Pups, Babies and a Full Moon...

                             

This is the miracle home that is being enjoyed by my beautiful friend Lisa.

She got her eviction notice in March.  

Due to the hot real estate market, her landlord was selling the home that she has loved and has been renting for many years.  This left her anxiously wondering how on earth she would find a home in her price range in before the end of June at a time when everything is so expensive, so we prayed for something amazing.

Of course God came through with flying colours!

This sweet little place came up in perfect timing at a very reasonable price.

It is her healing sanctuary and it looks out on a beautiful courtyard where deer often come to rest with their fawns!

The neighbours are lovely and Lisa is so happy.

It also happens to be across the street from the pool and Lisa LOVES swimming so there are good times ahead for her when she regains her strength. 

Faith is an uncomfortable but rewarding journey.

It's easier to believe for someone else's miracle than my own it seems, but I will keep holding onto His promises because HE IS FAITHFUL.

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While Patrice is here with Willow I have a bigger audience when I am cooking at the stove.

It's serious business, this hopeful watching and waiting for tasty morsels to fall from heaven.

There is also a lot of happy sniffing around for the pups when we have backyard pot lucks! 

We combined a worship/prayer night with dinner and it was such a lovely evening. Even Mom was able to join in the merrymaking. 

This past year we have had a bit of a different group due to the restrictions but since all of us were on the same page we managed to keep meeting.

It has been very life-giving and fun.

Plus, some of the people who turned out to pray this last year were young pregnant couples! 

Interestingly, this gal was one of my Sunday school students way back when she was little.

We've come a long way baby!! 

Here she is with  her two brothers and husband. 

The other gal in the pic is also pregnant and will have a baby in August so our group is expanding from within! 

A loving gaze from a very proud uncle.  

I am endlessly grateful for the ability to host gatherings and enjoy the community that God provides for my extroverted self. 

Even though it is exhausting, it fills up my cup and there is usually fresh energy after a good sleep and long rest under this big full moon. 

Lakeside Reprieve

These two...

Forever friends for sure.

We've been through some deep waters together and we're all still treading and keeping our heads above the water, thanks to God! 

Dear Amber is in the midst of all sorts of suffering that has gone on for years now, but we keep believing and trusting for healing and help.

Meanwhile we seek out moments of beauty together.

With a side of pizza and something cold to drink.

Casting our burdens upon Him, because He cares for us and gives us these marvellous moments of reprieve. 

 

Downtown Lovelies and Loveliness !

With a downtown as lovely as this I don't know why we don't do this more often!

But then again, with restrictions alternately lifting and settling on us life is full of uncertainty and adventure.

So while there was opportunity - we took it!!

A patio lunch downtown for the ladies. 

And that's all I have to say about that.

Other than I'm grateful for beautiful people and beautiful places that abound in my life.

Because the goodness of God is constantly chasing me down!

Rescue & Revelries

Since Patrice was here anyways,  once I was feeling better we decided to have some fun.

The Smith's kindly invited us over for a lovely visit over a rather decadent breakfast on their back patio.

Our two daughters are the reason we are all friends as they met at Heritage back in 2007 when Steve was the principle there.

Such precious people with amazing servant's hearts - all of them! 

We brought brought the dogs, because we're all a little over the top that way... and Bernie and Winnie were reacquainted!  

There is always the possibility of puppies in the future so we want to keep the relationship ignited, so to speak. 

The possibility of what might transpire wore Winnie right out so she lept up to safety and had a little nap.

Warm June evenings lead to more patio time with beautiful people.  

This time two of the Gagnon grandkids came along.  One of them fell in love with Willow and the other one was freaked out by her.

Willow doesn't quite know yet how to handle little people so she is on a learning curve. 

But she seemed to be able to handle the loving quite well! 

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Patrice and I used some of our patio time to hone our quirkle skills - I'm so excited to finally have someone around who likes to play games! 

Unfortunately as time goes on the scoliosis in my spine has increased limiting my sitting time, but an evening of games on the patio is definitely worth it! 

And since Patrice was here we decided to have Grandma up for a belated 90th birthday meal!

She's in great shape and is still keeping busy with quilting and other crafts in her basement.

She came with her bag of home-sewn goodies and we were all given a set of beautiful quilted hot pads on Martha's birthday.

What a remarkable woman.

This birthday definitely called for a sparkler and some lemon blueberry cake! 

Again, the month of June went all out in treating us to some lovely weather and the flowers sparkle with colour and joy... doing exactly what they were created to do.

Sadly, mom is not able to see them this year - somehow her vision has decreased again. She is sometimes able to see a bit of the colour.

But she loves the warm fresh air and being with us outside.

The pups are pretty spoiled around here, especially when Patrice is around. She is definitely a dog whisperer and all the dogs are happier when she shows up with Willow.

And the June flowers in my yard are exquisite...

God's creativity is boundless

We just give them water and they respond with smiles of beauty.

So I drink it all in with gratitude.

Oh the many, many joys of June!

 

Brand New & A Hullabaloo!

I was sitting at the stove cooking something when this most delightful picture and message came through on our Whats App family line.

"Fast and furious home birth!!!

At 5:58 PM 

I was crying tears of joy at this wonderful news.

It's been so long since we've had some fresh life in our family and with Elsie and I being immersed in 'elder care' over here it was particularly heart warming! 

Plus Amy & Russell have been wanting for some time to have a baby, so it was over the top wonderful for them.

Apparently Daddy had tears in his eyes as well...

"It's a girl!!!

6 lb 3oz

(and the name I will keep to myself since this isn't really my story haha)

The beautiful thing about this surprising home birth was that the family could come the very next day, even all the cousins, to admire and cuddle the new arrival. 

So much joy! 

Even Daniel and Christine got together in Vancouver and had a beer to celebrate the occasion. 

This happy little princess has stolen all of our hearts, even those of us who haven't met her yet in real life.

There is something so perfect, so miraculous and awe-inspiring about God allowing us to participate with Him in the act of creation.

It speaks hope in what has been a somewhat bleak season for many.

Born on the 5th at 5:58 and the number five speaks of grace.

So be it - God's gift of grace. 

Shingles, Slips & Shitzaritz

Daniel drove up for a weekend, ostensibly to help me figure out a demo wheelchair that was here for me to try out, but just the sight of his dear face made my heart sing.  

Interprovincial travel is still restricted but this gave him a valid reason to come. 

We had a BBQ on the back patio and Hannah was home to enjoy it with us.

We dropped in to see Grandma and to bring her some flowers for her 90th birthday which was just a few days away.  

She was delighted and had lots of stories to share and it was nice to see her doing so well.

It's just amazing how much she still does while living on her on and dealing with the after-effects of polio. 

I think she was pretty thrilled to see Daniel too.

He headed back to Vancouver early Sunday afternoon so he could play softball with a new league he has joined. 

Our regular Sunday evening happened on the back patio thanks to the continuing beautiful weather and we had Anita join us before she heads up to Iqaluit for another doctoring stint.  

Sad that Ollie is locked into his nursing home due to the restrictions, again.  

We've pretty much had enough of all of that already... Ollie even more so. 

Sigh.

On Monday morning I was feeling extra tired so I stayed in bed a little longer than usual.  I was in the bathroom when I heard a rather loud crash just after 8:00 AM.

I found mom dressed (partially) and laying on the floor.  She said she had leaned against what she thought was the wall and it crashed down with her on top.

I sprang into action, calling my neighbours who came to help me get mom upright again.

Nothing broken, thankfully, but her shoulder was very sore.

Dear little mommy, soldiering on and being so brave through all the trials that come with aging, blindness and weakness. 

She is one resilient woman!

Somehow I got her onto the back patio after her long nap to enjoy the balmy evening, leaning her against a nice soft sheepskin, but I was feeling unusually frazzled and exhausted. 

I even texted Patrice wondering if she could drive up to help me, because I was hurting myself by trying to help mom more due to her other arm being out of commission.  

The temporary solution was to take Mom to back to Elsie's earlier in the week so I could protect my arm and have more energy to host our  prayer night on my patio. 

I had made a Chiro appointment for the following day to see if I could get some relief for my neck and back which I later canceled after discovering some bumps on my back.

It turned out that  I was suffering from shingles so I canceled my Chiro appointment and made a doctors appointment instead. 

This peaceful photo below is not indicative of how my week was progressing, but it was a mid-week gift, nonetheless! 

Once I had the doctor's appointment behind me, and I had the house to myself,  I was looking forward to being able to rest as I wasn't feeling stellar.

Cue the dogs coming down with diarrhea.

Yes, indeed.

All in the same week.

I was up four times one night with dear old Ladybug.

And two of those times I was shampooing the carpets to prevent staining because I hadn't been able to get the doors open fast enough for her to get outside.

It was not restful.

But the roses continued blooming profusely as they do in the month of June...

And my beautiful Patrice showed up on Friday evening to rescue me, taking Ladybug into her care so I could sleep.

That's when Winnie-pig got the runs. 

In spite of all this, the roses continued to bloom in this unusual first week of June.