Aiden is my middle child. He fits the stereotypical middle child role of flying under the radar. He doesn’t do too much to get himself in trouble, he is pretty independent, and he’s content to be on his own, not asking for much or demanding attention. This can be a slippery slope for parents because [...]
The post Christmas blues hit with a vengeance today. Pre-Christmas was filled with the usual anticipation; anticipation of celebrating Christ’s birth, setting up the Christmas village with the boys, and hanging ornaments on our carefully chosen tree. There was excitement over Caleb coming home for three weeks, family visiting from Ontario, a break from the [...]
Being a native of the prairies and not BC born and raised, there were some things I had to get used to when I first moved here. Some adjustments were easy; how green it stayed all year, the beautiful snow-capped mountains, and the fact that you could get by without owning a pair of long [...]
I remember when getting an email was a novelty. I wrote my first email in college to my roommate sitting in the computer lab next to me. Eventually, after marrying and being transplanted to Abbotsford, I used email as a way to keep in touch with my family living in the prairies. I'd turn on [...]
Spring has finally sprung and at the Brandsma farm we are more than happy to say good-bye to what felt like a very long winter. Winter was rough this year. We had numerous windstorms that wreaked havoc on our farm. There were power outages and downed trees. The tin was torn off the front [...]
As the only female in my male dominated household, I’ve become accustomed to some of the idiosyncrasies of my situation. Things I used to wonder and shake my head at no longer faze me and I ponder whether they’ve rubbed off on me a little too much. Flinging cloths and tossing trivets There’s the constant [...]
When God, in his infinite wisdom, filled my house with five active boys, He thankfully looked after a few extra details that have come in handy. From the time I was young, I knew I’d live on a farm. I’m not sure how I knew, but I knew it. My mom was a teacher and [...]
Another school year is under way. And while only a few weeks ago I was resisting the idea of my low-key summer days coming to an end and ushering in the season of routine, there is comfort and stability in predictability. As much as I miss my guys when they are gone, I was looking [...]
The email was followed up by a text; the kind that starts off with polite pleasantries about the weather and courteous queries about how I’ve been, only to make the awkward shift into, “So…while I’ve got your attention, I was wondering….” It’s the ever-popular approach of requesting a favour of someone or reminding them of [...]
Twenty-two years and 5 kids later, Valentine’s Day is coming, and romance looks a little different for us than it did back when we were dating. I met Steve in college. Our first encounter was almost immediately. I missed the bus from church back to campus and was panicking about arriving late for my [...]
