The Hills Roll On

One of the unexpected wonderful things I received when I married Gavin was a hockey fan. Yes, Gavin likes hockey, alot. I never really cared about sports, but Gavin’s enthusiasm is infectious. He took the time to explain the sport to me, unveiling the mystery of terms like “forward, power play, overtime, stanley cup, conference, etc”. So it’s not so annoyingly weird anymore. And having family and friends who love this national sport makes it a special “Canadian” thing that we share. My sister Meggan, an avid Sens fan, couldn’t resist giving Eden a fuzzy red Ottawa Senators one-peice pyjama. Gavin fully approves! There they are in this pic on his bday last week:)

So now that we’re overseas and almost all familiar cues and contexts are gone, one thing that has been a little ritual for Gavin is his daily 20 minutes on NHL.com He tells me he likes to check the Sens (Ottawa Senators) scores from last night first, then watch the highlights, then check out how the other teams are doing.

This morning he came in the kitchen, just beaming, and said in that “I’m-so-happy” tone, “Do you want to know how the game went last night?!” “Uh, ok. Who was playing who?” He told me the happy news that Ottawa won against New Jersey (who apparently have a really impressive goalie) 4-0! And that’s with their second-goalie since the first got injured during the olympics. That puts them at the top of the eastern conference (a term I now understand! I haven’t only learned the Spanish language during this time overseas, I’ve learned “hockey”.) I smile because it blesses him so much. Eden catches on to the joy in the atmosphere, claps her hands, throws her head back and laughs out loud.

It’s the simple things that make it all so sweet.

Thank you for coming back to read the rest. It’s been a full week so I did not devote the time I thought I might have towards continuing this series of weblog installements. But alas, it’s been a week since the last one (Chronos and Kairos), so it’s high time to make good on my word.

Many of you know that our 9 month internship in Spain is coming to a close in 6 weeks. There’s nothing like leaving the country to clarify the priorities! But you see, we don’t really have 6 weeks. Why you ask? Because due to a series of wonderful circumstances, Gavin’s parents, my inlaws, Eden’s smitten grandparents, are coming to stay with us for the last 3 weeks of internship. It just worked out that way and we’re really grateful that their coming, that they love us so much and that it blesses them to be with us. So, that is why we really have 3 weeks to do as much as we can from the 6 week “to do” list! *smirks* After writing the infamous list (it’s what I do when everything is overwhelming and my brain can’t keep track of things) I took a deep breath. I sensed chronos time in sharp, clear, sober tones. I could plot it all out on charts with sticky notes and stars (in fact I did), but that didn’t erase the fact that it was ALOT TO DO! The T-minus started ticking and the popular choices lay before me: run in fear or boldly face it . Is one choice superior to the other? Read the rest of this entry »

Who is this man, this marvelous enigma of a man that I get the priveledge of calling husband? Who is this man who immediately caught my eye back in that highschool art class with his long blond hair, sunshine smile, and grey ocean eyes? Who is this delightful person full of strength, courage, tenderness, laughter, and
surprises that I get to wake up beside everyday? Who is this man who unashamedly worships God, protects and cherishes his wife, and savors every moment with his beloved baby girl? He is my one and only Gavin, hand crafted by God, placed here on earth for such a time as this. And I have the highest honour of being his wife, best friend, lover, ally and biggest fan. Every moment with him is a precious moment (oh if only I knew it everytime!), and it’s at times like the landmarks in our lives that I must pause and thank God for the gifts He has given me. And next to a living relationship with the Father made possible through the Son, the greatest gift I have is Gavin. He is not mine to possess, but to cherish as a treasure, discover in new and marvelous ways, and love until death do we part. And today, on the edge of celebrating his 27th birthday, I just want to shout it out for everyone to know that Gavin ROCKS!!! If you know him personally, you are blessed. God created a fantastic man when He made Gavin…and the deep work God continues to do in Gavin is a sight to behold. How God uses Gavin to minister to the deep places of my heart never ceases to amaze me. All that I am learning about the Father Heart of God through the blessing of seeing Gavin be such a good daddy…I can’t even describe it. One word captures my heart towards my one and only Gavin right now: Marvelous. I marvel at you, and the One who made you.