Wednesday, November 30, 2005

CRUX 2 - Leaside - Saturday - 6:45PM - Be there!

This Saturday is the second CRUX Toronto youth rally, this time held at Leaside Bible Chapel in good old Leaside. Videos and pictures of the last rally are available for those who missed it. This time around the speaker will be Matt Wilks, originally from New Jersey. Hopefully he'll tell us what Zopetopia means, or something about the meaning of life. Also Phil Tremblay and CruxProductions will be in full effect, the Leaside Band will be leading us in worship and of course you'll be treated to the visual hilarity of Nigel & I asking teens Bible questions on the street. This time we went to Leaside High School to see how much the average Canadian teen knows about Christmas. Does anyone know who the Good King Wenceslas was!!??? These teens didn't have a clue. See you there!

Guess who I'm voting for?


Well folks, election time is here! Pretty soon the lawn signs will begin to fly with the snow. The one on the left is by my friend Political Pundit Prescott. If I was campaign manager for Stephen Harper, I would hire Frederik from ING Direct to do commercials for them. "Just dial 1-800-vote-conservative and save your money."


Let us know who you will be voting for on the discussion forum - here, so far it's 5 votes Conservative, 2 votes Green Party!

Monday, November 28, 2005

I look at my daughter...


Driving home last night around 11PM, I heard a song on the radio that I hadn't heard for quite some time. It was called "Heaven" by a band called "Live" and the chorus goes like this:
I don't need no one
to tell me about heaven
I look at my daughter,
and I believe.
I don't need no proof
when it comes to God and truth
I can see the sunset and I perceive



Lots to think about in that song. I don't know how anyone could not believe in God, a loving heavenly father, after having a child.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Olivia at home

Today was our first full day at home together as a family of 5. Hopefully things will be back to normal soon...as normal as things can get around here. Come and visit soon :)

And the winner is....

For the past 6 months now, we've been taking entries on the forum for something we like to call 'The Cuthill baby pool'. This little contest is the brainchild of Wayne Mayo, who began in a little room in Charlottetown jotting down a few guesses about when our 2nd son Sylas would be born. He wrote down what date everyone thought, gener, weight and time of arrival. The original contest was basically for friends and family, and my sister Melissa ended up winning the first one, and receiving the prize...Sylas' umbilical cord! She still has it to this day, and cherishes the sweetness of that victory.

This time around we opened up the baby pool to our regular visitors here on the athensBlog. More participants, more entries, but the same coveted umbilical cord! Well not the same one, but you get the idea. On the left margin we posted a little graphic making it possible for folks to enter. And enter they did! Over 50 contestants competed valiantly, but at the end of the day there can only be one winner!

So ladies & gentleman it's fitting at this time to announce the winner of the 3rd Cuthill baby pool:

LEAH MACLEOD!! (who happens to by my wonderful sister-in-law, and Wayne Mayo's daughter)

Let me say that it was a very close contest this time around, but Leah beat out all contenders by skillfully predicting the details of Olivia's arrival a full 4 months in advance! Leah predicted a girl, on Nov. 17th, weighing in at 9lbs 6oz and she also had the time right by specifying between 5:30AM-6:30AM. Congratulations Leah! Expect shipment of the umbilical chord prize within 7-10 business days depending on when it falls off :)

She narrowly beat out our second place finisher Joanna Garner from St. Catherines! . Joanna also predicted a girl, at 5:33AM weighing 9lbs 2oz, and had November 14th.

In third place is Dina Robert who picked a girl, Nov. 21, 9lbs 2oz and 8:34AM.

Honourable mention goes to Paul Roides, Bobbie Easton and Doug Jones - however their entries came past the cut-off date within one week of the date of birth. Still their prophetic skills are to commended! Perhaps the gift of prophesy has not ceased after all :)

Finally I'd like to thank everyone for participating! Although everyone can't be a winner, we can all share in the joy of watching a new life grow.

Friday, November 25, 2005

Day 4 - finally home!


Today we got to go home from the hospital! Hooray! Olivia will get to sleep in her own little bed tonight. More pictures and videos from today as well as a few new ones from yesterday and some excellent shots taken by Cassie & Mark - here. Now that we're home, hopefully life will return to normal and the winner of the baby pool will be announced soon. Stay tuned.

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Day 3 - Her future's so bright she's gotta wear shades!


Who is John Dis and Billy Reuben anyways? Seems like our little girl is in the hospital for another night. Hayley however has been discharged, so i snapped a few of these shots when I was in getting her lunch. A few Videos and pictures

Olivia looking girly

2nd day of life

Good morning everybody! More pictures from day 2, and videos

**In other baby news, we're proud to report the birth of Lydia, new daughter to the Sabines!! She was born the same day as Olivia! Nov. 22, 10:04pm, 7 pounds 15 ounces.

** Congratulations Sabines!! **

(coincidentally Hayley and L were also born on the same day, and now have girls that were born on the same day!)

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

Mommy is doing fine!







Hayley is doing quite well. Up and walking. Baby is feeding well. Thanks for your prayers for a great delivery! Hopefully we will have the official winner of the Cuthill baby pool a little later today.

The sayings of Lukas v14 - First Impressions


Folks, for this edition of the "Sayings of Lukas" we're going to let the video do the talking. Here is Lukas' first impression of his little baby sister.

Say hello to Olivia


Time: 5:47AM - Weight: 9.5lbs - Date: Nov. 22 - Gender: Girl - Name: Olivia

-> First videos - click here (requires Quicktime player - here)
-> Pictures - Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Marks pics from hospital, 2 Weeks old
-> Baby Pool results

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Monday, November 21, 2005

Contractions, Contractions, Contractions...

but no baby. Hayley has been having contractions steady for about a week. Thursday night they were quite intense, but went away. Tonight they are even more intense but we'll see if they stay that way or if we'll just go to bed. I can tell they are more intense this time because everything I do is a million times more annoying to her...like writing this blog entry :)

Sunday, November 20, 2005

The sayings of Lukas v13 - Spelling

While we're all waiting for Baby3 I thought i would insert some comic relief, brought to you by Lukas.

Lukas: Mommy, that tree over there looks like the guy that didn't get on the spaceship
Mommy: Who's that?
Lukas: You know the guy that missed the spaceship
Mommy: Oh you mean E.T.
Lukas: Ya him...(long pause)..mommy how do you spell E.T.?

Today is Hayley's due date

It doesn't look promising that another child will be making their appearance today. But stay tuned.

Friday, November 18, 2005

Friday, November 11, 2005

Mike James, my new favorite Raptor!

So Jamoy, how did you like the raptors game?

Here are some videos and pics of the raptors game tonight. The night was packed with wholesome gooness. We got to hear Mike James share about his faith in Jesus, we had lots of fun, excitement and pretty much everybody won prizes, and despite the score on the board a good time was had by all. God was glorified and many teens heard the Word.

As Mike Janes said it doesn't matter what the score was, we have the Victory if we know Christ. Here are a few videos, and pics from the evening.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

The sayings of Lukas v12 - Ear wax

Today Lukas made a discovery that all little people need to make. Ear wax and boogers are different. They may look the same but don't be fooled!

Lukas: Mommy when I put my finger in my ear blood comes out
Mommy: Blood!
Lukas: Not real blood, yellow blood
Mommy: oh, you mean ear wax
Lukas: Well...it comes out and looks like boogers (laughing and attempting to smear it on mommy's face)
Lukas: but it doesn't taste like boogers, it tastes like butter

Eeeewwwwwww

Monday, November 07, 2005

Two weeks and counting

Some of you are wondering where this baby is? Well it's 2 weeks away from it's official arrival. Now is your last chance to enter the baby pool! Hopefully I'll post a final belly pic soon!

Friday, November 04, 2005

Raptors game

Everybody who wants to go to the raptors game needs to get their money in. Check the pics from last year - here

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

5th shooting on Morecambe - please pray



Since July of this year there have been 5 shootings on the street where our youth come from - Morecambe gate. One was a robbery, one was a scuffle for jewelery, one was random. This past week however things intensified, so I wanted to ask everyone please pray for this area and the people who are suffering at this time. Pray for our youth who are affected by this, that they would turn to the Lord for comfort.

First, last Tuesday, Oct 25 - article here
Morecambe Gate, near Victoria Park and Finch, just after 11 o'clock last night. A 22-year-old man who's apparently known to police was shot in the upper torso. He was reportedly taken to hospital by a friend, and is being treated at Scarborough Grace for non-life-threatening injuries.
Then on Monday night a man was shot and killed (possibly in retaliation) just next door to where one of our youth lives. I was there Thursday, Friday, Saturday and picked the guys up for church Sunday. Pray for these guys who are growing up seeing shootings like this:

CBC short article, AM 640 article, Scarborough Mirror article:
Father of two shot at own front door, ANDREW PALAMARCHUK, Nov. 2, 2005

A Scarborough father of two young children was gunned down early yesterday at a townhouse at 51 Morecambe Gate in the Finch and Victoria Park avenues area. Emergency crews rushed to the home around 2:30 a.m. and located the lifeless body of a man in his 20s with gunshot wounds to the face and chest. Police didn't release the name of the victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

Local residents identified the victim as Hainsley McLean, who goes by the nicknames Country and Cracker.

A woman who didn't give her name suggested there's a "turf war" between residents of a complex nicknamed "Up Top" on Chester Le Boulevard north of Morecambe Gate and residents of the Morecambe Gate complex, which is also known as "Down Bottom." She said she's now scared to open her door because "you don't know who's going to get it next." Police said two males wearing dark clothing were seen fleeing the area after the gunfire. Police have vague descriptions of the suspects.

An area resident said he was sitting in a backyard with a friend when they heard two shots. "I just heard bang, bang," said the man, who didn't give his name. "That did make us jump. It was really loud." The man said gunshots are not uncommon in the area. He hears them about once a week. "It's getting really crazy here now," he said.

This was the second fatal shooting in the neighbourhood this year.

On Aug. 5, Melbourne Glendon Whittick was shot in the abdomen after becoming involved in a dispute with two men while walking to a bus stop on Victoria Park Avenue north of Finch Avenue. Police said the 27-year-old was heading home from a barbecue with friends at the Morecambe Gate complex. Police believe the suspects may have been after the gold chain Whittick was wearing.
Please pray that these incidents would not intensify in this "turf war", and that rival gangs will not retaliate for this senseless killing. Pray that many youth would turn to the Lord as a result of this tragedy and stay out of gangs. Pray for us too that we would know how to counsel youth and families dealing with this tragedy. Lord help us all!

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

200th member contest winner crowned!


Well folks, it's now November 1st and as promised the winner of the 200th member contest received her prize! If you check out the discussion forum today you'll notice a picture of MG (the 200th member winner) at the top. Congratulations once again to MG!

November loggin in

30Nov05- Wed - MAC christian fellowship
29Nov05- Tues
28Nov05- Mon- chapel office
22Nov05-Olivia! - in hospital till Friday
21Nov05- Mon-Zoo, chapel, hayley in labour
20Nov05- Sun-BofB, FBH with 5 (Clayon, Kevin, jamoy, deshawn, nabil[first])
19Nov05- Sat-Feast with 5 (Clayon, Kevin, Jamoy, Deshawn, Frank)
16Nov05-18Nov05 - Mosaic Conference@Queensway
12Nov05- Sat - Missionary Breakfast intro, present, pray. CRUX meeting. Hayley at funeral
11Nov05- Fri - Raptors game with 41
10Nov05- Thurs- raptors planning
09Nov05- Wed-Bible study at D.Sutherlands with Clayon, Jamoy
08Nov05- Tues-raptors planning
07Nov05- Mon-raptors planning
06Nov05- Sun- BofB, FBH with 7 (Cookie, Kellz, Jamoy, Kevin, Clayon, Novella, Glenda), 5 over for lunch, Lorrie Fish 50th, evening meeting at Markham
05Nov05- Sat- Feast
04Nov05- Fri- new furnace@house, 25@youth, Brian Doyle spoke, 4 over after (clayon, kevn, cookie, josh)
03Nov05- Thurs- 9AM - read to daycare kids, 50 tracts@MAC,
02Nov05- Wed - 9AM - prayer with Max, CRUX video>Nigel&Greg. Visit Chester Le
01Nov05- Tues - fix car