May

 It's 11:35 PM and I was just reminded about this blog post.  Every night before bed I write three lines in my gratitude journal and I can look back at all the entries for that date each month.  I mentioned the blog in one of my previous entries and that's the only reason I remembered.

Given that I need to get to sleep, this will be short.  We celebrated Graham's birthday today and Lily-Anna's birthday yesterday.  It was a blessing to be able to celebrate with some extra family from out west.  

This was my first year celebrating Mother's Day, my mom's birthday and my birthday all without my mom and all within five days.  I had a couple of good pre-cries and then the actual days were fine.   I'm always thankful for tears as they are had to come by.  

I cried for Josiah yesterday but I was sleep deprived and I was listening to an audiobook in which a mother was with her child and didn't know if she was going to live.  In this case, the mother and daughter were squirrels but I was bawling and Kohen was with me.  He is a good comforter.  I have LOVED listening to the Mistmantle Chronicles with Kohen.  We just finished the fifth book and have one more to finish the series.  Thankfully they are all available through the library.  They take place on an island surrounded by mist.  On this island are squirrels, hedgehogs, otters, and moles.  There is real evil and good and they pray to "The Heart" who loves them and hears them and helps them.  

I recently had bloodwork and I'm happy to report that my triglycerides are now in a normal range.  I still have to lower my cholesterol levels but I'm going to keep working on it.  

There is much more to say but it will have to wait.

Blessings,

Elizabeth  

Deuteronomy 8:7-8, 10

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey ...  and you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

April

I'm not sure where April went but I'm happy for May and warmer weather (I think it felt like 6 degrees today).  I just got caught up reading old Josiah posts of when he was in the hospital so now I don't have much time to write. 

Graham must have been feeling spontaneous tonight as we drove to Burlington to buy a shelf from Ikea for Lily-Anna's bedroom.  I was able to find one shelf on Marketplace but couldn't find a second one.  Our girl needs some more storage space so hopefully this will help.  

May brings a number of birthdays to celebrate, including my mom's and mine as well as Mother's Day without my mom.  I guess we'll be taking flowers to her grave.  It will be nice when there's a headstone and a permanent vase there later this year.  

I'm just looking at the month of April on the calendar.  It appears that April was full of dentist appointments.  In much more exciting news, Lily-Anna played the piano for Level 2 in Kiwanis for the first time.  She tied for second place and enjoyed the experience.  

It was nice to celebrate Easter.  We were with family on Friday and Saturday and then were with friends on Sunday.  Kohen and Lily-Anna enjoyed their hunt for chocolate.  This was the first year we've let them hunt while Isaac slept.  We basically told Isaac where his treats were hidden.  I reminded them that last year for the first and only time, I hid treats at Grandma and Grandpa Lucas' home so they had more than one hunt.  I'm glad my mom was able to experience seeing the joy on the kids' faces as they searched for treats in her home last year.  

We enjoyed celebrating what would have been Josiah's 14th birthday. 

Isaac finished the badminton season at school and Kohen started learning the ukulele in his music class.  Oh yes, Kohen also had braces put on his teeth.  He definitely wasn't feeling the best for a few days but he is fine now.  

Kohen received a bronze medal at the Kids Club he attends at a baptist church in town with his friends.  He had to memorize some Bible verses, read a book and write a small report and do some acts of service.   

My dad has moderate to severe osteoarthritis in his right knee.  He is getting a brace and we are hoping that it helps relieve his pain when walking and exercising.  I take him to exercise programs at the gym three times a week.   

I'd best wrap this up so I can get to bed.  My health program will be finished in a couple of weeks so I will report back next month.  It is going well.  It's a slower process than I would like but I believe I will be able to sustain a number of good habits and I am so thankful for this program.

Blessings,

Elizabeth

 

Psalm 32:8

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;    

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.