'Parenthood is about raising and celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you'd have. It's about understanding your child is exactly the person they are supposed to be.  And if you're lucky, they might be the teacher who turns you into the person you're supposed to be." (Joan Ryan)

 I saw this quote on my instagram feed the other day and it really got me pondering.  Loving our children is something that we do on a daily basis, almost second nature really, when they need something as Mom's we try our best to provide it for them.  When they cry we comfort them with a hug, when they are cold give them a blanket to warm them up, when they are hungry we give them something to eat.  Our days are small acts of love woven together as we care for our children in these small but tangible ways.  We get to know our children as they grow and we learn more about their personalities and what makes them tick.  Each child is so different and unique and as we do these small acts of love every day we can love them according to who they are and who God made them to be.

  All 3 of our children are very different, and rightly so, they are their own little humans ;) We have some strong headedness, some creativity, some tender hearts, some outgoing personalities, some shyness, some overly emotional and some compassionate souls, just to name a few.  When I think of my own siblings and I, I think of how different we all are as well, it's amazing to see how God has created us all in His own image and how he brought our families together for His glory and purpose. Every person has a unique place in their family and complete the family unit with their own traits and skills, and it is beautiful to see each unit work together as a whole. Whether it’s a family with a Mom, Dad and two kids, or one Mom and 6 kids, God creates them all in His image.

I think back to before I had children, and all the expectations I had of what I thought I wanted my children to be like. So many silly things that I thought were important or that I thought were in my control. Then I had kids, and all of that flew straight out the window, and fast! I realized quickly that it was not my job to turn my children into the image of what I thought they should be, but to love them and encourage them in who they already were, and who God had carefully and mindfully made them to be. Our kids hadn’t been randomly selected to be in our family, I fully believe they were hand chosen by God just for us. To teach us, and to grow us and to show us how to truly love.

This is not to say we don’t teach them and train them up in the way that God has commanded us to do as parents, but to know that they are not our own, but they are the Lord’s and they are in HIS hands. And gratefully so, as raising small humans is not an easy task and I know full well that I could not and should not do it on my own strength. So, I put my kids in the Lords hands, and I pray, every day that He would guide them in the way that He wants them to go. It can be hard to give up that ‘control’ as a parent, as many times we feel their behaviour or personality is a reflection of ourselves. But if I could share anything that I’ve learned about parenting it is to let that GO, and give yourself and your kids the same grace that the Lord gives freely to us.

Our kids may not be exactly who we ‘envisioned’ they would be, in my experience our whole lives are never exactly how we envision, But the biggest thing I’ve learned is that our children are not our own, they are God’s, and an amazing gift from Him. He picked out each of our children for us according to what He knew was best for us. That to me is exactly what I ‘envision’ now, loving my kids for who God made them and also loving them as the big gift that they are. This way of thinking truly changes our perspective and brings us such peace as we raise our kids.

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!" Psalm 127: 3-5

Remember what a great job you are doing, and keep loving those babes the way I know you already do,

Love,

Shelley

p.s. next week should I post our bedroom reno before & after? Or a recipe? Vote below!  

Today is the two year anniversary of our big move up north, that took us from city life to lake life, from hustle and bustle to a slower pace. Since then we have DIY renovated almost an entire house, gained a dog and lost a dog, and seen our kids grow and have done a lot of growing ourselves too. It’s always fun to look back and see how much has changed in such a short time, and reflect on the life we have here now. It’s also neat to see how every stage of life brings you to where you need to be, and that God has a plan that is so much better then our own.

When we first started thinking and praying about moving up here, there were so many factors that came into play, and one of the big ones that was so hard was having to leave our church family. We had served and worshiped at our church for nearly 8 years, and we almost couldn’t imagine being anywhere else after so long. To think of leaving all the people that we had grown to love so much was definitely sad, and hard to think about having to transition to a new church and make connections all over again. After much prayer we still knew that even though it would be hard, that this was a move that God wanted us to take, and one that He had planned specifically for our family. I think of the song ‘Beautiful Story’ by Mia Fields, if you’ve never heard it definitely go give it a listen. There is a line that says ‘All the while you keep saying, Trust that I am custom making, Everything for good’ I love how God ‘custom makes’ our lives, He loves his children so much and He knows what we need before we even do. Just like you can commission a carpenter to make a custom piece of furniture for your home, God custom makes our story for our good and for His glory that is just the right fit.

God opened all the doors for our move, and we saw Him work in amazing ways as we worked out all the details of a big relocation. He even provided a home for us that was one street over from my brother’s family, and even better it was on a beautiful spring fed lake. I am a nature lover through and through, and ever since I was a little girl growing up in the city, I dreamed that one day I would have a home in a rural nature setting. I figured that this would happen when I was much older, but it was always on my heart that my kids could grow up surrounded by nature. God heard my heart cries, and He provided in ways I never would have imagined.

We took a leap and did what we knew was best for our family at the time with God leading us, and even though it was hard that we had to leave our church and ministry behind that we had poured 8 years into, God has provided there too! When we came up to Parry Sound, we knew there was a church we wanted to try out (now called 'Harvest Church Parry Sound) it was a branch of Harvest Muskoka, and we had a few small connections there. From the first time we attended we felt at home, with many friendly faces, and kind people who made us feel welcome right from the start. We had no plans of this when we moved here, but about a year ago a big need for worship leading came up in the church, and when we were asked to consider filling that position, we knew that this too was part of God’s plan moving us up here. I was even able to start playing piano on the worship team again after 11 years, God knew my heart and provided a way for me to serve in the worship ministry with Chris again, and teach me so much through this.

The kids and I enjoy being out in nature every day, there is always somewhere to explore and beautiful nature to be seen. It never get’s old for me, it’s always a blessing to be immersed in nature and brings me so much joy, and there isn’t a day that goes by that I am not blessed by looking out my window and seeing the trees and the lake right there. We’ve made so many fun lake side memories here, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, campfires and s’mores, jumping off the dock, swimming all day long all summer long, and skating and skiing all winter long. We’ve had a lot of time together as a family, and Chris and I have been able to work on our wedding photography/video business as well. Chris has been able to be a part of the volunteer fire department which he loves, and also work more on his carpentry and wood working. God also provided a sweet homeschool group for us to be a part of and the kids have loved living near their cousins and seeing them frequently.

I am so thankful for the two years we have had here, but that doesn’t mean I am not thankful for all the years that led us here also. Everything that God has brought us through on our journey thus far has been teaching us and growing us, every single stage we go through is so important and part of our story. I love all the stages we have been through, and all they have taught us. I am a firm believer that one should always be growing and learning, and I know that wherever life or jobs may bring us in the future that God will be leading us and teaching us along the way, and for that I am truly grateful!

Until then we will be here at the lake house, taking it in and making memories that I know will last forever.

stay cozy,

Shelley

We had such an amazing time in Florida these past few weeks, and I wanted to write out our adventures in the south to help preserve these great memories. One thing that I think is so important about family trips is capturing it in photos and video, so that we can all look back on it years later, and have something tangible to see to jog our memories and warm our hearts. It’s also a great way to remember WHY we travel with our kids, because sometimes in the moment when your exhausted from the work of the trip (a reminder that family trips are not a vacation people hehe) seeing all the wonderful memories make it all worth it, and encourage us to do it again one day!

  When my husband first had the idea to drive our trailer down to Florida in the middle of the winter, many thought we were crazy and that it couldn’t be done, especially with a family!  But when someone says something is going to be a challenge that just pushes my husband to want to do it more, haha.  First things first we had to pack up a trailer to live in for a number of weeks, it was a big job, and we were doing it in sub zero temps.  This proved to be a little more tricky then doing it in the warmth of summer, but after endless ‘to-do lists’ and lot’s of trips from the house to the trailer we got it done, and we were ready to get on the road.  The first day we drove from our home up near Parry Sound Ontario, to my parents house in Aurora.  This was only a two hour drive, and gave us a good head start so we could leave bright and early the next morning, while already being past the ‘north end’ of our drive.

  We left about 7 am the next morning (we wanted to leave earlier, but you know how it goes!) and we drove non-stop that whole day (even making sandwiches in the car while we were moving, and only stopping for quick bathroom breaks) we made it all the way to Tennessee that night, and we did something I never thought we’d do…we slept in a Wal Mart parking lot.  If you are already a trailer/RV person, then you know that this is very common and that you can park in certain parking lots for free (it’s called ‘Boondocking), but you don’t have water or electricity.  So that was fun! LOL We did that for just one night so that we could drive as long as we possibly could that day, and start again as early as we woke up the next morning without the time it would take to ‘hook up’ at a campground.  Though I wouldn’t recommend sleeping in a Wal Mart parking lot, ( it was loud and bright) we survived unscathed and it was worth it to be able to get to our destination faster!

The next day we started driving around 7 am, and drove the ENTIRE day again until we got to our first ‘final’ destination, St. Augustine Florida. Driving into the town the first night they still had all the beautiful twinkle lights set up on all the trees in the streets from Christmas, we were happy to catch a glimpse of that because they started taking it down the very next day. We were all so excited to get out of the car and see our camp ground and stretch our legs when we parked. We have been to Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine many times, and so it almost feels like one of our Florida homes and it was so nice to arrive and see the trees and palms after such a long drive. Of course our first day there it was only 11 degrees and super cloudy and chilly, but we woke up the day after that and had the best weather the whole remainder of the trip. Generally around 24 degrees and sunny the whole time, we were so thankful. The sun felt amazing after so many cold winter months, and the kids enjoyed riding their bikes, and boogie boarding at the beach as well as taking tons of walks. We spent 4 days here (it’s VERY hard to get spots at any park in Florida in the winter months, but especially at the state parks. So we were only able to get the 4 days, but I am so glad we did!) . This park is right on a beautiful light sand beach, with large and lush camp sites and seashells at every turn. As we drove away from here to our next spot, we were all a little sad, but excited that our trip was still just beginning.

Our next campsite was in Tarpon Springs Florida, we had never even been to this area before, but again because it is so hard to get camping spots in Florida (unless you book a whole year ahead, and a year ago we didn’t even have our trailer) so we just had to take what we could get. It was a busier camp ground, but had a gorgeous pool and even a dog park for Forest. He loved going off leash there and running around every day and meeting other doggy friends. There was a lovely pool at this spot, which was surrounded by beautiful palms, and hibiscus flowers, and felt like a little oasis in the middle of the park. We did school in the mornings here, then would go for a swim in the pool, make some lunch, then head to the beach in the afternoons. We would go to a different beach every time, because we were new to this area and we wanted to try different spots out and explore a bit. We enjoyed some lovely sunsets, ice cream runs and some Target fun of course too.

Every time I went into a grocery store to get food supplies for the fam, I was amazed at how HUGE the grocery stores are in the states, there are just SO MANY CHOICES and so much to look at, it’s fun and overwhelming at the same time. I got the tip from many friends to stick to the ‘outer edges’ of the stores and skip the middle aisles as that is where all the packaged ‘junk’ food is, and the fresher stuff is around the edges. My favourite thing was trying all the nice dairy free yogurts they have there as well as different flavours of ‘La Croix’ as I am a big fan of ‘fizzy water’ as we call it in our house. We did our best to make meals as usual in the trailer and using the BBQ a lot, and we all ate well and as healthy as we could with of course a few runs to Chick-Fil-A mixed in.

Our final campground was down in Bradenton Florida, and this was the one I think we were all most excited about as we were going to be able to go to Anna Maria Island, which is our fave Florida spot. The campground here was really nice, and had more trees and a ‘nature’ feel to it which we all loved. We also spent most mornings here doing some school, and then we would head to the Island for the remainder of the day until sunset. Every one at all the campsites we stayed at was so friendly, and it seemed like everyone had dogs, so even though in most places we stayed we were the only ones there with kids (it was generally all quiet retired couples this time of year, I would guess more families with kids will be enjoying Florida during March break when school is out) we still felt at home, and enjoyed meeting so many nice new people and their dogs at the parks.

We discovered that Anna Maria Island is much more busy and popular this time of year (we have usually gone in November in the past, and this was our first time going in February) so it took a bit longer to drive on and off the island, but once you see the Anna Maria beauty, the driving is so worth it! White sand beaches, clear blue water, tons of bottle nose dolphin sightings, sandpipers and pelicans diving for fish. Huge sailboats out on the horizon, big waves to jump in and the most colourful glowing sunsets. The whole island has a very tropical feel with small colourful houses and cottages and no tall buildings which really gives the island it’s charm. I loved all the palm trees and foliage everywhere I looked this trip, God has made such beauty in nature for us to look for everyday and it was fun to escape winter for a while and see something fresh and green!

After our time in Anna Maria area we began the long journey home to Canada. We wanted to do it in three days instead of two this time, and I am not sure what I liked better now that it’s said and done. It was nice to hook up the trailer in the evenings and stretch our legs more in between the days of driving, we spent one night in Georgia and one in Ohio, but I think I prefer just getting it over with in two days! Our kids did so well in the car, and so well the whole trip (as long as we had plenty of snacks on hand)! They are getting to be good travellers and we are so thankful to be able to give them these fun and new experiences. Travelling around with the trailer was once again so great, we loved having our cozy little home with us wherever we went, with just the view out of the windows changing around us. We look forward to many more trips to come with ‘Gary’ (yes our trailer finally got a name thanks to Mia!) Traveling with a family is never ‘perfect’ or exactly what you picture, the kids fight and complain, you don’t get to finish (or even start reading that book you brought) you get heat rash all over your feet and hands (that itches, and yes that really happened!) and it all goes by in a blur, but I couldn’t have asked for a better trip and I am so grateful, Thanks so much for the memories Florida! And of course a huge thank you to my hubby Chris, who always encourages us to take these trips and does all the planning and driving, he’s our rock and we all love and appreciate his ‘go getter’ attitude!

Stay cozy friends,

Shelley

We are currently 1 week into our Florida Trailer adventure as I write this, the sun is shining bright, the sky is blue, and we all have a little bit of a burn from the beach yesterday :) It was a long few days of travel initially but everyone held up so well and it was definitely worth the long drive. We have really liked having our trailer here in Florida, no matter where we park for the night, we always have our cozy little home and beds with us, and that really makes a big difference when travelling. The kids are doing some school right now, and then we plan to spend the rest of the day exploring this new area, and taking some walks, and hopefully some sunset beach pictures later. I thought it would be fun this week to answer these 25 questions as a little ‘get to know me’, I remember doing these Q&A’s on Facebook years ago when Ben was a baby, and boy things have changed! It’s always great to look back and read these and see what has changed and what has stayed exactly the same in your personality…so here we go, 25 question challenge for adults! (ps. I wrote this last week before we left for our trip, which is why I mention winter a lot!)

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Cell phone, the necessary evil! Also lately I don’t like paying for Amazon Prime (first world problems lol) as they haven’t been delivering well to our area the past few months.

2. When was the last time you had a romantic dinner? Hmmm…I think back in the summer we went on a date to a nice restaurant out of town, there isn’t really anything close by to where we live so we don’t get out often. Sometimes I think just making a good meal together and eating it on the porch in our backyard overlooking the lake in the summer would be the nicest :)

3. What do you really want to be doing right now? It’s the weekend, so something outside and active (skiing, skating with the family) but it’s SO bitter cold today, were just doing some house cleaning and chores for now.

4. How many colleges did you attend? Two technically, I did one year at Tyndale Bible College, and then did an apprenticeship program at Humber College for Early Childhood Education (so I didn’t really have to go to class at the actual college, I did correspondence courses and worked at a preschool for my training)

5. Why did you choose the shirt you have on right now? Because it’s cozy & comfortable…that’s pretty much how I pick all of my clothes, it’s all about the coziness, especially in the winter.

6. Thoughts on gas prices right now? The other day it was so cold that the wind chill was hurting my face and I could barely breathe, so to be honest I pumped as fast as I could (because I was on empty and had no choice) and didn’t even pay attention to the price, I just needed to get outta there! LOL I love winter, but not when it hurts my lungs.

7. First thought when the alarm goes off in the morning? ‘Ok, here we go Mama’ (little pep talk) and then straight to praying, talking to God and trying to set the tone and my attitude for the day ahead. P.S. my ‘alarm’ is typically my 5 year old, asking for cereal :)

8. Last thought you have before you go to bed? I think back on the day and what we did, and what I accomplished (or didn’t) I like to read some short scripture in my head before I sleep, and then I think “I hope we can all have a good restful sleep, and that the kids don’t wake up too early!” hehe

9. Do you miss being a child? I never used to, but in the last few years, YES…oh those carefree days we didn’t know how good or easy we had it! It’s fun to be nostalgic every once in a while and think about all the childhood memories. I have a lot of fond memories, and I hope my kids do one day too when they look back!

10. What errand/chore do you despise the most? Cleaning the toilets (I have one word for you: Boys!) also emptying the dishwasher, I don’t know WHY but I’d rather hand wash, air dry and put away those dishes then reach down into the dishwasher to empty and put those away, haha, (VERY first world problems!) truly I am thankful to have a dishwasher, but if I had to pick a least favourite, it’s that!

11. Up early or sleep in? I’ve typically always been an early riser, if I wake up it’s very hard for me to fall back to sleep, and if I just lay in bed I usually start to get a headache, so I basically just get up when I wake up and don’t laze in bed. Doesn’t help that our youngest is a very early riser, so he wakes me up most the time, it makes it pretty impossible to sleep in. But even when I was a teenager I never slept in late. Getting up early is good though, as it gives me that little bit of quiet time to read the bible, drink some coffee and wake up!

13. Favourite lunch meat? I am not a huge lunch meat fan, but thin sliced turkey or roast beef is nice from the deli! The pre packaged stuff is a little gross, but I still eat it. LOL

14. What do you get every time at Wal-Mart? I always end up needing to get a big jug of Orange juice (it’s the kids fave morning drink, and the rest of the day they drink water) as well as yogurt because we go through a lot of that. And house plants, it’s super hard to walk out of wal-mart without bringing a little plant friend home haha.

15. Beach or lake? This is a tough one, as I love both…but I think I’d have to say Lake, because I love how there are typically a lot of trees around lakes, and nice shady spots, whereas beaches tend to be right in the sun. Lake’s also feel more rustic and in the woods which I love.

16. Is marriage overrated? No, I don’t think so. I really like having my partner in crime to do life with, and to have a friend that’s always there at the end of the day to laugh with or just hold hands and watch a show together before bed. I love my hubby :)

17. Ever crashed a vehicle? Yes, I was very young, and new to driving, and rear ended someone at a red light (the car in front of me started moving forward so I assumed the light had turned green and got a little too pedal happy when the light was actually still red) the person I hit was very angry at me (got out and yelled at me, and called the police), I felt horrible, and my car ended up being wrecked only because I had hit right on the air bag sensor and set them off, even though I wasn’t going fast, so I had tons of ‘air bag burn’ marks all over my arms. The people in the other car were totally fine and so was their car thankfully, but they were mad is all I remember.

18. Strangest place you've brushed your teeth? Hmmm, weird question! I guess when camping before I’ve brushed my teeth using a water bottle and outside in the bush? Wild and free :) (I can update this, I brushed my teeth on our travel down here to Florida in a gas station parking lot!)

19. Somewhere you've never been but want to go? The Swiss mountains! We just watched the documentary style show ‘The Horn’ on Netflix which follows the ‘Air Zermatt Rescue Team’ at the Matterhorn Mountain in Switzerland, and I am pretty sure that is on our bucket list now. (it was before but not is’ REALLY on there, what a gorgeous spot :)) really anywhere with mountains, I would love to see and photograph them all. That saying ‘The Mountains are calling, and I must go…” definitely applies to me.

20. At this point in your life would you want to start a new career? Yes I would, because I always like trying new things. But I also like that I’ve stuck with the photography gig for all these years now, as there is something to be said for longevity. So no new business ventures at this point, just going to try keeping our wedding photo/video business thriving for now :)

21. How old are You? 35, I’ve liked this age, the 30’s have been good for me, I am more sure of myself and confident in my choices. I am past the ‘baby/toddler’ stage, but still have my kids home to be with which I really enjoy (not off to college yet), I like this stage a lot.

22. Do you have a go to person? Probably my husband Chris, I know I can alway rely on him or tell him anything. He’s always a phone call away ready to rescue me from my many predicaments, lol! Also my Mom and Sister are always a text/call away and we love laughing and sharing things.

23. Are you where you want to be in life? I think this is a hard question because I believe we should always be growing and learning and never really ‘arrive’. So yes I am very thankful for where I am in life, I love my family so much, but I think there is always something to improve upon or learn. I am very content for sure, but still feel ready to grow as the years go on. God definitely isn’t finished with me yet.

24. Growing up what were your favourite cartoons/shows? Full House was always the big fave, and my kids have already watched it on Netflix (the original) and they love it just as much as I did. I also loved Dr. Quinn, our family used to watch it on Saturday nights together, and I always looked forward to it. Slowly making my way through the box set now as I received it as a gift. I also loved ‘Who’s the boss’ and ‘Family Matters’, they were definitely close seconds. I don’t think I really had a favourite cartoon, I guess even back then I wasn’t too fond of animated shows.

25. What do you think has changed about you since you were a teenager? I used to be extremely shy, quiet and reserved. Sometimes people would think I was being stand offish, but really it was just I was too nervous to get the convo going. Now I am much better at forcing myself to talk and get out of my comfort zone, because I want my kids to see that meeting new people and talking to people is a good thing to do. Honestly though so many things have changed, and I’ve learned a lot, still lot’s more to learn too!’

The fam on the beach at Anastasia State Park

So that’s me, If you want to do the 25 Question challenge also I would love to read yours too! Next week I plan to post our ‘Florida Travel Diary’ with pictures and words about our adventures thus far here in the south, so that should be fun! Thanks again for reading friends :)

stay cozy,

Shelley