New Towels!

April has felt like a long month but it has been productive.  We now have some new flooring, baseboards, paint, a bathroom vanity, and a bed frame with drawers (with lots of help from the grandparents and tons of work from Graham).  Let's just say that there was no funeral for the original bathroom vanity from the 70s.  I do not miss you at all, though I am thankful for your faithful service.

I am very pleased to inform you that there are no more hand towels on the floor in my bathroom as each of the Faulkners now has a different colour towel within reach that never needs to leave its hook.  How can I possibly thank you enough, Ikea, for towels with hanging loops?  Isaac chose red and Kohen chose navy blue and we assigned Lily-Anna yellow as she is like the sunshine.

Speaking of our little sunshine, she can now do a real crawl and pull herself up to her knees and support herself when she is placed standing beside something.  She is now quite adept at getting into things and finding small things on the floor.  We are sweeping more often.  She turned 11 months old today!  She's also had a cough for about a month and a half.  Thus, she has not been sleep-trained as she needs to be well.  She has thrown up many times after coughing or crying.

I believe I mentioned last month that we now have a three-year-old.  Did I mention that I find three-year-olds especially challenging?  He

decided to try his graffiti on Grandma and Grandpa's walls (thank you Magic Eraser), and he thought the basil in Grandma's glass container would be better situated on her white carpet beneath not one, but two beds in her home (I'm thankful for vacuums).   I guess he thought the diaper cream would also be better on the bathroom door handles.  (After all this, they still think he is an angel!)  He was being a little too quiet one day and I found him with the baby Advil and Tylenol on top of Isaac's bunkbed.  Thankfully nothing went in his mouth but the Advil was dumped out on Isaac's bed. (Yes, we do have a locked box and I'll be more careful.)

Of course, he also regularly tells me that he loves me and that I'm the best "cooker maker" and he gives nice cuddles.  He is definitely a very sweet, cheeky monkey who has yet to figure out what an inside voice is.  We were driving in the van one day and I was singing as I often do and it must have been a quiet stretch of road with no other cars because I guess I clapped to the music once or twice.  Kohen told me that our van could drive itself.  I told him that we don't have one of those vehicles but he said we did and told me that the van drove itself when I clapped my hands.

Isaac wants to know if Star Wars will continue when we are in Heaven.  We enjoyed listening to him at his spring piano recital and in the kids choir on Easter Sunday.

So, after a lovely four months, Graham heads back to work tomorrow morning.  We'll see what time I am able to get Isaac to school as I don't think I've done the morning run since before Christmas!  Actually, we've picked out the boys' clothes for the morning and I think the schedule will run quite smoothly.  Isaac has been using

headphones when he practices piano in the morning and that has helped him to focus.  I had always said no screen time in the mornings but I discovered that this little ten minute reward has decreased the morning drama.  If Isaac is all ready for school by a certain time and if Kohen dresses himself in a certain time, then they are able to watch a short show or video.

We celebrated Josiah's birthday.  He would have turned five on the 13th if he were with us.  We enjoyed some ice cream cake after taking some flowers to his grave.  We then celebrated Jesus' death and resurrection over Easter weekend.  It will be incredible to one day celebrate with all of the redeemed together in the presence of Jesus.      

Well, Isaac needs a lunch made.  Thanks for any prayers.  I am definitely going to miss having Graham home.  What an incredible blessing this time has been.  This week we start a new Bible study (after a month off) on the names of God.  By the way, I think Lily-Anna is going to be a Daddy's girl.  She lights up for Graham.  She seems to be able to say 'Mama', 'Dada', and 'Bye'.  Her favourite sound is Ba-ba.

Blessings,
Elizabeth

Isaiah 35:10
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.