hearth and home

What it's all about. A place of love and belonging and warmth and family and companionship. I love seeing the grandkids building relationships with each other.

Treasuring each other, and caring for each other.

Welcoming and taking delight in each other.

Being fun and silly together!

And opening WIDE that place of love, safety and belonging, so that no one is left on the outside looking in.

From a novel by George MacDonald (The Vicar's Daughter):
"Her society did much to keep my heart open, and to prevent it from becoming selfishly absorbed in its cares for husband and children. For love which is only concentrating its force, that is, which is not at the same time widening its circle, is itself doomed, and for its objects ruinous, be those objects ever so sacred. God himself could never be content that his children should love him only; nor has he allowed the few to succeed who have tried after it..."

Grandpa's birthday

Happy Birthday to the love of my life

family ties

I just couldn't think of an adequate caption for the first photo in this post.  So I kept silent and let it speak for itself.   But here I'd like to say - thank you so much, Josh and Heather, for a lovely, quiet, beautiful weekend of birthdays, bonding and playdough.


Ron was the first one to see Justin's smile! After that, I couldn't get enough of coaxing more smiles from our beautiful little sweetheart! Others may be skeptical (gas?), but Ron and I are pretty sure that the day before his 3-week birthday, Justin gave us his very first smiles!



Great Grandad joined us for a day, meeting Justin for the first time. Happy (belated) 84th Birthday to our dear and loving Dad, Grandad and Great Grandad!

Fathers and sons.

Nathanael Josh James

Beloved grandson, Nathanael Josh James, on the eve of his very BIG day!



February 18th, Montreal. On this day (fittingly, Ontario's very first "family day"!) Nathanael's adoption was finalized in court! I was able to be there, holding Nathanael in my arms as the judgment was pronounced. When Cara explained to Michaela what had just happened - that now Nathanael belongs in our family "forever" - Michaela joyfully embraced and kissed Nathanael with the whole courtroom looking on. Spontaneous and heartbreakingly beautiful - a holy moment if ever there was one. This picture was taken moments later as we left the courtroom.



JOY!

letting go

The Holdfast

I threatened to observe the strict decree

Of my deare God with all my power & might.

But I was told by one, it could not be;

Yet I might trust in God to be my light.
Then will I trust, said I, in him alone.

Nay, ev’n to trust in him, was also his:

We must confesse that nothing is our own.

Then I confesse that he my succour is:
But to have nought is ours, not to confesse

That we have nought. I stood amaz’d at this,

Much troubled, till I heard a friend expresse,

That all things were more ours by being his.

What Adam had, and forfeited for all,

Christ keepeth now, who cannot fail or fall.

George Herbert (1593-1633)

heart to heart

Justin Douglas, our beautiful baby grandson. Thank you, Josh and Heather, for welcoming us into your world while Justin was still just days old! Uncle Calvin and Auntie Sharon on Friday, and the rest of us on the weekend - Grandma and Grandpa, Auntie Meghan, Auntie Cara, and cousin Michaela - all of us sharing the privilege of being there, holding Justin in our arms, gazing and wondering and embracing. Joy beyond words.


Thanks be to God.



The Fam! Jamie Ruth, you are beautiful, and you are a wonderful big sister. You give AMAZING hugs that make time stand still! And I loved watching the fun and funny games that you played with Grandpa and Michaela!



Pure delight!



Heart to heart. Your Grandma and Grandpa love you, dearest Justin!

one year later...

Kazan's adoption day, February 4th, 2007



One year later... still growing ... heart of gold (body of bull moose) ... dearly loved big baby boy.

belonging

I couldn't resist importing another picture from Josh and Heather's blog! This is priceless.

Justin Douglas

Justin Douglas, born February 3rd, 2:48 p.m., weighing 8 lb, 7 oz. (photos in this post "borrowed" from Josh and Heather's blog). The entry on my desk calendar for February 3rd: The Lord your God is with you.... He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).



What vivid memories this photo evokes of a father-son moment over 32 years ago!


Justin was home from the hospital less than 3 hours after his birth, greeted with "awwww!" and kisses from big sister Jamie Ruth! Congratulations, Josh, Heather and Jamie on your beautiful beautiful boy!

Sunday morning joy-on-the-lake