I am humbled

Last night I went to help some ladies at the church put together 500 birthing kits to send to women in need in Haiti. Now when I thought of this, I'm thinking teddy bears, recieving blankets that sort of warm fuzzy things! But no, it was quite bleak. A compilation of basic tools to increase sanitation. A "Birthing Kit" includes: 1 clean razor blade(to cut the umbilical cord); 2 pieces of string; gauze pads; a paper birthing mat(11x14 legal sized paper); disposable gloves; soap; and a belly band. I was so humbled. In this day and age that is what women in Haiti are given in their time of need. I felt sick to my stomach, thinking of how I complained about "the noise" in the hospital when I had Ian. How dare I? The group that delivers these kits are called The joy and hope of Haiti it was so humbling to be a part of this small but substantial group putting these kits together.
Here is a blurb from their site

According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 1 in every 17 women die each year from complications due to childbirth in Haiti. For every 100,000 births, between 500 and 1000 will result in death, putting Haiti as having one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world. Factors attributing to this high rate have been linked to inadequate access to health care facilities, high birth rates, early age pregnancy, malaria, tuberculosis and lack of skilled birth attendants. It is estimated that 60 percent of all deliveries are unattended in Haiti. Unsafe delivery procedures caused by using unclean instruments have resulted in high rates of infection after birth for both the mother and the child. On average, mothers have eight children or more and in many cases, when a mother passes away as a consequence of improper maternal care, she leaves the rest of the family without any support.

I just had no idea such things existed. And during the day the group of us had attended a rather extravagant baby shower, unlike one I have ever attended before. The lady was opening gifts for well over an hour! Such extravagance! Also one of the ladies who was helping assemble the kits was 9 months pregnant, and putting these meager supplies together actually brought tears to her eyes as she thought about the blessed circumstances under which she'd bring new life into this world. In comparison to how so many in Haiti have to give birth on dirt floors in less than santitary conditions.
It was an honour to help in even the smallest of ways.

cutest kids ever

Ok so I'm predjudiced... but there they were this morning just sitting there beign cute, I couldn't resist!

Cool daily thought:
If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.
— Josh Billings

So true!

Have a great w/e all!

Bon Voyage!!

My parents just left on their way to Miami for a 2 week cruise!! Can we say Jealous??! But soooo happy for them! They havn't been away in a while, definitely not since my mom's accident a few years ago, so this is huge! Plus it's the first year my dad has been retired, so they have a lot to celebrate! Their ship is going through a lot of the islands and down into the Panama Canal! too cool! I can't wait to see their photos! They've even signed up for an off boat excursino to feed the sting rays! We had a good chat this morning, about serious stuff. I don't know why I always do that before people go away... I guess we never know how long we have right? They reminded me where the power of attorney, wills, safety deposit box etc all are. It's hard to not think of them just living for ever. Anyway I snapped a couple of photos of them wtih Ian this morning. Gosh I love them! They are the cutest grandparents!!

The ultimate scrapbook room ever

Was just browsing "the other" site and came across this... you'll have to check it out to believe it
http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?gallery=1&cmd=display&layout_id=778105&show=3

I don't think there is a scrapbook item that she is missing?! I've never seen anything like it!

yay for thunderstorms!

Apparently we had a thunderstorm last night... very odd weather for February... but I didn't even realize it because... wait for it...

I got to sleep all night, which means, Ian SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!! Thank you to who ever has been praying for me. I got out of bed this morning feeling like a normal person! I'm still enjoying my coffee right now, but this time it's because I like it, not needing it to wake me up! Kind of a strange feeling though because I'm still breastfeeding and woke up with "coconuts" for boobs lol. Sorry TMI... Because he's always eaten through the night, I never get that engorged feeling. Good to know I'm still making enough, something I have been worried about from day 1.

I just know this is going to be a great day!! how can it not?

A fine mess

I decided a few years ago that each child is blessed with at least one thing they do really WELL, and at least one thing that they don't. The one that they don't do well generally causes a little or a lot of grief for the parents. Thank goodness our children are works in progress too!

Brianna, for example, she was(and still is) the best sleeper ever! She had three naps a day until she was one, then two naps a day until she was two, then just one for her third year. And has just recently actually give it up since Christmas and she is now four. However her bedtime has now moved up to 7:00pm and she's out for 11.5 hours!
Food however, that is another story, she has always had issues with eating, from the very first mouthful of runny baby cereal. She was a gaggy baby and toddler! I always vowed I'd never "allow" my child to be a fussy eater... haha little did I know what I had in store! Although, my mother frequently reminds me how far she's come and she is doing so much better! This is true, but still a minor battle to introduce a new food and last week was the first week she actually ate the lunch that I made for her...only took me 5 months to figure it out... not too shabby!

Moving on to the boy. Can I just reverse the above? He eats like a machine! True he's only 6 months old, but so far he will eat anything I put in front of him. What a treat it is!!! Peas & Carrots, no problem, spinach bring it on! Squash, feed me faster! yep he likes to eat!
SO far the sleep thing, it could be better. He has yet to sleep through the night, and has a zillion short cat naps through the day...

I think it's hilarious that my kids are as different as night and day! Apples and oranges! Peas & carrots!

Real simple thought

I subscribe to Real simple, thoughts of the day... I don't usually like getting stuff en masse from websites, but I really look forward to these thoughts. I have been copying the ones that I really like into a word document and may use them for a project down the road. When I was copying today's, I read the one I got on January 16th(I am thinking Martin Luther King Jr day in the US)

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step." — Dr. Martin Luther King

So true! I am a woman of faith... without it I am nothing! But it is also the hardest thing to remain strong in. But I love how MLK summed it up in such a simple phrase. I'm going to think about that all day! I think it fits with so many obstacles that come up in life, we have a choice to become down and depressed by things, or we can stand up to it and plan to overcome.
cool thought for the day!

Monday

Ugh why are Monday's so hard? Ian gave me a rough night, he's got a stuffy head and I think he was having trouble breathing poor little love kept me up from 12-2, and 3:30 and 6! I hope this cold passes quickly, I'm exhausted! Thank goodness for coffee!
Chris is having a job interview this morning for a new and exciting position within his company. He had to create a presentation for the interview this morning and he totally nailed it! I am so proud of him! Now I'm just praying the interviewers think so too!

I did my first layout with the new February kit, it was fun! Totally made me think of quiliting. The ladies in my family have been extrordinary quilters. My mom has recently gotten into it in spurts... but I have NOOO interest in it as of yet... but I'm sure I will later in years. I think it's a dying art. I had the idea of making a quilting block of a heart and so thanks to the internet found a cute one and le voila! The quote is pretty cheesey, but it went with my quilt theme! The background paper is actually a rust red colour like the red in "family" my scanner stinks, don't know why I have so much trouble with it.

I also did one with my favourite photo that Jules took of Bree. This photo just exemplies her "free spiritedness" I have it blown up to a 11x14 size, now I just need to get a nice frame. I actually got 4 of them blown up so I can make a photo montage in the family room.

Guess who's awake! Guess that's all for now!

cool site of the day!

Bree is home with me today, and we were just surfing, looking for directions on how to make snowflakes. I know the concept isn't hard, but I wanted the ones that actually look like snowflakes, as opposed to the dog's breakfast I usually make! lol and came across this "virtual" snowflake making site. http://snowflakes.lookandfeel.com/ we had a blast! Thought I would share! Even if you don't have kids, I urge you to go have fun and make yourself a snowflake! :)

Meeting online pals

I just can not imagine not living in the age of hte internet anymore. It is such a valuable resource and I have met soooo many amazing people on it. Some of whom I have had the priviledge to actually met in real life too! Yesterday I got together with 4 other moms who I've been chatting with for over a year now. We met on the website fertility friend, we were all due with our babies in August 2005 and we're all Canadian. There are 17 moms all together, from all across Canada. Such a diverse group, and we can all appreciate each others intricacies(sp?) A bunch of us live in Southern Ontario and we thought it would be fun to meet up, so we all went to a mall in North York yesterday to meet for lunch and it was great! A little awkward at first... but towards the end we were much more comfortable. Hopefully if we get to do it again, we can try somewhere other than a mall. It would have been fun to see the babies interact more. Here are a couple of photos

new photos

On Friday we went over to my good friend Julie's studio for her to take some new family photos for us. I know she's good. Obviously by the steady flow of traffic in and out of her house, but just to look at the amazing photos she took for us, I am just in awe with the gift God has given her! Just amazing. I have blown up 4 of them to put in frames in our new family room(recently completed basement). I will include them here too. I just can't wait to start scrapping them. So many to choose from though. I don't think it will be a problem.

There are more but this computer is too slow. Will add some more tomorrow when I'm upstairs on the better computer.

Things that make me happy around my home

This is from the "meme" challenge from Tenika's blog(&2p's). Her challenge was to go around your home and take photos of happy things around your house. Here is my little collage of some of my favourite things from around my house.

The photo is kind of small, if you click on it you can see the photo bigger.

Top left, is a photo of my BA, it doesn' tlook like much but it represents 8 years of my life(I took some time off and went part time for 3 years), and I did a lot of growing up during that time...

Next pic to the right is of my dining room cabinet, it's not all that pretty and I don't really like the style of it, but it was my gran's. My cousin actually got it when she passed away and when my cousin got divorced she didn't have room for it in her new appt, so she asked if I wanted the set. I have my gran's dishes, and it makes me happy to have her dishes back in her cabinet, like I remember it.

Next is a photo of a hutch from my great Aunt Lottie. My dad refinished it, and for both of those reasons it is very special and a gorgeous piece of furniture.

Bottom left is our 55 Gallon fish tank. I love to sit in the basement and watch teh fish. I find it so therapeutic and relaxing!

Next is a primitive wooden Canada Flag. I am so proud to be a Canadian, but it's so rare to find primitive/country decorations with our flag on it ! I bought this at a craft store in St. Jacobs from a mennonite gentleman.

And finally a photo of a boomerang with Australian aboriginal painting of a kangaroo. My dh emigrated from Australia, came with 2 suitcases and the clothes on his back almost 6 years ago. I can't imagine leaving the only country I've known to move to the other side of the planet. And he did it all for me! Gives me the warm fuzzies. I put the boomerang in a shadowbox, because I think it's like art, the painting is beautiful. I bought it at a tourist store in Sydney, but I still think it's pretty special.

What a cool Challenge! that was fun!