In Honor of the 2010 Winter Games--Highlights from Vancouver

The Lord gave us the unexpected but amazing opportunity to spend 4 months (April-July) learning more about missions and serving Him in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 2009. The pic above is the view from our apartment balcony, and here are some more highlights from our time there:

This is the outside of our apartment building. Our "home" was on the second floor.
No, that's not our car. We used public transportation.

Here's a pic of Emma Brooke's "room"--aka the bike closet. We lived in a cozy, one-bedroom apartment, but we were so thankful for the over-sized closet that we made into a "nursery" for EB!

A bridge and view of West Vancouver from Stanley Park.

I think this is another view of West Vancouver from the park.

Emma Brooke and one of her favorite buddies from Vancouver, Nico Gonzalez. Nico and his parents were recent immigrants from Colombia, and they became great friends. Here EB and Nico are playing at the Hispanic playgroup.

Nico and his parents, Ana and Javier

Emma Brooke poses in a bed of flowers. The Vancouver spring flowers were absolutely gorgeous!
A view of the skytrain--our daily mode of transportation. We miss it so much now!
Will and I are standing on a pier on Granville Island, one of our favorite spots in Vancouver.
One of the magnificent views from Deer Lake Park, one of my favorite places within walking distance to our apartment.
Home from grocery shopping! With no car, this handy cart went everywhere with us to store grocery and other household goods. Carts like this are seen throughout the pedestrian-friendly city.
The Science World dome--yes, this is the same dome you can see in the aerial views of the city shown on the Olympics.
This is one of my favorite pics from Emma Brooke's 1st birthday party. We celebrated at a park/schoolyard across the street from our apartment. We could hear and see children playing at this park every day.
EB's 1st birtday cake, which I made with lots of help from two amazing missionary friends, Jess and Kristin! I don't think I'll ever be able to make another cake like this!
Our little princess crawling around in the grass at her 1st birthday party.
One of EB's first experiences at the beach. The water was COLD but the scenery was breathtaking!
A view from Burnaby Mountain Park
A night view of Vancouver
Some of our favorite co-laborers in Vancouver--the Lees. These guys became family.

More Favorite Pics from Virginia--winter 2009

This is a pic of our small group. We worshiped and studied with this group on Sundays and almost every weekday morning. Many in this group became some of our dearest friends!

Emma Brooke and I enjoyed the snow!

Here's a pic from a day trip to Williamsburg.

Mrs. Carol Wells helped me make this sling for EB before we left MS.

This was mine and Will's bedroom. The "king-sized" bed is really two twins pushed together!

This is Emma Brooke's room. That pack 'n play was her bed for almost a year! What a blessing!

This was our kitchen. I really only used it to make sweet tea and baby food since we had all meals provided in the cafeteria.

This is another view of the kitchen, with a peek inside EB's room.

We kept EB bundled up in her stroller during many cold days!

EB started using the big girl bathtub during our days in Virginia!

Catch-Up Pics--Virginia, winter 2009

Since I went so long on a blogging "hiatus," I am going to spend this week posting some of my favorite pics from this past year.

Last year this time we were just moving into our "quad" apartment at the International Learning Center near Richmond, Virginia. There, the Lord allowed us to partake in some excellent missions training that we will were able to later put into practice in Canada and will hopefully use here in the U.S. and overseas again one day. God also gave us some life-long friendships with some dear fellow believers there.

Here are some favorite pics from ILC (January-March 2009):

This was the view from our back window. It was beautiful anyway, but it was absolutely gorgeous when we got snow and ice!

Emma Brooke attended a daycare/nursery while we were in class. Every week the teachers would use a picture to make some kind of display of the children. She was 7-9 months old during our time there.



EB practiced her crawling skills while in the nursery. She hadn't quite mastered it yet in this pic, but she started crawling at 8 months!

Jenn's Baby Shower

One of the greatest joys of my adulthood so far has been motherhood and seeing my friends become mothers. Today I got to take part in my friend Jenn's first baby shower.

Jenn has been one of my best friends since the first day of college. That's right--the very first day. She sat behind me in Spanish. I could have sworn they put me in the wrong Spanish class. I barely knew a thing on the placement test--how could they put me in 3rd semester Spanish! But, in God's sovereignty, there I was, and Jenn was behind me. I turned around to her the first day when it became obvious the professor was NOT going to be speaking ANY English. "Um, Do you understand a word he is saying?" Jenn smiled: "No." We've been friends ever since.

God brought Jenn into my life, and I am so thankful for her friendship. It was an honor to be there on her wedding day last year, and it is an amazing blessing to have watched her go through most of her pregnancy. In anywhere from 2-5 weeks we will meet Baby Carson Grice!

Here are some pics and videos from Jenn's special day:
The first video is a pack 'n play relay game. We divided the women into two teams. The team who put the pack 'n play together the fastest won the game. The other two videos are a game where Jenn had to undress and dress "Baby Carson" blindfolded.

Why "Woven and Spun"?

There were several things that inspired me to name this blog "Woven and Spun."

One of my favorite songs (that also currently serves as my cell phone ring tone) is "I Am" by Nicole Nordman. The whole premise of the song is that Jesus is every believer's "I Am" all throughout life--in every stage and season. The end of the song quotes a tiny part of Psalm 139: "When life had begun, I was woven and spun."

Psalm 139 has been one of my favorite scriptures for a long time. The entire school I taught at in Costa Rica (Sojourn Academy) memorized it together during the daily chapel service my first semester there. Psalm 139 was also constantly in my mind during my pregnancy with Emma Brooke. I don't think a day passed that I did not ponder how God was "weaving and spinning" a baby in my womb!

Beyond the spiritual, "Woven and Spun" reminded me of a new hobby I have been developing since moving back to North Carolina: sewing and quilting. I am NOT a natural, but I have enjoyed this new venture, and I felt the title fit well with this season in my life.

Lastly, back in my "youth" (age 5-23ish) I was quite passionate about writing. Life just seemed to get busier after college, and without the pressure of deadlines, my passion waned. For a time, I thought I had lost my muse altogether, but it seems to be coming back with the onset of motherhood and a little more time on my hands as a part-time tutor and stay-at-home-mom. Anyway, I am not aspiring to write anything of worth at this point, but the least I can do is try to re-hone my skills and do a little "weaving and spinning" on the computer keyboard.

To end, I would like to include the lyrics to Nicole Nordman's "I Am":

Pencil marks on a wall, I wasn't always this tall
You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed
You watched my team win
You watched my team lose
Watched when my bicycle went down again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said, Elbow Healer, Superhero
Come if You can
You said, I Am

Only sixteen, life is so mean
What kind of curfew is at 10pm?
You saw my mistakes
And watched my heart break
Heard when I swore I'd never love again
And when I was weak, unable to speak
Still I could call You by name
And I said Heartache Healer, Secret Keeper
Be my best friend
And you said, I Am

You saw me wear white by pale candlelight
I said forever to what lies ahead
Two kids and a dream, with kids that can scream
Too much it might seem when it is 2am
And when I am weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Shepherd, Savior, Pasture Maker
Hold onto my hand
You say, I Am

The winds of change and circumstance blow in and all around us
So we find a foothold that's familiar
And bless the moments that we feel You nearer

When life had begun, I was woven and spun
You let the angels dance around the throne
And who can say when, but they'll dance again
When I am free and finally headed home
I will be weak, unable to speak
Still I will call You by name
Creator, Maker, Life Sustainer
Comforter, Healer, my Redeemer
Lord and King, Beginning and the End

I Am
Yes, I Am

Currently Reading

I have always been a bookworm, and I have resolved to spend less time online and more time reading good, old-fashioned books this year! I am going to list the books I am reading from time-to-time and may include some reviews once I'm finished.

There are so many books I want to read right now that it was hard to decide on where to begin. Thankfully, the library decided for me! When they called yesterday to notify me that a book I had requested was in, I knew that was where I needed to start. (After all, I only have it for 3 weeks, while the books I own can wait.)

So...the first book I'm reading is: Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley--the FlyLady. The subtitle says it all: "Overwhelmed? Disorganized? Living in Chaos? The FlyLady's Simple Flying Lessons Will Show You How to Get Your Home and Your Life in Order--and It All Starts With Shining Your Sink!"

I admit--I am predisposed to chaotic clutter. Now, as I have already read 3 chapters of this book, I have come to realize my home is not nearly as chaotic as it could be. However, the fact that we still have a couple of trunks to unpack and we've lived here for almost 6 months points to the fact that I will learn a lot from this book!

This book will help me towards meeting two of my 2010 goals: developing a good SAHM (Stay-at-Home Mom) schedule and becoming a better wife and mother.

I can't wait to start "FLYing"! :)

2010 Goals

While Will was off for Christmas break, I was able to spend several hours at The Mad Hatter Bakery and several more hours at Panera Bread praying through some goals for 2010. This may seem like a long list, but I am hoping that writing everything out will motivate me to accomplish more. I have also chosen Scripture to pray and character trait to work on for this year.

Scripture: Lamentations 3:21-24: "This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 'The LORD is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I have hope in Him.' ~Lamentations 3:21-24 NASB

Character Trait to Implement: Compassion

I wouldn't necessarily call all of these "resolutions," but here are the goals I've made for 2010 (in no particular order):

1. Go to bed by 9:30 and turn out the lights by 10. (9:30-10 would be a good time to read!)

2. Rise between 5:30-6 during the week.

3. Exercise with a video or wii 3 times/week.

4. Read through the NIV Chronological Bible.

5. Memorize one Scripture/week.

6. Read at least one book/month, equaling 12 books/year. Alternate fiction and non-fiction books. I read of plenty of books in 2009, but I just realized I didn't read ANY fiction! No wonder I was so glued to Twilight when I finally read it this week!

7. Start/revamp blog by January 15 (early on this one!!). Call the blog "Woven and Spun."

8. Write something (anything--not necessarily for blog) 15 minutes/day, 4 days/week.

9. Try to freelance at least one article by December 31, 2010.

10. E-mail my former editor at The Salisbury Post by Jan. 10 to tell him I'm back in the area and could potentially freelance. (Wow--this one's sneaking up on me. How am I supposed to explain that I haven't written in 6 years?)

11. Hobby to develop: sewing...3 nights/week (even if just for a few minutes).

12. Develop a home school Spanish curriculum by June. The fact that I start teaching 3 homeschoolers Spanish in two weeks will expedite this one!

13. Finish Emma Brooke's baby book by June 12, 2010 (her 2nd birthday!).

14. Develop a good stay-at-home mom schedule by February 1. (This schedule will hopefully help me manage my time more wisely.)

15. Pray daily for missions/missionaries--and not just the 5 that I already pray for daily. I want to include more prayers for brothers and sisters around the world that are enduring persecution (not just American missionaries).

16. Focus on my marriage and family--being a better wife and mommy!

17. Volunteer somewhere (pregnancy center?) once/month if childcare works out.

18. Spend MUCH less time on facebook!!