February

I think I must have blinked!  What happened to February?!  

Today is a special day though.  It is the 85th birthday of a wonderful man from our church who used to be part of a Bible study that took place in our home a few years ago.  We serenaded him with the Happy Birthday song on FaceTime and then the kids had a little piano recital for him.  He hadn't realized that Lily-Anna had started playing the piano so that was a nice surprise for him and the boys have both improved since he last heard them play.  He told the kids that they had made an old man very happy.  

Making fresh lemonade

Lily-Anna and I have had four weekly skating lessons and will have three more in March.  We both seem to be slowly improving.  I had my first fall this past week and I am certainly thankful for helmets or I wouldn't have been able to keep skating the way my head hit the ice.   After I fell, my instructor gave me some tips to prevent a backwards fall next time.  When I mentioned the tips to Lily-Anna, she said she already knew what to do as they taught her the first week.  Perhaps I missed those instructions as I do find it hard to hear on the ice as there is a lot of background noise.  

I am attempting to knit a tea cosy with a kit I have had for many years, probably prior to Isaac being born.  It's meant to be knit and then felted by putting it in the washing machine.  It took me three tries to start it without having to undue the stitches but things are going smoothly now.  I just finished the first ball and need to figure out how to attach the next ball.  Thankfully my mother doesn't live far away. 

 

I pre-ordered the new Ann Voskamp book, Waymaker.  I was interested in the goodies that come with the pre-order, especially the videos.  I also quickly read the first three chapters and look forward to reading the rest when it arrives in March.  There are also audio devotionals for all of Lent so I am looking forward to that as well.  

The highlight of February is Valentine's Day.  This is the one time of year that my kids know they will be going on a date with Mommy.  The last few years they have always chosen Starbucks for a hot chocolate and a cake pop.  As you can see, I sat at the same table each time!  Graham blessed me with flowers and the two of us were able to go out for Indian food.  

  

A woman whom I knew when we were girls in elementary school connected with me through FaceBook.  She asked about my parents and said that she always liked my mom as a teacher and said that my dad is a good man.  She remembers playing baseball at our church out in the country.  My dad built a number of baseball diamonds on our church's country property so that there could be a church baseball league in the community.  I have never been good at baseball but I do remember my dad doing lots of work to make it happen.     

I am very sad about what is happening in Ukraine.  This seems to have shaken me more than other events in the past.  It just seems shocking and reading some of the stories, I imagine my own family going through things like getting drafted or begging a stranger to take my kids across the border.  It is encouraging to see so many people praying about the situation, asking for God's intervention.  May God bring real peace.  

Blessings,

Elizabeth

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.