Mr. Judah

Judah (who we usually call Jude) is 2 months!

Weekend Gardening

We planted our vegetable tire garden this weekend!  It's our second attempt at the whole vegetable gardening thing... first attempt was a total failure hopefully this time around things go better.  The kids loved planting the seeds and Levi loved watering his pants and the rocks and anything else in sight that he thought needed water.

Grow plants Grow!

The supervisor

Blogging

So I'm realizing that I cannot keep up with blogging... the blog is constantly on my list of things to do and I often feel guilty about not blogging but the reality is I just don't have time!  Most days I hardly even get to checking my email by the end of the day.  But I want to keep up our blog because it's neat to look back and see the things that were going on, the ways God has provided and to see how our children have grown!  So instead of feeling guilty about all the blog posts I should be doing I think for this season of my life I'm just going to stick to pictures.... hopefully it will keep the grandparents happy and the pressure off my shoulders!  This weeks picture...

Nap Time

Sowing Some Seeds

"As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it.  He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty"  Matt 13:23

Agriculture day is coming up and so this past month has been Agriculture month.  Earlier in the month a team from Faith Christian Reformed Church came to the school and taught the students a little bit about planting seeds.  They gave each student a pot and went through the process of sifting the dirt, adding in the fertilizer, planting the seeds and giving it water to grow.  Then they finished off the day with an assembly and a devotion on the verse above.  

Praying that hearts are continually being watered, fertilized and growing for the Lord at Adoration.

Sifting the dirt

Pastor Zach handing out seeds

Students helping with the soil

Students getting ready to plant their seeds

Each class was also given two trees to take care of  for the rest of the year

Closing assembly 

 And... a couple weeks later... check out some of the student's plants!

C-A-N-A-D-A

The highlight of our time in Canada was obviously welcoming Judah into our family but we also have great memories of time spent with family and friends.  We don't have pictures to document all of it but here are a few of our favourites from the freezing North.

Maia and her daddy with their Maiasaurus and Leviathan

Rides in the wheelbarrow

Maia and Leah sledding

Sledding with cousins

Cuddles with Grampa and Grandma and cousin Trent

Hanging out with Alyssa and Joshua

Long Overdue Thank You

Well this thank you is very long overdue but we still wanted to say Thank You to all those who lifted up prayers on behalf of Judah.  We are very thankful for the medical care that Judah received and for all the great staff at McMaster and for our amazing families who helped us out with Maia and Levi during the week.    But most of all we thank the LORD for his provision over Judah and our family during our week long stay in the hospital.

Judah's belly - this was about two days into the antibiotic treatment

Judah's favourite visitors

Maia supervising Daddy 

Judah's room... and laundry

Judah Hospitalized

We just wanted to let you all know that Judah was hospitalized on Sunday night, and will be in the hospital for at least a week.  He has Omphalitis, which is an infection in the belly button which can be very serious.  He is receiving an antibiotic treatments for 7 days and so has to remain in the hospital until Sunday, when the doctors will re-assess.  Anyway, we are extremely thankful that it was caught in time and before it got too serious, and for the medical care he is receiving at McMaster Children's hospital. 

We covet your prayers for Judah, as we know the LORD is the Great Physician, who heals and restores.

In Christ Alone,

Its a boy!

With thankfulness in our hearts we want to share with you our joyful news that we received a healthy baby boy this afternoon, whom we have named Judah Josiah, meaning, “We will praise the Lord, who saves, supports and heals!”  Both Judah and Karen are doing well.  Karen was a trooper through the whole day (not to mention the entire pregnancy).  Judah weighed in at 8 lbs 13 ounces.  They are St.Joes Hospital and D.V.  should be coming home (Opa and Oma’s house) tomorrow.  Praise the Lord!

Randy, Karen, Maia, Levi and Judah

And Now...

Oma, Opa, Maia & Levi

And now that the blog is FINALLY updated - no I didn't get it all, there is just too much going on - but I got some of it and I can now cross it off my to-do list of things I want to get done before the baby comes!
Here are a few pics of us Canadianizing our children and enjoying some cooler temps and some different precipitation!

Maia and Levi with their snowmen

Playing in their snow tunnel

Oma, Opa and Maia posing with their look-alikes

January Workteam

In the middle of January we found 8 men willing to escape the Great White North and spend 9 days working their butts off at Adoration Christian Centre.  These men put in some long, hard days of work and got a lot accomplished!  To name a few things they : built a LOT of cubbies, raised the tent, redid the paving stone, cleaned out some nasty plumbing lines, hung curtains, built some offices, hung fans, etc. 

Thank you Tim, Tim, Jake, Wes, Toni, Rick, Klaas and Conrad for all of the physical labour that you did at Adoration as well as the time you took to get to know our staff and students.  It was truly a blessing to have hosted you during your time in Haiti.  

I don't have a lot of pictures of the team... but here are a few and you can check out Cornelius and Mindy's blog for more pictures... here, here, here, here, and here.

Tim and Tim working hard

Klaas working alongside Franklin (his Sponsor student)

The new look for the entrance to the tent

The raised tent - so much more space and airflow!

Maia & Levi & Friends

Riding on the train... yes Aunt Trisha had to go for a ride too!

Snack Time!

Buddies

Jacmel!

To start off the New Year we headed to the South of the island to Jacmel for some time r&r with some friends.  It was a great time of relaxing, games and good talks.  It was fun to meet up with a bunch of different friends during our stay there.  And while there we got to enjoy some of the beauty of Haiti - the beach and bassin bleu - what an amazing Creator we serve!  

Bocce Ball on the beach

Buddies on the Beach

Levi's stellar photography abilities

Mmmmm

Heading to Bassin Bleu

Swimming in on of the bassins...

Christmas Day Festivites

Christmas Day was spent with some of our special friends in Haiti celebrating Jesus' birth by fellowshipping, playing games, laughing, eating, cookie decorating, singing, and meditating on God's Words.  

Just a few pics from the festivities

Gingerbread cookie decorating

"Cheese!"

Christmas carolling

Thanks Sharon for playing the piano!

 

The children singing for us