These two are ten! (A pre-Isaac post)

 Jacob and Hannah turned ten on the 17th of this month.  As a mondo birthday gift from their maternal grandparents they got to fly to Halifax for March Break with me and Sarah.  March Break always coincides with Tim Horton's Roll-Up-The-Rim campaign; incidentally, RUTR also coincides with Lent.  Having no Tim Horton's in Barry's Bay, we roll up the rim every chance we get during March Break.

We only ever win donuts and coffee, and re-essayers.  Apparently one of my father's university students was in a lecture when one of the male students began to yell and wave his coffee cup around:  he had won the Toyota Rav 4.  One day, one day, I say.

Hannah is peacefully resigned to coffee and donuts.

Why not when you get to spend March Break by the ocean?  (where there is no snow unlike one's hometown.)

We had big plans for the twins' tenth birthday.  Needless to say, we were blindsided by Isaac's illness and the twins spent their tenth birthday apart.  It was all rather poignant.  I only just realised that I have no photos of Jacob on his first double-digit birthday.  I didn't even get to hug him.

Jacob was slightly more upset by the separation than his twin sister.  (He is cut more from my cloth.)

He tends to be slightly more philosophical than his womb-mate.

Hannah, much like her father, hides her contemplative side and leans toward the practical side of things.    They are tremendous blessings under pressure.

The March Break trip was wonderful and a great time to re-charge with my oldest two children.  How providential that they had such a momentous pre-birthday celebration.  As I left for the hospital on Sunday morning, Jacob prayed that Isaac would be discharged from CHEO on the twins' birthday.  His wish was granted with only hours to spare.

And here's Sarah in my parents' kitchen sink.  Interestingly the twin propeller plane on which we flew to Halifax had a set of 6 week old twins, a set of nine year old twins and a set of eleven year old twins.  On the flight back another set of twins sat directly in front of us.  Well, directly in front of Hannah, Sarah and me.  Jacob sat in the window seat next to a massive muscled man who promptly fell asleep and refused to be woken by a nine year old boy who needed to use the washroom.

Just thought I'd throw these ones in for posterity.