Yearly Archives: 2013

our 100th post

This is our 100th blog post, so I thought it would be good to put something important in it. And I really couldn’t think of anything more important that has been happening around here than a certain upcoming event.

David

David

Erica

Erica

David and Erica

Looking forward to August 4th, in the same location.


Both couples are looking forward to this event.

Nathanael

Nathanael

Samantha

Samantha

Nathanael and Samantha

Also looking forward to the same date


For those who hadn’t heard yet, the wedding date is August 4th, (You will notice there is even a countdown on the right side of the page.) and it will be a double wedding.  I imagine someone will be putting a post on shortly after the wedding, but I don’t know how many posts will be made before, as we will be quite busy.

Welcome to the new blog

I just upgraded our servers to a dedicated host – at our house.  The disadvantage is that it will be down during the night, many week-ends, and when we have a power failure.

I hope you enjoy the new appearance.  I wonder how long it will take for people to notice, though.

Important Announcement

“For you make me glad by your deeds, Lord; I sing for joy at what your hands have done”

The observant reader may notice that this is the first post I have ever made to our family blog. I have elected to start now because something has come about that is so important to me that I simply can’t contain it.

The Lord has been clearly leading me by His Word, His Spirit, and the guidance and counsel of parents which I value tremendously, to the point where I could, in all confidence, approach Mr Taylor to ask for something inestimably valuable – his permission to court his daughter, Samantha Marie Taylor. It is with tremendous joy that I can say that both of Samantha’s parents, as well as my own, have accorded their full blessing on this relationship. To my intense delight, Samantha herself has wholeheartedly agreed to court me – an honour for which I can scarcely count myself worthy. I am brought to my knees in gratefulness to God that He would bring such a rich blessing from Heaven down upon me, due to no merit of my own.

A thousand words would not suffice for me to describe this joy of mine over this turn of events! However, since a picture is worth a thousand words, I will let you in on a bit of it. 🙂

 

happiness

 

:)  :)

And this is my favourite of the bunch 🙂

My personal favourite!\

I thank God for you, Samantha, every day.  May this relationship bring glory to God and cause us to be drawn closer to Him!

A Pounding

I had no idea what a pounding was before yesterday.  And I certainly didn’t expect one!  If you had told me I was going to have one, I probably would have ducked.

Ok, I had better start at the beginning.  Yesterday afternoon was the day we celebrated my birthday.  (We often celebrate not quite on the date, due to Daddy’s irregular schedule.)  I was glad Erica could be there, though I certainly had no idea what my family had planned.  Well, after the normal celebration, they told me and Erica to go sit on the couch and close our eyes.  While our eyes were shut, they brought up a whole pile of gifts, mostly wrapped in grocery flyers and shopping bags.  I was told I needed help opening these gifts.

The gifts interesting wrapping paper unwrapping...

In each package were dozens of useful items – non-perishable groceries, cleaning supplies, tape, stamps, and so much more.  I could see that a lot of thought and effort had been put into this special time.  We were given so many things that are so important and yet so easy to overlook.  I am very grateful for all that was done for us!

Some things were wrapped in bags It was NOT milk powder. Lots of chocolate chips

Chocolate chip cookies are a favourite of mine – that is why there is such a large bag of chocolate chips.

not for fishing - this is a first-aid box. More important ingredients

That bag was not really full of popcorn, though that is the size of bag our family normally buys – we have gone through a lot of popcorn the past few years, especially because at our regular Bible studies we would invariably make popcorn for anywhere from 12 to 40 people.  And that is where Erica and I got to know each other.  So, the last gift was quite appropriate …

a special package of popcorn a very happy birthday

The Lord has indeed been good to us.  How glad I am, and grateful, that He gave us the families that He did, who care for us and love us!

 

Psalm 135:3 “Praise the Lord; for the Lord is good: sing praises unto his name; for it is pleasant.”

 

An Important Event

I know that some of you have been looking forward to this post for some time, myself most certainly included. It was a about year ago that I posted about our courtship, and now Erica and I have some more exciting news…

our engagement (February 13th)!  And yes, we do have a date for the wedding: Sunday, September 1st, 2013.

David and Erica Erica and David

The past year has been a time of great blessing and joy as we have gotten to know each other better and I know that the next six months will also be a time of relationship growth, both toward each other and our Lord.  Our hope is that in this area, where a relationship like ours is virtually unheard of, the Lord would open people’s eyes to what He can do in people who are willing to work in His ways.  I pray that what we have gone through would be a blessing and example to those around us and cause them to desire a closer walk with Him first of all.

It has been a long wait, with yet more time to go, but as it says in Isaiah 40:31, “they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

It’s high time for an update!

  So much has occurred in the past months, that even though Jonathan had our website up and running again by early January, no one has had the time to write any posts.  Some of what has taken place since the last real post that to give a full update would take far more time than I have.  Instead, I’ll attempt to give an overview of the fall and winter months, touching on a few highlights.

  Fall activities included leaf raking, tree chopping, garden harvesting, and visits from local turkeys!

lots of peppers tree chopping

hard at work paying a visit

  Winter fun has included skating, skiing, and having fun in the snow with friends.

on the lift skiing

horses in the snow returning from sledding

  During this time frame, we had opportunity to attend a couple conferences in New Hampshire – the Family Encouragement Weekend in September and the Gospel Family Forum in February.

FEW conference Gospel Family Forum

  Not only have we gone out of our home to fellowship with other like-minded families, but we have also had many opportunities for inviting others into our home.  We continue monthly men’s meetings, usually preceded by a dinner for all the families.  And of course we have welcomed other groups of people, such as the Sherbrooke Gideons, as well as individual families.  Such times of fellowship are always a blessing!

fellowshipping around a meal playing music together

  The winter season wouldn’t be complete without Christmas concerts and chalk art presentations…

chalk talk at the GCH Christmas concert at the Connaught Home

  … and a visit with our precious grandparents!

with Grandma and Grandpa

  Though not foremost in our priorities right at the moment, some work has been done on the apartment in the basement.  The tiles are now laid and grouted.  The hardwood floor is in – both the living room and bedroom.  The kitchen cabinets are underway as are the mouldings, window frames, etc.  Now thought is turning toward the bathroom.  Another project on the side was also accomplished: the changing of some well-worn run on our much-used staircase!

tiles hardwood flooring changing the rug

 

  February 13th was marked an important event. David may want to say more, but for the moment, I’ll just let the picture tell the story…

Never to be forgotten

  This has taken our thoughts toward a future date – the results in the kitchen reflecting that rather clearly!

 

A doll wedding cake Yes, Stephen, you may have a wedding cake for your birthday. the penguin wedding

Erica's siblings made an engagement cake

They worked in the kitchen together too!

  Sewing has also commenced.  We girls had a great time together cutting out and sewing the bridesmaids dresses, creating memories of special times that will not be forgotten.

sewing setup sewing together

  Well, that is a quick summary of some highlights from the past few months.  Of course there are a few other random things that have been done such as butchering the last couple turkeys (and learning to do sutures on one of them!), preparing for the next batch of meat birds, various culinary experiments unrelated to the upcoming wedding, the more recent undertaking of clearing out a place for a new septic system, and so much more.

sutures! turkey dinner crocodile dinner

chopping down trees piling up the brushwood

We’ll try to keep you posted!

I'm looking forward to having this pail filled again!

Blog is running again!

I am pleased to announce that after several hours of work and searching all over my computer for various backups, I have finally managed to restore most of the blog.  We’ll see how long it takes people to notice.   🙂

I think all of my posts are related to trouble-shooting this blog, so hopefully someone else will find this and post something more interesting.