Monday ~ Loving a Young Munchkin

My brother-in-law and Mr. Husband got the

futon couch up!

The seat of the couch is 55" in depth so it

is big enough for a smaller child to sleep on for a bed!

We put down soft flannel sheets for bed, lots of pillows

and Bears, Rabbits and an Eeyore! 

The paper, crayons and water colours that I ordered

have been used this afternoon!

Some nice cards have been made!

Cleo is still not sure what to think of new people

but she is doing well.

*

This morning we went to the pool!

*

It's a good time for me... still getting our 

rhythm down for these days but

this morning we did some small prayers and

I am finding this book to be invaluable

in suggestions on how to talk about the God,

including the mystery of the Holy Trinity,

to young children. 

*

I am a bit tired with so much going on,

but the main rhythm of pool in the morning and 

afternoon at home is working well for me.

*

The munchkin I and Mr. Husband are watching

loves St. John like we do!

We are going to bake a cake for St. John's day tomorrow

or the day after, on his day!

We are hoping to find our vegan chocolate chips 

for the cake tonight but we will see!

Either way, it's going to be fun to bake

a cake for St. John with my young 6 year old munchkin

that we are caring for this week and next!

*

Saint John loved children

and I am so glad we have such loving Saint to celebrate! 

And on to the next week...

I am still knitting squares for this blanket.

My next young one I am caring for 

comes tomorrow night - Thursday.

A beloved 6 year old boy!

It will be a good but busy time.

If I don't comment on blogs that you,

the reader, write and I usually do,

then know it is not anything but me being busy.

*

We ordered a new dishwasher today.

Got more things for the house.

Said goodbye to my cute niece and her Dad.

Went to vespers.

*

We are happy for our new home and our life together.

*

Asking prayers for strength and of course God's mercy! 

At home in the city... with our niece!

Niece's very cute puppet theater! 

Mr. Husband's idea to save cardboard for 

this and she has been working on a script :)

Also playing with k'nex. :)

Books I gave the Mother to be at the baby shower.

I am going to be selling them at our church bookstore

and have been reading them here and there for that;

they are great!

And no, I am not expecting for those don't

know me in person but were wondering.

The craft re-shipment finally came today.

They left out one nightlight though,

so I have to call them again....

Part of my secret knitting project.

Another Elizabeth-original simple style. :)

This is my Mexican blanket that I got in 

Mexico when I was 17, so 20 years ago.

It will be a month tomorrow that we moved in.

My brother-in-law did not realize it was so recent

and said that it looked like we'd lived here 6 months already!

I was I admit gratified to hear this,

as I had been working so hard to get the place

ready for him and his lovely daughter to visit! 

So the Mexican blanket is my picnic blanket.

I used to bring it to cemetery day in Ottawa

and have been using it to sit on our front stoop

with L. our 7 year old niece. 

We've had snacks, Popsicles and such things there.

*

She's a happy kid, very smart of course, and sings

songs about things she loves, like I did when I was a kid.

My Mother called my singing 'chanting' and I did it often

when I was a kid...

*

The song today was about our local corner store

which are called bodegas here. 

Our Bodega has bubble gum in the machine,

freezie pops in the freezer,

and things like paper bags for puppets, 

packing tape for theater construction and ketchup :) 

Our days have gone like this:

Out of bed and breakfast about 8 AM.

Prayers.  

Outdoor time (kiddie pool today!)

Snack time

lunch prep and lunch

rest time for 1 hour (my survival hour for things like

a nap (whew kids have a lot of energy!), computer time,

cleaning, etc.

Afternoon activities or cleaning up things

and then activity or reading

snack on stoop

fun

dinner prep

dinner

outside for scooter time 

wash up, prepare bed, read

Bible stories from this Children's Bible

prayers, talking about theological questions

such as the mystery of the Holy Trinity and finally 

bed!

We've used our bar stools a lot already

and we've been having a great time!

*

Please pray for me as we have our next 

wonderful munchkin visiting as of 

this Sunday-Thursday and I want his

visit to also be a wonderful time for him!

We will be enjoying this book and colouring book

together! 

Recently...

Mr. Husband and I went recently 

to a 'Jack and Jill' baby shower.

It was lovely.

And lots of special gifts, 

including the Mother to be's Mother giving

the baby-to-be her Mother's baby cup and spoon;

silver and beautiful!

*

We were grateful to be there!

Around the House...

Our Bedroom is almost where I want it.

Some more icons to be put up in the corner,

a drawer front to fix on a night stand,

a cabinet full of pictures and knick knacks to 

hang and place.

Hoping to do more over the long weekend of

July 4th when Mr. Husband is home!

*

Yesterday was a fish, wine and oil day...

So we had all three!

It was nice!

*

My niece and brother-in-law came yesterday.

All the craft things I ordered was mysteriously 'lost' 

and I was refunded and had to order it again today.

So bummer as it will not be here for most of

my nieces stay.

But what can I do? Nothing about that...

*

Soon we are going to go sit at our front stoop

and have a Popsicle!

Worth watching and re-watching

Doing well here,

but busy preparing.

So thought I would share this again.

It's well worth watching for all who are married

or in relationships leading to marriage, etc.

*

*

Please pray for me!

Niece and her Dad DV arrive tonight!

Will be Auntie Elizabeth 24x7 to Friday!

If I don't post much,

you know why! :) 

May 28 ~ three years ago

Was looking up my recipe 

for strawberry lemon cake this morning and 

saw that it was posted on May 28th, 2011.

*

Wow. That day will never be forgotten.

It's the day, the evening actually, that I first

had word of Mr. Husband's existence.

*

Three years later,

married over 1 year 7 months, 

Mr. Husband and I moved to our own home (condo) on that very day.

*

I think I should make that cake again after the fast

to celebrate! 

Progress in making our condo a home ~ and ~ lots of fun things...

Lots going on now days!

Friends coming to stay tomorrow,

niece and Dad/brother-in-law coming this coming week

and then another little tyke later on! :)

So I organized the linen closet and yes, 

this is better :)

We did not have a linen closet in our last place

 and are so glad to have this one!!! 

Mr. Husband put together this IKEA table

for our Master Bath.

Our handyman could not come this week

and we really need things done so 

Mr. Husband to the rescue! 

I am loving it and having a few books around :)

A little something I was given in my 

undergrad days in BC... 

New to us shelving that we found in our old place.

Free is still our favourite price :)

And we have one of the two bar stools done,

Mr. Husband and I did it together.

Thank God that we had the socket wrench from 

the IKEA armchair as we really needed it for this too.

I am surprised that IKEA did not include one for

these chairs but perhaps, as Mr. Husband said,

it is a slightly more expensive tool/part.

But still, really, IKEA you should give

 this tool out for these bar stools too! 

*

So 1 stool to go, a huge load of dishes to be washed....

We hope to get a dishwasher soon since

the one here does not work, i.e. does not clean.

*

I've re-reorged the Master Bedroom Closet and 

we are busy preparing our home...

but I also got to go swimming this morning!

Hello sunshine and outdoor pool, I love you! :)

*

Whew, and thank God I slept better last night.

Do keep me in prayer for this, and Mr. Husband,

as soon we will have little L. our niece to 

love and take joy in!

*

Oh and I got this really cool kids Bible in the mail today

that I ordered within hours of seeing this post

that included it.

Looks GREAT.

*

We are also ordering some things to beautify our home 

and I am expecting a shipment of some simple and economical

children's art supplies... 

*

We are so thankful for all of these blessings!! 

Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Bread ~ and ~ about today...

I tweaked Smitten Kitchen's 

double chocolate banana bread

and used half cup coconut oil, half vegan margarine,

used X-Gum for binder and regular flour.

While not as decadent as the one with 

butter and eggs, it is still good!

One for now and one for next week,

in the freezer!

*

I am struggling with some insomnia right now,

please pray for me!

My sense is that the devil knows I am to host 

children who God LOVES and the devil does not.

Thank God we know who wins!

Our Saviour Jesus Christ!

*

As just mentioned... Mr. Husband and 

I will be hosting different children for 

the next two or three weeks for sleepovers

and I am finding lots of stuff for this.

Ordered some crafts supplies via amazon prime,

some cool books via amazon and St. Tikhon's bookstore,

found and was emailed some cool things including 

here, here, here and here. 

I found this recent post (H/T Mat Emily) here to be very helpful!

Thanks also for the suggestions I was given earlier this week!

*

Asking for any other suggestions also! 

Thank God I had 6 years in my twenties with a Bible camp

and before that years of babysitting...:)

So I am creating a schedule for activity time and also rest times!

*

There are so many people going through stressful times right now.

Please pray for Mat. Anna, Noah and for all those 

we can't mention but you know need prayer...

*

All I know is that God is with us 

in every valley of difficulty we face...

Saint Boniface Day

Today is St. Boniface's Day!

I got his icon out and it is just a joy 

that it is his day!

Because of him we have the 

Christmas Tree, the yule log and 

I think also the advent wreath... 

He is a wonderful Saint for us

and one that German and Dutch people especially love! 

Happy and Blessed St. Boniface Day! 

Yarn Along ~ Sunshine Squares Blanket and Dakota: A Spiritual Geography

 And this is where I am with the blanket.

A bit bunched up by the middle of the 'sun' but

well, one thing at a time.

I have to continually let go of 

wishing for perfection right now.

*

I've been thinking a lot about this.

How things are not perfect but they can still be good; 

a bit lopsided at times but full of love.

*

So... reading.

I finished Kathleen Norris' book

Dakota.

I really enjoyed it.

I see it as a well written first book 

as it were;

her first book articulating where she is

now, or where she was in 1993 at any case.

*

It is full of beauty,

of understanding that even imperfect or 

plain old deprivation within circumstances 

can be a place that a flower can grow 

or a word of life can come. 

*

It's like she is examining the breeze:

how it can be stifled and how it can be let loose

to come unexpectedly and provide

blessed relief.

*

It made me think of the farmers and there

yearly struggle and how good it could be for 

those who are the farmers wives to read this book;

or how it could be good to read when one is

feeling impatient within oneself,

still wishing for a more instant transformation of

what weights us down;

or if things in the job market are just not picking up

or things are just plain splintering everywhere...

it faces this;

it reminds one of the verse

possess one's soul in patience. 

*

Well, I don't know if

Kathleen lives much on the Dakotas now,

though perhaps in summer....

Her husband and her father are gone.

I could see all of her books in this first one,

the themes that she took further and made

beauty out of in her books.

I can see I should read her book on acedia again... 

*

She does a lot in this one;

challenging us to not become insular where we are

or to allow silence in our lives

or to see places we perhaps did not know, like

the Dakotas of 1993.

I had such an awareness of time,

reading this book,

years before so much would happen in her life...

before she published some of my favourite books

that often help me maintain faith when in difficult 

situations.

*

So a very good and thoughtful read.

*

What are you making and reading? 

Yarn along with us :)

*