Monday, January 31, 2005

unchanging love

From the end of Micah 7 (NASB)

"Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity
And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession?
He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in unchanging love.

He will again have compassion on us;
He will tread our iniquities under foot
Yes, You will cast all their sins
Into the depths of the sea."

Sunday, January 30, 2005

yipee skipee

Our computer is all fixed up now, thanks to Dave at Cascade Micro Systems, so I'm back to blogging.
Yesterday was probably the most busy day in the Abrahams household so far (after Sarah's birth). We went to Missionsfest because I had a BC MB Conference Camp board meeting there. Andy took care of Sarah and brought her to me when I she was hungry. They went on a long walk together, from Stanley Park, where they parked the car and then back later to fetch it. The meeting was good. It's always excited to see what is happening in the camps. Then we drove straight to a baby shower I was going to in Abbotsford. My friend Crystal will be induced mid-Feb. unless she goes into labor before then (her hope). That was a fun time. There was a good variety of people who hosted (funny word here, I know) probably 5 body piercings besides ears :) Crystal enjoyed holding Sarah and several times I tried to get Sarah to sleep only to find that -no she wasn't tired, she was hungry. Reading her cues goes a little out the window when we're out sometimes...there's more than her to concentrate on. So, when I got home I was very tired and this morning woke up and the house was crazy messy and I was thankful for the good rest I had. Sarah slept pretty good too cause of her big day.
Have a bit of a cold/sore throat so I declared today a sleeping day. Thought I'd throw a load of laundry in quick cause all the bibs were dirty. Crazy thing happened. A disposable nursing pad that has this gel stuff inside it (kinda like what's in disposable diapers, I think) exploded in the wash. These little gel globs were coating everything. So, I took the load outside and shook each piece of laundry in the slight rain we had this after noon....took about 1/2 hr. (felt like) to do that. Washed the laundry again and dried it and its all good now. So much for a quick load.
Mid-day brought Sarah upstairs and Dad and Mom K. looked after her while rested more and later tidied up. I cleaned all the poop Sarah had managed to get on several things and now it feels like we're ready to start the week.
Andy visited his Dad today to plan what we'll grow in our garden. Darrell is not growing much himself this year because he works longer hours than he has in the past. Some of the highlights of vegetables that we'll grow are: peas, brocolli, kale, beans (i must like green eh?), squash, the yummiest beefsteak tomatoes I've ever tasted and romas, for canning. I look forward to canning and having our pantry stocked again. It's just not the same, buying tomatoes from the store, although the Glenn Muir Organic canned tomatoes are a special treat - the taste is so much fuller than their counterparts.
It's neat now that Sarah is more co-ordinated. She will often grab my hands when I'm buttoning her shirt up or wiping her gums. She rolled today from her stomach to her back.

Wednesday, January 26, 2005

Oh Yes

Hi. Frustrated today. Been fighting computer prolems...spyware...now we have a virus. Do I envy the computerless? Right now, yes. I'm blogging on my brothers computer cause I've turned ours off lest we get our identities stolen :)
What has been happening lately besides that? This last week Sarah has learned to roll over from her back to her front and she is trying to crawl. It was funny at first becuase I'd leave to wash my hands mid-change and she'd be on her stomach when I returned.
Yesterday we went to a film festival put on by Amnesty International. 2 films. 'Terror's Children' (about Afghan refugee children trying to make a living in Pakistan) and 'Rebel Without a Pause' - about Noam Chomsky - a popular and controversial author.
Out for lunch with my brother to the Jasmine Garden. It was my birthday date.
Ok, that's it for now. Just wanted to let you know that I am back at the blogging bit...and will be all the more once our computer is all healed up.

Monday, January 17, 2005

blogging break

Hi. This will be my last blog until this week is through. I'm taking a break from blogging and web surfing for our church's 'week of prayer.' Had Andy's parents, brother and Grandma A. over yesterday and Dad is fasting from sweets for their church's 40 days of prayer and fasting. This inspired me to give up something as well. May the peace and love of God and be yours in abundance.

Thursday, January 13, 2005

social day

Just to let you know anyone can now post comments. I've changed the settings.

Went to a 'play date' at Denise's house. It was fun. Four kids other than Sarah. We had lunch and played. While we ate Sarah used her new-found voice, just 'ahhing' and looking around. Joshua seemed to find this quite amusing, as he would lean over from his mom's lap and giggle.
I took the bus over there - with the stroller. There was some snow still on the ground so I had to take it slower. After 'play date' went to the Abrahams and visited with Dad who had just gotten up. Then he left and Jamie came home. Then he left and Mom came home and we visited. Then everyone else came back and Andy too, and we all visited.
Time to rest now as I just put Sarah down for an evening nap.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005


Skanking - a form of dance to ska music - at Tomfest, 1997. L-R:Keela, Shannon, Cara, Winona. I don't know who the exuberant fellow in the back is :)


Just for fun...Aimee reminded me of some of my history. Here is Keela, Shannon, myself, Winona and a few Squad-5-0 members at Tomfest, 1997 (I'm second from left).

Tuesday, January 11, 2005

Short and sweet hopefully...

...cause it's time for an extended period in bed. Sarah has, as of today, developed a more full sound to her voice. Andy made pumpkin peanut butter soup today and terrific pumpkin oatmeal choc. chip cookies and I made date squares. Went to a kids consignment shop looking for stuff for a friend. Worship Counicl meeting tonight...good stuff. I have such dreams of what we could do in our corporate worship times.
Sarah clutched a rattle today with arms and sucked on one end of it. Took some more footage of Sarah so Cherie, one of her aunties that hasn't met her yet, can see some of her historical moments.
Must concentrate on getting more sleep. Then I'll have energy to go to the gym again...I miss that. Goodnight. Peace.

Monday, January 10, 2005

Go Sarah Go!

The latest with Sarah:
-she has discovered, in the last week, that her hands can be unified and can often be found holding her hands together in front of her chest, or bringing them clasped to her mouth to suck.
-she has had a real 'belly laugh' (as one of Andy's co-workers calls it) three times now.
-just today she reached out - with both arms - for a rattle I held out for her. She hugged it clumsily to her chest. Andy says this skill will go a long way and he'll teach her how to belay her daddy.

Celebrated my brother's birthday tonight. He'll be 21 tomorrow. Andy and I gave him part of a foam sleeping mat (from MEC) to use when he kneels at his computer :) Sarah was 'talking' with her great grandma at the party. It was really neat. During this time she did one of her little laughs. Even got it on video.

Mill Lake is still frozen - except for the part by the boat launch - and there were many seagulls out there screaching and eating doughnuts. Everyone walking around the lake seemed in great spirits and were smiling and saying hello. One fellow asked me with enthusiasm, "Is that a baby you have in your pocket?" "Yes, it is, " I told him. Saw a fellow, who is probably in highschool, with a brilliant mohawk and I told him so. He nodded and kinda half-smiled.

That's it for now. Pretty tired today as Sarah got up twice last night instead of once, which is the norm.

Thursday, January 06, 2005

hmm..let's see

Ah...snow today for us. Fun walk with Sarah around Mill Lake today. I had her in a snugli-type carrier and carried an umbrella. Not many people out today. Some high school boys tested out the ice on the perimeter of the lake. It was cool to see all the duck/goose/rabbit (?) tracks in the snow - you could see where everyone has been.
We think Sarah is a little sick. She cried more today...one time for almost 15 min. She is usually so quiet and easygoing. Having a crying baby after yours hasn't kinda shakes your confidence. Yummy supper tonight. The recipes were from the Moosewood's cookbook we recieved from the Abrahams for Cmas. It was black bean dip and warm avocado corn salad...and we put it in homemade tortillas with lettuce and salsa. The avocado salad had red peppers in it so the colors were nice together.
My mom made a small snowman that is looking into our window. His eyes were made out of brocolli:)
Been trying to read a bit more to stimulate my brain. Right now with no diciplining of Sarah required parenting seems pretty simple. Hm..you need your diaper changed - I can do that. Oh, you're hungry...I can help you with that. It feels good to think on a different plain.
Opted to stay home from the gym tonight so it felt like the evening was very leisurely - time available for ease and relaxation (just found that definition while checking how to spell leisurely.)
Goodnight.

Monday, January 03, 2005

a secret

"We are each born with a secret, a secret we try to hide every second of our lives by a million clever devises, both internal and external. The secret is that each of us is terribly alone, each finds that loneliness unendurable, each reaches out desperately to overcome it in those million ways, [but] never fully succeeds..." ~ Peter Kreeft

What do you think?

Mill Lake was partially frozen today. I like the patterns in the ice.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

retrospective...a bit

Wanted to share a bit about new years eve day. We went to Mountain Equipment Co-op in Vancouver and then to Stanley Park. Among purchases at MEC were hot pink child sunglasses for Sarah - $6, nice. At Stanley Park we walked together for a bit, then I went for a run and we met back up again and looked at some Totem poles. It was really nice being out at the ocean. On the way back we stopped at Wendy's for baked potatoes and water to complement what food we'd brought along.
That evening, later, we went to the Engler's for a short visit. It was fun to see all these kids (3 others - all mobile) being themselves...sharing toys, not sharing, expressing themselves, interacting with people. Cool. On the way home we listened to the news and they reported for a full 15 min. on the disaster in Indonesia etc. It is so hard to imagine the devestation.
Today we ended up going to Bakerview church cause we got to Central Heights and the service was 45 min. through already. We missed part of Bakerview's as well and as we walked in there was a report from Camp Stillwood. That was neat.
Sarah jumped a bunch today and when she got up this morning, after sleeping for over 8 hours in a row (not normal for her:) both Andy and I thought she looked different. I think, like she had grown during her sleep. She's been scratching herself a bit more and only today drew a bit of blood.
The weather has been spectacular this weekend and crispy cool. On the way to Vancouver Friday there were trucks with snow falling off them...testimony to the fact that most of the rest of our province has snow.

Saturday, January 01, 2005


Our walk on the stellar weather day - the 27th. Also the day we did our Cmas with the Abrahams.


In her cozy new sleeper from Grandma and Grandad Abrahams.


This is a day that it was snowing, but by the time we got out it was raining. Grandma Klassen holds Sarah as she looks into the rain.


Sarah when she first started smiling.

back from a blogging break

Hey! Christmas is over, the new year begun, I'll start writing again...should be fun. Cmas had lots of gatherings, a nice walk on the 27th, and good times with family. But first, some pictures.