Random fact

Manda & Kirby have both been LOVING (& somewhat obsessed with) counting (to 100 & beyond) & spelling words.  Well, one day they put the 2 together & were thinking of words & counting how many letters they had. Cat.  C-A-T.  3.  You get the ideaJ.  Here’s what they came up with.

Benjamin.  B-E-N-J-A-M-I-N.  8.

Amanda.  A-M-A-N-D-A.  6.

Kirby.  K-I-R-B-Y.  5.

Hey Mommy!!!  All of our names are the same numbers as our ages!! 

Let’s try Mommy & Daddy!

M-O-M-M-Y.  D-A-D-D-Y.  Awww, it doesn’t work for your names!  JJ

Generally at some time or another in our lives we will be the same age as the number of letters in our name.  I just think it’s funny that it happened for all 3 of our kids at the same time...and that they were the ones to point it outJ.  (No it wasn’t plannedJJ)

Dear Kirby

Dear Kirby,

Well, it’s 3 months past your birthday & I’m finally sitting down to write your birthday letter.  Sometimes I feel like you get the short end of the stick in some things with your birthday when it is.  By the time your day comes around I’ve planned 2 other parties, plus the busyness of Christmas & we’re all in “chill” mode.  It sure doesn’t mean we love you any less though!  I can’t believe you’re already 5!!  It’s been so fun to see you grow into the boy God created you to be! 

There have been a number of firsts for you this year.  This was the first year you played hockey.  You absolutely loved it & would have lived at the rink if we’d let youJ.  Now that spring is here, you’re THRILLED to be playing soccer alongside Manda & Benj.  I love the way to get in there & play with everything you’ve got.  You sure do “leave it all on the ice” (or fieldJ). 

You continue to be the “fireball” in our family.  That word popped into my head, but I thought maybe I had the wrong word.  Well I looked it up & it explains you very wellJ.  The definitions I found gave three characteristics of a “fireball”.  A person with a fiery temper.  A person with a great deal of energy.  An exceptionally ambitious person.  Oh yes, that’s our Kirby alright!

Daddy & I have always said that you’ve had a temper from the moment you were born...you came out screaming...but not just any scream...a ticked off, what do you think you’re doing to me, kind of screamJ.  This last year you have grown up so much though.  You have been working so hard to learn good ways to get rid of your anger & express yourself & you’ve gotten so much better at it!!! 

You have more energy than pretty much anyone else I know.  Some days I catch myself telling you to just stop.  Then I realize that there’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing.  I just don’t have the energy to keep up.  You are up, pretty much without fail, between 7 & 7:30 every morning...and I mean UP...cheerful, ready to eat breakfast RIGHT NOW & then start doing something...anything!  I wish I could learn that from youJ.  It’s nice for me though...makes it hard to wake up grumpy when you’re there to give me such a cheerful hug.

When you set your mind to something, it is pretty much guaranteed that you will do it.  About a year ago now we read a series of books called “Heroes for Young Readers”.  Each book emphasized a certain character trait & we would do lots of activities based around that.    One of the books was about Gladys Alyward.  Her character trait was perseverance.  Ever since then, if something is tough you’ll come & tell me that you’re going to keep trying.  “Do you know why Mommy?”  “Why?”  “Cause that’s per-sev-erance!”  It was so cute to hear you say it a year ago because you had to concentrate hard to say it right.  Now you say that big word no problem.  It’s so true though.  Sometimes your perseverance can get you into troubleJ.  Like when Mommy or Daddy asks you to do something & you don’t want to.  Most of the time though, your perseverance is so fun to watch played out.  It’s how you learned to skate so quickly.  And how you keep up with Benjamin even though he’s so much bigger than you.  And how you learned to ride a two-wheeler last summer.  And how you’re learning to live your life in a way that makes God happy.  

Speaking of that.  You have continually blown me away with the things you will come up to me & say...most often completely out of the blue.  I’m kicking myself now for not writing them all down.  There are so many.  It’s just so fun how God allows me to see some of the ways that He’s working in your heart...that something we talked about actually stuck...a completely random though of your own...or a question so deep I didn’t know you would think such a thing.  I love getting those peeks into your heart & I’m going to work at writing them downJ. 

We’re so proud of you Kirby.  Daddy & I have noticed so many ways that you’ve been learning & growing...and we know it’s not an accident!  God is working on you...and you’re doing your best to follow Him!

We love you Kirby!!!  Happy 5^th Birthday!!!

Mommy & Daddy

Blogging!??!

Can someone please remind me what blogging is???!! J 

I know I’ve been terrible.  I haven’t written since the end of January.  Poor Kirby, I didn’t even write about his birthday.  I’ll catch that up.  Right now I’m just doing this to get myself motivated to start writing againJ.  There are so many things that happen that I know I won’t remember if I don’t write down.  OK...so, I’ll hopefully be back to blogging very soon.  Might be gradually, but I’ll get there.  I’m pondering a different format to make it more smaller posts instead of a big one...we’ll see.  Anyway, I haven’t forgotten about you all...I truly appreciate your willingness to read my babblingsJ. 

Here are some random thoughts to keep you till I write again (Hope you don’t mind I stole your idea CoreenJ):

*We got around 8” of snow on Wednesday...and most of it is already gone.

*Ben turned 31 earlier this monthJ

*I’m very excited to go on a date with my hubby next Friday...a late birthday trip to Tony Roma’s...it’s been waaaay too long since we’ve been on a date!

*We have yet to do a basement in 2010L

*Benjamin is doing great at school.

*Amanda LOVES hanging out with me & doing any girl things.

*Kirby says the funniest things ever...problem is, it’s not what he says, but how he says it...so it’s really hard to write down.

*I finally got our taxes done this week...and was thrilled to find out we owe less than I think we’ve ever owed for taxes (too bad it still has three zeros behind itL)

*Uncertain work situations are very hard on a marriage & I’m so thankful that God is using this to draw us together & not apart (certainly hasn’t been easy though)

*God is good!

*We’re still praising God for the hail storm last summer...that’s all the work we’ve done all year is hail repairs!

*I’m really excited about a book I just started...it’s about organizing in a way that allows me to relax.

*HIGHLY recommend the book “The Lamb” (devotional for kids 5 & up)...all 3 of our kids learned sooooo much from it...and I LOVE the way it’s laid out...Jesus became so much more real to me too!

*All 3 kids are loving soccer...Benjamin’s in competitive for the first time this year & loves playing more often...this is Kirby’s first year & he’s thrilled to be in it...and Manda is so much more confident this year!

*Ben & I have been working on our ensuite bathroom in the last little bit (it never has been finished since we moved in)...the shower door is up & it’s all painted!!!  Soooo excited for Ben to put it all together tomorrowJ

*I am thrilled to have all 3 kids home again next year!!!

A Tuesday with Heidi!

I'm thankful for…kids who want to learn more about Jesus & follow Him! They all go through their phases…but they’ve all had their times of saying things out of the blue that just blow me away & it’s so cool!!! I love being able to catch a glimpse of how God is working in their lives! I’m also extremely thankful that my parents are home safe from the Dominican Republic!

I'm listening to…silence…Ben watching the replay of the Oilers game after he got home from hockey.

What’s happening with the kids? Well, Benjamin has a lot going on right now. The last couple weeks he’s had a bit more homework as they are doing a unit about knights & castles. Next week is going to be crazy. Knights & castles homework…spelling…show & share…potluck & he has to bring a food dish from Peru…plus he has to finish his science fair project that he started yesterday (I know, I know…we’ve been running off our feet & I suddenly realized it was next week & he really wants to do it…). Wouldn’t be quite so overwhelming if we had each day between now & then to work on it all…but Ben & I are gone from early, early Friday morning till Sunday evening (more on that later)…plus 2 of those nights he has environment club & one he has Kid’s Rock! Ahhhhhh! Calm down…breathe…ok…we can do thisJ. Manda is thrilled to be back in gymnastics. She loves helping me whenever she can & gets very disappointed if she offers & there’s nothing she can do. I’m learning (slowly) to find little ways to involve her & make her feel special. She loves doing girl things with Mommy whenever possible as well. Most days her & Kirby get along like a charm…some days not so muchJ. It seems like it’s one extreme or the other with them. One day they play nicely together all day long…the next they’re constantly picking at each other…bugging…etc. Kirby has grown up so much lately. He is learning to control his anger & find different ways to express it. Some of the thoughts that have come out of his mouth lately have just blown me away. Kirby is LOVING hockey & is always disappointed if he has to miss a practice.

What’s new with Ben & I? Well, like I hinted, we get to go away this weekend! Ben & I are going to the Breakforth Conference in Edmonton this weekend for the first time. When I was first teaching Sunday School there was a conference in Calgary called TRAIN. I loved going every year to be refreshed, get new ideas & learn from others who had been there. Well, I haven’t been there for a few years now & have missed it. Breakforth is very similar, but on a MUCH larger scale. I get to go to an all day session with Tim Kimmel whose book I’ve been reading (Grace Based Parenting)…Newsboys concert…various seminars Saturday & Sunday…Phil Keagy concert (Ben’s super excited about that). Anyways…I’m really looking forward to hanging out with my hubby for the weekend (even though we’ll be in different sessions)…being refreshed…getting new ideas…and just spending time with the Lord.

We haven’t had much work since Christmas, but have started a couple of insurance jobs that we got from the storm this summer. We’ve been very grateful for that. Last week there was a delay with that & we didn’t know if we’d have work this week. Well, yesterday Ben got a call back about a quote he’d done…and today he poured a footing! First basement of the new yearJ. Thank you Lord!! We’re also very thankful that we were able to get some bank work figured out that will relieve some pressure & get us on our way to being debt free!! Although it’s a ways away yet, that’ll be a joyous dayJ.

What’s happening around the house? Dirtiness…well…I’m just being honest… It’s been driving me crazy…to many messes & piles that I can’t ever seem to catch up to. I guess it’s just low on the priority list right now…which is probably right…but it still makes it harder for me to get motivated to do other things sometimes. Someday…

What's happening in my kitchen? Nothing...no that’s not true…taco saladJ. I’ve been a horrible wife & mother…we’ve had a lot of thrown together, easy meals lately…veggies, bread with honey, avocado wrap, scrambled eggs, fruit, cheese sticks… I have made taco salad though…twice in the last week (second time was leftovers)…and I’m making it again tomorrow! In our house the birthday boy (or girl) gets to choose supper on their birthday…well Kirby picked taco saladJ. I really want to bake some cookies & muffins to get in the freezer…it’s been a REALLY long time (other than a few Christmas goodies). Ah well…someday…

I am missing…slouching…NOT! Ever since Ben put his ribs out back before Christmas he’s been going to the chiropractor regularly to get it all straightened out. The goal is to get him to a point where he can go once a month & stay healthy instead of waiting till his back is horrible. Well, I got motivated to go too (wish I’d done it when Alberta Health Care still covered part!!) After I’d been a few times the chiro commented to me that I was standing a lot straighter. I’ve always known I slouched…but it hurt so much to stand up straight…now I realized that it had felt good to stand up straight & hurt to slouch so I was standing straight automatically! It may seem silly, but this is a big deal for me. This has bothered me since I was in high school but I didn’t know that I could do much about it. I was thrilledJ. I’ve even figured out that “one cheek sitting” is what was putting my hips out. Now if I could just figure out what’s putting my neck out & how to change it…that’s the only part that’s still bothering me!

I am praying for…wisdom as we strive to spend money wisely & be good stewards of what God has given us. I’m also praying for a little boy named Isaiah May whose parents are fighting for his life right now (see my last blog post).

What’s God been doing in my heart? My sister Katrina gave me an audio book for Christmas that I’ve wanted for a long time…The Five Love Languages of Children. If you haven’t read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman I would HIGHLY recommend it. It gave me so much insight into why I am the way I am…what makes me feel loved & how I love others. I’ve been super excited to read the one about kids. Since I hardly ever have time to sit & read…but I do quite a bit of driving…I have really started enjoying audio books. Anyway…I’ve been working at figuring out the kids’ love languages. I’ll give you a very brief overview of my thoughts…note that this will not do the book justice…I’m just spitting out thoughtsJ.

Benjamin’s primary love language is quality time…I’m sure of it. It makes so much sense. We’ve been having issues with his behavior since he started school. He went from spending all day every day with me with way more opportunity for quality time…to being gone for 7 hours in a day & having everything go, go, go once he gets home. It’s no wonder he has started acting out…he needs that attention back.

For Amanda I’m torn…I think it’s either words of affirmation or acts of service. It means so much to her when positive things are said to her…but that’s not really how she shows love (which is usually a sign of what your love language is). She loves to help me fold laundry, make supper, etc...and got so excited when Ben built a “swing” for her doll…which makes me think it might be acts of service.

Kirby has got to be physical touch…but words of affirmation is right up there for him too. Hugs, kisses & cuddles are so important to him…but he’s also very good at giving positive comments to others. I find his love tank the easiest to fill because he so often comes to me for hugs, kisses & cuddles. I’m just going to start the chapter about how to determine your child’s love language (hopefully when we’re driving this weekend) so I’ll keep you posted if I learn moreJ. I’m already finding that I’m more conscious of what little times I can use to fill their love tanks.

Am I willing to settle for a miracle when God wants to do a great miracle??

Well, it’s been way too long since I blogged...and I plan to do a regular blog soon...but God’s been working in my heart this morning & I wanted to share...

I’ve been following a group on Facebook about a baby boy named Isaiah James May. Isaiah was born into a strong Christian family in October with the cord around his neck & suffered severe oxygen deprivation. Doctor’s said he was brain dead, wouldn’t grow, etc. It’s been slow, but he’s been steadily making progress...eyelids flutter open every day now...his pupils are dilating...he reacts when he gets a shot...his arms & legs move spontaneously. His parents have had to fight for his life from the beginning with HUGE pressure from doctor’s to pull the plug as well as nurses refusing to note many of these improvements on his chart. Well, last night I found out that Alberta Health Services (AHS) has sent a letter to the family stating that as of 2:00 tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), his treatment team will be taking him off the ventilator because they’ve done everything they can & there’s no hope of recovery. They are going to court today to try to get an extra 90 days.

My first response was anger. It makes me so angry that this could be happening right here in Alberta!!! When did it become OK for doctors to make decisions for parents...regarding life or death!!!??? At the same time my heart is aching for this family. I can’t imagine the pain they are feeling right now. That was the extent of my feelings as I went to bed last night. This morning as I was reading some new posts on the group God laid something on my heart: We’ve been praying so hard for Isaiah’s healing...well...if he’s healed, then he doesn’t need a ventilator, right?! I still agree 100% that AHS has NO RIGHT to make that decision for the family...but I see God using this for HIS honor & glory!! “What is impossible with men is possible with God.” Luke 18:27

As I wrote this down & thought about it more, God brought something else to mind. Maybe the judge will give them the 90 days so that Isaiah can stay on the ventilator a little longer...and then maybe Isaiah will continue making improvements day by day...that would be great. But how much better would it be, if they took him off the ventilator & he was completely healed?! Is God asking us just to trust? All the improvements Isaiah has made are miracles...there is no doubt...doctors said none of those things would happen. What if God is just waiting to do the ultimate miracle & heal him completely...but first we have to trust Him to do it?? A couple of weeks ago I watched the movie “Faith Like Potatoes”. If you haven’t seen it I would HIGHLY recommend it! It is based on a true story, which to me makes it all the more inspiring. I was both encouraged & challenged as I watched. My favorite line in the movie is this: “the condition for a miracle is difficulty; the condition for a great miracle is impossibility”. Are we settling for the miracle when we could have the great miracle?? Obviously, this is not my child...I don’t even know the family...so I say all of this hypothetically. It just got me thinking about how that applies to me right now.

This has been a tough year financially as the economy has greatly affected our work. For pretty much exactly a year now we’ve been learning to trust God in a whole new way. In the past month I’ve watched 2 movies that have been such an encouragement & challenge to me. The first was “Facing the Giants” (also HIGHLY recommended) which reminded me that before God can fully work in my life I have to be willing to give it ALL to Him! I can’t pray for work while really believing that if we don’t get this job we’re hooped. I have to be able to pray for work...at the same time acknowledging that if we don’t get this job, I still believe that God has a plan & knows what’s best for us & I will trust that! When I watched Faith Like Potatoes a couple weeks ago, it just reinforced all of that...and has kept that idea forefront in my mind ever since. My question for myself today is this. Am I willing to settle for a miracle, when God wants to do a great miracle? Will I trust Him enough to face an impossible situation head on...and believe that He can do it!?

Update: The judge decided she needs more time to make a decision about this sensitive issue. They will keep Isaiah on the ventilator till the judge gives her decision on the 27^th. The family is asking for 90 days. Alberta Health Services is only willing to give 30 days. OK Lord, so now how do I pray?? I believe you want to do a great miracle through little Isaiah...