Goin' for a walk

I think I've mentioned that we live next to a magic forest from fairyland-- right out the front door. Did I mention that? Well, it's amazing. The University Endowment Lands or Pacific Spirit Park, lay right out the front door. The park is a dense pacific rainforest with trails all though it. And when you get off the main drag, you find yourself in places like this. You feel like you just entered a fairy land. And when it doesn't rain-- well that is even better!!!

Dave and I went for a walk this afternoon before he headed into Regent to pick up some janitor hours. Bless him. I'm thankful he's willing to do that late on a Sunday night. I'm still pretty unsure of how to work to make money here with little Jos. So far, besides going to a 7:45 am class 2x a week, my life remains at home. And believe it or not, I hardly feel like I get anything of significance done (besides taking care of Josie- that's significant!)... Except making hats and reading theology (oh yes, I must keep up). And hopefully jewelry soon when I retrieve my materials from Seattle someday! But one thing that doesn't get neglected are walks though this amazing forest. And boy am I thankful for that!

And we're making friends, slowly. On Friday night we had Mike and Danae Yankoski over for dinner. Mike had written a book, Under the Overpass, that we read in our Service and Society class the last 3 years. He took a semester off from school to become homeless and understand the issue more from the inside. He wrote his memoirs which we used as a tool for our students to understand how to see their world around them from a different perspective. It was a great book for them. So when we saw in the Regent magazine that he and his wife had just written another book, AND that they were students at Regent as well, that was exciting stuff. Just so happened that the next morning after reading about them, they "just happened" to be speaking at the church we visited. Long story short we introduced ourselves, told them we were fans, and invited them over for dinner. They too love walking in the forest with their dog and brought him along. It was really really nice to have people with a lot of similar interests (outdoors, social justice and service, GOD, exercise, being vegetarians...and they are actually younger than us!) Anyway, it was exciting to connect with some people -- especially me who doesn't really spend enough time on campus to talk to anyone much. I've also connected with a former Wheatie whose husband is also doing the MDiv at Regent. She graduated my freshman year, but we figured out we attended the same Glee Club banquet in 1998. Funny. Jenn's got 3 small kids and I really enjoyed going over to her place for lunch last week. Met another mom with husband at Regent with a daughter 2 weeks younger than Josie. She actually watched Josie in nursery today and did a great job- Josie didn't cry at all!!! (big hurrah!) It does help that her daughter is basically identical in age and personality to Josie so she knew what to do. Hopefully will be connecting with her soon as well.

It is a little different (ok, lets be honest, a lot different) being in this life stage. The past 6 months have been a rather nice, rather restful, transition time at home in NY. Now we've moved on to actually be doing something, at least, something with a title (student) which connotes that we are moving in a direction studying for something. Or at least Dave is. I'm pretending. But this has been a rather big transition, these past 8 months- rather, since we found out we were pregnant. I'm eager to find out what God has for me in this stage of life. I'm not a teacher/trip planner/trainer/China worker at the moment. I'm a mother. And at the moment I don't plan on putting Josie in day care that we couldn't afford anyway so that I can 'do' something else. Dave has been reminding me that this is a time for us both to be shaped and to mature and grow, but my school of transformation is motherhood and not seminary. Up to now, my life has been propelled by different sights of a vision for my job in China. I've spent so much time on that work and my life there that motherhood, though still a very welcome and very blessed part of my life, wasn't something that I spend years pursuing. And now I have a life that is changed forever-- for the better for sure but I'm just trying to figure out my role as a mother, wife, supporter, stay-at-homer, in this place. This beautiful place full of blessings.

Thank you Lord for this time and place. And for all your creation. I am reminded that God does work all things together for His good purposes and there is plenty of purpose in my life at this time. Good purposes. And lovely forests to see his beauty in.

Baby Model at the Beach

This is really an advertisement. Not for the baby, nor the scenery, but for the hat.

Unfortunately, this particular hat got dropped in the sand.But it's cute isn't it?
And so is the model. I can make another hat.. Actually, I can make lots of other hats as it's become a very satisfying past time. My favorite are the Mommy and Me caps that I'm in process of creating.
Send me a line if you'd like a hat for you or your little one or a gift... or go to my etsy

to get one.

And now that's over-- can you believe this is where we live? Gorgeous isn't it? This is an advertisement for Vancouver!

Just for fun

It's a quarter to 10 am and we've been up since 6am. I've already sat through my Theology class and Dave is now in his class. In an hour and a quarter we have chapel and will attempt to put Josie in childcare so that we can enjoy. But for now, we sit in the sun in the Regent atrium and enjoy the music and atmosphere-- and the computer camera:)

Awesome

http://rochester.ynn.com/all-regions-news-2134-content/top_stories/494200/daby-family-returns-home-with-haitian-children

"We have the kids...I repeat...we have the kids!"

(text message from Josh Daby, after waiting in the airport somewhere around 40 hours for paperwork to be processed and adoptions of their Haitian children to me finalized. ) Congratulations Liz and Josh!! Welcome home Johnny and Marie! (this taken from Alison Coslow's facebook updates) For more on the story...

http://www.pinedalepalace.blogspot.com/

http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/01/24/haitian-adoptive-parents-in-holding-pattern/

attention mongers

Wherever we go, our little family sticks together. Including new adopted dog. Toby sleeps under the bed and when Josie wakes up in the night crying, she gets a little worried and pops up to put her head on the bed wanting reassurrance as well. And attention. And when I'm trying to do something innocent like read my homework by the fire, you can be sure who will be there wanting me to pay attention to her!! Both hers!!

But now, in this rare moment of peace, both Josie and Toby are asleep. It only took the last 8 hours since waking up this morning at 5 am to get Josie down for a good nap. She's gotten 2 teeth in the past week and feel the pain of it while she tries to sleep. Which means no sleep for us during the night and lots of stuffed up noses and coughs that seem to come with cutting teeth.

So, now I get to get caught up on reading "Essentials of Evangelical Theology"-- gripping I must say :) But I must keep up so that during my 7:45am classes with J.I. I won't be caught snoozing. It's tough though... the not snoozing part. He spoke at my Wheaton graduation 9 years ago and I could be picked out from my graduating class because I was the one up front whose grad cap faced the audience (because I was asleep during my own graduation lecture!!) i am now attempting to make ammends and perhaps learn a bit from one of the world's most famous contemporary theologians, JI Packer and have the privilage of sitting through his classes 2ce a week. But I must be frank in saying it seems just as hard to keep my head up now as it did 9 years ago... probably due to many reasons. Ergo, time to study!! (sleep baby, sleep!!)

Every baby needs a dog.

While pregnant, for some reason, one of my favorite things was going and spending time at the "dog kennel" in China. Why? I guess I just imagined getting puppies and having a baby.. and the two seemed to go together. So, when I was really going to have Josie, I bemoaned the fact that we couldn't have a dog for the forseeable future. In our minds, how could we possibly be in a small apartment in the city with a baby and a dog? But hey, I could pray about it now couldn't I?And guess what. We have a dog. And not just any old dog. We have Toby. She's one of the sweetest dogs I've met.
She keeps us active with our 3 walks a day. And she's so gentle with Josie. And, during midnight screaming sessions, she comes to comfort us with her head on the bed or to sleep on the floor near Josie's crib to be reassuring. It's sweet.
She puts up with Josie's antics and I think rather likes her, as Josie squeals in her presence as well.
Anyway, God had a way of answering what I thought was a kind of insignificant and not very central prayer request that our baby would have a dog to play with.

And we aren't living in a tiny apartment in the middle of the city either. Yet.

The Eversons

Now that we are here... well, not exactly here.. but minutes from here (this is the view we get to drive by regularly!)... we've found that there are all kinds of connections we have out west. It's fun to explore a different part of the country, and to see old friends as well.So, a couple of days ago while talking on Skype with my parents, the Eversons called. These are family friends of our from 20 years ago in NY who now live in Alaska. They just happened to be coming to Vancouver this weekend. And so, we just happened to have the day off to spend with them.
So we went to Horseshoe Bay to eat at Trolls. Pretty place eh? Here are Rick and Marci there.
And Josie of course. What a cherub face! You wouldn't believe that she cried the entire way to lunch and the entire way back from lunch. She's got personality all right! And our much needed picturesque family picture. Yes, we live minutes from this place. Gosh, it's gorgeous here (especially when it doesn't rain and you can SEE what's around you!)
What fun to spend the day with friends! And what a day for it! Of course, it's raining now, but hey, it makes those other days quite something!

Saturday morning run

As promised, a nice day and an opportunity to get out both for a run and with the camera. These a a couple of pictures from the trail along the water on the UBC campus- a 5 minute drive from where we are and where Regent College is located.

see the Eagle?

the look

you know the look. It's 5:30 am and Josie has just woken up for her morning feeding. She eats, and then pretends to go to sleep snuggled up beside me. But then I feel something tugging at my nose, and my lips, and inside my mouth, and my hair. And groggy though I am, I open my eyes, and in the darkness I make out these two eyes with long lashes and this mouth right up against my face going for my nose. And before I can properly defend myself my nose is in that mouth and my hair entangled in those little fingers. Ah yes, the joys of motherhood.

So, we are in Vancouver and have been for about a week and a half so far. You're probably wondering what it's like and how we're holding up. We're doing well. I would post pictures of the amazing beautiful rainforest that is literally outside our front door with 100km of trails that we walk in 3 times a day as we walk Toby- the dog who belongs to the house we are currently living. Or, maybe I'd post pictures of the snow capped mountains that surround the city and are out the window of the classroom at Regent that I'm studying systematic theology with J.I. Packer in. But it's dark at 8 am when I begin class and just getting light out at 9:30 when Dave hands Josie off to me and darts to his class. And it seems to have rained every day that I think about taking my camera out so I just haven't gotten around to it.

We arrived here in the rain and in a very packed car (see previous post for pictures). We stayed with our saints of friends Simon and Shannon for a week until moving into the house we will be living in until April while the owners are elsewhere for the most part.

And wow, what a house. It is perfect in every way from the well decorated and Asian antique furniture, to the hot tub outside, and the fireplace in the kitchen (there are 4 in the house all together), the espresso machine, and comfortable bed and lots of living space. I could go on and on-- but the best part I think is that the people we are staying with are wonderfully gracious, and very active in the world helping people--- AND have 2 granddaughters who are 2 and 4 years old and live on campus. I've gotten to know the daughter who is my age and is great-- and has provided more than I could ask for with kid stuff. So blessings have been abounding. This is a picture of Josie in the basement living area when we are.

oh yes, and the dog. Tobi is a border collie who is the gentlest and most obedient dog I've met. She's eager to come and be with us, but not overbearing or at all messy. She loves walks and doesn't need a leash at all. She comes when you want her and is happy to be by herself too. And really good with Josie-- put up with her crying at night (usually if I'm up with Josie, Toby appears on the other side of the bed, wondering what is going on.)

Also, 2 former students attend UBC so it's been nice having some Tianjin connections here as well.

We are Craigslist shopping for the essentials-- first and foremost a rain cover for the stroller. Did I mention that it RAINS here? ALL THE TIME. Poor Josie- she's got a rain coat but I've been putting her legs in a plastic bag when we take the dog out in the stroller or are on campus (we park 10 min away). Hopefully we'll take care of that tomorrow. And I need some big old rainboots. Everyone wears them around here, and for good reason!!! Guess I'll just have to fit in:)

Josie news- she just got her first tooth! Finally! Maybe she'll sleep better at night now?? maybe. I just started to hear crying so time to post and go!

While I was waiting, Dave was ...