A Smile and a Tear

This morning I smiled. A quick smile. Something kicked me. My baby. My sweet little baby. I've been feeling these little movements for the past week or so, and it has been good, but today for some reason, with that one kick or two, and with that smile, major excitement grew. There really is a baby in there! That's amazing, and hard to comprehend.

But it should be ready by now. It feels like in some ways, that this baby should be almost full term. After all, I've pretty much been pregnant since January, minus a month and a half. So it's time now....right...? But no...instead of having one full term baby, I have two babies. One kicking inside me, making me smile, the other in heaven, which makes me cry.

I was listening to a song about heaven tonight with Katelyn, and just started weeping... my baby is there - with God. Little Yachal went from 'knowing' the darkness and comfort of my womb to the glorious light of Christ. How beautiful. But yet so bittersweet for me. I am soo thankful that I'll see my little one again, but right now, it still hurts. I cry at nights sometimes. Sometimes in the day...missing a little person I hardly knew. And it frusterates me, cause I have felt more attached to Yachal, then our new baby coming at times. That almost seems wrong...but feelings will change; and they are changing.

A few weeks ago, I was thinking about Yachal, and it hit me - hard - how Yachal will never need my love. This may sound stupid or immature, but that thought hurt my mother's heart. I can never give anything to my little baby. God is the only Giver to my baby. He will give all the love Yachal could hope for. I know that that last truth is wonderful - too wonderful for mind to understand and comprehend - so it hurts my little earthly heart. I sobbed, wishing my baby would need my love. But Yachal was made for heaven, and this little one that God has given us for now - little Strudel - needs my love. We can't always chose the ones who need love given to them. God places different people in each other's lives to love. Right now in my direct little family, it's James, Katelyn and Strudel. One day, Lord willing, all of our children will be home in heaven together.

So I cry, like I am doing right now....and yet I smile. :)

Bits and Bites

Just little odds and ends of pictures to finish catching up. I need to go finish cleaning my home that is almost clean... :) and start working on hemming up my dress for Ben and Deanna's wedding. :) (I can't believe that's next week!!!) Amazingly, after searching everywhere for something to wear to the wedding (not easy at the best of times, plus with being pregnant) the Lord directed me to a dress at a thrift store/consignment store that had a brand new, jcpenny bridal collection dress - it had sleeves, a proper neckline and it's navy blue. So I'm just going to hopefully shorten the floor length gown to something a bit more wearable/un-formal. :) Anyways that's my thankful story - and I bought Katelyn's dress at a Once upon a Child store, so we're set. :) (and since James is in a tux, he's taken care of) Peach Jam, Zucchini Relish and cookies I made one day. I felt like a real housewife. :)
Oma and Katelyn playing the organ together at the Windmill. :) Terribly sweet picture.
My two favorite people taking pictures of themselves. :)

Last week we went to see Jared's last concert in Hamilton. It was Beethoven's Nineth Symphony and really well done.

Kilmeny and Katelyn playing together during the concert.

Evening with Friends

We wanted to have at least one more time with Breanne and Jared before they left Hamilton, so we went out for dinner to the Spice Avenue last night. It was lovely, eating Thai food together, and keeping two babies in an otherwise baby less restaurant, somewhat quiet - Kilmeny did really well - but starving Katelyn on the other hand, was a bit more...busy. But once food arrived, she devoured my Pad Thai noodles. :)

Trying to use chopsticks - not as fluently as the other couple, but we did manage to get most of the food to our mouths.
Breanne and Jared. Fun to be on a triple date together. :)
Me and the messy eater. :)

Then Kate took my chopsticks and played with them. :) Kinda caught in the act.

Right before leaving the restaurant and saying goodbye.

The decor was very neat inside - this was the ceiling - bird cages with lights in them.

Jared and I were taking pictures at the same time - me trying to get a 'better shot' than the pro-photographer...- :) At least we were using a similar/ordinary camera at the same time. :) It was really nice to have old friends in the area for the summer.

Monday Together

Last Monday, after a morning of working, we headed over past Simcoe, to Triple C Campground - a Christian campsite - where we spent a leisurely afternoon. They are right on Lake Erie, and have a few fun things to do at the campground.

We spent a few minutes in the pool which was refreshing respite after so many hot humid days.
And right outside the pool, there was an enclosed area for children to play. There were a ton of ride-on toys which blessed the cockles of Katelyn's heart. She spent the next 45 minutes going from one car, to the next boat, to the kids picnic table, any chair her size...and back and forth again.

She absolutely loves pushing toys too - often at our church gym, she'll be pushing one of the 4 year boys around on the cars. :)

Concentrating on playing...

We 'played' with her for a bit, then sat on the grass outside the fence, and watched her, between reading a book together and eating fresh peaches we picked up for the Windmill (and for me to can) right before.

We walked down to the lake and watched the waves come in. It wasn't a swimming area, and with a dead fish right in front of us, quite stinky. :) We enjoyed the view, took some pictures, and walked back up. :)

Us three and a sippy cup.

Walking back up the hill. A wonderful daddy...

Playing on the swings before we left. James pushed me on the swings, even giving me under ducks :) which I hadn't had for a loooonnngg time. He pushed me so high, I was getting scared, pleading with him to stop, and Katelyn just stood there laughing at me - along with James. :)

But I made it back to the ground safely, and then we headed home. :) A lovely day....

Of Giggles and Splashes

For my mommy...so she can hear Katie giggle... :)

Bits of Pleasures...

Just a few pictures of little joys around our house the past while...

Like James making the first 'tent' with Katelyn yesterday afternoon. :) It was pretty cute. I absolutely love watching them together. They have so much fun!
Such a blessing to be able to have access to more fruit over here. This was some of the apricot jam I made last week, with more apricots put away to make more in the future. Right now, that jam is me and Katelyn's favorite for morning toast.

And it's so wonderful to have Sarah around again. (though right now she is the states about to write her last test on Wednesday!) A friend of her's from Mercy Maternity in the Philippines came for a week too, which was really special. Bea is from Switzerland and a very sweet gal. We had a lovely evening together a couple weeks ago.

Crusin' Nights

Our church has been having an outreach this past week with the Cross Canada Cruisers - a team of young men that come to different chapels, to both be taught and to help the local church reach others around them. One of the 'specialties' about the C3 team is they have a couple old chevy's, that they use for attracting attention at different events, using that as a springboard to share about the Lord. So this past Tuesday night, our local mall had a cruising night, where 30 or so cars from around the area were displayed. So the C3 guys, and a bunch of people from our church were there to hand out some reading material and to talk to those there. :)

Us little Heikoops in front of the C3's two '55/'57 chevy cars.
The little model - adorable....

Again. :)

She was having a blast looking at all those watching her - on the car.

A row of the oldie goldies. :) I wish Dad would have been there. :)

James and on of the C3 guys talking to some of the salesmen.

'Aunt' Debbie holding Katelyn for me.

Having fun with Tim's camera. :)

A 1949/50 Ford Pickup - this was one of my favorites. Probably cause we had a few like that (unrestored at the moment) back in Alberta.

And one last picture of our darling. :)

Picnic in the Park

We went to our nearby park this afternoon for lunch. It was fun to get out of the house, and have some special "time" together. :) We sat on our blanket and ate, and then went to the playground. She loved walking around and climbing on the playground equipment.

Watching some kids bike nearby. (she's a people watcher)

Katelyn had a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, grapes, cheese, and some bits of a rice krispie square. :) I had leftover taco salad. :)

Little girl, big opportunities at the playground

On the swings. Doesn't she look like a cute toddler. :)

She loved being pushed way up high

The bouncy car

On the swings, right before heading back home

The Canoe Tip

Every year, Diane and the Heikoops, put on a canoe trip down the Grand River. It's about an hour run, that takes us a couple hours as the whole purpose of getting down the river is to tip other canoes. :) It's a lot of fun, and a lot of laughter, as you dunked and your canoe submerged. Then it's followed by a BBQ and a soccer game. This year there was over 50 people canoing, and another 25 for the dinner. Katelyn was babysat by one of the cousins, and we had a fun time together - James and I.
The start of the Grand River Experiance. :)

Hanging on for the ride.

On one of the buses that took our large group to the starting point. :)

James and I. :) We had such fun, though it was an exhausting day. Getting it and out of canoe that many times - sometimes in deeper waters - is a challenge for a four month along mom. :) Anytime there seemed to be a danger of getting hurt while being tipped, I'd just chant, "I'm pregnant, don't hurt me, I'm pregnant, don't hurt me." And I wasn't hurt, just tipped. :)

Nelly and friend Priscella. We had fun with them, talking along the way. We were not really enemies with that canoe. Other boats like Ben/Deanna, Brad/Diane and a couple other ones,

were ones that were our real enemies. Ben and Deanna - 31 days left til they're married.

A couple guys got Ben and Deanna tipped - while getting their own dunked as well, That happened alot. You might get someone, but as they go down, so do you. :) Some of the guys would hop onto the other person's boat, either to be saved, or to take 'em down.

Rob and Hannah cruising along.

The delicious BBQ afterwards. (followed by a soccer game) There was about 75 people for dinner, so it was full and busy - with lots of fellowship. :) Diane and co. did a great job of hosting the annual event once again.