Tuesday, September 29, 2009

2 years of adventure

2 years ago yesterday I was preparing for my wedding day. I was surrounded by all the people I love and who love me. We went and had our hair and makeup done and then headed to the church to get dressed for walking down the ailse.

The greatest moment was being presented to my love at the front and hearing:"I now pronounce you husband and wife". Since then, life has felt like it has always been this way. Dave and I are one and it seems foreign to consider it being any other way.

So much has happened in our short marriage and its increadible to believe there was a time when all of it was just a dream. Two sons, new friends, adventures to numerous places together, struggles and growth...

I am so excited to be where I am and I look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries with my best friend and husband. Just yesterday he was asking me if I had ever pictured us aftert two years and I had to admit I had only thought of us in 25 years. Marriage becomes more and more beautiful as it goes through trials and comes out strengthened and matured. Dont get me wrong, I dont desire trials, I just know they will come and we will have to deal with different things. Its the way it is.

I thank the Lord for blessing me with my life as it is. I ask Him to provide me with continual growth in seeing where I am failting as a wife and mother and I praise Him for all the amazing things I have seen Him do.

Thank you Lord.
Thank you Dave.

I love you.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Biped

September 14th Matthew stopped being a quadruped and joined the world of two leged movers. He goes everywhere now on his two feet using one hand up in the air to help stabilize him.

He has also entered the whiny stage. Since he has very few words he just puts his hand up in the air, snaps his little fingers and goes "ain ain ain". This is very annoying and Dave and I have been trying to be consistent in our discipline of it. He isn't given what he wants until he stops whining and attempts to repeat after us. Usually that means he stops whining and looks at us and says "Da". But, he stopped whining so we give him what he wanted. Hopefully it will work and hopefully he will learns the words we keep repeating ('More please' is the big one).

Other than that, he just got his sixth tooth, he loves trying to make us laugh and he is still a fantastic little man.

News about the little one in my womb: he moves like a crazy dancer these days. I have no idea what it is that is making him squirm so much but I love feeling him... unless Im trying to sleep then its a bit... distracting. Im also re-thinking his name. I love the name Levi but apparetnly it is the same name as Matthew. This really doesnt matter to me but I also like the name Titus and I know Katrina would love to have a Levi one day. Dave and I will just have to discuss it and decide what we want. We still have quite a while to make up our minds. Any one else out there have an opinion? Levi David or Titus somthing...???

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I Made Roast Chicken

Some of you may be very unimpressed by this. However, I felt like a true kitchen diva while working on making a herb roasted chicken dinner.

I decided to invite my parents over for dinner (a non-judgmental party who would forgive me if it was terrible) and Dave invited Jared over. He is a good cook so he made me a little nervous. As I skewerd the chicken neck to the back after having rinsed the chicken and patted it down with paper towel I felt very much like Julia from the movie Julie and Julia. So into the whole process. It wasnt until I had to baste the chickens (thats right, I made two at a time) that I was not feeling so happy about the whole thing. It kept burning me and the baster wasnt doing a good job... I had to fight being crabby ( I am so not the queen of the kitchen).

I made mashed potatoes, green beans, steamed carrots and gravy with the herb chicken.

Dave carved up the chicken and then the moment of truth arrived. Was it good? It was AWSOME!!! Even Jared said it was good. Right away he said it. Connor couldnt stop telling me how good it was and mom and I savoured each bite. Dave loved it and he doesnt like chicken much...

It may sound like I am bragging... Am I? I dont think so. I am triumphing in a success that could have so easily been a disaster. I am Katie, the woman who really doesnt enjoy the kitchen. I dont like cooking and I bake with glee sometimes but mostly prefer to make easy, boring meals. I, Katie, roasted two chickens and lived to tell you it was GOOD!

MMMMM!

Ok, Im done. Thank you all for reading my excitement. And thank you mom for helping me make gravy and deciding the meat was done cooking.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Dad Update

Thank you all for your prayers and I would like to urge you to continue in them if you can.

My dad is still awaiting another operation. Apparently, when they cleared out the artery that caused the heart attack they discovered another two arteries that are very close to causing him another attack. One of them is 98% blocked and the other 80%.

My dad was so hopeful he would be going home today or tomorrow but he is yet to even be put on the list for the procedure/operation. He was given a false hope today when they told him to fast so that if they could slide him in at some point they would, but later was told he could eat because there was no room ( I can feel his disappointment and sinking dispair). I know he would like to be home. He would like to be back with family and colour and good food. He is where he needs to be right now but I think he struggles with worry and loneliness. I know I would.

Mom said they would be moving him up out of intensive care so he could have visitors other than family. Im sure it would be a welcome distraction for him. I guess they'll just move him back into intensive care once he has has the procedue??? Or maybe he will be ok since he has not had another attack...

Anyways, my mom and dad have felt so blessed from everyone who has called, e-mailed, made meals and every other ministry people have given. Thank you so much. We all love you so much and appreciate your continued love and prayers.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Not Expected

This morning I woke up with plans of shopping and hanging out and a whole lot of activities that were focused on me. Seeing as how I am human, this looked like a great day. I was just preparing to leave the house when I got a call.

"Hi, this is Eryn from your Dads work... there is an ambulance ready to take your dad to the hospital here. We think he might be having a heart attack."

Apparently they couldnt get in contact with my mom so they called me to let me know what was happening. My brain went buzzing directly to all the people I needed to call, starting with my mom, of course. I stayed calm and collected. Definetly not what I thought I was capable of.

I waited on the phone until the paramedic got on the phone to let me know how my dad was. He kept it very business like but it sounded very good. My dads vital signs were all really good but his heart was beating really slowly. They needed to take him to the heart institute for surgery that was very normal and unabtrusive. They would insert something into his leg and it would go up into his heart and do something (Im so medically inclined). It would only take a short time and then he would be brought into a recovery room.

Once I took all this information and passed it onto my mom, she was quick to head over there and meet my dad as soon as visitors were allowed. I packed Matty up and we headed over to my parents place to wait. On the way there, my mind came to reality. My cool collectivity disappeared and I thought of all these horrible things. I was loosing control of the facts and beginning to think of all the possible future outcomes. I fought tears and also kept repeating "God is sovereign, He works all for good, the paramedic said it was minor..." and it helped me calm down.

Once my mom and brother finished their visit, my sister and I were soon to follow.

My dad lay there. We were all so surprised. He mentioned he never thought he would ever have a heart attack. Is it something most people really think about? He was scared, we were scared...

After visiting I felt a lot better. I mean, it wasnt nice seeing my dad having to lie down on his back and not move but God was so good to him. It wasnt a painful attack, it was not a big attack, and they were able to remove the blockage that was in the artery. He looked worried. I can understand. Its a big deal to have a heart attack, no matter how big or small.

And so we pray. Pray that his heart will be healthy from here on out, that he would recover well, that he would be able to handle being off work for three weeks...

My eyes turned off of me very quickly and went straight to dads. earthly and heavenly. I spent many minutes throught out the day praying to Him for him, thinking about him and Him, loving them both so much.

Heres looking at you kid! I love you Dad. I hope you are doing alright in the heart institute. We will visit when we get back from the wedding. Laloos, no cats in America, MUAH!

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

One? 1 ONE!


September 7th marked Matthews first birthday. I find it so hard to believe that I already have a one year old. It doesnt feel like it was that long ago that I was holding and nursing my little one the day he came home from the hospital. I remember his first smiles, being excited when he pooped, waking fairly contentedly to feed and rock him back to sleep... So many memories and it seems like they all happened yesterday.

Now he is a year old. He speaks words that only Dave and I can understand (all done, down, moo, ball, dada), he is so close to walking it is frustratin, he eats really well, he tried to make us laugh... All in a year. So much change in a year.

Matty was very blessed at his birthday party. So many people came and loved on him and us. He was spoiled rotten with beautiful gifts. We were colleting a farm and animals for him and he was given so many beautiful animals, he was given some trucks and blocks, handmade quilt, slippers and blog, books and more.


Here you can see all of his fantastic gifts.

There was a BBQ and some cake and cupcakes. And lots of cousins and toys to play with. It was loud and busy which was just the way we love it. Matty was so good. He never got overwhelmed and actually tried unwrapping some presents. He enjoyed some banana cake (I dont have a picture because our camera made miserably blurry pictures- very disappointing) and sat with all his family and friends.


His actual birthday was a lot less exciting. He was sung 'Happy Birthday' several times while not having any idea why people kept singing it. He fell and bonked his head really badly. I have never seen a goose egg come up so quickly. He ate freezies to calm him down and then played outside. He got a treat when Dave and I took him to Starbucks and he enjoyed an oat bar with his cousin Henry.

A whole year has gone by. Matty has grown so much and is soon to be a big brother. How will it be? How will HE be? I am very excited to find out how Matty handles being a big one year old brother.

Happy birthday baby bear.
Matty loving the balloons

Matty looked very confused by me blowing on his cake. "Why cant I just touch it all Mommy?"

Thank you: Grammie, Grandpa, Uncle Connor, Uncle Daniel, Aunty Jo, Uncle Aidan, Caelah, Lijah, Gabry, Isaiah, Annorah, Oma, Pake, Oma, Opa, Tante Katrina, Tante Emma,
Omke Emke, Tante Ness, Uncle Cory, Henry, Angela, Jared, Aunty Anne, Aunty Peggy, Ruth, Aunty Karin, Uncle Josh, Elyssa, Tante Tara, Marlene, Grace and Justin for all your love and kindness and gifts.