Prayer Request

Hello All... I had hoped to update you with some fun pics and stories of our adventures with Jamie and Annette over the last two weeks but instead I'm writing with a prayer request as I know many of you are diligently praying for us.

Kara and Emily have been really struggling with sleep the last week or two. The past 4 nights have been especially bad with one or both of them up several times in the night crying. Kara is causing us a lot of confusion, stress, concern and frustration as she has been complaining about back and now belly pain the last 4 nights. It's hard to know what to do because it's only ever an issue at night and she shows no signs of any discomfort or abnormal behaviour during the day. We've tried everything we can think of and have been asking everyone what their tips are for managing our two very difficult sleepers. Dave and I are exhausted, discouraged, and out of idea's.... please pray for us and definitely send us any suggestions/tips you might have.

Hopefully tomorrow night will be a blogging night. Until then, check out the pics Dave and I added on our facebook pages.

A wee bit lonely

So tonight is the second of two nights in a row where Dave has been on call all night. It's weird not having him around but wouldn't be too weird if it were as it were in Ontario with my friends and family just a phone call away. Unfortunately the time difference really makes a difference at 8pm at night when I'm sitting alone, kids are sleeping, and the house is quiet- too quiet.  I find myself a little sad tonight because for the first time in a while I can tell that we are still the "new kids on the block".

My mom sent me a well timed verse that I had put in my journal under "to memorize for lonely days in BC". It's such a God thing that my mom sent me this very verse that I have since forgotten that I had meant to put to memory for days like this. The verse is found in Isaiah 49:18,19

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 

See, I am starting a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" 

This verse reminds me that although I can miss my past, my friends and my family that I need to look to God for what he is doing in the present. On days like today I long for Ontario when I could make a quick call and have a number of either friends and family show up at my house to keep me company or even sleep over when Dave is gone. I miss simply being able to talk on the phone with many of you who are reading this. I miss praying with my soul sisters, and laughing at games night with my family, I miss late night impromptu tea with my mom and most of all I miss the phone ringing to see if I wanted to do something on a Friday night. Tonight I'm on a bit of a pity party, I really need a bit of an attitude adjustment so here it is... I really am so thankful for all that God has done for us here. I can't believe the number of people that he has brought into our lives. The number of friendly faces that we have met is beyond counting.  I am so excited to see what God has planned for us out here in the west. I wonder what character traits he will refine and develop in us? I wonder what passions he will lay on our hearts to follow and pursue? I wonder who it is that we will be in a small group with? I am so excited to have a worship night out here and I'm even more excited to get to know many of the ladies that God has already put me in relationship with. I love that Kara and Emily have such a huge group of kids all around us and in our church with whom they can play with! I love that Dave is enjoying his residency so much and delivering tons of babies! I just pray that this might spark his interest in growing our family soon!! :) I know I just need to be patient. Patience, that is what fruit God is developing in me right now. Patience to wait on God to show us who it is that we will walk closely with over the next couple years. I pray that I will be sensitive to his leading and that Dave and I will find families, couples and mentors that we can spend meaningful, God directed time together. People that will encourage us but also people that we can serve and encourage.

I promise I'll keep you updated so you'll be able to see how God provides and answers that prayer.  And my next post wont be nearly so depressing! Just thought I should show you all sides of me! 

Please people... if you're reading this, add yourself to "the followers' list and please comment as you feel inspired! :) I'd love to know who is reading... if anyone :)

And for those of you who love to see my girls... here are just a few from our sunny day! (I honestly can't believe I was whining, the day was gorgeous and my girls were delightful). 

My friend Kristi (from Ontario) brought her little beauties for a back yard play date on this incredibly perfect day!

It got hot. So the sprinkler was a hit!

Zoren wearing the bottoms to one of Emily's Bikini's

Loving her new "ike"

My pretty little peddler, is starting to get it finally!

Crazy hair, we need to find a hairdresser...

Our lane is another blessing as it is a great place to bike and not too busy with traffic.

Her hair is starting to get long and curly!

Our Little Princess is 3!

July 27th, 2008 our whole world changed when this little lady joined our family. She has the ability to melt your heart and make you smile so much your cheeks hurt. She's always had a great personality- a true entertainer and social butterfly. We've loved watching her explore our new home and meet new kids. Her most common sentence when arriving at the park "What those kids names?" to which I always respond "Why don't you ask them and introduce yourself?" It's great to watch my little extrovert in action!

I'm sure some of you are wondering what we did to celebrate her day, so here is quick synopsis.
We started the day at Cultus Lake, playing at the beach with Skye and Charis Farr. Sadly, I didn't remember the camera. Then we headed to the Cheam centre for a swim (because it wasn't as warm as we the weather man had hoped). The girls loved the not-so-lazy river and the "hot" tub, but weren't quite so keen on swimming. Kara has recently gotten the courage to let go of Mommy and "swim" as long as she is geared up in both her life jacket and her water wings.

After swimming, we went home for lunch and our normal afternoon nap. Upon waking up, we went to pick up Daddy at the hospital and Kara was invited up to see a baby that was just a few hours old! She was delighted, especially given that her only birthday wish this year was to have a new baby.... sorry Kara, not this year.

For dinner Skye and Charis came over for pizza and ice cream cake. It worked out totally that we were babysitting them this night due to Nate and Marcel's 9th anniversary! 

Kara was thrilled to find 4 birthday cards and even a parcel with clothes and goodies! (Thanks to both sets of Grandparents, Aunt Christie, Auntie Marj and Nana and Papa).

Modeling some of her new clothes.

Skye was delighted that the outfit from Auntie Christie would fit her first, then Kara, then Emily. Good taste and good thinking Auntie Christie!

She loved the bright green and found some "matching" socks right away.

It was a busy day but the fun has only begun as Kara is going to have a "planned" Strawberry Shortcake birthday party, complete with invitations and goodie bags next weekend. No presents allowed but a perfect opportunity to have a bunch of her new friends in our home at one time!

An impromptu night in the backyard with some of our neighbors.

It's been a while since I've had the time or the energy to sit down and bring this blog up to date. Our last two weeks since we returned to Chilliwack have been a blur. I'm happy to report that my prayer to open our house up to our neighbors and friends has transpired! Tonight we had my friend and "soul sister" (your prayers have already been answered April),  Sarah come over with her 3 munchkins for dinner. I think I have mentioned Sarah before, but just incase, I will reinstate that she is a total answer to prayer. She lives just across the lane way from me and attends the same church. We prayed together our first morning together and have been meeting every week, sometimes more than once,  to pray together and hold eachother accountable. I've never been so functional and excited to roll out of bed to pray at 6am! Sarah and I are so similar in character, that at times it worries me. However, I have thanked God for her each day as we get to know eachother deeper. Besides Sarah, my neighbor Shay came over with her little daughter, Molly. Shay has quite the story to tell and I am so thankful that she feels comfortable to share it with me. We've had a couple great talks in my back yard or on our shared front lawn; I pray there are more.

Here are a few pictures of our night together. It was a riot, complete with air bounce (brought over by Sarah) and a visit from Bubble Gum the snake!

Deflating the air bounce- I finally thought to get out the camera!

Isaac is always full of smiles :)

Cade and Kara showing off their "head stands"

Sydney (who turned 5 yesterday) masters it!

Emily, Kara and Molly sharing secrets???

Molly and mommy Shay

When Dave came out with his guitar all the kids settled down next to him for some pre-bed-time worship.

 

Kara is in heaven sharing her back yard with her new friends...

Molly, Kara and Cade are getting sleepy...

Bubble Gum the snake! Sydney was so brave!

I'm proud to say that this snake is totally my friend, until she grows longer than my arm that is.

Bubble Gum shows off her strength

Emily wasn't too sure, but would touch Bubble Gum as long as her slithering red fork tongue was nowhere in sight.

New Homes

The Lordship Of Christ In Our Homes

May God’s peace be upon this house
That God has blessed you with
A home that reflects His awesome love
And the grace He freely gives

May it be a home with open doors
That welcomes strangers in
And makes them feel loved and accepted
Knowing that God dwells within

Our homes should be more than a house
Where we live day by day
It should be a place where God can reign
And precious memories are made

For as we establish in our homes
The Lordship of Jesus Christ
We invite His presence to come and dwell
And fill each room inside

So as we continue to lift up the Lord
In every part of our lives
It’s then our homes will reflect the faith
And hope we have in Christ

© By M.S.Lowndes

After a wonderful week in sunny Ontario for our friends Krista and Andrew's wedding, we have arrived back in BC. It was harder to leave this time knowing that we wont be seeing most people until Christmas now. I was thankful that I had the opportunity to see the new homes of two of my best friends, Brenda and Krista. There's something so neat about moving into a new place. It's more than the excitement of organizing a new space and transforming an empty pallet to a homey place where people want to be. It's the mystery and the anticipation of all that will happen in that new home. The memories, meaningful conversations,  and life changing moments that will take place between those walls in the years to come.  As you explore the neighborhood, you are encountering many new faces, each acquaintance has the potential to develop into a friendship. Who will be the people that you will walk closely with?

As We moved into our new place here in Chilliwack, I found myself asking God "How can you use me in this room? What can you teach me in this place? What are your plans for these spaces Lord?"  I'm so thankful for the ways God has already showed us how he would like us to use our home to further his kingdom, serve our neighbors,  care for little people, welcome strangers, and to provide a place of comfort to the hurting.  Now, is the tough part for me- listening, waiting, and acting in his timing.  Psalm 46:10 "Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world." This is a verse that has always been a struggle for me. When God shows me a glimpse of his will or a snap shot of his plans for me, I just forge forward often forgetting who gave me the idea's in the first place. I am so eager and excited to see what's next that I forget to pursue God for the direction of how to get there. So, to combat my constant struggle to self-direct and take charge, I've decided to plaster my house with verses that have often served to remind me to walk in his ways.... here are just a few.

Isaiah 48:17b

"I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."

Proverbs 16:9 

"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."

Proverbs 19:21 

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

Please, feel free to check in and ask me how I am doing with pursuing God's plans for our home. I crave accountability as there are few people who know me well enough ask the tough questions.  I covet your prayers as I wait on God's timing and direction for the relationships I am intended to invest in and the use of my time. I am so thankful that my role as wife and mother is a constant during this new beginning.

Not your grandmother's teapot...

Yesterday we went on our second hike with the girls to a trail called "teapot." Sorry about the title Grandma! It was the only witty thing I could come up with at the moment...and I knew you'd understand.

We spent the first part of the day cooped up in the house, and it was a relief to get outdoors and enjoy some scenery (even if the weather wasn't particularly fantastic). Although we were under overcast skies and the occasional raindrop, the trail was gorgeous. We hiked up a wide, groomed trail that soon turned into a winding dirt path through the forest.  Disappointingly, our camera battery died before we even started, so pictures posted on here are poached from the internet.

It took us about 40 minutes to get to the top, which was a bit quicker than we expected (we know, we know...aw shucks, guys...). There was a particularly steep part of the trail just before we made the plateau that got the heart pumping and the legs burning (truthfully, due to our neglected state of fitness, most of the trail had this effect - but this part in particular!) It then opened up to a beautiful view of Cultus Lake below, as well as a view of the valley on the other side.

And mosquitoes. Lots of mosquitoes.

After hanging out for a little bit at the top, we headed back down the mountain, with Kara walking on her own for a big part of it (she had been wanting to walk herself since about half way up!). Although not all good things come to an end, the girls patience soon did, and we spent the last half of the way down listening to Emily complain and Kara changing her mind by the second on whether she wanted to walk or ride. It seems as though they, like us, will require some conditioning!

We packed up and headed back in to town, rewarding ourselves by picking up some subs and relaxing at a nearby park. We met a few locals that gave us tips about where to hit up next! That is, once the blisters on Sarah's heel....heal.

After spending a bit of time here, it's easy to see why David uses so much mountain imagery in the Psalms.  For many people, myself included, the beauty of nature reveals the majesty of God. Obviously, this is just as true in Ontario as it is in BC, but for me the mountains add another dimension to it.  They feel so close but yet so far...they really make you feel kinda small. (I know what you're thinking - did he really just say that? 9 years of university, and he's just learned that mountains are big, and he is small? Shocking.) Anyway, in my mind they give a hint of a more complete cosmic perspective - mountains are big, but our God is so very, very much bigger.

For our next hike, we'll make sure our camera is charged up, so we can share some more pictures. And we'll bring bug spray. Adios for now!

A week in review... from the garage floor.

I can hardly believe how the time flies! It's hard to believe I haven't written in almost 5 days. I've tried numerous times but haven't been able to get to the point of completion of a thought let alone a coherent sentence (right Dave? lol, he edited my last lengthy late night post and this one too).

Anyway, here's a week in review. You might want your tea for this one :)
Monday was gorgeous, so we went to a local duck park and escaped a near attack of suspicious and over protective Canada geese. Beyond that, Monday is a blur.... I had some great 'God times,' along with a workout in the evening at an outdoor Bootcamp that my friend, sister and neighbor, Sarah runs. The girls came with me while Dave researched where to take our car for some much needed care.

Tuesday was the first beautiful sunny day that we've had since we rolled in 2 weeks ago. We were thankful for those gorgeous days, but since then we haven't seen very many mountain tops. Today, it was a mountaintop day! To start the day, we had my cousin Rachel over with her little man Sammy. It was nice to finally get to know my cousin, who has lived here in BC her entire life. Her little guy, Sammy is a day older than Kara so it was neat to introduce them as well. I'm excited to see more of my BC family in the months ahead!

After lunch we decided to head to Harrison Lake, a beautiful alpine lake surrounded by mountains with a small lagoon/reservoir like thing, a sure place to take our visiting friends and family. After Emily had her initial scream of terror when touching the water, the girls played for a couple hours - digging in the sand and throwing handfuls of mud at each other and into the lake.  It was a relaxing afternoon.... after after which we paid the price: due to missed naps, the girls fell asleep at about 5pm and then didn't wake until close to 7pm. That night they were up late "partying" with us and since then it's been a bit of a struggle to get them back into routine.

A face off...

Kara's a little unsure...

Emily watches from the shore, several feet from the "dangerous" water.

Daddy helps ease her in.

 Look at the mountains (the pictures don't do the white caps any justice)!

Snack and making roads in the sand... remember this Porringa family?

Eventually, the allure of the mud won Emily over!

Wednesday we woke early (despite the late night) and headed off to our first Chilliwack Birthday party (It wasn't our first BC birthday party though - Dave and I enjoyed celebrating Charis' birthday back in January when we were interviewing!). The party was for one of our landlords little girls, Leah, who is Kara's age (I think she just turned 3). Anyway, the party took place in their beautiful backyard and their indoor pool, quite a uniquely beautiful house! The girls did well with all the commotion of about 15 other kids and 5 adults, but were not too fond of the pool. Much to my chagrin, Emily screamed and clung to me every time I so much as brought her near the water, and Kara was a leach around my neck for the 15 minutes that I forced her to endure..... we will have to get some more swimming practice in at Great Grandma and Great Grandpa's house while we are home in St.Catharines.

That afternoon Kara and Emily had normal naps but woke up a little grouchy and generally sad. "I want to see my Grandma's" was Kara's complaint to which Emily replied Bapa Bapa. Skype has been a life saver for times like this and although it's definitely not the same as a hug it feels a bit like a long distance hug. I truly am thankful for the advances in technology which make our cross country divide a little less dividing.

That evening we had a couple, Jon and Bonnie Esau, and their little 2 year old Callie for dinner. This lovely family shared with us about their upcoming move to Thialand where they will be serving as missionaries for 10 years. It was really great to have God-centred conversation as well as some laughs about parenting with this young family, who I'm sure will become dear friends of ours in the months to come. Both Dave and I really enjoyed our visit and I'm happy to report that my 3rd serious attempt (something more than sausage or hot dogs) on the BBQ was a success. I now kinda know how to do grilled veggies with goat cheese and pork on the BBQ!

Thursday started out as a blah day because the rain clouds rolled in again. Really we had nothing to complain about as the last 3 days were gorgeous and sunny. Not too hot, but warm enough to wear our summer clothes and even play in the water. Thursday we dedicated to getting our licensing arranged, car fixed, laundry and clean up. It ended up being a great day as I listened to a couple really encouraging and helpful sermons while I cleaned up the kitchen and folded laundry.

Thursday for dinner we had company again but this time it was the couple that we met our first Sunday in Chilliwack, Pam and Dan. It's such a God thing that after just two visits we already feel so comfortable with them. It might help that they are from Ontario, Christians, knew Graham a little, are great with our kids, super helpful to us, and to top it all off- Pam is a year ahead of Dave in the residency program, so they can talk about everything medical. Praise God! Poor Dave, he has been going a little batty waiting for residency to begin. Although we've had some great family time and really enjoyed exploring a bit he's really been missing the "man factor" is his life. Wednesday night with Jon Esau will hopefully result in a round of golf next week and a Thursday with Dan will likely turn into a game of squash in the weeks to come.

That night, the girls refused to sleep. I don't know what kept them up but for the first time in awhile it didn't really bother me at all. I loved rocking and then laying with Emily and Dave and I took turns lying with Kara until she nodded off as well. Emily was up late into the night hanging out with us in the Papasan chair. I have included a few pics for effect :) I kept thinking... these times will soon pass. One day, our girls will be out late with friends and less excited about spending their evenings in our arms :) . In short, God has yet again provided for our specific needs.

It had been 2 hours of rocking... so we gave up and she joined us for tea.

But she was NOT sleepy.

And it didn't seem she was hurting...

Little scammer just loves her parents to herself!

Tylenol saves the day again, back to bed for Emmerson... this time, no complaints.

Today is Friday, it's been raining off and on all day but for some reason today still seems so bright. Perhaps it is the way the clouds seem to be wrapping their arms around the mountains, or the way the sun insists on shining through the dark clouds even if just for a minute or two. The clouds are dark but yet there is light all around the mountains in places where it seems that the sun is winning the battle of the sky. I'm not used to this rain yet, but I am slowly starting to adapt. For example, we played with chalk in our garage today while the rain teemed down around us. It was kinda peaceful and the girls thought it was cool. "Hey Mom, we're not getting wetter!" Kara said to me. Emily just ran in circles with the pink chalk she was liberally adding to the floor. :) And that brings us to now... I'm sitting here watching my girls and blogging from the floor of our garage and thanking God for simple days like today.

Prayer Requests for the Week (Since I have hardly said much about what God's been doing here)...
- The situation with my Dad. No details needed. Please just pray for him. Father's day was weird and prompted some e-mailing.
- For Dave as he begins his last week of 'vacation' before Residency, his first week as Dr. Heywood is just around the corner and holds all the expected feelings of anticipation for him.
- For the relationships that we are making here, that God would be in them and that we'd continually rely on his perspective and direction. It's interesting thinking about who it is we will be doing life closely with when there are so many people we've met in the past almost 3 weeks!
- Huge praise for the awesome package we received today from the Heywood's, complete with love letters and outfits for the girls! So fun!

Checking out our super sentimental album from our small group is a almost daily activity!

Outfits from Grandma and Grandpa H

P.S.... Kara is singing right now "I cleaned the rain! Nice and clean! I cleaned the rain, nice and clean, nice and clean!" and Emily is humming along. Duets, is in their future, I can see it!