Counting more blessings...

It's been a month since my last post, where I started counting my blessings (#1-10).  I'm going to continue a bit of a gratitude journal here.

11. Technology - as much time as it sometimes robs, that I can quickly call my sister, 9 hours away, or Skype my in-laws on the other side of the country.  Facebook status updates can also quickly pass on info, or bring a chuckle. I really like my lilac-coloured Blackberry.

12. Coffee with friends.  I try to make a coffee date once a week.  Sometimes my beloved mentor, Carol, or a friend I haven't chatted with in a while.  I meet another girlfriend for breakfast (my favourite meal out) once every 2 months.  Today, it was Starbucks with the girl who grew up next door to me, and we bumped into another guy who grew up a block away. Though I drink tea instead of coffee.

13. Home-made remedies.  Dealing with a chest cold at the moment, and I'm thankful for hot lemons, steam vents and my mother-in-law's "mustard plaster".

14. Sunshine.  Well and the rain too.  I like bright sunny, blue-sky days. My walk this morning with the dog was amazing!  Then it poured rain this afternoon, and I love to listen to it while curled up reading.

15. Piano lessons.  I'm not taking lessons, the kids are.  We love Mrs. Amber, their teacher. I love that they have a hard time walking by the piano without stopping to play a song, or two.  I love to see how much they've progressed.  I love the girl dancing while her brother plays, and the husband or boy helping the girl do her theory.  I. Love. It. (Okay, I don't love the whining when they don't want to practice, or go to lessons, but that has seriously declined).

16. Good news.  Someone's engagement, a co-worker's pregnancy, a good report from Nana at the end of her afternoon of caring for my kids. I rejoice with those who rejoice!

17. Reading.  If you can read this, you are obviously literate. Can you imagine your world if you couldn't read?  I love reading, fiction, non-fiction, blogs... I adore the Saturday morning paper!  I was a very bad scrapbooker because I'd always rather read than chronicle my children's photos.  Now I assemble a digital photobook once a year, and a beautiful published book gets sent to my door! AND, I have more time to read!

18. Soup. and fresh bread. with cheese. and maybe olives.  My favourite fall meal!

19. Laughter.  Lots of laughter. Giggles, chuckles, good old belly laughs.

20. Events.  Currently planning our home-group pot-luck for 44 people this Saturday, and a little tea-party the following week.  I like gathering people together, and enjoying their company. I do enjoy planning my children's birthday parties, and seriously considered becoming a special events coordinator if teaching didn't pan out.

Counting Blessings after a complicated loss...

I'm feeling melancholy today... my mom got a call today that her mother has died. Though my maternal grandmother has lived less than an hour's distance most of my life, I've only spent time with her a handful of times.  She left my mom's family of 5 kids when they were all young; the divorce was finalized on my mom's, the eldest child, 12th birthday.  She moved on to create a new life for herself, and it doesn't appear to have been any happier a life. Perhaps the grass isn't greener on the other side; the grass is greener where you feed and water it.

Chatting with a dear friend this afternoon, she gave me some words of wisdom.  This is a complicated loss... though I may not be grieving the loss of a warm grandmother who was an active part of my life, I'm grieving the absence of her role in my life.  And that absence was her choice.

So, as I mull over the other losses I've endured, I'm led to count my blessings.  I've been inspired by Ann Voskamp's list of gratitude that she posts at on her blog weekly.

1. My husband who loves me and makes me laugh.  Though far from a perfect marriage, I think we have an honest love and respect for one another.

2. My son - my freckle-faced, passionate boy.  At age 9 and 3/4 he amazes me.  He's so completely obsessed with sports, with facts, with excelling in everything he tries.  I love that he sits, by his own choice, and reads his Bible with me, while I read mine, every morning.

3. My daughter - my sparkling, spunky, surprisingly delightful 7 year old girl. I love her easy nature, her complete carefree-ness in regards to time constraints, her imagination and her sense of humour.  The art work she produces, and the stories she tells always make me proud. Her quick hugs, sneaky kisses and amazing shoulder rubs make me smile.

4. My parents.  My mom has been a terrific mom, though she did not have a great role model in her own mom.  I so appreciate the sacrifices she has made for my sister and I, and our children.  My mom shows her love in practical ways, and I am so grateful she loves me.  My dad had always been the one I talk problems over with, or shared my dreams for the future with. I appreciate that he is still a good listener. I'm so thankful that almost seven years ago they found the joy of knowing Jesus in faith as we do.  Watching this new life in them has brought so much JOY!

5. My In-laws.  I am so glad I married into a wonderful, warm, Christian family.  I love that they are solid, honest people with much love to share. I love that they live on a farm in a small town.  They share a love of people, of serving others and of offering hospitality.  I love it when they are in my home, and I love it when I can spend time in theirs.  Even though there is a great distance, my mom-in-law is the grandmother to my children that I always wished I had.

6. My sister, my husband's siblings and the people they married.  I really could not be more blessed in the sister I was given.  Though I was Miss Bossy-Pants growing up (and maybe even sometimes still today), she has always been kind and gracious, the original sparkling-eyed Twinkletoes.  Mark's 2 sisters and 2 brothers have brought so many fun moments into my life.  I love our competitive board game nights, vacations together, the food we share and doing life together. I love every one of their kids too!

7. My friends.  Here is where I count myself so blessed... that I would have the privilege of knowing so many amazing people, and get to call them my friends.  What an honour to have them share their big moments in life with me, or the sad ones.  I'm so grateful for the homegroup that we've established, that we have a committed group of friends to walk through life honestly with.

8. Our church.  Though it's been tricky watching our church grow and try new things, I'm so grateful for this place of worship, for the leaders and real people that give their time there to help me, to help others understand how much God loves us and that He calls us to show that love in practical ways.  I'm thankful that I've been given the opportunity to take on different roles of leadership in this church and learn SO much!

9. This home.  We talk about moving, a LOT, but I'm thankful for this place where we've scrubbed and
painted and built and weeded to make a home.  Whether we move, or stay, may it not be the structure, but our intentional choices that make home a warm, inviting place for our family and our guests.

10. Teaching.  I teach 6th grade at a middle school, I teach 2-5 year olds at church, I sometimes have opportunities to teach adults, one-on-one or in a larger setting.  I have been so blessed by this gifting.  I see God's hand on my life so clearly in moments when I'm teaching.  I pray that I would be a good teacher, that I would illuminate and not extinguish.  I pray that I would offer hope and never discouragement. I'm so grateful that teaching has led to this curriculum project for our church.  I want to please my Father in Heaven with what He has entrusted to me.

Well - my first 10 blessings (though really a much greater multitude).  I do feel better. Even though there is one loss I'm feeling today, there is so much to be grateful for.

God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand.

I'm an open book to you;
even from a distance, you know what I'm thinking.
You know when I leave and when I get back;
I'm never out of your sight.
You know everything I'm going to say
before I start the first sentence.
I look behind me and you're there,
then up ahead and you're there, too—
your reassuring presence, coming and going.
This is too much, too wonderful—
I can't take it all in!
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit?
to be out of your sight?
If I climb to the sky, you're there!
If I go underground, you're there!
If I flew on morning's wings
to the far western horizon,
You'd find me in a minute—
you're already there waiting!
Then I said to myself, "Oh, he even sees me in the dark!
At night I'm immersed in the light!"
It's a fact: darkness isn't dark to you;
Night and day, darkness and light, they're all the same to you.
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;
you formed me in my mother's womb.
I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!
Body and soul, I am marvelously made!
I worship in adoration—what a creation!
You know me inside and out,
you know every bone in my body;
You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,
how I was sculpted from nothing into something.
Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;
All the stages of my life were spread out before you,
The days of my life all prepared
before I'd even lived one day.
Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful!
God, I'll never comprehend them!
I couldn't even begin to count them—
any more than I could count the sand of the sea.
Psalm 139:1-18

I have to share the good laugh I had the other day... it still makes me chuckle.
The husband was on the phone with his far-away sister.  We're going to be spending Christmas with her, and M. started to tell his beloved, older sister all the food he wants her to cook: Her amazing peanut butter squares, her Heavenly Bars, her yummy turkey with extra stuffing... isn't he a brat?

I was in the same room, listening to his half of the conversation, when the tone of his voice changed, and the expression on his face was one of incredulity: his sister told him that they were now a vegan household, hadn't we heard?  She explained that the diet was much better for her husband (he has a challenging health condition), and therefore we will not be enjoying Turkey this year at Christmas.  She carried on to explain the great health benefits of eating lots of vegetables and salads - and M. bought it all!

M. began to quiz her on what she eats at breakfast, lunch and dinner.  He tried to convince her that we should still be allowed to have Turkey, not Tofurkey!  Finally she confessed she was joking! 
I'm so glad she put him in his place!

A child's faith

I sit here tonight - a full 6 months since I last posted on my blog.  It's funny, I write almost every day in my journal, I write curriculum for Sunday School and family devotions, and facebook status updates.  I just haven't been so good at writing here - and here is where I want to chronicle my family.

At church today they showed video highlights from our church denomination's Kids Camp the boy attended in August.  It prompted a memory, and I need to write it down.  J. was very excited and nervous about camp.  The husband had attended with him last year as a counsellor, but could not get the week off from work, hard as he tried.  J. was super excited about his counsellor when we arrived: a super young man from our church who we admire tremendously. J. also had many of his buddies in his cabin - and attended all the scheduled activities with his buddies from our church plant.

On the day of camp pick-up, the husband was out-of-town, so driving home was just the boy, the girl and I.  The boy talked all about the fun things, and then about the spiritual... I asked him if he had heard from God.  He said, "Yes.  Mom, I was baptized with the Holy Spirit and I started to speak in tongues."  (Our denomination is somewhat charismatic, but not overtly).  I asked him how he felt about that, was he nervous?
"No, mom, I was so excited!  I really felt the Spirit moving.  And I feel like God has told me that my ability and passion for soccer, and music are gifts."

The boy went on to describe how he wants to be able to honour God through soccer, and how he really knows he shouldn't complain about piano lessons.  He has also been reading his Bible pretty consistently through August, and that continued through camp, and the 3 weeks since he's returned home.

The other night I got home from a late night of teaching, and the boy was still awake, reading his Bible.  He's doing a "read-through the Bible in a year" plan that he has in his "Bedroom Bible College" book by Gregg Johnson.  So, he's been reading Ezekial - totally clear, age appropriate reading for a nine year old!  He summarized the book.... "Mom, it just keeps saying, 'Son of Man, tell the people of Jerusalem you're off track! You're not doing what I've asked of you.  Return to Me and my ways!'"  He also said his sister came in and sat on his bed, and asked him to read to her from his Bible.  The boy refused.  He said "Mom, it just seemed like I shouldn't read it.  The people were sacrificing their children to another God.  I think she's too young to hear that story yet."  We agreed that sometimes the Bible is NOT a pretty book, but it is still important to read.

I am blown away... I've been praying that my children would know Jesus, and have a solid faith of their own.  I LOVE that my freckled-face boy is passionate and committed to reading God's word every day, of his own accord.  May it continue to be his habit, and passion, for life. 

Our first Olympic event

The girl and I had a wonderful time at the Olympics! We had tickets for the Pairs Short Program figure skating, on Valentine's Day.  We dressed in our Red Canada wear, complete with Red Mittens. It was a gorgeous, sunny, warm day.  We arrived at the venue 2 hours early (we're a bit eager!), and enjoyed just soaking in the atmosphere, and meeting folks from out of town.

The girl was thrilled to finally get her favourite Olympic (unofficial) mascot: Mukmuk. Apparently he's just a sidekick... The boy and the girl have had many heated discussions about the exact role of Quatchie, Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk.

The Skating itself was awesome! We cheered and clapped when skaters did well, and said "awww" or gasped when someone fell.  We cheered for good marks, and booed when we didn't like the rankings. The event was 3 1/2 hours to watch 20 pairs skate. The Chinese were very strong - and the couple that captured Gold the next night were very experienced, having just returned from retirement. (last pic). Our favourites were the Russian pair (well, she's actually Japanese), who skated to Swan Lake. It was beautiful!

Olympic Torch Relay - February 11, 2001

The day before the 2010 Winter Olympics started, the torch relay came through our town.
We were there at 7:15 am to get ready. Wearing red (Paint the town red campaign), our olympic red mitts and maple leaf tatoos on our faces, we were there to celebrate with THOUSANDS of people in the early morning rain.

Mark and the kids staked out their spots, and I and my class were on the bandshell stage. We waved our own torches while everyone sang O Canada, then sat in front of the choir while they sang an african song of peace.

We were then moved to line the path up to the stage where the torch was to be passed.

We cheered as the torch arrived in the square! In the 3rd photo you can see the 2 flames of the torches in the centre of the shot.

Finally, Dave Kam left for his short leg of the very long relay!

Click here to read more about the 106 day Torch relay.

You know it's Monday when.... (or why my kids were late for school today).

Usually Mondays are great days... I get the kids off to school, throw some laundry in, do some exercise, then eat breakfast and write.

Today, however, has not started off great - and it's only 10 o'clock!
You know your day is screaming "IT'S MONDAY!!!" when, 15 minutes before getting the children/cherubs off to school, the boy lets the dog into the kitchen from outside, and realizes that the dog has tracked poo into and all over the house.  The boy calls the dog and tries to chase her to catch her - the dog runs through the living room, into the girl's room, into my room - then hides under MY BED!  There are gobs of poo through the kitchen, under an end table in the living room, down the hall, in the girl's room and in my room.

The house stinks. The dog will NOT come out from under the bed. I am still in my PJ's, the girl is not dressed either. This does not look good. I quickly dress, grab a whole roll of paper towels, disinfectant and a garbage bag. With the dog now locked in my room, I proceed to clean up the messes I can find.  The girl wanders into my room and entices the dog out. She gets a hold of her and hangs on until I arrive.  Gross! There is poo stuck to my dog's butt. Gagging, I realize that the only solution is a bath - with 8 minutes until I should  be getting the kids out the door.

I get the dog into the laundry sink, hold her with one hand while I search the nearby drawer for the dog soap.  Crap! (literally - aren't you following along?) Dear hubby cleaned out this drawer, and I now have no idea where dog soap is.  The boy quickly finds doggie shampoo in the upstairs cupboard and runs it down.  Bathe dog, and she, sensing my mounting annoyance, cooperates fully for the first time.

While I am tending to the dog downstairs, the girl is trying to dress herself upstairs. However, she wants to wear a skirt and tights - and still can't get tights on without assistance. I send the boy up to please help his sister, but he really has no clue on the mysteries of getting tights on either.  Finally finish bathing & drying dog - lock her in her crate.  Dash back upstairs to assist daughter and brush her hair, and pile kids into the minivan.  The time on the clock shows that the bell rang 5 minutes ago - not bad. I thought we were much further behind.

I return home to wash every floor in my home. Finally let dog out of her crate and feed her breakfast. She gives me the "I"m sorry mommy" look. I never intended to be called the dog's "mom" - her real mother is a Shi Tzu-Poodle. Then it dawned on me: I have a Shit-Poo for a pet. How could I not expect moments like this?

Pic of me, the boy, the girl and Millie Twinkletoes, the offender.

Conversations overheard

Lulu and Michael are in the same class for the 2nd year in a row, and for most of the time have been friends. Being of opposite genders, they have had their moments though. But as Michael's mom has become a dear friend of mine, we've spent a fair bit of time together, and currently the two are on good terms.

Lulu and I were driving Michael home after Wee College Wednesday night. As we drove by the local skateboard park, Michael commented that he really liked skateboarding, and had taken some lessons there. It was really scary going into the bowl for the first time, but "I liked it!"

Lulu had this to say: "My mommy says that some bad people sell drugs there." (Which is true - my skater students have said there are sometimes characters with bad intentions there.)  "And we saw some girls there one day without skateboards. My mommy says they're trying to get boys' attention."
Michael: "What does that mean?"
Lulu: "I'm not sure what that means, or why they want the boys 'tention. I think it's something you shouldn't do."

Finding peace from growing pains

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you." Philippians 4:4-9

Tonight my precious daughter was in a lot of pain: we call them growing pains.  After church we went skating for 1.5 hrs and then went on a family walk with the dog that turned into a 2 hour hike (we took a wrong turn in Minnekhada park).  Lulu-belle was complaining for the last 1/2 hour that her legs hurt, and her sweet daddy gave her a shoulder ride for 10 minutes (she's 6! she's getting heavy!).  Home to a hot bubble bath, and then she fell asleep, cuddled by that sweet daddy.

She woke up 2 hours later, crying in pain again: pain behind her knees, through her shinbones to her ankles. Thrashing and crying in pain.  I can remember waking up with these pains as a child, and her older brother has done the same.  We used to call them growing pains, but I read an article last year that suggested shoes may be the cause.  Thinking back - she wore rental skates for 1.5 hours, then little sneakers going up rocky hills, and down root-exposed knolls. We jumped over mud puddles and took little detours across slippery logs in the lush-green woods (aah... January on the West coast!).

So I lay with her for an hour, hot water bottle under her knees, soothing her with every hymn and spiritual song I could think of while I rubbed her legs. I sang "'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus" (my hymn for her), and "Holy, Holy, Holy"; "Amazing Grace" (her brother's special hymn), and "Be thou my vision". I sang "I Surrender All" and "Joyful, joyful we adore thee".  Then I moved on to "I will dwell" and "As the deer pants for the water" and "God is so good" and "Lord you are more precious than silver"... songs I hadn't sung in ages.  So many of them full of scripture, I felt as though I were singing the psalms.  I was teaching Lucy to "rejoice in the Lord always, I say it again, rejoice!" (Phil.4:4) - my verse I always speak into her life.  Even when we are in pain and can't rest, God is there, and He is faithful and good.  We will lift our hands in praise to him, no matter what the circumstance. We will choose to focus on Him who is full of love and mercy.
And in that dark stillness, in my daughter's bed, Jesus was there.  Her breathing slowed, her muscles relaxed... peace came in with the Prince of Peace. I could sense Him there, speaking words of love to my beloved daughter.

I recently read a great book by Canadian author David Kitz called "Psalms Alive!", which I very much enjoyed. It has 25 chapters that each go through bringing a different portion of the psalms to life.  I am currently reading Eleanor Gustafson's book, The Stones, which brings the story of King David (author of many of the psalms) to life.  Though growing pains may not be much of a hardship, even pain can be a gift that brings us closer to the One who created, loves and heals.

The joys and pains of today make me want to sing the Doxology (something our late friend, pastor and former roomate of Mark's, Dale Shaw, encouraged regularly):

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below.

Praise Him above the Heavenly Host,

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

Amen

Classic Movies for the New Year

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope you had a happy celebration!  We enjoyed a family party at a friends' home - much food, laughter, games and fun until one am. Our kids did great, and the girl is still thrilled about blowing her party horn (note to self: throw away party horn when girl is distracted...)

2 nights ago we had friends over, and Mike mentioned that his last year's resolution had kind of fizzled.  This year he and Rachel were thinking of watching classical movies as a goal, as they hadn't seen a lot. I immediately lent them "White Christmas" to watch before this holiday season slips away.

 I LOVE old movies... which got me thinking about making a list of my top 12 list of favourite old movies. (1 old movie/month). The first is my favourite, the rest are in chronological order. There are more movies from the 70's, 80's and 90's I love - but "old" means from before I was born!

1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - it's not Christmas if I don't watch this one, my all-time favourite.
2. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - my husband still has not seen this in it's entirety - but we loved the Broadway musical "Wicked" which is a side story about the witches of Oz.
3. A Philadelphia Story (1940) Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart AND Katherine Hepburn. Almost as good is the remake with Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Frank Sinatra in 1956 musical called "High Society".
4. Casablanca (1942) Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman... tragic romance.
5. Harvey (1950), okay I admit, Jimmy Stewart is one of my favourites. This one is great about a man with an imaginary friend!
6. Scrooge (1951), better known as "A Christmas Carol" - this is the best version with Alastair Sim. Every Christmas my uncles would gather around the tv to watch it.
7. Rear Window (1954), Hitchcock directed with Grace Kelly and Jimmy Stewart.
8. To Catch a Thief (1955), Hitchcock again, with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. I think the words "Suave" and "debonair" were created while watching this one.
9. Rebel Without a Cause (1955), James Dean, Natalie Wood - tragic teen angst.
10. North by Northwest (1959), my favourite Hitchcock movie with Cary Grant.
11. The Sound of Music (1965), Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer
12. Where Eagles Dare (1968) with Richard Burton and Clint Eastwood - gripping war-time thriller!

What movie would you list as a "favourite classic"?

Christmas is... about enjoying family

This Christmas we drove down to Seattle on Christmas morning to join "The Blake's" and "The Nancy's" (a little Shawville-speak), as well as the visiting "Thoburn's".  We had 14 for Christmas dinner.
Then we stayed for 3 days and nights. Our agenda was pretty much as follows:

• wake up
• eat
• play games
• eat
• play more games
• eat
• get dressed
• eat again
• play games until the wee hours of the morning

Upstairs, the kids were into Wii - mainly FIFA soccer and snowboarding. The 3 Little Ones were creating a BIG art show, on the theme of High School Musical (Grace's fave). They sold their drawings on our last morning together, after a delicious brunch (see note about "eat again").

Now, as for the 6 adults of the 2nd generation, our very favourite game is Settlers of Catan, and Seafarers of Catan. Miss Lou-Anne was declared "Queen of the Seafarers" as she won the most games over the course of our 3 days (I'm guessing we played 12 rounds).

We also enjoyed a night out at the movies. Grandma and Grandpa, bless their souls, took 5 kids to see "Alvin and the chipmunks, the Squeakquel". 4 of us saw "The Blind Side" which is excellent! The 3rd movie seen was "It's Complicated" - which was apparently funny, yet a wee bit depressing.

(By the way - I am sitting on an ottoman, not my mother-in-law's lap).

Our final evening saw all the men and children head out to an Everett Silvertips Hockey game while the ladies enjoyed a dinner out and quiet conversation.

We very much enjoyed our "Caldwell Christmas". I hope yours was enjoyable and restful too!

And Tobi - the wonder-puppy!