A Sure Sign that Spring is Near

There was ball hockey in the driveway this afternoon--a sure sign that spring approaches.

There was a minor incident involving teeth and a lip, but as you can see...it didn't slow anybody down too long!

Déjà Vu (Almost)

Abby is still loving playing the piano. She has completed 11 lessons with www.freepianolessonsforkids.com, can play 5 songs, and knows quite a bit of basic theory. Of course, this music-loving mom is pretty pleased!

We Love Pancakes For Supper!

Tapper Happenings

I completed worship banners for the lenten season. The background material is a deep charcoal felted wool and contains a tiny bit of a sparkle. For me, its rough texture and dark colour symbolize the heaviness of this season as we contemplate Christ's passion. The sparkle is like a hint of the hope that we have, even in the dark times. The contrasting fabric is a lavender satin. Purple is symbolic of both suffering and royalty, appropriate as we consider the painful sacrifice of the King of Kings. The image on the one banner--a cup held up toward the cross, being filled with thorns--provides a reminder of Jesus's willingness to submit to taking on the sin of the world, with all its horrible pain, loneliness, and distress. The verses from Isaiah 53 describe him as one of us, who knows suffering and pain--even our pain. Indeed, he took the punishment that should have been ours. I hope that these banners will be a meaningful part of our church's worship this season.
Yesterday, Ethan completed his last gymnastics class for the winter session. He really enjoyed participating in this group. There was lots of opportunity for him to move, move, move! Bars, rings, trampoline, somersaults, headstands--he learned a lot!


We've had a few sunny days! Our ice rink is not so happy about this, but I love it! There is still lots of snow on the ground, but it is so nice to feel warmth on your face when you leave the house.

Ethiopian Adoption Uncertainty

There has been a lot of talk in the adoptive community about rumors that Ethiopia will be severely reducing the number of international adoptions that it will allow to be processed. Apparently, the Ethiopian Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs (MOWA) has stated that they wish to reduce the number of recommendation letters (required for a successful adoption) that they write each day in order to provide greater attention to each individual case. Some have suggested that this action could decrease Ethiopian adoptions by up to 90 percent and significantly delay the adoption processes that do proceed. MOWA and court officials will be meeting this week in Ethiopia in order to discuss this issue.

Obviously, I care about international adoption. I think adoption can be a powerful, redemptive work in a broken, messy world. This blog post resonates with me because it looks at the current uncertainty from several angles, which I think is very important.

Will you join me in praying for the meetings in Ethiopia—that somehow God’s heart for orphans would be reflected in the decisions made there? Further, check out the Joint Council Emergency Campaign for Ethiopia at http://betheanswerforchildren.wordpress.com/2011/03/08/emergency-campaign-for-ethiopia/. This site details a few other practical ways you can offer support for adoption processes in Ethiopia in the midst of this time of uncertainty.

Our LORD, you will always rule,
but nations will vanish from the earth.
You listen to the longings of those who suffer.
You offer them hope, and you pay attention to their cries for help.
You defend orphans and everyone else in need,
so that no one on earth can terrify others again. (Psalm 10)

A Day at the Zoo

This past week was March Break. (Yeah, I know...it started in February. Go figure.) We spent a few days in Toronto with Mike's family and had a super time! Here are a few favorite pics from our trip to the Toronto Zoo.

Our Busy Bread Machine (and a Recipe for you!)

Since adjusting Jadon's diet in an effort to make friends with his reactive digestive system, one of the common sounds in our house is the whirring of the bread machine. You should know that his bread machine was a wedding present...so it has been faithfully serving this family for over 12 years! But it has been getting quite the workout lately, for sure.

Making our own bread means that I know exactly what is in it (as opposed to most bread labels which have a considerable list of "may contain..." items). I have done a bit of experimenting with different types of breads, but--for simple, inexpensive, sliceable, sandwich-friendly bread, I have landed on the following favorite recipe:

Sandwich Bread

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons warm water
1 cup warm milk (we usually use rice milk)
3 tablespoons oil
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup corn starch
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Add the ingredients into a bread machine as listed. Set for a basic light crust setting. Wait 2 hours and 40 minutes (or as long as your bread machine takes). Enjoy!