Baptism day...

So our little girl has officially gone and turned 8 this year, and for those of you not familiar with our faith, that is the age which we are baptised! This was a great day for Emilie, a good thing considering the stress leading up to it over this past year! Let me explain...

Last summer after her 7th birthday, we talked one night with Emilie, discussing the fact that the next year she would be able to be baptised if she desired. She proceeded to quickly tell us that she did NOT want to be! A little shocked by her answer but curious just the same, we asked her "why?" Her reply will never be forgotten... "because I don't want my eyes to get wet. Can't I just wear my goggles?!?" After a quick chuckle, and "no, i'm very sorry but you can't!" we let the months pass on without much more thought on the matter. This issue persisted though, and the fear remained, till six months later, light glimmered hopeful at the end of the tunnel...

While Emilie was in the tub one day, she called me upstairs to go see her. When i arrived in the bathroom, i found her completely submerged in the water, huge eyes looming up at me and cheeks fully puffed up with all the oxygen they could hold! Seeing me she sat up and said "did you see my eyes mom!!!?!?" I had, she was practicing going under the water with her eyes open, so that she could be brave enough, to be baptized on her birthday =) Sweet girl!

So, on Sept. 5th, 2009, the day finally came. She woke up surprised by how "not even nervous" she was, at breakfast, dressed into her very white and beautiful 'dress #1' and set off with her entourage to the chapel. Patrick proformed her baptism in french, and she did great! She said she was suprised the water was so warm lol, i guess she thought it would be cold!

My dad, Ross Bonneau, confirmed her a member of the church with Patrick, Matt Hall, the elders, and Bro. Ross Lyle (bishopbric) standing in. Her blessing was beautiful. Speaking of her intelligence, her peace making skills, and her importance here, as an example for her friends and family. Mathieu closed the meeting with a scripture and prayer =)

All in all, it was a wonderful day, full of the spirit, with good food and friends to close the day. One down, two more to go, and may my boys' day's go just as well and easy as Em's!

Emilie's Primary talk...

A couple weeks ago, we had a lighting storm with a lot of wind. I was really, really scared. I prayed to Heavenly Father three times for all the lightning and wind to go away so I could fall back to sleep and have good dreams. Heavenly Father didn’t stop it though, but he did help me fall asleep again. So, even though Heavenly Father didn’t stop the wind or lightning, I know he still heard my prayers. He helped me to not be so scared so that I could fall asleep again. Even though Heavenly Father doesn’t always give us what we ask for, he still helps us as best he can. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

The faith of a child...

So, as the days fly by and Emilie's baptism approaches, details are being looked after and dresses (yes plural lol Only for her i tell ya!!) are being ordered. The other day though, we had disappointing news that my brother, the beloved Uncle Mike, was suddenly not able to attend due to a sick co-worker.

Now for those who don't know, Emilie and Uncle Mike have been sealed at the hip since Emilie was about 6mths old. After he realized she wasn't quite as fragile as she looked he began to cart her around playing every game imaginable. Then while Patrick was at basic training and I was on bed rest while pregnant with Mathieu for 3mths Uncle Mike became her primary source of entertainment, bonding them forever more.

So, back to the baptism, Emilie was sad, but resigned that he couldn't come. She knew that if he could, he would and that was enough. Last night though, we knelt down by her bed and she began to say her nightly prayers. These are a fairly predictable monologue that really don't change too much from day to day, but last night, she stopped right in the middle and hesitated for a moment. She then said "Heavenly Father, please bless that Uncle Mike can come to my baptism so he can watch me get baptised." That was it. Nothing more. She then proceeded on with her usual routine of words and closed. I looked at her afterwards and said that was some good thinking asking for help, kissed her goodnight and left her room.

Well, it's now 2:50pm and that happened at around 9pm last night. May i just say that around 15 minutes ago, i got a call from Uncle Mike, clarifing the date of the event and then saying that he can now actually come.

Some may say that it's just a co-incidence, a fluke, whatever. I know better. That little girl's prayer was heard the minute those words were uttered. The faith of a child knows no boundries, something that, we too, could learn from.

Stitches and Ferry rides...

We had the pleasure of going down to Anacortes for the July 4th celebrations this year and have to admit, those Americans know how to put on a fireworks show! We got great seats right infront of the firework pit and the kids had an absolute blast. Our real adventure began though, on our way back home.

We took the Anacortes/Sidney ferry home this time and had a relitivly low key sail. We got to see a pod of Orca's which was very kewl. The kids had never seen them before in the wild and we watched quite a large pack with a couple babies do tricks and swim quite close to the ferry. After we docked and the captian said we could return to our vehicles we proceeded to pick up our stuff and begin our treck below decks. Well, we didn't make it 50 paces before Noe' tripped over his own feet and "SMACK" hit the floor. In the mind boggling way that only mom's can, i had him up and kleenex smacked onto his split lip in seconds waiting for the bleeding to stop so we could continue our flight down to the stairs. When Patrick and the other two kids reached me he asked what happened, I said his DS (which he had been carring hit him when he tripped and just split his lip and pulled the tissue away to show him....

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well... lol... no sooner did i pull away the tissue that blood starting dripping in large drops on the floor and i see that it's not only his lip that's bleeding, but his DS actually filletted his chin right open and i can literally see his bone!!! Patrick's face goes sheen and white and i yell at him to sit before he faints, then Emilie from behind me taps me on the shoulder and says "mommy, i don't feel very good" She too is in LITERAL shock!!! white face, sweats, shakes, and nausea! Then there's just lil' old injured Noe' standing there, trying not to cry or move, not at ALL realizing what he's gone and done to himself.
So, we get off the boat, and still have to go through customs, but we make it to Vic General in one piece and better yet, no leaky blood or puek lol.
Noe' sat through freezing and 8 stitches without complaining once, and was only a little sad that they didn't have a spider-man band-aid instead of Charlie Brown =)

Made for one memorable ferry ride i tell ya, and may i just say he healed fabulously, and to this day, i cannot believe how calm and cool he was from the very first moment of injury. He acted the VERY big boy that day

Out of the mouth's of babes...

So, it's nice to know that Patrick and I are truly equal in all things. He's had the honour of being humbled by our son twice these last few weeks, and it's been great knowing that i'm not alone in it!

The first time came the other day while either Noe' or Patrick (i can't remember which) was playing Pokemon on their DS. Now for those who don't know, Patrick as well as each child of ours has their own Pokemon game of different titles, and they work together to catch as many as they can from each game. Well, on this day, like i previously said, one of the two of them (lets say Patrick) caught a certain pokemon. So, Patrick says to Noe' "hey look Noe! I just got this Pokemon!"

To which Noe's reply was "Hey! I have that Pokemon!"
Patrick: "No, I have it!"
Noe': "Noooo, I have it!"
Patrick: "NO, I HAVE IT!"

and well, you can see where this would go. So, after they carried on for a few more rounds, the more mature of the two, *cough* Noe'... proceeds to put his hand on his fathers shoulder and says with all seriousness and a perfectly honest face
"Dad, i think we both have that Pokemon"

Time number two, came again while engrossed in an entertaining game of Pokemon. Patrick was again playing and trying to catch some "stupid pain in the rear" character that was continually evaiding him. Noe' was watching faithfully, as he usually does, but in hearing his fathers umm, "vocal expressions of frustration" lets say, he again turned to him in all seriousness and said "daddy, we really shouldn't say stupid so much" Daddy smiled and shook his head and replied "you're absolutly right Noe', Daddy shouldn't be saying that word at all, and thankyou for reminding me of that."

The real kicker though was when after hearing her brother Emilie looked at me with a smile of knowledge and said with all certainty "unless we're saying that they're stupid drivers, right mom?! That's the only time we're allowed to say it"

Hello Mr. & Mrs. Law!!!

I had the great honour of being part of my dear friend of 10 years wedding last weekend! It was an absolutly beautiful warm day over looking the beach's of Parksville. While Tanya and David said their "I do's" to an intimate group of family and friends looking on, there were many tears and a few good giggles coming from both. My personal highlight, watching Tanya walk down the isle with tears welling, then after he father presented her, she turned to the crowd and said "HELLO EVERYBODY!!! GLAD YOU COULD ALL BE HERE!!" She totally set the mood and it was a great day =)

Duplessis/Montreuil Family Photo's 09