His Echoes

Two weeks ago we were packing up our kids after church to head to the Hlushko's family home for another family Easter Celebration. We were so excited to reconnect with our "adopted" family, and share all of what the Lord has been doing in our lives and hear what the Lord has been doing for them. Dana was especially excited to see his friend, and mentor, Ken. As I gathered the kids into the van, I realized Dana's head hanging low and as he told me that Ken had been involved in an accident, we both were in shock. I am so glad, now, that we made the decision to go to Regina anyways, and with permission from the family, I dropped Dana off at the hospital to be with them as they prayed over Ken. I was able to go be with Ken's niece, and my dear friend, and comfort her. Then the call, that rocked me, saying that Ken may not make it through this. I couldn't think, I sent Tiffany to the hospital with her husband and stayed at her house to watch the children and wait. Joined by another one of Peggy and Ken's "adopted" families, the Freisens, we were able to comfort each other. That was a long hard day, and we left that night knowing that it would be the last time Dana would see Ken alive. I can't even imagine what he felt, walking away from his hospital bed. Let alone all the emotions of the his family. Early Wednesday Morning, he passed away. There is comfort in knowing that he was going home to be greeted by Jesus, but we were stricken with grief. Dana started to immediately pray for his family, as he wept. I was in shock. Four and a half years ago, we moved out to the prairies, with heavy persuasion from our new dear friends, Jen and Jordan. We have never lived far away from family and were sad to leave the comfort of their reaches, but we were hopeful of that path God was leading us on and excited about the new chapter of life we were beginning. I can remember feeling that our move would lead into something amazing. The first few months were incredibly hard, and I missed my family everyday. I sunk into a bit of a depression. I tried to snap out of it, even went to the doctor to see if there was something medically wrong with me. To my surprise he said, "You're crazy!". He laughed and told me there was nothing medically wrong with me, I have just had a lot of changes in a short amount of time and my head and heart haven't had time to catch up. He said I need to create a support network here, and the best way to do that in Saskatchewan is to attend a church. Now, this was a mini-miracle, along the way of many little miracles in our lives. This doctor to seem to be a believer, and most doctors would quickly prescribe something for my "depression", but instead he prescribed church. I still find this amazing. What was even more amazing, was what felt like the very next day, we received a flyer in the mail advertising Rosewood Park Alliance's Fall Kick Off, pancake breakfast, Sunday morning service (with childcare!), and an afternoon of activities for the whole family, and the best part it was FREE! I remembered that Jen and Jordan had said this was the church their family attended, and so I thought, I would give it a try. Dana was installing laminate that weekend and I was to keep the kids occupied while he did that, so I thought this was great. I could feed the kids, sit in service and have the kids looked after, and then have a whole afternoon of entertainment for them for free. What more could a mom ask for, right? God had something better in store for me. When I arrived at the church that morning, I was probably having one of my worst days. I literally wanted to drop my kids off in the nursery and just sit in peace and quiet in the lobby until I had to go pick them up. This all sounds horrible, but it was truthfully where I was that morning. But as I walked into the church, I was greeted by a couple who quickly found my a table, helped me get the Kynan and myself food (Ava was still nursing), and even held Ava while I ate. They were so warm, and welcoming, introducing me to more people. This couple ended up being Peggy and Ken. It came out that I was Jen and Jordan's friend from BC, and you could say that is why they were so friendly, but as I got to know this couple more I realized that it wouldn't have mattered. They would have loved on me regardless of who I was. Instead of sitting in lobby for service, I sat with them. Now, I had attended church before and had been baptized and believed in Jesus as our Savior, but this time was different. I can't explain it, but as I looked around and witnessed these people praising and worshiping together, I didn't feel weird-ed out (which I did at most churches), but felt a peace and a "rightness" that I can't explain. And of course Ken and Peggy right beside me. That afternoon, I insisted that Dana join me and meet these wonderful people who had loved on me all morning. Jen, Jordan and Abby joined us too and we were so blown away by this loving family. Ken ended our time together with an open invitation to come to his home for dinner any time. We didn't realize it at the time, but that was not an empty offer, and we would learn also how deep his care for people really ran. I remember driving away that day, feeling transformed, and Dana must have felt the same because I asked him, So what are your thoughts?" (which I still do whenever we leave a new experience). And he said, "Yup, we are going to start going to church, this church, every Sunday!". You also, have to understand, that we weren't church going people. We were sparatic in our faith, not really knowing what a Christ Centered life looked like. Thought we were doing okay by living an ok life, nothing too bad to speak of, praying occasionally. And another thing you have to know, is that when Dana says he is going to do something, he does it. And we did, every Sunday until we moved, we attended Rosewood Park Alliance Church. That decision sent us down a new path, filled with rich blessings, life altering decisions, and a deeply rooted faith, all because of one family's love and generosity with their time. Over the past several years, Ken held true to his promise, and welcomed us into his and Peggy's home for countless meals, family holidays, special family events. Dana and him shared a mentoring relationship which led into a private bible study and eventually a men's study. I still remember the day when Ken shared with us that he viewed us as his "chosen" family, and Dana as his brother. We were so blown away by this, but truthfully had felt the same towards him, Peggy and his family. Who knows where our lives would have ended up if it hadn't been for this couple. I could have just stayed for service in the lobby and walked away never to return again, unchanged. But God knew what we needed, He knew exactly where to lead us, and I am so thankful that God loves us even when we don't give Him the time of day. That one fact alone changed our lives forever. I could go on to share the numerous other stories of how Ken changed our lives, but I am sure there are many from many others. His echoes of his love, care and generosity run deep and wide. That is how God created him. He gave Ken an amazing partner in Peggy and together they served the Lord well. We were blessed enough to be apart of their ministry and their continued ministry. So as we mourn the loss of this man who meant so much to us, we feel incredibly blessed. We embrace the man that Ken is, the example he laid out for us, and try to let him go as he is embraced by His Heavenly Father. And in the words of our Pastor Jerven, from Ken's service, Ken will be greeted at the gates with Jesus saying, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Well done."

Friendship

I absolutely love my daughter. She shows me everyday what it means to be a good friend and embrace in the little things. She is truly generous by nature. Every chance she gets she is giving something to someone, whether it is a necklace she made, a toy that she thinks they would like, or a drawing she worked all afternoon on. Sometimes we are called to teach our children and model good character, but there are times I think children surpass the teacher and end up teaching us more than we could ever imagine. Not all days are filled with peace and joy, but more and more I am learning to embrace my sacred role as mother- it is a privilege.

My Prayer for Today

I have a confession to make which seems only more appropriate to make as we are leading into Easter, and our thoughts should be reflecting on Forgiveness and well.... Jesus. Some confess Him to be Lord, others rebuke the even thought of Him, while others remain indifferent. I know Him to be many things in my life, one of them being my friend. I talk to Him throughout the day, asking Him to give me strength for the day, patience with my kids, understanding towards my husband, and grace towards others. I plead with Him at times and ask him hard questions like, "why". I also get angry when I feel as though He has not lived up to His end of our relationship. You know, those unanswered prayers that have you wondering if He even cares. For lent, we have set up a little prayer corner in our already very small trailer, but I felt we needed a visual reminder to slow down our day and take time to reflect, pray, give thanks, forgive. But, I have not been a very good friend to my savior. I don't think I have sat in that corner more than 5 times in the last 20 days. I have called out to Him many times over the last few weeks, but rarely have taken the time to hear what He had to say back. I rarely sit in stillness, silence or even pause to reflect on what I have lamented to Him. He may know every whisper in my heart, but I have not offered Him that same attentiveness. Last night, I even flipped through my bible as I was watching a show thinking.... I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I would find wisdom through osmosis.



Lord, I am sorry. Please forgive me. I am so thankful I have a heavenly Father who loves me so much that He sent His only son for me. Break my heart for what breaks yours. Hold me to your bossom and shelter me from every evil thing. Fill our home with your presence and remind us to find joy in the little things today and always. Teach us to embrace each other in kindness and gentleness. To love. Thank you for the mud puddles in our lives and thank you for showing me that joy even exists in the mud. You are so wise and you know the plans you have for me. Amen.



Psalm 103
Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits-
who forgives all your sins
and heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit
and crowns you with love and compassion,
who satisfies all your desires with good things
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
his deeds to the people of Isreal:
The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
he does not treat as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass,
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place it remembers it no more.
But from the everlasting to everlasting
the Lord's love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children's children-
with those who keep his covenant
and remember to obey his precepts.
The Lord has established his throne in heaven,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, you his angels
you mighty ones who do his bidding,
who obey his word.
Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,
you his servants who do his will.
Praise the Lord, all his works
everywhere in his dominion.
Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Cookies in the Kitchen?

Ever since we have gone paleo, I have not done a ton of baking outside of our treat Good Morning Muffins, which I only make maybe once a week. Other than that there is no baking in the house. Well, today this kids were outside playing in the freshly fallen snow and I remembered when I would make chocolate chip cookies and hot cocoa for my kids on days like these. It made me sad to think that I couldn't do that anymore. So I went online to see if we could find a recipe that was paleo and delicious. And this is what I came up with.... Enjoy this recipe from Paeo Gal.

Mixing the ingredients....


Forming the cookies...




The final product, a little crumbly, but Ava (still rosy cheeked from playing outside) gives it thumbs up. She doesn't even know there is no sugar in it.

Gone Paleo

It has been awhile since I posted and there has been alot of changes in the McCallum household, but today I am only updating on one of those things and that is... we've gone paleo.

At first when I heard of Paleo Diet from my mother-in-law, I thought it was just another one of those things that she was trying to get fit, but when I realized that it has been almost a year and she is still going- I had to take a second look. Not to mention that she has dropped something like 10 dress sizes in 10 months! Something worth looking into, right? On our trip back to BC this Christmas was a perfect opportunity for me to see it in action at Carleen's house and ask as many questions as I like. Of course, Carleen didn't change her diet for us. She served what her and Al would normally eat and within the first few days the first thing I noticed was Ava's whole domineer had changed. She was calm, collected, and.... sweet! Not that she is not sweet, but we have been working with her for what seems forever on her melt downs and controlling her emotions. She started to turn the corner last spring, but at Baba's house she showed a whole other level of calm. It was so nice. That already sold me on it, but after discussing it with Dana about all of our digestive issues and of course Kynan's dairy intolerance, we thought what is to lose? SO we went for it.


{Fruit Salad Breakfast and Elijah helping by cheering me on}

What is Paleo? I really don't want to go into details, but basically we don't eat refined sugars, grains, legumes, or dairy. Which seems restrictive, but with some awesome recipes from Everyday Paleo, and Paleo Comfort Foods, we really feel like we are not missing much. Not to mention how good we feel, how much less we are are craving sweets, and how little the kids are 'snacking' on not so good foods. It is a little more pricey way of providing nourishment to your family with the increase of meats, protein and fresh produce, but in the money we are saving by not doing any McDonalds runs or eating out as much as we use to, I feel like it balances out. The other, somewhat negative thing, is that it does take prep. I was usually one of those throw something together kind of gals, but with paleo you do have to be more planned and organised than that. However, what it has provided is an opportunity for the kids to be more involved in the kitchen, they learn about different foods, and they even have started helping with the clean up (Ava did the dishes this morning). So it is a little more work, but the rewards far out way that. If you want more detailed information about Paleo you could visit Robb Wolff's site here. It has a ton of great information.


{Cucumber Tuna Boats for lunch. Kynan, the 'tuna fan' is excited!}

So all in all, we are enjoying the journey. I crave sugars less, have little or none digestive issues after eating, and have even noticed my tummy starting to trim down (and it has only been three weeks)! I don't weigh myself because that's just depressing AND a totally inaccurate way of determining success. We are basing it on feeling and behavouirs and we couldn't be more happy with the results.


{Our Paleo fridge. Stocked with fresh fruits and veggies, sliced chicken, lots and lots of farm fresh eggs!}


{Our Paleo Pantry! When we got back from BC, I rid our cupboards and pantry of anything non-paleo so I would not be tempted to jump off the band wagon. So now we have jars (excellent storage containers) of dried fruits, nuts, coconut flour, arrowroot flour, gluten free baking soda and baking powder, ect.)

So my next big plunge is work out. At this moments, I really do nothing outside of running after the kids and regular family activities (walks, biking, swimming, ect.) So in Feb (So like 4 days), I am starting a basic at home work out routine at home 3 times a week. I've been looking into Moose Jaw Cross Fit, but right now it really isn't in the budget of a starving student family ;)

That's it for now. I am hoping to get on again soon and post about our other new adventure, home schooling!!! Who new I would end up as one of 'those' moms. LOL!

Exactly Where We Are Suppose to Be

There has been a lot of things happen since my last post and I apologize to my very few readers for not being more diligent and updating more. Things at the Port are finally feeling more settled. Honestly, it felt like a long hard summer that was extremely lonely as I didn't know many people and Dana was hardly around. When fall came, so did a sense of routine, new people, and blossoming friendships for both the kids and myself. Dana has been like a little kid, filled with eagerness to learn and excitement for his new environment. I am so thankful that he is feeling settled and motivated in his new adventure. As for myself, it feels like after a very restful summer "off" of activities, I have been launched into a little bit of a whirl wind of new ideas, a growing business, and establishing friendships; all of which have been very positive. God has been so faithful in providing new positive friendships in my life. A fellow photographer and now gym buddy, has been more than an answer to prayer; she has been a life line this summer. Preventing me from shutting out the world. Another mom, who shares similar values and parenting style, has also been a wonderful breath of fresh air and her children have offered a great new companion for Ava. Of course, every day, other relationships are being nurtured and established and I am really starting to feel at home here. Another exciting thing has been the growth of my photography business, which has more than quadrupled since last year. I have been busy with family, maternity, baby sessions, and (new to me this summer) weddings. I have loved every minute of it and I truly owe it all to Dana for pushing me and encouraging me to chase after something I have wanted for a long time. Another new, exciting and challenging, event on our horizon is the prospect of Homeschooling Kynan. This is something that was laid on my heart last winter. Something that I felt at the time, I was not capable of nor did I want to attempt it. But the more and more we ponder this option for our family the more excited we feel about. Every family is different, and this may be just right for ours. We are still considering all the possibilities, and hope to make a decision by December. So yes, alot. But also it all feels normal family stuff. On top of it all, I feel that we are doing and where exactly where we need to be. That this is what God had planned for us all along. I see purpose in everything we are doing, and am so grateful that God has been with us every step of the way. We are suppose to be challenged and stretched. That is when we learn to depend more deeply on the one who created us. For strength, encouragement and wisdom. I find myself encouraged and inspired here. I am doing things that I never felt I could or had the energy for. I am working out, eating healthier (still not great, but better than before), I launched my wedding photography business this summer with huge success, Iam reaching out to the community, I am reading my bible daily, I am looking into Homeschooling, I am more patient with my kids and enjoy them more than ever before, I LOVE being Dana's wife and all that I am blessed to serve him, and ultimately I feel closer to God than I have ever felt before. I still have a long way to go. After all, we are all works in progress, but I am so thankful that God designed Caronport to be one of our stops on our journey. We are exactly where we are suppose to be.

One thing I have really enjoyed about living in Caronport, is the sudden repreive I have from all my commitments. We have nothing on our calendar except a few visits from family and to go see some friends. That's it! No where to run off to. Nothing I HAVE to do. Our days are so relaxed and the kids are seeming to enjoy this break in schedule. Our days usually consist of getting up, eating breakfast, playing outside, having picnic lunches, reading in the afternoon's, enjoying the garden, going for walks to the corner store, friends, enjoyment.....peace. I mean, there are some crazy days like today where I wake up to everything out of the cupboards and on my living room floor because I slept 10 minutes longer than I should have and the kids thought they would feed themselves. Or the black marker that is on my computer screen because I though Elijah was playing with Ava in her room when I was doing a load of laundry. I thought wrong obviously. I am hoping by confessing this, I am not thought of as a bad mother, but rather an imperfect mother who is doing her best to live in the moment and rejoice in the day we are given. Moving is always an adjustment. New friendships take time to form. There is always the beginning awkwardness that takes time to fade away. It's exhausting starting from scratch and to continually put yourself out there and be vulnerable to what people may think of you or perceive you. But isn't it worth it, considering what you might gain? That person may be that long lost friend that will end up being a life time friend. Or maybe they will impart wisdom or speak truth into your life? Maybe they will give a much needed wake up call and replant your path in life? Who knows, right? In talking to a new (possibly great) friend last week, I realized that I am an "all in" kind of person. Right out of the gate, I throw in all my chips, I open up, and I hope that I connect. I wear everything on my sleeve. My emotions, my past, my thoughts, my passions, EVERYTHING. I also tend to be a little uncensored because of this. Which sometimes people consider it a fault that I say the wrong thing, or share too much, but I choose to believe that this makes me human and imperfect. Someone who is yurning to improve and grow and gain wisdom, but recognizes that I am weak and insecure and possibly naive. I love how moving out here as put all this in perspective for me and allowed me to truly embrace... me. I feel free to be who I am and what I want to be, without fear of judgement or being cast out. Cast out from where? I haven't even been 'cast in' yet. So there is this sense of freedom here. Peace.

God Does Answer Prayers

I am always amazed how God answers our prayers. It seems so perfect at times, and at others it seems just in the nick of time. Dana and I did put alot on the line when we decided to move to Caronport in following God's call on our lives. Nothing grand comes without sacrafice. We all sacrafice something; whether it be time, money, friends, ect... It seems like over the last 4 years Dana and I have been "sacraficing" alot! But I look at where it has taken us, and am amazed how God knew what was best for us all along.

I grew up in a small town and loved every minute of it. I loved how friendly people were, that you could take over an hour walking to town because you were bound to run into people you knew who wanted to chat, that you could walk to the grocery store. I loved that I knew everyone in my school in all the grades, most of them by name. I loved that I married my high school sweet heart, and I love that my children walked the same streets as I did growing up. I imagined my kids going to the same school I did, having some of the same teachers, finding the same secret quiet spaces (mine was the rock that looked over the creek behind the stone church). But things change, people change and dreams change. I found that after I got married and started a family, I looked at that same lovable community differently. I didn't have many "mom" friends that I could share life with, money was always a stress living where we did, and somewhere along the line I felt like I lost "my" community. So naturally when the opportunity came up to move Saskatchewan, it intrigued me. However, I still held to my little community scared of letting it go and all that it had meant to me. Not to mention that both Dana and I's family's lived in there too and I had imagined our children growing up with Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins as neighbors. Real 'Little House on the Prairie' kind of stuff. But on faith and hope we moved half way across Canada to the real prairie. That move changed our lives. We didn't know it then, but God was working in us and grooming us for the road that lies ahead.

Saskatchewan proved to be the most challenging, scary, loving, rewarding things we have ever done. We walked away from a brand new house, filled with all brand new things, into a two bed room apartment in a not so good area of town. Not to mention how much stuff we got rid of to fit it all in. We still held on to the possibility of our lot selling and being able to own a home, so we had rented storage for much of our bigger processions. Feeling like we were working a little backwards, and the unknown future, there were many times we doubted our decision. But something always held us here. As if God was saying, hold in tight, I have something for you, just not yet. Several months after being in this small home, my dear friend's hubby (they lived in the same building) said that he had a knife pulled on him in the parking lot so not to go out walking at night by myself like I had been. Now he was fine and made it more comical then I sure it was, but I remember being terrified and marching home immediately to tell Dana we are moving and that was it. But we couldn't afford much, our lot hadn't sold so we didn't think we could buy, but after months of looking it felt like there was no other option. So we had made an appointment with the bank to see what we could afford. Well, months prior we had applied for the Family Co-op which provided beautiful family town houses in a great area of town for subsidized rent but because we hadn't heard back we assumed there was no way we would get in. But guess who called when we were in the office with mortgage specialist? The Co-op! She told us they had a town house available in just a few weeks and they wanted to know if we wanted it. The amazing thing is that there is a wait list a mile long to get into this place, that's why we thought it was impossible. But she told us we were the last on her list, and she had called everyone else and they all told her that it was not a good time for them to move! In MAY! That is undeniably God taking the bull by the horn in my opinion. SO now we had a beautiful, safe home for our family.

Life seemed pretty perfect, even though the lot in BC has not sold, we had a home to be proud of and our family was growing. That fall little Elijah was born. We felt so blessed, but still felt as though we were waiting. Waiting on God to show us why Saskatchewan? Why now? Dana had started to feel discontented with his work and couldn't shake this undeniable feeling that he was suppose to be doing something else. Finally, just after Eli turned one, I took him to Caronport to talk to Academic Adviser and to see just what it would take to go into the ministry (aka: become a pastor). That day Dana was a kid in a candy store. He walked through the halls with a big smile, reading everything in site. He sat in on a class, and leaned in and said to me I know these answers! Can I raise my hand? I know after that day, that we would find ourselves back in this small rural town in the future. Little did I know it would only be a short 5 months later. The plan was for Dana to finish his electrical (3 years) while working on his degree through Briercrest by distance education. Now I would say that when God has a plan there really is no stopping it, but I don't believe that to be true all the time. I do believe that sometimes it does come down to a choice. You see in December that year, two months after our visit to Caronport, Dana "treated" me with a weekend retreat of solitude feeling the Lord's promptings that I needed time to reflect. I know that decision wasn't easy for Dana, considering I had been begging to go to Mexico for about 6 months. But he was obedient and listened to the promptings and I went. That weekend was revolutionary for me. Extremely disappointed that I wasn't on a warm sandy beach listening to the waves lap my feet, I started reading the word and spending lots of time in prayer. That weekend God spoke to me for maybe the first time in my life. I truly felt him saying: "Trust me. I have a plan. It has been in place all along. But now it comes down to you. You need to make a choice. To you follow MY plan for you or do you try and do it on your own." What echoes in my mind even still today is that it is all about a choice. I have to choose. I went home that day not really knowing what that meant until Dana and I's conversation floated back on our visit to Caronport and the prospect of him one day going to school. The conversation kinda went like this:
Susie: "So Dana, where are you at with that whole I wanna become a pastor, quit my job and go to school thing coming along."
Dana: "I still want to do it. I think about it everyday."
Susie: "So does that mean you want to go now? Not later?"
Dana: "Honestly Suz, I have been waiting on you to be ready and on board with the idea."
Susie: "Really? Me?"
Dana: "Yes Love"
Susie: All that is echoing in my mind at this point is that it's all about a choice. "Well, let's do it then!"
Really, there was much more discussion that went into it, but after that initial two minute conversation the decision had been made.

Now we are here, the summer before studies begin. Last week we didn't know if Dana had a job at the end of school or how we were going to pay for things or .... Needless to say the last two months have been very stressful. But listen to the many blessings we have received in the last 6 weeks.

-A good friend paid for me to go on the MOPS retreat which we couldn't afford to do otherwise.
-I shot my first "professional" wedding
-I booked my first "Full Package" wedding
-We got a free shed, a free swing set/ treehouse, a free trampoline
-AND now Dana got a job right here in Caronport!

God does answer prayers. He has provided us the will and knowledge and provisions all along our journey. We have always been able to pay our bills. We have never "lived without". Of course we have made sacrifices and done without, but it has never felt like a hardship. I truly feel as though God is filling up my heart and replacing all my wants and desires with HIS wants and desires. I am finding joy in knowing that we are following God's will. And what's more that we had the faith and obedience to make the CHOICE to do so. What has Jesus been asking you to do? Is there a calling on your life that you have not yet answered or are still wrestling through? Have you thought about the idea that it does come down to you choosing Jesus? I encourage you to make the choice, choose Him. Put your trust in Him. The road may not be easy, but it is filled with heavenly riches.

"Two paths diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less travelled and that has made all the difference."
-Ralph Emerson

Listen to this song and God bless YOUR journey.

Welcome to Caronport

We're here! We made it! Thanks to many strong hands we were able to get most of our things packed up on Friday night. It's amazing how many people showed up and we were so grateful! On Saturday, our faithful friend came out and helped us move the rest of the stuff and even came to Caronport to unload. It took the two of them about 4 hours just to unload the truck. A friend from MOPS surprised me and helped me clean up the Regina house and get it ready for our inspection. And even a friend from Saskatoon came and lended a hand cleaning, and even watching the kids that afternoon. Again, we are truly grateful.


So we are here and seem to be settling into small town life. The kids have been riding their bikes everywhere and even Elijah pounds on the door as if to say, "Walk?" As for myself, I believe I am all walked out. Dana has started school in Moose Jaw on Monday, so he takes the van in the morning. Kynan's a morning class so we have to be at the school by 8:45am. It's only like a 8 minute walk, but when you are traveling with three kids it ends up being more like 25 minutes. Then we have to walk home. Then at 11:30am we are off to pick him up. Yesterday and tomorrow, Ava has preschool too, which means an extra trip to the school for 1:15 and again at 3pm. Needless to say, there better be some pounds shed or I will be an unhappy camper. My body ached last night, and I could not unpack another box. With all my ranting about walking, how out of shape I am, and how I wish I could just send Kynan by himself, I do love it here. It's so quiet and peaceful, you can see the stars at night, the dirt roads, the smiles and waves, the friendly housing staff (who have already rescued me from being locked out of my house twice already- key hidden, check). It feels like we are at summer camp and our houses are our family cabins and school is the daycamp our kids go to. With the exception that I am a bit of loner right now. Everybody walks or rides their bikes everywhere! There are paths that lead to every part of Caronport and everyone seems all so laid back. The kids love it. Dana is in his element. And I..... am going through social withdrawls, but know that even that will dissipate with time.

Here comes the next adventure.... bring it on!

Standing on the Edge

We are just days away from our new adventure. Tomorrow Dana will be dismantling the office and my computer so I thought I better update this here page. Saturday marks the day of a new chapter and truly a complete reroute of our lives. If you were to ask me four years ago if I thought we would be here, I probably would laugh. Hysterically laugh. But there have been so many pivotal decisions that we have made as a family that have lead us to this. I can't help, but feel like I am a bird about to take flight, standing on the edge of cliff and hoping that my wings work and the wind will catch me. Our home on Sangster will be the longest place we have called home since being married. And this move to Caronport will be the seventh move in our seven years of marriage. You would think this might have gotten me down, but when Dana and I look at each other we giggle. We giggle at it all. We are giddy like two kids about to go Disneyland for the first time (which God willing will hopefully happen sometime in my lifetime-LOL). Boxes are packed, the kids are ready (and excited too), truck is booked, and the cleaning has started. I am sure there will be much to share and I hope to blog more as a way to keep in touch with everyone. Keep us in your prayers this week. And if you are feeling ansy on Friday or Saturday, come on over and load a few boxes!

It's All About A Choice

So, last post I left you hanging a little bit, but I hoped you enjoyed the read. Now, let's you get caught up to where we are now.

After coming home from, my retreat, I strongly felt (and prayed) that Dana would be having an equally meaningful weekend as I did. I felt like something big was coming, but a little unsure as to what. So after tucking the kids into bed that evening, we sat down and talked about all that had happened on our weekends. He was actually really sick, and said that he hadn't had some big epiphany as I thought he would have. So I felt a little confused. I know that people would say to just wait and God will reveal His plans in perfect time, but I wanted to know now. So I asked Dana where he was at about that whole going to school thing, more for conversation than anything else. And he said, very matter of factly, "I want to go. I have always wanted to go. I have just been waiting for you to be ok with the whole idea of it." What?!?!? That was not at all what I was expecting, but what was even more unexpected was how I felt about it. Excited? Could that be right? About 2 months prior to this, Dana and I went out to visit a local Bible College so that Dana could tour the building, meet with some advisers and sit in on a class. Mostly, I just wanted him to be sure that he wanted to pursue this in the future. In the future and PART TIME was more where I was then. I didn't even think that he would want to go full time and soon. Having said that, I did feel right at home out in Caronport. It is a very small village and the people are lovely. And as we drove away I turned to Dana and told him I could see us living out there. Now speed back to where we are, the living room talking about school and Dana saying he wants to go to school, now.

School now? How do I feel about that? Excited? Nervous? Unsure? Yes, yes, and absolutely not. For the first time in a really long time, I felt like Dana and I were doing exactly what we are suppose to be doing. It all makes sense now. God did have a plan all along. The only ones who were stopping it was us. We didn't listen. Or maybe we were listening, but we chose not to act. To follow. To be obedient to the Call. That's when it dawned on me. It's all about a choice. God has chosen us long ago and has been preparing a path for us, laying out every detail, but if we don't follow. If we are not obedient and listen and act, then we will never know what His plan was. Dana and I felt like we were in this waiting period for like two years (ever since moving back to Regina), and now I see all along God was prompting us, grooming us, for this decision.

After that surprisingly short conversation, Dana decided to go ahead and apply for school. We didn't want to get our hopes up if he wasn't getting in. There were so many little things that happened after that confirming that this is where and what Dana and I were to be doing, that it gave us a sense of confidence that all would work out. And work out it did. Dana hand delivered his application in mid-January. We talked with financial advisers who laid everything out for us. We talked to the registration advisers who painted a clear picture as what the "next steps" are. Then when we were about to leave, Chantelle (registrations adviser) gave us great news. She had asked me earlier in the morning what my biggest worry was about Dana coming to school. I had confided that I was a little nervous about the housing situation and how it would all fall together. We didn't want to move until August and most of the students move out in spring. Also, we wanted one of the mobile homes so we could have space inside and out (they have bigger yards), AND we had a list of other hopes that we expressed to her. And her big news was, that in the twenty minutes we were in with the financial councilor, she had found us a house! Absolutely everything we had asked for, plus they were willing to hold it for us until August. Isn't that just amazing? It blows my mind how God works and I am not sure why I ever worry about anything because this is just one of the bizillion ways God has provided for us. God is faithful, and he consistently shows us He loves us through these little miracles.

So, long story short, we are moving an hour outside Regina to a little village named Caronport so Dana can attend Brieircrest College & Seminary School full time in the fall. He will be working towards a Bachelor of Theology with the goal of becoming a pastor one day. I am so excited about this new chapter in our lives and am so overwhelmed with peace about all the little details. God will provide.

Next post..... the Call. And my thoughts on that. But in the meantime check out this AWESOME song by 33 Miles.

Covered Path

I know it has been a while since I have posted, and I hope you all have had a blessed Christmas filled with love and laughter. We sure did, but as always, the season zoomed by too fast! I can't believe it has been almost 2 months since my last post and so much has happened in our lives since then.

Early December, Dana surprised me with my first Christmas gift. He marked on the calendar, "Do not book anything" over three days and then hinted towards a trip away. All I had asked for Christmas was a romantic getaway so that we could recharge and spend time alone together, so I was super excited. I was a little shocked, to say the least, when his surprise did not involve sand of any kind, no plane, not even him. WHAT?!?! Dana, being the wise man that he is, planned a retreat for just me at a local retreat center for me to pray and spend time with God. Some people dream of a chance like this, but I definitely did not. Well, not this time anyway. Dana shoved (my interpretation anyway) me into a cinder block room with nothing, but a small suitcase and a kick good bye kiss. As he ran out of the room, he said that there was instructions in the bag. And there I stood, for the first time in what seems an eternity, alone.

Now, for those that know me, and Dana is no exception, know that I LOVE being around people. I am a proud extrovert, am energized from being around people, and just love to be busy. Period. I am also a mom of three very active kids and there is not alot of alone time or quiet time in my home. So this concept of "alone and quiet time for ME" is a little foreign. At first I was so upset that I literally cried for an hour straight. I kept imagining in my head where I could be, what I could be doing, and when my imagination would bring Dana into the picture I would wail harder. I am sure that my sobbing was echoing through the silent hallways of the retreat center. It is extremely silent out there. You could probably hear a pin drop clear across the building. After an hour, and my faucet had dried out, sadness and disappointment was replaced with anger. Let me pause for a moment and say, I know some of you might be thinking she is being a little dramatic or what a thoughtful thing your husband did, how selfish are you to be responding this way. I know and I felt awful after, but please try and put yourself in my shoes. For months I had dreamed about a relaxing, romantic, tropical trip, down to putting a palm tree as my screen on my phone. So this, a retreat center in the middle of a snow covered prairie, was not exactly what I was expecting. Okay, so now back to my anger. I was ready to call up Dana and say "You take the weekend! Come pick me up and I will look after the kids while you spend the weekend in solitude. This is your dream retreat, NOT MINE!" But, I also knew, from the bottom of my heart, that Dana did this out of love and respect for me. He felt THIS is what I needed, not some expensive holiday filled with further distraction. So after talking to a dear a friend, who edified my own thoughts, I chose to embrace the situation, and really seek out why God had led Dana to such a decision. I am so glad I did.

After talking with my friend, I hung up the phone feeling exhausted. So, I went back to my room, jacked up the heat, and crawled into bed. I must have been tired because I slept for a solid three hours only awakening to the smell of dinner down the hall. I went to the dining hall, sat alone, ate alone, awkwardly watching the other people (who were there as a study group from a church). They smiled at me and I smiled at them, quickly finished supper and left the awkwardness as soon as possible. I spent the evening wondering the halls and admiring all the artwork. The building was filled with amazing pieces from local artists. The retreat center had a right up about all their outdoor features; which included, a prayer walk, paths, and a labyrinth. I was in way trying to figure out what I was going to do the next day too, so I made a small plan to do all the outdoor stuff the following day. I spent most the night reading my Bible and a book I had found in the retreat center's basement sale (an indoor garage sale that helps raise funds for the center and their various events). The next morning came and I felt exhausted (didn't sleep much the night before), and full of confusion. Why did God speak to Dana and tell him here? What was I suppose to get out of all this? I was tired and mad, and bundled up to go out into the prairie winter which I was also not thrilled about.

I started with the prayer walk, which actually was great. I could hear the quietness of nature and the peace that filled me when I read the prayers aloud felt comforting and reassuring. I looked up the hill to where the labyrinth was suppose to be and just saw more snow, but thought I may as well. So I hiked up to entrance of the labyrinth. Okay, so you need to know that the night before I read that a labyrinth is like a spiritual pilgrimage. You walk into the center of the labyrinth relenting your hear to to God, unburdening your hear to him with all your stresses, questions, thoughts. Once you get to the center you silence yourself, and walk out listening to God. Emptying you mind and truly listen to what God will speak to you. Worth a shot, right? So I attempt to walk through this labyrinth, the whole time just relenting about our future. What are we doing here? Where are we going? Why hasn't are lot sold? What is my purpose? And so and so on. I finally made it to the middle and I am not sure how. The labyrinth had been laid out by stones which were all covered in snow. There were some footprints, but they seemed not to lead me in the right direction. Okay, so I had relented my heart to God, now it was time to clear my mind and quiet my thoughts and listen to what God had to say. I was so excited and filled with anticipation as I waited for God to bestow a sense of piece and purpose on my life. I started walking, nothing. The more I walked out of the labyrinth, the less peace I felt and more frustration rose in me. I couldn't even find my way out of this stupid labyrinth. How on earth am I suppose to hear God speaking to me when I can't even get this part right?!?!? I finally just jumped out of the chaos and gave up. I was so mad and more frustrated than I felt the entire weekend. What the heck! I thought this was suppose to be a weekend of enlightenment and give me sense of purpose and direction. I closed me eyes and lifted my hands up to the sky and yelled at God. My yelling turned to more of crying out. "Show me the light, God. Please, just show me your light!" And what happened next was both amazing and weird.

As I kept repeating, "Show me the light", all these thoughts that Dana and I have been struggling with came into my mind. School, our lot, direction, waiting, ect ect ect. For those that don't know me well, may not know what these things mean, but please just stay with me. My eyes were closed, my arms lifted up, and suddenly, like a sun peeping out from behind a cloud, a light started to increase in my mind's eye. I quickly opened my eyes to see if that was what was happening, but there was no sun. Just the cloudy day I had been in before. When I closed my eyes again, though, the light was intense. It was so bright, a bright red and orange, beautiful. And so clearly I felt God speaking to my heart. I felt him filling me with a sense of peace and joy. And then he spoke to me saying that my path is much like the labyrinth I just tried to walk. There is a clear path in which I can choose to take. It has been laid out for me, and has been thoughtfully put together. But, much like the path of the labyrinth it may be unclear or covered in snow. But to be assured that spring is coming and all will be revealed. Path. Direction. Dana. Lot. All these words repeated in my mind over and over. And then as suddenly as it had started it stopped and all that was left was a sense of peace and clarity.

I truly believe that God spoke to me that day and gave me a gift of peace as to what is going to come. The biggest thing I felt that day though, was that there was always a path laid out. God has had this plan all along. He was just waiting for me to choose it. And so, I feel like we have made the choice to finally start listening to God's promptings. The story does continue, there is still so much more to tell. But I will leave you here today. Partly because I want you to come back and visit my blog again and partly because my kids have been left to fend for themselves for long enough and it's time for me to go back to being a mom.

God bless you, and may you listen to what God is prompting you.

Heels and a Mini Skirt

I just came home from a fabulous night out with the girls. I love fridays for this exact reason. Our Girls Nights are always so rejeuvinating and revitalizing. Tonight was just appies and a movie. We enjoyed good conversation over really good food. A new friend joined our table which was fabulous, and I am so enjoying getting to know her. I love these girls. I love woman in general. That may be a real riskay thing to post on the internet, but seriously, I find woman to be authentic and raw. We share intimate details about specific feminine issues openly with one another. We share frustrations we have with our spouses and in the same sentence gush over how much we can't live without them. We love connection so much that we linger at the table with our coats on just so we can talk one minute longer. I love it.

After dinner, we went to see a movie, "Morning Glory" with Rachael Adams. I haven't even seen a preview for this flick, and being that we don't have cable, I am pretty oblivious to most goings on in Hollywood. Well, I have to say I laughed through this entire movie and felt oddly connected to the main character. I have no idea why as she was a corporate woman climbing the tower of success with a dash of love interest. I think I felt a sense of longing. A longing for a little of her acknowledgment she received. Status, maybe? I am not sure, but maybe some other stay-at-moms or any woman for that matter can relate when I say sometimes I want be the one in the heels and mini-skirt running across the courtyard! As I write this I am wearing sport socks, stretch pants and a sweater. Typical attire for a mom at midnight. I think about my precious children tucked in bed, asleep, sweet sleep. I know that us moms should feel that we have the most important jobs in the world raising our babies and that our acknowlegments come from their smiles, their kisses, their handmade gifts. And trust me, when your daughter looks up at you and says she wants to be just like you, you feel like the most important person in the world AND a little overwhelmed by the sense of responsibility that brings. I DO love being a mom. It has brought me such joy and peace and confidence in myself. It has made me realise that I am so much more capable than what I think and my kids know it. I wonder though where this sense of urning comes from, and this sense that we are not 'good enough until' mentality comes from. As I perculated over these meandering thoughts (my attempt at sounding sophisiticated and intellegent, as I spell check away), the song that came over the radio was "In Christ Alone". Wow! Thank you Lord for that. To humble me and affirm me all at the same time. I realise that my worth does not come from the earthly status I recieve from a good paying job or even these little lives that I am shaping. Jobs will come and go and eventually evaporate, and these little lives are shaped by YOU through me, I am only the messenger, the assistant possibly. My worth comes from You. The one that "knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139:13). Another favorite verse, Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listen to you." He will listen to me? The creator of the universe will listen to me and the thoughts on my heart? How blessed am I? How blessed are we? That we humbled and affirmed by our Father's promises? Tonight, I leave you with the chorus to "In Christ Alone".

"In Christ alone I place my trust. And find my glory in the power of the cross. In every victory, let it be said of me, my source of strength, my source of hope is Christ alone."

Here you go Backstreet Boys fans, here is Brian Littrell's version of the song. LOL.

A Haze

Lately I feel like I have been in one of these. Life seems to be increasing speed, no matter what I do to try and slow down. I have so much on the go. Whenever I think to myself, ok I will stop this so I can focus on this, a little birdie in my head says "WAIT!". And then thoughts flood in like, "Maybe this is what I should be doing" or "You could help someone by doing this" or "Opportunities will open by continuing with this".... And then I am back at square one. Feeling overwhelmed. Life seems to be overwhelming me lately. Here is a small list of what I have been up to: started Infinity Photography (and pretty much booked every weekend until mid November), cleaning houses (for extra money too), MOPS, Social Committee Chair (averages two events a month), Caregroup, Women's Study, Couple Study, Nursery, planning showers, Herbal Magic (doesn't seem like much, but I eat when I am stressed and am stressed out alot lately. not a good combo when trying to lose weight), and just life (kids, being a good mom, being a good wife, keeping up with the household chores, being a good friend, and on and on and on). Overwhelmed. And possibly sinking. I feel like I am on the verge of tears or a breakdown all last week. And this week, just when I thought "You can handle this Susie. You got this." I get sick. Argh! I guess now I am bridging over to venting, but when do you know it's too much or when you need to push yourself? And how do you know what to let go and what you should hold on to? Questions I am struggling with lately. Feelings of being a bad mom, "I should be doing more with the kids, teaching, guiding, having fun". I should be doing more as wife, "cooking, cleaning, loving, encouraging". Is it okay to be doing these things for me when other areas seem to need more attention (the pile of laundry in my basement). How do you balance your life and make these life balancing decisions? Bless me with your insight, your thoughts. How do you do it?

I Promise To...

On Monday, Dana and I celebrated our 7th Wedding Anniversary (and eleven years together). I thought long and hard about what I wanted to get Dana as a wedding gift. With little to no money in our bank account (mostly no money), and the day approaching fast, I was a little stumped. But then I started thinking about my vows to him that I said seven years ago, and it was so simple.

"I promise to encourage you in the man you are and want to become."

Dana and I got married when we were still fairly young and I purposely put that vow in there knowing that as we "grew-up" we would change. Our values may change slightly, but most certainly our dreams would change as we grow into the adults we wanted to be. Dana proved that over the last three years as he has dug deeper into his faith and searched for purpose in his life. For those of you who knew Dana when he was younger, you would definitely see a change. I remember when we first started dating, he was a skater from the coast that drove an 80's Regal pimped out with hydrolics. We would cruz Summerland Main Street pumping those babies.... ok, well Dana cruised, I cowered. I would sink so far into the passenger seat I would feel at one with the floor. But his smile beamed, he was full of ambition, and had this amazing heart for people. How could I not fall in love?

Dana has gone through several "dreams" since we have been together. From being a skate board manufacturer, a car salesman, and to his current occupation as an electrician. Diverse, eh? That's my man. He has this thirst for knowledge and experience that I truly admire. He is the only one I know that can head a manual on how to rebuild an engine and then do it. But, I am loosing track here, let's get to the point.

Since moving to the prairies, I have seen a light turn on in Dana that truly glows. He is hungry. Hungry for knowledge, for perspective, for the Lord. He has been feeling this inner conflict lately that has him a little dis trot. I truly believe since moving back here, God has been teaching us abundant messages. Many to lead us up to...... service. Serving the Kingdom of God, serving people, serving with love. So when my idea came in my head for his anniversary gift, I was both super excited and scared.

The gift: A Day in the Life of a Student at Briercrest College and Seminary

We headed out for the day, to talk to academic advisers, financial aid advisers, sat in on a class, ate in the cafeteria, toured the facilities, and even looked at the housing offered to young families. We talked to professors, students, and alumni. We talked about academic requirements concerned that Dana may have to take some upgrading courses, but we were assured that his GED is enough and then the pr rep said, "Actually home-schooled students tend to excel and have a strong work ethic as they have been doing their whole lives." (That one's for you Carleen for raising and teaching such an incredibly smart man and giving him this advantage) Every time I looked at Dana he looked elated. Truly he was glowing. And truthfully so was I. I could see our family melding into the community out there, I could see Dana excelling academically, I could see our kids making friends easily. We left feeling high on possibility. Of course, I was thinking this years down the road when Dana is done is journeyman's ticket, but one never knows what God has in store.

I am so proud of Dana, the man he was, the man he is, and the man he is growing to be. I can't believe that in a few years time, Dana will possibly be working towards a degree or even his masters! My cup has runneth over with love him and the God that created him.

"I promise to encourage you in the man you are and want to become."

And here we go...

HM Update

So I am onto my fifth week on the program, I have dropped from my original weight to 262.1 lbs. as of today and have shred 5" from all over my body. My jeans are fitting looser already and I feel good! The program is getting easier and easier. I am craving less and less. And when I do cheat, which I try really hard not to, I feel it afterward. Which tells me that my body must like the new change. Dana is even starting to see a noticeable change and for him to say something isn't just him loving me if you know what I mean. If he says it, it's true, he has that blunt honesty about him that allows me to take him for his word. LOL. I have been trying some interesting new recipes, but so far my favorite is crispy chicken nuggets, salmon salad with honey mustard dressing, and Susie's dessert concoction (which is made with a combination of yogurt, low fat pudding, frozen berries, and graham cracker crust). It's amazing what you will do to eat a little dessert. And that's that.

5 Lbs. Lighter

Well, two days late this week for Weight Loss Wednesdays. Not sure the Wednesdays are working out. Maybe it should be called Weight Loss "When I get a free Second". Anywho, this week went well. Not great. No major weight loss. I maintained the 5 pounds from last week. BUT I dropped 2' around my waist and inches off various other parts so I am SO excited for that. I can't wait until I start dropping dress sizes. I only wish you could speed up the process. I have been told there is one way, and it mocks me from across the room just beckoning me to ride it.... the elliptical. Exercise. I use to love playing soccer and keeping fit and now at the end of the day I just want to go to sleep. Actually, any part of the day I could sleep given the opportunity. SO there is where I am this week, on track, but trying to get the motivation to hit the gym sorta speak and resist the all mighty temptation.... greasy McDonalds. I miss their fries. True story.

One Day Late

No not that! Heavens no! One day late for my new series!

WEIGHT LOSS WEDNESDAYS

I am starting on this journey and seriously committing myself to losing 100 lbs. in one year, so by this time next year I will be back to my high school self. That's the plan anyways. So to start off this post, I am going to be brave and post some before and after shots. Here we go, no snickers!

Full Frontal ... LOL!



Side to Side!




So here is what has gone on this week. I started 'Herbal Magic' on Monday and Tuesday the work began. I know some people have not so good about opinions about Herbal Magic, but I looked into it myself and feel confident that this is the avenue for me. So Monday, I registered, and yes it was a bit of an investment, but some would say worth the investment. The commitment? One year weight loss program, one year maintenance. Herbal Magic believes in teaching their clients to eat 'real food' (or grocery bought non-processed food), coaching and accountability, and natural supplements. There are two roads to go with HM, one is the bars and shakes, the other is supplements. I decided to go for the bars and shakes for two reasons. The first, I love food. The second, it's cheaper. I have one bar and one shake a day, while also monitoring my diet very closely and using the Canada Food Guide to help with portion control. I also have to increase my water intake, eat no sugar, and no canned food or salt. So I have been eating the best I have ever eaten in years. And oddly enough, not feeling starving as I thought I would. When I start to feel hungry, and I have already consumed my meal or snack, I drink a glass of water and it passes. My coach says that often we eat because we are thirsty and most people are severely dehydrated. And that's the other part of this road to success, is that I have to go in for coaching. To start off with, I have to go everyday for two weeks. And then after, three times a week. Some people would find this a hassle, but I honestly am so grateful for the accountability, the fresh food ideas, and encouragement this brings to the program. The girls who work here are simply wonderful and so understanding. They work with you to plan your meals so it works for you. I have gotten so many ideas on how to beat cravings; such as, make your protein shake into a smoothie with fruit and non-fat yogurt OR even pudding by using half the water. Still just as creamy as the regular stuff, but not cheating. Also, by cutting up my protein bar and putting it in the fridge, I get a chewy chocolate treat whenever the craving hits. These tips have definitely helped as I am a major sweat-a-holic. So every Wednesday they take measurements, too many to keep track, but every week I will share my running tally. And every visit they weigh in and cheer "woo-hoo" if you drop. At first I thought this was kinda of cultish, but now I think it's kinda great that you have a whole office cheering for you.

So to end my first Weight-Loss Wednesday post my starting weigh-in and where I am today.

Starting: 274.5 lbs.
Today: 268.7

Total Loss to Date: 5.8 lbs.

The Beginning

After a very long drive from Medicine Hat, AB to Summerland, BC we arrived safely and very tired at my parents house. The start of a very busy vacation. We spent the first few days with my family, eating, visiting, playing cards. I love this shot of Elijah, it's like he is saying "Papa, you're number one!"



I love that my parents like playing cards. I am little bit card crazy. I love playing cards. ALL THE TIME. It was great relaxing, laughing, and chatting over a game.



We then went to Keremeos to visit with the whole Family Clan at my Aunt's Winery (which is so amazing). I can close my eyes and see when it's all done, bustling with business as the customers flock to this hidden treasure.

It was delicious food and great company. And surprisingly no one got wet... Uncle Bob never pulled out the big guns. But the cousins played...



Crazy Great Auntie's Cuddled... I love this picture of my Auntie Gerry!



And of course, the guest of honor, my Grandma. It was her birthday and she celebrated with all eight great grandchildren at her feet. So amazing to me that our kids will have that memory with their great Grandma. So awesome!



I have lots more pictures to share, so stay tunned. I have to do this in parts.

He Beat Me to the Punch!

Dana posted some videos of the kids. Check them out here and here. You are going to LOVE them!