new grandbaby

Way too busy to post anything of significance at the moment. Alexander has been over for a few days and still not ready for Christmas. Lots to do yet. Loved holding Isabel and her cheeks last night. What a blessing.

George and Susan and Doreen oh my!

Company is coming tomorrow night. Yeah, I always like to see George. Tiding up the house again because it got untidied after a couple of days of being tidied and now it has to get tidied again. OY

trying to

I am trying to clean up the house for when Alexander stays over when Shirley has the baby. I don't think I'll get as much done when he is here. Since it can be anytime now. I'd better get cracking...

part of a conversation on facebook

Rachel Mussche Vander Deen decided to count, just out of interest. Peter has asked me 68 questions in the last 5 minutes. That's about one every 4.5 seconds, believe it or not.

Danielle Mussche What? Why? Who? Where? When? How? There... there's a few more!

·

Anita Eleveld Joldersma and what were the answers - yes, no, no, yes, Aunt Lauren said it was, yes, no, no, no, yes, a special kind of hug, yes, no, yes, yes, no, peanut butter, no, no, yes, eight, yes, yes, apples, no, yes, sometimes when I eat beans, yes, Gone ...with the Wind, no, NO, yes, yes, then Aunt Danielle took it out, yes, no, no, only on Fridays, the very smartest?Anita of course, no, yes, I don't know, no, no, yes, no, yes, bunny poop, yes, yes, no, the Princess Bride, yes, NO, sharing my sleeping bag, yes, only once and then it wasn't my fault, yes, yes, no, no, Oma did, NO, NO, NO, six times, no, OK

so heres the problem

So I print up the family newsletter for the year. I mention that Henry has a new vehicle. His Ford Explorer, problem is he doesn't have it at the moment. Yesterday morning it was stolen. May get it back- may not, no idea. But the newsletter is written and in the envelope. Do I steam them open to revise the information? No, methinks not. Those who need to know will. Those who don't need to know won't. At least until next years newsletter.
Another thing for my to do list.
Oh and I forgot stuff. It is brought to mind always after the darn things been printed up. Andrew made profession of faith this year. I should have mentioned that as it was a memorable part of our year.
Ah, for perfection in writing something. It eludes me.

family newsletter 2010

I will post the Joldersma Family Newsletter minus the pictures

Dear Family and Friends

Hello to all of you. We hope this letter finds you well. 2010 is coming to a close. It is simply amazing how fast time flies. It is time again for the annual catching-up-with the Joldersmas.

Martin was busy with work with the three guys working for him. He tried to squeeze in some home projects but there are only so many hours in a week. Our new attached garage was finished this past spring. Woo hoo. Much of the stonework on the garage came from our old chimney. Martin demolished the old garage out back, built a shed and did some landscaping. A fence went up along the back part of the property. There is still some landscaping to be done and he has started putting in a second driveway in. 

I finished up with the Women's Guild at the high school. I spent quite a few years doing that but I enjoyed it a lot. I still do occasional catering for an office in Ancaster. I had a short term VON client this spring. I am also on the outreach team at church and there were a few projects this year. I still enjoy working on the photo albums and jigsaw puzzling. My absolute favourite work has been Home with a Heart. It is a 12 week program done through our church where I teach homemaking skills to single-mom clients of our local foodbank. We just finished up the third session in November. I worked with Leida Dykstra who is absolutely terrific. I get to meet amazing women– and I feel it is such a blessing for me to be involved with this program. It really feels like we are making a difference in their lives. My favourite response was when one of the women had said “I never realized the value of being a woman until I came (to Home with a Heart).”

There are only two kids left at home (so - everyone male - except me) and you can expect that there is a lot of ganging up on me. They do not seem to enjoy my bubbly personality early in the morning or appreciate my evening musical renditions. Although I do not understand why : )

Henry still works for John's Concrete Forming and enjoys the work. He got a new vehicle that has more room for lugging music equipment. His band put out a CD this spring and had a music video made. They were also nominated for a Hamilton Music Award.

Andrew had a summer co-op at All Tool in Stoney Creek which he enjoyed. He is back at Mohawk College at the moment. Another co-op, this one a year long, is to start in January. He is still playing bass for the praise team at church and has also done some of the singing. He played ultimate frisbee on two teams this summer with his Uncle Jeff and on another in the fall league. He is getting quite good at it and he loves the game.

As for getting out and about...Martin and I saw Anne play in an orchestra for a high school program of Horton Hears a Who. This summer I saw Miss Saigon in Toronto with Tena Boven and Wendy Verkerk on our annual roadtrip. We did a lot of walking – from St. Lawrence Market to Honest Ed's. I always enjoy the time I spend with those two women immensely. Anne, Shirley and I went to see Wicked in Toronto this fall (I'm still humming those songs). Andrew and I got to see Great Big Sea in November and I maintain that those boys put on the best concert ever. Plenty of memories made.

Martin and I also got up to the Soo for the Hotchkiss Reunion and what a time that was. Chatting with family. George, Jeffrey and Mike playing music. Chatting with my mom and dad in the motel room. Aunt Edie dialing in the backseat, dominoes, bagpipes and Aunt Dorothy's new tattoo. All grand memories. We got a chance to visit with Uncle Phil & Aunt Kay and George & Susan. We also went on the train ride to the Agawa Canyon on a day trip.

Martin and I were honourary Italians at our neighbour's 50^th anniversary party earlier in the summer and so when we hosted the Joldersma Cousin's Day in October we had Italian food. Cousins Day is always such a nice day for us. We were very happy that so many took the time to come over. There were about 30 Joldersma relatives over for lunch and we had such fun reconnecting.

We had Alexander over during the week of VBS as Shirley and Jeff were working on getting their new house ready (downtown east end) I had forgotten how little gets done around the house with a two year old to chase after. He has also been sleeping over most Friday nights this fall when Shirley and Jeff are leaders for a youth group. He is such a joy to have around. He loves to go to the window and look for Buppa to drive up in his truck. 

It was our 30^th wedding anniversary this September and the kids gathered for a family picture which was very nice. You can note new additions of Karen's boyfriend Aaron and his two children Connor and Mary. Shirley and Jeff expect another baby soon and Christmas Day is the due date. Seems we can't stay away from those Christmas birthdays.

We pray that you feel blessed in your life. We look forward to seeing you again. Keep in touch.

For Martin, Henry and Andrew

Anita Joldersma

anita@eleveld.org

 

When will it happen?

It will happen eventually. At one point or another I will repeat myself in this blog. A story I already told will be told again. (Hopefully I will recall it the same way and thus not implicate myself in the crime of messing with the truth)
My memory is not so great and I will not be scrolling down each thing I have written so as not to repeat myself.
Not something I am relishing but there you have it.

Sunday morning

A lovely day so far. Dinner is made and just needs to be put in the oven. The house is relatively neat. I am showered and dressed. I await a day to hear what God has to say to me - in a message from our pastor- and in the fellowship with his people - and in the soft stirrings of the heart.

Picture perfect

This past summer Martin was working with his cell phone in his pocket. He kept hearing clicks. When he checked his pictures he discovered that he had taken 192 pictures of the inside of his pocket. I love that.
He actually had 196 pictures on the phone and wanted to keep four of them and couldn't figure out how to delete large selections of photos so deleted them one at a time.