The Hope Family : Busy, Busy Trip

We've been so busy! What was I thinking that we were going on holidays! The whole trip is go, go, go... and definitly by our own doing. Eli needs to keep so busy because he gets bored. My aunt and uncle dont drive on the highways anymore, and cant sit in the car for long trips so its basically been mom, Eli and I out and about. Alot of driving. We usually leave between 10-11 a.m and Eli falls asleep so we take that time to get to where we're going, and then on the drive home he usually falls asleep too.

Yesterday, we went to Ellora and St.Jacobs... it is so beautiful here! The houses are amazing, and the leaves are incredible colors! I thought we had colors at home, but here they are amazing!! I love driving down the roads and driving past mennonite buggy's being pulled by horses. Its like something out of a movie! Its so beautiful!

Today we went to Statford and played in the park and fed the birds by the water. The seagulls were so aggresive Eli didnt much like to feed the ducks. As I was feeding the ducks I looked down the walking path and there were some good friends that we visited yesterday! I felt so blessed to visit with them yesterday as they are a bit older, but mom and I didnt get to say a proper goodbye to Horst as he is not well and had to go lay down. As mom and I left yesterday I said I felt very sad because we would probably never see him again, and didnt get a proper goodbye. He gave me an incredible piece of advice yesterday about marriage, one which I will share once Im back and can write a bit more. But I felt so blessed!! So back to the park, there they were walking down the path! We were able to sit and talk a bit more and say a proper goodbye. What a blessing. It makes me feel sad, but happy. I love meetings like that because if we had stayed 5 minutes longer somewhere else, or they had left a few minutes earlier we would've missed them! It was perfect timing! A God thing I call it!

Eli has also been doing alot better too. Last night he went to bed at 9:00p.m, and woke up at 8:30a.m this morning! I felt so relieved. He has grown up so much over the past week or so. He understands so much, more than I realized! Last night as I was trying to get him to go to sleep, he didnt want anything to do with it. He wasn't crying, but would lay day, and then sit up 2 minutes later. This went on for a good 15 minutes. Each time he sat up I would say firmly "Eli, lay down please." He'd plop himself down and that was that... and then it would happen a few minutes later again! We went over him laying down probably 12 times, and finally I told him that he could play in his crib but I was going upstairs. I got up and walked away and he eventually fell asleep without a peep! This was such a difference than the night before when he screamed himself to sleep.

Tonight was even better! I put him in the crib, he sat up once, I told him to lay down. And then I patted his back for 10 minutes and he was out! Praise God!!

Tomorrow we're off to Niagara on the Lake, and then Monday evening we head home! Im very homesick, and am looking forward to getting back into our routine! We're blessed to be here, but I am looking forward to being at home again!