Lonesome.

Living provinces away from family is bound to result in spells of homesickness...

This week is one of those times.

Maybe kick-started with the lightening fast visit we had with my Dad.  He was up for a conference that was within driving distance and was able to stay over Sunday night before his flight home on Monday. I am so thankful for the brief visits we sometimes get as a result of his travel layovers, but they are certainly teasers...

But I do have a visit to look forward to! Dad & Mom are coming up the first of November for a week and a bit.  He's coming to have ministry meetings for a week in our home church, so we reap the benefits! I'm hoping they come a few days early and maybe even stay a few days afterwards... I don't think they're on a tight schedule, so here's to hoping!

I've been lonesome in the past... but it is definitely different with a child. I never pictured raising a family away from all family members.  I also didn't realize it would be a big deal until I got pregnant... and the reality is only growing over time!  AJ has grandparents on two opposite coasts, an aunt and uncle in the States, and an aunt and two uncles in Halifax.  It's now that I long to live in close proximity to my family... to have a weekly family get-together like Saturday Pizza Nights. For everyone to be an active part of our lives, and us - theirs. To see AJ growing and playing with his grandparents, aunts and uncles on a regular basis; not spending our allotted visit times getting comfortable all over again. I want to be able to drop in for coffee with my mom or go out for a walk with my sister. And... it would be nice to have a built-in babysitter for the odd occasion...  but it's not the driving force behind my homesickness. :)

I am thankful for skype, email, phone calls and texts: it certainly helps. But it's not the same.

Plus, I miss my Island. The ocean. The rolling emerald hills and patchwork fields. The sand dunes. The red cliffs. The miles of sand. I was born and raised in such a privileged place!!

So to help with my melancholy mood today, I thought I needed a dose of .... Anne of Green Gables. Don't laugh! I saw the box set at Costco a month ago and had to buy it. What kind of Islander away would I be if I didn't own the movie?? I hadn't seen it in probably 20 years...  yet, every scene is so familiar. I've only watched half... but not sure it helped or hindered. All those beautiful landscape shots. But I enjoyed the familiar story... and the quaint ways of many Islanders. It may have been written long ago, but the attitudes and mindsets are not completely outdated! ;)

BUT!!!!

Wallowing in all my longings, what-if's and I-wish's is not healthy. We are where God has brought us and planted us. Am I saying His plan is wrong? No. It's different than how I imagined, but it usually is! :) And for me to live in my "dream world" and not be content in where I am now is like me telling God He is wrong.  God, through Paul, mentions many times about the importance of being content in every circumstance, and to be thankful. I am so very (very!) blessed, and I have so much to be thankful for.  God has been so kind as to place us in a wonderful church family that has shown us in every way they love us. One particular family has taken us under their wing as one of their own, and we enjoy many family gatherings with them. We have great friends here only minutes away. All of this means so much to me, and I know they are gifts from God's good hand.

And, in my own little home, I have a man who loves me and whom I love dearly... and our little boy that has exceeded all expectation. Really, when I stop and dwell on all that I have been blessed with, my heart nearly bursts.

So... while I may still be lonesome for my extended family... I am content here in my home, in this province where God has placed me, with the 2 loves of my life. I will count my blessings... naming them one by one... :)

October??

Wow. Where did the summer go?? I think I started this post the end of August... tried again sometime in September, and here we are - October 15th and AJ (also affectionately known as "Stinker" because of the mounds of diapers in a day!) is 18 weeks old... 4 months with our little boy. Incredible!

The last little while has been so fun with him... I love watching his many (MANY!) expressions and his full body grins and smiling eyes. I love how his eyes close whenever we smother him in kisses. He grabs hold of his blanket and pulls it up and down, grabs my hair and pulls, and grabs his toes and pulls them towards his face. He's holding some toys and brings them to his mouth to chew. He still loves his hands and constantly has fingers in his mouth. Not really sucking on them; chewing is a better description. Poor fingers. His laugh and giggle is contagious and we love hearing the new sounds that come out of him all the time... this week alone has me scared we have a chatterbox on our hands! :)

He has rolled over from his stomach to back a few times... first 2 times on Sept 21. And only three since then. I guess he doesn't want to overdo it.

He must have great abs since he does mini crunches all the time. When he's on his back on the floor, on our knees, in his stroller/swing/chair/tub - he's always pulling the top half of his body forward as if he's sitting up... but never quite makes it. But he'll hold it in that crunch position for awhile. Wish I would do that!

Stinker has his first flight under his belt... He and I left flew to PEI the end of August for 9.5 days, leaving 'Dad' home to work. It was a bit of an experience getting my suitcase, big stroller, small suitcase, diaper bag AND the child through the airport, check-in, security and onto the plane... but we managed and he was perfect while flying. Thankfully. I prayed lots!! He nursed on the way up and down and slept most of the time in between... the few minutes he was awake, he and I looked out the window. I know he was as excited as me to spot the reds, greens, yellows and blues of PEI... ;)

Uncle Lucas, Aunt Steffani, Uncle Timothy and Great-Grandmother Stewart have all met the newest member of the family. I had hoped to be more adventurous and try to fit in a few more of the family members and friends in the Maritimes, but once there, it didn't seem realistic to travel around. So we stayed put and enjoyed PEI. Lucas and Dad were both home when I arrived, and Steffani & Timothy came over for the Labour Day weekend.  AJ got LOTS of attention and cuddles... and I think... the family has accepted him as one of us. ;) 

start 'em young! Hopefully he gets the talent of these 2 teachers!

AJ was to the beach most of the days we were on PEI and did really well, thanks to the Moby wrap. I'm training him young... he has no choice but to LOVE the beach! :) We also did a September excursion to the beach here in Ontario.

Like Father, Like Son!

 Well, this is a scattered recap of life since my last post... lots of holes, but if I don't press save and publish now, it could be another month! To say I'm loving being AJ's Momma is an understatement... I'm also loving my Mat leave!! :D