It’s a GIRL!!!!!!

Measuring in at 7lbs 1oz, 21 inches, family member #22 Jade Adara is finally here, and OH SO CUTE! She is such a little princess! We were celebrating Thanksgiving (Canadian) and when Mel & Bill got there, we knew something was up. After supper & games, we headed over to their house to stay with the kids.

Basically I had no gut feeling as to what the babies gender would be these last 9 months, right? Well, after they left for the hospital, I had a strong feeling it was a girl. I even wrote it down for proof! Of course, had it been a boy, I would have burnt the evidence immediately and told nobody. lol =) Again, she had an ALL natural birth - no pain meds whatsoever! So proud of you Mel!!!!

We just finished up with the Harvest. Our family garden measures at 307ft X 90ft. It definitely kept us busy these last few months. Weeds, weeds, and more weeds. Great opportunity to soak in the Vitamin D & enjoy the WONDERFUL summer God gave MB this year. I honestly cannot complain at all – we had wonderful temperatures! That said – we’ve gotten into the below 0°C weather several times and sleet once. It was -7°C a week ago. Winter is coming fast, we're expected to get snow this week… =( The wise Canadian geese are flying south. Can't wait to join them :)

Besides a nasty cold a few months ago, and a few close calls, I’m doing very well! It takes a load of effort to stay that way, but it’s worth it.

Fact is, CFers fight every single day. How we choose to fight it results in our quality of life. Inhaling Nutritional supplements vs antibiotics on a daily basis DEFINITELY is a life changer. 8 years later, and improving daily. =)

Let the record show that there ARE some upsides to CF. Here are my top 5.

1.You don’t have to be a math whiz to figure out that 20 years of coughing leads to one NICE set of abs. =)

2. I get to beat the living daylights out of my sweet sister twice a day, and ALL in the name of percussion.

3. Nasty congestion leads up to performances of Mozart's music in the form of nose blowing. Unbelievably entertaining.

4. I can eat, and eat, and eat and never get fat. Bring it, Calories!

5. Makes you stop and smell the roses. You don't take even the smallest things for granted. Breathing & birthdays are two big ones =) After struggling with CFAA (CF associated arthritis) from age 9-18 I walk and hold things with joy. Most people take for granted the ability to get out of bed and walk. Or pick up their kid. Thankfully I don't struggle with it anymore - PTL =)

I would like to give a shout out to Cystic Life – If you have CF, or are a parent, spouse, sibling or friend of someone who has Cystic Fibrosis, it is the ULTIMATE site! Check it out :) Ohhhh =) 2 'transplant' answers to prayer! Elijah (the little boy my sister Rebecca used to nanny for) got a heart transplant on Oct 2. He is doing great! & My CF friend Jordan got a lung transplant on Oct 1! Keep her in your prayers though, she's having a rough recovery & other health issues. I found it so amazing that those prayers were answered one day apart. God is SO awesome =)

A few weeks back, I randomly opened up the bible & read Romans 6. Blew, my mind. The thought of Christians who by grace have been saved, yet continuing to do what they've always done simply. doesn't. make. sense. Continuing in willful sin that we'll just have grace thrown at us? GOD FORBID. There is a big difference between willful sin (James 4:17), and accidentally screwing up now & then, which we ALL do. I was talking with a friend of mine, and we couldn't figure out when it became OK to do certain things. Remember back in the day when some things were abhorred by all and you just didn't do them because you know they were WRONG? Different actions, vocabulary, attitudes, mannerisms etc... It's a slow fade. Nobody just changes overnight into doing all the things that they knew were wrong. Slowly but surely - people & things around us associate sin with pleasure, and humor and we take the bait. The bible says to be transformed by the RENEWING of your mind. Ya. Anyway...just blew me away.

To close, I’ll leave you with an odd fact - There are more than 40,000 toilet related injuries in the United States every year. LOL, nawww I’ll leave you with a few words of wisdom from Ghandi – “You must be the change you wish to see in the world” =)

Sweetly smiling,
Aline