Aidan graduation

As I'm writing this, I'm filled with so many conflicted emotions- happiness, sadness and pride. It seems like yesterday that you came out of my womb and now, my baby is graduation from Senior Kindergarten… Where did the time go? I am so thankful for God that he gave me this year to be there for my dad and also for you and Kendall. How amazing is it that He restores all things? Praise be to God. I am so honoured that I got to share in this special moment with you. I love you!

The morning before I dropped you off at school. Don't you look handsome?

You and Kendall.

Kendall wanted a solo shot. 

The gymnasium was packed with parents. Daddy couldn't be here because he had to work, but I wish now
that he had taken it off. It was such a special day that I never want to forget. 

The graduation procession. You totally ignored me!

All the Senior Kindergarteners from your school that were graduating this year.

Singing O Canada.

Each of the classes had a performance that they did. This was your class's performance.

My handsome boy.

You made a self portrait of yourself.

Your favourite memory of Kindergarten.

Getting ready to accept your diploma.

You did it! You graduated Kindergarten! That is your teacher- Ms Stamkos and Ms Silverberg. 

The graduation slideshow of your class- Room 110.

You and your best friend at school- Mateo.

Another good friend of yours- Avishai.

You also love these girls- Amayah and Cailyn.

Here you are holding Cailyn's hand. What a guy!

You and mommy. I am so proud of you!

My little graduate. You are wearing daddy's white shirt backwards!

There's hope in the promise of the cross

From left to right: Cameron (9), Daniel, April, Tyler (7)

Earlier this week, while I was browsing online during my lunch break at work, I came across a story on the Yahoo homepage of a woman, April Smith, who had lost her 2 sons during a Tornado in Arkansas on April 27. Having 2 kids myself, I immediately felt a deep pain and huge sorrow. I could not imagine what she was going through. However, the story went on to say that it was only through her faith in God that she was able to be at peace. She knew that her boys knew Jesus and that they would be OK. She was in such emotional pain, but she knew that God is good and God had taken them home. 

It is through her story (which went viral, BTW), that so many people came to know God and even Christians that were wavering in their faith were able to come back to God. Amen to that!

Her friend, Jessica, posted a blog post of her friend's incredible story of faith, which I am going to link here. I know that the boys' deaths were not in vain. There are so many things that happen in this world that we don't understand, but we have to know that God is good. Jessica, in her blog post, posted a scripture verse that her other friend had shared and I'm going post is here. It's from Isaiah 55:8-11:

8 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.
10 “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry.
11 It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.

We are all here for a purpose- for God's purpose. This world that we live in is only a temporary residence. So we have to live knowing that the world we live in is only temporary. We have an eternal home waiting for us. So we must live to serve God's purpose.

O God, please be with April and Daniel as they are healing physically and emotionally. We know your heart breaks when we suffer. When we see this world through our eyes, it's hard to understand and grasp the terrible things that happen around us, but thank you for giving April a small glimpse into your wonderful plan. We know you are good and you are faithful. Let us continue to put our faith in you that you will make everything ok. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Hello Noelle~

Meet your cousin, Noelle! She was born today. Isn't she so precious? Auntie Jess had such a hard time carrying her so it's a miracle that she was born healthy and almost full term. Praise God! I can't wait to meet her in person.

We had a mini fashion show today with Kendall. I love playing dress-up with her. Your Vancouver grandma brought clothes that her friend bought for Kendall so we wanted to take a few photos of Kendall wearing them. It's a little big for her, but doesn't she look so cute??

Your grandma has gone snap crazy ever since she got here. She's been taking hundreds of photos
of you and Kendall. 

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine…

I know not everyone can have kids, but unless you have one you will never ever experience the unconditional, deep love that you can feel for a human being. After having Aidan and now Kendall I can truly understand God's unconditional love. Yes we are faulty, but God loves us unconditionally. 

There's always that warm feeling in the morning when I wake up and go to your room after hearing you coo (you don't even cry!). As soon as you see my face your face lights up and you shake your head from side-to-side with excitement. How can someone be that happy to see you??? I can just glance at you from across the room and you'll light up and smile from cheek-to-cheek. There's something so special about you. I just want to kiss you all over and hold onto you for dear life. I have such a deep love for you that if anything bad were to happen to you I don't know how I could handle it… I know daddy feels the same way.

What does not belong?

I was playing with you in the basement with all your new toys today and I just happened to be setting up the Nativity scene from the wooden play set that Auntie Jess bought you for Christmas. I had set it up all perfectly when you grabbed your Lightning McQueen paper cut-out from another play set and you propped it up right in front of baby Jesus! All I had to do was laugh. 

Here's the perfect set-up before you put Lightning McQueen here.

Advent Calendar: Bake cookies

I was so excited for you to open this box. I saw a commercial back in November of Pillsbury Christmas cookies that had different Christmas pictures on it. When I went grocery shopping a few weeks ago I made sure to pick these up. I grew up with a mother that shooed us away from the kitchen when we were growing up so I never had any memories of baking/cooking with my mom. Don't get me wrong, I have fond memories of enjoying my mom's delicious foods, but I decided that I want to involve you more in the kitchen at an early age. When daddy and I watch the Food Network (we are obsessed!) and I hear chefs talking about how their passion of cooking was ingnited by spending time in the kitchen with their grandma/mom I am inspired. I also want your future wife to be impressed by your cooking skills. Not that today involved you cracking eggs or any actual baking for that matter, but it's a stepping stone, right?

So beautiful you are :-)

Always wanting to do the cute pose.

Lashes to die for!

So so excited.

Another funny face.

Haha, the fake smile again.

I chose the snowman picture cookies. They also had a Christmas tree and something else…
I forgot!

You pulled up the stool so that you could help me.

Putting all the cookie dough on the baking sheet.

It was a VERY important job.

Cookie batch ready to go in the oven!

While we were waiting for the cookies to bake in the oven I took a video of you. I told you the oven was hot and to not go near it and you mentioned that last time you hurt your hand on it. I didn't know what you were talking about, but then I remembered that there was an incident a few weeks ago where you stuck your hand in the gap of the door oven when it was still hot and you cried in pain. I had to rinse your finger in cold water for a few minutes to numb the pain. I can't believe how you remember these things!

Look how they puffed up after they were finished.

You actually ate 5 cookies after they were baked. I think you ate them because you helped me
bake them!

Aidan, the builder

Auntie Jessica came over today with baby Emma. She will be going back to work soon and so it was really great having a play date with her. She kept me company while I was taking care of baby Kendall and then when you came home from daycare she played with you in the basement. You have such a vivid imagination that you were playing a handy contractor/construction worker with your Home Depot get-up. 

Afterwards you started playing chef by preparing foods for Auntie Jess. I made you pray for your pretend meal before you ate and I was pleasantly surprised that you had your own little prayer that you made up. What a sweet sweet boy you are.

Praying child

While we were doing Skype a few weeks ago with your Vancouver grandparents I got you to pray before your meal. Your Vancouver grandma asked me to send her a picture of you praying so that she can put it on her phone and also send it to her sisters in Korea. Whereas before it was hard taking pictures of you because you wouldn't stay still, lately it's been pretty easy taking photos of you. You love posing for the cameras. 

Meet Emma

Aidan, you have a cousin now! Her name is Emma. Isn't she a beauty?
Emma was born today a little over 5lbs. I was literally shaking today because I wanted to meet her so bad. I got really emotional when I finally laid eyes on her. She is truly a gift from God.

Auntie Jess wanted Emma to open her eyes while I was there, but Emma was fast asleep.
She woke up a couple of times when the nurse poked a needle on her little feet.

The nurse was about the swaddle her, but look how small Emma is. You were once like that.

Although she's small, she is looooong. I think she'll be a tall girl.

I remember swaddling you in that same blanket. I used the blue side of course ;-)

The nurse put a double blanket on her because she was a little cold. Since she was almost 3 weeks
early she needs to be kept warm.

Mommy is now a proud Auntie!