Congratulations to my son . . .

This is my middle son Douglas.  I think he was about 9 months old in this photograph.   He was born with a full head of hair.   The nurses in the Maternity ward at the hospital I had him in were amazed at just how much hair he had.   Shortly after he was born, they lay him on my chest and I can remember looking into his eyes and thinking . . .  this is an old soul.  A thoughtful soul.   A gentle and quiet soul.  A thinker.    And I was right.   That he is.   Not easily riled.   A gentle and thoughtful man.   I love him very much, as I do all my children and today I wanted to celebrate him in a special way though and so I am . . .



Doug was our youngest child for seven years before Bruce came along and ousted him out of his being the "Baby of the Family" spot.   He was a delightful and interesting little boy.  He had a great imagination and was good at multi-tasking as you can see.   A cowboy at the same time as a driver.   A cowboy who drove cars.  



He loved cheese when he was a child.  It wasn't unusual to open the refrigerator and find out that he had taken a whole bite out of the cheese, his little teeth having left their mark.  Guilty as charged.  He also had a sweet tooth, as is evidenced by this Christmas photo taken of him when he was about 3.  That candy cane was almost as big as he was, but he didn't lose any time in tucking in to it.  He wasn't adverse to passing the buck however.  He had a cat in the hat doll/toy that always took the blame for everything.  If you asked Doug, who did what . . . it was always "The Cat In The Hat" who had done it.



He was a happy boy, a cheerful boy.   Eager to please and always smiling.   He had a smile that could charm anyone.  I can remember his Nursery School teacher telling me that he was a delight to have in her class . . .  but that we needed to make him work harder.  If he didn't want to do something or couldn't do something he would simply turn on the charm and smile . . . his grade one teacher was exasperated by him.   In Grade two we had him tested and found out he was dyslexic, but they didn't do much for children with dyslexia back then.  He learned to cope with it, but alas . . . he grew up always thinking he was stupid.

I always told him he wasn't, but I don't think that  helped really.   Mom's all think that their children are the brightest and the best . . .  and despite my words to him, he never believed that he wasn't stupid.  He always tried really hard though.  He played rugby in high school, was in the Bell Choir at church, went to youth group faithfully,  counselled at Christian Camp in the summers and was an all round good son.   He did set our landlord's barn on fire once, playing with matches, which was probably the worst and only problem he ever caused for us. Basically  he was a good boy, and I have always, ALWAYS been proud of him.




He went to Atlantic Bible University after he finished high school, and it was there that he met Kayla.  His going off to Uni coincided with my marriage breaking up, and I think there were a couple of very difficult years for him.  Kayla helped to get him through that time and I am grateful for that.   I no longer had a home.  I lived in a rented bedroom in a strangers house, and then my mother's house, and then I met Todd and moved over here.  There was no place for me in Canada, and I think Douglas thought there was no place for him either as his father had also remarried.  That all changed when he met Kayla.  She became his home and his place . . .  and that is how it should be.

 

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." ~Genesis 2:24  

Todd and I were able to go over to their wedding.  It was a lovely occasion.  I was a bit nervous meeting Kayla and her family for the first time, but it was good.



They were and are a good couple together.  Kayla always has his back, and he is devoted to her.  That is as it should be. I am so grateful that Doug and Kayla found each other.  Some things are just meant to be.



Doug has always tried very hard to be a good husband to his wife and father to his children.  He and Kayla have three lovely little boys.   (Josh, Jon and Jacob)  My three "J's"  They are lovely boys and a credit to their parents.



Two years ago Doug decided that he wanted something better for his family than what they had and he decided to go back to school.  Yesterday he graduated from Holland College in PEI, with a qualification in Heating and Refrigeration.  I think it's called an HVAC Certification.   He did very well on the course, with an over-all average of 91%.  I think it is safe to say that he was one of the top students on the course.  He won an award just prior to this last Christmas for his efforts.  I think he has finally proven to himself that he is not stupid and he never was.  I always knew that he wasn't, but a mom knowing that is not enough I think.  You need to know it for yourself.



I love my son with all of my heart.  I am so very proud of him, and all that he has done and who he is.   I always have been.   He is a good man, with a good heart.   A good husband and father.  A good son.  He loves the Lord.  I just know he is going to get a good job after having done so well on his course.   Hard work is always, always rewarded.  Congratulations to Doug on a job well done!  We love you son!




I was so excited yesterday to discover that the Craft CD is now for sale, world wide,  on the Ooh La La Creations Site!  It will be featured on the Create and Craft channel on the 9th of June at 3 pm.  I am so proud of this body of work, and all that the Ooh La La people have done with my art.  



Their design team has created some really lovely cards using my artwork.   I love this pretty pink one.



It's amazing to me to see my work featured in such a way and the design teams different interpretations of it all.



I really, really hope that it does well and that finally all of my hard work is going to be recognized and begin to pay off.



I just couldn't resist showing this to you this morning.  I hope you don't think I am bragging.   I just am so very chuffed at it all and wanted to share.

A thought to carry with you through today . . .

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"You have guidance within you,
and when you feel L♡VE in your heart 
things cannot go wrong for you." 
~ Abraham Hick  
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Baking in The English Kitchen today . . .  delicious Date Slices . . .  tender cake bottom filled with chopped dates and coconut, topped with a tangly lemon glaze icing.   Fabulous!


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Have a wonderful Saturday.  Hope that wherever you are, whatever you are doing, the sun is shining down upon you!