We're Not in Canada Anymore Moment - Episode 3

...except this is actually going to be a "Wow. We are back in Canada" moment from our trip in July =)

I'm getting a little fuzzy on all the moments I first had back in the homeland when I remembered I wasn't in the USA anymore, but I'll try to remember a few of them because they were interesting!

First of all....the speed limit. Driving around Winnipeg, the general signs you see say 60. I've gotten so used to looking at the small numbers in miles on my speedometer that it took some getting used to to switch my eyes back to the kms. 60 miles down St.Mary's would NOT be a good idea! I had to get used to the switch because I found myself going a little fast at the beginning.

Second....the roads. I loved driving around Winnipeg! There are only 2 lanes of traffic in one direction...not an interstate of many, many lanes. I know how to get everywhere and everything felt so familiar =) I could get to most places (the mall, Starbucks, church, grocery store, etc) in 5 minutes or so. How wonderful!

Third....poutine. We went to the mall and had poutine for lunch on the first day. Enough said.

Fourth....the license plates. I felt a little culture shock looking at the all the license plates around me as I drove. I'm so used to seeing Missouri and Kansas and suddenly everyone has Manitoba plates! I still have one too but I never see it when I'm driving =)

Fifth...the money. Yes, I love loonies and twoonies and the different colored bills =)

Six...the atmosphere. Canada just plain feels different. It felt safer. It felt cleaner. It felt smaller. I really liked all these things and never noticed them before. Ahhhh....I love Canada.

Seven...perogies and farmer sausage. I love this food and we can't get it here =( My neighbors have no clue what farmer sausage even is! Noah LOVED the farmer sausage but would hardly even try the perogies for some reason. We ate a lot of it during our 3 weeks =)

Eight...the people. Canada is so multicultural. I love seeing all the nationalities!

Nine...the temperature. Well....the lack of humidity really. It felt cold at 28 degrees when you weren't in the sun! Strange! I like the dry heat =)

And let's see if I can remember a tenth....

Ah yes...Superstore and all the brands I am familiar with and prefer! It was great to walk through the store and stock up on things I like and can't find in the USA....like creamed honey. And Sweedish Berries. And Oreo baking crumbs for cheesecake. And D drops for Noah. And a few articles of Joe clothing from Grandma =)

Wow. We were back in Canada! And hopefully it won't be too long until we can come again!

The Latest in Life...

Lots has been happening over here in the last few weeks...making meals for all the women who have had new babies on the base, reconnecting with friends, prepping for our upcoming womens conference (check it out! www.ywamkc.org/mwc), baby shower, playdates, prayer room evenings and much more.

Some of the highlights??? My sister is back! Yay! She returned last week and we are so glad! Noah is SOOOOO happy to have auntie around again =) Though she was "auntie" before she left this summer and is now "nana" or "nani" =)

Another.....my hubby had another birthday! And we got to have a date to celebrate! We hadn't taken an official date since Steph was here in June so it was time. I love that man and it is WONDERFUL to see how the Lord is molding and shaping him over the last 14 birthdays we've celebrated together =) Wow. I can't believe we've been together that long!

A personal highlight for me was spending last week in the evenings learning, receiving and worshiping with the Circuit Rider crew. The Lord met with me, spoke to me and touched my heart. I am hungry for more! I am so grateful for the opportunities and resources here to meet with Jesus and learn about Him. So thankful =) It was also refreshing to enjoy worshiping the Lord through dance again. A few of the nights, the lights were dimmed and the building was kinda empty compared to the usual EGS/FCF services...which means more room to worship! It felt like those good old Vineyard worship days...ahhh. So good!

Now we are in the midst of a packed week of staff development. It has been great to gather all the different parts of the YWAM KC family and worship, learn and grow together the last few days. Thankfully I have some awesome friends who have helped watch Noah =) God is doing good things and I'm reminded again of how grateful I am that He drew us to Kansas City at this time and allowed us to be involved in what He's doing in the prayer and mission movements!

A Long Awaited Update!

Well, it has been quite the month since I last blogged! I actually am surprised that it has been that long! Since I last wrote, we have planned a trip to Canada and come and gone already!

We had the delight of spending the last 3 weeks in Canada and focused our time with our family, whom we hadn't seen in a year. It was a special time with family and one of the most cherished parts was seeing Noah with his grandparents again. He is in love and they all are in love in return =)

Sadly, even with 3 weeks, we didn't get to see all the people we wanted to =( Managing our schedule was one of the hardest parts of the trip. We felt too busy and at times overwhelmed by all the visits, yet our hearts wanted to connect with so many more people than we did. This whole living far away deal and wanted to connect when home deal doesn't work so well =(

I thought of blogging actually. Because I had a number of "oh my word. I am in Canada again!" moments, especially at the beginning of the trip! I'll have to blog that in a separate one =) It was SO GREAT to be in the homeland =)

We arrived back in Kansas City yesterday afternoon and are spending the weekend getting settled back into our new home. Well, it's the same one that we've been in for 15 months, minus 6 weeks, but somehow my heart and mind have to process things a little differently now that I know our assignment here is for a longer period officially. It might take a little processing of the mind and heart after living in limbo land for a year...

Lots of thoughts....but that's all for now...

We're Not In Canda Anymore Moment - Episode 2

I had another evening with that occasional, unfamiliar, slightly out of place feeling that led me to realize again...we're not in Canada anymore folks.

My lovely friend and neighbor is having a baby and I went with some other ladies from our base to her baby shower the other night. As the evening conversation is flowing, a number of moments remind me that indeed, I am a foreigner.

Firstly, when mace on your key chain and a loaded gun concealed under your clothes enters the conversation, you know you are not in Canada.

Secondly, when talking about what people might rob from a Dollar General store.....what in the world is a ding dong? Or a ho ho? To be honest, I just goggled them for a visual. Again, you know you are not in Canada.

There you have it folks. Though it seems as though there wouldn't be large differences since we are on the same body of land, same continent and generally what you would think is the same culture, do not be fooled!

We are not in Canada anymore. These moments prove it.

Great News!

We have GREAT news!

Instead of taking 30-45 days, we have heard from the lawyer in just 2.5 weeks! What a delightful surprise! Shane got an email last Sunday, on Father's Day as he was getting out of bed. I wanted to share it days ago but we had a few people we needed to contact first so instead I hinted on my last post that it was a great day with moments of happiness =)

Our visas are approved!!!! Until December 2015! Wowers.

Before I take the time to let that sink in, all I can think about is a trip home to Canada! A long-awaited trip to the homeland! I'm so excited! I can't wait to be reunited with my fam and especially for Noah to spend some time with his grandparents, aunts and uncles!

We are awaiting papers in the mail and when they arrive, we can make a trip! So, we hope to see them arrive this week so we can begin making plans!

Yay! Let the celebration begin!

Celebrations!

I love special celebration days! And this week we got to celebrate on 2 special days!

Wednesday was our 9th Anniversary! We had a special celebration this year, relishing the fact that Noah's beloved Auntie Stephanie was in town and able to be with him all day long =) We really enjoying that and with the blessing of Shane's boss, we took the day to be together. So. Lovely!

We started the day off right....in the prayer room getting prophetic ministry =) Then we headed to the Plaza (a ritzy area of town with shops and fountains), walked around and ate Brazilian BBQ for the first time! Shane LOVES meat so it was special to try a new place that was all about meat =) We had been given a Starbuck's gift card specifically to celebrate our anniversary so we hit up Starbuck's and another walk after lunch, before heading back to check in with Steph and Noah. The little man was happy to see us and we hung out for a bit before heading out once more to wander the aisles of Target and try on some glasses. I'm in the market for new ones! We relaxed at home in the evening and got to spend some time with Stephanie. What a lovely day!

And then today! Father's Day! It was a nice day, full of family quality time and moments of happiness =) We tried a new park, played outside, napped, played in the toy aisles at Walmart and I picked up Chipotle for my hubby for supper =) I also had to bake him his own cake =)

I love reasons to celebrate good things, beloved people and special milestones!

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

This week we borrowed a camera from a friend on base and my lovely sister took some pictures of our family! We drove to a little lake nearby that she recently discovered and took some pictures of our family of 3. I love them =) I am so blessed to have my boys to journey through life with =)

Today, Steph and I went outside to take some pictures of Noah for a little 18 month photo shoot. He did so great and turned on some great moves =) He is SUCH a handsome boy!

Sadly, I still haven't figured out how to post pictures on here =( But, I uploaded a few to facebook! Check it out!

THINGS ARE MOVING FORWARD!!!

After a long delay in our visa process, we received great news last week!

We have been waiting on the further documentation the government asked for and that whole step in the process began way back in February. It has had many challenging moments...as you've read along the way.

The accountant was able to gather all the information....and there was a ton of information they were asking for. We assumed it would take weeks for the lawyer to process all of it before submitting it. Alas, we were wrong for the better!!!! As of last Thursday we got an email saying it has been filed!!!! We should hear something from the government in the next 30-45 days! What glorious news!

We are anticipating a summer trip home to Canada =) It has been way too long since we've seen loved ones....especially since Noah has seen his aunts, uncles, grandpas and grandmas!

Thank you Lord for this news! 

A Few Cute Noah Tidbits...

Our little toddler has totally captured our hearts! He's such a delight!

A few tidbits on life with Noah these days...

- on the go constantly....yesterday at church, I was in the toddler room and the lady next to me (whom I don't know) says to me "Wow. He's busy! I thought my daughter was busy but he's way busier!". He is a quick little guy and can run fast!

- getting more and more verbal....he is able to communicate a bunch between a few sounds/words and few signs. He is very expressive! Noah will talk in the van all the way to the store, down the aisles and all the way home. He especially likes to talk to the cashier and try to get people who look preoccupied and busy to look at him. He smiles at them and tries to get their attention =)

- full of affection...Noah loves people! He seems to really care about how people are doing and feeling and always has a hug to give. He wraps his little arms around your neck and squeezes. He gives the best hugs! Even to all the strangers on the playground =) Yesterday in the toddler room at church, I watched him connect with every family in there. It appears he has a caring, pastoral heart already =)

- loves things that start with the letter "B"....buses, Bibles, books, birds and even pointing out his bum when I'm changing his diaper =)

- teething...he cut 3 molars and 1 canine tooth in the last 2 weeks. It wasn't so bad! The amber necklace has been helping, I think! The last few days, the teething symptoms have increased....is he getting more?!

- loves being outside and is pretty tough with all the bumps, scrapes and bruises that go along with being an active, toddler boy! I am constantly praying for protection from injury!

We are so blessed to have Noah in our family! I love that little guy!

We're Not in Canada Anymore Moments

I was thinking a few weeks ago that I really should be recording the moments we have that we like to label "We're not in Canada anymore!" moments =) For your enjoyment, Shane and I both had a WNICA moment on the same day a few weeks ago. Shane's was hilarious! I don't know if the funniness will transfer via blog, but here's the story =)

As a disclaimer, I mean no disrespect to the people or cultures involved in any of these cases. They simply remind us that we are not in our homeland anymore and make us chuckle. There are aspects of people and culture here, that are very different than home!

Earlier in the afternoon, I was at a company and getting some direction from the lady in charge. She was African American and the delivery of her information to the group made me continuously chuckle to myself. There is just no way you would hear someone talking like that in Canada. The culture is so different! She was talking about how we had to use black pen. Instead in of simply stating that, she went on and on to prove her point. "Now, you need to use black pen. Not your pretty purple pen or ____ pen (insert whatever colors, I don't remember her examples)" and the tone had attitude and it just made me smile and realize.....we are not in Canada anymore.

I told Shane about my moment when I got home and a few hours later as I was putting Noah to bed, Shane went to the store nearby by grab some milk. He was crouching down at the fridge/freezer to pull out a jug of milk. As he stands, he hears of the voice of someone coming down the aisle. These two African American ladies are walking toward him and one says, "Dang! You cute for a white boy!". Drop. Dead. Hilarious. And so crazy bold!

She goes on to ask what he's doing tonight and Shane tells her that he's on his way home to his wife =) She communicates her disappointment and how she would have loved to hung out with him for the evening.

Oh my word. Totally hilarious and not something we probably would have encountered in Canada.

We are not in Canada anymore. These moments prove it.

A Few Updates...

I thought it was time to update on a few things....

Our visas....sadly, still not processed. We finally heard from the lawyer a week and a half ago with all the information that he needs from the base. Needless to say, it is a big job and the accountant is working on it. So, once he has it all together, he will send it to the lawyer, who will go over it and hopefully send it back to the government asap. The timing has been such a challenge. We never thought it would take this long and still possibly be far away from the end.

In light of the lack of visas.....Shane is not going to Thailand on Monday =( He has worked so hard the last 5 months preparing for the Call2All Congress and it is so disappointing that he won't get to be on the ground, seeing the fruit of his labor. As I write, Shane is working hard in his office. He has been working all day and evening this week, as well as all weekend so far. Thankfully, the end is in sight because this pace would never work long term! But, the Lord is helping me with grace and today He kindly sustained me and energized me, despite the sacrifice of the last little while. Though we are disappointed Shane won't be in Thailand with his team (and working through frustration with the visa process from time to time), we feel peace.

Our night away was lovely! And the Lord knew that we really needed some quality time before this last week of such intense work! It was so wonderful to connect and not have to share one another with anyone!

Noah....is adorable, getting more and more verbal, runs everywhere, loves everything and is teething fiercely. One molar is mostly through and the other 3 are soooo close. He lights up my world =)

Please continue to pray for our visa situation and the Lord's perfect timing...before June would be really great!

Blogger Book Review - The Christian Mama's Guide to Parenting a Toddler by Erin MacPherson

The Christian Mama's Guide to Parenting a Toddler is a book about entering the world of parenting a toddler. The author is a mom of 3 herself and pulls from a number of different people, resources and experiences to discuss a number of topics applicable to any mom of a toddler. Topics such as discipline, tantrums, sleep habits, healthy eating, potty training and preschool are covered, as well as topics specific to moms such as keeping date nights alive, the joys and challenges of stay-at-home moms and working moms, and preparing for baby #2.

I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, I enjoyed the topics and could definitely identify with many of the circumstances and challenges of parenting a toddler as I enter into the toddler phase with my little guy. I liked a lot of the lists of suggestions and recommendations that Erin provided and I think I will look back through the book to try some of them out!

On the other hand, I really had a hard time reading the book because of the tone of the author. I felt that humor and sarcasm was used far too much. I myself am more of a serious person and really dislike sarcasm in general. It made me feel like what is holy and sacred about motherhood wasn't valued or communicated in the way that I would have liked to hear. It was hard for me to get past the tone and enjoy the content.

I may recommend this book to mommy friends of mine but I would definitely disclaimer the tone and see if it would be a good fit for their personalities and communication style first.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Romantic Get-A-Way!

Ahhhh...I am so excited! Shane and I are getting away for a night by ourselves this week! We haven't done that since our Babymoon a month before Noah was born...that's already a year and a half ago! Wow! Time flies!

I will always cherish the memories of our Babymoon. A generous couple allows us to spend 2 nights in their cabin, right on the lake and it was so peaceful and enjoyable! We BBQed, went for walks, watched movies and relaxed. Soooo awesome.

A few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would love the chance to get away for a night with Shane before my sister heads back to Canada for the summer. The next day, as I was sharing some of my struggles at my women's small group, one of my friends pointed out that I might just need some time away with Shane. She asked when the last time was that Shane and I were off base together for a night.....not since we arrived in Kansas City last June. I realized she might be on to something.

I mentioned the advice to Shane and was starting to think more about it. That evening or the next day, we got a text from a friend who felt that we needed to get away for a night or two and wanted to send a gift of finances to help make that happen! I think that is confirmation! This person knew nothing about our recent thoughts/conversations! =)

So, with the Lord's kind prompting and special provision, we are doing just that!

It's a crazy time for Shane, super busy at the office preparing for the Call2All Congress in Thailand in just a few weeks and lots and lots of meetings at the base these days. He's been pulling long hours and working some evenings/weekends. We are still waiting for visas and are praying about the timing and sovereignty of the Lord over this situation, especially since Shane is supposed to leave for Thailand in 2 weeks today. In light of this all, we and the friends involved in our story, feel that we are supposed to go for our getaway now, and not wait until after Thailand.

So, we are off on Thursday to a cute bed and breakfast in a Georgian-style mansion 45 minutes away! Yay! I am one exciting lady!

Waiting, waiting and more waiting...

I sure had hoped to be driving to Manitoba today =( I had hope and faith to pray that this week there would be breakthrough in the visa process. So, Noah and I have been praying in an increased way the last 2 weeks and even felt stirred to start planning what our trip would include, whenever it so happens. I figured out it would work best to leave here on a Thursday so we could get in 2 weekends with our family in Manitoba. Who knew today would be the best Thursday to leave between now and July. And we are not northbound. Boo.

I'm disappointed but the first thing I'm feeling is frustration. Aimed at the lawyer. We just found out he still hasn't done the work that the government is waiting for. First the documents were lost in the US postal service for 6 weeks and now we've been waiting for the lawyer to do their requests for the last 3 weeks. And we can do nothing. about. it.

I'm mad. And a little sad. And having a moment of frustration.

This process has had a lot of grace and generally I feel a lot of peace with the uncertainty, waiting and lack of control we have. But, this week I'm feeling like I've had enough. This is feeling ridiculous already and I think this has taken long enough. We need some breakthrough!

So, I need to turn this frustration into contending prayer, praying that we would see breakthrough and that I wouldn't give up that hope and faith for it, despite discouraging news from the lawyer.

Please pray with us that the lawyer would do the work needed speedily, submit it very soon, that nothing else would be needed and that our visas would be approved quickly. And pray that we would have peace that the Lord holds the timing in His hands, regardless of the timing issues we have in the natural. We'll keep you posted!

A Step Closer to Canada....

Glory! My passport arrived this morning!

My passport expired and so I had to renew it from here in Kansas City and I didn't know if the timing would be incredibly awkward. What I mean by this is what if our visas were approved and we could make a trip to Canada, only to not be able to because my passport hadn't arrived from Canada yet? That would be such a bummer!

Also, with how the mail works with our set up here at YWAM, we can't receive Fed Ex packages at our door. We were praying that the Lord would work a special circumstance that would allow us to receive the passport, when the systems in place here make a delivery like that really awkward.

Again, the Lord made a way, just like He did when we were waiting for Shane's a few months ago. I got a knock on the door from the neighbor who happened to be upstairs when Fed Ex pulled up and talked with the driver. I'm sooooo grateful that he was in the right place at the right time and that God made a way for that passport to get to me instead of being redirected back to Canada!

Now we're one step closer to a trip to Manitoba! Please continue to pray with us for our visas!

Toddlers Times

Today my little Noah is 16 months and he sure has left babyhood behind for discovering life as a toddler!

It seems that he is learning new things every day and it is so fun and fascinating to watch him discover the world around him. It makes simple things like horses, hugs, dancing, snacks, drinks of water, walks down the hallway, ping pong paddles, buses and keys seem like gold. They are major reasons to get VERY excited, wave your arms, raise your eyebrows and pant with sheer joy =) I love this. It has made me get excited about the animals that we can see out our window, the walks around the base that are like adventures and giving a cup of water has a whole new meaning =)

Noah had the flu for the first time earlier this month. It was so sad to see him so sick =( He was so sweet and precious, not fussing, but instead got super quiet and relaxed. It was so weird to see him so stationary! We enjoyed lots of snuggles. He got the flu only 3 days after I returned from my trip to Colorado and since then he's been nursing like a newborn the last few weeks. Just the last 3 days or so has he relaxed a little in that department =)

My little man is barely 20 lbs and though I haven't measured him recently, he's growing because I've had to put away a lot of clothes lately based on length. He's still wearing mostly 12-18 month clothes, though the first thing he seems to progress to the next size in is sleepers. I'm hoping we get to take a trip to Manitoba soon because I want to stock up on 18 month sleepers at Superstore!

Noah LOVES many things with great enthusiasm. He is his auntie Stephanie's biggest fan and gets so excited to see her whether in person or praying on the webstream. Noah loves being around people. Around the base, he runs and plays happily and chatters to himself but in public, he's often quieter because he does a lot of people-watching. He's adorable in the car seat...just chilling and staring out the window, sometimes making noises that really sound like he's singing along to the music.

As I mentioned above, Noah seems to be learning new things every day! This week, he's learnt to point to his nose when we ask where it is, to climb into the stroller, stand up and reach for things on the shelf, give open-mouthed kisses, to spin around dancing, to master the slide (even head first!) and he's started copying Shane and I when we cough or sneeze =)

Happy 16 months Noah! You are such a delight and bring so much joy to all those around you!

From Snowstorms to Sunburns...

The weather in Kansas City can be so extreme! Last weekend, we had a snowstorm. And when they have snowstorms out here, the city goes from green/brown to white in a few short hours. I've never seen it snow that fast! Everything is covered in snow! I love the way the trees look with snow so perfectly placed on all the branches. So pretty!

Then a few days pass by and today we're out in t-shirts, shorts, flip flops and I am dealing with the mild effects of my first sunburn of the year! What a lovely day! Shane, Noah and I went for a walk at the park and Noah discovered a love of slides =) At first he was cautious and looked a little scared, but with daddy encouraging him from the top and mommy waiting at the bottom, plus lots of cheering from both parties, he didn't take long to think this was SO FUN! It was so cute =)

I'm soooo looking forward to spring weather! I wish all of summer could be the temperature it was today, since the summers down here are REALLY hot! Uncomfortably hot.

I'm dreaming of many zoo days, trips to the splash park, walks in the park and fun in the little pool from Grandma and Grandpa Farrow. Noah is in such a different stage this year compared to last. He was interactive but still very much a baby and now he's full into toddlerhood, running, yelling and playing =)

It's going to be a fun summer!

My Time Away in the Mountains...

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a Captivating Retreat (from the book Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge). The Lord miraculously made a way for me to go on this retreat with 4 other women from my ladies/moms group on Friday afternoons. It was lovely!

I was super torn back in December when I had to decide whether or not I would be going. I just didn't know how Noah or I would do being apart, since up until this last weekend, we hadn't been apart for more than 4 hours. I felt the Lord whisper to me "Come away with Me", despite the fears and panic that seemed overwhelming at the thought of leaving Noah, being in another state and unaccessible.

The Lord is so good and so kind. He wanted me to be there. And He made a way, in many ways. He worked it out that our group was chosen as attendees in the way they select who is chosen. He miraculously provided the funds for the retreat, when I totally was planning on just not going. He allowed me to go with a great group of women and I got the pleasure of getting to know them even more as we were away from the day to day and had a few days to just be women, apart from the roles we play at home. He helped me emotionally, comforted me and gave me peace as I was away from my little boy. He has given me an INCREDIBLE husband who would have packed my bags for me if I chose not to go and did great with Noah while I was gone. He comforted and tended to my little guy who was super happy and cheerful while I was away and enjoyed the daddy time. He even let me fly on an airplane...without an infant in lap.

And, He totally met me.

In many ways, the Lord touched my heart and spoke to me on many levels. I'm so grateful. There is so much He is interested in in my heart, even more than I know or can perceive. He was so intentional about getting me away and He knew I needed it even more than I did. We just needed that time to connect in an uninterrupted way. How special. I'm so thankful and I am so glad He loves me.

Blogger Book Review - Unexpected Love by Julie Zine Coleman

I had the pleasure of reviewing the book Unexpected Love by Julie Zine Coleman and I read it really fast, for me, and gobbled it up! This book was all about God's heart revealed in Jesus' conversations with women. Through 9 chapters, Julie takes you on a journey through different passages of Scripture in which Jesus interacted with and had a conversations with women. Julie starts with fleshing out the story, making the reader feel connected to the woman and her situation. Then, she explores the historical and Biblical contexts, digging deeper through addressing a number of questions that were different for each chapter. Next, she made it applicable to women today in the part For Today's Woman and ending each chapter with some questions to work through and suggestions on ideas to journal.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it interesting, provoking and I just kept wanting to read more! Julie definitely held my attention and the content of this book made me think, process and pray through what I was learning. I enjoyed the way the book was laid out and feel that it covered great information, provoked my heart and gave me practical suggestions to diving deeper into these Scriptures and God's heart on women. I would absolutely recommend this book to others, especially the awesome women I know. I brought this book along to a women's group I'm a part of and it contributed to our dialogue in a great way, provoking the hearts of my girlfriends. They all want to get their hands on a copy!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://BookSneeze®.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Sickos and Celebrations

It's been a household of sickos this last week =( Noah and I started with cold symptoms last Monday and it hit Shane super hard on Saturday. My boys had fevers and they have not been feeling well at all =( Prayers for complete healing appreciated =)

During the same week, there were a whole bunch of celebrations between my sister's birthday and Valentine's Day. I love birthdays and quality time with the ones I love! My birthday plans for Steph were effected by the cooler weather on Saturday and my little man at home who wasn't feeling well and really wanting his mommy =( We didn't get to enjoy the zoo as much as I had hoped but there will be more opportunities! We found a precious tea room and LOVED our lunch together there!

Shane and I got to go out for supper on Valentine's Day and it was lovely =) So grateful for a wonderful baby-sitter! Then on Sunday, Shane planned a Valentine's Day brunch and home spa for Steph, her roommate and I =) I have such a sweet husband!

Now we've been enjoying the visits of a bunch of Canadians! It's been a fun week despite sickness!