March Maladies

I'm tired so this may be short.  This is Day 11 of having sick children in the house.  I'm not complaining.  In some ways it's been relaxing and nice to spend time together.  I am thankful they didn't all start at the same time and the first one sick is returning to school tomorrow after missing six days.  Thankfully today was a PD Day.  

I have repented for not having the kids get their flu shots (and for not doing that myself).  Thankfully Graham had his Flu shot at work and he has stayed healthy.  Flu shots are already on the calendar for the Fall.  

In other good news, my eldest has graduated to the adult pills you need to swallow.  He's better at swallowing them than I am after all my years of practice.  In the past, he would have gladly suffered a fever or pain rather than chew the Junior Tylenol so I am grateful.  

Kohen enjoyed his birthday, though the extended family were not able to get together due to travel and sickness.  He did enjoy a hockey game and going to the movies and is looking forward to going to a virtual reality game place soon (all gifts from family).    

It was lovely to have Graham off work for March Break.  We stayed close to home but had fun.  The boys enjoyed some indoor rock climbing and Graham and the boys had fun at Activate.  Lily-Anna enjoyed seeing her friends and she and I went to a local historic site.  We also enjoyed an afternoon at Niagara Falls and went behind the Falls for the first time (Graham has done that before).  

I am thankful spring has officially arrived and I am looking forward to spring weather.  We always get a little taste of warmth in March that has me longing for more ... but I now know not to get my hopes up too soon.

I decided to go off Facebook for Lent after seeing a friend say she was doing that.  It is has been a good change but it hasn't gone far enough.  It's meant that I've spent more time reading Google News and I really don't know what's worse for me.  I'm not used to the news regularly surprising me and causing me to think what I read had to be made up, even though it's from a reputable source.  We are living in quite the times.  

I am loving my daily Lent devotional called Loved to Life by Ann Voskamp.  It goes through the book of John.  Our small group is also going through the book of Mark using a Francis Chan study I am enjoying.  I am looking forward to celebrating Easter.  

It's time to head to bed.  I'm not sure if I'll be able to figure out photos or not as some of my technology has changed.  

Blessings,

Elizabeth

John 14:1-7 ESV

"Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me.  In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.  And you know the way to where I am going."  Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?"  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.  From not on you do know him and have seen him."

  

Frigid February

I'm typing while listening to Jennie Allen preach at Gather 25.  It's inspiring to hear what God is doing around the world and it's convicting.  May we see revival and be part of it.  May we live in awe of God and all He has done and is doing.  

In the morning, the Faulkner 5 are going to a Family Candy Making Party at a museum.  I'm hoping it's a fun and tasty memory-making experience.  

I did have four Valentine's dates this month.  Graham and I were able to enjoy a lovely lunch together and I took each of my children to Starbucks for a cake pops and drink.  Apparently Graham and I didn't take a photo of our date. 

Isaac enjoyed playing at his school's coffee house last night.  He played his trumpet in a quartet and also played a solo on the piano.  This is an event for students so I didn't have the pleasure of listening to him.  Actually the rest of us were at our small group Bible study.  The kids have fun playing together while the adults are studying Mark.  On our way home, we stopped at our community centre to vote.  

Last Saturday our family walked in the Coldest Night of the Year along with friends.  This is the first year that all five of us participated.  

We had lots of snow this month.  It's been nice to smell the scent of spring this week.  I'm looking forward to seeing the first flowers of spring pop up through the ground in neighbours' yards.  One year I hope they'll be in my yard too.  Perhaps this will be the year I'll finally plant bulbs.  It's on the calendar for the fall (as it was in 2024).  

I've been able to do some post-assessments for children in a literacy program I volunteer with at my kids' school.  It's rewarding to see the improvements they've made.  

The highlight this month was seeing Graham's brother in person.  

I just woke up to find five rows of the letter 'd' so I'd better head to bed so I don't fall asleep while making marshmallows in the morning.  Good night!

Blessings, 

Elizabeth

Mark 2:10

But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  January has been quite the month.  The highlight for Isaac was getting his braces off this past Tuesday.  He was counting down the days.  Retainers have come a long way since I had to wear one.  Now I get to remind Isaac to put it on.  He knows someone who didn't remember to wear his retainer so he understands it's important.  

Isaac has been off school this last week.  It's exam week at high school but he doesn't have any exams.  He was supposed to have one large assessment on Thursday morning but due to two days when busses were cancelled, he now has to do that assessment next Tuesday morning and his second semester will start on Wednesday.  He's thoroughly enjoyed his first semester of high school.  We were looking at his course selections for next year earlier today.  He has two electives.  He wants to take music and he's deciding between technology and business.  He starts his first technology class next week so hopefully he'll get a good idea this next month as to whether he enjoys it.  

Isaac made beef biryani.  Yum!

One of my highlights was taking the van in to get the sliding door fixed.  They probably spent a good 40-45 minutes figuring out what the problem was and fixing it (something had seized and they ended up removing bearings and greasing them - or something like that).  He told me it was "easy work" and didn't charge me a dime!  

It's been a lovely white January with some extra cold days.  That reminds me of another highlight - having the mixing valve on our water heater fixed.  Hot showers are a blessing.  I was hoping that we could fix it by following the instructions on Youtube but alas we needed a new one.  

Better late than never!

I was however able to change the cartridge in our bathtub faucet that was leaking.  I ended up having to buy the tool to remove the old cartridge but after asking the worker at Home Depot what I needed, he told me that if I had a Moen faucet, they had replacement cartridges for free.  And ... it was a Moen!  Yay!!!  PTL!  There was certainly no sign to tell me this so if I hadn't asked, I would have just bought the new cartridge.  

This past Sunday we celebrated the life of Robert Thomas.  It was a wonderful service full of the music and people he loved.  Near the end, his children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren sang a song composed by Bob, "Praise God Anyway".  The chorus is, "Praise God anyway; Everywhere, in every way.  Get the habit every day; Learn to praise God anyway!"

Isaac and Graham went to a Jazz Concert tonight at a local theatre.  Isaac was definitely the youngest in the room but both he and Graham thoroughly enjoyed the evening.  There's supposed to be a jazz band starting at Isaac's school so he's looking forward to that.  

Kohen and Lily-Anna are doing well.  Lily-Anna was home a couple of days this month and Kohen was home one day due to colds.  Kohen is enjoying playing dodge ball for Intramurals and Lily-Anna just started floor hockey at recess today.  Her team lost but she told me she made a very good pass.  Kohen also plays lots of soccer outside at recess.  

Starting my days with breath prayers

We are going to be studying the book of Mark in our small group.  We were going to start it last week and then lots of people were sick.  Last night a number of people couldn't make and along with other reasons, we decided to just have a short time of prayer and hope to start the study next week.  I'm leading the first session.   I enjoy reading the commentaries and looking up answers to questions.  There's going to be a new couple in the group so it will be nice to meet them.  

Graham is heading to the church for an event in the morning so I think I'll head to bed soon.  I'm hoping the photos work this time.

Blessings,

Elizabeth

Mark 1:10,11

'Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” '