A Week of Blessings

February 25: A gift worn out, new, made do
An old tattered housecoat that Arianna "adopted".  Worn out for me, new for her and I made do without.

February 26: 3 gifts seen as reflections
Sarah watching the kids outside, writing about our journey through depression, reading a parenting book.

February 27: 3 ugly-beautiful gifts
sloppy wet snow that makes everything so dirty, drywall dust that is everywhere

February 28: 3 gifts from the past that help you trust the future
doctor appointments ensuring Sarah's growth, re-reading my marriage vows, necklace with my kids' names

March 1: 3 gifts at 3 pm
Red, flushed cheeks from my kids playing outside, a quiet coffee date with my mother in law, encouraging messages from friends

March 2: 3 gifts green
The abundance of fresh produce in the fridge, soft flannel material ready to be sewn, the ribbon of support for cerebral palsy

March 3: 3 gifts wore
Fuzzy, fleece sleepers, soft and warm boots, flip flops that sit in my back porch... longing to be worn.

1000 Gifts

February 18: 3 Gifts on paper
My busy calendar that keeps my days organized, love notes on recipe cards from Doug, long letters from my kids

February 19: 3 Gifts that were plan B


February 20: 3 Gifts at breakfast, lunch, supper
Coffee, yummy greek salad, sitting down with all my kids and talking about the day

February 21: 3 Gifts white
The snow on the ground that is melting, the walls of my house that are mudded and ready to paint, my washer and dryer... I love those appliances.

February 22: 3 Gifts that changed today
Fresh paint on the walls, new tires on the van, muffins made without wheat flour

February 23: A gift of tin, glass, wood

One of my favorite things at my in-law's house!

February 24: 3 Gifts before 11am
Hugs from my four year old, hot coffee and fresh blueberries in my breakfast

1000 Gifts

February 14: 3 ways I feel the love of God:

Forgiveness over and over, hearing Him continue to call me back, His waiting patiently for me to lean on Him

February 15: A gift in losing, finding, making something:

Slowly shedding a few unwanted pounds, finding a new (healthier) way to eat, making the changes to better myself.

February 16: 3 gifts in shadows:

Sarah watching a Curious George movie early in the morning, the silhouette of my 12 year old who is growing up too fast, the early morning shadows as the sun is up a few minutes more each day.

February 17: 3 gifts found giving/serving

Doing laundry and errands for my mother in law who recently had surgery, watching my kids help each other with their school, Brian S. willing to come on his own time and help with fixing the walls.

1000 Gifts

February 10: 3 times you heard laughter today

First thing in the morning as Sarah excitedly stumbled into my arms, early afternoon as Andrea easily won our tickle fight, while watching Back to The Future II and their misconceptions of what 2015 will look like!

February 11: 3 gifts in working

Doug as he faithfully gets up every day to provide for us, allowing me to fulfill my childhood dream of being a stay at home mom, my sweet son who, every chance he gets, helps me in the kitchen, pencils on paper as the kids work on their school.

February 12: 3 hard eucharisteo

I am thankful for road trips because it means my husband is working. I am thankful for my sister living in Calgary because it means our visits are longer and more intense.  I am thankful for Sarah as she has taught me so much about unconditional love.

February 13: 3 gifts behind a door

Sleeping kids, a pantry full of food, a van sitting in my garage

1000 Gifts

February 7: A gift found at 11:30am, 2:30pm and 6:30pm

11:30 - lunch preparations, 2:30 - watching Sarah and Lucy play together, 6:30 - a couples only dinner out with Doug, my sister and brother in law

February 8: A gift broken, fixed, thrifted
The doll that was my moms which has now been "adopted" by my daughter, a soft, much loved teddy that was losing it's stuffing, my Starbucks cup that I added glitter to.

February 9: 3 surprised gifts, grace unexpected
Sarah ate pasta and meat sauce, she slept in her own bed all night and birthday cake at my sister's (I do think birthdays should be spread out over a few days or more!)

 My workout plan/goal for the next month

 She was trying so hard to open the banana on her own

 Sledding can be fun...

... until you hit a bump and fall down. :(

1000 Gifts {Days 35, 36 & 37}

Three gifts found when bent down:

The beautiful faces of my children, the rising cookies baking in the oven,

A gift stitched, woven, hammered:

Sarah's baby Emma, made my my good friend, crocheted afghans by my grandma, the hope chest that Doug made me for my birthday many years ago.

Three gifts found outside:

The puddles and melting snow, kids skating on the rinks in their new skates, the sun rising earlier and setting later.

1000 Gifts {Day 34}

Three gifts in writing

Note from my kids telling me I'm the best, hundreds of love letters from the boy who turned out to be my partner for life and the Bible which I know I need to read more...

1000 Gifts {Day 33}

Three gifts on paper:

 The gift to draw

 Wonderful words

Letters from my kids

1000 Gifts {Day 32}

February 1: Three gifts red

 Smells like summer!

 A blanket I made for my Curious George loving toddler!

From Andrea... who knows how much I love coffee!

1000 Gifts {Days 29, 30 & 31}

January 29: A song heard, a soft word, light seen 

10,000 Reasons For My Heart To Sing (You can see it HERE on YouTube)

"I 'wuv 'oo mom" (Sarah, age 4.5)

Medications vs. natural remedies

January 30: Three old things seen new

How much Doug and I love each other.  The past few years have had quite a few ups and downs and yet I'm still in love with him!

Every morning, I am delighted with my fresh cup of hot coffee.

Warm fuzzy blankets, especially during the past few frigid days.

January 31: A gift on a paper, in a person, in a picture

Notes from my daughter

After work hugs from my husband, especially after he's been on the road for a night or two.

I would love to one day visit the country of my grandparents.  

Both sets were immigrants from Holland and I'm proud to be 100% Dutch.

1000 Gifts {Day 28}

Three graces found in friends (two specifically for this post):

Time shared over a cup of coffee.  Sitting in various living rooms enjoying the savoury aroma and taste of coffee, listening to the kids play together and just being with each other.

The opportunity to share thoughts, opinions and views over a topic that is common to us all.  Homeschooling.

The people I can be honest with. They appreciate me for who I am and I appreciate them for everything they do.      

1000 Gifts {Day 27}

3 Gifts in the Kitchen

I look forward to my coffee every morning 

This is probably my most used small kitchen appliance.  

I really appreciate my pantry.  :)

1000 Gifts {Day 26}

January 26: A gift before dawn, after noon & after dark

My morning coffee

My sweet daughter following Grandma

After bath time

1000 Gifts {Days 23, 24 & 25}

January 23: 3 gifts found in Christ

(Loving this now)

(Needing this now)

(And this one too)

January 24: 3 things blue
The LED light that shines when I turn my sewing machine on, our vast open sky, the color of Arianna's eyes that light up every time she sees me

January 25: a grace borrowed, found, inherited
The old wooden rocking chair that I used when each of the kids was a baby.  Re-found it in the basement and it's now become mine.

1000 Gifts {Days 20, 21, 22}

January 20: Three gifts only seen close up
My husbands eyes, reading a good book,

January 21: A gift in the sky, water, memory
A sunrise full of pink and purple hues, filling my bathtub and enjoying a nice soak, camping with my family when I was younger

January 22: A gift wrinkled, smoothed, unfolded
The piles of laundry that keep me and my family clothed, the super warm sheets on my bed and still the piles of laundry that remind me to get some folding done.

1000 Gifts {Days 17, 18 & 19}

January 17: A gift bringing laughter, prayer, quiet
A late night conversation with my daughter as she shares with me the secrets of her heart.  I am so thankful that she is willing be open with me and feel safe when we talk.


January 18: 3 Gifts from God's word

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

Psalm 139:13

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 


John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 

January 19: 3 gifts that might never have been
My marriage... had a certain young man not offered to drive me and my best friend down to Calgary for a music competition, who knows where I 'd be today.  What a wonderful turn of events.

Arianna & Sarah.  Both of them were born following miscarriages and after much emotional pain, I've come to the place where I know that if it wasn't for the miscarriage, I wouldn't have the children that I do now.

Following my instinct to home school the kids.  I wanted to so badly when Joshua was in kindergarten but I gave in to the pressures of those who didn't think it was a good idea.  His first experience in school was a bomb and that was the last time any of my kids went to school full time.

1000 Gifts {Days 15 &16}

A gift worn, shared and given away:

My new fleece pajamas, books exchanged with my sister and the relief of free cycling a bunch of stuff this week!



Three witnessed blessings:
The free running water flowing down the street in mid January, new books that arrived in the mail today, Doug's ability to get his (forgotten) medications transferred to another pharmacy in a totally different city.

1000 Gifts {Days 12, 13 & 14}

January 12: Something above, below, beside

Above: My bedroom is above me.  A place that I can lock the door behind me and just be alone, even for a moment or two.
Below: The basement below me is getting a wall repaired from the water damage done last summer.  It will be nice not to have a hole there anymore.
Beside: a clean kitchen

January 13: 3 things about myself that I am grateful for

1. my kids feel comfortable coming to me and talking to me about pretty much anything.
2. I'm easy to get along with.
3. I have a giving heart and like to do what I can for people.

January 14: 3 startling graces of God

1. the offered help to fix up the walls in the house
2. selling some items which allowed me to take Andrea to a movie this weekend
3. the quick return to her home after my mother in law's surgery 

1000 Gifts {Day 11}

Three yellow gifts of fresh mercy...

1.  I love yellow roses.  They remind me of my mom.
2.  The sun is rising a few minutes earlier every day which means that the days are getting longer and spring is coming.
3.  Fresh lemons.  I just like them.

1000 Gifts {Day 10}

A gift sweet, sour, just right

Sweet: my morning coffee

Sour: Hmmmm... Not sure about this one yet.

Just right: the pizza treat we had for supper tonight.

1000 Gifts {Day 9}

A gift held:

Passed by: I came home last night to find the entire main floor was cleaned by Andrea.  It was as good as I would have done it.

Sat with: Doug and I spent the first hour of our day drinking coffee in the quiet of the morning.  I love times like that.

1000 Gifts {Day 8}

Dusky light: driving to see a movie with a great group of friends.
Surprising reflection: maybe not surprising, but I realized tonight that my kids need me more than I think.
Lovely shadow: the silhouette of the sleeping figures of those I love.

1000 Gifts {Days 6 & 7}

January 6: Something in your bag, fridge, heart

Bag: The keys that allow access to my van.  The privilege and ability to drive is something I take for granted.
Fridge: creamer for my coffee.  Something I look forward to each morning.
Heart: I love my family.  I can't imagine life without them.


January 7: 3 Graces from people you love

Doug filling up the van with gas when it's cold outside.
Sarah affirming that I'm the "best-ever-mom".
Support and encouragement (in so many ways) from my in-laws.

1000 Gifts {Day 5}

A gift reading, making, seeing:

Reading: Jane Eyre
Making: Life changing decisions
Seeing: Children growing right before my eyes

1000 Gifts (Day 4)

{January 4}

A gift old, new, blue

Old: My necklace with a locket from my mom and a "mom" charm from Doug's mom.  Two very special women who mean a whole lot to me.

New: A Tim Horton's mug from Andrea at Christmas time.  I love new mugs.

(Picture from HERE)

Blue: the vast expanse of sky that covers our world.  Amazing.

1000 Gifts {Days 1, 2 & 3)

I read this blog this morning ---> A Holy Experience and would like to make that my blog's focus for 2013.  Oddly, I can't write as well on paper but when I have a keyboard in front of me, the words just seem to come pouring out.

I'll do a combination of writing and photos and I'm hoping to use my good camera more than my phone this year.

So here goes!

January 1: Three gifts heard: the voices of my children, a whispered "I love you" from my husband, and the familiar text tone that is unique to my sister.

January 2: A gift outside, inside, and on a plate:  the snow glittering in the sun, fleece bedsheets and the abundant meal I shared with my in laws.

January 3: Three graces you've overheard: I am a good wife.  I am a good mom.  I am doing well at what I do.
*Grace defined as: "The Grace of God expresses itself as a combination of many attributes of God, especially mercy, goodness, compassion, and love."*

Well, there's the first nine, since I needed to get caught up from the past two days.