update

I'm finally here (at the computer) to give an update on our lives from the past week. Some of you might be wondering whatever happened with the interview Conrad had in Edmonton over a month ago. Well this week Tuesday we got a call and they have offered him a permanent-track position. So...now we have to decide what to do. Conrad did ask right away about deffering it for a year so he could do a year of the post-doc. They've said that if he wants to do this then next spring they would advertise the position again but Conrad would be on their short list and he would just have to send them an updated resume. This would work well in that if other jobs come up elsewhere we can still apply but it doesn't guarantee a job. So, do we take the security of a job now, or the wonderful opportunity of the post-doc? We also need to take into consideration that this is a Lutheran owned university. How will this play a role as a prof there? We need to respond a week from Monday so that gives us time to discuss and pray about it together and with others.

As of yesterday we also have a pair of crutches hanging around here! Conrad hurt his foot playing basketball yesterday afternoon. There is a small fracture but they didn't put it in a cast so he has to stay off of it for a few days (or more?). The most frustrating thing for him was sitting in emergency for 6 hours!

My Dad and Mom are coming on Friday! We are really looking forward to seeing them again - it's been a long time since we saw any family! If we do take the post-doc and stay here next year we are really hoping to come to BC for a while this summer, so maybe we'll see everyone then...

Friday

The kids played outside all morning. It is beautiful out! They played in the backyard, biked, walked their babies and then they wanted to have a picnic. So I made them some lunch and they sat at the end of our row of townhouses at this 'tippy' table. What fun!

Congratulations to my sister and brother-in-law with the birth of their daughter Carolin Hilda Anne! Keep them in your prayers, especially Alisa, who had a difficult time after the birth. Life is fragile and we realize that nothing is in our control. We praise our Heavenly Father who alone controls all things. We pray that the Lord sustains them and that they receive all that they need at this time. I've included the verse Alisa put on her baby quilt - Psalm 139:13-16.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

home from Ottawa

Tessa and I are back home again from C & C's place. The train came in just after 2 on Saturday. Charlene and I had a really nice time talking, taking care of the kids and doing other normal everyday things, and of course...more talking. It was good to see Derek and Helena and their new house. Tessa had a bit of a rough time. She was all out of sorts and the train ride was really long and tiring. She didn't sleep much so she was exhausted. You should have seen her though when we came to London and she saw Conrad and the othe kids. She was laughing, clapping her hands and trying to jump right out of the snugglie. It was so cute - I guess she really missed them!

Anneke and Lukas had all kinds of fun with Conrad. They went to Adventures on Wonderland (an indoor play place), the pool, the Children's Museum and went to McD's one night for supper. Lots of stories to tell. I think they're going to want me to go away again!

going on the train

Tomorrow I'm going with Tessa to Ottawa to visit Charlene (and Chris, Derek and Helena too :) )! We're taking the train which takes around 71/2 hours. I'm really looking forward to it but I'm a bit nervous about the train ride. I always thought it would be neat to take the train somewhere though - so now's my chance! Conrad will stay home with Anneke and Lukas. He handed in his thesis this past weekend so he can take a few days off which works out well. I'll come back again Saturday afternoon. Maybe I'll get a call from my sister while I'm there...I hope so for her!

playing outside

Yesterday afternoon it was warm enough for the kids to play outside again. The snow is all gone - I really hope that's the last of it! I'm ready for spring. It was great to see the kids outside biking, running, and playing. Where we live in townhouses may not be ideal for everything but for the kids it's great. They have lots of places to bike and there are playgrounds right here.

Sunday

On Sunday we went to the Rev. and Monica's place for dinner and the evening. It was Monica's birthday so we celebrated with her. We had a good time playing games and talking. Here are a few pictures from the day.

Easter weekend

Today it feels more like Christmas then Easter out here in Ontario. It's below 0 degrees and snowy. After having really warm weather last week this feels very cold! Spring will come soon though...

We haven't heard anything from the college in Edmonton yet. We thought it would be this past week but I guess it'll be next. In the mean time we dream, wonder, anticipate etc. but we'll wait until we know if they offer a job or not before we make any decisions.

I took a few pictures of the kids today. The first is of Anneke and Lukas listening to a book on CD. Very rarly to we see them all cozy together like this. They play pretty good together but aren't usually very affectionate to eachother (to put it nicely :)). Although...today I was in my room with Tessa and I heard Anneke say, "Let's hug eachother standing up, Lukas, like Mommy and Daddy do".


Here's one of Tessa, just out of the bath. Maybe she'll have curly hair like Anneke did.










And here's Tessa walking with this walker thing. I borrowed this from a friend this week and it only took Tessa a couple tries before going all over the place with it. The only thing is she can't turn it yet so every time she gets stuck she screeches until I come and move it. She's really starting to make herself known. If she's in my arms she'll reach down to try get to the ground and when I put her down she'll get mad because she wants to stand holding my hands! She's growing up...sigh.

the last seam...

Today was a beautiful day again and the kids played outside for quite a while this afternoon. After supper I took the kids for a walk. It felt really good - I should do it more often! I put Tessa and Lukas in the double stroller and Anneke biked. It worked really well. Conrad is gone to an Ed. Committee meeting tonight so I did a bit of quilting, and...I just finished the last seam on this quilt I've been working on all winter! It slowly grew from little 2.5" squares, to 12" blocks, and then to 4 rows of 4 and now finally it's all together!! Putting together the rows was a lot harder than I thought - trying to match all the triangle points. It's not nearly perfect, but I'm not a perfectionist! I still need to add borders and quilt it so it may be a few more months until it's done but it feels good to have it this far :)

I've also been working on a snowman wall hanging. Here's a picture of it in progress...