Sometimes you post pictures just because you think they're cute.

Curing cabin fever

Yesterday we said "BOO" to winter and decided to take the kids out for a lovely winter stroll (it was only -14 or something...almost balmy, really). So we bundled Ellie up in her winter clothes and got her all snuggly in her stroller. Then we put Joshua in his snowsuit and Rob carried him in the Baby Bjorn all covered with a big blanket. We were quite the sight. It was Joshua's very first outdoor expedition. How exciting.

Unfortunately Joshua didn't even notice he'd been outside. Apparently cabin fever just isn't an issue for him yet.

Lessons Learned from Purple Medicine

So you're all probably tired of hearing about thrush this and thrush that (and if you haven't ever heard of thrush - Google it!:)...but hopefully this'll be the last post on the topic. After 2 rounds of Nystatin and all sorts of other measures taken, Joshua and I still haven't completely ridden ourselves of this annoying, persistent infection. So I took the plunge and invested ($3) in a bottle of Gentian Violet. I don't know exactly what Gentian Violet is, but I do know that it's safe, it's apparently very effective.....and it's very very PURPLE. And it STAINS. As you can see from the photo above, I should have looked up how to apply this medicine before I gave Joshua too much and turned him into Barney's child. This stuff is nasty. It even stained its orange bottle purple.

Anyhow, on to my point. In a quiet (and rare) spare moment yesterday I flipped open my Bible to the book of Isaiah and began to read chapter 1. Verse 18 hit me like a brick in the face: "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." Replace the word 'scarlet' with 'violet' and I had one very clear picture in my home of just what kind of nasty mess we're talking about. Gentian violet only comes off as you shed your skin cells. Sin in my life, unfortunately, doesn't fall off so easily. All of a sudden I gained a new appreciation for what Jesus did for me...taking my dirty, stained heart and making it white as snow. And not without cost to Himself.

But the story doesn't end there. Rob came home from work and I was telling him about my day and this little illustration and we were totally engrossed in our conversation, not paying any attention to what Ellie was doing. I have no idea what possessed her, but she took the black crayon she'd been holding and SCRIBBLED all over the exact verse I've been talking about! (Please understand that Ellie very very rarely tries drawing on something that isn't a piece of paper or a coloring book - this was quite out of character for her, and she looked as shocked as we did when she realized what she'd done!) Black crayon is next to impossible to remove from the pages of a book. So now, in my Bible, I have another very clear (permanent) reminder of the miracle of forgiveness in my life: my black, scribbled-up heart is made white again and again because of Jesus. It's so easy to take it for granted. I pray I don't forget.

p.s. Joshua's face looks much better today.
p.p.s. And the Gentian Violet is working!

Idea #87 of Things to Do in Winter in Manitoba:

Fill up your Aqua Doodle pen with water and draw all over your body.
When that gets boring, draw all over the walls.

A slight correction

At three o'clock this morning when I was nursing Joshua I thought back to yesterday's post and realized that it was a really negative and whiny sounding post. Much more negative and whiny than I actually feel. So I decided to counteract my doom and gloom with a post of thankfulness.

I am thankful for my crazy, busy life as a mom of teeny babes, remembering that it will fly by before I'm ready.
I am thankful for my little girl, currently pretending to brush her magnetic Mr.Potato head's teeth.
I'm thankful for my little guy, warming my heart today with his big purple smile, mouth all stained with Gentian Violet (latest thrush cure).
I'm thankful for the sun streaming in my window.
I'm thankful I don't have to go out in the cold today.
That I got my dishes done!
That my husband has a job with excellent benefits so we don't have to worry about buying medication.
That I HAVE a husband! A wonderful, tenderhearted one.
That I have a God who gives me strength for each day, and joy in the chaos.
That I have LIFE.
There. Can I get an amen? :)

When it rains, it usually pours.

(Joshua sucking back his thrush medication.)

The good news at our house is that Ellie is back to her healthy and (mostly) sweet self. The not-so-great news is that Joshua now has her cold. Poor little guy...it doesn't seem fair for someone so tiny to get sick. His cry is pathetically hoarse and he wakes himself up coughing. But this is what happens in households with more than one child, I hear. Oh, and my throat hurts today too (not a huge surprise as Ellie coughed directly into my mouth about a week ago). But I think I'm the one who started off with a cold in the first place.
Sheesh.
I'm ready for summer now.

Joshua 2 Months Old

Another Little Moment

I know I've recently posted about the relationship between Ellie and Joshua, but they're the only two kids I have, so here's another one. I've noticed lately that with Ellie there are three distinct 'moods' she gets in around her brother:
1. Ignore him entirely, just too busy playing toys.
2. Experiment on him. Like the other day when she pulled out her doctor kit and tried to 'check' Joshua's reflexes (i.e. wack his leg really hard) and give him a needle...in his eye.

And then there's mood #3, when I can't help but pull out the camera...the affectionate times. They last about two minutes from start to finish, but they're the times that I'll treasure forever. Here was another one of those moments yesterday:Ellie just after a 3-hour nap, looking quite dazed.

She notices Joshua on the floor and in the sweetest voice whispers, "Hi, Doshua." and strokes his hair.

And then she asks to "Hode it" (hold it).

Immediately after this one she pushed him off her lap. That was enough lovin' for one day.

Hot Date

Today and Rob and I are going on a hot Valentine's date. What? You say Valentine's day was 2 weeks ago? We must have missed it while doing industrial-sized loads of puke-covered laundry, boiling thrush-covered soothers and droppers, or maybe while Ellie was coughing up huge disgusting phlegm wads everywhere. No matter. Tonight is DATE night and I'm stoked. Here's how you do date night on a budget - stay in Steinbach, for one, since gas is 113 cents a litre (that's insanity!). Get mom and dad to babysit (thanks mom and dad!). Go to Sawney Beans for the best chicken fingers ever (that's the only part that costs money). Then go to a play. Okay, so it's a high school play (Cinderella), and yeah, we got free tickets from my brother-in-law who teaches there, but HEY! Dinner and a play! Sounds awesome, doesn't it? I'm pretty excited. I hope to refrain from talking about my new yeast-reduced diet (to try to kick this thrush thing) or scheduling Joshua or what to do about Ellie's new, uh, personality traits, as she nears her 2-year birthday... and just enjoy my wonderful, fun, and loving husband. I am a truly blessed woman to have Rob as my husband and best friend. Bring on the chicken fingers!!

Rob regaling Joshua with his many faces.

Rob enjoying his favorite new pastime - tax prep. (I'm not joking, folks.)

Reading stories with Ellie. This man is seriously an awesome dad.

He "slept through the night"!

If you consider 5:30 a great time to start your day, that is (like Grandma Balfour :). I think Joshua is making up for his recent daytime restlessness (my latest theory is that his larger dose of thrush medication has begun upsetting his tummy, because I'm certainly not eating anything offensive! Wish I WAS, but I'm NOT) by giving Mom an unbroken night's rest. Whatever the reason, I'm grateful. He's back asleep and I decided to seize the day and what else? Blog! And take a loooong shower. Ahhh...today's already a great day.
oh. p.s. happy 8 weeks, Joshua!