The birthday boy!!

Yes, it was Ian's birthday yesterday.. and this evening we were able to 'celebrate' with my family.

I won't say how old he is.. :) 

A birthday surprise for a well loved man

(I know it is Ian's birthday today..but this is about someone else..)

I have blogged about Jack Westerink before (here), here is a surprise visit he received from the kids at Rehoboth Christian School in Ontario (the one near Hamilton).

The link to their blog: http://jacksalsjourney.blogspot.com/2013/05/jacks-birthday-surprise.html

After being principle for over 20 years, he was forced had to step down from that position because of his diagnosis of ALS. He has been declining very steadily and now has lost all mobility besides his head at times. Please pray for him and his family as they all wait for the Lord's timing is taking this dear father, brother, husband, son, uncle home to be with his Lord and Saviour.

A visit from the homeland!

(I know, I know.. these are a little late. but...) 

Back in April, Recently we received a visit from some good friends of ours.

Naturally we took pictures to keep such good memories..

This one is of Maurice & Sandra Roberts and Stan & Juliet McKenzie (good friends of our from the seminary, they met the Roberts a few years ago when they visited Scotland on their own)

The Roberts and us...

I am an auntie again!!

My sister and her husband, Jolena and Marvin Andree, will have been married for 5 years this coming October. She has experienced 2 miscarriages in that time. I am proud to say she has given birth to a healthy baby boy this past weekend.. on Mother's day! What a blessing for her to experience her first born child on the big holiday set aside by the US for Mothers!

Here is a picture of them about a month ago when they visited Grand Rapids (they live in Wisconsin)

His room.. all ready for him!

Here is the precious baby!

The proud daddy!

Watching the red wings game.. starting him early!

That little boy will be loved beyond measure! 

We pray that he finds the love of God to be greater than anything else in the world and that he may grow up to do great wonders for the kingdom of heaven.

Congratulations Jolena and Marvin Andree on the birth of little Marvin Lee Andree 4th!!

10 dramatic before and after flood photos: Aerial photos taken during, after historic Grand River flood

Thought you all might like this link to before and after pictures of the flooding that happened here in Grand Rapids.

http://photos.mlive.com/mlivecom_photo_essays/2013/05/10_dramatic_before_and_after_f.html

Prayer answered

Remember there being a post about urgent prayer needed for Joan Elshout? Well the Lord has taken her to himself. What a beautiful way her husband, Bart Elshout, writes about her last few days and hours.
You can read about it here.

While we mourn with the family for the loss of a dear loved one, we rejoice at the answer to Joan's prayer "Lord Jesus, please come quickly!"

Well written...

I have read a couple blogs the other day that really put into words what I have thought about two issues that are in the world and even, sadly, in our churches as well..I will let you read the articles yourselves.

1) What you need to know about Birth Control
http://reformedprolifer.com/articles-papers/item/what-you-need-to-know-about-birth-control

2) Having Babies {in Opposite World}
http://womenlivingwell.org/2013/04/having-babies-in-opposite-world/

weather update.....

Some of you may have heard of the huge rain storm we had last week.. the one that caused flooding everywhere in Grand Rapids..? Here are a few pictures from it...

One of my favorites... you can see the fish swimming past the window!

This one was really close to our house! 

(the road goes down into a dip at the intersection and it just filled up with water!)

Yup.... those are mailboxes!!

We had another crazy rain fall this past Tuesday morning, but nothing like last weeks flooding! The Grand River is looking better already, the water level has gone down some and we are now getting warm... or should I say HOT.... days now. Today the weather was 86 F.. which would be 30 C. It was beautiful!!! 

Ian and I both sat out in the sun today to catch some good vitamin D (as Ian likes to say).

Lastly, a picture of the flower bed in bloom..due to all this rain we have been having.. :)