We're making summer memories in Canada.

Last week we quickly unpacked from our time in the desert, washed, and repacked for some time with family in Canada. Our flight was delayed several times in Chicago, and by the time we arrived in Ottawa and were driving to Jon's mom the sun was coming up and the birds were singing. It was a long day, but travelling has become so much easier now that we are out of the baby and toddler phase of our lives. It seems that our travel plans never go as expected, but we role with it so much better now.

Childhood memories are incomplete without summer fun with cousins. To me it all seems rather nostalgic as my own summer momories come rushing back. I've loved seeing my kids play with their cousins. Really, because of their ages and the infrequency of our visits, they are just getting to know each other. You would never know by watching them though, because they are enjoying each other's company so much. Our first weekend was spent in Ottawa with Jon's side of the family.

We celebrated birthdays and Canada Day, and enjoyed some good suburban backyard play! My mother-in-law, Carol, is great at letting kids be kids. They played in their bare feet, built a "tree house" and slid down the basement stairs on a mattress each day.

Olivia actually got to play dolls with a girl-- her cousin Julia. It's a little different than playing with a brother! Jacob came to check in a few times... I'm not quite sure if he felt left out since he's the only brother Olivia can convince to play house with her.

A highlight of our time with Jon's side of the family was a birthday party to honor Carol. It was a treat to see extended family from all over the world, and to meet some of her closest friends. Carol has done so much for her children and their families, and I have been the direct recipient of her selfless service and love. The people assembled were a testament of her faithfulness as a wife, mom, and friend. As Jon and his sisters planned the event and as I looked around the room that night, the words from Proverbs 31 rang over and over in my head: "Her children rise up and call her blessed." 

Thank you, Carol, for your example of faithfulness to me.

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On a less pleasant note, my laptop was stolen from my checked luggage on our way to Canada. What a disappointment that was to discover. I checked and rechecked my suitcase, then the other suitcases we had brought. We asked a friend to go through our house in case we had removed it and forgotten to repack it when we were shuffling items around so our luggage wouldn't exceed the weight limit. But my computer is definitely gone, along with its recharger and the recharger to my iphone.

Yeah, I knew that packing it in my checked bag was a little risky, but since I wasn't going to use it on the plane I wanted to avoid lugging it around on my shoulder all day. It  was actually a slightly oversized purse that caused me months of debilitating back pain last year, and that was not a risk worth taking.

Over the hours following that discovery, actually the days following, I would think of all the material and the hours of work that was contained in that computer. All my pictures, documents and journal-type entries, downloaded audiobooks and itunes, calendar, etc. are all gone. Wow! I feel violated in a sense, my privacy totally infringed upon.

So it has been a huge exercise in taking my thoughts captive, and to live it in front of family and my children. I had a great conversation with Olivia that first day I discovered it was gone. She had torn her skirt jumping out of the tree house, and we were sewing the tear upstairs in one of the guest bedrooms. We talked about God's sovereignty, judgment, and forgiveness. That sin, which was ultimately commited against God, will either be forgiven if that individaul repents, or will be judged by God. The fact that a crime was commited against me is a test and an opportunity to respond in a God honoring way. This is part of God's plan for me, regardless of how senseless it seems to me. Olivia made the point that the offender might come across something on my computer that would lead him to Christ. That would be great.

So until the next time I can borrow a computer at a convenient time, happy summer days to all!

~Katherine