just to make you smile

with so much negative and sad happening in our weary world  ... i thought i would try and make you smile with 2 pictures i was playing with ... it's our buddy (who we are growing to love more daily - he is a fun little guy!) ... blessings on ya!

happy birthday mom ...

it's my mom's birthday today ... and i find it amazing that every birthday she has, she gets younger - rather than older ... maybe because there is only 18 years separating us! ...

i wish i had more of the older pics of mom's early years ... here is one of the more carefree photos ... taken in finland, before the canadian adventure began ... while mom was still a young woman with her young woman dreams ... some dreams i know she has fulfilled ... some dreams she keeps on working towards ... she keeps on keeping on - i do admire that in her ...

here's the birthday lady in all her youthful glory! 

doctor update

just an fyi re leo's newest doc ... we like him ... *smile* ... and all indications point to him staying in our little town ... yay!!!!  can't believe the day has finally arrived ... a doctor who has settled here ...  with his family ... by choice!

this was the 3rd time we visited with him since december ... he is trying some new things with leo, hoping to give him some relief from the day to day chronic pain ... 

after the past 4 years of revolving door doctors - we have some hope ... thank you Lord!

"if ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you."  John 15:4

i like the word ABIDE ... i want to alway ABIDE in Him who has redeemed me ...

... remembering emma-mummu ...

my aunt reminded me that it was 9 years ago today that my maternal grandmother died ... it doesn't seem so long ... yet, time is elusive and passes quickly without us even realizing it ... so i thought i would share what i posted about my grandmother back in 2005 ...

(i wonder if maria and emma-mummu have had a visit by now?  just thinking outloud ... )

 

 

Emma-Mummu died 3 years ago today, at the age of 92 ... she was my last grandparent to slip into eternity ... now that generation is no more ... she was a gutsy lady who left an imprint on the lives she touched ...

her life began in Finland and ended an ocean away ... in Canada ... a land she grew to love ...

a teenage mother at 16, she steadfastly waited for her fiancé to return from his adventures in America so that he could meet his daughter and wed her, his sweetheart ...

she was a hard working woman ... who kept the family farm going during W.W.II, while her husband fought to keep Finland safe from the Russian invaders, who were gobbling up all other neighbouring countries ...

my grandfathers health was a casualty of the war, so Emma-Mummu continued to work the farm, as well as nurturing 10 children (23 years span the ages of the youngest to the oldest) ... she was one strong women ... it was her indomitable will and sheer determination that kept the family fed and clothed ...

my own little family had immigrated to Canada when the news came ... my grandfather had died ... i was only 5, but i can still remember the cloud of sadness that settled over the house ...

a year later, Emma-Mummu came to Canada with her 4 youngest children in tow ... what a move, half way across the world, not knowing the language ... financial concerns were only one of many for her ... she left behind 4 adult children (plus their families), her siblings and lifelong friends ... she also left behind a half century of living, loving and even her own identity of self ...

a new chapter in her life had begun ...

Emma-Mummu was ever the survivor ... for the next 40 years Canada WAS her home ... she married again and lived happily with our step-grandfather for over 25 years ... they created a cozy little nest, where her large brood could drop by at any time and feel welcome ...

she cultivated a deep faith in her later years ...

she graced our lives with her vibrant spirit, quick wit and dry humour ...

i’ve reminisced about my Emma-Mummu this weekend ... like a cherished old movie, my times with her have mentally replayed over and over again in my mind’s eye ...

her life really could have been a movie ... it contained high drama, romance, comedy, tragedy and ended happily with a soul at rest with her God ...

chitchat ....

it is a quiet sunday morning, here in our town ... and also, here at condo central! it seems that i don't get an opportunity to concentrate on posts these days, partly because this open living concept takes away from my solitude and time for writing ... but this morning - my sweetie is still snoozing - so i'm a tap tapping away!  *smile*

what a warm summer it has been!  i am thankful for the swims i've had ... above is the proof - my wet footprints on the dock ... i don't like to swim alone, and all my swim buds have been growing up!  they don't have time to have a sauna and swim in the summer ... sometimes i feel like the only "kid" left!!!  then someone will surprise me with a phone call, saying "we're out here, come over and swim with us!"  ... that makes my day ... *smile*

we celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary last week ... i picked up some chinese food for us and we enjoyed a quiet time at home ... leo wasn't feeling that great (because the humidity was high) but he didn't complain and we thanked the Lord for our many many blessings! ... would you believe that the balloon in the picture was an anniversary gift from maria - some 19 years ago!!!!  it has kept it's shape and we take it out on our anniversary every year ... this year we just thought of her - enjoying heaven's sweetness and waiting for the rest of us to get there too!

a milestone - my sweet mom has just turned 75!!!!  this pic was taken at the end of June ... doesn't she look great for that age???  or any age ... *smile* ... she lives up north now ... about an 8 hour drive from our place ... i know our visits will be few and far between - but i am glad we are able to chat daily through e-mail or on the phone ... makes the distance seem shorter ...

just some moments from my life this past while ... i think all of the family have been dealing with maria's death in different ways ... i've just been quieter - reflecting on life and my own mortality ... thankful that Jesus is my Saviour and Lord ... that He gives me that assurance of a home in heaven ... and with the apostle paul i can say "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. ... But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  (1 Cor. 15: 55,57) ... YAY for a risen Lord -  one day, we too will rise with Him!

maria's in heaven ... and i'm on holidays ...

i didn't even realize how burdened i was for maria ... until she slept away ... it seemed that she was always on my mind - heavy on my heart ... it was a continual praying for her comfort and the Lord's mercy ... then she got to heaven first ... and though there is that earthly grieving - my burden is gone ... i know that all her suffering has ended ... in that regard, my heart doesn't feel the weight anymore ...


and i don't have to think of her as " my poor little maria"  anymore ... for that, i am so thankful ...


this past 3 weeks has been filled with the ordinary things of summer ... walks, swims, visits ... celebrating birthdays ... but i have also wanted to just be cocooned and quiet too ... my emotions are near the surface - but the peace remains ...


hoping you all are having a really blessed and sweet summer experience ...

Here She Comes

I am standing upon the seashore;

a ship at my side spreads

her white sails to the morning breeze

and starts for the ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength

and I stand and watch her until at length

she hangs like a speck of white cloud

just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says, "There! She's gone."

Gone where? Gone from my sight - that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar

as when she left my side,

and just as able to bear her load of living freight

to the place of destination.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says,

"There! She's gone."

there are other eyes watching her coming

and other voices ready to take up the glad shout,

"Here she comes!"

... and that is dying.

~ anon ~

in recovery

maria was always in a hurry to get somewhere ...

we found out today that the surgeon thought  maria would not survive the operation ... and if she survived the operation - he did not think she would recover ...

this evening mom and my younger sister were at ICU helping maria eat her supper ... my sister combed maria's hair and they were thankful that AGAIN maria was defying the odds ... when they asked her a question, she was able to answer them ... and she definitely didn't want mom to leave, she wanted her to stay ... i take all those as positive signs ...

i just want to thank you guys for keeping maria in your prayers ... our times are in God's hands ... we all leave this world at some point ... yet - everything in God's time ... and for God's purpose ...

update on maria ...

just updating you on maria ... things had been going well ... she was doing "good"... then - her blood pressure started to drop low, for no apparent reason ... and she had a serious fall on sunday, causing a spiral fracture of her L elbow ... she was rushed to the hospital, where they discovered a major infection in that foot of hers (which they had declared free of infection and healing slowly, just a week ago) ... the end result was amputation of her leg beneath the knee ... that happened yesterday (tuesday) ... the surgery was a success (if one can call losing a limb successful) ... they are keeping her asleep until some time tonight ... maria will need prayer to accept this latest event in her life - she had been so happy with the good news of last week ... after she heals from the amputation, they will still need to put pins in that elbow fracture of hers ...

sad news is never fun to share ... but we KNOW that in ALL things, God is with those who trust in Him - and He comforts His children ... after all, didn't He send His Son, Jesus, so that we could be saved through Him ... i guess we need to view all of this through eternity's eyes - rather than our mortal ones which focus on earthly things ...

trusting in God's grace! 

the flowers appear on the earth ...

"My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land..."
Song of Solomon 2:10-12


i like this verse ... the flowers are indeed appearing in my little flower garden ... i was so anxious to see those green shoots sprouting and tulips blooming ... God's promise of better things to come ...

the verse also speaks of the birds singing ... which makes me think of maria ... her happy little voice as she called me from home after being sprung from the hospital!  the 3 hour angioplasty which she endured, opened up 3 blocked arteries and they were successfully fitted with stents... now she has more pep and zip then i've seen in years ... that makes me thankful ...

lately it seems that there are joy stealers in and around me - floating in the very air i breath, wanting to land in my life ... but i will try to read scripture which keeps things in the proper prospective ... amen?  amen!

blessings on  your sunday!!!!

maria's latest obstacle ...

i haven't given a maria update in a while because life has continued "normal" for her since the mid-december release from hospital ... her routines still contain dialysis 3 times a week, homecare help 5 days a week and a nursing visit every day (to change the dressing on her infected ankle and administer antibiotics via IV drip) ...


for almost 2 months, she has been enjoying a simple life at home ...


but the holes in her ankle aren't healing up ... we all knew that something would eventually have to be done ... yesterday, she saw 2 specialists and the gist of it is, they are trying one more thing - giving it two weeks - then if the ankle still hasn't shown any improvement ... amputation ...


when she phoned me last night, her voice was tired and sad from crying ... we prayed over the phone, with me feeling helpless as i tried to encourage her in any way i could ...


this morning it was the cheery maria,  energizer bunny that called me - bright and early too! ... she said that IF the foot has to go, maybe it'll take some of  her daily pain with it ... plus with no open sores, she could go swimming again (she loves to swim) ... she had found the positive ... and her BEST positive was/is being able to lean on Jesus... when we are troubled, Jesus is the Someone who knows all about our cares, understands our hurt and is there for us 24/7 ...


maria's bumpy journey continues ... and i thank you for your prayer on her behalf ...

gingerbread creations

isn't this a great gingerbread display!  one of my cousin's from finland e-mailed me the pic today - taken at her kitchen table ... what great gingerbread creations ... i love it!  so homey looking ... you can almost smell the aroma of Christmas ... 

Christmas is the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. ~Washington Irving

home for Christmas

maria was released from the hospital on thursday!  she was in for 4 months this stretch (making it 9 months in total for 2009) ... when i spoke with her yesterday, she was so very very happy ... her husband had put up the tree and lights ... he was waiting for her to come home so that they could put up the ornaments together ... she realizes that she will be going back at some point (a nurse comes daily for the dressing change on her foot and antibiotic IV change) ... but hopes that this Christmas will be the best one yet ... i pray it will be too ... thank you for praying for her ...


Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.  Ephesians 3:20-21

a month has gone by!!!!

a month without blogging ... how'd that happen? i have visited many of you - a few times - tho' i may not have left a "hello" ... but i DID want to know how you were doing ... and some of you are like me, just a bit quieter on the blogging front!
we have been enjoying an exceptionally beautiful fall ... nicer than our october ... and no snow!!! ya! the temps have been around the 50F mark on many days ... that is a down right heatwave in the prairies, in november!!! even the canada geese have decided to hang around for a bit longer ...

i've taken advantage with bike rides, walks every day ... just enjoying our little town ...

i've also gone to see maria as often as i can ... when i go to the city, it's an all day thing ... she remains in the hospital ... tho' they have thought of releasing her twice now - but each time they reassess her condition they change their mind before she can head out the door! her spirits have mostly been up ... but her body is another story ... at the moment, they are working on her foot ... it has a "tunnel" in it and they just discovered another area of infection in the ankle ... amputation is the dreaded word we've spoken a few times ... a scary thought - we all pray that they get that infection under control and that healing starts to happen ... i pray that her faith grows in the face of these obstacles ...

leo has been "well" ... he has gone for 2 little walks in the past while ... but even though he doesn't get out often, he remains engaged in the life around him ... which is important ...

i didn't go back to the library this fall ... leo and i decided that with family demands, maybe it was best that i remain available to whatever comes our way ... so far i haven't missed going in to work ...

just thought i would chat a bit with you guys ... i didn't want you to think that i've totally abandoned blogging ... just taking a little break! blessings on you!

"Never doubt God! Never say that He has forsaken or forgotten you or think that He is unsympathetic. He "will restore [your] life again." No matter how many twists and turns the road may have, there is always one smooth, straight portion. Even the longest day has a sunset, and the winter snow may stay quite some time, but it will finally melt.

Be steadfast, "because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor. 15:58). He will turn to you again and comfort you. And when He does, your heart that has forgotten how to sing will break forth in thankful and jubilant song, just like the psalmist who sang, "My tongue will sing of your righteousness" (Ps. 51:14)."

~ Streams in the Desert

exciting bike ride!

i was just sharing this little story with leo - i went for a bike ride today ... close to home i was delayed for about 20 seconds because a truck with a loaded trailer was completely blocking the road ... i had to stop my bike and wait for him to back into his driveway -then i continued merrily along ... and because of that little delay- i missed meeting up with a bear! yup ... there were people yelling & clapping at this 300 pound, very healthy, adult bear who was running across the road!!! i told leo about the bear as soon as i got home, after cutting my bike ride short (wouldn't you??) ... but i had forgotten the part about being delayed those few seconds!! if not for those few seconds, i would have been right where the bear was running across the road!!! i wonder if the bear would have run over me? hmmmm? after leo heard the rest of the story, he started singing "angels watching over me" ... indeed!!

yesterday i was able to go into the city and see maria again ... her spirits are good - her body, not so good ... they are now telling her that she will probably be in the hospital for another month ... thank you guys again for praying for her ... she has so many things that are failing in her body - but if her spirits remain up - that is half the battle won!

the Lord is faithful ... in all things ... whether it's a road trip to the big city and inner city hospital ... or a bike ride in our little town, where a bear could have easily side swiped me!

just sharing ... blessings on ya!

His mercies are new every morning!

i'm ashamed to say that today was the FIRST morning that i got up to take some sunrise pictures!!! when i saw how calm the river was, well i just had to go out to the beach and see the sunrise ... the picture doesn't show how lovely it really was - but you get the idea ... very calming ... very quiet ... a wonderful morning to thank the Lord for everything He has blessed me with ... *huge smile* ...

an update on maria: i was able to visit with her on tuesday ... i got a ride into the city and didn't have to worry about parking in that inner city core area (yay for God's provision in that!)... she had been transferred to a private room, with a beautiful view of the city ... lots of sunshine streamed into her room, making it very cheery ... she said the lights at night were something to see ... she is receiving good care there ... and it was her shoulder area that had a fracture (i had received some wrong info previously), thankfully it doesn't need surgery!!! i don't know how long they will keep her in, her poor body is really suffering with the complications of diabetes ... she wanted me to thank you for your prayers!!!

a week has passed!

again, time has gone by so quickly ... i have composed at least 4 posts - but only in my head - they didn't get on the "printed page" ... what is up with that, eh???

the weather has been just beautiful here in our little corner of the world ... leo has even gotten out for 2 walks ... i was so happy about that ... and i've been bike riding around town ...

but then i had a little "mishap" ... last saturday, the side door to our garage slammed hard on my finger!!! can anyone say owie? ... i was going to go visit family, and maybe have a sauna - but instead i was dripping blood and wondering if i needed stitches ... poor leo, i had just left the house, only to re-enter with my bashed up finger! i wrapped it with paper towels and decided to walk across the street to the ambulance bay (we have the paramedics close by - if needed!) ... the young EMT (that is what they are called here - emergency medical technicians) - took a look at my finger, and said that he didn't think it would need stitching - and he bandaged it up for me ... but since it was my right hand, i was so limited in my activities for 2 full days ... no saunas or bike rides ... i also couldn't do much typing - just some one finger pecking!! thankfully, it is healing nicely ...
but my little mishap is nothing compared to maria's latest medical challenges ...

maria at 4

she had been doing quite well over the summer ... they had really gotten into a rhythm with her dialysis, home care people, doctors appointments, etc. ... her husband had even taken her on some outings (he gets his work out pushing that wheelchair!) ... but then on tuesday she was admitted to hospital again ... multiple problems ... her rheumatoid arthritis was taking a toll on her ankle, really infecting it - that was the initial reason for being admitted ... but just an hour ago, i found out that she has a compound fracture of her left arm!!! she had fallen on tuesday and broken her arm - but they didn't diagnose that until just today ... poor thing was talking about a jarring pain in that arm, no wonder! there are other problems too (that is usual with chronically ill folks), so if you think of her - could you ask the Lord to just strengthen her and give wisdom to those who are taking care of her ...

i'll close on a sweet note ... maria's best gal pal became a grandmother for the first time ... this gal pal's daughter named her brand new daughter "sofia maria", in honour of maria ... maria doesn't know yet - but she will be just tickled when she finds out ...

blessings on your weekend ...

* * * * *

Trusting even when it appears you have been forsaken; praying when it seems your words are simply entering a vast expanse where no one hears and no voice answers; believing that God's love is complete and that He is aware of your circumstances, even when your world seems to grind on as if setting its own direction and not caring for life or moving one inch in response to your petitions; desiring only what God's hands have planned for you; waiting patiently while seemingly starving to death, with your only fear being that your faith might fail - "this is the victory that has overcome the world"; this is genuine faith indeed.
~George MacDonald

indie indie indie

cats are goofy, aren't they? ! ! ! ... indie is always cold ... not that i blame him this summer, it has been cold! he is always on the lookout for a warm spot to snooze in ...
he found my sweater the other day, and he wormed his way into the sleeve!!!

but a sleeve tapers ... and even tho' it was nice and cozy in there, he was stuck!

before helping him get out - i couldn't resist one more pic ... *laughing* ...

fun with mom!

i was able to take a little road trip mid-week ... after making sure that leo had recovered from his virus and eye irritation (he had been feeling poorly for a few weeks ... thankfully he seems to be on the mend now) ... i hit the prairie highways and headed south to my mom's ... it's over a 2 hour drive (one way) ... but since she was all by herself, it seemed the perfect time to have a mom/daughter type visit ...

i spent wednesday and part of thursday with mom ... my step-father and mother are trying to sell their little house on the prairie, so that they can move north (about 8 hours from our place) to live near the baby of the family (who is only 33) ... tho' i will be sad to have mom move even further away from us - their current house is in such a remote location, that i will probably see them the same amount ...

mom has a large raspberry patch at her place ... leo's favourite fruit is raspberries! so she encouraged me to go out there and pick as many as i wanted to bring home to leo ...

as you can see, i did exactly that! i brought along my mosquito netting (i don't like to use bug spray) ... it worked great! it even prevented me from eating while picking - a few times i forgot that i had a net in front of my face and brought a juicy raspberry right to my lips, only to put it in my bowl instead!!! while i was picking berries, i would stomp my feet and sing - to let the neighbourhood bears (mom said there is a momma and 3 cubs in the area) know that i was there ... i didn't want to surprise them and vice versa!!

of course any visit to mom's is an opportunity for some computer instruction ... she wanted me to help her get more familiar with her laptop and digi camera ... i was happy to oblige!

time is such a fleeting commodity, isn't it? sometimes we look back and say "i wish i would have had more time for ............. " ... the only way to get the time - is take the time ... i'm so very very glad that at least this week, i did just that!

summer is quickly going by

summer is going by quickly in my little corner of the world ... so fast that i've barely had time to take pictures of our beautiful manitoba fields ... full of varied colour and displaying the faithfulness of God! we also have "big sky country" in our world ... for cloud watchers, it is paradise!

the other day i noticed that we have a new condo going up - in the bushes right outside our front door! i don't know if it will ever be inhabited ... it may be just an extra nest for the forward thinking bird that constructed it ... it is amazing how perfectly shaped and well made it is ... another display of God in nature ... where else would these little creatures have learned how to make these nests exactly the size and shape needed ... not to mention what type of material to construct it with!

my peonies are almost finished blooming for the season ... we had a major storm blow through last week and it soaked the flowers and dropped them to the ground, where they started to rot ... i cut off 2 bag fulls of blooms ... but they were spectacular while they lasted ... a reminder for me to enjoy the moment ... that is all that we are guaranteed ...

visitors have also been plentiful these past weeks ... an aunt from finland was here ... it was great to see her ... then my teenage niece and nephew came for a quick little visit a few days ago ... they were vacationing at their grandma's place (my mom) and she took a road trip this way ... leo hadn't seen the kids in years ... he was surprised at how tall they had gotten, and mature for their years ... of course i had to take them for a walk to the beach, while leo and my mom chatted at home (leo hasn't been able to go for a walk since the doctor's visit - the weather and extra pain have kept him indoors - but there is always hope for another day!)

here is a picture of me and my very spry, active mom (she is 74) ... her energy always amazes me and totally leaves me in her wake! i pray the Lord gives her many more active years ...

just sending out blessings to my blog buds - both old friends, new friends and those who just happened by ... life is made sweeter by you ... !

chitchat ...

sunday morning greetings!

just thought i'd chitchat a bit ... as we wait for an old friend to stop by ... one who we haven't seen in over a year ... those unexpected times of fellowship can be so sweet ...

it's been a nice week here at condo central ... the weather hasn't been so pleasant, but the activities have made up for it ...

i had a nice little trip into the city with my cousin on monday ... we bought our flowers from costco - but mine are still sitting on the kitchen island - waiting for the nights not to dip below that 32F mark! tonight may be the coolest night ... then maybe there will be hope of putting them outside!

i've talked with maria almost every day ... and the news continues to be good ... though there are always some $$ issues - but what is life without struggles? and faith to over come those struggles!

on the home front ... leo and i have watched some movies and had some quiet mid week time ...

then yesterday, my brother and i took a road trip to visit my mom (about 4 hour return trip) ... we had a nice visit while driving there and back, he's such good company ... and it was good to see our mom and step-dad ... all in all a delightful day ...

as you can see, life seems to be normal (yay!!!) ... in a sweet way ... as we remember that our real life is in heaven with Christ ... we look forward to when He comes back again!!

"May blessings and peace of heart be your rich gifts from God our Father, and from Jesus Christ our Lord."

1Thessalonians 1:1