"Thus says the LORD, who created the heavens 

and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people upon it and 

spirit to those who walk in it.

'I am the LORD, that is my name.

The former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

I tell you of them.'"

--Isaiah 42:5 and 8-9

Creator God

who breathed life into

creation

and

created beings

You are worthy of my 

worship 

for Who You are.

Creator God

Who is ever forever the Artist of my days--

carving new paths for me to journey on

rainbow relationships to be discovered

fresh growth places for my soul to awaken to

I welcome Your artistic movement within

I trust Your wise brush strokes

as the canvas unfolds.

When "hello" is the Beginning of "goodbye"

We opened Eden this past weekend.

She was waiting for us in all her glory

a broken water pipe just to remind us

that some things never change.

Regardless of how carefully we close up in the fall,

winter still seems to do a number on the pipes

of this charming little haven.

But we're used to it by now

It's all part of the fun and adventure and memory making.

This particular cottage season will be one of

drinking deeply the beauty of this place

of relishing each moment

of basking in rest and adventure and food and relationships

It will be a season marked with a strong taste of

bittersweet.

We put Eden up for sale this weekend):

Fifteen years of memories fill this tiny summer "home".

For 3 families

it has been fifteen years of our children growing up together

and we as adults growing...well...growing up too in many ways.

Eden was a gift beyond anything we had every imagined when we purchased her!

She will always be known as this holy sanctuary

where heaven and earth met...

even with burst water pipes!!

Last year we began to talk seriously about the possibility of selling

A lot has changed, specifically in the past 5 years

with my sister and her family moving 5 hours away

and my brother and his family

and our family

all rapidly changing

as our children grow older

get married, and go off to university and
make memories of their own.

It will not be an easy "goodbye"

for any of us.

But as much as we are all deeply in love with our Eden

we all feel that it's "time."

So our "hello" to Eden this spring

is the beginning of "goodbye"

We laughed and talked and ate and worked

with gusto and the knowledge that we are making

farewell memories.

My tired hubby and Zoe...just home from Haiti and not cottage opening!

Having fun in the leaves!!  Aaron and Anderson

Chris and

Charmaine busy raking leaves

Time out for a story!! :)

Mikaela and Emma painting sun catchers

Ashley and Rachel washing dishes...I think:)

Touching up the trim...Randy and Chris

Yummy fruit for waffles

Preparing for Flower Planting

More painting...my hubby:)

   

Oh Eden...
how we are going to miss you...

But not yet!!
Our season has just begun!       

He's Home!!!!!!!!!

There's nothing like having my hubby home

safe and sound from another God-sized

adventure in Haiti.

Now off to Eden to open for the season:)

Reflections of Mother's Day

I am always surprised when occasions catch me off guard.  

I tend to prepare myself fairly well I think

But this year the tides of emotion washed in and out

and I wasn't ready.

Mother's Day is bittersweet for me.

I am full

with the joy and blessing and gifts I experience

in being a mother.

Yet there is a sad and at times painful reality

that my own Mother is absent from my life.

For whatever reason,

this past week I found myself panicked at times.

On Tuesday I suddenly HAD to send a card

to my sister who lives out of province.

And it HAD to be handmade

with a picture of her and our Mother.

When I took it to the postal outlet he asked the value.

Uh..."it's sentimental value", I responded.

My "sentimental valued" card

required 2 day delivery service

which could have purchased a small bouquet of flowers as well...

But it didn't matter.

It HAD to get there for Mother's Day.

There were other moments of "panic"

in which I felt that I HAD to fulfill some thought that came to mind.

Strange,

but I just let it be.

My Mom and me

A rose and card in memory of my Mother

For some reason I did not feel the need to write on it

In the midst of the bitter was the sweet.

I adore my children

and have the added privilege this year of a daughter-in-law.

My husband is on a Mission Trip to Haiti
yet he and Ashley had planned ahead
and this was what greeted me Sunday morning.

 Phone calls and emails from Haiti,
hugs "delivered" from my son,
as well as phone "I-love-you's",
an "invitation" to sit with my daughter in church,
flowers at church for all the Haiti "widows" and mom,
a nap,
texts from my sister remembering our Mother,
dinner with Ashley
and her company as I watched
the Leafs beat Boston!!!!!!!!
What more could a Mother ask for????!!!!  ha,ha

Mother's Day will always hold this tension for me.
And I do have to choose where my thoughts will dwell.
I can't live in the "I wish..." era.
There's too much of "what is" that is
beautiful and satisfying and blessed.
Instead,
I acknowledge and remember my Mother of too few years
and I rejoice and give thanks
that I have been given this incredible journey
called Motherhood.

Arrival in Haiti!!!!!

 My hubby and team have arrived safely in Haiti.  

Looks like they are having no problems blogging this year, so I will post the link to their blog.

Let the adventure begin!!

 http://highviewtohaiti.blogspot.ca

Toronto 4 Boston 2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Dad

Nephew Nick

Brother Randy

The Party Team!!!!  Yep...I have face paint and a sticker on my forehead:)

Lovers In A Dangerous Time