Happy Birthday, Tehya

photo credit Beatriz Photography and Design

How can I describe the moment of conception within our hearts, the moment we heard we were to become grandparents?  The thrill of expectation, the reality of moving on and the apprehension of preparedness are not unlike the feeling of expecting your first baby. It becomes about a love for someone you don't even know, but forever part of you. A tiny babe wrapped tight, held in the crook of a young father's arm or lying against it's mother's breast - pure innocence come down from heaven.

It was ten years ago, on August 11th, that we got the call to come and see "baby Tehya". It was summer-time and everyone was home. Everyone at that time, was Papa and me, the baby-crazy auntie Kristal and the proud uncle Ben, just back from New Zealand. We all rushed to the hospital, almost tripping over each other.

We held you . . . delighted in your first smiles and giggles and, eventually, your determination to pull yourself up on the toy-box. We reached out our arms to catch you in your first faltering steps . . . shared your first delights at the scent of flowers and the taste of grapes . . . picked plums and ate them. We sang in the car . . . rocked you to sleep in the park . . . splashed in the pool . . .  bundled you up and took you out to catch snowflakes. We went swinging in the park . . . read stories and played peek-a-boo . . . all this, while your mom and dad prepared to go overseas. We filled up during the first two years, to drink from for years to come. There were times I was afraid to love, knowing it would hurt when you’d leave.

But far away . . . was never far away from our thoughts . . . and when we saw a beautiful girl come running toward us at the airport . . . whether it was here or there . . .  I saw God’s grace unfold . . . a grace He bestowed over and over. We celebrated often. It did not matter what month it was . . . we’d put up a tree. We celebrated with parcels, lovingly and carefully packed, then vicariously opened, doubling the joy. You entertained us on the phone with beautiful, descriptive language . . . my favourite being when you were six years old, and you informed us that when you are in the shade you look like you are ten.

Tehya, today you not only look ten, but you are ten years old, growing into a beautiful young lady with a tender heart. You think about how others feel and you do something about it. Your confidence is a strength that God has given you to bless others with. We are so proud of you, the one who first made us Papa and Grammy. Your beautiful smile makes us smile and we pray the sunshine of God’s love and favour rests on you.

With all our love,
Papa and Grammy

Toddler Language

I was standing by the kitchen sink when he came up behind me
and I heard "Help you."
I had a quick look, probably more out of surprise at the words
than why he said them . . .
and then I saw what he meant . . .
in each hand he had a piece of a toy semi truck that had come apart.

That same evening we were about to descend some stairs and
he stopped me short with, "carry you" . . .
Ah . . . although he was affirming the fact that I should carry him . . .
it was like . . . well, almost as sweet as someone offering to carry me.

I know these days are numbered,
these days when they figure out who the subject in a sentence is
long before knowing about subjects or direct objects . . .
or when her becomes a she and him becomes a he,
maybe without ever knowing about subjective or objective pronouns.
Language is such a wonderful thing to grasp,
but when you hear these beginner stages from a toddler
you almost wish time to stand still.

Camping Season

This recent photo was sent to me by someone who remembers being a child . . .
and it allowed me to see that getting a trailer ready to go camping

is still as exciting as it was a generation ago.

In this photo we were packing up to leave early the next morning.
The kids were supposedly tucked into bed, when one had an idea . . .
and we suddenly discovered them in the trailer.

The Lakehouse Beginnings

When mom and dad purchased the summer property there was a small shed and a horsebarn on it. Numerous walnut and hazelnut trees graced the lakefront, while several mature apple trees were set further back. Being as several friends shared the three acres and that regulations were such that they could only build one home on it, one couple built a home and the other two couples converted the horsebarn into a duplex to be used for weekend get-a-aways.

The first years of going to the to the lake  were rather primitive kind of visits . . . not the kind I got too excited about, expecting a child and running after a toddler. There was no running water or indoor plumbing. Every time the family went, there was a work project to do, which began with cleaning out the manure in the barn, pouring a concrete floor and eventually framing rooms and making it into a dwelling.

However, I can guess that it was a highlight for my parents when we would show up. Two-year olds don't see the mess . . . they only see Oma and Opa, 'petty fowlers' and lots of room to run around.

 

By 1980 the first floor was framed in and roughly finished, but my dad had an idea on how to create more space on our side of the barn. Sometimes he had crazy ideas and sometimes those ideas worked. In those days a structural engineer was not consulted . . . it was a simple matter of drawing up the A- frame roof and deciding where it would be cut and lifted.

My sister, Monika was engaged to Bob that summer, so this was his first opportunity to impress his father-in-law to be. He brought along his boss, an experienced builder - a relative of the family. My H had also had some framing experience, and judging by the photo, I see other friends who were quite eager to see how this would work. Walls were framed in the attic, under both sides of the pitched roof. As they lay ready to be raised, the roof was cut out and lifted, held by several men, while the others put the framed wall in place.

Here you see the wall coming up under the raised roof. Bob's boss, Bob and my H are holding up the roof. They did this on both sides. I could barely watch, praying, but still afraid the whole roof would come down on them. 

 

But today . . . thirty-two years later . . .  that roof  is still being held up by those walls. Four bedrooms are tucked under that roof, two on each side. Later on we added a garage on our side and after a number of years, a games-room was finished over the garage by extending the A- frame roof. It all worked out. And so goes another story about the cabin that we now refer to as the lakehouse.

The "Brady Bunch" Gathering

At the place where pear trees line the gravel driveway that both sides
 of the family have shared for many years . . .

and where apple trees have been divided and harvested each autumn . . .

"her" side assembled and chatted

and in another area "his" side also met to catch up with each other,
while young and older women in two separate kitchens . . .
in two separate dwellings . . .
prepared food and brought it together under one large tree.

When it came time to eat, everyone gathered and he asked the Lord's blessing.

We all know that food brings people together . . .

 

there was corn on the cob and there were salads, plain and fancy . . .
homemade buns . . .

salmon that disappeared before the line up was done . . .
and chili and ham that made up the difference.

Ages ranged from 3 months to eighty. Mennonite, non-Mennonite,
Canadian, American, Japanese . . . everyone welcome.

It was 34 years ago, on the weekend around August 3rd, 1978
 that the Mr. and Mrs. from both sides signed the deal on the purchase of this joint summer property.
I remember this because of the special day it is for us as we celebrate Julene's birth - our firstborn,
the first grandchild - the very reason my dad saw the future with renewed vigor.

The couples had no idea that 33 years later
there would be two lonely spouses left,
who would marry each other . . . because they were all best of friends.

The year following the purchase, twin grandchildren were born on his side
and then Kristal on our side . . . and so it went.
Being the oldest on my side (and a female) helps me to connect the dots.

The next generation . . . the great-grandchildren . . . may never fully understand, but they bask in the fact that they now have an Opa as well as an Oma.

So many stories . . . within the two families . . . but this is not the time to tell them  . . .

On this day we celebrate a new relationship . . .
a new found love and companionship.

The grafting of two families . . .
in a place that feels like home to all of us.

Whistler

While London is basking in the limelight of hosting the Summer Olympics, we decided to take our guests to one of the sites of the 2010 Winter Olympics.



The road to Whistler is a scenic drive past ocean inlets, placid lakes, rushing glacier rivers, wild flowers and waterfalls tumbling down the mountain sides.

We stopped off at Porteau Cove where the kids had fun exploring on the shore.

Our second stop was at Alta Lake where we opened the packed cooler.

After the sighs of amazement at the scenes along the way, including the sighting of a bear cub,
a deer and a few eagles showing off their freedom .  .  . I could hardly wait
 to show them the mountain tops and glaciers surrrounding Whistler Village . . .
 a trip we have done with our kids when they came home for a visit.

We took a twenty- minute gondola ride up Whistler Mountain,

landing us in a setting with beautiful alpine meadows, jade green lakes



and snow capped peaks  in every direction.

From here the boys took an open chair to the very peak

while Kathy and I visited the scenic lookouts and she eyed the Peak 2 Peak gondola that we would be taking next.



I know that she was being brave about anticipating this ride. For those who feel a little squeamish around heights, this can be daunting.

The guys got back from their mountain top experience and then we got on the longest,
highest gondola ride in the world, spanning 2.7 miles, between Whistler and Blackcomb.
I must say she did well and seemed quite relaxed, considering.
It was fun to watch Isaac with his camera.

On the other side . . .

we took a chair lift back down to the base.

We made out way past all kinds of summertime entertainment and back to Whistler Village

where our guests treated us to dinner.
And that was the end of a vacation day in our neck of the woods!