Good Night Kiss

I began the Month of May with a song that reminds us of the privelege of being a mother and so I'll end it with another one by Steve and Annie Chapman that always made me cry when our kids were little. I don't know why I do this to myself, but maybe it's good to be reminded of how quickly things change and to appreciate the time we have.

I count it as a privilege, I count it cause for praise
To kiss my children goodnight at the close of everyday
For I know too soon they're off and gone and walkin' out the door
And I'll never have a child to kiss goodnight anymore

It's very strange how times have changed from the present to the past
When did they grow so quickly? The time has flown so fast
For it seems that only yesterday I helped him with his shirt
Or patted my baby on the back or kissed away a hurt

Tell the story, read a book, wipe a nose or tie a shoe
They never ask me to rub their back the way they used to do
Once it was a bother, just a troublesome kind of chore
Now I would give anything to do it just once more

Mommy bounce me on your knee, Daddy flip me in the air
Throw a rubber ball to me and help me comb my hair
Mommy tickle my tummy, Daddy hold me high
Let's go outside for awhile or make a kite to fly

I count it as a privilege, I count it cause for praise
To kiss my children goodnight at the close of every day
For I know too soon they're off and gone and walkin' out the door
And I'll never have a child to kiss goodnight anymore

Contrary to what the photos show, the kids each had their own bed, but for some reason Julene's was the prefered one. Often times when we'd go to check on them before going to bed ourselves, we'd have to move one back to his or her bed.

Buttercups

The park where we've been walking is beautifully displaying its abundance of wild flowers, the more dominant ones being the yellow buttercups right now. These particular ones always bring back happy memories of my childhood. These were the nice yellow flowers - not the bad yellow ones! These were the ones you're allowed to bring inside. When we were children we played a game with these pretty little cups. It intrigued me because I didn't like butter and this flower was supposed to show if you do or don't like butter. We'd hold it under each other's chins and if it illuminated a yellow spot then that person apparently liked butter. Or maybe it was the other way around.

Oh, the simple joys of these childhood games! I just couldn't help but pick a bunch and put them in a mug placed by my kitchen sink, just because.

The Results of our Spring Dreaming

After several months of tearing down, drawing out new border lines, pulling trees and shrubs, shopping, building, installing, cleaning and planting we are finally ready to enjoy sharing our back yard with friends and family again. It was more work than I thought it would be, but isn't that the way it always is? You begin with one thing and it extends to another and another. Once you're on the look out for garden ideas, there's not limit - except your budget. We don't have the awning I was dreaming about yet, but I'm fine without it. We have a large patio and a big old tree to shade it.

Going back in time now, I'm thinking there may be a mom or two out there who remembers climbing on the roof of this gazebo as a little girl, when it was being built. This photo shows our old gazebo with hot tub in it's glory days! Father and son spent many an evening relaxing in there. My H always loved it when Ben would ask, "Dad, how was your day today?"

Well, it was time to take it down. The tub was broken and we had other plans.

Looks pretty sad . . . but this photo shows a bit of the old landscaping that went in a straight line beside the gazebo.

The men pulled out the old railroad ties that formed the straight line and we had forms built to pour a concrete curved wall this time.

The finished area now is a bit larger and more open. The umbrella gives it a more updated look.

Now, the back corner of the yard was getting very cluttered and overgrown. This is just a random picture that kind of shows it before we pulled it apart. You can even see the apple tree there yet.

And again, the result is a less cluttered look, keeping just the smaller bushes and adding a bridge and lamppost. In the very back we have some old grape vines that I think will also be very happy about getting more sun now. At least, I'm looking forward to being able to pick grapes without branches and spider webs in my face.

Put into Perspective

My hairdresser was doing some important upkeep on me when she told me that she would be going away for six months. Trying not to show my purely selfish apprehension about this, I gulped and celebrated with her as we chatted about the awesome time she would have.
After our chit chat, I sat in another chair to let my hair process and grabbed a recent copy of People’s magazine. I saw a picture and read a story that put everything into perspective.

Farrah Fawcett was the first Hollywood icon or movie star I remember being fascinated with as a teenager. She was just so beautiful! Talk about hair, she had the perfect hair! I don’t know if there ever was an actor (I still want to say actress) who had so many girls aspiring to get that same look. But no one came close. I tried getting that wispy, curls flying outward look, but it only came out looking like a sausage stuck to both sides of my head.

The article I was reading, showed her now - as she’s battling cancer in the worst way. She’s gone to Germany to try the newest treatments, but it all seems to be in vain. She’s frail, weak and, other than her partner spending time with her, she seems to be very much alone. Her one son was in jail for drug trafficking at the time the article was written.
And I read that she lost all of her hair.

Funny, sitting there in a chair in a salon, my eyes were opened. I continued thinking as I drove home. There are lessons to learn. I kept thinking about what she said at the end of the article, something about not having appreciated what she had and now all she wanted to do was to live.
Life on earth is no Garden of Eden any more. Daily we witness the enemy of our souls, the snake, with one goal - to deceive and destroy.
The thing is, because we are made in the image of God, we desire life in all its fullness, but we have to be careful not to be deceived but, instead, reach out to the only One Who can truly give life. The One who said, “I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies.” (John 11:25)

Four Generations

I have two four generation pictures taken several years apart, with different daughters. I want to show them because both settings have something unique about them.

This photo was taken 5 years ago. Beginning on the far right is my Mom, me, Julene and Tehya.
The unique thing about this photo is that we are all first-born daughters.

This picture was taken on Mother's Day, 2 years ago, when I flew to Phoenix with my Mom.

Starting on the far left is my Mom, Kristal, Natalie and me. The unique thing about the four of us is that we are all born in different countries. My Mom was born in Paraguay, I was born in Uruguay, Kristal in Canada and Natalie in the U.S. (And if my Mom's mom - my Oma would still have been here she would have been 93, and she was born in the Ukraine.) Kind of makes you wonder where the next generation is headed, doesn't it?

Take-Out Food

I have a confession to make. I hate drive throughs. The thought of talking to a picture board without seeing a person and winding around a claustrophobic lane where I could lose my sense of direction by the time I get out, makes me nervous. In fact, it would seem like when I come around, they are watching their camera and trying to figure out how difficult they can make this. It’s like when a dog knows you are scared of it, it will surely snarl at you even though he’s a friendly dog.

So this is what happened most recently. . .
We ran into a problem with our tiles on our patio. It was about dinner time when I found out the installers would be working late to fix things up, so getting some food seemed like the proper thing to do. It turned out that chicken was the preferred meal, so I figured that if I call ahead, it would go faster and in the meantime I could get some cookies going for dessert.

To begin with, I can’t find Kentucky Fried Chicken in the directory! How many ways are there to spell that? Safeway is called Canada Safeway in the book, so maybe it’s Kernel Sanders ... something. Nope. I finally find it almost by fluke under KFC. Who would have thought? And to answer my question, I should just order it at the Drive Through, my order is not big enough to worry about.

I zip over there and speak to the speaker board (which offers exactly what I’m about to order):
Your order please.
I'd like to get a 10 piece meal and a 15 piece meal.
You want a 10 piece meal and what?
A 10 piece meal and a 15 piece meal.
10 piece meal and what else?
One 10 piece and one 15 piece meal! I want 25 pieces of chicken . . .
and salads. (by this time the people behind me can hear me, if she can’t)

Could you just drive up to the window and give your order please.
(I wait at the closed window)
(Finally the window opens)
It will be cheaper for you to get the 10 and 15 piece meals. (duh)
(Okay, maybe she said, the 15 piece meal and 10 pieces of chicken...)
Now that would come with 2 large and 3 medium salads (sides)
Okay, I’d like 2 large fries and 3 medium coleslaws.
Well, it only comes with 1 large fries. I can give you another one instead of the gravy.
Good. (I don’t want gravy anyways)
(I pay.)
(she leaves)
(she comes back )
I can’t do fries instead of gravy.
Okay, I’ll pay for another one, and on second thought please just make that one a potato salad.
(there’s a switch of girls for some reason)
So you want just potato salad?
No, one fries (which I paid for) and one potato salad.
Okay that will be 11 something.
I only want to pay for one potato salad now. I already paid for the fries.
(Do these girls actually take food orders all day long?)
Okay, that will be 4 something.
Finally I get my food, she confirms that everything’s there and I drive off.
I get home.
There is no coleslaw and no potato salad.
I put the chicken and fries in the oven and debate whether I should just make my own coleslaw, but there aren’t enough fries.

I drive back - not a happy camper!!!!
The bag is waiting for me and I am relieved to know I am not crazy.
Do you want Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or Sprite?
I didn’t order any drink.
Oh, it’s just for the mistake!

(no apology?)

I drive home again. Get everything ready to serve, mix the cookies and bake them while the men eat. By the time they finish dinner, the cookies are warm on a platter and fresh coffee is brewing.
And they never found out about my nightmare.

A Time for High Waisted Jeans

What was I thinking? I came across this photo when I was re-doing our dating years photo album. I remember the day. I was '16 - going on seventeen' and my boyfriend wanted to take me to Victoria for the day. Even though we'd been hanging out together for a year already, Mom and Dad had a bit of a discussion about it. I really don't know what their problem was! But in the end, I was allowed to go.
Going back to the high waisted jeans! I can take that already - but the tucked in look?

Well, there really is nothing much more to say, except that this wonderful guy fell in love with me (despite the look) and 35 years later, he is still the one taking my picture.

The Invisible Woman

One of the most inspirational women I have ever heard is Nicole Johnson. Nicole writes and performs her own sketches or dramas about such topics as being a woman, relationships, pain, being a Mom and so much more! I so appreciate the sensitivity she brings into her stories, that even now, 4 years later, I still think of her when I read of the woman in the Bible who hemorrhaged for 12 years.

Recently I was reminded of her comical act called, “The Invisible Woman.” It is a story about a fictional woman named Charlotte, who has two children and a pretty good marriage, but also a growing realization that she has a problem – she is invisible! She came to this conclusion after many blank stares and lack of response from those around her. She could be on the phone talking and someone would walk in, not even notice that she was talking, and ask the air, “What time is it?” The family would sit down for a meal and her husband would say, “There’s no butter!” or a child would say, “I don’t want milk.” Someone could run downstairs and call out, “Is my Jersey clean?” All the while, no one looked at her. Charlotte realized that they could not see her and that she was just a pair of hands to fix things, a clock to tell the time, the butter lady, or the nameless chauffeur, totally anonymous.

One day she was given a gift by a friend. It was a book on the Great Cathedrals of Europe. It didn’t seem to make much sense to her, until she read the inscription: “To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.” This book changed her life as she began to pattern her work after the truths she learned therein.


No one can say who built the great cathedrals.

These builders gave their whole lives for a work that they would never see finished.

They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built. As he saw a worker carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam, he was puzzled and asked the man, “Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.” And the artist replied, “Because God sees.”

Charlotte comes to the conclusion that her invisibility can actually be the cure for her self-centeredness and stubborn pride. She begins to desire to see herself as a great builder, as one who may never see the final results. She now knows that no act of kindness, no sequin she’s sewn on, no cupcake that she’s baked is too small for God to notice and smile over, because she’s in the process of building a great cathedral.

Planting Tutorial

Although I don't remember the year, I remember the "moment" when I first tasted the joy of casually strolling through a greenhouse and thinking, "This is actually quite relaxing, the kids are in school and I don't need to hurry." It was a relatively new greenhouse in town, they were well organized and, to add to the atmosphere, they had classical music playing. I had time to read the signage, there were beautifully made up baskets and planters everywhere to give you good ideas and the workers were friendly and helpful. What was there not to like about a stroll through a flower park and choosing which ones to take home with you?

Now, I'm far from being an expert when it comes to planting, but I can share a tidbit for anyone who has never done any kind of gardening. You, my friends who have done lots, will just have to smile at my attempts. So I learned that there are two kinds of flowering plants you can get. When looking for plants to use as borders, in beds around trees or elsewhere in your yard you probably want to get something that will come back every year. These are called perennials and they bloom for a certain amount of time, usually for a month in the Spring. The most common ones for baskets and planters are annuals, which only bloom for the season and then they are done. What is nice though, is that they bloom all summer long!

So, when I had a few hours, I pulled my old pots out of the shed. I removed the old roots and bad soil on the top of bigger planters and emptied the small, shallow ones. Often I will put some rocks in the bottom of the pot to allow water to drain, in case of too much watering. Then I filled them all to the top with fresh potting soil. Some of the pots needed a good scrub with soap and water and then I was ready.
Almost more for "old times sake" than anything else, I called my Mom and asked her if she would like to come over. Of course she did! She came carrying her little stool and rubber gloves.

I sorted the plants according to which pot and place they would end up. When shopping for plants, you want to consider whether your plants need lots of sunshine or whether they would do better in the shade, and then place them accordingly. Since my Mom used to bring me the pots for the front door, I put those in front of her as she sat down in the middle of the yard. Using the patio was out since it is still under construction, being tiled.

(In the background of this photo you can see a tiny preview of the new landscaping we've been working on.) I know Mom's planting habits well! She likes to put a geranium in the centre of the pot.

And then she adds little basket-stuffers, such as impatiens, fuchsia and lobellia. I didn't have any lobellia this time.

I did some window planters with pansies and some tiny white flowers which I don't remember the name for, but they look like lace.

I like Osteospermum, or any daisy-like flowers. If you remove the dead flowers through-out the summer, they bloom even better yet.

We also planted some ivy geraniums in hanging baskets and bright yellow dwarf dahlias in a large back yard planter.

It was quite enjoyable and felt good when it was done. Now we just need to baby them a bit, since the weather is still a little unpredictable. Most of them are being kept under cover for now.

Time for Bedding Plants

I came home with my car full of small flowering plants and I can hardly wait to get them into the soil to watch them grow and bloom all summer!

I have not always enjoyed getting my fingers into the dirt, moving perennials around the garden or planting summer annuals into pots. However, it seemed like my Mom thought that a home should have some flower pots by the front door to welcome visitors and she persisted by making up pots for me and bringing them over as gifts. Then, when she’d come to visit, I’d answer the door, only to find her poking around the pots, saying, “You didn’t water your flowers.”

I don’t know when I began to see it as a fun mother/daughter time to actually plant the pots together. It seemed that when I was the one putting some effort into planting, it was so much more fun to see the beautiful results. I began to do more and more and can honestly say that I love it now. From going to the nursery and choosing my flowers, to preparing the pots and planting my own variations every year.

We don’t always do it together any more, her back is not as good as it once was, but doing pots will always remind me of my mom.
I checked back in photo albums and noticed how flower pots and hanging baskets seem to often be used as the backdrop for photos. I noticed how the grandkids have loved checking out the blooms and how the pots and flower varieties have somewhat changed, but always bring the feeling of a happy place to be.

Caring for my flowers has become a fun summer hobby and my Mom does not need to remind me any more to water my flowers. Now she just comes over, admires my garden and I have just one more thing to thank her for.

Flowers for Mothers Day

I was just finishing up in the garden, when I looked up and saw him walking across the lawn with a smile and an arrangement of white and pink. There is something about a son bringing you flowers that makes it not just any bouquet. There is usually a bloom or a sparkle or something in there that made him chose that arrangement and I love that he mentions that. Reminds me of so many times, in years gone by, when he’d pick flowers in our back yard and come in with his prized possession! It was always like I’d never seen that particular flower before. The bouquet now is larger, professionally done, but the feeling right now, just like then, makes me feel like the luckiest mother alive!

A walk in the Park

My walks in the park these days are so refreshing! Springtime just never ceases to amaze me! Sometimes it seems like you can see the growth from one day to the next, and it's such a beautiful, bright new green!

The wild flowers, the reflection on the lake, rabbits scurrying out of the way and birds chirping and fluttering around, I'm so thankful that I can see and feel this kind of excitement first thing in the morning.

During the week I walk with a good friend, Doris, whom I've walked with for about 20 years now and on the weekends and summer evenings I walk with my Hon.

On this particular morning we noticed another family walking ahead of us.

Mother goose must have noticed us coming and made sure all in her charge were close together. She strutted about like she owned a certain area. Don't anyone come near!

Father Goose was there too! Very proud and protective. We were just lucky he actually let us go by and take pictures. He could be right dangerous by the looks of things and I wouldn't want to mess with him.

We walked on by without further ado and continued talking, sharing and solving the world's problems before heading into another busy day. Everyone should have a friend to walk with.

Like Mother, Like Daughter

Julene recently sent us this photo of Tehya having just lost her two front teeth.

Have we seen this picture before? (In fact, didn't we actually take the photo?) Made us smile . . .

No Berry Festival in Indonesia, but Mom re-created the memory and showed her daughter that Mom was once a girl just like her.

On a Porch in Indonesia

Being a Grammy has its advantages.

You can pretend that you don't know anything about hospitality and enjoy watching them show you how it's done. They were both so eager to please and make sure it was done right.

I got seated and everything looked perfect!

The service was exceptional!

Oh, yes I wanted milk in my tea because it always reminds me of my own Omi (Grammy).

And she was also the one who taught me that a little sugar never hurt anyone.

It was quite the spread! We had something available from almost every food group!

Paeton wasn't quite sure about the whole pomp and circumstance. Maybe a little silly, but still fun.

Tehya was very pleased with how everything turned out.

And Grammy, who is having fun just reliving the memory,

thought it was the best tea party ever!

Thank you Tehya and Paeton!