Best Friends!

Best Friends!

Book Review: Principal of the path

Guest Post by my husband Chris

The Principal of the Path By Andy Stanley
Why is it that smart people with admirable life goals often end up far from where they intended to be? Why is it that so many people start out with a clear mental picture of where they want to be relationally, financially, and professionally and yet years later find themselves far from theyr desired destination? Why do our expectations about our own future often go unmet?

It is these questions that Andy Stanley focuses on in his book Principles of the Path that we received to review from Thomas Nelson Publishing.

I have appreciated other books from Andy Stanley in the past and was quite excited to have a chance to review this book. Overall, this book was good in premise, but not quite there in fallow through. The thought that began this book, to illustrate and explain how the results that we get in life are most often a product of a series of discisions and ways of doing things that make a path to those results. This is certainly a very important realization, and as a pastor I have met and had discusions with many people that need to better understand that fact. As simple as it is, it is amazing how all of us can decieve ourselves in seperating the many smaller choices and paths we put ourselves on from the results we get ourselves into, and often that leads to a lot of complaining, both to others and to God.

The problem arrises in that instead of developing this idea into a fully rounded book and working it all through, it was kept at the basic level of development and surrounded by personal stories and other re-iterations of the same idea.

Now, this by no means should be taken as a reason to not read the book, or to have one on your shelf for when you find that person who trully needs to hear that basic truths of this book, it just means that you need to keep your expectations in check, and to be ready to do a lot of the work yourself in bringing it to a fully developed point, which might be twice as good in the long run.

So pick up a copy, and start thinking about the paths we are on, and where it might go.

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas Nelson Publishers has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for review. 

I am not required to give a positive opinion but I am required to give my honest opinion.

Book Review: Principal of the path

Where is Bambi's Mom

As I wrote in my last post I have a broken ankle and have been spending a LOT of time on my couch with my children. We have played, read books and watched a lot more movies then usual.

I should start by telling you that David is at the age where he wants to understand what happens to people in general and to movie characters and why things are going on in the show? 

So as I sit, I find that I am constantly explaining what is happening in the cartoon and a lot of the back story and motivations until he feels that he has had enough of an understanding. (Perhaps he will become an actor some day, asking the director: What is my motivation?) 

I love that he is so curious and wants to understand what is happening in the world around him. When I answer his or Jaclyn's questions I try and answer it as honest and truthfully as I can. I believe in being honest with them.

When we watch movies now, even if he has seen the movie before, he wants to know why the characters are acting a certain way. We have talked about the movie Cars and why Chick Hicks isn't nice to the other cars, we have talked about the prince from Beauty and the Beast and how he wasn't kind and was turned into the Beast. 

I could go on in what we have covered in the past few months but right now I want to tell you about yesterday's conversation.

We were watching the beloved Disney classic Bambi.

Anyone who has seen this movie remember the scene when Bambi's mother dies. Well shortly after that scene David and I had a conversation that went like this:

David: Mom where is Bambi's mom?

Me: She's dead.

David: Who killed her?

Me: The hunter's that we talked about earlier in the movie.

David: Oh..

Silence as he process this discovery.

David: Where is Bambi's mom's body?

Me: The hunters probably took it.

Silence again

David: I think I know what they are doing with the body!

Me: Oh...and what is that?

David: They are going to cut up Bambi's mom's body and make deer soup with it!

Me: (trying not to laugh) Why do you think that?

David: I don't know, it just makes sense.

Me: (trying not to laugh again)

I find it fascinating at how my sons brain works and it's conversations like this that I am able to get a glimpse of how he process and thinks about different life matters. Even if its a conversation about the death of a beloved Disney character like Bambi's mom.

Where is Bambi's Mom

Broken

I love walks and about a week and a half ago my friend and I were planning on going for an evening walk, it was so beautiful out and I had just put my kids to bed and we were planning to meet somewhere in the middle of our houses.

Sounds like a great idea right??

Well it was a wonderful idea. Unfortunately, as I was leaving my house, I fell. I rolled my ankle and heard a loud cracking sound. I tried to move and get up but I couldn't use my ankle and was in a lot of pain. Not having many options, I then called for Chris to come out and help me, and thankfully I was not far from my front door.

After Chris helped me into the house, he then found my friend and told her that I was not going to be meeting her that night and then found someone to sit at our house with the children while he took me to the ER. 

Once I finally saw the doctor there he told me it was just a bad sprain but I should stay off it for a week or so. I wasn't able to put any weight on it for the first 6 days and then I was able to put a little bit of weight on it but it still hurt more then I think it should have for a sprain. 

So last Tuesday (7days after my fall) I went to a sports clinic and had them look at it. I was told that I had cracked the top of my ankle and torn some ligaments or tendons in it as well. They casted my leg and sent me home with instructions not to put ANY wight on it for about two weeks when I am able to go back in and see how I am healing. 

So here I sit with my leg in a cast all because I had a strange fall that cracked my ankle.

My husband is awesome and I am very blessed to have him! As much as he has in his week to get done with work he has been able to keep up with all of his normal schedule as well as do most of what I do during the week. He has been cooking, cleaning, laundry and so much more. 

I have had different issues in the past with walking when I was younger (I have had 4 knee operations) but I have been very lucky that I have been able to walk normally almost everyday since I had children. 

Its amazing how we can take for granted being able to move on our own and doing things for ourselves and those around us. I am accustom to making my own tea, cleaning my house, cooking and caring for the daily needs of my family. As I have been sitting around these past few weeks I have been learning again at how important it is to thank God that I am able to walk on a daily basis and how there are many around our country and world who have to rely on others to care for them everyday.

I will be able to walk without crutches in a few weeks and my life will go back to "my normal" fairly soon. As I think about it, my prayer and hope is that I remember those around me, those in my country and around the world who are still dependent on others and when I have the opportunity, to help and support them. I also pray that God gives them continued patience in their circumstances and the help that they need.

It is amazing what God can teach when you see things from a new point of view.

Broken

Laptops and Tea

About a month ago now, my husbands computer died a sad death which left him without a computer for work. I being the wonderful wife that I am gave him my laptop to use for the meantime while we save for a new computer. Unfortunately this means that I have limited access to a computer. I still have me iPod touch, which allows me to access email/facebook. However it does mean that it is harder for me to blog. I am planning on sitting down somewhat regularly (most likely weekly) to blog about what has been happening around here. 

As some of you know I have a love for tea! My favorite place to get tea is at Starbucks....yummy!

I find that the day goes better with a cup of tea. My love for tea is somewhat rubbing off on my children. Both of my children on a weekly or at least by-weekly basis ask if they can have tea with me. So we drink tea together, actually I drink tea they drink "milk tea". 

Here are my two little "tea" drinkers enjoying morning tea with me.

Over the last few months whenever we go to town to do some shopping Jaclyn will say to us "guys, I need my Starbucks". 

The funny thing about that line is that I rarely go to Starbucks these days. I do however have Starbucks mugs at home that she sees regularly and when she see the Starbucks sign she wants it too. Funny kid!

Laptops and Tea

Let the games begin...

All over the world, there is one game that is more loved and appreciated, and it is that time of year again...soccer (at least it is that time here). 

David and Jaclyn both love the idea of soccer (AKA: running around and kicking things) and this year is their first year in an organized soccer program.

They both LOVED it!!

Even before we got to the first practice, David was so excited that he saw the whole day as prep for this momentous occasion. For nearly the entire day today David would say things like: "mom, I need to rest so that I have energy for soccer tonight" and "I think its time for a quiet time so that I have energy to run at soccer tonight". He would also take almost any opportunity to check and see if it was time for soccer yet, and how much more time he would have to wait before he could go? 

I think he was a little excited!!

When they got there, even before things began, Jaclyn was off, having seen a ball she began to kick it, even if it was part of another teams practice... something that needs to be developed is perhaps some rules for soccer. They began with some basic warm up and drills, which confused our kids as to why we were not kicking balls yet, but they did learn many skills such as running through a huge group of kids aware enough not to run smack into someone. Then they started kicking and it was great fun and craziness all rolled into one for a while, until they called it in for snack.

Result = fun was had by all

I think we will all be looking forward to the next practice for soccer (football)

Let the games begin...

Sleeping Masks

For many years now I have been sleeping with a sleeping mask. I have always been someone who sleeps better in a dark room. I can remember when I was a little girl and then as a teenager I would hide my eyes just so I could sleep. One day when I was a teen my dad brought me home a sleeping mask that he got on a trip he took (I think it was one of those masks that they offer you on airplanes or something). 

That was when I first discovered my love of the sleeping mask!

Shortly after we were married Chris found me a wonderful sleeping mask that I absolutely love. It is so comfortable and it makes sleeping much more enjoyable for me. Chris also has a mask now.

 Both of my children are similar to me in the sense that they also like to sleep in the dark. I have made them both room darkening curtains and they will still sleep hiding under their covers. Then about a month ago both David and Jaclyn told me at different times that they are unable to sleep because they don't have sleeping masks.

Then this morning David asked again for a sleeping mask. I pulled out some of my extra fabric pieces and I made two sleeping masks for the kids, Davids is striped on one side and trains on the other. Jaclyn's is pink on one side and butterflies on the other, this way they are reversible. 

 

Sleeping Masks

Spring where are you??

Yesterday the kids and I went for a lovely walk outside with their wagon. It was actually really nice outside, in fact the weather here has been getting a little warmer everyday. 

My whole family has been happy that Spring is here and we have been talking about riding bikes, walks, picnics as well as playing sports outside now that the weather is clearing up. 

Then this morning the kids woke up to this:

backyard

 front yard

When David saw the snow this morning he said:  "Why does the snow keep coming back, I thought it was Spring?"

Jaclyn said: "Why, more snow?" 

As I am writing this my children are down the hall playing with Transformers and a mini ball pit. Just a few moments ago I heard David tell Jaclyn: "we should play in our rooms and wait for the snow to go away again".

I just hope that we aren't waiting for that long.

What kind of weather did you wake up too?

Spring where are you??

I'm all Ears

Yesterday I took Jaclyn into the doctors for the second time in two weeks. When I first took her to see the doctor two weeks ago she had a double ear infection, so she was put on antibiotics. Then six days after she finished her antibiotics (yesterday) I had her back into the doctors to have her checked out again. Again she has a double ear infection. 

 

This is her third set of ear infections in the last four months, and her fifth or six in her three years of life.

Our doctor told me that because she has had 5 or 6 ear infections that it is now time to look into some deeper issues in her ears. They are now sending us to see a Ears/Nose/Throat doctor.

I am now starting to wonder the allergy she had to milk when she was an infant is effecting her ears now.  My husband and I are talking about changing Jaclyn's diet and taking her off of milk for the next little while to see if that helps. We are also deciding if we should take her off of cheese and yogurt as well. Unfortunately yogurt and cheese are some of her favorite foods and I am not sure how that one will go.

I feel so bad for my little girl and the pain that she has been in,  I just want to help her.

Have any of you had children with chronic ear infections? If so what did you end up doing?

I'm all Ears

Review: Wubbzy's Egg-Cellent Easter DVD

Press Release:

Beverly Hills, CA – Easter has never been more “egg-citing”!  Wubbzy and his friends Walden, Widget and Daizy – from the Emmy Award^®-winning Nick Jr.^® preschool TV series, “Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!,” will give preschoolers and families even more to celebrate this Easter with a brand-new, special seasonal DVD. “Everybunny” will be chirping with laughter when “Wubbzy’s Egg-Cellent Easter,” the latest release in the best-selling DVD series from Anchor Bay Entertainment, sprouts up in stores from coast-to-coast, Tuesday, March 1, 2011.

“We’re delighted to bring this adorable and festive new ‘Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!’ title to preschoolers across the country, just in time for the holiday,” said Erin Carter, Executive Director of Brand Marketing, Anchor Bay Entertainment. “The charming new release is the perfect answer for families on the ‘hunt’ for affordable Easter gifts and is a great way for them to celebrate spring together – the Wubbzy-way – with relatable age-appropriate life lessons and lots of heartfelt humor.”

All the kooky action of Easter in Wuzzleburg comes to life in six “egg-ceptional” episodes featured on the debut DVD.  In “Wubbzy’s Egg-Cellent Easter,” Wubbzy and his pals celebrate the first day of spring with a game of kickity-kick ball and discover new ways to decorate eggs for the annual Easter Egg Hunt.  And when the holiday is suddenly cancelled, it’s up to Wubbzy to save the day!

For even more Easter cheer, “Wubbzy’s Egg-Cellent Easter” includes holiday-themed coloring sheets and activity pages.

“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” has been a hit with young viewers and their families since its 2006 TV premiere on Nickelodeon^®, and the show currently airs daily on Nick Jr.  Wubbzy is a fun, lovable, curious little guy who just likes to play, play, play with his friends in the eye-popping town of Wuzzleburg.  The top-rated series supports preschool social skills – sharing, listening, compromising, helping and appreciating others, self-awareness and the use of humor as a coping skill.

Although their world is more fanciful and imaginative than our own, Wubbzy, Widget, Walden and Daizy, deal with the same social and developmental issues faced by preschoolers.  They learn how they fit into a group, how to understand their own feelings and those of others, how to get along with one another and the value of friendship and community.

“Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!” is produced by Bolder Media, Inc. in association with Starz Media’s Film Roman Animation Studio.  It is a worldwide hit that is broadcast in 60+ countries.  Susan Miller (co-producer of Ella Enchanted) and Fred Seibert (executive producer of “The FairlyOdd Parents”) are the executive producers of the show created by Emmy^® Award winner Bob Boyle (producer of “The FairlyOdd Parents”). 

My Review:

I was asked to do a guest review for my friend Tara @ tarasviewoftheworld. Thanks Tara for thinking of us!  We received our copy of Wubbzy's Egg-Cellent Easter a few days ago and it has certainly been a hit at our house. Both my 4 year old and my 3 year old love to watch it and they both really get into the show. It is a great video that can easily engage kids and even has some good lessons in it concerning the value of doing work yourself, finding joy in what you have instead of obsessing about what you don't and all sorts of other worthwhile ideas.

One of my favorite parts was the episode involving the Easter bunny, where he was unable to deliver Easter eggs because he had eaten only candy, and they talk about not eating too much junk food and enjoying fruits and veggies, and exercise. It was not over the top cheesy but actually got the kids talking about what foods they should be eating. I even heard my son tell my daughter later that she shouldn't ask for a cookie because she needs to eat more fruit...which was both funny and good to hear.

My family also liked the fact that it was not overdone in terms of energy level and voice levels. My husband even mentioned that he appreciated the fact that the main characters didn't shout all the time, and the show did not hype the kids up so a point that they were bouncing off the walls.

If you are looking for a new video for your kids this Easter, I think this would be a great addition that would work for pretty much everyone, and "spring" into a new season.

For more Easter fun with your family you can go to http://www.wubbzy.com/ and print off some coloring sheets or even some great craft ideas.

You can also go here for your chance to win a original piece of artwork from the Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! creator Bob Boyle.  

Review: Wubbzy's Egg-Cellent Easter DVD

Relaxation

What Relaxes you??

I know that some people relax when they can get out with friends, some its watching a movie or TV and others its sitting in a quiet place alone. I could go on and on but I think most of you have already thought about what relaxes you.

For me if I am feeling a little stressed or just need to think about something or even if I have had a busy week and just want to have a break. There are two things that relax me, first its sitting and having tea with my best friend my husband and the other is to clean....yes that right clean! 

I really enjoy cleaning and organizing our house. My husband finds it a little weird that I get energized when I clean. Just last week he came into our sons room where I was sorting through clothes that were to small and organizing his dresser. When Chris came in the room he started to laugh and said "you know that you are not normal and that most people avoid cleaning the way you do and here you are getting energized by it".

He does laugh sometimes and even try and convince me that we should watch a movie together instead of cleaning something. Then there are other times when he will tell me how wonderful it is that I am willing to clean out old closets and toss things that we don't need or use anymore. 

I remember before we had children we lived in this great little townhouse. I would re-organize a whole room while Chris was at work. Now I am not just meaning I would move furniture but I would find a new place to put everything in that room. I lost tract of how many times I re-organized our kitchen. There were times when Chris would come home from work and look at me and say "did you have a good day and where can I find a cup?" Chris has always been very patient with me as I re-organize and clean out our house. 

One other thing that I enjoyed doing is Spring Cleaning, only in our house instead of being once or twice a year it is more like once every 6-8 weeks. 

I always seem to be looking for a better way to use the space we have therefor some things that are not being used that are broken (that I am never going to fix) I will donate to someone/somewhere where else.

All this to say that I think its about that time again. My over sized bookshelf in my living/dinning room is looking a little cluttered and I think I will make myself a cup of tea and put on some music and start cleaning!

Relaxation

sick kids = singing kids

This morning the kids and I stayed home from church because they are still a little sick. This past week both kids were sick, Jaclyn had a cold and an ear infection. David had a cold (with me watching for changes and signs of pneumonia), on top of that we are dealing with their asthma. 

It has been a long week for all of us, I am glad that they are both starting to feel better. I am looking forward to spring coming soon and being past the cold season.

Anyways, because the kids are starting to feel better they are wanting to do more then just hang out on the couch or bed and watch movies or read books. This morning they wanted to make videos for their Gramma and Grandad. So here are the videos that my kids have requested that I put on my blog for their grandparents.

David Singing ABC's

Jaclyn Singing ABC's

During the time it took me to upload the videos and publish this post both of the kids have curled up beside me to watch another movie. At least they have a little more energy everyday!

sick kids = singing kids

Busy Weekend, Anniversay Weekend

This last weekend was a busy one for our family. I went away for two nights to a ladies retreat with some of the woman in my church. It was a wonderful time and I got to know some of the woman better and I am blessed to have these beautiful ladies in my life. 

While I was gone Chris stayed home with our children. When I left David had a bit of a fever but seemed to be on the mend and Jaclyn wasn't sick. Chris had big plans for his weekend with the kids, he was going to build them another castle out of a card board box, build puzzles and mostly just play lots. 

This weekend while I was gone Chris ended up having two sick and cranky kids who constantly asked for me and if I was coming home soon, they even woke up in the middle on the night asking for me. My wonderful husband never complained to me about how hard in was or how tired he was when I got home he just gave me a hug and asked me how my weekend was?

Chris is an Amazing dad and David and Jaclyn are blessed to have him as their father. 

This last weekend was also our Anniversary. I am sure some people would read this and think "didn't she just say that she was away all weekend". So yes, I was away this year for our anniversary. However, I do believe that we have only ever spend two actual anniversaries together where we are either in the same house or even Province. For the first few years Chris worked over our anniversary weekend. If I remember correctly Chris worked an overtime shift last year (we needed the money) and I was sleeping by the time he got home. Don't get me wrong, we always make some time during the month of March to spend time together and celebrate it is just not usually on the actual day.

Last Saturday 6 years ago I married my best friend. When Chris and I were married he was already my best friend and I loved him more then I could have described to anyone and today just over six years later he is still my best friend and I love him ever more!

Over the time the we have been married we have lived in eight houses, a few Provinces, we have two amazing children and thousands of wonderful memories together. Like all couples we have had our ups and downs as we have certainly learned more about each other along the way.  It has been a busy six years but it has also been a wonderful six years and I am glad that I was able to share every season and change in our lives with my best friend, my husband!

 Crescent Beach 2004

Busy Weekend, Anniversay Weekend

My Diva

A little while ago I was talking to my girlfriend on the phone and while we talking Jaclyn changed her outfit twice. My friend asked me if I would document a day in the life of Jaclyn and her many different outfits.

So today I had my camera ready for her and here are the outfits from today.

This is the First outfit of the day

The Second

The Third (notice the socks)

The Fourth

The Fifth and final outfit of the day

I love my little diva!!

My Diva

Birthday Princess

My beautiful daughter turned 3 this week. 

Every year for my children's birthdays I ask them what type of theme they want for there party, this typically means what kind of cake they want. This year Jaclyn asked for a Mickey Mouse theme, and there were a few things in particular that she requested.

 Our Birthday Girl

These are Minnie Mouse ears that I made. We had either Mickey or Minnie ears for all the kids who came. She had seen mouse ears in a picture and decided that she really wanted them, and we found a pretty easy way to do them.

 

 Of course, there always has to be present openings, which is always a bit of a stretch for her, since she would much rather just check out the first thing she gets than to continue on.

One of the biggest highlights for the kids was Mickey and Minnie cake pops, which was certainly a departure from the regular cakes I do.

These are the Mickey & Minnie Cake pops.

Basically, it is cake on a stick dipped in chocolate

I think they turned out pretty good.

Happy Birthday to our lovely daughter.

Birthday Princess

Review: Couples Who Pray

Couples who pray
By Squire Rushnell and Louis Duart

My Review:

Finding a quality book dealing with prayer can be a difficult thing. It seems as if everyone has seen an over-crowded market and said ‘me too’. That being said, prayer is one of those areas that seem to be a perennial difficulty in the lives of Christians. We all know that prayer is important, but actually having a prayer life that is real and growing, and finding ways to share that with your spouse...well that doesn’t always happen. As a matter of fact, it seems to happen to a statistically small portion of people.

My husband and I were looking for a devotional to go through together, and from the brief write-up, we thought this would be perfect. A time to spend some quality time in prayer together, being directed to pray for things or in ways that we might not naturally think of.

Unfortunately, this was not what this book was about. This book has much more to do with couples who have decided to pray together and their stories than it does about any sort of guidance in going through prayer for 40 days. Luckily, after getting over our initial disappointment at the misunderstanding, I did find the book contain some good parts. Even just getting this kind of a challenge out can be important, because many couples have kept their own devotional and prayer lives separate, continuing habits developed while single, and the move to shared times of prayer can be a huge way to purposefully be open with each other and each person’s desire for God.

That being said, I found the sheer amount of stories and name dropping to be fairly overdone, and I think, a bit of a cover for the lack of depth to the book itself. The authors do not even get to the actual details of taking the 40 day prayer challenge until Chapter 3 (out of 10), and when they do, they go through it so quick you wonder if you missed something

After quickly sketching out taking the challenge, they give 10 tips in helping, some being a little odd (at least in my opinion)

1. More prayer, more power. Simply talk to God. The more you pray, the more it will come to you.

OK, not to quibble, but shouldn’t it be ‘the more prayer, the more God’. This is not a magical formula to get power from a genie, this is talking to God, and the foremost benefit would be that relationship growing.

2. Make time to pray.

3. Have an attitude of gratitude and vulnerability.

4. Confess and request forgiveness.

5. Pray out loud with your spouse.

6. Keep it short. The author’s point here is to not feel that you have to go on forever, but that could have been done in a way that did not suggest the best way is to keep it short enough to be a twitter...

7. Use everyday language.

8. Pray for your marriage.

9. Pray for others and for self.

10. Expect God to answer your prayers. OK, this is one of those ones that really needs to be unpacked if you are going to say it. Because it can easily be implied that you have to force a belief in place for God to do something through your prayer, this can be a slippery argument that can tend to hurt people easily...unfortunately, they don’t take much time to make it clear

After this,the book deals with some general ideas about issues faced in marriage and how prayer together can help them, which could be very helpful for people who are in the trenches in one of these issues and could give them that added push to start praying together.

Rating: 2 out of 5

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thomas Nelson Publishers has provided you with a complimentary copy of this book for me to review. 

I am not required to give a positive opinion but I am required to give my honest opinion.

Review: Couples Who Pray

Soft Kitty

Here is Jaclyn singing Soft Kitty a song from the tv show 

The Big Bang Theory.

 

Soft Kitty

Self Portraits

The last time I uploaded the pictures from my camera I found some self portraits that Jaclyn took.

Self Portraits

A Princess and Her Heart!!

I want to start off today by telling you that February is Heart Month which is an awareness of all heart disease and defects.  As a part of Heart Month I would like to tell you about some friends of ours who’s daughter has a heart condition called a congenital heart defect. This amazing little girl is only 5 years old.

Wikipedia:  A congenital heart defect (CHD) is a defect in the structure of the heart and great vessels which is present at birth. Many types of heart defects exist, most of which either obstruct blood flow in the heart or vessels near it, or cause blood to flow through the heart in an abnormal pattern. Other defects, such as long QT syndrome, affect the heart's rhythm. Heart defects are among the most common birth defects and are the leading cause of birth defect-related deaths. Approximately 9 people in 1000 are born with a congenital heart defect.^[2] Many defects don't need treatment, but some complex congenital heart defects require medication or surgery.

There is a test that can be done in the hospital after you have a baby with the Pulse Oximeter which can help detect most CHD's. This test which is non-invasive and non-painful can save lives.

Lydia was diagnosed first diagnosis when she was 21 months old and she had her first open-heart surgery when she was 23 months old. Three weeks after Lydia and her parents got home her little brother was born.  For a time all was “normal” for this family until when Lydia was 3 ½ they found out that she had pulmonary hypertension which is high blood pressure in her lungs. In November 2009 they found out that she needed a new heart and was listed for transplant in April 2010.  On Thanksgiving Day last year (Oct 11, 2010) Lydia was playing in the back yard with her cousins when she collapsed and had slurred speech and was unable to walk. Once her parents reached her in the yard they began to make plans to get her to the hospital. She was later transferred to one of the leading hospital in Canada that deals with hearts. On October 29^th 2010 she had her heart hooked up to a Berlin heart/LVAD.  During this time in hospital this family of five now (Lydia now has a little brother and sister) picked up and moved to a different province. With the help from Lydia’s Grandma and other family members and friends they were able to have someone with Lydia every day. 

On December 11^th 2010 Lydia was given the most precious gift that she could ever be given, a second chance at life with a New Heart!! 

In the days before Lydia received her new heart she was sick with an infection that the doctors where trying to discover where it was coming from. When Lydia was in her heart transplant surgery the doctors discovered where the infection was when they opened her up, they discovered that the cannulas (big tubes going into her stomach from her Berlin heart pump) were infected and full of puss. My friends were told that the infection inside of Lydia would have taken her life in two days and the only way that they would have been able to save her was buy giving her a New Heart.  God perfect timing!!

 

Now I want to take a moment and say how much I respect the family who chose to give their child’s heart away to give another child a second chance at life. When you are in a situation where you know that your child is not going to live for one reason or another and to still make that choice to give a part of your child to someone else is a brave and heroic thing to do and I want to say a THANK YOU on behalf of Lydia’s family and those who know and have been touched by Lydia’s life.

A couple of weeks ago Lydia and her family came HOME!! Lydia is doing well in her recovery and as a family they are taking it one step at a time. I can only imagine how wonderful it would feel to be at home as a family after living in hospitals and temporary housing for almost four months.

This family I have been talking about is a part of our church here and everyone in the church and the community have been following this little girl’s story and now recovery. It has been a real blessing to see how one little girl’s life has already been such a witness to those around her in what God is capable of doing.

I have to tell you that Lydia is one of the strongest people I know and she is only 5 years old!

When we moved to this town and were starting to get to know some of the people here one of the first families we started to get to know was Lydia’s family. Lydia has two younger siblings and David and Jaclyn were happy to find some friends that just happened to be brother and sister as well that they liked to play with. David immediately liked Lydia and after she went to the hospital there wasn’t a day that went by that we didn’t pray for her to get a new heart. Than after she got a new heart David waited and waited for her to come home to play again. I think he may be a little smitten.

Then last Sunday our church wore pink to celebrate the new heart and second chance at life that Lydia was given.  As a family we went out and looked for some kind of pink clothes for everyone to wear, we found a shirt for Chris, Jaclyn and I had something pink but unfortunately we were unable to find anything pink for David. At first David was sad, but then he came up with a plan all on his own about what he would where instead of pink. He then asked if he could buy Lydia a pink (real) rose and a chocolate rose. He was really cute about how much planning he put into Sunday. He started calling last Sunday “Lydia’s Sunday”.

I wanted to share a picture of David and Lydia

A Princess and Her Heart!!

My "Hobby"

I haven't been able to sit at my computer much lately, and because of that I haven't been as active blogging lately. To make up for this, I thought I would share with you some of the things I have been doing these past few weeks. 

Many of you know that I love to work in my kitchen. This love, along with having two children, has led me into making a lot of cakes. 

It all started a few years ago with making a cake for my son's second birthday.  Then it was all the children's birthdays. Pretty soon I was making cakes for holidays, seasonally, and more often than not, just to try new ideas and techniques. This brought me to the point where I was asked to do my first wedding cake this summer, which was certainly raising the stakes but it was also a lot of fun. 

Since we have moved, it soon got out that I like to make cakes. It wasn't too long until someone asked if I sold any of my cakes. (It is amazing how things move forward without you expecting it at times!)

I have to admit that I have been playing around with the idea of starting a small business out of my home making and selling cakes, so this hasn't been completely out of the blue, but still...

So, now I am starting to sell cakes, but I still haven't had a chance to write up a business plan or even make business cards yet. I am also still working out a lot of crucial details such as how much I want to add into our already busy schedules or even how much I should be charging.

All that aside, here are some the cakes I have made this last little while.

If you want to see some of the other cakes I have done over the years.  I have another blog called HobbyCakes where I have posted some pictures of some of the other cakes I have done.

My "Hobby"