Happy Belated Easter!

Kohen turns 2!

It is a rainy, windy end to March.  I can hear the thunder as I type.  Kohen's umbrella flew out of his hands and down the road this afternoon when we were walking from the van to Isaac's school.  Thankfully I was able to find it later in a driveway.

Unless Baby Girl Faulkner comes early, I have about two months to go.  The boys are both very excited about this new arrival.  Isaac told me tonight that he can't wait to see her and she'll be beautiful.  One of his piano pieces is a lullaby so he said I can rock the baby while he plays it for her.  Kohen often excitedly exclaims, "Baby sister!" 

Isaac is 40 pounds and in a booster!

Kohen started wearing Size 3 pajamas right before his second birthday this month.  Our doctor said he may end up being tall.   One of his gifts was a cd of Bible verse songs.  The boys started singing along the very first time they heard them.  Tonight during Isaac's Bible reading he heard a verse that is on the cd so he proceeded to sing the song.  The songs are always playing when we are driving so we may need to expand our options soon, though I enjoy singing them too.

Speaking of driving, our wonderful, trusty '97 Tercel died a little earlier than planned.  Graham and Isaac were driving on the highway when they heard bad sounds from the car.  Thankfully they were able to get off the highway.  Graham said that it was a structural problem but we're not exactly sure what happened as we didn't want to put any money into the car as we knew we would be getting a van.  Thankfully we have been able to use my parent's van while we've searched for a van to purchase.  It looks like we have a lead on one now.

We were able to donate our Tercel to Teen Challenge.  They may just be able to get scrap money for it but at least that is something.  It certainly hasn't had any big problems during the eight years we have owned it.  As the tow truck was driving it away, Graham noted that it was the only car that Josiah ever knew.  Thankfully that set off some tears for me as I hadn't thought about that but I can picture him in the backseat even now. 

It looks like we may be able to stay with the Toyota family with a used Sienna minivan.  I am a marketer's dream - very impressionable and easily convinced (depending on the subject matter).  The reason I was thrilled when Graham called me years ago to say he had found a Tercel was because years before I was at my aunt and uncle's home with a friend and they happened to ask my friend what car he drove.  When he told them it was a Corolla, they seemed very impressed and confirmed that Toyotas were great cars.  Well, that was all it took to convince me.  I also like to research purchases and I found a website that gives some vehicles a "Seal of Awesome."  How great is that!?!  Yes, I am ridiculous at times.  Our vehicle may only have the "Seal of Pretty Good" but that should help me be humble.         

Fun times at the hotel

Graham took March Break off so it was lovely to all be together.  Isaac has been asking us since January when we could go to a hotel again and we told him we would go over March Break.  Graham came up with the great idea of going to a hotel close by.  We went to one by the St. Jacob's market with the three main draws for Isaac (a pool, coloured cheerios with breakfast, and tv).  We had fun at the Lego store prior to accessing our room.  Kohen thoroughly enjoyed being in the pool as well and he still brings it up. 

I am thankful that Isaac was able to have an Ice Day (a day off school) last week.  I think kids should have at least one day a year when they wake up thinking they are going to school but find out they don't have to.  We spent a lovely Easter with Graham's parents.  We were even able to spend a little time at the sugar shack watching Grandpa Ray make maple syrup and collecting some sap.

Good Friday

I am fine with the fact that my Christian tradition likes to celebrate the resurrection even on Good Friday but one day I do want to be part of a service in a different denomination that tries to evoke some of the feelings of the original Good Friday that felt like anything but a good Friday.  The resurrection of Jesus changed everything ... because Jesus actually suffered and died ... to save us ... because God so loved the world .... 

A friend let me know that she had signed her son up for a science camp and wondered if I wanted to sign up Isaac.  At first I didn't think we would but then I thought about the fact that Isaac could ride the bus with Graham to and from the university where the camp is held and I thought that would be such a good memory for him.  I knew he would be excited about being at the same university as his Daddy and taking the bus with him and also being with his friend at the camp.  He told me that he and this friend are going to have a lemonade stand all summer.  It brought back memories of Andrew (my brother) and I having a lemonade stand at the end of the path in Cannington when I was small. 

Easter eggs!

I forgot to mention last month that I was able to take Isaac and Kohen out separately for a Valentine's date with Mommy.  Kohen was excited by Timbits and Isaac liked his cakepop and hot chocolate at Starbucks.  Graham and I enjoyed chocolate and a movie as well.

To Kohen, anything can be a skateboard.  He can get on an oven mitt on the floor or a car, etc.  I am hoping to get him a scooter soon as this boy just wants to move.  I had been excited last fall to find a Scuttlebug on Kijiji but he just knows it doesn't have pedals like Isaac's bike.  He always wants to be on Isaac's bike.  I think he will like riding a scooter.

After dropping off Isaac at school in the mornings Kohen always wants to drive.  He can tell if we are approaching home and he says, "Drive, drive."  One day after going on a longer drive and then returning home he still wanted to drive.  He told me to go to Grandma and Papa's house but I said we wouldn't because he was a little sick with a cold and we didn't want to spread it.  He responded, "Pray!"  I prayed for his cold and as soon as I was finished he said, "Grandma and Papa's house."   I love that he knows when to pray.  He is a boy who wants to have fun and move and be with others.  I remember when he was little and he used to wake up in the night or morning and the first thing I would hear would be his legs hitting the mattress as they went up and down, up and down.  If I put him in the crib to discipline him, the first thing he does is jump up and down.  It will be interesting to observe our daughter's personality. 

Isaac and I were talking about his "picture maker" one day (sort of his memory).  He said he can't take pictures of facts but just things.  Then out of the blue he told me that Josiah is and will always be in his mind. He keeps his picture there.

Congratulations to my cousin who married in Northern Ireland yesterday.  May God richly bless you both as you serve and live for Him together.  I look forward to seeing photos! 


I am a person who thinks about what other people think (and I like to be part of controlling that sometimes).  So, I wouldn't want people to think that I think any reader is actually interested in all of these little stories about the boys (apart from Grandparents) but I do think I will be interested in reading them when I am 80 and I also think the boys may enjoy these stories when they are older.  Hopefully they one day see this as a gift to them.

Thanks for any prayers!

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Hebrews 10:14
For by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.