Randoms

Here are few very random pics I took over the last week or two... been awhile! Aiden is more likely the one to give Atalie a kiss, whereas she's more likely to resist! I think it's b/c he used to give wet kisses;) haha... Trucks, trucks and more trucks! Kevin took Atalie skating last weekend for the first time this year. She loves it! Got to wear "real" skates this time, instead of those rediculous "bob" skates. Aiden seems bigger to me lately! Maybe it's the short hair?? Atalie sips the last drop of her mocha milkshake:)

H1N1 Vaccine and Squalene

I've been getting some great feedback from friends and family regarding the swine flu and its vaccine: how to stay healthy in avoiding it and also some references to info on a pretty dangerous component in the vaccine itself. By now you've likely heard of the ingredient "squalene (MF-59)", which has been tested and proved to cause severe autoimmune disorders such as MS, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus. It was once held responsible for the Gulf War Syndrome, which killed over 10,000 US soldiers in 1990-91. Yet now health authorities have been saying that there is no link between the two and it's all a big myth... I've posted pictures (which you can click on to enlarge) of a letter I scanned... somewhat simpler than writing out the entire thing. I got this letter from a family members' friend, who live in the US. I believe this is her doctor writing it and asking her to pass it along to educate others. I've also included a couple links to both Canadian and US websites which give a little more info on their vaccine (both quite similar): 1) I thought I'd give you this link first, which contradicts the next completely. It features Canada's Chief Public Health Officer, who of course completely reassures us that this vaccine is all together safe and harmless and we must get it asap! I'd like to believe him, really I would. But basically he's just saying "trust me", which is hard to do. 2) This one is equally as enlightening, only in the opposite direction. It reveals that small amounts of vaccine testing have been done but little/no documents have been presented to back up the results. I particularily enjoyed the last sentence, "...scientists are not yet sure whether these vaccines have very rare side effects, particularly in groups with weak immune systems, such as pregnant women or children under the age of three." Comforting.... 3) An American site breaks down some of the lingo (which I otherwise wouldn't have understood) and goes into detail regarding Squalene. It's a little too detailed for my understanding but overall is very helpful/informative! "According to Prof. R.F. Garry's findings, the Gulf War syndrome was caused by squalene, which was banned by a Federal Court Judge in 2004 from the Pentagon´s use." So why are we using it again? And why are all the federal health authorities saying it's suddenly safe?? 4) Wikipedia's article says, "There have been rumors, largely spread through internet sources, that the squalene contained in adjuvanted 2009 H1N1 vaccine has been linked to neurological and other disorders including Gulf War Syndrome. This claim has been demonstrated to be untrue. Clinical studies found no correlation between the presence of squalene antibodies and symptoms of Gulf War Syndrome, and adjuvants containing squalene do not induce an immune response to squalene." 5) Science-Based Medicine battles the arguement that drug companies are producing mass amounts of vaccines to make mass amounts of money, "...pharmaceutical companies, doctors, and hospitals stand to make a lot more money from an uncontrolled pandemic than from its prevention. The money spent on antivirals, antibiotics, sedation and pain medications, physician and hospital billing for the 200,000 people hospitalized in the US during a normal flu season would compensate them far better than profits from vaccine sales." but also (sort of) states that squalene isn't harmful. So many conflicting statements! Almost leaves you wondering which side of the fence is "safe" and which side is "sorry"? And is one really better than the other? In either case, you can't go wrong keeping yourself as healthy as possible, in more natural ways. Taking at least 2,000mg of Vitamin C; 5,000UI of Vitamin D (may sound like a lot considering Canada's low standard for this one, but just think: if you stand in the sun for 15minutes you acquire 40,000UI of Vitamin D!! ...hence our tendancy to get sick in the winter. So if you prefer the organic method, just take a long walk!); Zinc; and Fish Oil will all help to battle this virus. However, I've yet to take the last two in pregnancy and will be checking with my doctor about that on Friday! Happy Health!

Hilarious video clip

The funniest video I may have ever seen... watch the "Best DUI Stop Ever" YouTube clip here.

To wait or not to wait?

So this is, I suppose, another chapter to add to the ongoing "faith and finances" posts. I've been meaning to write this "tidbit" for awhile now but my thoughts haven't really settled until recently. As I mentioned, Kevin starts 3.5 months of school (Yr 3 & 4 of Carpentry App.) at the beginning of November ... 1.5 weeks away!! It's a drop in the bucket for most students who do a 4+ year degree or whatnot, but for us this is a time of stretching faith, as the income we receive from EI will certainly not be enough to meet our ongoing bills and we are unable to get a student loan for such a short period of time. We've calculated (as most students do, I assume), to our best, what we will need to make up for lost income and brainstormed what we can do to meet that need. So far, Kev's boss has said that he can't guarantee either the increase to a journeyman's salary when he's done school (due to very limited work) or extra work for Kevin on weekends while he's in school. That leaves us asking the same question we often do, "is this a matter of stepping up our faith and going through with it (school) anyhow? or is this a matter of making a practical and educated decision based purely on unforseen circumstance? OR is there a fine line between managing to do both?" And wearily we come to the conclusion that there is a delicate balance between making practical, educated decisions yet doing so with faith. And so we have decided to attempt both classes (yr 3 & 4), using the first half as a sort of "trial run" (as one friend put it:) ). We have a plan of action but if that falls through and we end up using more credit than expected for our living expenses, the second half may have to be put on hold. Really, it seems like a simple solution that we've come to, one that neither of us would have thought twice about 5 years ago... but now? Life has become more complicated and there seems so much more at risk when taking even the smallest chance. Our family is growing, our one vehicle seems an ongoing balancing act, our mortgage is practically more than we can handle (thanks to grace we've hung on this long!) and the credit reserved for emergencies is quickly being used up by vehicle and school expenses... and if you ask anyone who has lived paycheque to paycheque they would all likely agree that it's not a good feeling to hang by the "I hope nothing goes wrong at this point in life or else..." thread. We've been there all too often! And that brings me back to the reason for us taking this risk: If Kevin gets his schooling done he'll be a Journeyman Carpenter, meaning he won't be limited by employers or locations and hopefully will have an opportunity to make significantly more than he currently does. To take a slight turn in this thought process, I have been questioning one of our prayers awhile back. We asked God to provide for the amount Kevin needed for the first half of tuition (yr 3). Because we wanted to learn to walk by faith we told him that if he didn't provide that money by the time the school required payment, we would assume it meant we shouldn't head down that road. I believed with all my heart that God would provide that money! A preacher I listened to online (I know, gotta filter through these guys) said that he and his family lived by faith, nothing they purchased was done so without having the money in hand/bank and that everyone could live with great financial freedom like he had experienced. They had no debt and their mortgage was completely paid off. I figured if someone could be testiment to great faith (so I thought it was) then why couldn't we?? Well, God didn't provide that money and the schools deadline came and went. I asked Kevin what he wanted to do next, "Is it wise to even consider going at this point? We don't have the money to do it so maybe we shouldn't." We've both considered the philosophy that if you don't have the money you just don't do it, thus you might as well cut up your creditcards to seal the deal.... which I now think is half rediculous. I asked God to give Kevin wisdom in this area (well, both of us but mainly him in this case) and Kev said he thought it was good to get his schooling done and thought we should just find a way to pay for it. *ch-ching!* went our mastercard and it was a done deal. We've waffled back and forth ever since, wondering if we're doing the right thing. Last night was one of those nights where you (well, usually one more than the other) lay in bed venting all your doubts and frusterations, holding nothing back. Today is a fresh day with fresh perspective and affirmation of our decision. As one wise relative said ;) "You're not using your creditcard for something that you want but don't need. You're using it for a worthy investment to help further yourselves down the road" Well said, great to hear! And hope takes a front row seat once again. So my conclusion on the debt-free preacher? Praise God! Good for him! Woohoo and all that (the first two were serious and then sarcasm sorta set in there)... but he needs to watch what he preaches. Not one person is identical on this earth. God created each one of us and knows our needs. He knows the areas where we are weak and the areas where we are strong. To a person who has the gift of making money, keeping them debt free as a way of showing his grace and provision really wouldn't hit the target. Placing great financial wealth in the hands of someone who has a spending habbit wouldn't really be beneficial either. God knows the areas in our lives he can use to teach us, to draw us closer to him and to get our attention. I envy (in all honesty) the person who has no financial obstructions - I can only imagine the ease that would bring to our lives at this point in time... yet if I could see every angle of our lives I might think twice about asking for such a gift. So to answer my own question awhile back on whether or not it's okay to use creditcards...? Sometimes. For some people. In come circumstances. At certain times. It's a question we all need to at least ask, not overlook. It may sound just as foggy of an answer as the question itself, but I've gained clarity on this one, after much ado.... I trust that God is providing for and protecting us where we are at and has grace to surpass our knowledge. If we "seek him first, all these things shall be given to us" (Matthew 6:33, NIV) OR "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes." (Matthew 6:34, The Message)

All 'bout Aiden.

I decided to take Aiden's crib railing down last weekend, making his bed a "big boy" bed. So far it hasn't been too disasterous... he's been waking up early (like 6am early) and crawling out of his crib for awhile now so I figured it wouldn't change much. He goes to bed more cheerfully but also soaks up the novelty of being able to get out after having just gotten in... that gets a little annoying. But he's pretty good so far! =) Kev reads a few library books before bedtime. Aiden doesn't sit still for more than one, of course. He also just got a hair cut, compliments of Mom and Dad - team effort. Kev held him on his lap so he couldn't squirm away and I buzzed him as quick as I could. We shaved a good 3 inches off of him yesterday!! He was cute before but he's simply irresistable now. Haha...

Thanksgiving +

My Mom and Dad came for Thanksgiving this year:) They brought with them a ton of food, including a 27lb turkey. Yes, a 27 pound turkey! It broke in my last years Christmas present (the stainless steel roaster)... which tells you just how often we roast anything. I decided this year that quality was better than quantity (except in the case of the turkey, which gave us both quantity and quality!) and kept the menu very simple. The limited menu consisted of turkey, mashed potatos, gravy, cranberry sauce (fresh - thanks Mum!), a yummy green vegetable/fruit salad with homemade vinegarette and Mom's famous pumpkin pie. Oh, and it was completely gluten free! It's the first turkey dinner we've had where Kevin wasn't rolling around in stomach pain and gas afterwards! We figured the stuffing and gravy were probably what did it every holiday. He thought for so long that it was the turkey itself. Not so.... I think he was relieved to discover this! Mom brought some sparkling juice for me:) and we had a bottle of white wine for all the un-pregnants;) Delicous!! I'd drink this stuff every day if it wasn't loaded with sugar. The only thing we were really really missing was stuffing... mmmm stuffing(!) b/c I didn't get around to making and drying gluten free bread. Not sure I would have enjoyed the gluten free stuffing quite as much however... although I know Kevin would have! Next time;) Dad takes joy (really!) in helping chop up our gigantic pile of logs... ...and a good read by the fire afterwards! Atalie checks out my latest edition of Todays Parent magazine while "helping" me make supper (about a week ago).

H1N1 Part 2

So... if you're tired of hearing/reading about the swine flu, don't bother to read on. I suppose I'm writing a "part 2" about this b/c it's still on my conscience. I mostly hesitate to act as a lab rat but I equally dislike feeling like a sitting duck in hunting season. I found a couple of slightly more useful (informative) articles on this vaccine. The first one is found in canada.com and mainly covers hesitations in receiving the vaccine. The second article came from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention site and speaks more specifically about effects and treatments for pregnant women. Overall, I get the impression that this vaccine is being created, approved and given with a great deal of rush and panic. I'm not sure anything great (never mind efficient) was ever created with haste and fear. It seems that not everyone giving advice is giving the full story. I'm getting the message from Health Authorities that if you're "this", "this" and "this" type of person, you should definately be vaccinated. Although this vaccine is bound to save some lives, is it worth risking every single one with possible longterm effects?? Inefficient testing is definately a factor. It's also stated that by taking the seasonal flu vaccine alone (without the H1N1) you are more suseptible to contracting the H1N1. So what does that tell you about all these vaccines we are handing out and receiving? The more we vaccinate, the more suseptible we are to further (and more complicated/threatening) illnesses! Are we creating the problem now at hand?? This is particularily frusterating to me b/c I (among millions of other parents) am forced to choose a course for my children: to secure their immediate health but risk their longterm health by vaccinating while they are young; or risk their immediate and possible longterm health by not vaccinating at all? On the contrary, I think it's true that this "pandemic" flu virus is not to be taken lightly. No disease is. People have died from it (when having had bacterial infections previous to contracting the H1N1 virus) and more likely will. Yet if you contract this virus (specifically while pregnant), you are immediately treated with more drugs, without question or haste..."the benefits of treatment or chemoprophylaxis with Oseltamivir or Zanamivir (drugs) outweigh the theoretical risks of antiviral use"... I'm not sure how I feel about that either. So perhaps my question isn't "to vaccinate or not to vaccinate?"... it seems I'm more skeptical of the vaccine than the virus itself. Perhaps my question is, drugs or natures course? There seems a time for everything, doesn't there? Well, after having battled this one to its death, I have to say that these are not easy decisions. I wouldn't think less of someone who chose to vaccinate themselves and their kids. I wouldn't say that they have less faith than someone who does not vaccinate. Making wise choices take faith no matter what the outcome. So no matter what we choose in any course of life, may our faith in God remain. I'm greatful for Grace which extends beyond the boundaries of knowledge. :) PS. To conclude, I currently am quite at peace in choosing to stay away from the H1N1 vaccine. However, we've chosen to vaccinate all our kids with the (now numerous!) regular vaccines that they can receive before the age of 2. I'm not sure what we'll decide in the long run when faced with more vaccination "opportunities" but I'm pretty sure we'll stear away if it means that by vaccinating for every new illness we are only creating further monster illnesses. We shall see...

Reminiscence

With Kevin being away for 4 days, I'm left with time to reminisce a lot about 3 of my dear friends who I grew up with. One of my most memorable years with them was travelling for 7 months from 1999 through 2000. Here's a little tribute to those girls who I love so much!!! Kristie Boschman, Deanne Petker and Sandra (now Lindsay) Enns. First flight is done. Our first beach was in LA and we had to take a pic:) A stop over in SE Asia (Thailand, Ko Phi Phi Island). It was hard to choose from so many photos... I skipped completely past the first week of our trip which took us through Taiwan and the short wild mountain adventure we had there... Kris and I hitching our way through New Zealand. Hiking the Abel Tasman with our good friends, Mark and Andy from Germany. A good hike with good friends! Saying goodbye to our wonderful friends... on with the journey! ... and on with our acquired crapy car and its problems (note the massive lake beneath the car - it's not just a shadow!). Oh Austin.... it was a love/hate relationship with you. We peed our pants laughing in (and at) this car - other times we swore a blue streak at this piece of hazardous crap. We paid about $300 for it and got about the same when we sold it to another poor sucker who needed a set of wheels. That was us. Deanne joins us in New Zealand!!!!! :) We took her cruising around the Kiwi roads in our little blue bullet, The Austin. We took the "Swoop", 40' in the air, with a few seconds of freefall before gliding freely back and forth like a bird on a string:) We also "Zorbed" down a hill. Basically you just roll over and over and over inside a big plastic ball... just how it looks. Kristie and I picked Zuccini's (amongst other fruits and veg) for most of our 3 months in Motueka, on the North tip of the South Island. Kris and I hiked to lake Marian for a couple nights. Beautiful! We got real good at making our meals in 2 - 1L containers on my little Whisperlite MEC stove. This is the hike we paid 3 nights to camp at. This is the hike we repacked our packs to the uptmost efficiency in preparation for. This is the hike where we suddenly lost all steam for upon arriving at the base. This is the hike for which we said, "So Kris, what do you think?" **long knowing pause** "Ya, me either. Let's go." This was the hike that almost was but never ended up being. Sandra has now joined us too!!!!!!! This is the hostel where Kris and I lived (tented) for those 3 working months. Waking up on the ground, to a frosty ground, before work wasn't really our dream job... but we knew then that it was all part of the "experience". Tanjalee now joins us for a short time too!!!! What an amazing group of girls to travel with:) Goodbye New Zealand! Upon arriving in Thailand for an extended stop over on our way home, we noticed we were just in time for "Songkran", the festival of flour/water paste and water fights (to sum). We stayed in the centre of it all, downtown Bangkok! We visit the Kings Palace and must dress for the occasion... no bare skin! So we wore the "ugly skirts". San and I make our way further North to explore the jungles and tribes (as far as a tourist on a budget can, anyway). The Karan village. Back on Ko Phi Phi Island with the girls:) I remember the muggy heat... such a nice change from winter back home:) Note: you probably can't see this very well, but my feet have swollen over the sides of my flip flops (which I still have and wear to this day!) b/c of a 30hr bus ride. Chillin. Our trip was composed of many moments like these... =) The boat ride back to mainland. The tuk tuk ride back to the airport. The Malaysian Airport... Canada soon (returning with twice as much as we came with, of course). I'll never forget the relief of being in the air, not having to check our Tour Bible (Lonely Planet Guide) and learn foreign maps to find our course; not wondering where/what to eat that's safe; not wishing that the 1 millionth greasy guy staring at you from across the room would just drop dead; not having to carry/watch your 50lb pack with all your precious belongings. Hours of hastle-free time to yourself with people to cater to your every on-flight need. It was relief after a long trip away from all that is familiar. A good trip. Often difficult in many ways. But the times we smiled together made it all worthwhile!