project 365 ~ month of march ~ 305-335/365

Here are my contributions to the eleventh month of Project 365.

March was another busy fun-filled month. I certainly enjoyed photographing my way through the past month, maybe that's because it's officially spring and finally starting to warm up a tad. Or, maybe it has to do with buying a new lens this month! It certainly helped a lot and gave me the little photography boost that I needed! I was even excited about taking pictures and learning the new lens.

It's hard to believe that I only have another 30 days left of this project. I'm trying to figure out what I'll do next? I'm not planning on taking on another daily project right now, but I'd like to take on a weekly challenge or something. Let me know if you're participating in or if you've heard or seen any fun ones. Here's a few I've seen and heard of, and some I've even participated in...

Lisa from 'The Long Road to China {and Back}' does a weekly Black & White Wednesday challenge, which is great - I'm going to try joining in with her a bit more. Also, another of my favourite blogs, 'And Lily Makes Three' participates in a crayon box challenge called 'Project 64 - Out of the Box', which looks like a lot of fun. And then there's 'I Heart Faces' and their weekly challenge, which is a bit more of a competition though.

raspberries and an 'end of winter' walk

Lilah loves loves loves raspberries.

Or maybe it's the way she eats them, that she enjoys the most. Either way, we're going to have to find a raspberry farm over the summer and pick ourselves some of these yummies.

Speaking of the summer season, spring has been dragging it's heels and I'm not the least bit amused! We are SO beyond ready for it. Today, after gorging on those summer raspberries, we took a little walk down to the river to feed the ducks. (Or should I say, feed the gazillion seagulls, which turned into a seagull flying-diving-squawking fest! It was rather entertaining to say the least.) The sun was shining, and now we just need some green, oh how I miss the green leaves and grass and colourful flowers! Lately, while out driving, I've even caught myself daydreaming about how the trees look full of leaves.

This weekend, all being well, it's supposed to be a sunny 10°C and I couldn't be happier!

[ the flickr set is here ]

the easter bunny

The Easter Bunny has already arrived in our house.
Although he disappeared pretty fast!

Lilah is bound and determined that he is going to bring her a pink kite this year.
A kite? Who knew!

an evening with...

Steven Curtis Chapman & Geoff Moore

canadian museum of nature

We spent 6 hours at the Canadian Museum of Nature today! 6 HOURS!

We've been to this museum a couple of times before and I took a few pictures way back then too, of course! That kinda goes without saying! Anyway, a couple of the pictures I took on those previous visits are now on the new Canadian Museum of Nature website - here and here. My sweet girl! (They asked my permission to use them, which is why we got into the museum free of charge today!)

In fact, today was the first day we actually got to see the whole new and improved museum. Here is a bit of the background on the renovation, taken from Wikipedia...

"A major renovation of all parts of the building began in 2004 and was completed in 2010, including a lighter-weight glass "lantern" taking the place of the tower removed in 1915. For most of the duration of the renovation, parts of the building were still open to the public, but the entire building was closed temporarily on 26 April 2010 for final changes. The newly renovated museum re-opened again on 22 May 2010, and the lantern structure was christened the "Queens' Lantern" in honour of both Elizabeth II, who visited the building on her 2010 royal tour and Queen Victoria."

The museum is beyond beautiful, it's a 100 year old stone castle and the inside is magnificent.

There are interactive games, screens and movies all over the place, along with role playing stations, a veterinary clinic, a submarine, a ship, a puppet show, costumes, a recording booth, the discovery center... I could go on and on! Lilah and I watched a movie today about the extinction of dinosaurs and during the movie there was a light spray of water and wind effects to go along with the film. It was pretty cool!

I also just found this piece of info on Wikipedia... "the Bull Moose mosaic at the front entrance was hidden under carpeting from 1950 to 2010." Isn't that crazy? You can see the fabulous mosaic in my pictures below.

If you ever come to Ottawa, with or without children, come see this museum - you will absolutely not be disappointed! I guarantee it.

And quite honestly, 6 hours wasn't even long enough for us today! I had the hardest time dragging Lilah away from our last stop of the day - the special event penguin area! The children (and even adults) could dress in penguin costumes and slide down an artificial iceberg slide on their tummies, like penguins! Very fun! Lilah enjoyed it so much that she walked around for the rest of the evening like a penguin, taking short quick steps with her arms straight out behind her! It was so cute!

[ the flickr set is here ]

the "spring" weather, thus far...

Saturday: I put three pairs of snow boots down into the basement.
Sunday: A beautiful first day of Spring.
Monday: The snow falls in all it's, ahem, ...glory!

Lilah was rather excited that it was the 'snowman making' kind of snow.
Me, not so much.

Tuesday: Lilah is beating the snow by snorkeling in a hot and humid climate! The bathtub!

[ the flickr sets are here & here ]

the joy of luck: [ gift ]

Day 1 - Joy of Luck - Willette Photography Assignment.
Gift: Something I have been blessed with and maybe even something I take for granted.

[ there is no greater gift than the gift of Salvation ]

I know I'm a few days behind, and in fact, I wasn't even planning on taking part in this 'Joy of Luck' one week long photography assignment. But I was intrigued and I felt that it was a chance for me to tell my conversion story, in other words, when and how I became a Christian. There are very few times that I write about myself on Lilah's blog, I usually just post about the things we do, the things she says, accomplishments, firsts, etc. I record these moments so Lilah can read about them when she is older, because after all it's a journal about her, for her. But if there is one thing I want her to know and read about me, it is the story of my conversion.

Let me start by saying that I don't believe in "luck" - that probably sounds strange coming from a 'Luck o' the Irish' gal! Heh! That being said, I do believe that the Lord blesses with many many blessings and I have indeed been the recipient to many of His wonderful blessings. The greatest of these being God's gift to me - His Son. If I didn't have the Lord Jesus in my life, I would have nothing.

I'm thankful for God fearing parents that taught me the truths of the Bible - warning me of the sinner's destiny and reminding me of God's perfect plan of Salvation. They made sure I was constantly under the sound of the Gospel, listening to Gospel messages. Their earnest prayer was that I would be saved.

I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as my personal Saviour on the 13th of October 1992, I was 15 years old. I'd been attending a series of Gospel Meetings at the time, in Bessbrook, Northern Ireland. That particular night the preacher (John Rogers) had spoken on the Phillipian jailer's conversion story, from Acts 16. I'd heard this passage spoken on many times before, but this time it was different. This time I was listening intently, I'd made up my mind that more than anything in the world, I wanted to be saved. Saved from the consequences of my sin - hell and damnation, forever.

Later that evening, at home in my bedroom, I read Acts 16 verses 30 and 31 again: "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?", even though I knew this was the cry of the Phillipian jailer, I truly felt like I was crying it from my heart too. And then I read the next verse: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved". It was at that moment that I realized, that's all I had to do - believe it. God gave His only Son, the Lord Jesus, to take the punishment and die for the sins I had committed. And all I had to do was accept that He did it for ME, a hell deserving guilty sinner. I bowed my head and wept, and thanked God for giving His Son for me.

1 Corinthians 15:3&4
Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

It's a short story, but it has a great depth. I owe Him so much for giving His life for me. I owe Him for all the blessings that He has given me. Indeed, I owe Him my life, a life that pleases and glorifies Him. And no matter how hard I try, I know I fail at this. But I am thankful that I am reminded in His word, that His love never fails.

A few years later I was baptized (by immersion) and received into Assembly Fellowship. Since moving to Canada, we (as a family) attend the River Road Gospel Hall. I am so thankful that the Lord has given me a 'family' of sisters and brothers in the faith. I don't know where I'd be without them.

If you're interested, the website below has lots more conversion stories. Many, more eloquently written than mine, however, we all share the same faith, the same Father and the same heavenly prospect. Praise God!

www.gospelhall.org