Good bye to a friend......

Yesterday a good friend went to be with Jesus. Anybody that knew Ronalee, knows that heaven is exactly where she is.....that ,as her facebook status says...'she's partying with Jesus'........she was only 42 years old, married with four children...and just had been granted permission from the judge yesterday to adopt a little one year old boy.......she was ecstatic,...a truck driver came into her lane and hit her head on, the baby is in critical condition.....

We question why.....everything was going well........we, in our finite minds, don't have the answers....God gives all of us a free will, gives us the choices to do what we want to do in our lives.....He didn't choose for my friend or the truck driver to be on the highway, they did.....He allowed them to make their own choices and when the accident happened ...he welcomed Ronalee with open arms......

We don't know the plans that God has for each and every one of us....We are but a vapour......

Today....

Well, today was a semi-busy day......Poor little Afton, our new grandbaby, is under the weather! It would seem that the wee one has picked up the virus that Verity had for five days.....my daughter, Leslie is getting worn out....I stopped by for a little while before I had to leave for an appointment...it was sure reassuring to see little Verity looking her cheerful self again, but disturbing that Leslie's still trying to keep going with a sick child. After that it was a much needed trip to the chiropractor and then onm to the most expensive part of the day....The Quilt Shop!!!!! They were having 50% off this week...and believe me, that's important to a quilter! So, I was able to get the materials for Verity's quilt...last month I got Honour's material at another 50% off sale........next is the cutting out, and putting the quilt tops together....not my favourite part.......the cutting out part usually strains my poor muscles to the max and past, and the sewing part has to be so exact, (and anyone that knows me well, knows that I'm far from exact!) My plan(do you know that God laughs when we make plans, us mere humans!) is to get both tops put together during June and then take them to the trailer to work on over the summer.
My husband just told me yesterday that he probably wont be up to the trailer this summer very often, so I think I'll have plenty of 'alone' time to work on them.
It's nice to have something to look forward to doing that doesn't involve cooking, cleaning or laundry!
So, that was my day....and if I'm very lucky...my husband and I will go grocery shopping tonight!!!!! Excitement personified!

My Dad

Today is my dad's birthday....I'm not quite sure just how old he is...somewhere in his mid 80's....when we were growing up, we never knew how old our parents were....it was never considered polite to ask.....interestingly enough, I kinda have the same attitude with my own kids! Especially with the younger kids....you never want them to know just how old you are because then they just might dismiss you as being 'too old' to listen to! Anyways, I digress.....I am so glad that I still have both my parents with us....my dad goes througgh a lot each day just to make that possible. A number of years ago, my dad was diagnosed with diabetes...at first, it was just taking the pill everyday...but then it got much worse, decliningto the needle,,,,declining to the kidneys shutting down.....and down further to dialysis, which now he has to have three times a week. Their lives have changed, they used to do some travelling, but dialysis has put a stop to that. You can get dialysis done in other places but it can be very costly and my dad is just a little nervous at being out of his 'usual' centre. I don't blame him.

My dad was always a big man...when you're little everybody seems big......before I was even born (or thought of) my dad fell 30' from a bridge he was welding on and broke his back in three places....but it healed and he went on to putting in full days at the Coke Ovens and coming home covered in black. He changed jobs when I was older...a much cleaner job, working with hydraulic pumps, and from that job he retired. When I was growing up, there wasn't anything that I didn't think that my dad could do or fix. He always worked very hard, after a full day he'd come home and work outside cutting the lawns, rototilling the gardens...just working very hard til dark. My dad was good at math....unfortunately, I didn't inherit that from him and I can vividly remember sitting at the kitchen table, crying because I didn't understand and him patiently trying to show me one more time. My dad was a strong disciplinarian.......today, some people might even call it 'abusive'...we never did,..everyone 'got the belt', back then......you knew not to do it again, that's for sure....but I also remember the dad that one summer divided up his one week of holidays to stretch to two weeks so that they could visit me at Sick Childrens Hospital every afternoon after he had worked all morning.

Now, I look at my dad....he's quick to give a smile and a hug...he loves to see his great grandchildren...his whole face lights up......he's quick to say I love you......he walks with the help of a cane and sits a lot rather than stand. He's different than the dad that I grew up with...he doesn't have to be the strong one anymore...I think he can finally let his inner self show....the gentle side...the man that one day when we were little that came home from work, opened his jacket a little and let a little furry grey head pop out...a kitten...we were so excited........

my dad......I'm glad he's still here.......Happy Birthday Dad!

Something to look forward to.....

Well, Tuesday here in my little neck of the woods has dawned grey and cool. Yesterday, was beautiful, sunny and warm...go figure...I guess that's spring for you. I had a very exhausting day yesterday, nothing I want to repeat or even talk about.....I'm praying that today is a lot brighter than the weather. I really need to get more work done on my quilt...I've been working on a piece for about three months...of course working as well on new grandbaby's quilt, which I got done the weekend before she was born....so, now full speed on this other quilt. It's for good friends of ours who are getting married the end of June. I have a funny feeling I'll be taking it on our holiday to work on it during some relaxing moments! Speaking of our holiday.....I got into a little hot water for not mentioning about it before this...next month my hubby and I will be celebrating (Lord willing, as my papa used to say) our 35th wedding anniversary in ....Bermuda! Ten years ago we were very fortunate...due to a tiny inheritence ...to go to Bermuda for our 25th, and I always said that I'd love to go back for our 35th....so, it didn't look like that was going to happen....renovations (which we did two summers ago....the costs go on forever, and you're paying for them forever!) although nice to enjoy the results of, really cramp the budget! Well, my very sweet mother-in-law decided that we desreved this trip and was very generous.....so the tickets are purchased...the reservations are made......Don and I are in countdown mode!

Poor Little Verity

Poor little Verity has a stomach virus. She couldn't have her birthday party and she had to stay home today and couldn't come to nana's with Jairus and Honour.
The three teens came home from their youth retreat and grouchy as bears! They said they froze, at night, in their cabins and didn't get much sleep...ah, the poor dearies.......early to bed tonight sounds good to me!
Tomorrow the furnace guy is suppose to come back and bring his soldering friend to fix our AC that he 'nicked' last week...what joy...what bliss...another afternoon of trying to keep my dogs from going through the kitchen door and eating not one but two furnace guys this time!
So, tomorrow is the start of another week....Lord give me strength!

Quiet Weekend....

Well...we finally got up to Fair Havens to 'open up our trailer'......normally we do that on the long weekend but because Don was sick last weekend we went today. It was absolutely beautiful there today...(as long as you didn't count the pesky mosquitoes!) I heard that last weekend everyone froze that went up there so this wasn't so bad at all,..except for the mosquitoes and that most of the people weren't there this weekend. .......oh, and also as I was driving down the highway (Don was studying his lesson for Monday night....I hear this little voice...'mom....I think I'm goin to throw up' ...as I'm quickly veering off onto the soft shoulder...Don's saying...'what did she say?'.....I'm barking...'get her out..she's going to throw up!'....so, she jumps out and proceeds to be sick....which, is good...outside of the van,...til I look at her and she's standing, bent over a bit, being sick, WITH THE WIND BLOWING IN HER FACE....need I say more....I quickly told Don to turn her in the opposite direction!!!! Good grief!
It is really weird in my house tonight.....only one child!!!!!.....the oldest three went away for the weekend to a youth retreat....and because we were going to be so long today, we put the dogs into the kennel and we don't get them back til tomorrow morning.....it is eerily quiet in this house....who ever thought that when you have nine kids that you'd ever experience a weekend like this!
Poor little Verity....Leslie called as we were leaving Fair Havens and Verity, who was supposed to have her birthday party today, had awakened at 3 a.m. being sick everywhere,.and was sick all day, developing a fever by this afternoon. Since Leslie had to stay with the new baby, James had to take Verity to the hospital........four hours later and we are still waiting to hear......................

Legacy....

In a previous post, I wrote how I like reading other people's blogs...well, I read one the other day that got me thinking...The question was......What kind of legacy do you want to leave your children?
Well, that got me to thinking....and I came up with a few thoughts......

I want my children to know and remember these few things about me:

- That I was faithful to God

- That I loved my husband, their daddy

- That I loved them and was always there for them

- That I wanted to see them all in Heaven when we leave this earthly world for all eternity

There you go.....rather simple, but I think I'm a pretty non-complicated person....this is what I would want for my nine children....and my grandchildren....however many there will be.


Verity called me on my cell phone today, while I was driving....Hello Nana....hi Verity....Nana...you're my Fwend.....well, thank you Verity...you're my friend too....I love you very much nana....I love you too Verity...............moments to treasure.....

A wee girl....

My heart goes out to Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife and children tonight. A tragedy that no parent should ever have to go through...the death of a child. Maria was only 5 years old ...her life barely begun....we never have an answer for these tragedies but we pray for Maria's older brother who was driving the vehicle that took her life....the devastating grief that this young man has to deal with and work through...we pray that he will feel God's grace in his life today.
May they all feel the loving arms of God surrounding them and giving them peace.

Pain...a lot of pain.....oh no...

Tonight I am in a lot of pain....I made the mistake of thinking that I could handle our very strong, very rambunctious, 66 lb., Old English Sheepdog to the vet to get his needles...all by myself......my first clue was when I tried to get him to the van....it was more like him taking me.....as he was dragging me across the grass, I could feel my right arm being stretched long past it's capacity for stretching.....right up to my shoulder and down my back. As I was driving to the vet, berating myself up one side and down the other for being so stupid,....I thought....oh, no what do I do when I get to the vet......well, Reilly and I made it through...but now my body is screaming at me, telling me to get myself into a nice warm, epsom salt soak.......next year.....Don's doing this....my vet days are done!

Oh, well......

Well, this isn't a Monday, but it sure feels like a Monday...I guess cause we had a holiday yesterday.....and it's one of those days when everything is going wrong.......after a very busy number of weeks I was looking forward to a quiet one.....not to be the case,...this afternoon I called the kennel to see if the dogs could go in there for Saturday so that we could finally get up to the trailer and get it opened for the season.....the kennel said...'and are they all up to date for their vacinations?'...I said, 'one is and one isn't'....'well, that means that the one that needs them has to have them no later than Wednesday so that they're in his system 72 hours before their incarceration'....so, I call the vet, who is all booked up...I beg...I plead...and they said they'll try to slip him in tomorrow afternoon. Meanwhile the furnace guy came to clean the furnace and install whatever. The trouble is my husband cleared all the stuff from around the furnace and left all the stuff around the oil tank...'well', says the guy...'I need to get at the oil tank to change the filter'.so there I am moving boxes and bins and hearing my dogs going crazy upstairs cause they just want to come down and eat the furnace guy! When he was almost done the cleaning..he calls me...Miss...miss...now I haven't been called miss for some time,..but anyways, I go down to see what he wanted...'well, we have a little problem here..I accidently nicked your AC'...'oh, really'...'ya, and the guy can come on Saturday to solder it'....okay, so this Saturday, the one that I just arranged for kennel and vet appts so we could get up to the trailer, Saturday...yep, that's the one. 'Well, sir, do you have any idea at what time on Saturday, because we plan on going up north'.....well, no he doesn't (of course he doesn't).....maybe the guy could come on Friday says he...and I say 'well that would be great'...(mentally thinking..well,..there goes another day)....then before he leaves, I say 'well do you have any idea what time on Friday'....gets me a look and that all too famous question...'oh, why do you work??????' DO I WORK!!!!!! No, I just sit around eating bonbons and watching soap operas all day.....that's what I was thinking..but I said, no, my daughter just had a baby and I've been going up and helping her so I have to know what time...the guy says, okay...well I'll have 'the girl' call you and if he's not available then Monday....alrighty then.....meanwhile, while the guy is here, driving my dogs crazy, I make a call to the mother of my grandson (ex of my son Corey, who was just in jail) to try to arrange a visit for my son and his son for this Sunday...I have to be the go-between cause there can be no contact betwen the two....so, all in all a wonderful day....at least we found out that Tatum did make it back to B.C., although we haven't heard from her personally , I can rest easy knowing she's not wondering around Edmonton somewhere with a confused look on her face! Oh, yes....#4 daughter is annoyed with me cause I wont go to the mall to exchange a pair of shoes that I got her on Saturday (how did I know that her feet had grown!)...I had intended to take her until she gave me that cat like sound when I told her not to do something....I told her that her disrespectfulness just cancelled her trip to the mall...she's gone for a walk.....oh well.

Sunday.....

Ah...Sunday is done! Not that I don't like Sundays but this particular one, in my mind, signified the end of a tumultuous two weeks! The best part is that tomorrow is a holiday! Bonus!!! I figure I'll do nothing, nada......a big fat zero....doesn't it sound glorious?

Today was a busy day...of course, church in the morning....than ...thirteen for lunch (which was okay cause everyone kinda gets their own.....then seventeen for ice cream and birthday cake in the afternoon....then fifteen for a sit down supper of lasagna, veal and ceasar salad. Of course if you want to include new grandbaby Afton, you can add one more to all those numbers..although Leslie looks after the food for her and she really doesn't have a place at the table yet. Have I told you just how beautiful my new grandbaby is.....we were actually looking at pictures of Verity, Afton's older sister, and it's quite amazing how much they look alike when you compare new born pics!
So, in the last two weeks, I gained a daughter, and lost same daughter(Tatum flew back to British Columbia this morn), I gained a grand daughter, my second oldest son spent a week in jail, another son came home for the weekend from the army (he's also on standby to go to Burma, when things open up there to allow any help to come in.......no,..not too much stress!)
and my husband developed pneumonia! This is why I'm looking forward to tomorrow and doing absolutely nothing....now, realistically, it's probably not going to happen.......but it's nice to think about it.

Just the ordinairy.....

So, my husband just read my last my post and thought it was sounding a little down....I said no, it was just the truth....(I think he was just feelin' guilty cause he hates to paint!) Oh, well....this is the 'long weekend'......I think I'll be doing something fun and stimulating......like....cleaning my house! We were supposed to go up north to our trailer but I finally got my husband to the doctor yesterday and he has pneumonia! I also have to get some of the prep done for lasagna that my almost 20 year old wants for his birthday dinner tomorrow....plus I'll be making two birthday cakes for tomorrow....one for Paul, the 20 yr old and one for grand daughter, Verity, who will be three, on the same day as Paul......
So, an ordinairy day at home,...but that's okay,..we've had enough excitement in this household lately......ordinairy is good.......

Dreams!

Twenty-eight years ago we moved into this house. Two years ago we put an addition on it, having nine kids puts you in the position of needing more space, especially when you start having grandchildren. My bedroom has been painted once in all that time and that was only on three walls. The fourth wall has wallpaper on it....it was there when we moved in....I have no idea when the previous owners put it on....now, isn't that the grossest thing you ever did hear? I don't know where the years have gone....with looking after all the kids, plus about fifteen we didn't adopt......and trying to make the rest of the house look halfway decent...our room was forgotten. The last few months I've really wanted to do something....I've gone through many colour schemes, watched numerous designer shows.....how does anyone afford Sarah Richardson from Design Inc. anyhow? It's a small bedroom...bedrooms in bungalows built fifty some odd years ago were built quite small...so I don't think Sarah would come....but it would nice. I would keep my bed....it's a nice bed...we got it when my daughter got married twelve years ago...but the dressers go with the old bed.....the night tables aren't really night tables....I took the sliding doors off my double size closet when we were doing the additions......the attic access is in the ceiling of our closet and the workers had to get up to the attic several times so it was easier to take the doors off. I decided to leave the doors off...I never really liked them.....I want bi-fold doors and a closet organizer...just like they have in the magazines........
Ideas....dreams.....so many other things that take a priority....maybe this summer....maybe this fall......
.....or probably not at all.....but it's nice to dream.

Weariness is Seeping Out My Toes......

It has been a strange week...and it's only half over.....my daughter's sister came to live with us last week and barely 24 hours after she came she declared that she was going to go back to B.C. , that she hated Ontario. Well, with an attitude like that I'm afraid it's not very conducive for entering rehab, (which she desperately needs) so this Sunday morning she will go back. A part of me is sad to see her go, is sad to realize that her brain is far too destroyed to make the best decision for herself....but the other part of me is glad. It's difficult to live with a drug addict,...... they're not rational, they're very immature.

She says she'll go to rehab when she gets home,...I hope so because it was part of her probation, if she breaches it again, it will be jail time for sure.

I just know that I'm weary.....and sad.

Mother's Day

Actually, it wasn't too bad......it started with one of my kids bringing my husband and I tea and toast in bed. My poor hubby who has been fighting off a cold like virus all week, overdid it in yard work yesterday and couldn't get up this morning with a bed headache and stuffy nose so he stayed home from church. Two of the kids gave me cards and gifts they had made at school...one of the cards was actually bang on in describing me which I was surprised at because it came from my youngest. Apparently, her E.A. helped her ....I thought one of the lines was really good and it pleased me that it made an impression on her delayed, confused brain....she said, in describing me, 'she loves my daddy and all her children'....that about sums up my life.....and that is good.
The rest of the day went well....amazing blue (!!!) roses from my daughter and her boyfriend, really neat coasters from the boyfriend (he's a keeper!), a phone call from my son in the army, a beautiful card with lovely words from eldest new momma daughter, a visit and gift from the son who just got out of jail, and a phone call from eldest son, who's usually here but couldn't make it this time.......a takeout supper that I didn't have to cook...and the day was complete!
It's like the little plaque that Lauren gave Don and I yesterday ~

Family ~ All because two people fell in love ~



That's us.

ENOUGH!

Well, you can tell that it's been a hard week.....tonight I threatened the kids that I was going to go to Fair Havens this summer...by myself...and leave them all at home to kill each other! Bicker, bicker, bicker...whine, whine, whine.....ENOUGH! It seems like the older they get...the younger they act.....,.now, I know about the frontal lobe falling off til they're all grown, but I have a feeling these kids will be in their thirties before I see an improvment! sigh.....This too shall pass, right?
Tomorrow is Mother's Day....I really don't like mother's day.....it ends up being a day that you hope goes well but something usually happens to make it not go well. I know, I know...it's all in the attitude.......at least three of my sons wont be here.....the oldest is always here....the other two really don't participate...but the oldest one usually does so it's especially disappointing that he wont be here....it will be nice because Leslie will have her new baby here....new babies always cheer you up....so, I WILL enjoy tomorrow....my mom is still with us, so I can still wish her a Happy Mother's Day, and that will be a good thing...as Martha would say!

What a Ride!

This has been an unbelievable week! If you look at my date book I had put a wavy line through the whole week to remind me not to book any appointments~! It didn't work...some people just don't understand when you don't want an appointment, they insist you come anyways!!! So, on Monday morning Don and I went to court for our son Corey, than Tuesday morn, bright and early Leslie called to say that contractions had started...so up to her house I go, went through a very long day and returned home at about 11:30 p.m., thrilled to have a new grandaughter, safe and sound but very tired; my husband went to the airport with Lauren to retrieve her sister from B.C. and so we finally went to bed around 2 a.m. ,...the next morn, Wednesday, while Megan was getting ready for school, our rambunctious sheep dog and her collided faces and there was blood everywhere .....after I cleaned it up there were some scratches around the eye...so...off to the optometrist we go, to make sure the eye's okay...it was, but I had to keep her with me for the next two days to put antibiotic drops in her eyes every hour!! The rest of Wednesday was spent at Leslie's helping out....then came Thursday,...first thing I had a meeting at the highschool for son Ben, then I went to Leslie's, had some lunch then took Lauren for a job interview, then came back to Leslie's was there for an hour then went for another appointment for Ben to discuss his anger management problems. After supper I was beat, so I gathered up Megan and then came home to three teens who had been fighting all the time I was gone and also cleaned up dog pee off the landing floor that 'nobody' smelled!!!! This morning is Friday and I took Tatum and Lauren to a nine o' clock appt and now I'm sitting here, writing this, waiting for Corey to call, to say when he can be picked up from the courthouse. They are releasing him today with a years' probation.....and then I will go back up to Leslie's........so,...how's the week so far.....tired yet? I am....I think it's time to run away again.....................

GRANDBABY IS HERE!

It started with a call from my daughter at 6:30 a.m. today......and after a very long day of contractions starting and stopping and slowing down......Afton Leah Kent made her debut at 8:19 p.m., on May 6th, 2008. She weighed in at a beautiful 8 lbs 6 oz., 21-1/2" long! She is absolutely gorgeous! Everyone is very weary and very happy and most of all extremely grateful to our marvellous Lord, the Giver of All Things glorious and wonderful.
Tonight I gained a grand daughter and a daughter. Tatum is due to arrive at Toronto airport tonight and my daughter Lauren and my husband have gone to pick her up.....imagine that, a grand daughter and a daughter...all in one day!
God is Good. All is Well.

Monday, Monday....

you know that old mama and papa's song...'Monday, Monday'....(now I'm really dating myself)....well, it's just one of those days. I really know absolutely nothing about the legal system, it would seem that court this morning was just a 'scheduling' hearing....they asked if we would be a 'surety' for him....we had to say no......that was very hard. If we were a 'surety' than we would have to be responsible for him...he would have to live with us until this whole mess is over...and we would be responsible for his bail if he skipped out. We cant do that...we don't have any money.....plus, he couldn't live here with our four teens...not a good scenario.
So, now we wait for the bail hearing which I'm sure he doesn't have (bail, that is) and then the actual court date...which I don't have any idea about.......
Still no grandbaby....I think she's being stubborn....but I could sure use holding a wee one right about now....they're such a comfort.

Our Son

One of my sons came to live with us when he was 2-1/2 yrs old. He was this tiny little guy with huge dark eyes, a lot of black curly hair and the fattest cheeks you'd ever see. We called them chipmunk cheeks! Even at a young preschool age he had some anger problems....Children's Aid said...put him into preschool...that will help...it didn't, but we did notice some learning difficulties. While he was growing up he was on multiple medications for ADHD while he struggled with his learning disabilities. When he was seventeen, he left home...determined that there was a better life out there without the rules and consequences of living in our family. We finally figured out that it wasn't ADHD that he had all these years but something much more devastating...Fetal Alcohol Syndrome . We had been told that his birth mother spent a lot of time in the bars while pregnant...slowly damaging our son's brain for good...never to be recovered. While on his own, he had difficulty holding a job so he turned to the 'easy' way...illegal activities.....dealing drugs, growing pot, stealing, fraud....in the midst of it all he met a girl and fathered a child, a little boy. He also started drinking...a lot....and now he's an alcoholic and.... now he's in jail. There's a court hearing tomorrow morning and if my eldest isn't in labour, my husband and I plan to be there....because...even though he's done a lot of bad things and made a lot of poor choices while on his own in the last seven years....he's still our son.

Stuff and Stuff!

Well, we still haven't got our new grandbaby, so I thought I'd tell you about getting ready for another young lady. Our second oldest daughter has a birth sister who grew up in British Columbia, so needless to say the two sisters didn't grow up together....in fact they only met for the first time about five years ago. Tatum has decided that she'd like to come and live in Ontario...so, she's coming to stay at our house! We are all quite excited...Emma keeps asking everyday...is Tatum coming today? Well, tonight, I decided to do some cleaning up in my area just outside of the room that Tatum will use.....oh my gosh....how one person can collect sooooooooo much 'stuff' is beyond me....I don't know how my husband has put up with it for so long...(where I'm concerned he does have the patience of a saint!). I wish I did have the courage just to throw it all out, sight unseen but I'm one of these people who will go through it all, piece by piece....well, you know...it's hard to part with those little notes your kids write you when they're just little! ....and photographs!....boxes and boxes, I'll never get them all organized, never mind scrapbook them.....oh, despair....help.....