Blogger is annoying today.....

Good Morning...or Afternoon Company Girls!

Well, blogger took it's time fixing itself and then I had to go out for the morning so I'm just getting to it now....

I guess it's still not completely fixed cause I was going to put some pics in...but it wouldn't retrieve them....good grief.....goes with my life the last 24 hours.....

I was going to post some pics of my grand daughter Honour...last Friday she came to my house (with her siblings,) for the day...she brought this bag with some material in it...she had actually (roughly) cut out some rectangles of material...she had decided that she wanted to make a quilt for her little cousin who is due in August....I was tickled.....she had chosen different materials in different blues...cause it's a boy, don't ya know....so...we spent the day making a little quilt...perfect size to put over him in his car seat in those cold winter months, up north. I was very proud of her..she did a great job! And if blogger gets it's act together I'll post the pics sometime!

Yesterday was a good for nothing, no good horrible day......I was suppose to go out for a lovely lunch at a tea room with some ladies from our church....but one of the ladies was called out of town for a family emergency and another was stricken with a horrible asthma attack because they were having their hardwood floors redone....so, the lunch was postponed. Which, in hindsight was a good thing because the phone call I did receive at lunch time would have spoiled the lunch anyways...big time! The high school called...Emma was caught with some dope and a pipe, off campus at the strip mall across the street...some undercover police brought her and two other girls back to the school...bottom line..she wasn't charged..got off with a warning...and suspended from school til Monday. Good grief......when will it stop...

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and that the weather is fabulous...we could really use some nice, warm weather.....

take care everyone!

Happy Mother's Day...and so on...

Good Morning Company Girls!

My Mom...my mom is a very interesting lady.....she's changed a lot over the years (haven't we all!)......when I was about nine or ten...my mom told me about my birth....now, I was her second child...she had already given birth 3-1/2 years previous to my sister....she had all of us (4) about 3 years apart...she said it was perfect...she'd get the baby toilet trained and out of diapers and have sometime to enjoy that without doing the diaper thing for awhile. Good plan but I could never get my kids trained by 18 months like she could! Anyways, one day I was lounging on the couch and she was sweeping the floor in the kitchen...I don't remember how it came about but she told me all about it....how she woke up one night...it was a few weeks...about 3 I think, before my due date...she had to go to the bathroom...as pregnant women have need to do...in the night....especially close to the end...I always figured it got us into the habit so that when the babe was born we'd already be used to getting up in the night...I digress...she was going down the hall to the bathroom when she felt something trickling down her leg...well, more than a trickle...now my very proper mom had a fit (I probably would have too) cause she thought she was urinating...she got into the bathroom and found out it wasn't pee...it was blood...the ambulance was called....she was sitting on a chair, afraid to move cause she felt like everything would gush out...when she arrived at the hospital they determined that the placenta was delivering first....mom said that as she was lying there, praying she felt 'something' happening...she called for the nurse...the doctor came..they checked again...the placenta and I had switched places..even at that early age I had a problem with things and people telling me what to do...which I'm afraid has stuck with me all my life! So, instead of an emergency section they just did a very quick delivery.....my mom joked that I had to feel my way out because I came out hands first...I wonder if that's why..to this day...I'm extremely claustrophobic...hmmmm...

It didn't take them long to determine that I had a few things wrong with me.....what a shock for a young mom...today with ultrasounds at least the parents can be prepared to some degree....I could not bend my arms at the elbow, on my own...they found out why....no muscles in the upper part..well, I have the ones that are underneath the upper arm but not the ones on top....can never remember the names....and the muscles across the back of my shoulders are underdeveloped......my mom rallied and handled it well....the next 12 years brought four surgeries and copious doctor's and therapist visits....she learned to do my exercises at home and on the days that we didn't go to the hospital, she did them at home....never failed...never complained. She had a resolve that others didn't understand...she always expected that I could do something, just like everyone else...and she let me figure out how to do it..in my own way, much to the chagrin of others..the story is told of how one day an aunt, who was at the house was quite concerned when mom let me struggle for a number of minutes trying to put a t-shirt on....seemed heartless to my aunt...but my mom was wise...I figured out my own way of getting dressed, of eating, of holding a cup...of being independent.....as a mom, I realize just how hard that was for my mom to do.....my mom went on to have two more children...my brothers...which that in itself was brave...it's hard to have subsequent children after having a child with disabilities....

Now, my mom apologizes for being such a bother, for needing help with things....I figure that it's alright....she was there for me...she did so much for me.....it's my turn now.....

Happy Mother's Day, mom....you're the best!


Miss Afton is 3 years old today...Afton is my youngest grand daughter.....my eldest daughter Leslie gave birth to her..at home..(as she did with all her girls).....after a full day of labour....Afton just couldn't make up her mind about coming out! Today, her and her older siblings are at my house...mom and dad have gone to a homeschooling convention for the day....should be an interesting day...Honour and Verity have brought little sewing projects with them and some dvd's....

Last night, second eldest daughter Lauren took me to a 'makeup gala' at our local drug store (where she works).....it was a fun time...looking at all the different make up products and choosing a few...I will admit that I don't wear a lot of makeup and when I do, it's usually on special occasions or at least going out somewhere.....but I was able to get some new lip gloss and shadows, free mascara (Lauren was shuddering when I said my mascara was a year old!) and nail polish..oh, and a new lipstick too..so I'm ready for the summer months! It was a lovely Mother's Day thing to do...Thanks Lauren!

So, as usual..it's a busy time....Mother's Day, Afton's birthday, grandkids all day.....the remembrance of my dad going to heaven, tomorrow....

I hope you all have a marvellous weekend and if you are a mother, I hope your mother's day is everything that you would like...and if you aren't a mom (that's okay too) but that you remember that woman that did so much for you as you were growing up that made you the woman you are today!

Happy Mother's Day!

This Week.....

I was reading another blog this morning and this blogger spoke about an accident in the Dallas area that took a pastor's life...he was a well known pastor, David Wilkinson.....apparently the last journal entry he made contained these words....

To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, “I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.”

Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail—his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.

These words got me to thinking......I keep stashing 'the elephant in the room' back into the deepest parts of my mind.......when the big gray beast would try to emerge, I would push him back.....sometimes, it flashes in my mind...just what I was doing at this time last year....Don and I were enjoying a few days in Chicago...he had a pricing conference...I went along for a few days of R and R....I had been torn about going...everyone kept saying that I needed to go....I knew my dad wasn't well....every day I would communicate with my sister, and everyday she would say he was getting better...all the physical signs indicated that was the case.

By Friday, the conference was done and Don had arranged a few days at a hotel overlooking the river in Chicago...it was a beautiful room...after we checked in we went for a walk...while we were out, the first of many texts came into my phone...texts that started a fear way down in the pit of I don't know where......until the final text came in, three hours later.....'call me'...it said.....and I knew....I knew....I showed the text to Don...wordlessly.....

He was gone....my dad was gone......'I shall know Him, I shall know Him,...by the prints of the nails in His hands'....dad was seeing those prints, those marks.......

This week has been hard....lots of things going on.....Maya is home....it's so hard when they come home after being away for awhile...they resent you doing your parenting thing...they've been without it...they think they're mature...all grown up...don't need it anymore...they get annoyed..you get stressed...you can see that their maturing still has a long way to go......they wish they were back where they were...part of you wishes that too....cause the others don't stop...Emma is falling deeper, deeper and deeper into the world that changes a soul...sometimes forever ....you despair...she thinks she's figured it all out...she can live in two worlds......she can't.....she has to make a choice...but she's young and the other world is appealing...she is not strong.....the weight on a mother's heart can be overwhelming sometimes....being a mom is not for the faint of heart that's for sure....

Mother's Day is coming...what does that truly mean to you....if you are already a mom...it is entirely different than if you're not....Mother's Day for me is hope and expectation.....but not too much expectation....I've learned that over the years..too much expectation is a recipe for hurt...for spoiling the day....last year my mom barely realized that it was Mother's Day....I've been trying to figure out the right balance for the day....it falls on the day right after her husband of sixty-six years left her...not willingly...but he did.....dad used to make something of the day for mom...I guess over the years we disappointed her ...dad was used to filling in the gaps...with mom's dementia we have to be careful not to overwhelm her with too much.....yes, a fine balance...

So....this is what's been going on with me this week.....a friend of mine just called...her husband's name is Dave...they took him by ambulance into the hospital last night...Dave is dying..cancer has taken over his lungs ...would you pray for Dave and Carol.... thank you...

I am grateful that He is embracing me...without that...there is nothing......my hubby is a great man..a great husband..loving, supportive, encouraging, loyal, committed....but I learned a long time ago that he is only human...he can not be there for me all the time...no human can be..it is impossible....but God is...doesn't mean I still won't feel the hurt, the pain but there is One stronger than me, than my husband...than my dad.....have you experienced it, if not then I pray that someday soon you will...

Well done....

Good Morning Company Girls!!

Our son decided to re-enlist after nearly a year and a half of civilian life.....

This Is Paul......and his girlfriend Sara....and this picture is taken just after he re-enlisted in the Canadian Army.

This momentous occasion occurred while I was in Bermuda....I was disappointed that I would miss it this time...I WAS at the first time....about 4-1/2 years ago.....but this time he just found out at the beginning of April that it was happening and of course, my mother's trip could not be changed. Hubby was there of course and took pictures.

The next day Paul said a sweet good bye to his sweetheart and flew to New Brunswick, where he reported to Gagetown, for artillery training. The first enlistment, those years ago, was in the infantry. This time the infantry was full up and they had an opening in artillery.
Now , it's hurry up and wait...in true army fashion......his artillery course doesn't start til July! So, for now, he's in a holding company...which means he sits around all day, doing nothing...and getting paid for it! He says some other guys are grumbling about it but he's just smilin'.....he's been through this before...the first time through he was grumbling too...but now,...he's just smilin'....he's glad to be back.

People have asked me how I feel about it all......I feel just fine about it......really,..he's happy...isn't that what it's all about.....of course I don't want him to be put in harms way, of course, I wouldn't want him to be injured..or worse.....but...all mom's want their kids to grow up and be happy in what they've chosen to do...this is his choice and I support him.

Paul is a wonderful young man...I still remember vividly the day he walked up the steps of our front porch, holding the hand of the social worker...looking very apprehensive....he was 3-1/2 years old.....when a foster child comes to your home, most times, you really don't know just how long they will be staying with you....in fact Paul, only stayed a few months...the first time....then a judge said he could go and live with a 'quasi' family member...also for a few months...then one September day...I received another call....Paul was back 'in care' and he was asking to come back...to come back to our home. Memories come creeping back as I recall Lauren and Corey coming home from school,..walking up the road, and when Lauren saw Paul from a distance...she let out a holler and started running and when she reached him she gave him a huge hug. What a reception!

His name was actually Justin at that time....of all the kids we've adopted his case dragged on the longest...there are some cases that 'fall through the cracks'...through legal mumbo-jumbo, he was 16 years old before his adoption went through! Yes, unheard of now....but that's the way it unfolded in the life of Paul.....

When hubby and I have adopted our children....they're quite a bit younger...Paul knew that when they were adopted, Corey and Lauren...that their names were changed...we always kept their birth names as their 'third' name...but like every mom and dad we wanted to give a name of our choosing to our chosen children....up to this point they were young enough that they went along with it.....When Paul was about 8 years old, it was summertime...he said to me one day...'mom, when you adopt me....are you going to change my name?' I was taken aback, but quickly recovered and said..'well, you are older, I really think you wouldn't want to do that...would you?' 'yes, I would'...he said...well, you could have knocked me over with a feather....but, as usual...I did an excellent acting job...stayed cool.....'Really', I said.....'If you were going to change it...what would you change it to...?', he asked...'well', I said.....'you have three names....Justin Paul William...I think we'd probably just change them around.....you'd be Paul William Justin'...traditionally putting his first 'birth' name as his third.....he thought about that a moment and seemed pleased. 'You'd like that?'...'Yes, I would'. "well, we'll keep that in mind for the future", I said. A few days later, we were driving in the van and Paul spoke up...'mom?'...'yes'....'when are you going to start calling me my 'new name'...'when would you like us to'....'now'..'now?'....'okay...well, keep in mind that we might slip up and call you Justin'...'ya, I know'...'okay, will give it a try'....I had no idea whether he would continue with it or not...but a few days later he was writing his name down on a registration card for a local V.B.S....I observed him write Paul instead of Justin...I thought..well, I guess he's serious about this....fortunately, since it was his legal name, just switched around... the social worker didn't have a problem with it!

He quickly became Paul to everyone and Justin was the scared little boy that came to my home all those years ago....and also came into our hearts.....his growing up was not without trials and tribulations....but he's now a young man, a son whom we are very proud of for the good choices that he has made.

Well done Paul....

Bermuda!!!

Good Morning Company Girls!!

Ah....a Bermuda sunset...it was an overcast evening but it was our last evening and all the other evenings had beautiful crisp sunset shots...but I kept forgetting to take my camera to supper and supper was late enough that sunset came just as we were having dessert every night.

This is the room that my mom and I shared for the week...just out those patio doors was a fabulous view of the bluest ocean you will ever see...well, at least that I've ever seen!

This is my sister Adele and her husband Dave.....we stopped at a restaurant up at the dockyards to get a bit of something to tide us over til we got back to Willowbank (where we were staying) for teatime....they had a proper teatime served everyday at 4 p.m.

This is the view out our patio doors....lovely to wake up to every morning to be sure...

...and here's the lady we made this trip for...my mom...soaking up the rays sitting on the ferry...

Well, it was a lovely trip...I wouldn't exactly call it a holiday....I missed my hubby a lot and it's a huge responsibility having the care of an elderly person with dementia....my mom did fairly well, she did have some days when her confusion was more than other days ...there was one day when she took off on me and I couldn't find her...I'm sure that if someone had taken my blood pressure at that point it would have been through the roof! My sister, who was still recovering from her strep ear infection had some days that were more difficult then others...the hearing in the damaged ear is no longer there so she has to work very hard to keep her balance and on days when she was tired she was quite 'wonky' as she described it. Sometimes I would forget and be walking on her 'bad' side and start talking to her and suddenly realize that she wasn't responding....then I would quickly touch her arm so she'd look at me or quickly move on to her other side to have a conversation....

......the weather was just lovely...each day getting warmer than the next and we only had one day when we had a slight sprinkling of rain...which you really didn't mind at all....

All in all I would say it was a successful trip....mom finally got back to her beloved Bermuda...although she says now she wants to go back again! This time she wants warmer weather...she loves the heat.....we'll see but the reality is that I think this was her last trip...her dementia is only going to get worse and that makes care taking and her safety very difficult...especially when she gets stubborn and insists 'I can do it myself'! ...and when you ask her to stay in one spot while you're gone , just for a moment and she takes off with the attitude of 'I can go somewhere if I want..I don't need anyone with me'...scary attitude when she can't remember where she is at times!

My sister made her up a lovely photo album, complete with captions so she has a tangible remembrance of her time in Bermuda...I think it will become invaluable in the days to come!

One day my mom said to me, with some concern in her voice.."I can only remember little bits of your dad being here with me'....as I commiserated with her she said....'I'll be so glad to see him again'...I said..'ya, so will I'...she said...'I told him, you be waiting for me at those gates...you'd better be there when I come'....

True love....never dies...just waiting...

Busy, busy, frightfully busy.....

Well, Good Morning Company Girls! It's Friday...again...and I must run off to my applique class soon....which I don't have my homework done for yet....good grief...at my age worrying about homework! Anyways, thot I'd take a few moments to dash off some lines...busy weekend ahead which is winding up a busy week filled with appointments and drama..... Maya is coming home for the weekend with two friends that she works with at the camps....Maya's 19th birthday is next week so she'd like to have a little celebration this weekend...special birthday supper order has already been put in....have to take her to get her health card renewed and take both my Old English sheepdogs to the groomer to get shorn...plus...a bridal shower tomorrow afternoon...the usual busy Sunday stuff...plus did I mention three extra adult size people in the house all weekend.......but Monday...Monday will come and I am scheduled to get on a plane at Toronto airport...with my mom and my sister and her husband and a few hours later land in lovely Bermuda! I am truly torn because I love Bermuda...hubby and I have been fortunate to go there twice ....once for our 25th and then for our 35th wedding anniversary...but...alas...hubby is not going and I truly hate going places without him.....yes..after 41 years of knowing each other and almost 38 years of marriage...we are still joined at the hip.....so...even though I'm sure this will be a lovely treat.....it will be difficult to be separated from my true love for so long. So...off to class..hope everyone has a marvelous week...if I can post next Friday from Bermuda than I will.... Take care everyone!

My Gang!

The Grandchildren!

William is sitting on Honour's lap, Afton is next...the guy smiling in the middle is Jairus, then Verity and then Donovan!!

Jairus officially entered into the double digits this week when he celebrated his tenth birthday on Wednesday!

William is 16 months, Honour is 7, Afton is 2, Jairus is 10, Verity is 5 and Donovan is 6.

Honour and Verity love getting into my bathtub and have a ball...they turn on the air jets and make all sorts of bubbles!!

William, last Saturday morning waiting for his papa to give him his breakfast....

Good Morning Company Girls!

Well, last weekend was a wonderful, very busy weekend.....I told you about wee grandson William coming and on Sunday I invited another grandson Donovan to come ...it was a wonderful time having all the grandkids together.....as you can see in the pictures above...it's not easy getting all six kids looking at the camera at the same time!

William arrived (with his parents) about 1 o'clock on Friday.....I will admit to being a little concerned because I really haven't spent a lot of time with him since he was a newborn...and I highly doubt he'd remember that! Other times when they've been visiting, there's always a lot of family around to amuse and take care of him and I rarely get the opportunity....all my concerns were for nothing really because he was just fine...he ate well, he played, he had his bath (although he protested at getting his hair washed!) and he went down to sleep without a peep! He slept right through the night!! The next day he was absolutely no problem at all and in the afternoon his mommy and daddy came back home. It was a wonderful time and I enjoyed getting to know this littlest grandson!

In the evening hubby and I went to Toronto a Steven Curtis Chapman concert...hubby had purchased the tickets months before so we had already told our son and his wife that we'd be out for the evening when they called to ask us to babysit....It was a very good concert....and a lovely evening out and about! Toronto isn't one of my favourite places to go , but it was really one of the outlying suburbs so that was okay.

The next day was Sunday which of course started with church and our Sunday school program....usually I come home exhausted and hubby makes lunch but this time son Ryan and his wife Jenn and William had to leave in the middle of the afternoon so we had our 'big dinner' earlier....so, when I got home from church I immediately started whipping up the batter for the Yorkshire Pudding...my family loves Yorkshire so I make four batches....Donovan arrived, which was great because we hadn't seen him in months...his mom and his dad(my son Corey) aren't married and not together anymore, so it's a little difficult and complicated to see him regularly.

Then daughterLauren came by and decided to have lunch with us..which was great....it's a rare Sunday that I don't make what my kids call 'a big meal' and everyone is invited to come if they want to, kind of an open invitation...most times Lauren and Paul have other plans but sometimes they come. I'm glad Lauren decided to come..I knew she'd want to see William too!

It was a full dinner table with fifteen sitting at it...a little noisy at times but it was just great...I love having everyone come together ...there was just enough food...roast beef, roasted potatoes, gravy, peas and corn and of course the Yorkshire pudding....I think everyone enjoyed it!

At the end of the day, when everyone had left...I was picking up this and that..doing a little tidying...and hubby came up to me and gave me a hug...and whispered...'do you hear it'?....I said 'what'....'the quiet' he said.....ya,....the family is great...and I love having them all..but when everyone leaves..oh the quiet...the quiet is nice.