Life Moves On

Three months at camp, away from my family and my old way of life, has changed me in many ways. I think they are good changes but you will have to judge for yourself over the next few months of blogging. ;-)

The first month was spent getting to know my sisters. You would think we knew each other before. Actually what we knew was the shells each of us had put up around each other. At home, we were the human beings our family had dictated we were to be. I do not mean this in a malicious way. I believe every family to a certain extent, decides who their children are and what role they must play. It took about two weeks for my sisters and I to discover that under our shell exteriors, we were different people than we thought we were. We were surprised about each other and shocked about ourselves. Our relationships with God and with each other blossomed and matured and became sweeter each day.

The second month was spent in the company of people who needed love and effort and blessings each moment of every day. They were wonderful kids but they were high maintenance. It makes me get a little sniffly sometimes when I remember how God always worked through every situation and how many people were able to experience (some for the first time) His love and joy that passes all understanding. I do not know how many... or if any... accepted the Gift at the time but the seeds were sown. We wanted their parched hearts to be filled and overflowing with something that is true and transparent and unbelievable.

The third month. What can I say? It was music day in and day out. :-) I love it. I love camp. I love the people. I love the music. I love the schedule. I love learning. I love jamming. But I love the people the most. They inspire me, comfort me, help me, shove me, lead me on to higher, headier mountaintops than I have ever dreamed of.

And that's one of the reasons I'm now living in Carlyle, Saskatchewan. Away from all the blood members of my family but with some of my family of the heart. Michele Amy and her husband Will offered me a place to stay (they, in fact, offered it to all three of us girls but other things came up for them, which I will write about later) and a way to support myself.

I am planning on teaching piano and cleaning house, so far. I have a cough (that seems to be getting better, thankfully!) so I didn't want to go to church and risk infecting anyone so I stayed home and cleaned part of the kitchen. Michele has been really sick the past month and the house suffered. But I can fix it. Cleaning gives me a lot of time to pray and think and meditate.

Music, on the other hand, has been something I am excited beyond reason about and dreading at the same time. I know when I get into it, I'll be fine and I will be able to see where I need to progress. But it's like a deep, dark hole that I am plunging into. I know I love teaching and I know I love music but it's a bit daunting! The good thing is that Michele is an awesome pianist who is willing to share her knowledge when I need it.

And another good thing is that Moses didn't think he could do it either. :-) I'll try to write more about that later.

Hannah is attending Nipawin Bible College.

Lydia is training horses and helping around the farm for John and Vicki Arcand at Windy Acres in Saskatoon.

Life goes on. (It's goings on are awfully exciting!)

photos

moving takes a lot of effort and great faces... hehe

working in the garden

Miss Ellie ... I love this picture

short update

Can you believe it's already June 13th? I feel like I'm still back in March. :-) Except for one thing: the weather. It was quite cool... chilly, in fact, until yesterday. We needed the rain but it would have been nice to have a warmer spring. :-) But summer is here at last and today, the family finally started planting the garden. It was tilled the other day by one of our neighbors and now, in even rows, sticks serving as markers stick out of the soil. Beans and corn.

Some of the family took off to go look at the local greenhouses and pick up some parts in Preeceville and the ones who stayed behind finished planting and started to try to water the seeds. Isn't it funny how all those sprinklers decide not to work? They could at least show a little deference... possibly a bit of understanding for our situation. After all, we did take them with us down to Idaho, where they had a year's rest, then back up here to Saskatchewan! ::wink::

Anyway, after some grumbling about cheap junk sprinklers and how the quality of the product at Home Hardware has shown a steady decrease over time, Jesse finally found a sprinkler that worked. Sort of. The spray of water didn't seem to be going far enough. Jesse thought a little height would help. Cilla ran for a five gallon pail and Jesse put it on top of that. Cheered by the success, we were all standing there talking, when suddenly, the sprinkler flipped off the pail and landed on it's side. Jesse got it at close range, right up his pant leg. He must have jumped 5 inches off the ground. Hehe... Uriah said that it was the funniest thing he had ever seen.

And yes, as you may have guessed, we are safely moved and at our new farm. I am really enjoying it. You all really must come and see it. The scenery is beautiful. The house is cute. The yard, although neglected, shows signs of an experienced gardener at one time. The flowers are arranged so nicely in their beds. Along the house, there are red tulips, ferns and columbines. I was able to weed them partially today but already, I am very pleased with how they look. :-) The more I look around the yard the more flowers I find. I'm beginning to realize how Mary felt in “The Secret Garden” the first few days after she found and opened the door. :-)

Today, I also managed to walk out to the dugout and see the creek. The latter isn't running very briskly at the moment but the dugout is good and deep. We bought a cow from the neighbors, which Ellie is milking twice a day. We're getting more unpacked and sorted out every day. We're practicing music for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration, which we will be leaving for in a couple weeks. Life is full and becoming a little more organized. :-)

The four oldest of us girls are signed up for Kenosee Lake Fiddle Camp in August. I am so excited. :-) We attended in '07 and learned a tremendous amount... we also met a lot of great people and made many friends. So I am greatly looking forward to August. :-)

My health is progressing. Not 100% yet but it gets better. I still have bad days but I haven't had a really bad one for awhile. Good is gooder and bad is less bad. ;-) Hehe... Thanks for the prayers. I appreciate them. :-) It helps to remember on my less-bad-days that people are praying. :-)

Moving Back to Saskatchewan!

My Dad found a place for us to rent in Saskatchewan. All the doors seemed to be closed in MB, so we're heading back to where we moved from.

I am sad and excited at the same time. Sad because we'll be further away from some of the dear friends we've made here in the states... and excited because we'll be going back to some of our dear friends in SK. :-)

My Mom is due on March 8th... two days. She does usually go overdue, which is nice in this case. She seems to be doing well.. and the baby is active. We are thankful for that.

My Dad and the girls are on their way home now and should be arriving this evening/night. Things will probably begin to move rather quickly after they get home. And that's the news from the Holter family of Bonners Ferry, Idaho. ;)

updates... and other odds and ends

It's overcast here today... the mountains surrounding the valley are dusted white with newly fallen snow and it's still out...

I woke up with a sore throat. :-P It's not surprising in a way, since most of the family has had it for several days. But we had hopes of me escaping it, since I was on the high dosage of vitamin C. I'm going up my vitamin D & A intake, as well as all the others. I've been awake for an hour or so already (it's 7 am), scheming how to knock this in the head. ;-) My health in general seems to be progressing steadily. I am so thankful for that!

Dad called yesterday evening with the news that they hadn't found anything yet. I guess they are just going to stay up there until they find something. One good thing about this is that they are having a good time and are meeting new people. They are staying with some mennonites and today, they are going to church with them.

Mom is doing well... she had some contractions (which she assured me were not labor contractions) yesterday while walking. I am starting to feel a bit on edge! haha... (And I'm not even the one pregnant! :-P) I'll be glad when things have settled down a bit. That could be awhile, I guess. ;-) One thing for sure, the baby seems active, healthy and happy.

Packing is going slowly... but surely. The cold put a halt to things for a day or so. But I think with everyone feeling better, it'll start up again full force. I was sorting letters yesterday... threw away some. Saved a lot. Too many of them are from people I love dearly and have made precious memories with. Isn't God good....?! I have so many wonderful, caring friends. I wish everyone could experience the joy I have been granted.

Mom and Hannah took a lot of things to our goodwill this past week. On their way home, Uriah suddenly pointed and exclaimed, "Mom!!! Look!! There's a snow-spitter!" They couldn't figure out what he was talking about until they saw someone using a snowblower. *chuckles*

May you all have a blessed week, full of the joy that comes from the Lord Jesus. *hugs*

P.S. Hannah... thank you for the lovely new dress you made for me. :-) (www.thepanhandleroughriders.blogspot.com)

Moving

My Dad and sisters Ellie and Lydia left this morning to go find something to rent in Manitoba. It will be interesting to see how everything works out! It's funny how quickly the events are moving... life seemed to stand fairly still... ;-)

Those of us left behind are trying to get packed and ready to go for when they come back. :-) Poor Hannah and Jesse will have a lot resting on their shoulders as far as all the work of packing, etc. Hopefully, as each day gets better for me, I'll be able to help a little. :-)

I'm not sure if we'll have internet connection in Manitoba... if we don't, I will try to send contact information to those who would like it.

I'll try to post more later. For now, it's dinnertime. :-)

Updates

Yesterday we went to WA for the vitamin c I.V. drip. It was a tiring day but it went well. The doctor was knowledgeable and very kind. :-) It is recommended that I have several more of these treatments... not looking forward to the needles, but enjoy the improvement. Actually, getting the needle in yesterday wasn't too bad. He only had to try twice... what a blessing. :-) My past experiences with I.V.s have been less than pleasant.

Improvement feels like more energy right now. Which is pretty exciting!

And moving... well, we're talking Saskatchewan again. Yep. *buckles her seatbelt* It will be interesting to see what happens!

God certainly doesn't let me down when it comes to exciting stuff happening in my life. :-)

Search for Land

That sounds so like Christopher Columbus, doesn't it? We're not that adventurous. At least... I hope not. LOL!

For awhile there, it appeared that the door to Canada had been shut. But now, my dad is talking about going up to Saskatchewan and looking for land. It's been a long 10 (almost 11) months that we've been here... renting in a subdivision. It's been good. It's been a wonderful thing to go to church again and make new friends. To see a different culture.

But we're just not cut out to live in town. And it's hard to reconcile yourself to 1o acres when you used to have 480. So, perhaps this time, we'll find something with our name written on it.

An update on myself... my health has had good days and bad days. Today is a good day and I am feeling very happy and rested. Thanks to all for your prayers on my behalf! ::hugs::