Ode to pictures...unedited

So, I'm learning all about gentility (that's a word right?). I've always admired gentle women. I've known a few. I don't consider myself to be someone that would be lumped into the 'gentle' category. I actually think 'bull in a china shop' fits the bill in my case. In high school I was the over-bearing loud one that craved attention. In college I decided that I needed to reinvent, or at least stop pretending to be OK with that stereotype. So I worked towards meekness and just getting lost in the crowd. I didn't. I don't think. I was still loud, sometimes obnoxious and always at every 'party'(or maffia game that was under the guise of said party). My 'timidity' or 'meekness' was lost in the shadows of my loud personality, to say the least.

Now that I'm a mom I'm realizing that I don't need to necessarily conform into a timid or quiet gal. Wouldn't it be a treasure to lump meekness and gentleness in amongst some of my other more dominant traits? I mean, I'm really not that loud anymore (minus the occasional maffia game, or charades...or just loud games in general) and I don't think I'm that obnoxious, though I wouldn't be the best judge of myself.
I've really lost the point to this post.

Oh, I guess all I want to say is that, I like being loud, but I love having my children and husband thinking of me as gentle...a wife who gently loves her husband, a mama who loves and disciplines with a gentle spirit. And can be loud at the occasional hockey game. Or choir concert. HA!

Ashleigh's wedding

Ashleigh with her son who got 'cold feet'

New photos

This is one of my dearest friends' newest baby girl

Elliott Piper. There's about 100 more that I'll be editing, and I really don't have time to do that until Tuesday so maybe I'll post more later....

here's a tasty treat though:

Tired

I think I may have created a monster. I mastered the art of nursing the Chipper while lying down. This meant not a lot of sleep was lost by me or him. He was awake only long enough to get a good latch and then drifted off to la la land easily. I would often wake up in the morning and not remember having fed him, and yet, there he was, content. So, I can only assume that I was too exhausted to wake up at all and feeding him became second nature. Chip is now 6 (and a bit) months old. He sleeps in our bed. He starts out in his, way too small bassinet and by about 2:00 on he's in with us. It's been pretty annoying lately, but I don't know what to do. I can't even fathom sitting up and feeding him. I tried last night, and failed miserably. I remember letting Carson just cry it out at 7 months in the basement with only a baby monitor turned on silent (lights only mode) to hear his cries. I felt guilty about that then, and still do now. I don't know why, but I don't think I could do it to another of my offspring. I'm also going through a pot of coffee a day to stay awake because my sleep is so disrupted by a kicking, scratching, cooing, sometimes playful, sometimes upset wee little babe. Any suggestions? I'm open to anything.

In other news, I've gone through almost everything we own and taken what I don't think is practical out to be put in a yard sale. (June 8th, 130 Algonquin, if you're interested)So *all* I have left to do is pack what's left. Any tips of where to start? I have a little less than three weeks and don't want to rush the packing and live like campees too prematurely. But, I don't want to be rushed at the end either. hmmmmm

God is teaching me a lot about myself. I would say that the past four years has really been culminating to this point, and I'm sure in 10 years, I'll say the same thing (and in 20 and 30). Either way, God has been slowly preparing me to be able to handle the situation that we're in. To most, it probably seems puny but to me it was monumental. In days gone by I would have totally lost all sensible reason and become the woman you wished only existed in horror movies. I don't deal with change or stress or unkowns well at all. This past week we've gone from being homeowners to house hunters, to bidding war participants to crazy kijiji house hunters and finally...home owners again (providing all conditions are met). Yes, we found a house. Yes, I found it on kijiji. Yes, it's totally legit. Yes, it's only of God.

My dream of living in an old character home is coming true. And I will be neighbors with my anatomy professor....and Nik only knows that she's a celebrity to me. *edit* Nik just told me that she was a celebrity to all of Thunder Bay. Haha, we joked tonight that we wanted the house the second we heard that she'd be living next door. This will be the home that Fiorito Foto will reside and hopefully flourish. It will be the house that we will have another baby. It will be where our home is.

But, above all these things, this will be the home where God lives. My prayer is that His name will be on the lips of all who reside there. Maybe our children will choose to follow Him there. Maybe others will be lead to the throne of Grace on 430 Ambrose St. I am so full of hope for this house, our home.

A little modeling by my good friend and.....voila!

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