REJOICE FOR THE LORD IS GOOOOOOOD!!!

This is LONG overdue but I've had computer problems for a while now and then couldn't upload photos and wanted to wait so I could include some photos in this post.

Can you believe it's been 2 years since Kaleo!?! I sure can't, I am married and have a baby!! bahaha. Speaking of baby, Abigail is now 7 1/2 months old. Crazy eh! She can say, "mum" when she is upset, mostly at night. She can say, "DaDa, Dad" mostly when she is in a playful mood. She can also put her arms up when we say, "Put your arms up," and she can clap when we say, "Abigail, clap." She is almost crawling, she can get around by pushing herself on her tummy and she did crawl a few weeks ago but since then hasn't. We have started solid foods of course and I love it! I've been trying to progress to finger foods but she isn't taking to it very well she much rather lay back in her high chair and get a spoon full of food into her mouth..lol. Last doctors appointment we found out that we need to put some meat on her..lol. Just need to up her solid food per day. She is a little under average for her age. She is over average for her height though. All in all she is doing fantastic!!

In the summer myself, Abigail, Jon and my sister made the trek to Winnipeg. Yes we drove with a 5 month old baby! The first two days were horrible! We were so in a rush to make it to our destinations that we wouldn't stop long enough for Abigail and she wailed for about 2 hours one day. I went nuts because I was the only one that could handle her when she was like that. I had a huge spaz on the side of the road where blankets and chip bags were flying out the side of the car. I can only imagine what cars passing by were thinking bahahaha.

We got to see amazing people along the way. First was Howie and Lois. They worked at Qwanoes for a long time and Tara dated their son during Kaleo and became very close with them. Got their pretty late but were able to visit in the morning over breakfast and got a free half of a tank of gas!! YAY!

Second we were off and meeting MALAYNERS in Fort Sask!!! Stopped at a Tim Hortons and got to have some lunch with her and catch up for a bit. Then after Malayne we got to visit with Jayme and Miranda in Alberta. It was sweet to see thier nice set up for their summer job and catch up with them as well. Abigail got to meet "Auntie Mir Mir!"

We then drove to Sask and stayed with some of Tara's really good friends who also used to work at camp, Tobin and Bryony. Their place was EXACTLY what we needed after those first two days. Tobin is a chef and he made an amazing dinner for us and desert and they have a beautiful home and an even more beautiful guest bedroom! Nice queen size bed with a to die for mattress and our own bathroom equipped with shower and bathtub and anything that you would ever need to do your hair, shave etc, not to mention a scent bug from Bath and Body works! The next morning we took our time and let Abigail catch up on some sleep and I was even offered a plane ticket to Winnipeg and a return ticket back home. Tobin's parents were gracious enough to offer this to me and after some deliberating we decided not to take it as we really wanted the experience of doing this trip as a family.

So off we were once again but this time, refreshed and renewed next stop Winnipeg! We were getting really close to my Dad's place and it was about midnight and a lighting storm started and we couldn't have been happier! Some of the videos that we got were AMAZING. We were praying that we would see one when we were there and God answered our prayers! Tara was getting really nervous the closer that we got. It had been 6 years I think we counted since that last time we saw our father. I wasn't nervous but excited. Tara witnessed a lot of things that I never did growing up so the fear of seeing my Dad isn't has great as Tara's.

We finally arrived and as soon as Dad saw Abigail he wanted to hold her right away! He called her "sweeties" always with an "s" on the end which I just loved!! He walked her around the house and showed her the place while showing us as well. It was really early in the morning so we said our hello's then off to bed we went.

We found out later that my Dad did so much around the house to get ready for our arrival. He kept the wireless internet going for us, he paid a huge cable bill and he purchased an air conditioner for the upstairs so we wouldn't sweat to death up there. He also was amazing at keeping his drinking down to a minimum which is very rare for him even for us! We were all sooooo proud of him and I am still so proud of him.

During our visit we went to the house were we grew up. This was a hard visit for us. There was a lot of bad at that house but also some good memories. The house was a complete disaster and not livable. Tara used a good metaphor how it represented our lives there, undown and broken. We stood in front of the house my dad, me and Tara and cried and hugged each other. It was a hard time but also a time to heal and forget and leave that place behind.

We got to see TONS of family. My Auntie Eddie and Uncle Les were given a huge amount of property through family and they used the property to divide and build homes for their own kids and their new families. All they have to do is walk down the street a little and there are at each other's homes. That is what I wish I could have for my family one day. Tara, she's so wise, also said something that I won't forget. You see both sides of our families, the Campbell's and the Allison's are so different. The Campbell's don't talk to each other and have bitterness and resentment where as the Allison's see each other often and if something does go bad they are quick to make up. The Allison's don't know Christ but Tara thought of the verse, "love covers over a multitude of sin." They just have immense love for each other and other people as well. They are just the nicest people you will ever meet and funny!!!

We had an amazing visit with all of our family over there and we were also blessed to have lunch with Kristie Voth, her sister and her sisters new addition to the family. It was hard saying goodbye but I was ready to get back home. The way home took a lot faster than getting there. We made it home in 2 days and ended up driving 21 hours the last day. But it made for some interesting stops and a lot of laughs!

The only thing that sucked about the trip was that I never got to see Miss Jesse! I calculated wrong and she was actually further than I thought and was unable to stay with her coming back home. Sorry Jesse!!!

After coming home from the trip Jon and I had to move again! Half of our stuff was in our old place and half in the new. That was a gong show to say the least and crap was everywhere and I was stressing and Jon was stressing but we got through it and we are still in Aldergrove but in a much smaller place but were blessed to find Christian land lords. It made us simplify our lives a little with all the stuff that we had and we ended up making some cash from it and ended up throwing a lot of it away as well. It was nice to get rid of all the "stuff!"

Since moving we have just been trying to get used to being parents and a husband and a wife once again. We have had our ups and our downs and a time of breaking down and confessing our sins to God with each other. We found ourselves getting more and more into secular music and secular movies thus bringing our some of our old lives out again. Just not being smart with money and not talking to each other properly. We are learning each day how to be proper role models for Abigail and children to come by not only living out our own faith but living it out together as husband and wife. We have started doing devotions together the last few nights, picked it up at Value Village oh ya! It has been helping a lot focus on things we should be focusing on.

Also since moving, Jessica, remember Jessica, my friend from elementary? Well she was baptized!!! YES BAPTIZED!!! PRAISE JESUS!! Since her baptism her sister has been coming and also her Mom!!! PRAISE JESUS!!! It has been amazing how God has been bringing these people closer to him. We have talked with our church and we will be starting an Alpha type course this coming November for Jessica and the rest of the new believers that are around us. Oh and did I forget to mention that Jon's oldest sister Alicine is now a Christian....REJOICE BROTHERS AND SISTER'S!! I say these things not to boast but to share with you the JOY that it has brought me and Jon!

What else little tib bits can I give you.....got to see Kristie Voth once again on her travels back home. Her car ended up breaking down and she got to spend the night rather than just passing by. Jon is now working as a lifeguard/sports instructor and with an after school program again, the same one as last year and has now gotten rid of Subway!! Which allows him to be home in the evenings and weekends. Sarah, Jon's youngest sister is in Kaleo this year. A bit of a rough start but I have big hopes for her. I think that is about it.

Just one prayer request if I may.........if you could be praying for my Mother. I feel like her heart if stone and their is no hope for her salvation. I recently learned that she hates how we are and hates God. Talking with my mom about our life choice and God is almost impossible. It always end in a fight and hurt feelings. I don't even know what to pray for anymore.

Love you all and miss you all!!
Shannon
ps..more pictures on facebook to come!