Some Holiday Pictures

This is to prove that Emma is an Orr

The giraffe picture is in Maureen's honour.

I guess I took most of our pictures at the zoo! I'll have to get some different ones off the camera...

The pictures are of Emma and her new friend, Kylie, at the Minot Zoo.

Emma's Graduation

Here are our traditional 'hedge pictures,' taken before Emma's grade 8 grad.

Kids these days!!!!

It was great to see how hard Emma and Quinton worked this weekend. From supper time on Friday, to nightfall on Saturday, they slaved away--happily and without complaint. Two children following the example of their grandfathers!

A big thank you to all who came out to provide the girls and I with a new roof. It is so exciting to drive up to the house and not see curled green shingles! :)

I'm so tired, now, that I can hardly think...but I want people to know that their efforts are appreciated.


(for pictures, see Melissa's blog)

Adam and Eve

Isn't it interesting how readily we believe Satan, but have to examine everything God says to see if it is 'real.' Even though Satan is the prince of lies, we still trust everything he says. I mean, the fruit on the tree looked so good, what harm could there be...?

We humans are very strange sometimes.


Genesis 3

Aging

My children once asked me if a certain relative had "always been like that"
No, I said, And I didn't used to be like this either! LOL

It is sad to see people deteriorate, whether it be from age, illness or bad choices. We often forget who they used to be and what brought them to where they are today.

Sometimes there is nothing we can do--it is just the effects of aging. Other times, changes are the result of one bad choice after another. Does there come a point where there is no longer the capacity to go back to making good choices? I don't like to think so, but the evidence seems to be to the contrary.

I wonder how God views that.

I know that people think that I always see the worst in people/situations. Those people don't really know me. I am still waiting for the plastic figurines that my mom ordered for me 40yrs ago. I'm sure they are just lost in the mail.

I kept thinking that surely the cab would turn around and bring him home to start again.

I keep thinking that next time I will be treated with common courtesy and respect.

I keep thinking that God is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine.

Moses saw the promised land but didn't cross over. Do I have the faith to be satisfied with that?

Do I have the faith that even if God decides not to rescue me from the firey furnace, I will still stand firm?

I'm thankful for my family.

I love you.

Faithful are the wounds of a friend. Profuse the kisses of an enemy.

"I love you" can mean so many things. Sometimes it even means "I love you."

Jesus said it best.

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being poluted by the world. (James 1:27)



I'm not a widow or an orphan, but I feel like I experienced some pure and faultless religion this evening.

Thank you.

I think I'm insane!!

Benjamin Franklin Quotes

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Pity the Man...

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
10 If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!


Thank you to all who wrote/talked to me in my time of crisis. "I had nearly lost my foothold"(ps 73)

I have never been so close to 'the edge' before. It is a scary place to be. Praise be to God for answering my prayers by sending the right words, the right people to minister to me. For showing me that He does care.



Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honour me. (Psalms 50:15)

People

Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die.


"Fair is foul, and foul is fair"

Ides of March

Beware the Ides of March!

It was 16 years ago, today, that I had my miscarriage. The baby was only 10 weeks, but was so dear to me already.

It was a horrible, frightening day. There I was, bleeding. What do I do? We are living, temporarily, in Saskatoon, having just come from Yellowknife. I had no doctor. I frantically phoned clinic after clinic looking for a doctor to examine me. Over and over again I heard the words: "That sounds serious. You should have someone examine you. Sorry, we aren't taking new patients...." Umm..thanks...

I finally found someone who would see me, so I bundled up my two toddlers and drove quickly to the clinic. Nothing like having two young children in the examining room when you are having a pelvic exam.

"Well, you'll have to get to the hospital so we can do the surgery"

"What surgery?" tears are flowing, fear is building...

"Well, you are losing the baby. We have to do a D&C."

I look at the two sweet girls playing on the floor. I'm crying. what do I do? The doctor just leaves me. Hospital. Miscarriage. Operation. Two children. My mom is at work. My husband is in Yellowknife. I lost my baby. I'm bleeding. I can't see through my tears. What do I do now?

Someone pops their head in the door. I stare.

"You can use the phone if you like"

Okay. Who do I call? ... No one knows I'm pregnant. I think my mom knew. Mom's at work...downtown.

I call Edith...I am sobbing uncontrollably. I try to speak... "this is Lynn" I can't choke out any more.

Edith says: What's wrong?
Is is John? no
the girls? no
you? sob....baby...
you are having a miscarriage? yes.
where are you? I'll be right there.

Then I called my mom. I don't remember everything. Just that Edith and Garth came and got me. They drove me home and took the girls with them..My mom came and took me to the hospital. Very scary to be in a strange ER, not knowing anyone. My baby is gone...

When it is all over, I am left with a migraine and two toddlers. My mom helps me. "You have to phone John."

No.

Yes.

I am already in too much pain. Feeling too alone. I've already suffered a loss.

I phone.

I tell my husband about our baby.

My husband says: "I'm staying a few extra days up here"

I am alone with two toddlers.

I am alone with my grief.

I didn't want to phone.

Phoning hurt.

I am alone.

I am nothing.

I am dying.

Is it wrong to be jealous of a couple whose full term baby died?

Lord have mercy on me, a sinner.

We the Jury

Interesting Dr. Phil show, today. With some of the jurors from the Lacy Peterson trial.
Wow...imagine getting death threats for being on a jury. Gulp.

Being on a jury is interesting and frustrating. What people don't understand is that the jury doesn't get to hear ALL the evidence. When I was juror on a murder trial, I found it very frustrating that we would be excused so often so that the lawyers could argue about whether or not certain information could be used in the trial. To this day, I wonder what we DIDN'T hear. I really really want to know!! LOL

I really feel for the jurors on that trial. They saw and heard such horrific stuff. We saw some gross stuff, too. Crystal's head was run over, her body burned. Not a pretty sight.

The weird thing was that I didn't really have any problem with anything I saw or heard. It was all quite facinating. It wasn't until we reached a verdict that all the emotion came out. Kind of like delayed reaction.

Several of us jurors didn't sleep for weeks after the trial. My boss even gave me sleeping pills! LOL I still think of it from time to time. Especially when I pass the pizza place where the murderer worked, or when someone at work mentions the bar at which the murderer picked up the girl.

I hope that the jurors who were on tv, today, find peace. Hard thing,when their trial was so public.


Anyway...just some random ramblings!

Speaking of Which...

A few weeks ago, Jeremy showed me how to replace a light switch. (by changing one for me! ;) )

Last week, I changed TWO of them... ALL BY MYSELF!!! YAY, ME!!!


I don't want to be the man. I've been fighting against being the man for over 15 years. But...I am the man, now, so I might as well embrace it. A little electric shock therapy can't be that bad for you ... can it?? Plus, it gives me an excuse to go to Home Depot.

Thank you , Jeremy, for giving me a fish...and for teaching me how to fish!

What is love?

I saw part of a show on TV yesterday. It was parents who never said 'no' to their children. There was one woman who is now 23yrs old. She is well educated, married and has her own children, yet she still feels that her mother should pay her bills for her, if she asks her to. She expects it. A mother should WANT to do that.

The question was, what is showing love? Is is never saying no? Or is it teaching them to be responsible adults? Teaching them to do it themselves, so that they can take pride in saying: I did that! From little children saying: I made my own bed! to adults saying: I am taking care of my family. or I made a mistake, I am going to own up to it, and take responsibility, pay the price.

Are you doing your child a favour by cleaning up their messes? By not holding them accountable? Is it responsible parenting, teaching someone that there are no repercussions for their actions? Or is it breeding Narcissism?

What is unacceptable behaviour in a 2 yr old, is suddenly fine, if you are an adult.

Why is that?

Random news

Mom:

My mom is doing great. She is healing well from the surgery. We go to the cancer clinic on Tuesday to see an oncologist. Mom has bloodwork done at that time, too. Her radiation treatments will probably start in April.
The next Tuesday, Mom has a bone scan. Hopefully, there will be no surprises on that.

I'm busy working. I've been in Chemistry for 5 months now. I still feel like a newbie. :( It's getting better, though.

I sure miss Charlotte. I'm glad she has the oportunity to be at Western this year. It sounds like she is enjoying it.

We went to an open house at Walter Murray last week. I can't believe that Emma will be in highschool next year. Sigh...

Lindsay is working lots and going to school.

I'm currently watching the movie, Castaway.

I need a Wilson.

Update

All went well with Mom's surgery. Nothing unexpected. She is doing well and has even been up to the bathroom already!!!
Now we wait for the pathology report on the lymph nodes.

Today's the Day!

I'm leaving in a few minutes to take Mom and Dad to the hospital. Mom's surgery is at 2:30pm. We are all anxious to have it over with. Thanks for your prayers.

I was so excited to be able to hold Josiah, yesterday. What a cute little snuggler! mmm.... Then, in the evening, Emma and I went to a meeting about highschool, for next year. My 'baby' is growing up. It seems such a short time ago that Lindsay was a baby...now my baby Emma is just about all grown up!!

My only advice is to enjoy each stage of their lives...they are all precious and interesting.(some more interesting than you'd like!)


Congratulations to Robert and Melissa on bringing Josiah home. :)

It is booked

Mom has her surgery date: January 17th.

They called her with a series of four appointments,the last of which is the surgery. Things seem to be moving very quickly all of a sudden. Now it seems real. Gulp. My mom has cancer.