Look what I bought....

On my lunch break, Sandra & I went shopping at a local 2nd hand clothing store for some baby clothes. Look what I got for $29!!! What a steel?

So, you're probably wondering WHAT ON EARTH do I need all these baby clothes for, right? Well in preparation for our mission trip (the spring of 2009, 'fingers crossed' for Eagle's Nest in Guatemala) we've decided to start shopping for some items (mostly clothes) to donate when we go. We both plan to take a carry on bag only for our clothes and the remainder of our allowable baggage will be all items to donate to the orphanage.

What a happy feeling I have from doing something so little! If only every person could do something little like this.... imagine how different our world would be?

As soon as I got home, I put all the clothes in the washer then dried them - a task that is an absolute PLEASURE for me! There's NOTHING I love more than washing, folding and smelling clean baby clothes!

It kinda makes my desire to go on a mission trip a little more real - like, I'm one step closer to actually making this dream of mine a REALITY! Although I know it's still so far in the future, I enjoy spending time thinking about it and planning for it. It makes me smile. It makes me happy. It keeps my mind occupied from other negative thoughts and it lifts my spirits up. It makes me feel more driven to continue saving and preparing for this trip!

If you are reading this blog entry and wish to help out by donating baby/toddler items (like baby clothing of all sizes (baby to toddler size), baby-toddler size shoes, left over diapers, bottles, etc), please feel free to contact me.

"HER" Day!

Monday was our weekly contribution to saving "HER". "HER" is in reference to our earth and the environment and is a reference that Noah has began saying. It's cute. I am a proud mom, knowing her child is getting engaged and thinking about about contributing to save "HER". It feels good. It feels right.

I'm amazed with the few conversations that we've had, how much this has opened this topic up for discussion. Just the other morning Noah asked me 'where does the garbage go'? We also had the conversation about plastic bags and plastic water bottles, specifically about how long it takes for them to break down in land fills. It has made Noah think and I love watching him figure this out on his own as well as come to his own conclusions. For example, almost every other morning Noah has decided to brush his teeth in the dark (to save electricity) or the other day, he caught me leaving the water running while brushing my teeth - eiks! Bad move on my part, he gave me a lecture on how this is not good for "HER"!!! Of course the ONE morning I didn't shut off the water, I get caught by the GREEN POLICE! It seems to come very natural to Noah which is very encouraging - maybe these few little conversations have brought awareness to this subject. And maybe this is all it takes?

So our weekly contribution to 'HER' involved:

• no TV (we played Tennis instead - now my muscles are aching!) on Monday
  
• no bed warmers on Monday
• recycling an empty milk bag for Noah's lunch
• we purchase of a Brita Water filter - on Saturday (to save on plastic water bottles piling up in land fills)
• we also (actually I did) took the pledge at the 'Filterforgood' website (check it out, the website offers lots of information, oh and don't forget to take the pledge)
• we also purchased some SIGG water bottles (to save on using plastic 'throw-away' bottles and also in light of all the fears with using plastic bottles).

Noah picked out this one is the one

I picked out this one (Jacques did not want one)


So, again it all may be baby steps - but we are aware now and are actively participating in helping save "HER". What steps have you taken?

A little 'blip' from the filterforgood.ca website about bottled water:

Canadians drank 1.9 billion litres of bottled water in 2005 – nearly 60 litres per person!¹ Packaging all this water creates an incredible amount of waste every year, and in Canada an estimated 88 percent of water bottles are not recycled.² The rest end up in landfills where they can take up to a thousand years to biodegrade.

This is why Brita has created the FilterforGood pledge. It's a simple commitment to reduce waste by giving up bottled water. Together, filtered water and a reusable bottle are an excellent solution for going green at home and on the go. Giving up bottled water is an easy change that can make a big difference. Now that's refreshing!

What do you think?

So.....do you like my new look?

I supported 'Blogs for a Cause' for only $20 and in return I got this AMAZING makeover. PLUS, I supported Nikki in her efforts to do a mission trip to the Dominican Republic this summer ($15), PLUS I supported His Hands for Haiti ($5). Talk about a deal, eh?

This girl is AMAZING - what a fantastic idea for her to raise money for 2 causes! You should read some of her blog, you will be inspired.

Noah's BEST friend

Noah asked me to create a little video with his best friend, Owen and himself.

Enjoy!



Unfortunately over the past year, we haven't seen Owen as much as we (or Noah) would have liked due to a busy schedule filled with hockey practices & basketball practices but mostly because of our family's situation. Since Jacques has only been home on weekends it feels like there is not enough time to do anything but the regular chores, running around and getting a little family time (which never seems to be enough) let alone trying to plan play dates.

I feel sad because the last several times the boys have got together, I've noticed that they are beginning to have different interests and likes :( Mostly, they want to play with different toys, do different activities and play separately. I'm mostly sad because we love Owen as though he was a part of our family......and it feels like an end (especially knowing we will be moving - hopefully sooner than later. Also, I will miss Owen's family and the friendship we have!

Despite their growing differences, I hope we always remain friends with Isabelle, Myke & Owen!

Earth Day - April 22, 2008

In honour of Earth Day, Noah & I contributed the best we could by doing the following:

• did not watch TV (saved electricity)
• did not play any Xbox or video games (saved electricity)
• did not use our bed warmer's at bedtime (saved electricity)
  
• we used as little water as we could to brush our teeth (saved water) - this was entirely Noah's idea
• we went to the park to pick up garbage
• when we got a treat from Tim's, we walked into the store rather than going through drive through (saved some ozone)

Okay - so it doesn't seem to be very much but can you imagine if EACH one of us contributed in some small ways as this. My first goal for the activities today was to get Noah THINKING about what it means to be 'green'. I mean, let's face it kids are ignorant and we as adults have to teach them the importance (through example) of each person's contribution. We have all done things out of ignorance to our planet/environment that are harmful....and some of us continue to do so. But if you haven't started, could you at least try to start to THINKING of small ways that you and your family can do to help. Collectively all these efforts can and WILL make a difference.

When I first approached Noah (last weekend) about 'doing our part' for Earth Day, he was NOT very open to the idea. You know, to the idea of NO TV for the day or picking up garbage in the park or no Xbox. I'm happy to report that the more we brainstormed, the more we talked about the importance of these simple actions and the more we came up with ideas, the more he got involved & engaged about little things we could do to help the earth, to live a more 'green' life. It was encouraging to witness this type of awareness being aroused in my child. After we went through the drive thru at Tim's, Noah mentioned that we should re-use the paper bag (that he got his timbits in) for his lunch the next day. WAY TO GO, Noah - what a way to be thinking 'outside the box' - I would have NEVER thought of something like this!

When I arrived at daycare tonight (despite recovering from bronchitis and feeling pretty tired) I felt very excited about participating is such an important movement. Unfortunately by this point of the day, Noah did NOT feel the same. The poor guy had been hammered with Earth Day, Earth Day and more Earth Day activities. At school. At day care. At home. In fact, when I was excitingly talking about our plans for tonight - he was pretty insistent that he 'hated' Earth Day. Wooooooooh......I don't like the word 'hate'. Fortunately, but the time we arrived home I had a brilliant idea (simple but brilliant). I offered him a magic peanut butter cup - one that magically turned a sour mood into HAPPINESS! (I figured it may work because he is NEVER allowed junk food before supper) And VOILA, it worked. We giggled, laughed and were thrilled that these magical peanut butter cups brought Noah into a happy mood. So we called Jacques to share in the great news and we continued with our plans.

We had fun at the park....Noah had his MP3 playing, while I was literally 'yelling' at him to hear me while we picked up garbage. We both agreed that it was fun to do something like this TOGETHER. Isn't it always more fun doing things TOGETHER?

Starting next week, Noah & I are declaring every Monday "our" WEEKLY EARTH DAY and there will be:

• NO television
• NO xbox or ds video games
• NO bed warmers
• much more focus on things we can do to help the Earth

Please leave comments with ideas of how YOU contributed to Earth Day as well as ways that Noah & I can continue to contribute!

Below are some photos of our contribution to Earth Day - April 22, 2008!

How can you NOT?

Read this link (Hopeless Faith) and listen to the video and ask yourself:

how can you NOT help?

ANGEL (the author of this blog) is truly my hero. She has taught me so much. I completely look up to her and work - when you think big, she does bigger......she is AMAZING.

A New Earth - Chapter 6

Okay...so now I am officially one FULL week behind. Oops! Tonight's live class is Chapter 7 and I am just finishing Chapter 6.

Some of my highlights during Chapter 6 - Breaking Free from the pain body:

BOOK IDEA: Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle

• You are not your thoughts but the AWARENESS of your thoughts.
• Learn to accept what ever emotion arises within you.
• Wanting something that is different than it IS causes stress.
• Let go of mental positions (being a 'right fighter') - if you identify with this it's the ego.
• When you begin to awaken, this sometimes means you have to let go of something that used to give you a false sense of self.
• When people begin to become more present, some friends will join you and others will fail to join you....but don't focus your energy on those that did not join you. (ex. run your own race, if you're running and keep turning behind you to see who's behind you - you waste energy turning around)
• It's easier to detect pain body in others than in yourself.
• Question: When we are in the pain body's grip, what are some ways we can get free?
• catch it as it arises (if it's too late the pain body will take over - a small thing happens and you can flare up)
• Realize what kind of situation triggers your pain body and bring consciousness into your body when these triggers happen.
• Be AWARE of the pain body - then they can't renew themselves and they will subside
• You attract certain things into your life that reflect your (inner) state of consciousness.
• It's always more important what your interstate of consciousness is than the external situation.
• Remind yourself to be AWARE of what is going on inside of you.
• Love has no wanting, it wants nothing in return
• The extent to which you can love another human being depends on the extend to which you are connected to your own essence.
• Every human being has their own CROSS TO BARE (in parallel to Jesus on the cross) He has come to the point to accept the suffering in the present moment - no more inner resistance.
• The very moment the worst thing can happen to you - if you surrender to it, there's an opening that allows energy of the divine to come through.
• Grace is hiding behind suffering - but will not show itself until you surrender (suffer consciously).
• When parents argue in front of children - you are creating and reinforcing your children's pain body's
• Children ABSORB your pain body - whether you fight in front of children or do not
• Children don't have the language so they pick up on the 'bad' energy of the pain body.
• When you see a pain body episode in your child, talk to them to help them begin to become aware - questions to ask:
• What was it that came over you when you wouldn't stop screaming?
• Do you remember?
• What did it feel like?
• Was it a good feeling?
• That thing that came over you, does it have a name?
• No? If it had a name, what would it be called?
• If you could see it, what would it look like?
• Can you paint a picture of what it would look like?
• What happened to it when it went away?
• Did it go to sleep?
• Do you think it may come back?
• These questions will help your child begin to become aware.
• The past has no power over the present moment.
• Get still, bring yourself to the present moment.

So that's it....3 more chapters to go!

Faith....

I'm trying so hard to have faith through our entire process here - but I'm very anxious, very tired and just want our whole ordeal to be done with. I mean, let's face it - the past 7 months of being apart from my husband - has not been very good on our relationship. I miss him dearly. I miss the shared responsibilities of LIFE with my best friend. I'm trying so hard to understand (and I think I do know) why we have been separated for so long and wonder when it will come to an end.

We are waiting and hoping and praying that this couple that came through our house on Friday (for a 2nd time WITH their parents and who are supposed to be making a decision by today) - that they will choose OUR house and not the OTHER house. They've narrowed it down to 2 houses - the waiting is making me go CRAZY.

So we just sit and sit and sit and wait and wait and wait - then I'm sure my little man, Noah is wondering 'what the heck is going on with my mom'. I'm sure he feels it, actually I KNOW he does by his little mood tonight. Poor guy - I really can't wait for my family to be back in tact and TOGETHER. Then we can begin to GROW as a family once again - spiritually, emotionally, in numbers, etc.

I will continue to say my prayers each night asking for the strength to carry me through and closure on the sale of our house....I will keep my faith and believe that it will happen when it is meant to. But, it's hard not to question - WHY?

UPDATE: We got word this morning that the couple chose the OTHER house to purchase and frankly, I feel really sad. :(

A New Earth - Chapter 5

As you can see, I am falling a little behind on my online classes of A New Earth. That being said, I have not lost interest (just falling short on time)!

My notes are becoming less & less during the online courses - not sure what that means. Possibly I'm understanding or maybe not?? LOL Either way, I'm learning lots and am working through MY awakening witch includes a yearning for learning!

So my highlights from Chapter 5 in point form:

• When you become dependent on learning all sorts of entertainment (tv, stereo, etc) the minute you walk in the house...this is a sign that you need these stimulants to fill you up
• Become aware that thinking HAPPENS to you - do not identify with that thought, judgements, likes, dislikes then make up your definition on your self through these thoughts
• Realize there is a voice in your head - your thoughts and become aware that this is just the story you tell yourself and it (the past) has no power
• Do not attach to your past - don't identify with the past because it'll prevent you from being present.
• QUOTE: Any negative emotion that is not fully faced and seen for what it is in the moment it arises does not completely dissolve. It leaves behind a remnant of pain.
• Any emotion/thought is a form of energy
• The pain body can almost live as an entity in you (or energy)
• Sometimes it's dormant and sometimes it's active
• The pain body feeds on negative thinking
• Some people have an addiction to negativity
• Negativity that is not dealt with - goes inside you & will take a form (ie. over weight, addiction, anger, etc)
• In intimate relationships, where perhaps we re-in act drama in some way these negative situations - intense emotional negativity - the pain body will awaken and one will push the partners buttons that will bring on more intense emotional negativity
• Pain body is the emotional part of the ego
• The pain body LOVES family
• When someone acts very dramatically, don't 'buy into' their drama. People like this suffer from the disease of the pain body. You should act as the 'compassionate presence' - BE PRESENT
• Recognize the pain body in others and do not buy into other's pain bodies. Allow the other person to be in their pain body then you're not 'feeding' the other pain body & the other person's pain body will dissolve.
• Pain body's are cunning & clever
• DO NOT BE DRAWN INTO THE DRAMA (something I have to learn how to do more) - you need great alertness not to be drawn in
  
• When the pain body takes over a person - their whole personality becomes transformed
• WORRY is repetitive negative thought patterns
• to not worry - step out of that stream of negative thinking
• step into conscious thinking (presence)
• take 3 conscious breaths
• Humans can only act to their level of consciousness
• When losing a loved one, allow the emotion of sadness when you remember that loved one
• Sadness & tears come but through the acceptance of the emotion comes PEACE
• Accept the void (of the loved one who is gone) instead of the body, then something else shines through - the formless. Where the form once was , the formless can shine through (that's the GRACE that hides behind death)
• Don't try to hold on to the way it was rather than letting the Grace shine through
• Bring presence to your thoughts - otherwise you become obsessed by thought
• QUOTE: Thinking is no more than a tiny aspect of the totality of consciousness of the totality of who you are.
• We are not our thoughts, we are the awareness of our thoughts.
• INSPIRATION does not come through your thoughts, it comes through your BEING (the space of awareness or presence)
• You'll never THINK your way to a purpose and you'll never worry (have the same negative thought over and over) your way out of a problem.
• Alcohol & Drug Abuse - is an escape of your pain body
• When faced with negative emotion - embrace these feelings with ACCEPTANCE
• Be the space & accept the present moment
• FOR NOW, every time you see your pain body and other's pain bodies show themselves - recognize it & accept it.
• BE AWARE, because this awareness will begin to dissolve it
• To be obsessed means thoughts going over & over in your head
• Thoughts have momentum in your mind - they fulfill no useful purpose. Don't try to get rid of them - ACCEPT THEM.
• AWAKENING (being present) doesn't happen immediately - you have to catch yourself doing it more often = start slowly then you'll find it becomes natural.
• Choose to be present by:
• feeling the inner body
• conscious breaths
• be in touch with your sense perception
• Train yourself to be present
• BE THERE when the pain body happens - it's easier to recognize it in someone else = but will require more presence to see it in yourself.

That's it, that's all....

Change the world...

Okay, so I think I always knew that I wanted to change the world of children. I just never had a clear direction of HOW - until NOW! I keep stumbling on things that are bringing me into my clear direction of helping people and children more specifically. Little sayings & songs are waking me up to life as well as giving me the faith that I am finally on the path that I was intended for. I don't have ALL the answers but I am just remaining faithful that it will happen as it was meant to. I have to admit though that I remain in a state of shock over all of these 'happenings'. I tell you...once I began to have faith and a clear acceptance of letting things 'happen' on their own - it just started to happen rather than me constantly searching for it. It's a weird feeling but I'm lovin' it!

My girlfriend, Sandra came over last Friday night. It was so nice, I feel so connected with her. It's an awesome feeling to have such a great friend who is on the same path as you. We chatted, we cried, we laughed, we dreamed - it was so much fun! We spent most of our time on the internet together (over a bottle of wine) getting educated on Guatemala/Eagle's Nest. Here are some tidbits of what we learned:

• Population: 13.1 million
• Official Language: Spanish (although 21 distinct Mayan languages are spoken)
• Time Zone: GMT -6 (NB is GMT -3, we are on day light savings right now which Guatemala does not have)
• Travel Report: IS safe to travel to at the present moment. There had been a warning but it has been lifted however they do advise when traveling to exercise caution. Naturally, when it comes time to travel we will be keeping a close eye on the Travel Reports as listed by Canadian Foreign Affairs.
• Temperature: in Guatemala City @ 2:30 am (Guatemala time) 63F or 17C, long range forecast is scattered clouds over the next 5 days with an average high/low of 77.6F high (25.6C) / 60.4F low (16C)
• Climate: Nov-Apr considered the 'dry season' (verano) - the best time to travel (when we plan to travel), May-Oct (until Nov-Dec in north & east) considered the 'wet season' (invierno). Depending on the altitude, the highlands are pleasantly warm during the day but can be freezing at night.

So the most recent song that I heard that inspires me to continue the path I am on (and a song Sandra & I said we should make our theme song) is: What Are You Waiting For, by Natalie Grant (CD: Awaken). (Click below to listen & read the words - tell me how you can not feel inspired)!

Another cute prayer...

Noah's little prayers are so cute these days - he's really 'getting it' and welcoming God into his life! I love it! So, really it was quite simple (well not his entire prayer) but the cuteness came in when he said 'Thank you God for giving me such a good life'.

My little man....you gotta love his gratitude for his life. My wish for his life is he continues feeling thankful for all he are blessed with.