hunter elias.

So friends, as you probably have guessed (and anticipated!), my lengthy blogging break has been due to my son being born!  Alllow me to introduce you to our sweet baby boy, Hunter Elias.

He was born November 5, 2013 at 7:50pm.  Weighing in at 7 pounds and 6 ounces, he felt so tiny and fragile.  Though now ... he's got a little more meat on him!  Already, he is so different than Judah and I can't wait to learn and see his personality grow.  One thing I do know, is that these boys are going to be great friends.  I just know it.  He's got the type of personaliity that is very definite - he likes what he likes and that's it.  At this point, he seems much more cuddly than Judah and both his papa and I are absorbing as many cuddles as possible!  And, though you can't really see in these shots, right now he has two differend colored eyes!

Name meanings are important to me, so picking his name (and Judah's) felt a bit daunting, but I am absolutely in love and happy with his name.

Hunter: one who pursues, hunts

Elias: my God is the Lord

Little buddy, we're so happy you joined us out here!  We love you and anticipate only God's best and perfect will in your ife

pic pix: mini photoshoot, 25.Nov.2013

ch-ch-ch-changes.

A nearly 10 month-old, new house, busy business ... it's time to have another baby!

Come November, we will no longer be a family of 3, but 4!  So many emotions to go along with the news - questions too.  Are we crazy?!  How else were we going to have kids close together if they weren't going to be close in age?  Will I be as busy as I think I'm going to be?  How did my mom do it having two kids 14 months apart...

I couldn't be more thrilled and kind of scared at the same time.  It's change again, and happening ever-so-rapidly.  And when there's change, it's refreshing, but it usually takes a hike to get to the point of enjoying the new reality.

A few years ago, I went with a girlfriend to Ecuador where we climbed/traipsed through volcanic ash, rafted down the Rio Negro, went bungee jumping, beached it, shopped, toured...we did, what seemed, almost everything we could possibly do!  Another one of our adventures was canyoning (repelling) down waterfalls...amazing.  We started at the top of a mountain then made our way down every waterfall sequentially.  The last waterfall was around 20-30 storeys high, and was, by far, the most exhilarating.  We were given the option to go down it as many times as we wanted, but the only difference was, we had to climb the steep mountain side to get back up.

It was so easy to just walk "down" to each waterfall and enjoy our little adventure that way, but to climb back up??  Not as easy.  It was in the middle of the rainforest, so if you can imagine, they were some slippery slopes!  I love to hike here in the Rockies, where you can usually climb up on snow or sturdy/rockier ground, most of the time able to find your footing ...I learnt that hiking in a tropical place is a whole different ball game.  And that exhilarating part of it being so high?  My legs definitely weren't to impressed or happy so to say after that climb!

We made it back up to where we repelled down the waterfall, and did it a few times again.  The drastic change of coming down a mountain to then needing to climb up it to be able to enjoy the repelling wasn't mentally (or physically) fun.  But the end results ended up being so worth it.

I guess I kind of see life like that for me right now - lots of work ahead - and that is what I fear.

To fight the fear, I've been clinging to this verse:

"Be strong and courageous, and do the work.  Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you.  He will not fail you or forsake you..." 1 Chronicles 28:20



How do YOU seek His presence and protection in times of change?



pic pix: our peanut no.2 (due October 30), 08.Apr.2013

little lion man ...

I am so proud to finally announce it on this blog of mine ... our lil man is HERE!!  The last stretch of waiting for him seemed like it would never end.  Yet, here we are, with his 4 week birthday coming up on Wednesday!  Allow me to introduce you...everyone, this is my son, Judah West Arsenault (aka. the little lion man). 

a few hours after Judah was born

He arrived on Wednesday,  June 13, 2012 coming in at 8lbs 13oz, ready to take on the world with a roar!

his yawns are so cute!

So much of my life is/has been changing since I laid eyes on him.  My heart melts just thinking about this miracle in my life and how he perfectly fits perfectly.  I know I'm still a swooning new mama, but isn't he perfectly adorable?!

10 days old and kickin it!  I have yet to get his full smile on camera ...

too many cute Papa & Judah moments

such a poser

*sigh*... I'm so in love

pic pix: pictures of my 27 day old son, Calgary, AB, Jun-Jul 2012

awaiting the arrival

My mind has been, let's just say, "occupied" with when baby will finally makes it's debut!  The actual 40-week due date was May 25.  I have officially come to terms that we will be having a June baby instead of a May baby (yes, I know it is already June 4th today!).  I haven't felt inspired to write/think of anything but "baby" in the last week, but figured, it's time I share a bit of my goings on (besides being pregnant)...well, since my last post!

Another Mother's Day...

My brother recently graduated from his 4-year program down in Texas, so we decided to celebrate Mother's Day when he got back.

**just missing me & my dad in these shots ...

I covered some ceramic pots with fabric & modge podge, as a gift for Mom ... I think they turned out pretty cute.

Big Buckets ...

Baby really is growing inside of me.  I can barely recognize myself in pictures/the mirror let alone, get my arms around my belly these days!! 

Fishing & Walks ...
We live so close to such a beautiful park ... it's a good guess I am down there on a sunny day!  While Matt fishes, sometimes I read, snap away with my camera, or just sit there and take it all in ...

 *taken w/vsco cam - iphone

*taken w/vsco cam - iphone

 Here's hoping my next post will have some baby news!!!



pic pix: my life as of late, Calgary, AB, May-June.2012

waiting .... thankfully!

Tomorrow is my "technical" due date.  Which, in some ways, has come very fast but in others, has taken it's pretty time.  This last week, I've been more antsy, just anticipating and hoping our little person would just come ... seriously, like yesterday! 

Though, I know there is nothing I can do to speed up the process, once again, I CAN choose to enjoy every single moment even in waiting.

If a fellow [or gal!] isn't thankful for what he's got ... 

he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get.

Frank A. Clark

Mumford & Sons is blaring in our kitchen, M'love is making his specialty for dinner (pizzas!), I just had a relaxing bath, did a crossword, my nails got a pretty color makeover from my sister this afternoon (I love gel polish!), I can see my baby dancing in me belly(!) .... at this very moment, I am so beyond just the "feeling" of joy.  I am living in a moment of thankfulness.  Thankful not only for those mentioned things, but for life's simplicity that I am blessed to witness and experience right now.  


pic pix: lil bead things we were organizing (??!!) at my sister-in-law's ... yup, the simple things! Calgary, AB, April.2012

random thoughts & things

After my breakfast (tried this french toast recipe today...yum!), a bit of cleaning up, a pleasant visit with my midwife, lunch with my beautiful friend, a long afternoon nap, grocery shopping with my sis, dinner with m'love, then the wind-down with laundry and a movie ... I now, FINALLY have time to share some written words of my string of recent/current thoughts and happenings!!  With baby's due date only 9 days away, I've been keeping myself busy busy and have been pretty quiet blogging because of it.  So, here's some of those "things" I've been busying myself with...
   

Baby of mine ...

There are limited pictures of me and this protruding belly ...  so I'm glad we took a few the other day for proof that I did actually get this big!  When I walk by a mirror, I am still in complete amazement that God actually worked out human life to happen/start this way.  It's pretty wild.  Pretty remarkable.

 

I've been on the prowl for some good book finds ... was able to pick up a few from the thrift store (along with many other treasures).  Now, if getting this baby to arrive were as easy as thrift store shopping!

Life's timing ...

Lately, I've been so thankful that there is a planned and perfect time for everything.  Had we found out we were pregnant one day then expecting the baby to arrive not even a month later ... there would've been (obviously!) no way I could have physically nor emotionally been prepared.  Being given 9 months to think about, wonder about, and begin to adjust to the preliminary grounds of becoming a parent seems hardly enough but yet, I feel like so much of me has changed and grown.  I'm ready to be mommy!   

Toy cars & cuties ...

Last Friday, I got to watch my 2 nephews and niece.  Them little smiles make my heart melt and their funny antics make my soul laugh!  And oh...they LOVE cars.

Nesting ...
I always thought it was funny, the term "nesting" - getting ready for the new baby bird to arrive.  I thought, "Really?  How much can there be to setting up your home for a newborn?".  Maybe my nesting has been different than most others (yup, I'm a nester!), but my focus hasn't so much been on baby prep stuff ... my focus has been cleaning out closets, drawers, junk, and other unnoticeable things (?).  It's all in prep for the baby, but seriously, how does my unorganized front hall closet have anything to do with baby's birth day around the corner?!?!  

Female brains, mothers' sacrifices ...

On Sunday, we celebrated my mother-in-law by way of a picnic at "our" park (we have a pretty sweet community park right across from our apartment building).  We made bbq beef on a bun(!) and had salads, strawberries, and a yummy dessert.  Food and good company is the best combination for a perfect picnic.  Next week (due to my family's schedules), we will be celebrating my mom!

Along with the mother's day theme, a friend of mine was talking about this sermon that was shared last Sunday.  The first 5 minutes (all that I've listened to so far) had some really interesting statistics about the female brain.  Those 5 minutes are worth a listen!


And ... that's all for now. xo



 pic pix: all in Calgary, AB this last week, May.2012

blessed

Parents are so special.

What I have been feeling lately, definitely stems to me being pregnant (miss emotional tornado over here!), but roots much deeper than just towards this "time".  Almost twenty-six years ago, my parents were anticipating a little one to make it's debut in the world.  Not knowing my gender, hair color, personality, potential...they were full of this unexplainable joy and a love for this baby that was already "theirs".

It's wild to now see and experience just a taste of how much more they care for me as I now sit on the other side of this parent-child spectrum.  Putting myself in their shoes, and thinking that baby was me, I am overwhelmed with this 'connection'/love/joy that they felt when they thought of me for the first time ... and how they look at me today.

I can't explain how thrilled I am to meet our baby or how much I am already in love him/her ... the only description that seems fitting is my own parent's love for me.

Today, I know I am so blessed.


 pic pix: when I was born, 19.June.1986, Calgary, AB