We just got home from the first leg of our holidays late Friday night. After spending a week in a trailer, my house looks huge. I wish I could wake up every morning so thankful for my house. (:   We were at Muskoka Bible Centre, which is near Huntsville. Half the week was cold and rainy, but the speakers were fabulous. We had Matthew Spandler-Davison (Executive director of 20schemes) every morning and Tim Challies every evening. Including Sunday I went to 11 chapels and it was such a treat. Normally, I am not one who would make it to every single one, but I couldn't stay away. I listened to truths that weren't new to me, but was so blessed and encouraged each time. I think in pictures and what comes to mind is that these guys picked up my sword, my breast plate, my feet protectors, my shield and my helmet and gave them back. They helped me secure them and then pushed me back out the door and as I left they yelled out and told me to stay on my knees. It was a time of spiritual refreshment for me. It was not so much physically refreshing. Tessa is a hard age for holidays. There is no rest for this mama. (:

Last week, I spent a day at the hospital with Micah.  He had his pulmonary test and his heart test. His heart looks fabulous. His blood work is great too. His pulmonary was a few points less than last year, which we suspected. Micah's radiologist that follows us said that this is a normal thing as radiation causes tissue to tighten over time. Radiation was hard on his body and was a bit of a breaking point for him back in 2008. His lungs filled with fluid from the radiation and he got shingles from the strain of the chemo and radiation put together. We are thankful that he was able to get this treatment, it's just unfortunate that it is so hard on the body. We are still working out what this actually looks like long term, but the Lord knows.

As I drove to the hospital with a man-boy beside me, I cried inside with thankfulness. I can be myself with Micah. He gets me and I get him.  He knows that I am emotional and he understands it, but I still try not to drama with him. (: 10 years ago, the Lord knew that I would be driving Micah to the hospital at 15, but we would have never guessed. The gift is amazing. When I hit certain intersections as we drove, I heard Steve Green. When Micah was 5,6 and 7 ish we listened to him every morning as we drove in, whether it was for day treatment or for an admission. Wellington at Southdale - "When I am I afraid I will trust in you." Wellington at  Baseline -"You knit me together in my mothers womb". Sometimes we would be crying as we listened, other times we would be smiling. But they were the two songs that pushed us on the most. We were comforted that the Lord was always there and that He made Micah perfectly. The Lord is sovereign. It's a truth that I never grow weary of hearing.

Tomorrow morning, we leave for Nova Scotia. We are so excited. We have never really road tripped as a family. This is a huge treat for us. We plan to take 4 days to get there stopping in Quebec, New Brunswick and PEI.  By Friday night we should have arrived at the house we are staying in. Ken is preaching for 2 Sundays there in an ARP church. Ken has preached monthly over the last year in URC churches and we are so grateful that the Lord has continued to open pulpits for him. It's a bit tricky because are not a student in care in either of these denominations. But it has worked quite well. (: We are praying that the Lord will continue to open these doors and that the desire of our hearts will be realized in His time and in His way.   It's possible that we have already arrived at God's long term plan, but what ever the case, we will be faithful right where we are, knowing that God is good and that His plan is perfect.