Thank You

This is my very first blog entry. We just got a computer in our house so that's very exciting.
I just want to say that there are so many different situations going on around us all the time, it can so easily take our focus away from God, and everything that he has in store for us and provided for us. I have sooooo much to be thankful for, yet sometimes on a difficult day I get so self-centered, yet I have so much to be thankful for. These are just a few:
My Husband...the rock....God fearing, wonderful man
My Family....I'm going to be an Auntie again (any time now), I love my nieces (Mikayla and Kezia) and my mom, and dad, and sisters, and brother
My Job...God provides me Christian bosses (which is always good)
My Neighborhood...I feel safe at home, and love my neighbors
My Church.....My Stronghold.....My Brother and Sisters in Christ......What would I do without you.
My Prayer Team, and the list goes on. God has provided me and my family with everything that we will ever need and I thank him so much for being part of my family.
I Love You All

It feels so good to be home.

For weeks I have been looking forward to getting away.

Heading to the City for a day all to myself.

And the Big Day finally arrived!!

However, as I puttered here and there, I missed my little family.

Jonathan's grounding perspective.

Mikayla's mischief.

Kezia's smile.

As I headed home (earlier than I'd anticipated :P...)

It felt good.

I felt refreshed.

I felt rejuvenated.

It felt good to be home.

Dear Jon

On this day, 9 years ago...

You asked me to be your girl.

Without hesitation (and thinking FINALLY!!!)

I said yes!

You took me to the Revolving Restaurant...

We visited for a long time...

Then, as the stadium fireworks were going off in the distance...

A new relationship began.

There is much I admired about you then

And much I admire about you now.

Your attention to the little things in life...

Your perseverance...

Your courage...

Your smile.

Thank you for sharing life with me.

Thank you for being my friend.

Love Leah

The GREAT PEROGY DISASTER!!

I never have been - and never will be - the MARTHA STEWART type.

There are some of you who can...

.... calm a screaming baby while...

.... chasing a toddler while...

.... whipping up a gourmet casserole dish while...

.... repainting your favorite room with your favorite new color for the umpteenth time.

I cannot do all these things at once.

And I have pictures to prove it.

    

The day before Kezia arrived on the scene, I was strolling about town, 8 3/4 months pregnant, with Mikayla happily viewing the world from her buggy. We popped in at the local MCC to see what kinds of great bargains we could find.

I thought I SCORED BIGTIME when I found a Hunky Bills Perogy Maker.

I have ALWAYS wanted a HBPM.

I have ALWAYS loved perogies.

I have ALWAYS thought it would be easier to use a HBPM then cut out each pocket by hand.

I have ALWAYS been wrong.

The reason that I paid .25 for a HBPM was because someone else hated it too and cast it out of their house for good.

Silly me.

It took me until now to find the time, energy and general all-around umpf to get to using my bargain HBPM.

Sigh. What a disaster.

I should've known that when the dough was too hard, and the cottage cheese to sticky and I had dough and flour and cheese and mess EVERYWHERE - to quit whilst I was AHEAD. 

But NOOOOOO.

I hated the thought that I might be outwitted by a stupid piece of plastic.

So, instead, I decided to make things even more .... interesting.

The girls got up from their naps.

Sigh. When will I ever learn!!!?

Now I had dough, flour, cottage cheese, a wild dog, an infant with a nasty cold, and a toddler who wanted to "help." Between her trying to taste-test the cottage cheese (complete with raw eggs), attempting to feed Diggy a wad of sticky dough, falling off the chair and bonking her head, I managed to salvage the mess - sort of - and throw the rest away in the garbage.

We ate supper at 6.30.

We ate the attempted perogies.

And they were .... nothing short of disgusting. 

Not even ketchup helped the "special noodles."

It took me over an hour to clean up.

I scoured the flour glue off of Mikayla before she found herself forever velcro-ed to a couch.

What do you think - should I keep the HBPM, drive over it with the car until it's in smitheriens or pass it off to another unsuspecting person and watch them wrestle with it!?

Frivolous Finds.....

Let's just get the record straight.

I am not a shopper.

I do not shop for recreation. 

I do not regularly hunt the malls for deals.

Consequently, I have a few favorite things I like to wear and leave it at that.

BUT every so often :).....

Well, let's just say .... I got out, by myself, for the WHOLE AFTERNOON, and I picked up some great finds.

And, since I was "in the mood" :)....

I snagged a sassy pear of high heels - Jon laughed since I never wear high heels!!! 

They are cute, something a little out of the ordinary for me...

... and a little reminder that we never stop discovering little pieces of our personality!

How REFRESHING!!!

Grace Notes

I confess.

Every so often...

Even as a very blessed stay-at-home mom...

I long for a touch of encouragement.

A "Well done." A "Way to go tiger." - okay. Drop the "tiger" part :)

A "Wow. You do a super job."

Every so often...

God has recognized this deep longing in me and has sent incredible moments my way that lift my heart and encourage me. They fuel my "umphf" when I am down and set me on my feet again.

Well, just the other day, one of these blessed "grace notes" made its appearance.

It was a particularly difficult day. Struggling after numerous doctor visits, severe sleep deprivation, a post-natally adjusting body (and hormone system!!), and the "what if/what next" syndrome... a tear slid down my cheek and I asked God - please please PUHLEASE could you send a bit of encouragement.

Somehow, I just couldn't see the Light.

Not an hour or so later, my Mikayla comes up to me saying, "garbage." As is standard with all her attempts to throw things ever-so-helpfully into the garbage, I ask to SEE it before she TOSSES it. And there, in her pudgy little hand, is my purple ribbon.

This purple ribbon has a story, you see. It was given to me by a woman who deeply desires to pursue God. It was given to me at a time when I was seeking more of Him and less of ME. 

A time when I was pondering....

"walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace." 

Matt. 11.29, the Message. 

It was .... significant. 

Purple - the royal color of God. 

A simple reminder of the One who is worthy of all my praise.

And I LOST it.

And it remained hidden from my searching until just the right time. Until this specific moment when I would need a word of encouragement. And there, in my daughter's hand, God was showing me His presence once again...

And the corresponding bible verse that had been given with the ribbon...

"Behold I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands..." Isaiah 49.16a.

What an incredible comfort. What an incredible peace.

Thank you Jesus.

Thanksgivings....

I am thankful for many people, many experiences, many things.

But today...

I want to thank...

MY MOM!!

She is a super great gal who has taught

 me much about the art of hospitality and the gift of

 sharing and generosity.

Thank you, Mom...

.... for bringing pizza and tea when I was sad

.... for listening to the same rants over and over and over :)

.... for taking care of my girls while I nap

.... for the special little gifts that you bring

.... for your encouragement, prayers and perspective

.... for reminding me that there's "no place like home" - whether that be yours or mine :)

.... for laughing with me

.... for arriving so promptly after Kezia's dramatic delivery and sharing that incredible moment with us!!

.... for your enthusiasm

.... for being yourself

.... for being my mom.

I love you.

L.

Ordinary Miracle Kinda Day

Most days - especially days like today - I LOVE what I do.

I get to stay at home, raise my girls.

I have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to invest my time and energy into these two little people ... 

to encourage... 

to train... 

to teach... 

to love... 

and to do all that I can to draw their precious hearts to God.

There was nothing particularly special about today.

In fact, that is what makes it so perfect.

It was simply a normal, mundane, work-and-play kinda day.

There was warmth and laughter; food to share and clothes to wear.

Giggles, complaints, cries, soothers, diapers, and more diapers :)...

It was positively perfect.

Thank you Jesus.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urv7tyeJ7qE&mode=related&search= - Sarah McLachlan

Nesting...

How can I make my house a HOME today?

Will I use words of encouragement and affirmation?

Will I shower those around me with gentle physical affection?

Will I do menial tasks for others - even when the chores get boring - so that our home is a wonderful environment to be in?

Will I seek to spend time with those who are sharing this life journey with me?

Will I be generous in my gifts of appreciation to others?

When I can't - HE CAN

How lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD Almighty!

My soul yearns, even faints,

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh cry out

for the living God.

Even the sparrow has found a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may have her young - 

a place near your alter,

O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.

Blessed are those who dwell in your house;

they are ever praising you.

Selah

Psalm 84.1-4

ahhhh coffee

these two little peanuts make me laugh right out loud :)....

however, because of them I go through a lot of this :)!!

wouldn't trade it for anything in the world!!