Friday, June 26, 2009
Yahoo!!
Carrie Ann just ran into the house saying "Mommy I'm peeing!" and holding her crotch. So I stuck her on the toilet -- usually she's finished by this time, though once or twice she has managed to get the second half in the toilet. She was still dry this time, and peed it all in the toilet!! Sorry to anyone who has never toilet trained, I'm sure you don't have any clue why I'm so excited about this -- after all, every child learns to use the toilet (at least, almost every child), right? I just did a few calculations, based on an average of five diapers a day (more when they're younger, fewer when they're older), and I've probably changed over 17,000 diapers. So I think I have a right to get excited! The end is in sight! It is quite a skill to learn to notice beforehand and hold it until you get to a toilet. This is one more of those things we take for-granted (like eating, walking, reading and even breathing, which can be a struggle for some children to learn too) -- but it is actually quite amazing. Thank God for small miracles.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
New Posts to YouTube
We raised a butterfly. This video is from an hour after it emerged, before the wings were strong enough to fly.
Carrie Ann saying "Liberry" (her favourite place to go, after Grandma's place and along with church potluck), and "chugga chugga choo choo" with Bethany and Dora.
Bethany's class performed this song for the Homelinks final program:
Matthias' class performed the "Spanish Flea" -- this is an excerpt.
That's it for the May videos, now I'm going to work on the pictures!
Carrie Ann saying "Liberry" (her favourite place to go, after Grandma's place and along with church potluck), and "chugga chugga choo choo" with Bethany and Dora.
Bethany's class performed this song for the Homelinks final program:
Matthias' class performed the "Spanish Flea" -- this is an excerpt.
That's it for the May videos, now I'm going to work on the pictures!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Pain and love
I wanted to share this anecdote in response to Brad's blog about Aria's hurt finger.
Last weekend, Carrie Ann had a splinter in her foot, which we had to go to the hospital to get dug out. It was torture for me as much as for her -- but there was another woman there who couldn't sleep because she wanted children so badly and couldn't have them (instead of listening, the doctor quickly prescribed sleeping pills and sent her on her way). We all have our own pain. For Carrie Ann, the popsicle the nurse gave her on the way home made it all worth it!
"Sorry" often means sorry that, not sorry for. I'm sorry that you got hurt, rather than I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry that there is pain in the world, rather than I'm sorry my action caused you pain. What I learned when Mom died was that it doesn't matter which words you use, it is the showing of sympathy which is important.
Parents, including God the Father, can't prevent all pain in this imperfect world. But our children are comforted by our presence, sympathy and unconditional love, just as we are comforted when we let God love us through our pain.
The sunset was beautiful tonight. Someday I'll post the pictures I took!
Last weekend, Carrie Ann had a splinter in her foot, which we had to go to the hospital to get dug out. It was torture for me as much as for her -- but there was another woman there who couldn't sleep because she wanted children so badly and couldn't have them (instead of listening, the doctor quickly prescribed sleeping pills and sent her on her way). We all have our own pain. For Carrie Ann, the popsicle the nurse gave her on the way home made it all worth it!
"Sorry" often means sorry that, not sorry for. I'm sorry that you got hurt, rather than I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry that there is pain in the world, rather than I'm sorry my action caused you pain. What I learned when Mom died was that it doesn't matter which words you use, it is the showing of sympathy which is important.
Parents, including God the Father, can't prevent all pain in this imperfect world. But our children are comforted by our presence, sympathy and unconditional love, just as we are comforted when we let God love us through our pain.
The sunset was beautiful tonight. Someday I'll post the pictures I took!
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
April Pictures
I finally finished sorting through the April pictures. (Click the link to go to my picture gallery.)
One picture of myself turned out very well.
The kids had a lot of fun with Easter Egg Hunts this April.
We also enjoyed the tulips.
One picture of myself turned out very well.
The kids had a lot of fun with Easter Egg Hunts this April.
We also enjoyed the tulips.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Hallelujah, Salvation and Glory (Revelation 19:1)
Wow.
Tonight in choir, the director introduced a new song which I first learned over 15 years ago during highschool. It was at a mass choir concert (all the Christian highschools of Southwestern Ontario), and we learned it during the preparation for the concert. It was an amazing experience, a real high -- singing praise with so many at once, without worrying about sheet music or perfection, just singing with our whole hearts (I believe the director had us swaying, like the first video below).
Huge children's choir
Later, we sang the song again at the end of our Gr. 12 camp (we must have learned it in the end of Gr. 11 or something), and it was again a very emotional experience, I think because of the bonding we went through as a class during the camp. It was very similar to this:
At the end of camp
Today, when the choir director started playing it, I could only sit there with my mouth open -- at the time, it had been a brand new song, and I had never managed to track in down in all these years, then here it comes from a totally unexpected direction. When I did manage to move, I had to run out and cry on the steps for a while. I'm not sure why.
When I got home, I did some research and found out that it is called Revelation 19:1, by Jeffrey LaValley, and is available performed by Stephen Hurd or by the New Jerusalem Baptist Choir. According to YouTube, it went the rounds in 2007 and was performed that year by many church, gospel, and children's choirs.
There is no such thing as luck or coincidence -- only God at work behind the scenes, all the time. He is wonderful!
Tonight in choir, the director introduced a new song which I first learned over 15 years ago during highschool. It was at a mass choir concert (all the Christian highschools of Southwestern Ontario), and we learned it during the preparation for the concert. It was an amazing experience, a real high -- singing praise with so many at once, without worrying about sheet music or perfection, just singing with our whole hearts (I believe the director had us swaying, like the first video below).
Huge children's choir
Later, we sang the song again at the end of our Gr. 12 camp (we must have learned it in the end of Gr. 11 or something), and it was again a very emotional experience, I think because of the bonding we went through as a class during the camp. It was very similar to this:
At the end of camp
Today, when the choir director started playing it, I could only sit there with my mouth open -- at the time, it had been a brand new song, and I had never managed to track in down in all these years, then here it comes from a totally unexpected direction. When I did manage to move, I had to run out and cry on the steps for a while. I'm not sure why.
When I got home, I did some research and found out that it is called Revelation 19:1, by Jeffrey LaValley, and is available performed by Stephen Hurd or by the New Jerusalem Baptist Choir. According to YouTube, it went the rounds in 2007 and was performed that year by many church, gospel, and children's choirs.
There is no such thing as luck or coincidence -- only God at work behind the scenes, all the time. He is wonderful!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Feeling Better
Well, I'm finally starting to feel better, so now to update my blog...
First, I finished the March pictures -- here is one of the kids:
We had a great trip to Calgary -- Matthias' appointments at the Children's Hospital went well, and all the experts were very happy with how he's doing. We went to Science World (less than three hours was just not enough time, but they close at 4), and swimming after the hospital on Monday, and headed home after the Tuesday morning appointment. It was a lot of fun, but I came home sick again... anyway...
I won't post a picture here, but I got a couple really nice ones of my crocuses this year.
I also uploaded a couple new/old videos -- the kids celebrating Carrie Ann's birth, Bethany doing her first cartwheel, and the older two playing airplane with Uncle Hugh, before Carrie Ann was born.
First, I finished the March pictures -- here is one of the kids:
We had a great trip to Calgary -- Matthias' appointments at the Children's Hospital went well, and all the experts were very happy with how he's doing. We went to Science World (less than three hours was just not enough time, but they close at 4), and swimming after the hospital on Monday, and headed home after the Tuesday morning appointment. It was a lot of fun, but I came home sick again... anyway...
I won't post a picture here, but I got a couple really nice ones of my crocuses this year.
I also uploaded a couple new/old videos -- the kids celebrating Carrie Ann's birth, Bethany doing her first cartwheel, and the older two playing airplane with Uncle Hugh, before Carrie Ann was born.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Cute Sayings
The other day I was peeling potatoes, and Carrie Ann begged a raw one off me. (I don't know why my kids like raw potatoes, up until about 3). So I gave her one, but wouldn't give her a big piece, explaining that you can't eat too much raw potato because it is hard to digest and could make you sick. Carrie pipes up, "Diarrhea?" I was so surprised, how did she come to that? So I asked her, and she explained that if too much "Vitam and C" gives you diarrhea, maybe raw potato does too. Smart cookie!
She is also learning to say Bethany now instead of Betadane. Usually it comes out without the th -- Bessany, Beffany, Bettany -- but she's getting close!
She got a new stuffed dog from a customer of Frank's, and when Bethany asked what she wanted to call it, she replied "Keffeno". (Sounds a bit like "Kevin O" with f for v.) A couple days later I realized that Keffeno also means "customer," as in "Daddy's going to the keffeno's house?"
When I ask what she wants for breakfast, she replies, "Mashy patoes and bwokii!" (Mashed potatoes and broccoli)
Sorry it took so long to post... since about the last post I've been sick -- nauseous and exhausted, with headaches (no, not pregnant), and it just took weeks to get over. I wasn't sure if it was some kind of flu (there is a long-lasting, exhausting one going around town, but not usually that long) or a bit of a relapse of that concussion I had last fall. I still lose words and spelling more often than I used to, and often mix up my words -- either by switching letters or by inserting the word I'm looking at instead of the one I want to say. For instance, two days ago I told Bethany's friend's mom that "Sarah wants to know if Sarah can come over to play." When Bethany laughed at me and Iveta sounded confused, I realized I'd said something wrong... Yesterday, I was asking the kids if they wanted to sing another song, but the page was open to a song called The Midnight Cry, so I said, "What do you want to cry next?" Last week, I made ramen noodles with a can of mushrooms in them, and Frank commented that the noodles were more slippery than usual. Later I realized that, as I thought "The nipples were sloodery because of the mushrooms." That one made me crack up!
With me being sick so much, Carrie Ann learned the word headache "hegake". The other day she said, "Me have a hegake, Mommy." I thought that was unusual, so I asked, "Where?" and she put her hand on her tummy and said, "Right here, on my tummy." First time I've heard of a headache in your tummy, but with my nauseous headaches, it kind of made sense.
Anyway, I have some pictures, but they are not really ready yet. I will try to get to that when I can! Next week we are going to Calgary for Matthias' yearly appointment, so please keep us in your prayers.
She is also learning to say Bethany now instead of Betadane. Usually it comes out without the th -- Bessany, Beffany, Bettany -- but she's getting close!
She got a new stuffed dog from a customer of Frank's, and when Bethany asked what she wanted to call it, she replied "Keffeno". (Sounds a bit like "Kevin O" with f for v.) A couple days later I realized that Keffeno also means "customer," as in "Daddy's going to the keffeno's house?"
When I ask what she wants for breakfast, she replies, "Mashy patoes and bwokii!" (Mashed potatoes and broccoli)
Sorry it took so long to post... since about the last post I've been sick -- nauseous and exhausted, with headaches (no, not pregnant), and it just took weeks to get over. I wasn't sure if it was some kind of flu (there is a long-lasting, exhausting one going around town, but not usually that long) or a bit of a relapse of that concussion I had last fall. I still lose words and spelling more often than I used to, and often mix up my words -- either by switching letters or by inserting the word I'm looking at instead of the one I want to say. For instance, two days ago I told Bethany's friend's mom that "Sarah wants to know if Sarah can come over to play." When Bethany laughed at me and Iveta sounded confused, I realized I'd said something wrong... Yesterday, I was asking the kids if they wanted to sing another song, but the page was open to a song called The Midnight Cry, so I said, "What do you want to cry next?" Last week, I made ramen noodles with a can of mushrooms in them, and Frank commented that the noodles were more slippery than usual. Later I realized that, as I thought "The nipples were sloodery because of the mushrooms." That one made me crack up!
With me being sick so much, Carrie Ann learned the word headache "hegake". The other day she said, "Me have a hegake, Mommy." I thought that was unusual, so I asked, "Where?" and she put her hand on her tummy and said, "Right here, on my tummy." First time I've heard of a headache in your tummy, but with my nauseous headaches, it kind of made sense.
Anyway, I have some pictures, but they are not really ready yet. I will try to get to that when I can! Next week we are going to Calgary for Matthias' yearly appointment, so please keep us in your prayers.
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