Last Day

Well, here it is, the last day of April.
Successfully I completed the "blog a day" challenge, and checked off my first item on this year's resolution list.
Hold on. It's coming...
YIPPPPPEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!
#hadtoletthatout
:)

This adventure was incredibly fun, though at times really challenging.
There were times that evening would roll around and I would begin to panic because I had not even given thought to my blog post yet!
And yes, there were times that I wished, REALLY wished that I didn't have to write anything on that particular day.
But the rewards were worth the effort. I discovered a lot about myself, and somehow I developed an even deeper passion for writing, and using words God has placed in my heart in an attempt to minister to others.

Thank you all for your support and kind comments during this time, even on the days that I had not much to give. I appreciate every single one of you!

And so tomorrow we begin a new month. It promises to be a busy one. Even as I write the guys are headed out to the fields to begin their first day of seeding.
I hope to continue to post often (cuz' I'm on a rooooolll :) but, not quite so nearly every day :)
Oh, and in the near future I will be hosting my first EVER giveaway, so keep checking back!

Favorite Family Memories ~ Elijah

How can I begin to describe the joy that this little one has brought into our home. He is definitely one of a kind and his adorable, smart little brain creates memories that could be labeled as "best" every single day.

My little bud and I share a bench seat in the van, and I believe this is where we experience the most fun together. We look for cows and tractors, and exclaim greatly when we come across them. He now knows all the places the tractors are to be found during our weekly drive to church, and we always look at them together, oohing and aahing as we speed past.

But my favorite part of our drive is when he reaches out his little hand to hold mine.
Sometimes it is only for a few seconds. Sometimes it is for half the drive.
I know that he will not always want to hold my hand, before I know it, he will be a big boy.
So I treasure these moments as best, and capture them in my deepest memory.

Raindrops

I step through the back door and breathe deep. The air is filled with the fragrence of falling rain, I can taste the freshness.
I huddle inside my jacket in an attempt to keep myself dry as I walk down the rain soaked gravel road.
"Is it just me, or is the sound of millions of raindrops splashing truly among the most beautiful of sounds in all the earth?" I thought to myself, now deeply engulfed in blissful serenity.
I pass children as I continue on, each enjoying this phenomina of nature in their own way. One is holding out his hand and watching the raindrops splatter on it, not even paying attention to where he is going. The other is stomping through the puddles, pretending that he is Winnie the Pooh.
Laughter now mixes in with all the other delicate sounds.

I reach my destination, but turn to pause before entering.
I heard in yesterday's sermon that all of creation is God's artwork, and that all artwork visually reflects the artist.
A glimpse of God, I knew this to be true as I soaked in his sights, smells, sounds a short time longer before opening the door, and slipping inside.

Outside the sky continues to fall, showcasing God's glorious beauty.
Raindrops.

Timeless love

 Forty six years ago today love shone bright as my grandparents joined together in holy matrimony. Over and over again their love has proven to be timeless. 

I see it in the way that they look at each other, and hear of in stories. (my favorite being the one my Grandma shared at the time they began driving an automatic car. She realized with excitement that they didn't have to let go of each other's hands when they turned the corners anymore :)

These two are a blessing, not only are they a huge inspiration to me, but they are also show great love to any and every person around them.

I love you much Gramps and Grams, and wish you many more years of married bliss :)

Happy Anniversary!!!

Photograph credit: Phraze Photography

Favorite Family Memories ~ Jesse

I have to say that the best memory I have with Jesse is not what one would expect. It is not about a fun time that we spent together driving tractors, nor one of the countless conversations we have shared.
Rather it is a moment of helplessness, a near death encounter. This moment includes a little girl's desperate prayer to a God who saved her little brother's life.

He was two years old, I was twelve. We had the flue going around our house, and while everyone else had recovered, Jesse's slight fever lingered.
At the time Mom and Dad were teaching a parenting course in Winkler. They had left earlier that day to do some grocery shopping before heading to their class.
Our Grandparents were living on the same yard as us, so as was often the case, she invited us over to eat supper at her house.
Since Jes still wasn't feeling well, all the kids headed over but myself, Jesse and the baby... Nathan. We had agreed that I would stay with them while Josh ate, then would switch him off so I could eat my supper.

Though the details of what happened next are somewhat of a blur, I try to remember, always remember.

I was watching a movie with the two youngest when suddenly Jesse's body began to shake violently. I rushed to his side and noticed that his face was changing colour from pink to blue, I especially noticed his blue lips. I knew at that moment that something serious was going on, my little brother was struggling for his life, but I didn't know what to do.
So I screamed "Please Jesus" over and over again while I frantically tried to listen to his still beating heart. His body stopped convulsing and became still, but his face was still that awful shade. I shook him in an effort to bring him back to normal, still screaming for help in childlike faith.
Finally in desperation I grabbed the phone, and called Grandma "he was shaking, his face is blue and I don't know what to do!" is all I remember saying as my whole body trembled with emotion. I remember watching him from the phone and with great relief, I noticed that his face was finally returning to it's normal state.
I don't know how much time had elapsed.
Grandma rushed over and found me holding the little bundle that was my brother, still feverish, but alive.

I called mom and dad and they rushed home, later telling me that their drive home included desperate prayer as they didn't know how much longer they would have with their son.
It turned out that he was just fine, the next day he was back to normal.

Those helpless moments will forever be burnt into my memory.

Every day that I get to enjoy the part that Jesse plays in my life, I am grateful.
Those days when we are driving the tractor together laughing and talking in accents.
Those moments when I get to see the huge smile on his face as he tells me about a new accomplishment.
The joys of being his teacher on school days.
All of these precious moments lead back to the day that Jesus saved my little brother Jesse's life.
And that is why it is my best memory with Jes.

Seeing For The First Time

I'll never understand it fully 

Lost here in your beauty

No words can say how I feel

(Britt Nicole)

 Where heaven touches earth

my heart begins to turn

I've never felt so alive

(Britt Nicole)

Pictures from Easter

As you may have already read in between the lines of my posting, I love the season of spring. Everything about it satisfies the desire within me to celebrate life.

The holiday of Easter is no exception as we are privileged to gather with family and friends to give thanks for the life we are able to live in Christ.

We have our largest amount of gatherings at this time. We have the normal, Mom's side/Dad's side ones that we have every holiday, in addition to the annual extended Pauls Family gathering.

Below are some of my fumbling photography attempts to capture moments from these occasions.

Extended Family Gathering

Fun Experienced:

• Decorating cookies with the kiddoes.
• Visiting/catching up with relatives (good friends!)
• Eating yummy food.

Gathering with Mom's side

Fun Experienced:

• Laughing lots
• Talking lots
• Eating lots
• Playing with babies lots
• Making lots of music (not pictured)
• Playing first football game of the year (not pictured)

Gathering with Dad's side

We were so excited to have Aunty Karen out for a visit!!

Fun Experienced:

• Catching up with Aunty K (love you!)
• More baby cuddles
• Yet more eating
• Playing the game "Last word"

And that, my dear readers, was Easter with the Pauls fam. :)