Tagged

I've been tagged by Jennifer. http://www.asongforeveryday.blogspot.com/Here are the rules:1. Link to the person’s blog who tagged you.2. Post these rules on your blog.3. List seven random and/or weird facts about yourself.4. Tag seven random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by posting a comment on their blog.

I'm going to break the rules right off because while I don't mind being tagged - I'm not so comfy with tagging others. Oh - would that be random thing no. one?

1. I wear toe rings year round.
2. I had a vibrant faith when I was a little girl and while my emotions and personal faithfulness have wavered, my faith in God has sustained me.
3. I usually own one tube of lipstick which I wear with lip gloss for just the right texture. Yesterday I lost my one tube and now I have two new tubes. Walk on the wild side!
4. Currently my favorite room color is green. My kitchen is peach - I don't like that color so much any more. It also has a hand stenciled chicken border. I'm working on remodeling that kitchen.
5. I'm realizing I have way too many capri pants and way too few warm pants for winter. Brrrr.
6. Tonight we were having soup and sandwiches and salad for supper. I forgot to make the soup.
7. I drive a little too fast in town. I don't think it's a good idea so I keep trying to slow down.



I tag - without links - Aimee, Cara, Kelly, Marg, Carolyn, Kortney (of falling leaf)

Triplet Cousins

We've taken to calling them the triplet cousins and I can't tell you how much fun they have together and how much fun they are to watch. Developmentally they all act and think similarly so they totally get each other. Mostly things go very smoothly with just the expected amount of adult intervention required especially as kids get tired and wound up (which is pretty funny as long as you're on your toes!). There's always some checking each other out, helping is now popular, and working out how things will be shared.

Anna and a basket of little people.

Elijah in a fit of giggles.

At the bowling lane - our hallway (which I do own a bowling set for). The kids loved running up and down this hallway in gales of laughter. Anna runs the fastest - really fast. She also started walking first. Anna is wearing a chip clip for a barrett. Elijah looks like a little muscle man in this picture.

Lovella, What Matters Most, had a little contest yesterday and asked for input on being a grammy. It really challenged me to put into words what I think the role is about. I'll paste my answer below, and I really do recommend the book also.

I recommend the book, "Exteme Grandparenting...the ride of your life" by Tim and Darcy Kimmell. It's in my house right now. Grandparenting is such a vital and purposeful role - it's just incredible. I'm not finished reading - but I know it's going to be all great!

My intentions toward my grandchildren are to keep on paying attention - listening to what they say and how they feel. I will enjoy them and laugh with them. I will pray for them and model a trust in God for them. I will love them unconditionally. I wil be patient. I will be creative with them. I will help them know they are important and I will help build hope and confidence into them though my words, attitudes, touch and the way I look at them. I will have all the fun I can and if things get painful or difficult, as they might, my love, my hope, and my prayers will hold strong for Jesus is the author and the finisher of all our stories.

Question. I'd like to change my template for winter and I'm having trouble fitting a photo into the space alloted for a blog banner. Any tips?

Not Your Usual Concert Pics

I wanted to share some of these pictures taken the night of Lance's Abbotsford show. Elijah LOVES guitars. He says g'ar (the beginning and the end of the word).

From the top left - After the concert Elijah on stage looking at one of the guitars. Steve playing a little song for Elijah at Elijah's request (yes if there is a guitar in the room he may point at YOU and ask you to play it!), Lance and Elijah hanging out during intermission.

Middle - Mama and Elijah dance, Johnny (Lance's intern and drummer for the night) helping Elijah with a guitar, Becky (one of our dear employees) enjoying Eva.

Bottom - Carolyn and Steve, UBER FANS, with the T-shirts they made that morning with some of Lance's lyrics on them, Erin (my niece) with her sleeping boys, Elijah sitting on a bookshelf in his new hockey shirt I bought him.

And yes, it was a great concert and you should be looking forward to the new cd coming out sometime soon. If you have a small ukulele, you might think of giving it to Elijah - it seems he's a desperate little man :)

Last night I received a great gift. I've been feeling increasingly disheartened about leading the single moms group by myself - even though I like the women. I've just been feeling so alone and I love co-leading. Last night Denise dropped in and spent the evening with us. SO encouraging I tell you. Her timing was so impeccable, I asked her, "Did God tell you to come?". Maybe. Thank you.

Prayer please. One of our friends had a massive heart attack yesterday. Please pray. He's alive and resting and surgery is expected but we don't know any more than that.

(Picture should enlarge if you click on it)

The Weekend

It has been a tradition for SO many years that all the girls in the family would get together for lunch to celebrate LK's mom's birthday each year. And here we are this year - Sunday night. She had one daughter. Then as each of four boys married she gained daughter-in-laws. That was the birthday lunch bunch. Then grandchildren and great grandchildren came. Look at us now!! Missing are Cara and Aimee, Eva and Sarah. Someone else too? This year we went to a restaurant and the group photo is taken by our waiter. Oh - one boy came - little baby Jake.

Genny had this incredible idea for a gift. She bought the plate pictured - with a stand and candles. She attached charms, faith, hope, and love with ribbon on the pillars. At the party, a bag of rocks was passed around and with light pen on dark rocks, and dark pen for light, everyone helped write all the names of the family on the rocks. Some of the single girls stuck some extra rocks in with questions marks on them :) Isn't that just the greatest? It could be used to pray - pick a rock out and hold it and pray for that person. Totally something for tactile me.

After supper I headed over to the House of James where the Mennonite Jazz Committee was having a concert. Normally LK hosts these but he was out of town - Toronto with all his brothers and nephews at the Grey Cup game. Sooo - someone had to do his job - Steven! First thing when I came into the store I spotted Steve behind the counter. It's been a long time since he worked at the bookstore with any regularity. I mean, he's got his own career now. It was pretty special to me having him revisit our turf - Emceeing the night with such warmth and wit. I said to his girlfriend, Courtney, he was exactly the same at 2 and 3, doing skits and entertaining us all. She said - he just got bigger. Anyway good times and thanks Steve. I wonder if he reads my blog? Sign your name if you're reading Steve :)

The music was spectacular. They've got a new Christmas album and it is sweet. I think their music is good for my soul. I am not a relaxed person by nature but as I listened to the music I could literally feel the muscles in my neck and shoulders relaxing. It was like someone had poured warm honey into my veins. I recommend the album and encourage you to look it up.

This evening it SNOWED. I was trotting around the house singing Sleigh Bells. Giddy-yap, giddy-yap giddy-yap let's go...Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling you hoo.....

My new favorite thing is going out for supper with girlfriends. I don't know why I haven't done it in years - and I'm talking like since college days for the most part. Friday night I went out with the girls from my care group and had a delightfully interesting and enriching three hour visit. Never dull for one moment - I put that in because if there are any guys reading this they may be thinking - WHAT would you talk about for three house. Just never you mind - no trouble at all.

LK's home now. I was trying to remember how it was that he went with them to Toronto and he explained that, as his brothers all truck together, they were going out partly for the game and partly to meet a truck trailer builder that they deal with. They somehow had one spare ticket which was first offered to LK who turned it down because of the store concert, then Steven said yes but then he had to change his mind because the band he plays in had, unbeknownst to him, booked a show. Back to LK - and you know how that worked - Steve subbed for him. So there we have it - all the truckers and LK. Well, we do receive books that have been on trucks. He had a great time with the guys and right away unpacked a group photo from the CN Tower. Memorable times.

Thank you + Thank you + Thank you +

Repeated thank yous are what came out of my mouth as I drove for blocks along our main strip tonight. After filling the car up with gas, I proceeded toward the driveway of the station to turn right onto the roadway. Then ZOOM - a young guy on a bike shot out on the sidewalk from the left cutting diagonally across the driveway in front of me at a high rate of speed, making his way across the gas station's lot. He came seemingly out of the blue, hidden from view by a sandwich board sign and the darkness of night. I missed him - we missed each other.

Reflexively I thanked God. I thanked God on behalf of the boy. I thanked God on behalf of myself. I thanked Him on behalf of his family, his friends, our community, myself, my family. A sudden disaster with it's concentric circles of horrific impact was averted. We already lost a teenager to an accident in our town this week for which I am surprisingly saddened and mindful of his family and friends. Tonight, for this biker and his well-being, I am thankful.

Our Little Artist

Aimee's photos. All I can say is - like mother - like daughter!

A Delightful Visit

One day when Aimee was here, and Lance was off working hard on a new album (yea!), we took the kids over to visit their Oma. It was just going to be short because it was near nap time. Well, it was too fun to leave so soon. The family office is attached to the house so we got to connect with many family members including cousin Erin, who just happened to drop in. Eva went right away to be held by Oma. Elijah was a little more reserved but totally enjoyed playing a game of rolling tugboat with her at the table. Imagine the two photos below side by side with Elijah at the left and Oma at the right. Elijah is just on the receiving end of the tugboat roll from Oma.

Next thing we knew lunch was being ordered in from Red Robbin and Aimee gave the word - we're staying!
Lunch gang. Back row - Erin (my niece), Genny (LK's little sister), Travis (nephew), Oma (LK's mom), Gwen (sister-in-law and Travis' mom), Front - Elijah, Aimee, Eva. So much fun.

Then Came Everyone Else!

And here's what all my excitement was about. All my kids, and my parents, together for one evening. Before supper we headed to the park for a quick play. It was really brief but I think God stretched the time in my mind because I felt it was fun and full rather than short. Then we came back to the house for ordered in Japanese food. Below is Cara, the birthday girl, with her peach kuchen birthday pie. It was also Cara and Andy's anniversary, bless you guys.

Backtracking a little to first thing in the morning - while Sarah is still sleeping. Eva and Elijah fresh off the plane and out of the car. They flew in that WINDY weather we had a week ago Monday. Eva threw up twice and both kids missed 5 hours of sleep. So if they look a little tired - they are. The grownups were too. We were thrilled that Eva and Elijah were not shy of us at all even though they hadn't seen us for months. Hurray.

First Came Sarah

Grandparents shared Sarah during her parents anniversary get away. Sarah arrived at our house on a Sunday afternoon. By bedtime we had painted, played grocery shopping, and baked cookies for Sarah to give her mom for her birthday. Check out the chocolate chip action shot! The cookies were oatmeal peanut butter, chocolate chip, raisin, almond cookies. Sarah carefully considered each possible addition - "not too sweet", "Yes, Mommy would like almonds". She knows her mommy.

Sarah likes to paint with a partner. She hands me a brush and suggests I add to the picture. Here we have a fabulous house with beautiful bushes in front and a sunny sky.

I don't know what kind of mishap this little cart had but it was broken in numerous places when I took it from the toy closet. I brought it to Blackwood for some advice on what kind of glue to use then repaired it with glue, metal plates and bolts, with coordinating yellow duct tape. Sarah helped me wash it up all new. The kids don't seem to care at all about the repairs. It's just as fun as ever.

We gave it a good work out with real groceries from my cupboard. Over and over again. Shop in the kitchen, bring it to the living room, unpack the cart, load the groceries in bags, take them 'home', put the groceries away in the (same) cupboard - repeat :)

When Sarah woke up on Monday morning, her twin cousins were in the house!

The Wind

Yesterday and today we've had powerful windy weather. We always do around this time of November. Today is Cara's birthday and the wind reminds me that it was ultra windy when we brought her home form the hospital. My mom was visiting and the wind was blowing so hard the glass in the living room windows was flexing. She wondered if we should draw the drapes just in case. Hmmm...I hadn't even noticed the wind. I only had eyes and ears for my delightful little Carrie. Now the November winds always bring back that sweet memory of the early days at home with her.

Tomorrow we celebrate her birthday with the whole family home. How great is that?

Right now little Sarah sleeps in the blue guest room. We've already painted, baked, read many stories, listened to music, and played grocery store. Tomorrow morning Eva and Elijah come. Whoo Hoo!!

Marsha - kids totally dig the stoles and much of the design is low and they take the ends of the stole in their hands to have a good look. I love it.

Lovella - Thank you for your kind words about remembering being good for the soul. That really resonated in me.

Thanks to all my visitors and commenters. Have a great week.

The Pastor and his Stoles

Mike is telling his congregation a joke from the pulpit. You can see he thinks it is funny - I think it was. Mike is a Lutheran pastor and Lutheran churches celebrate key events of Christianity though the year - like Pentecost, Lent, Advent. These are represented, in part, through the use of color. The stoles the pastor wears are the same color as the cloths on the altar and pulpit.

When Mike was ordained, I sewed the stole for his ordination service. Red is the color worn for ordination. Eventually, I made all his stoles - Red, White, Blue, Green and Purple and it seems I got better at them and the original is the one I least like. Here are pictures of my favorites. I LOVE the fish - I loved embroidering them and this is my all time favorite.

I really like embroidery although counted cross stitch seems to have become much more popular - why I do not know. I like the variety of stitches in embroidery and I NEED a craft I can do WHILE I am talking. I cannot count and talk at the same time!!

The symbolism is rich - do you think? I like it. I miss the visual aspects of my childhood church. We are people of many senses and I think it's important to involve them, as well as the mind, during worship.

80 Years

My folks were able to come over for a rare outing for Mom's 80th birthday. It was many things to me. Very special to emotionally traumatic. I was so happy that she could come as mostly, she gets out for dr. appointments only. That's not any kind of fun so twice lately she has made a special effort to come to my home - Thanksging, and now, her birthday. Fortunately we built a basement suite a few years ago with a level entry. Even with the level entry my dad assists my mom with a transfer belt from the car into the house. Her balance is very poor and she lists from left to right, her legs and ankles stiff making her walk look like a penguin's walk. And she is still so emotionally flat. She says she does not experience any emotions at all. When one does not experience any emotions a great deal of the person is absent. This is what is so emotionally difficult for me. My dad wrote the most tender words in the already carefully chosen birthday card he gave her. In special hand written script, under his loving signing of his name, he longingly penned 'If only love could help the loved'. If only. Love, though hugely important, is not enough. Love not enough to heal or protect the one loved. I mused, it takes a bigger love to bear the great burdens of life - bigger than ourselves.

Angel food cake with raspberry icing - just raspberry juice and icing sugar - no fat. Since it was so sweet, it is just drizzled on. Then we had ice cream and strawberries.
Anna was the star of the show. At dinner she ate with a doll called Shorty and engaged my mom in kissing him. At birthday gift time Carolyn dressed Anna in her chicken suit and she surprised Great Grandma delivering her card to her in it. We were not quick enough to capture this right off with the camera so you can see the 're do' - delivering mail while trying to grab the ball at the same time. Anna likes balls. See below.

I'd like to say a few words about who my mom was to me in her prime. She was our family facilitator. We had a cabin and every weekend from early spring to late fall, she would shop, pack, unpack, cook and make sure we had all things needed for those always cherished weekends away from the city. She was available. Everyday I came home from school the first thing I did upon entering the door was to yell, "Mom" and then I would find her and tell her stuff about my day. Every day. And she would listen. She was dramatic - but I was more so. As a kid I remember mom grabbing my arm and squeezing it, holding it really, so I would stay put for a moment while she told me a thing or two. She'd threaten to 'crown me one' if I didn't do or stop doing what ever she requested and and probably requested repeatedly of me. OK so that sounds pretty dramatic - 'crown you one' - gee, couldn't that hurt? Not to be outdone, as she let go of my arm I would sometimes throw myself on the floor - at least one time yelling "What kind of mother are you anyway? You could have killed me!". This -a total fabrication - and said with the summer widows flung wide open. I am lucky no one was listening or that no one was listening and believed me. Mom loves me and she loves my husband. Never one to interfere, she once pulled me aside and gave me a little talk and and article about building my husband up with my words. OK - I needed that. He needed that. That's love wanting the best for your kids and being brave enough to speak out. Mom could not sew - although she tried. The only two times I heard her swear in my life were when she was at her sewing machine. My dad suggested I take over the sewing - and I did. My dad came from a home of alcohol addiction and emotional abuse - my mom has loved him in such a way that, as she puts it, 'He never had it so good!!'. And now he loves her sacrificially body and soul with love that aches that it is not enough. It's not enough - but it's priceless.

Play

Grandpa LK loves to play blocks. It is one of his favorite things to play with children. Here Sarah and LK build the first of three structures. I'm pretty sure LK was the foreman and Sarah was the assistant, but she held her ground about building a desk and not loaning him any pieces from it. Way to go Sarah. Now LK is looking forward to playing blocks with Eva and Elijah as they are coming to visit very soon. We are both looking forward to having four grandchildren in our home at once in just a few days.

Hi Eva and Elijah!! We are pretty excited to see you again. Cousin Sarah and Cousin Anna will be here too. We will play, and talk, have stories, and dance. It will be great fun!!

Speaking of play. The other day LK and I walked around the lake on a sunny warm day. We passed two young kids on razor scooters. The girl drove hers though a puddle and got a stern reprimand from someone who appeared to be her grandma. "Listen to me. Stay out of the mud puddles. Do as I say". The girl replied - "It's not a mud puddle". Never-the-less I couldn't help feel that the trip to the park had been unnecessarily marred for this little girl. We continued our walk and I observed a young family. The little boy was beginning a trek across the grass toward the volley ball courts. His mom called to the dad, "It's wet over there - watch him!" Not as harsh - but still - what's with the concern about water? Kids are wash and dry. It was a warm day so even if they got a little damp they would be fine. For the duration of our outing, I walked through or jumped in every puddle I encountered in honor of the children, in honor of my grandchildren, and for the sake of the child in me. I encourage you to do it too, off the path, through the leaves, and into the puddles.

More on play. One day LK and I went to test drive his current favorite car. His head nearly spins off his neck whenever one drives by. I think it's called a FJ Cruiser. Anyway we drove it home to see how it looked in front of the house - HA. LK would really like to have a four wheel drive something, and it would be good to have a vehicle with a higher hitch. Our newer van with the stow and go seats has a lower hitch than other other vans had. Too low - scrape scrape. It was a pretty fun little car but that's the problem - it doesn't seat seven and sometimes we need that when kids come home. Still, it was a fun daytime date activity.

PS - I reposted the broken pictures below.

Brother and Sister

Mike lives near some hills called the Porcupine Hills. We went hiking in those hills - hardly a tree in sight - just BIG blue sky and stubble, an occasional bit of scub growth, a few cattle and some deer. Lots of space. I like it.

Lewis likes it too.

I bought Lewis a toy that Mike dubbed Squeaky Bob. Lewis went bonkers for him. I like this picture of Mike, intently amused, watching his little buddy.