Peeing Refrigerator.

So, greetings! And HAPPY FALL! I am writing this as I listen to Tobias cry as he is falling asleep.....and next to me is the sound of our refrigerator tinkling....not sure where the water is going, but it's a very similar sound to peeing in a metal drum. Sorry for the awesome visual.

As Fall is here, we thought it a good idea to enjoy the last few days of a rain-less existence. Here in Abbotsford, it rains about 6 months out of the year, starting today. :) Tim, Promise, Toby and I ventured down the street from our house to the local dairy farm this weekend to enjoy some farm animals and smells.

This great NutriBarn Dairy farm is open to the public without cost! We like free entertainment! So when Daddy is at work, Promise, Toby, and I go there often to visit Darla the Donkey, the turkeys, Emmy the goat and her "sisters", the two piglets, and two new baby cows. They also have a few miniature horses, two stallions, and a llama....or maybe it's an Alpaca? I dunno, but it's ugly. :) Promise wanted to show her daddy all the awesome animal friends she had made, so we got to go as a family on Saturday.
Here's Promise with her new friends, the sleeping pigs.
The ugly llama....alpaca? Serious underbite....apparently the farm has not invested in an animal dentist....
Tim and the Stallion....both studs. :) Getting friendly, aren't they!?
Mommy and Toby making friends with Stallion #2
Toby was not at all frightened of this massive and beautiful creature. He LOVED it!

As I shared last post, Promise, Toby and I have been getting very active in our church during the week. I started a class called "Freedom Session" every Wednesday while Promise attends their preschool Bible Study and Toby enjoys new toys in the nursery. :)

Then on Tuesdays and Thursdays, we get to "workout" or "dance" to worship music with a bunch of other ladies and their kids....that's our Phys Ed for the week! Ha ha ha! Promise and I started home-preschooling and we are having a gas! Promise is so very smart and eager to learn. She is getting great at identifying the letters of the alphabet in the stories she reads as well as making their phonetic sounds. :) She LOVES being read to and is picking up on patterns of letters, words and paragraphs. She also seems to be very good at entry-level elementary math! She can count to 20 without help and has already been adding and subtracting with raisins, marshmellows and chocolate chips. Smarty-pants.

On Monday night, Tim and I joined a Pastorate group from church and are looking forward to the deep, authentic relationships that will develop through that fellowship. Promise and Toby have the privilege of attending, as well.

I continue to be blessed through serving on one of the many worship teams at church...not just because it's an opportunity to do something I love, but moreso because of fellowshipping with the amazing people on the team. I have been humbled and encouraged hearing the stories of the team members and the way the Lord has challenged and blessed them through trials, pain, joy and crazy experiences.

Toby continues to astound me with his ability to communicate....He now plays "Peek-a-boo" randomly on his own and has learned how to open and close doors...that has been a bit of a problem in our world, but I am glad that he is trying new things...he has also discovered how to quickly empty the dishwasher for me....much to my chagrin. His main job, though and his greatest talent is bugging Promise.... What a monkey.

Tim's job is going great and it appears as though he will be on the fast track to management. His level of wisdom and integrity has gone noticed by his superiors and they are very happy with him. He seems to have a very positive relationship with everyone there and comes home super excited about work....for that, we are so grateful. The Lord has been giving him favour and equipping him for the future!

It has been almost a year since returning home from the Philippines. We have undergone an intense time of healing and are continuing to seek redemption and restoration from our Lord. Tim has said that this has been the very best year of his life....rich and full of God's grace. For me, I think this year has been full of internal struggle and pain. Ha ha ha....yet, if had not been for Tim's positive perspective and changed spirit and for God's grace, I think I would've shut down and checked out a long time ago. God has been good and faithful. I have never heard the Lord speak so clearly through His word than in this season. I am so grateful for His continued faithfulness in that.

I have been pondering a bit more about the state of our Christian existence....how we are just sojourners in this life and our home is really someplace else....How I long to be there now....I'll share more about that side of things next post. :)

Be blessed.