Happy Birthday, Makenna!

Today we celebrate a birthday that only comes 'round once every four years!

 I know that right now you do not understand the significance of this day . . .

it's your birthday, is all you know!

To us, your Grammy and Papa, it's not only the first time your birthday is on the calendar

but it's also your first birthday in Canada!

An extra day made especially for you.

 

The words that come to me are from an old song by The Carpenters,

On the day that you were born the angels got together

And decided to create a dream come true

So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair of gold

And starlight in your eyes of blue . . .

We held you close you for a short while . . .

as your baby passport was processed just in time to return to Indonesia

 when you were 12 weeks old.

The next time we saw you was when we flew to see you for your first birthday!

At first you wondered about these old people that smiled at you like they knew you.

But it did not take long before you loved us too!

What girl would not smile with Papa's credit card in her possession?

On that trip we got to see your first steps.

We were lucky to be able to visit for your second Birthday in 2010.

That was the time when you fell in love with Papa's teasing

 and Grammy's treats that got rolled out on the kitchen counter

 as your hands made patterns on the flour dusted surface.

We missed your third Birthday, by about 5 weeks.

When you learned that we were coming later,

you announced that you'd be wearing a pretty dress.

Grammy decided to do the same.

The trips were fun! But there were always the hard goodbyes to follow.

Today we are filled with joy for this very special day . . .

one that we can celebrate right here at home . . .

with all the family around  . . . your almost twin cousin,

your other cousins and uncles and aunties joining the party for the first time.

And the best thing is . . . we do not have to say goodbye.

Happy Birthday Makenna Sage!

We love you, our sparkly, blue eyed, princess!

We thank God for you and pray His continued

blessing on your life.

Papa and Grammy

Joy

Having visited our kids in Indonesia a number of times in early spring, realities of dreaming and going float through my memory . Obviously this year there are no such plans and we are elated at the thought of celebrating our grandchildren's birthdays and every day life, for that matter, right here.

However, for one reason or another, these visits evoke a season in our life that cannot be easily forgotten. There is something about living, even just a few weeks, with those who live there that leaves an impression on you; one that I'd be oblivious to if we had kept to the touristy spots.

One day I came upon these girls walking down the road toward us

and I had to take the photo, inspired by the joy they radiated.

 If you saw the shack they live in just up the road (I know, since I was invited inside)

 you would wonder what they could be happy about.

They share a mattress with several other family members,

rain blasts at their pane-less windows at night

and rats scurry about nibbling at their toes.

But here they are, with big smiles on their faces,

looking like they have not a care in the world,

as they're on their way to fetch water to wash dishes and clothes.

Has anyone seen two teen-age girls, walking a mall in North America, looking this happy?

Congratulations to the New Mom

Baby Amelia is a second cousin to my grandchildren. Her Grammy and my H are brother and sister. Her Mommy and my kids are cousins. So she is pretty special, the first granddaughter on that little branch, although she was not so little.

She weighed in at 10 lbs, 8 oz on the day she was born.

Kristal opened her home for the extended family shower. Twenty nine women came and if her place had been larger, I'm sure there would have been more.

With so many chatting and happy to catch up, there was no need for games. but there was one guessing game.

A beautiful pink punch was ready when the guests arrived. I took the photo before the sherbet was added.

Our hostess made these beautiful chocolate/peanut butter and lemon/cream cheese cupcakes . . .which she may or may not give me the recipe for yet. She also made the paper holders.

We had some savories . . .  nachos with a killer guacamole, spinach dip,

 cheesy breadsticks, Mexican Spirals . . .

veggies  . . . fruit . . .

. . .  brownies, lemon squares and this traditional almond puff that has been a favorite at our family showers for many years.

 There were lots of gifts to bless the new mom with . . .

and lots of ooing and aahing about the cute, girlie things.

Amelia was passed around and hardly made a sound the whole time.

Here she is being held by a proud auntie.

Showers are such a great way to rejoice with those who rejoice!

When the Lumberjack Came Back

So here's what happened in the days that followed that first tree-felling episode. To begin, I took a photo of a broad view of our tree-line with the one tree down, right in the middle of the photo. On the second day they took down the two trees I will focus my next photos on, not ignoring the fact that later the tree on the very right came down as well. Basically, four large trees closest to us in our view.

He's working on the second tree.

(mostly done)

(the third tree)

A perspective from our yard.

tying the branch

(sadness)

The third tree was a goner, with the fourth following suit. At this point I am happy to say that they seem to be done, although road construction is continuing.

In Ecclesiastes 3: 2 we read that there is a time to plant and a time to uproot.

Whether it is technology or life in general, I tend to fight change

and I try to remember that there is One who remains steady.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever.

(Hebrews 13:8)

"The same in what?"  I ask myself.

He is sovereign,

all wise,

trustworthy,

desiring our best,

loving us,

full of mercy,

forgiving,

faithful to keep His promises

forever.

In a world of change, it's good to know

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,

summer and winter, day and night will never cease."

Genesis 8:22

How Many Can We Fit?

I peeked into the playhouse in our basement, the one Papa built almost twenty-five years ago. It's built into dead space between the furnace and a closet . . . two storeys, with a door and a window.

It sat ignored for some years after our kids grew up, and younger nieces grew out of it, but it does not even seem that long. It's one of the first places the little ones find when they come over.

Once again, as it often happens these days, I could hardly believe the scene. Where did they all come from? And to think, four is half of them!

They are so proud when they can safely make it up to the loft by themselves, turn off the light and pretend to go to sleep.

Oops, it looks like the lady of the house decided it was time to do some serious clean up! Happens often. Just chuck it all down, great grandma's crocheted blankets, babies and all, while the man rides out the storm. They learn early.

Oh yes.... and one of their favorite giggle/screach times is when adults try to scare them from outside the window, feeling quite smug and safe behind those bars.
Sigh . . . by the time you are a grammy you know that this too will soon pass . . . making the etching of another memory in the life of the playhouse even more important.

They Wouldn't!

I had some warning first thing in the morning when I heard a chain saw going, a sound that tends to make me nervous. Looking out, I did not see anything unusual, so I got ready and went out to get groceries.

When I came home, I was doing something by my kitchen sink, when I looked up and saw something in the trees and, no, it was not a monkey. I could not believe my eyes!

Would they really do that? Would they cut down our the forest?

I realize that our property stops by the fence, but if I have anything to say about that view, I'd like to keep it. Maybe they're just thinin' .... maybe someone had some clout to remove just the poplars amongs the alders.  I'm hoping.

It's all Good

I don't have to panic any more when I see him heading upstairs.

Once he's satisfied his curiosity up there,

he knows the drill . . . turn around  before sliding back down.

This has not always been the case.

 

Even human road blocks do not get in his way any more now. 

 Isn't it amazing what we have all learned through our stumbles and falls?
I'm still learning.

Our First Home

Someday our grandchildren may ask us what it was like in the olden days. If I've forgotten, hopefully I will have documented enough to give them a glimpse of those good old days.

Our first home was a little rental house on Dueck Crescent. It had been transported from Yarrow to Clearbrook and sat on slightly elevated posts, leaving enough room for night-time critters to access  the underneath and wake us in the middle of the night. I think the room behind that front door and window you see there, may have been added after the move and may have been a garage at some point. For us it was a living room. One of the best things about this tiny house was that the rent was cheap. On this premise we were able to live on my income and pay off a building lot with his.

Here you see it in the summer. The big square window in front and the first one along the side were two windows in our bedroom. The window with the curtains tied back faced out over the kitchen sink.

It would appear that we did not need the one window in the bedroom, since obviously that was the best wall for my dresser.

Just like the bedroom, the kitchen behind it, ran across the entire width of the house. The window you see there is the side opposite the sink window side.

The bathroom was tucked in behind the kitchen. It was narrower than the bathtub was long. If you scroll back, you will see the bathroom wall jutting out beside the fridge. That was so the bathtub would fit. In the photo I am standing by the sink and the outside wall to the back is right behind me. Guys using the facilities were teased that they would have to walk in and back out.

The living room boasted a record player stand that a friend made for us, a new plaid couch set, an olive green velour swivel chair and a highschool woodwork-class coffee table.

My H was part of a band that sometimes practiced in our living room. (The one of him was taken earlier in my bedroom at home.)

When we got married I became an instant auntie to eighteen nieces and nephews and I made it my goal to invite all of his siblings with their kids over for a meal within the first few months of our marriage. Obviously we could not  host them all together, so it had to be individual families. I can't say that I knew how to cook, but I'm sure they did not expect much from this eighteen-year-old blushing bride. I had the rest of my life to learn.

What I really want to say is that we were happy as larks in our little four-room house. It was a romantic start to our life together. When that blue skyhawk came whipping into the driveway, my heart skipped a beat. I had everything I could possibly want.
I still do . . . Happy Valentines Day to my Hon!