First Children's Book

 April Journaling

1.     Crocheted a large mauve hippo, a yellow reversible octo, and more mushy pops for the kids in Uganda. Prayer meeting.

2.     Bible study, massage. I stepped up to become one of the Sunday school teachers for the older kids beginning in June.

3.     Good Friday service. May I never lose the wonder of the cross.

4.     Bill C-9 has passed. Time will tell how much it will restrict/impact the proclamation of the gospel.

5.     Resurrection Sunday! He is Risen. He is Risen indeed. Checking in online for our cruise and choosing our seats on the airplane.

6.     My husband did my mom’s taxes because they are easy, but mine and his are complicated. He started but now we decided to bring them to a professional because we’re not sure what was claimed the last few years when they were done by someone else. Trying to get in to see my doctor to fill out forms.

7.     Planning for this week’s young adults meeting on Friday.

8.     Prayer meeting. Took my mom out for a haircut.

9.     Bible Study.

10.The young adults’ meeting was great. We had 19 tonight, 20 in our first one.

11. Going for a pedicure with my mom since she needs foot care and we are going on the cruise in two weeks.

12. In spite of missing a few doses of my weight loss medication, I’m still losing; down 29 pounds since July. Although I’m not pleased that it makes me lose muscle instead of fat.

13. Our daughter got a job in Toronto so she’ll be living with us again starting in May. Picking up our taxes from H & R Block.

14. My first children’s story book was published! Bunny’s Excellent Jamaican Adventure, based on our family trip to Jamaica when our granddaughter’s favorite stuffie was lost. The book arrived, I’m most proud of this one.

15. Sent a parcel off to Uganda with toys I made and books I wrote.

16. I’ve been one month without Wegovy waiting on my doctor to fill in the forms for approval from the drug company to cover it. Just got it in time to take it with me on vacation. Still down 29 pounds though.

17. Last Young Adults for Christ meeting before our vacation. We will be away for the next three but one of the other elders is covering.

18. The grandkids are here for the weekend, last visit before our cruise. I showed them the personalized book, they loved it.

19. Church.

20. Getting our winter tires off. Packing and doing so many last minute things for our vacation and the care of my mom while we’re gone. Getting U.S. cash.

21. Finally packed! Or should I say, overpacked. Every time I think I won’t, I still do.

22. Finished my homework for Bible study tomorrow. Cleaning and prepping my mom’s meds for the next three weeks. Prayer meeting tonight.

23. Bible study, then picking up my sister from the airport.

24. Headed to the airport early, our flight leaves for Miami at noon. Will go out for Chinese food for dinner, and get a few more things at a drug store.

25. Boarding the ship for our 15 day Panama Canal Cruise. We have a balcony room on the 11^th deck starboard, aft. Dinner at the Tepanyaki restaurant.

26. I brought my crocheting to make teddy bears for some staff or people we meet. Sea Day.

27. We got the spa package so we spend a lot of time in the sauna. Sea Day. Lots of playing cards.

28. In Cartagena, Colombia. Love cruising.

29. In Colon Panama, transiting through the canal.

30. Sea Day. It’s my birthday. Dinner at Le Bistro, the French restaurant.

Mom is 86

 

March Journaling

1.     Church. I taught the younger kids and was so nervous because the lesson was not a simple Bible story but a doctrinal teaching about Jesus as the lamb of God and how that means we don’t do animal sacrifices anymore. But my helper, Anna Karina was so good, and helped them with the memory verse by drawing pictures of the key words.

2.     The O.T. was here but my mom gets her Finn on and is so stubborn and obstinate, refusing to answer questions. When she doesn’t know something like what is this colour? She will ask, Why? Or say, I don’t want to. It gives her control. But it is very frustrating. But one improvement was she was able to print her name, which she didn’t do before.

3.     A visit from the home care coordinator. Then we are seeing my mom’s family doctor at one o’clock, because she also needs to get bloodwork done.

4.     PSW to shower my mom. I got copies of my latest word search, Obscure Vocabulary Word Search. That’s five word searches now.

5.     Going to Hamilton to look after the youngest granddaughter.

6.     I made two yodas.

7.     Making more mushy pops for the kids in Uganda. My mom is having a bad day language-wise.

8.     Helped at Sunday school, the younger kids. The Paralympics are on in Italy. I got copies of my first coloring book, called My ABC Fruit Coloring Book, but there are also activities in it.

9.     OT here to help with speech therapy. My mom is less difficult now.

10. I have a doctor’s appointment for myself today.

11. Staying overnight in Hamilton to help with the grandkids. I brought my coloring book, which my granddaughter loved.

12. Home again. Made two axolotls and a platypus.

13. The grandkids are coming for a night. There was a bad snowstorm and the drive here was treacherous, but they made it, thank God.

14. Looking through pictures with my mom.

15. Church, then booking our hotel rooms pre and post cruise.

16. O.T. for my mom. We are cancelling the speech therapist twice a week and working with her online instead. Too many appointments, and the O.T. does a good job.

17. Cleaning lady. She does such a good job. I like a clean house, but don’t like cleaning, nor do I have the energy for it. Last day our daughter is here for a while.

18. Our youngest daughter is going to the U.S. to visit her husband, dog, and in-laws for 10 days, then she is moving back to Ottawa to work at her old job with the government, until and unless she gets a job in Toronto, in which case, she’d live with us rent free while she is waiting to reunite with her husband permanently.

19. The PSW we have coming is wonderful. We have her for a year.

20. Trying to adjust our flights pre and post cruise. Successful, now we’re on the same flights as our travel buddies.

21. Women’s ministry meeting. Today my mom’s speech was pretty good, she spoke to my aunt on the phone.

22. Church. Went out for ice cream after evening service.

23. Botox. O.T. speech therapy for my mom. I gave her back her phone because now she can answer calls and texts.

24. Shopping for food for our guests this week.

25. So nice to have family visiting my mom. She was very encouraged by their visit.

26. I made salmon wellington for dinner. They appreciated it.

27. It’s my mom’s 86^th birthday. Glad she’s still with us and her speech is improving all the time. This evening we had our first in person meeting of the newly formed Young Adults for Christ, YA4C. There were 20 of us and it was really nice.

28. Our daughter returned from her visit in the US to see her husband, dog, and in-laws.

29. Our daughter left this morning to return to her job in Ottawa, but she’s hoping to get a job in Toronto and live with us to save money while she awaits her green card. Church. This evening was a different format.

30. O.T. for speech therapy. Meeting online to debrief about the Young Adults meeting on Friday.

31. Pain clinic for back injections.

Mom's Stroke

 February Journaling

1.     My grandson is 11 today. My husband’s coworker came out to church. Then we took him out for lunch. I’m down 21 pounds since July.

2.     Last night around 11 pm my mom had a TIA, a mini stroke. Her only symptom was aphasia which is difficulty speaking. She was trying to tell me something but 90 % were not even words. At least I happened to go down there right when it happened, or she would have just gone to bed not knowing, since she doesn’t talk to herself. I called an ambulance and spent the night in the ER. They also found her hgb was low, 64, so they gave her a unit of blood. Her speech improved overnight but then worsened again the next afternoon. They are doing CT’s, and MRI’s. It improved again by evening. I spoke with the neurologist. I’m so worried about her.

3.     Going to visit mom, then taking a new couple out for dinner. We brought food from home for my mom since she’s not eating so well. They moved her to a quieter area in the ER but still waiting for a bed on the stroke unit. The MRI showed a true stroke, not just a mini one. But thankfully there was no paralysis.

4.     Published another word search, this one on Medical Terminology.

5.     My mom was seen by speech therapy today. She has both receptive and expressive aphasia. I had her facetime with my aunt and that made both of them happy. At one point my mom looked at the clock on the wall and said, you need to go. It was one o’clock, which she knows is my nap time.

6.     Daily visit to my mom. She called my aunt again. Prayer meeting.

7.     My mom’s memory and speech are improving daily. She is starting to recall everyone who has visited. My cousin came over on her way back from a business trip.

8.     The grandkids stayed overnight and we celebrated their birthdays, 11 and 9. We are getting new bikes for them. They also visited my mom. She is remembering when we called the ambulance. She just wants to go home.

9.     Heard from the hospital today about mom’s discharge plans, it will be either tomorrow or Wednesday.

10.Published another word search, this one on Obscure Vocabulary. Now that I have five I’d like to know how to bundle them and sell them as a set on amazon.

11. She’s home!

12. First visit by the PSW; they gave her a shower which she loved. It’s been two weeks.

13. First visit by Occupational Health. I’m also trying to arrange home speech therapy. My mom can do her dishes, dress herself, fold laundry, and set up her coffee. She was playing cards, so she has some muscle memory for that, as well as for her CPAP machine, and about some of her medications. But her speech got a little worse, she has trouble finding words and understanding questions.

14. Valentine’s Day, or as they call it in Finland, Friendship Day. Not everyone has a sweetheart, but everyone has a friend. My car got clipped in the grocery store parking lot. Part of the fender fell off. I didn’t get her info, thinking it would be an easy fix. Now my husband says it may be costly.

15. At church, teaching Sunday School about the temptation of Jesus.

16. It would have been my dad’s 87^th birthday, but he died at 28. Today our church is doing a Family Day event at a community center as outreach. Everything is closed except the drug store.

17. Went to Walmart.

18. Chiropractor and massage appointment.

19. My mom is getting better at the simpler word searches I make for her. She is so proud of her accomplishment. I am going to make them more challenging. She is also trying to read.

20. So many appointments today. Three practitioners came to our home just this morning. My mom was rude, telling them to go home. It looks like I’ll be doing her speech therapy assessment and possibly her treatment.

21. We bought a new mattress and the old one is going into one of the guest rooms.

22. Church, helping to teach through the life of Christ. I bought a new bedspread for the guest room bed. Made a squid and a flamingo.

23. So many appointments, and the PSW was two hours late, hard to work around her when she doesn’t even call. I had to do my mom’s speech therapy assessment because she is uncooperative with people who come into the house. It doesn’t help me for her to tell them to go away.

24. Speech therapy appointment. My mom is not a fan of having people come to the house. But I can’t do it all.

25. Last evening my mom suddenly started speaking quite coherently in full sentences with only a few words not found. When she initiates it, she is better than if we ask her questions.

26. I saw a naturopath today, so hopeful that we can discover the root problem to all my autoimmune illnesses. Today my mom decided she wanted to make Finnish pancakes so she did.

27. Made two peas in a pod, a drunken granny stitch pink ombre scarf and ear warmer, a small watermelon purse, and six more preemie beanies.

28. Women’s ministry breakfast then a young adult’s planning meeting at our house with pizza.

Back from France

January Journaling

1.     Happy New Year! Our youngest daughter is returning from France and her contract work in Lyon. Her husband had to go to the US where his parents live so he can work. They aren’t happy about being apart.

2.     Final day of the grandkids on Christmas break. We were using my school teaching materials for them to play teacher to us. We ordered in because it’s Friday. Made a strawberry turtle keychain and a few more preemie beanies.

3.     Cleaning up the house after the ‘storm’ of grandkids. So I have osteoporosis, and will start on injectable medication.

4.     Church. Then undecorating from Christmas.

5.     Dropping off my car because of an air leak in one of my tires. Then a massage.

6.     Pain clinic. First VBS meeting of the year. I made a giraffe snuggler and a baby seal pup.

7.     Getting ahead of tax preparation by adding up all my health care receipts. I spend over $300 a month out of pocket.

8.     My first children’s book was about to be ready for amazon when we found out it needed 7 more pages, so I prepped those today. I think it makes it more interesting.

9.     My mom’s stair lift is going back in today, then we can put the last of the furniture back in order. She’s happy about that.

10. Going out for dinner to Planta, the Vegan restaurant our daughter’s wedding was held at.

11. Going to publish another word search I have ready; this one is on Medical Terminology. Laundry day, and helped my mom shower. Her new bathroom is so nice.

12. Church.

13. Chiro appointment.

14. To the dentist for a new mouth guard fitting. I made my go-to teddy bear. Last year I made twelve of them.

15. Lots of snow, so our first class on the book of Daniel was canceled for tonight. Our travel buddies are safely home from their usual Christmas trip to Tenerife.

16. I was part of a panel at church for the teens to ask anything. Surprisingly, most of their questions were theological. It went well, though it went long, four hours.

17. Took a Nigerian family from our church out for breakfast.

18. Church. Made another teddy bear, this one from seven different colours. I call it a scrappy bear. Got a Costco order delivered. I spend less this way.

19. Dentist to pick up my mouth guard.

20. Housekeeper. It’s nice to know that my house gets properly cleaned at least once a month; I can’t do it.

21. Prayer meeting. Found out our prof at TBS fell and broke four ribs, so our class on the book of Daniel is cancelled. Too bad, it would have been nice.

22. Working on a rather big polar bear. My first one. It started as a panda but the pattern was ridiculous to follow so I had to wing it. Women’s Bible study starting up again today. Going for dinner at J & E’s and to discuss the trip. Purchased the thermal spa package for the entire cruise.

23. One of my winter tires needs replacing because of a leak.

24. Women’s breakfast meeting, then a Kids’ Church leader’s meeting. I’m starting to be a helper every three months starting in February.

25. My sister will come from B.C. to watch our mom for part of our cruise this spring. She is booking her flight. Church this morning. A big snow storm is coming. Morning service was online, the rest of the events were cancelled. We ended up not so bad out here but downtown Toronto got hammered with two feet of snow.

26. I made a light beige teddy bear. Working on my Bible study homework. We finished Ecclesiastes and started Song of Solomon.

27. I made a light sabre over a pool noodle.

28. Prayer meeting. Rejoicing that the government paused their plan to pass Bill C-9, criminalizing parts of the Bible as hate speech. But because it’s just paused I think they will call an election, and if they get a majority they will push it through then. They just don’t want to go into an election with so many people upset at them.

29. Bible study, starting the book of Song of Solomon.

30. Going to dinner at a friend’s from church.

31. Going to a meeting at church about possibly starting and ESL program there.

Five books published!

 December Journaling

1.     I have an appeal health questionnaire by phone this evening because they denied my application for life insurance for our line of credit; that’s the first time it ever happened. I appealed because I have stable chronic illnesses, nothing life threatening. And so many of my health symptoms have improved.

2.     Pain clinic.

3.     Received an updated copy of the Legacy Project to upload.

4.     Bible study. Put up the Christmas tree. I made a moose snuggler and more preemie beanies.

5.     Got our Covid shots. Elders’ and Wives’ Christmas dinner. I brought apps.

6.     Our church Christmas party. I’m bringing Caesar salad and dessert. Sold $100 in toys just like that.

7.     Church. No evening service.

8.     I’m down 16 pounds. Will continue on this dose.

9.     Seeing my family doctor today. I made a big blue triceratops for a friend’s grandson, and four flag colored mushy pops. Not a fan of making custom orders, it takes the fun out of it.

10. Doing homework. Prayer meeting was focused on praying against the proposed bill C-9 which sees parts of Scripture as hateful and people who use it liable to prosecution.

11. Bible study, last one till the new year.

12. I made a lion stuffy and a smaller Christmas silly goose, and more mushroom poppers.

13. I’m cleaning my mom’s kitchen cupboards and drawers and lining them with shelf paper. I also made a gingerbread man keychain and another teddy bear. My husband is at a men’s breakfast.

14. Church. Had blookdwork at the doctor’s office and all 31 results came back normal. First time in 13 years. So thankful.

15. Got an x-ray and bone density test to see why I have bone pain. With all of the different kinds of chronic pain I’ve had, bone pain was never one of them. The concern I have is that after the technician did the three required x-rays of my spine, he did a chest x-ray. As a cancer nurse I know that those are done to check for spread of cancer to lungs. It made me wonder if he saw something as he was doing it that made him think they’d be asking for it and went ahead and did it. Most people wouldn’t notice the difference, but the same thing happened in 1998 when my husband had bone cancer in his leg. He even knew what it meant because of me, and wondered, ‘why, I don’t have cancer,’ but he did.

16. Publishing a Spanish version of The Legacy Project. Making a big giraffe. Botox today was rescheduled since I was literally trapped inside when my garage door opener broke.

17. Getting the garage door fixed. Chiro. Ordered copies of the Spanish Legacy Project to give as gifts for Christmas. I made a blue light sabre over a pool noodle.

18. Final electrician check for the basement apartment. Potluck at J & E’s.

19. Daughter’s family coming to help with the clean up and move back into my mom’s apartment.

20. Mostly moved in, we just need to clean up our area, covered in dry wall dust. Also her stove didn’t fit because the top of it widens, so we had to buy a new one. She is beyond happy to be back in. Also made a neon green curvy snake to replace the one that I sold. Sent cash to Uganda for their Christmas, and am spending the day cleaning the basement.

21. Church. The illustrator has finished the children’s book, so I can get that formatted now. I currently have another wordsearch with him in production. It’s a culinary word search for foodies. I gave out books I wrote as gifts.

22. Got to buy some food for Christmas. My Spanish language version of The Legacy Project is ready.

23. Cleaning lady. The basement is 90% back to normal. We will have to get the stair lift put back after the new stove arrives.

24. Christmas Eve, aka Finnish Christmas. Candlelight and carol service at church.

25. Our eldest daughter’s family hosted Christmas and they did a great job.

26. Cleaning and writing and crocheting. I enjoy two out of three of those things. Guess which two? Made three teddy bears this week.

27. My mom’s new stove is coming today. Then we are going to Jysk to buy her a table and chairs. My next book is ready to upload; A Giant Culinary Word Search for Foodies.

28. Church. Made a squid and a snake. My husband cleaned out the fridge. I love him for that.

29. Year-end stuff. Made some preemie beanies for the local NICU.

30. Botox. Grocery shopping, ready for grandkids for three nights.

31. The kids went to play with friends for a few hours. Got copies of all my books now.

Selling at Craft Market

 

November Journaling

1.     Hosting our friends for dinner and cards. The downstairs is being painted today. Made another classic teddy bear and added a red scarf for Christmas.

2.     Church. Made many more accent scarves for my toys.

3.     More work on the bathroom downstairs. Made Christmas mushy pops in red, green, and white stripes and red with white spots.

4.     Appointment with my other hormone doctor. Home depot rep coming to see about blinds.

5.     Home day. Prayer meeting in the evening.

6.     In place of Bible study, since we just finished the book of James, we are having a brunch and celebrating the birthday of one of our ladies. Making my first monkey.

7.     Mammogram, or as I like to refer to it, squishogram.

8.     Church, Remembrance Day service, our Pastor, former military, played Last Post on his coronet. Then my mom got her flu shot.

9.     Home day; getting my toys and crochet products categorized and photographed. Our daughter and son-in-law in France are in the Netherlands for a week as a belated first anniversary trip.

10. I will be sending a bunch of toys to the school to sell at the Christmas craft fair on Saturday.

11. My husband got his snow tires on today, I went for a pedicure.

12. Made a waffle stitch neck warmer and a turquoise waffle stitch scarf. It’s a nice stitch.

13. Bible study. Final prep for the craft fair. I will send books, too.

14. Getting my snow tires on today.

15. Craft fair, and watching the grandkids. It was a great success. I knew once the kids at their school saw the toys they would want them.

16. I calculated that my books and toys and auction items earned $1,300 for the school. I will send $1,000 to Uganda, too.

17. Massage today; lovely. I’ve got to replenish my stock, so I made a turtle and  a squid.

18. Home day, doing homework. Made an orange and black striped snake, my snakes are so popular. Homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner.

19. Virtual appointment with my thyroid doctor and then a chiro appointment. My thyroid is finally normal, so I was discharged from her care.

20. Bible study. Made three peas in a pod.

21. Grocery shopping and errands. Made two more multicolored potholders.

22. Had a nice walk with my husband. Made a giraffe snuggler and a neon green curvy snake.

23. Church.

24. Homework. Errands.

25. Housekeeper.

26. Decorated for Christmas, all except Christmas tree. I need to do these things in stages. Today is our eldest daughter’s 35^th birthday.

27. Making my go-to teddy bear as well as 10 mushy pops. I need to replace my stock since I sold thirty of them at the grandkids’ school craft show.

28. Dental appointment. Getting our blinds installed in the great room. Attended the President’s Banquet (Toronto Baptist Seminary) in the evening. We had a table of ten from our church.

29. The Finnish church Christmas market. I got some baked goods and Christmas tree decorations and some knitted socks for my mom to add to her massage gift certificate for Christmas. Baking for church tomorrow.

30. I made Christmas Crackle and butter tarts for church. Made another teddy bear and more mushy pops.

Missions Week

 October Journaling

1.     Washer delivery. Then heading to H-town to stay overnight to drive the kids to school and back and make dinner. Giving the school a giant teddy bear for the Christmas auction.

2.     I always do a craft with the kids and this time we wrapped thick yarn around toilet paper rolls and added a cinnamon stick to make pumpkins.

3.     Our new washer is installed and working beautifully. This past two weeks we had expensive car repairs, a new washer, furnace and air conditioner. Home ownership.

4.     Home day. I made another pocketed scarf, a puff stitch pumpkin and three yarn wrapped pumpkins. Cooking and baking for tomorrow.

5.     We had a Pastor’s appreciation luncheon. I brought Caesar salad and cake.

6.     Work is finally starting on the basement for my mom. They worked eleven hours and put in the subfloor and drywall. I made a granny square scarf and ear warmer set using the colour changing granny square yarn. I finally mastered the tension so it changes at the right spot each time. I like it.

7.     Crocheted a giant squid with dollar store plush yarn.

8.     Prayer meeting. Made another brown teddy bear with acrylic yarn and crocheted eyes.

9.     Bible study this morning. Made a large three shaded brown snake with plush yarn.

10. Taking my mom to the dentist. Our new furnace isn’t working. They’re coming to fix it today. Also more work done downstairs. My husband was awake until two a.m. because of a work water crisis, but prayer was answered.

11. The circuit board they installed is a dud so now we have to wait for the part, and it didn’t arrive when expected.

12. The grandkids et al arrived today for Thanksgiving up north tomorrow. It’s our daughter and son-in-law’s 13^th wedding anniversary today so we watched the kids and they went downtown for dinner.

13. Drove up to Muskoka for thanksgiving dinner at my brother-in-law’s. There were 24 of us. It was nice not to have to host either Thanksgiving or Christmas this year. By the time the guests arrive, I have nothing left. The kids went early to go to the fire station where my brother-in-law works as a chaplain. The drive back took an extra hour.

14. I have made two pumpkins, another scarf and giant blue variegated yarn snake and a child’s beanie.

15. Preparing to present the Ugandan orphan ministry on the Wednesday night of Missions Week. My mom has a follow-up appointment at the dentist. Our new furnace wasn’t working, so they came and replaced the circuit board and we have heat just in time for a change in the weather.

16. Made some large granny square pot holders for my mom, and nine mini stuffed pumpkins for a garland. Going to Costco, mostly for clothes. I got dress pants, a green long sleeved shirt, a windbreaker and a red short winter coat.

17. Baked some carrot cakes for the Missions Week kickoff dinner tomorrow. Also made some homemade chicken stock and crocheted a dark green tree garland.

18. Missions Week kickoff dinner.

19. Church. We went out to dinner with the speaker. Then home for a nap, then back to church.

20. Chiro then Walmart. Made dinner for a guest meeting with my husband.

21. Crocheted a butternut squash and a mini one with a keychain. Also another multicoloured pumpkin and mini one as a keychain, and a three shaded tree garland.

22. Presented the orphan ministry at church. Someone bought the one big teddy bear I bought as an example.

23. Bible study.

24. Flu shot.

25. Women’s breakfast at church. Made a tricolour green beanie and a third green Christmas tree garland.

26. Church during missions week. Went out for lunch with the speaker and his wife. I brought the salad and dessert.

27. Mom to chiro. Doing my homework. Made a tweed teddy bear.

28. Pain clinic. Housekeeper here today. She comes once a month, at least I know it gets cleaned well at least that often. No energy for such things.

29. Driving to H-town with my mom to help by picking up my grandson and bringing him to the dentist, and then cooking dinner for them.

30. Bible study. Made six preemie beanies, another pumpkin keychain and two pumpkin pie pot holders.

31. Reformation Day. My mom’s apartment is getting painted today.