Spring/Summer 2017

So, after my roofer fiasco ending and me being able to move on and let go, what have we been up to?  We have had a lot that has gone on recently.

Maudie's style is still Awesome. :) And we are loving the girl she is growing into, however whiny she may be some days.  She hadn't been liking the balance bike, so we got one with training wheels and things have been better.

 

 

Scott doesn't teach at the University in May and June so he took some motor bike trips with his father, we both went to conferences in Edmonton, where we also got to go to galaxy land.  At first they had made us pay $90 for all of us for one day, and then when Maudie's arm band was too tight, we went to get it made looser and found out they had charged us wrong and we only paid $20 for all three of us to get in that day.  Score!! 

The trip also included some visiting with Scott's brother and his family.  We even saw geese up close!

 

Scott also went on a Robison Boys' trip to Eugene, which was great.  And what wasn't so great was that while showing off for Dadee on Facetime, Maudie cracked her head open and ended up with 3 stitches in her head.  She was fine otherwise and has been slightly more cautious while jumping on furniture that she shouldn't be on.

  

Maudie and I went to a Storybook theatre production with one of her little friends while he was gone, too- Much more fun than stitches.

My mom convocated from her BSW (Bachelor's in Social Work- taking after me, yay)

and we went on a family holiday as well to Silverwood amusement park with some friends.  Maudie even went in the water and we had so much fun that there are few pictures! (I love the photo of Maudie and her Gramma.  It is absolutely perfect!)

AND...

We added a new fur member to our family.

Meet Blue Camo!  (We call him Camo mostly and I don't know if he'd answer to Blue yet but he sure knows his name is Camo and Little Guy.)

After all these adventures, we had a little problem when we came home from Silverwood.  When we left, we had turned off the water to the house, and when we came home, our kitchen floor and basement roof were leaking water. (We have yet to determine where from)  Our insurance company has been fine and got things settled right away for the clean up but it has been a bit of waiting for the repairing, so we are walking around our house in sandals because who wants to get slivers from subflooring.  The house was really, really hot while the dehumidifiers were in and SUPER LOUD but we are glad that piece is over.  

Because it has been hot, and because we have this new little pup, we haven't been able to get out to the park as often or the Sundance lake as often, but Maudie and I went to the lake once and we have been spending a lot of fun time in the back yard and enjoying the weather and the large yard.  It has been a nice summer thus far.

A note about Camo:  I also wanted to say that we have been pleasantly surprised about this little guy. He has not had as many accidents as Huck did at this age and seems to grasp some of the concepts we'd like quickly.  He has had accidents but he is already at the stage where he wants to go out and do his business there and if he can't (he can't go down stairs yet), he will hide to go to the bathroom.  I remember when one of our nephews was going through that stage and it was quickly followed by totally understanding the potty training thing.  Here's hoping!  I am loving having a new little pup to give attention to, loving when he is sad when I leave and super happy when I walk in the door and I love his bright blue eyes.  Maudie loves cuddling with him, feeding him when she is allowed, carrying him around and playing with him and is working on being gentle and soft.  Scott is helping when he can and Huckleberry.... took some time to get used to Camo.  At first, he moped and pouted, ate all the puppy's food when he could, and wouldn't even play with us around Camo.  Then after some individual time with Scott and I and time with the family without the pup, Huckleberry started to act more like himself around us and avoid the puppy at all costs.  After the first week, he started to acknowledge Camo, mostly by barking at him and hoarding toys and growling and barking when we fed the puppy.  This past weekend and this week, he has been playing with the puppy with the toys we have around the house.  We know he is pretty strong and could take toys away from Camo, but he plays tug with him instead.  He still growls through most of it but the wagging tail is a good sign.  And Camo loves Huck, so I'm super glad that Huckleberry is coming around.  Camo adores his big brother and follows him everywhere.  Often Huck will go down stairs just because Camo can't or jump off the bed, knowing Camo can't follow and Camo will bark at him from the top of the stairs or bed until someone picks him up to play with them or Huck again.  This guy has a lot of energy!  

And just for fun here are a few more photos of other adventures lately: 

(Calaway and Scott getting rid of a wasps' nests)

Rant... Forgiveness

I had this whole thought, idea, post in my head, RANT, honestly, and when I started to write it, I felt like that wasn't what I needed to write today, so I scrapped it and wrote this instead.

Sometimes, I look at my challenges and think they are a lot and then someone comes along and does something selfish, unfeeling and down right rude and I think- Don't they realize that I am struggling?  Why can't you show love and compassion?  Or why can't you just do your job, do what you are supposed to and I'll do me and we don't even have to interact again.  And of course, I think these people are jerks and uncaring.

And then I remember Easter tells us a different story, the life of Christ tells us a different story.  He gave His love freely to all, no matter what wrongs they committed or how they hurt others.  And He reminded us that we are all debtors and we are all struggling with our bad days.

I was complaining about a specific injustice to my husband the other day and he reminded me of the following story:

In the New Testament there is a story of a servant who owes his master a large debt and the master has great compassion, forgives the debt and lets the man go free.  Then that same man grabs one of his fellow servants who owes him a paltry amount in comparison and won't forgive this fellow servant but instead has him thrown in jail to pay for his debt.  (Matt. 18:23-35)

And to that man, that paltry debt may have seemed like a lot, something he needed.  But because he couldn't forgive, his master then took away the forgiveness given him and threw him in jail.

When I get frustrated at the petty things that I see others doing, and when I feel justified in my feelings, I often want to go tell that person off.  I want to rant and scream and get what is "owed" to me.  And I want to rant on public forums so that others can unite with me and my injustice. 

It would go something like this: Me-"See this horrible thing that happened and this crapy person that did it?" Others-"Wow, thanks for letting us know.  We agree with you.  That sucks.  Let's all publicly shun said wrongdoer!"  Me- justified and self-righteous!

Instead what I should remember is this:

"Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?"

Compassion... Pity...

wait, that is a lot different from my self-righteous and hurt thoughts.

We each own the Saviour a debt and it is larger than any hurt or wrong doing another has done to us.  I owe the Saviour more than those take advantage of me owe me.  If I were to make them pay for their wrong doings, I would be just like that uncompassionate servant and deserve my own justice just as I am wanting to exact justice on another.  Is that really worth $1000? No, it really isn't and I really need that compassion from the Saviour.  I want to forgive so that the Lord can also forgive me. Which is a great thought and desire.

Forgiveness is hard!  For me, it is especially hard when I am in the right I know I am, the wrong doers know I am- so, just do the right thing already! Drop the crap excuses and just Human properly like the rest of us - But that isn't the Christ-like way.  To be Christ-like is to forgive and let it go.  To move on and say that I know they are also human.  They also make mistakes and problems and I don't know what is going on for that person- maybe they are really struggling in their life/work/home/relationships/etc and I don't see that.  I just see the wrong doing and want them to apologize and make things right. 

And even though I feel a lot of those emotions still, I am grateful for a husband who reminded me to show Christ-like love, reminded me not to reply in anger and hurt and who frankly forgave.  He is a great example to me on so many occasions on what I need to work on.  We are a great team that way and I am grateful to him for that.

So, I guess the main point of my rant post, turned to Compassion and remembering forgiveness post is that I have been forgiven much by the Saviour and I have the desire to forgive others who do me wrong and I am praying for that help and support to let those troubles go and forgive those that wrong me so that I can be a better servant of the Saviour and have Christ-like love for everyone I come in contact with. No matter what they do.  Forgiveness is all about my response and has nothing to do with the other person.  It can heal me and my hurt feelings. 

Isn't that what we all want?

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