Lovely Canadians!!!!

It has been a super fun 9 days around our home! Lots of Canadians!!!!

First, Shaun, Laurissa and Abigail came for 5 days which were filled with incredible sibling quality time, getting to know my precious niece and the simple pleasures of just being together again! It was such a sweet time with these lovely peeps and since I'm so huge on quality time, this time with my siblings was so special to my heart!

Then, our wonderful friends Mark and Bonnie were here for the weekend! They just left earlier this evening after 48 hours filled with double dates, yummy meals, hang out time and simply being together again! What a delight! I'm sooooo grateful they made the trip all the way here just to spend time with us! I love those guys!

I haven't uploaded the most recent pictures but maybe I will add them when I do =) It has been a fun few days! It is always so special when people from Canada come this way because we have a unique amount of quality connecting time that we just don't get when we head to Canada because of the amount of ways we have to split ourselves and the amount of people to connect with.

So, if you want some super fun connecting time with us, come and visit!

Surprise!

My wonderful, precious, beautiful inside-and-out sister turned 30 on Friday. It has been a fun weekend celebrating Stephanie!

We tried to surprise her with my bro, his wife and daughter coming for a surprise visit but she had hoped they would come so badly that she wasn't surprised when they appeared! It has been soooo fun to be together as siblings again! We are soaking in the time together and really enjoying one another's company!

Then yesterday, we got her! We surprised her with a surprise birthday party and blessed her with friends, food, prayer and fellowship =) She is so worth it!

Here's a few pics from yesterday's celebration!

 The sisters!

 My wonderful sister and my big belly (a day short of 27 weeks)!

 Noah and Nana! These two love each other soooo much!

 Covering her in prayer for a new year/decade!

Happy Birthday, lovely Stephanie! I am soooo thankful we are sisters!

We're Not in Canada Anymore Moment

It's been quite a long time since I've done a "We're Not in Canada Anymore" Moment episode! But I thought of it in the last few weeks!

Noah and I were at an appointment and I was talking with the lady at the desk after waiting with other people in the waiting room. I mentioned we were from Canada. Her response was hilarious! She commented how she knew there was something different about us and we seemed different than Americans. She apparently could totally tell we were from Canada. Too funny! What in the world is that supposed to mean?!

I'm hoping the thing that made us stand out in that waiting room was Jesus in us instead =)

Another "We're Not in Canada Anymore" Moment was the weather this week! On Wednesday, it was chilly and we finally got some snow! Not a ton but gorgeous snowflakes fell from the sky for a few hours. I loved it! Then today, the high was supposed to be 19 degrees Celsius! Those extremes are so Kansas City for you!

There we have it folks, a return of the "We're Not in Canada Anymore" Moments!

Sickos on the mend

My boys have been sick the past week. Thankfully, I have remained healthy so far and hope to stay that way! There has been lots of grace to be 24 weeks pregnant and caring for a snuggly toddler so I'm thankful for that too!

Noah hasn't had a cold since the summer and it has been a wonderful half year of no sickness for him! Yay! We fought it with essential oils, rest and a dose of tylenol when the fever was creeping too high and he is on the upswing! I must say, I love having the option of essential oils!

Noah is still a bundle of energy and says the funniest and cutest things, despite being sick. He's the sweetest kiddo! I love that guy!

Shane is also the sweetest guy and I love him too =) He is on the mend too but still needs more rest to recover his energy. He is such a hard worker and carries on without complaint. His thankful heart without complaining provokes me all the time.

And...today I graduate to 25 weeks! I'm happy with that number, feeling very pregnant these days and have lots more growing to do!

Blessings for a new week ahead!

A Message from Noah

Today I asked Noah what he would want to say on the blog. These are his messages...

"I want to say I love you"
"I love my computer"
"I'm all done"

There you have it, folks =)

Hello out there!

Sorry for my absence....my time with the computer is limited!

Life here is good. A new quarter has begun and we have some new faces on the base as the January school has started. Shane had the pleasure of speaking to the DTS last week and hopefully we'll get to know a few of the new students this quarter. Last quarter seemed a little overwhelming for me to get to know many students with over 80 students here, the first trimester of pregnancy and a steep learning curve in some areas of parenting. This January quarter is usually our favorite as a couple for some reason =) So, I'm looking forward to it! It is going to fly by!

Speaking of time flying by, I'm already 23 weeks pregnant and I really think the next 4 months are going to go by in a flash! I'm cherishing the baby movements and fun parts of pregnancy =) I really do love housing life within me. What an honor. I like being pregnant =)

I have been struggling with heart burn in a big way so prayers for that would be greatly appreciated! And for good nights sleeps/no night time back pain!

Shane and I have been chatting about the beginning of the new year and what the Lord is saying to us. We feel like He is saying a few things as we sort our schedule and prioritize. It is going to be a good season!

I'm praying and hoping for a trip to Canada to see my family before baby comes. We'll see what the next few months hold!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all! The start of a new year is always great, filled with expectation for the good things in store for a brand new year!

I love the beginnings and endings of seasons....even though I'm slow to process them sometimes =) I enjoy looking back on a year, journlling the things the Lord has done and recounting all the things I had hoped would happen in a year and did. When looking back at my hopes for my 31st year at my birthday in October, I was blown away and totally blessed by the amazing amount of answered prayer this past year! The Lord heard my cries and moved on my behalf in many ways in 2014!

I am so thankful for:
- Our second baby who is forming and developing beautifully in the womb! 21 weeks already! So thankful to have the honor to be pregnant for the second time.
- No hospital visits for our family in 2014! This is a huge answer to prayer living in the US!
- A 2 bedroom apartment! What an answer to what I've been seeking the Lord about for the past 2.5 years!
- My little family who is full of life and getting to walk out what we feel the Lord has called us to!
- Living in KC....I am really blessed to be here.
- My adorable 3 year old who is teaching me tons every day. He gives the best hugs too!
- My mom....she has been such a support, even from afar, during an intense season of parenting through so many milestones the last few months.
- That my mother-in-law has been healed of breast cancer and heading back to work in the next few weeks. What a huge answer to prayer!

And so much more! What are you thankful for?!

Christmas Week with the Farrows!

It has been a fun week at our place!

Last Friday, we started out with Baking Day! Here are some pics from that. That same day, started the installation of our DISHWASHER!!!! Our dear friends, the Falks, moved back to Texas =( And they gave us their dishwasher! I am SOOOOOOO blessed! It is the first time I've had a dishwasher in my years since leaving my parents house after high school!

Then, on Tuesday, we had the pleasure of seeing our little cutie on screen! It was ultrasound day and Shane and I enjoyed seeing Baby Farrow #2 wiggling around and looking so cute! To celebrate, we grabbed supper in the van and drove through Christmas in the Park (all kind of Christmas lights set up in different scenes)!

Christmas Eve was a relaxing day at home and then off to the candlelight service at church! That is a fun highlight of the Christmas season! And a shot of the belly at 19 weeks!

Christmas Day was a nice family day! We stayed home, Noah opened presents and we had a yummy meal with Nana (Auntie Stephanie)!

We hope you had a very Merry Christmas! Big blessings from our family to yours!

Holiday Time

I am looking forward to the week ahead, anticipating some peaceful, quality time with my little family. We are staying put in Kansas City for the holidays but getting a few days together at home which I'm really looking forward to!

It has felt like holidays lately since my sis is done her fall semester and is on holidays! I'm feeling the holiday break too and loving her presence with us without her having lots of homework to run and attend to =) We had a Christmas baking day on Friday and baked some very yummy goodies!

Back in the day before Noah and back in Winnipeg, we made a tradition of having a Christmas baking day with my mom and the two of us at the end of November each year. We haven't done it since we've been here and this year, despite the sad part that my mom isn't here, it was time to start again! And with our new apartment, I've got a big kitchen to bake in =)

We are kick starting the few days off as a family with our ultrasound on Tuesday afternoon! Shane and I are excited to see this little one! And though you'd think we'd have grown horns on our head and come from another planet, we hope to NOT discover the gender. We love the surprise =) Apparently, around here, that makes us very unusual.

So Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a wonderful week with your family and can calm your heart and mind enough in the midst of life and busyness to remember the true meaning of what we celebrate. We need Jesus!

Noah turned 3!

This week was Noah's 3rd birthday and we had a fun time celebrating this little dude!

In the morning, Nana, Daddy and I were all up and waiting for the birthday boy to awake! Then we showered him with love and gifts to start the day off (and allow for play time before we heading out for his lunch party)! He also got to facetime 2 of his grandmas which was special!

For lunch, we headed to Chick-fil-A for a toddler boy party! 6 little guys age 1-3 and their families were there and we had a fun time of playing, eating and celebrating!

The afternoon was spent playing with new toys and resting at home! Then we prepared for some base friends to join us for a cupcake party at our place after supper!

It was a great day and we are so in love with our big boy! He is growing up so fast and getting so independent, smart, caring and funny. He really brings so much joy to our family!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Noah!

Love is in the air!

This post was from back in September but when I wrote it, I couldn't post it because our friends' engagement wasn't common knowledge yet =) And I forgot about it! So here it is...from September =)

Weddings and engagements are fun times! And we have had a number of them around here over the last months! Amongst our staff, 4 couples have gotten married since May and another just got engaged this week! It is the year of weddings!

We had the pleasure of celebrating closely with Andy and Una, as we had the honor of doing 3 weeks of pre-marital counseling together at our kitchen table the last few weeks. A great way to break in our new kitchen in our new apartment! They got married last night and it was super special! Congrats to Una and Andy!

We also had the pleasure of celebrating with Dany and Mariya as they got engaged this week! Noah and I got to be at the surprise little celebration after the big question was asked =) Sooo fun! Dany and Mariya were part of our Real Marriage small group this spring/summer and they are the first fruits! So fun! Here is our group reuniting last night at the wedding =)

A Friendly Hallway!

The last week has been fun with the friendliness in our hallway! I've been enjoying it!

Noah absolutely loves the neighbors! He wants them to come to his birthday =) Tonight at supper he was singing "I love you Islanders. I care about you." =) So precious!

Last Saturday, we were cooking some brunch and randomly asked some of the neighbors across the hall to join us. That was a hit and suddenly there were a whole bunch of people in our apartment! The neighbors across the hallway are part of Island Breeze and most come from an island in the Pacific. They are a big family, always eating together and hanging out and there are usually a lot of people next door. They are so friendly and welcoming!

The neat thing about our son growing up in this environment is that he has experience with so many different cultures! I like that! There are some funny conversations we have about whose skin is what color (Noah likes to say his is black), the places people come from and other things. Not every Caucasian Canadian 2 year old knows what the haka is =) It is just some of the benefits of living amongst so many different cultures in YWAM!

It is awesome to get just a small taste of the diversity of the cultures and people groups the Lord has created in His image. All the many peoples and groups reflect His image and who He is. We don't see the fullness of Him and His incredible creation without looking at the amazing diversity and creativity He shows in creating humans! The word of His hands is incredible!

Another Milestone Hit!

There was one milestone in the toddler/preschool years that I was nervous about. Potty training. I have never potty trained a child before and the task looked daunting to me.

But, like I mentioned a few posts ago, we kinda stumbled onto it a few weekends ago. With a TON of success! What seems scarey to me, was actually totally great and I'm so proud of Noah! I was concerned about a fight and lots of unhappy moments for both the toddler and the mother. Neither! He was totally ready and has done soooo well!

Another moments where I see the Lord's fingerprints all over the details of my life, especially over the area of parenting and training. I'm sooooo thankful!

What an honor...

This week, our campus had the honor of having Darlene Cunningham with us for 3 days. Darlene and her husband Loren founded Youth With A Mission over 50 years ago and are incredible, wise, faith-filled, energetic and vibrant leaders who love the Lord, love people and love missions!

Darlene spoke with our staff for the 3 days and the Lord totally made a way for me to attend almost all the sessions, which was such an incredible blessing that I wasn't expecting! It was refreshing, encouraging and provoking and left me with some questions to take to the Lord, journal about and think about. I am provoked in my desire to hear the voice of the Lord more and more in all my decisions and to evaluate my dreams, vision and gifts the Lord has given me to use in a fresh way.

The history and foundational values of YWAM are so incredible and it really is amazing to be a part of a mission like this one. I'm thankful that the Lord has brought us to this place on the journey of our lives and faith and grateful for the adventure!

Random Thoughts...

I've been meaning to blog. Life is full. Computer time is very limited. And I don't have much to say these days.

The few things in my mind....
- We have blinds! Yay....sooo happy for some privacy in the evenings now =) Shane worked hard to put them up tonight! I'm thankful =)
- I'm 12 weeks tomorrow and looking forward to my first prenatal appointment on Monday =) Can't wait to hear a little heartbeat! I have a small bump growing =)
- We stumbled onto a weekend of potty training when I casually asked Noah Friday morning what he wanted to wear and gave him the option of undies. So, here we go! We'll see what happens but so far, he's doing really great!
- Rockets have been a really yummy snack this weekend. Probably not so great for the sugar rush it is giving the little one inside me. And weird thing....they are labelled Smarties here. Those are definitely not smarties!
- It is November already! My baby is turning 3 in a month and I'm excited for the birthday celebrations and the prep for Christmas. I'm feeling a little Christmas-y =)
- My little sis hurt her foot last weekend. Please pray for healing and that everything would be covered through her insurance through school. We've enjoyed a week of sleep dates so that she wouldn't have to climb her stairs and we could wait on her =) It has been nice to have her =)
- I really need to take more pictures of life....I don't do that enough. I sure would love a nice camera and am praying for one =)

That's all for now, folks!

Babies, babies, babies!

We get to be around a lot of babies and part of a community that loves and celebrates life! I am among 5 other ladies on base right now who are expecting babies between November and May! In those 6 months, we will welcome 7 new babies here! If you are doing the math....yes, someone is having twins on base here! And it isn't me to my knowledge =)

Something neat that they do here in the YWAM and IHOP circles to honor and celebrate babies and life, is have a baby shower for each new baby (not just the first one). That is different than what I'm used to back home. Back home, you seem to only do baby showers for the first baby. I like the idea that I'll get a little party to celebrate this next baby too! Makes sense to celebrate each new life!

In baby updates, I'm 10 weeks today, feeling quite good for the most part (though a little tired and occasionally emotional) and think I'm starting to have a little growing bump starting to show =) So fun! It is fascinating to learn about fetal development each week! 10 weeks down and 30 to go! 1/4 of the way there!

Have a great week!

Introduction to Essential Oils

In the last 2 years, I've been introduced to Essential Oils and almost a year ago, got my first Young Living starter kit. I've really enjoyed using essential oils as my go-to "medicine cabinet" over the past year and use it for a variety of things! To be honest, my husband uses them more than I do!

It has been a nice, natural option to have for relieving different issues being far away from the familiar medical system we have in Canada. Down here, options other than heading to a hospital, are really nice to have! Besides, it is just nice to use a more natural approach and replace different over-the-counter meds with oils =)

That being said, I'm hosting an Introduction to Essential Oils class on October 28th at 6:30pm at my place. If you are local and read my blog, please feel invited and come join us for the evening! I think it would be super fun to do one someday on a trip back to Canada too! If any of my Canadian friends or family are interested, let me know too and I'll start thinking up a plan to make that happen on our next visit =)

Here is a link to an article that gives an overview of Young Livings essential oils and the ones that come in the premium starter kit that I got last year. Enjoy! http://issuu.com/lorimillsgordon/docs/oily_families_essential_oil_starter/0

And for a personal, recent testimony, I was making supper the other week and clearly told Noah the element was on and hot and not to touch. He came near as I removed the pot from the element and proceeded to quickly touch it, immediately burning his little hand. My tough little cookie was very sad and didn't like running his hand under cold water at all. I grabbed the lavender as he cried really loudly and put a dab on his hand. No joke....IMMEDIATELY he stopped crying and said he was ready for supper, got in his chair and supper time it was! The speed at which that lavender helps shocked me! And the burned healed really nicely with no other issues! So cool!

Grandma and Grandpa's Visit in September!

A few weeks ago, my in-laws came for a visit and we had a wonderful time with them! I always love when we get to spend time together and there is so much more quality time with family and friends when they come down here =)

We did lots of fun things and had lots of good food together. We had our first visit to the Aquarium, which was super cool, 2 visits to the zoo and even a double date to the stock car races for my father-in-law's birthday which we got to celebrate while they were here!

My in-laws are so incredible. Generous, loving, supportive and so very kind. I love them so much!

It was incredibly fun to announce our pregnancy to them in person! When they pulled up, we sent Noah running to greet them wearing his "Big Brother" shirt. It was so fun to watch them notice what the shirt said =)

They also brought our furniture which was an awesome bonus! We now have couches and a bedroom set for the first time in the last 2.5 years! I am loving having our bed back and love having a bed to get up into! It is great to have so much seating in the living room again too =)

Thanks mom and dad for visiting! We love you! Come anytime!

Lots of blessings!!!

There are so many things I could blog about.....pics from Grandma and Grandpa Farrows visit, a blurb about the women's conference, but I realize that I didn't include a very important announcement yet =)

WE ARE HAVING A BABY!

We are super pumped as a family and Noah already has the "big brudder" title down pat and daily talks to the baby in my belly at random times on his own initiative. That is so super cute!

We are due in May and are 8 weeks pregnant now! We also have the joy of being pregnant with a number of other couples on base right now which makes it really fun! One of my good friends on base even has the exact same due date =) We all had ultrasounds on Friday and it was WONDERFUL to see the little beating heart =)

Please pray for protection and life for our little one in these early developmental weeks. For week 8 specifically, you can pray for the little hands, fingers, toes and feet that are beginning to develop and that they would be fearfully and wonderfully made according to God's perfect design. Also, we need wisdom from the Lord who to see for prenatal care and feel like we are in a foreign land...which we are compared to my knowledge of the system in Winnipeg!

Thanks for celebrating this life with us!

Just an hour after we found out we are pregnant!

Way Too Late....

I am up way too late.

But I needed a snack and have an incredibly irritating cough and don't want to keep waking my tired husband from my coughing =(

My brain is pretty awake too with all the prep needing to be done for the women's conference in 2 days! I'm working hard at getting my notes together for the workshop I'm doing and getting all the details together for the personal prayer ministry part of the conference.

Tomorrow is going to be a big and busy day of set up and briefing and such.

Prayers for healing from this cough and post-nasal drip GREATLY appreciated!

Hopefully, soon.....good night.