Friday, August 29, 2008

Just Desserts

Well, I finally did it! I took the girls shopping!!!!!! The son decided that there was no way that he wanted to stand around while girls tried on clothes, and tried on more clothes and tried on more clothes! So he stayed home, with the dogs and watched t.v.,..he definitely thought he got the better deal. I did buy him a pair of jeans, two long sleeved shirts and a belt, so he was happy....daughter #1 got a pair of jeans and a pair of casual pants and underwear, daughter #2 got a pair of jeans and 4 tops and daughter #3 got 3 new tops, a hooded, zippered jacket, and a new hair cut! So, that's me done shopping for awhile,..although daughter #3 grew like a weed the last few months so I really have to find her jeans. Unfortunately, even though she's 5'3", she's only 85 lbs. with no hips...so the pants that would fit her leg length you could fit three of her in.....sigh. My days of having that problem were way back in 1970...so long ago they're like a dream! Second oldest daughter decided to brave the shopping extravaganza and came along for moral support and a younger opinion...fortunately for her just as we finished up sweet boyfriend came along and rescued her!

So, now it's my turn...you may remember that out of the goodness and generosity of my wonderful mother-in-law, hubby and I got to go to Bermuda for our 35th anniversary...well,..while we were there our actual anniversary dinner was shared with about 50 other people....not exactly a meaningful, romantic time, although quite beautiful. So, once again MIL comes through because she's had a tradition of giving us, as an anniversary gift, $5 for every year you're married! So 5 x 35= $175 that we are going to spend on a really nice restaurant...the kind with cloth tablecloths and everything and hubby emailed me yesterday that he has made reservations at said really nice restaurant for tonight! Hurrah!!!!!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Changes

My eldest daughter and I have asked to take on the ministry of the Sunday school program at our church. When we first started coming to this church, eight years ago, I kind of shied away from getting involved...why...well, I'll tell you why.......burnout.

From the age of 14....many, many moons ago......I have been doing Sunday school.....and I loved it...I started out teaching at one of the local hospitals. Every Sunday morn, an adult and I would drive to the hospital...she would take the older children's wing and I would take the younger kids wing. I would go to each bed and see if the child was mobile enough to come to a small room and that's where I would 'do Sunday school' with them. I'm not sure how many years that lasted but then I moved on to teaching in the church Sunday school. After I married, we moved around with my husbands job...every eighteen months we moved to a new city, and we also had two children. When eldest daughter was school age we decided that this nomadic life wasn't compatible with school life so hubby got a new job and we moved and stayed put in the city where I was born, and returned to the church that I grew up in. Once again, I was back to teaching in Sunday school. As the years progressed, so did I and when we made the difficult decision to start attending a small church closer to where we lived (we did move to the country suburbs after 3 years of yucky city life) I was head of a large primary that had six separate classes. At the smaller church, I started once again into teaching, and once again progressed to being ,this time, the Christian Ed. director of all the youth ministries. I enjoyed the job but in the last few years I took on a partner in crime...I felt myself wearing down...you know, the initial enthusiasm is there but after a short time the flame just burns out. After over forty years of youth ministry, I was burned out. It was at that time that our church head office, in its' infinite wisdom', decided to amalgamate with another in our denomination. It was not done well and we decided not to attend the new church but ended up at a church, for a year that was not of our denomination. At that church, I got involved in the library ministry...I've always enjoyed books so it was a good fit! Alas, after the first year, and a few 'visits' to another church, not the amagamated one, we returned to the denomination that both my husband and I and several generations before us had attended. It felt like home.....but I still shied away from getting back into youth ministries. I kept asking the Lord to direct me to another ministry but He never did. So, after an eight year break, I'm back......not quite as enthusiastic but I like to think of it as 'maturity and wisdom' and I'm sticking with that!
In eldest daughter, I see the enthusiasm which is good...very good...because, you see, we're trying out a brand new program, at a brand new time ...a few people have already expressed negativity at the new time...some people don't even want to be part of this new and exciting program because of the new time......is it just a case of 'well, we've always done it that way'...well, no not entirely but there are a lot of people not open to the fact that people's lifestyles are just different then they were forty-four years ago when I started. Back then, stores weren't open on Sundays...in fact, not too many places were open on Sundays to distract church goers, forty-four years ago it was almost unheard of for a child to have an athletic practice or even a birthday party on a Sunday! Sunday school didn't have to compete with all the extra attractions and parents weren't tired out from all the activities that they've taken their kids to all week! Forty-four years ago the only kids that needed to be picked up on the Sunday school bus were the kids from non-Christian homes because the parents didn't think that it was important for the kids to come. Today, parents don't always see the importance of Sunday school, they think that if the child attends church that it's good enough...I would disagree.....children of today face many obstacles to living the difficult (difficult because not too many of their friend are doing it) life as a Christian and just going to church with their family is, of course, very good but it's not enough. Children of today are not as accepting as children forty-four years ago, they ask more questions, are more skeptical....a few will get the answers in church, in between passing notes back and forth, written on the church bulletin or reading or even playing Gameboy or games on their cellphones (or even texting), yes some will get the answers but the majority will not and when they reach 'the age', the age that some of my teens did, where they make that heartbreaking to their parents decision, not to attend...they leave, without getting their answers...the answers that they could have got in a really good Sunday school class.
This is a very good program, a program where kids will get their answers, a program where they'll not be afraid to ask the questions....and I pray that they'll get the chance.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Questions...what's a mom to do?

Well, we're getting down to the wire here.....the last week before school starts....I've read quite a few blogs where mom's have talked about this....some kids, in some parts of the United States have already started back to school, some moms are homeschooling, and can have their own timeline.....I did that for two years, and at my age, unfortunately, that's not going to happen! Part of me really wish that I could...last year I wasn't really happy about some of things that went on in both of the schools that my kids attend. The three oldest are in high school-one in grade 11, one in grade 10, and one in a comprehensive class (which he likes to say he's in grade 11, but since he's allowed to stay four more years til he's 21 I wonder what grade he's going to say then...grade 15?).....anyways, and then the youngest is just going into grade 7. Now the youngest is a predicament ......she's 13 but intellectually and emotionally a 4 year old. When they had her as a teacher's assistant, part time for a kindergarten class, they had the problem of her becoming a kindergaten student instead of helper! I've been warned that the grade 7 curriculum is very hard and they're not quite sure what to do with her.....she doesn't qualify for a full time Educational Assistant (E.A.), and actually she has to spend a lot of her time in regular class placement. I honestly get the feeling that she's just being babysat there and not really learning anything. The option...special class placement, isn't really an option....the nearest special class is at least an hour and a half drive away, which would make for an exhausting day, especially for a child with a serious heart condition. Oh, I didn't mention that part, did I.....Megan has a fairly serious heart condition that began with her being born with Transverse of the Great Arteries, and she has what they call a Fontan, in her heart to help shunt the blood over to her lungs....she does function physically well,...but does show some scary signs at times that indicate that she may be struggling...or may not be...it kind of throws teachers into a tizzy! Now, Megan's older brother Ben, who is also delayed (in the high school comp class) had an excellent E.A. throughout elementary school, did okay academically, because that's what his E.A. focused on, but since he's been in high school, and they've focused more on life skills, he's lost most of the academics! So, what is the answer for Megan? I don't know...it surely is a quandary....I feel I'm too old to take on homeschooling Megan at this point in my life, but it is a concern when the head of resource at the school says that they aren't quite sure what to do with her in regards to her work......doesn't really give you a lot of assurance...and whatever they teach her academically, does it really do any good when she'll just lose it in highschool anyways?

The older three,...well, that is also a concern....the boy in the comp class participated in a few things that I wasn't actually thrilled about last year, the grade 11 daughter, had some assignments, watched a few movies (teachers show sooooooo many movies now!) that I wouldn't even allow coming in my front door, and the one that is in grade 10 this year went through all the normal grade nine attitudes which is annoying in itself but did quite poorly in her grades and the teachers passed her anyways!

Now, if I was 20 years younger there would be absolutely no question that I would homeschool these children....special needs kids are way different socially and the "regular" kids aren't exactly kind. Next week, they will all go back to school, bright and early Tuesday morning......I really feel that I'm in the middle of a quandry.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Rej and Myra's Quilt


In the month of June a good friend of ours, Myra married the love of her life Rej. Rej is quite the outdoorsman and hunter, so the theme of the wedding was hunting and even the bride wore camouflage. I started working on their wedding gift in February, a quilt, and I thought I'd show you how it turned out! When Don and I went to San Diego in February, I took it with me to do the marking, as well as taking Afton's quilt to work on the handstitching. Then, in June, because I was desperate to get it done in time for the wedding, I took it to Bermuda with us to work on the hand stitching. This quilt gets around!





This is a closeup of the stitching pattern on the outside border.







The happy couple really liked it, especially the leaf pattern since it fit in with their nature theme outdoor wedding! I really love quilting!



Wednesday, August 20, 2008

So, here's Afton


My husband decided that he'd just place Afton beside me the other day...poor wee thing isn't quite sure what to make of it all but was surprisingly content.
P.S. can you tell that I'm just learning all about posting pictures. Oh, well, at least you get to see my grandbabies!

Birthday Glimpse....


Here's Jairus enjoying the birthday cake....he also enjoyed cleaning off his sister's plates when they weren't around to stop him!

The Birthday girl enjoying her cake too!
Verity enjoyed the cake after becoming very upset when she realized that she couldn't open any of honour's presents! That's alright greatgrandma was there to console.




Honour enjoyed all of the attention but had to kiss all the 'boys' present because she didn't blow out all five of her candles at once!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Honour


This is my first grandaughter. Her name is Honour and she is five years old today!..Five years ago when we were waiting for Honour to be born, this nana was fit to be tied. You see, daughter Leslie was planning on a 'home birth'.....I have read about them, I've seen them on the television but I've never actually been part of one, in my very own family, with my very own grandchild!!!!! I'm not sure how well I hid my apprehension, but the day that Leslie called and said,..'I think the baby's coming today' was certainly a day of excitement! I jumped in the van and raced to her house.....which was a very long 45 minutes away.....to be greeted by Leslie hanging over the front porch railing with a grin on her face....like she had nothing better to do that day but give birth...if she was scared, she didn't show it.....the day was spent quietly, going for long walks....I remember this one car pulling up to Leslie and I as she was paused in her walking, in mid contraction, and the lady saying...'is she okay?' and I said, 'yes, she's just in labour'.....the poor lady wanted to drive us to the hospital but I assured her that everything was okay....
that afternoon the long awaited moment came and Honour was born......a beautiful, quiet birth.....I was so excited that I wanted to shout it from the front porch...I remember going outside and looking around and you just wanted to stop people, anyone..and say 'do you know what just happened in this house....the most amazing thing has happened...my little grandaughter has been born and she's beautiful and her name is Honour Elizabeth!
Now, five year later here she is, at a campfire, eating marshmallows with her little sister and her mama beside her.......still, amazing, still beautiful.....

Happy Birthday Honour!

Monday, August 18, 2008

How I get to clean my closet.....

Today is Monday.....again.....I really don't get along with Mondays.....they don't play nice with me....my body is screaming......noooooooooo, but the clock is saying, get your sorry self up and get going!
Yesterday, I had fifteen people for supper....many people, of late, have said...'I don't know how you do that every Sunday'....well, I know how I do it,..with the grace of God and a fabulous husband who is an accountant....what does an accountant have to do with it you say...well, I'll tell you....he LOVES everything orderly and in it's place...so....he helps, mostly with the cleanup, but in this house this is major!
This past week, army son came home driving a huge truck, (I never did get my nerve up to drive it....maybe next time!)....he got his license in the morning, went directly to, did not stop at go, and picked up this huge truck and drove it home....I think he's fairly enamored with this 1/2 ton of metal....he keeps driving around with his arm hanging out the window and a big smile on his face......impressing all the chicks, you see......guys and their toys!
Me, while I started handquilting one grandaughter's quilt this weekend....when Honour found out that it was hers, she was quite excited but I've decided that it's kind of like being pregnant, you should never tell the little ones too soon, cause the next day Honour came back and asked if it was done! I didn't have the heart to tell her that it would be at least Christmas. I was a little bummed because I wanted to start hand stitching both girls quilts but I ran out of quilting safety pins .....annoyance....you see, I don't baste my 'sandwich' together, I use quilting safety pins,..so slipped to the local Len's Mill store and they had some but when I got home found that they were so thin that I!!!!!! could bend them....not a good sign, since I basically haven't any arm muscles so if I can bend them...well, I'm in trouble. I was also annoyed that I'd have to travel for at least 30 minutes to get to a real fabric store to get better quality and believe me, this body doesn't want to budge today....but hubby comes to the rescue....he says he doesn't work far from one of the fabric stores so he doesn't mind getting them....bless his soul, he is a prince! It just wouldn't do to have one quilt done before the other one,...little girlies really don't understand, if one has to wait several months for hers while sister already has hers......oh my.
So, two weeks tomorrow is the first day of school around here! Hallelujah and Praise the Lord! The only draw back is that all four teens in my house have grown....immensely grown....which means back to school shopping which also means a lot of angst......no money and teen shopping really doesn't compute...especially when Miss Emma is a shopping diva.....the other three will pretty well accept what I have to offer but Emma.....nonononononooooooooo......not a pretty scene and certainly not something I want to even tax my brain with on a Monday! So, maybe I'll just clean my closet......

Friday, August 15, 2008

Letting Go...

My parents are getting old....and just WHEN did this happen???? Yesterday, I sat in on a meeting with my mom and dad, my brother and his wife, and a case manager from one of the social agencies that will strive to help my parents stay in their home, independently as long as possible. I will admit to being fairly nervous about this meeting...you see, my older sister usually looks after these things,...my older sister with the logical, thinking on the spot, 'A' personality.....ya, that's the one......but she is in Ireland right now for a nice holiday, so there I was, trying to fill her shoes and feeling totally inadequate!
The case worker was there to do an assesment on my mom and dad to pinpoint their needs.....now, that isn't too difficult for my dad...diabetic, renal failure, ulcerated colitus, recently had a mild heart attack.....but, for my mom...we realized that mom has never been hospitalized, except for giving birth...she's not sick, she has a sore back from a fall at Easter but not sick.....but mom has the OTHER problem.....dementia....it's a scary thing,....it's unsettling to see the woman who was so strong and capable all those years, becoming forgetful and easily confused. The case worker told me in private that mom should never drive again...that her car keyes should be taken from her....that she's dangerous on the road.....I'm not quite sure how she's going to take that......she's Irish, you see....she can get her dander up pretty quickly if she has too....

Where did the time go....and I know they can't live forever but I'm not sure if I'm ready for all this right now....I've still got a lot of things going on with my kids and my grandkids...and...and.....I'm not ready for my mom and dad not to be here ......how do you prepare yourself to let go.....

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

I have questions....lots and lots of questions......and it's very frustrating when you don't have the answers and even worse when people that you go to for the answers say...'sorry, I don't have the answers' or even worse, you hear...'you probably will never know the answers'. Now some of those questions are easier to let go, especially if you've been wondering about them, say, like for twenty, even thirty years! Of course, that puts these questions in the past category....but what about those in the present,...or in the future.....you know, the ones that keep you awake at night while your spouse is gently(or not gently) snoring beside you.

I've watched the interview done with Steven Curtis Chapman and his family on Good Morning America, a few times.....if somebody has a legitimate reason for asking why and for having questions, it's that family! But I was very encouraged when I heard Steven say...'oh yes, we have lots of questions, but we also have faith,...and faith is living with the questions'.....the important thing, that GMA edited out was that Steven and his family don't have just any old faith, like in the stars, or the trees or the ocean....they have faith in God......

I'm glad that I have a faith in God too, because when He gently reminds me of that ......well then I can be gently(or not) snoring beside my husband at night too!

I'm so glad....

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Camping

Well, we've come to the end of our two week camping holiday...although for someone like me to put camping and holiday side by side in a sentence is somewhat of an oxymoron! You see, I dislike camping....passionately.....I've always claimed that my older sister, yes people,...all those that know my older sister, yes, she really is my older sister and now that she's finally stopped dying her hair people are actually believing me! Yes, my older sister got all the camping genes in the family and then skipped me entirely...but strangely enough I did pass them on to eldest son...strange but true! Even stranger,...what did I do for my honeymoon, years ago...I went camping! You see my hubby and I had actually no money back then (we still don't but don't tell anyone, it will spoil his accountant image!).....so, what kind of holiday do you have when you haven't any money...yes, bingo...you go camping! So, like I was saying we have come to the end of it...although my BIL would argue with me that what I do isn't real camping...see I like my bathroom to be in the same building in which I am sleeping.....being past the menopause age requires at least one and sometimes two!!!, nocturnal visits to the facilities and I really don't care to run into other nocturnal creatures in the middle of the night...especially the ones w/white stripes down their backs!....So......we have a trailer, not a tent....well, we have that but I wouldn't sleep in it,..I leave that for teenage son!.....not a hard top trailer like camping sister and BIL but a regular trailer...with an indoor bathroom.....of course it's not big enough to swing a cat in but it's big enough to ...well, you know....big enough! Anyways, I keep on digressing......camping, over and done with and just in time.....I put some supper in the microwave...(yes, yes...I know, real campers don't have microwaves but hey, you camp your way and I'll camp mine!)...and the keypad flashed and went dark...oh no....what about the supper...good grief....got hubby to fire up the barbeque and finally served supper a half an hour later...to grouchy teenagers.....you know when you don't feed them they get quite ugly!
As I was saying...at the end of the two weeks and let's take an accounting of our poor old trailer...yes it is old but we've taken pretty good care of it and just this summer someone said how good it still looked, but alas, just as I am falling apart..so is my beloved trailer.....the tiny fridge, kept checking out several times a day so we had to keep perishables in the coolatron, the hot water heater had a slow, tiny leak...which ran from one side of the trailer to the other..thru the bathroom,...so there was always this little shiny edging along the bathroom floor of water, but at five to six hundred to fix,..well, we put up with it........and lets see, what else...oh yes, the ants...they would appear anywhere...just out of the blue....you never saw them coming out of somewhere, they just always appeared in the middle of the wall......very strange...we figure that when we get everything cleaned out tomorrow that we'll give it a good spraying of Raid and hope they decline over the winter!
So, that's camping for another year....or at least my version of it.......I did get a lot of reading done which was pleasant...it will be good to get the teens back in their separate corners, I mean bedrooms, before they kill each other.....and it will be good for my hubby to get his sanity back....he never realized that his daughter redid her hair at least four times a day and her make up nearly as many.....boggled his mind....that's okay dear,....just a few more years.....

Monday, August 4, 2008

Grandbabies!




Four out of five of my grandchildren came to the trailer this weekend....and eldest daughter took the opportunity to show me how to put some pics on my blog! This is Verity, Honour and Jairus. Jairus is showing you that he just lost his first tooth!







And this is the newest one, Afton, who is three months old this week!
Aren't they great!!!!!!