler (amazing christian artist) has a recent album called On Fire and our favourite song is Psalm 23.
We all love it and sing to it often. A great way to memorize scripture and enjoy time together.

Gathering

As with our kitten 'Brownie', gathering can mean so many different things! She prefers to gather her tiny frame into the most unique and creative spots to simply, rest!

When I think of gathering at times I think of gathering my brood into a cozy location to read, create some sort of art or listen to an audio drama or music.

Gathering for a purpose.

 If our kitten can find comfort in this, so can we.

Does this make any sense?

 Some days you need to just gather yourself and not follow the regular routine. How I know this? Well, I think back to the days of being in grade school when I would wake and wish I could just stay at home. To do what? I didn't know, just to 'gather' myself and simply be...

Today is one of those days for us. We are gathering.

The above pics are of a walk I took, with one of my kids  and another time on  my own with my camera!! There is always something to capture and gather for my archives.

I read this morning from Psalm 18

"The Lord is my rock and my fortess and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies."

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