Of Treehouses and Growing Up

These days, when I've  gone down to check on Chris and Paeton's

treehouse building in our back yard, 

my mind has taken me back a number of years.

In November 2005 we visited our kids in Indonesia.

This is when we got to know Paeton.

Papa decided to use the visit to build a playhouse for the kids,

and with that, found out about Paeton's love for tools.

Day after day, he would crawl right inbetween Papa's legs and try to help.

When it was time for his nap, he went to sleep with a screw clasped tightly in his tiny fist.

And when it was time for us to go home, 

we hoped we'd left a memory of us behind.

About five years later, we were back to visit them at a new location

and this time the guys decided to build a treehouse. 

Paeton was there to watch every detail. 

Again, it was such a great way to connect.

 In the end, maybe it didn't help the good bye,

but there was something tangible to leave behind once more.  

So this is where my thoughts have been ...

how is it, that now he is taller than I am

and buiding a treehouse with his dad for us

before they head back again.

I enjoy checking the progress 

and he just grins at me. 

 

Excitement mounts even in a Grandma, to see the thought put into this

and imagine the fun. 

In the meantime, Paeton, maybe you know how happy we are

that we've been able to see you for an extended amount of time.

It's been an unexpected gift.

This week as you turn sixteen, 

we can only imagine the last bend in the road to becoming an adult,

and we want you to know how proud we are of you!

Our prayers are with you in these unknown times,

and we will cheer you on to see God's very best for you. 

Love, Papa and Grammy

The Fence Visit

 As I've been mulling over my visit with mom,

I've realized how she's come to the stage of the disease 

that I knew was coming, but could not bear to think about.

Add Covid 19 distancing ... and it can just break your heart.

As I've read about the seven stages of Alzheimer's 

- ironically taking over the past seven years as well - 

I've pictured her in each of them. 

From undetectable,

to telling me she was forgetting things, while I thought it normal.

I laughed that she missed her appoinment at the Memory Specialist.

Next came some unexpected habit breaking -
due to her inability to create order,

everything was a mess around her.

Telling her what time I'd pick her up was immediately forgotten.

There were frustrations on both sides,

because this was not really her.

She knew .... and she thought she was disappointing us.

Stage five, she needed help dressing

and it just got to be too much trouble, so she didn't bother,

having no sense of season or what was appropriate.
Pictures and mirrors played tricks with her -

causing illusions of time and circumstances to confuse her more.

To my dear mom, it was torture. 

It was probably around stage six when we moved her,

with no recollection of where she had come from.

She moved into a wheelchair, had to be fed, 

bathed and put to bed by a Care Aide. 

There were still times she laughed,

found the words of familiar hymns,

and told me that she loved me.

This year has brought her to the final stage. 

I read for more ... but there is no more.

Except for what I know to be true,

a sense of anticipation for her,

to know that her next stage is release from this earthly tent,

and a home prepared in heaven.

Yes, we grieve, but not as though we have no hope.

I was so happy to see Julene and Kristal join me on Friday afternoon.

 Monika and Rosie came as well.

We sang, we prayed for her, we laughed and we cried.

 So good, that each of us knows who she really is

and what a blessing she has been to us. 

 Every once in a while she'd look up ...

she seemed to love good laghter

and songs from way back brought a distant yearning to her eyes.

We all struggle with why certain things happen ...

this is life, imperfect and temporal.

Our only hope is to look to what is eternal.

For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror,

then we shall see face to face.

Now I know in part, then I shall know fully,

even as I am fully known.

1. Corinthians 13: 12

All Because Two People Fell in Love

 When the kids found out about the theater room,

their minds immediately went to planning a talent show.

There were posters popping up everywhere,

asking everyone to sign up.

 But first let me go to our in-home baking contest ...

The chosen ones being the dads with one assistant each.

 They had to bake cookies with no recipe ..

 The audience kept moving closer and closer for a good look.

Our dessert that night was a soft coconut cake/cookie

and a chocolate chip smartie cookie - 

all served with a doll-up of whipped cream,

which makes everything good. 

The talent show was organized and hosted by Natalie.

The lighting was poor and there was a lot of movement,

so pictures are not so good ..

but the memories are priceless.

We had a father/daughter magic show ...

and they say a magician never gives up her secrets. 

These girls were so proud of their art-work 

that they handed out to everyone.

 We had some good sports who had no idea what they volunteered for.

 An up and coming girl band.

And the winner of the show was the boy dance team.

Seriously, for the laughter! 

Adult contributions included a memorization of Psalm 103,

a sister duet and an old camp skit.

For a first-time talent show,

we all did pretty good. 

 Our hearts are filled with gratefulness 

for forty-five years - not without hard work.

Yes, we never could have dreamed of the possibilities

of our carefree summer engagement 

followed by a fall wedding

 three kids

who each found their loves and made us the family we are today.

Thanks to Chris, who loves anything that flies,

we got some memorable pictures from the air. 

The Year the Friesens Rented a Villa

Maybe one day we will look back on this year 

as a year that stands out with changes,

or maybe as a year that changed everything.

This is also the year we celebrate our 45th Anniversary

and so, by request of our kids, we booked camping spots in Washington,

a favorite summer holiday place of their childhood.

When we realized that this was not going to happen,

they began looking for another option.

Being busy with moving and settling into our house,

we were not involved as much. 

I saw floor plans, lots of bedrooms,

but never thought to check out what the house actually looked like. 

That's not really like us, but we were just so happy to find a place 

that could house us all.

We left caravan style last Sunday morning,

vehicles full of groceries, sports equipment, bikes and luggage. 

You can only imagine how excitement had built up by this time.

We couldn't check in till four, 

so we dragged out the drive with stops. 

When we came upon the complex in Kelowna,

and drove around to park,

my H just said, "this must be the place!"

It took more than that phrase to convince me ..

and I'm sure there were screams in the other cars. 

A hostess met our ueber excited clan and decided to give us a tour.

A large kitchen with an adjoining deck.

There were sitting corners in several places.

The views were amazing through all the weather changes.

 Bedrooms all had white linens.

There was a floor we dedicated just to the girls.

They took three bedrooms and shared a bathroom.

Wouldn't you take special note of doors like this? 

They led into the boys' room on the main floor.

The moms and dads got rooms on that floor as well.

The hallway by the kitchen was fine enough to roller blade 

and there was also a pool table and games room.

 The rooftop patio housed the hottub, a sitting area with lounge chairs and 

our bedroom and bath. 

Monday, after breakfast, we headed to the beach.

It looks nicer than it was because

you can't see the mosquitos that soon chased us away. 

For a little while, though, we tried to make the best of it.

I was reminded that

the first big family vacation we took with married kids was in 2004.

How special it felt, and how hard I worked to be organized.

Tehya was almost two and Paeton not born yet ...

the year that they headed overseas. 

This week Tehya told me that this could be the last vacation

with all the grands being "children." 

And that's how fast it goes ...

a few holidays and trips ... and they are grown.

I see our own kids taking charge as we begin to slow down.

 In the afternoon, as we sat on our rooftop patio,

I heard loud laughter downstairs.

I peered over the railing and saw the theme to the dinner that was being prepared.

Wouldn't you know it, Kristal had found sombreros in their bedroom. 

 We had fun trying them on.

  Shaun and Kristal served up a yummy dinner of pork carnitas.

We were serenaded with Mariachi music 

and finished off with a pinata party.

Such a fun evening!

The deck really became the happening place for all kinds of activity ...

to spy out the land,

paint

color

skateboard
games

hide and seek

and eat

Ben and Kari were not to be outdone!

We soon saw hints of a Hawaiian theme ....

leis, pina caladas and Hawaiian music.

They served a delicious meal of 

grilled teriyaki chicken with carmelized pineapple,

rice and grilled vegetables.

Dessert was a deconstructed hula pie! 

On Wednesday Chris and Julene whipped up a tasty "Diner" style dinner,

complete with deep fried fries and lots of burger toppings.

After dinner there was a cook off that I will tell about in the next post.

And that was our dessert. 

During the day, the kids enjoyed the pool,

bike rides and pickle ball. 

Covid rules made pool times a bit more difficult, 

but everyone was fine with whatever time they could get. 

I'll leave now with a clue to something the grands 

invited us all to share in.

There was quite some built up anticipation for this evening
and there were those that could hardly wait. 

More Joys

 Since some of the kids missed getting into the last post,

I decided to add them now.

It was Lacey and Teddy's  turn for a sleep-over.

 We had burgers for supper and watched Christopher Robin.

Papa's bedtime story was about attending boarding school as a boy.

 I love that the kids all share a love for fluffy, sticky dough,

with some of them almost always mentioning that they like the scent.

Add butter, cinnamon, sugar 

 and runny icing ... what's not to like!

And last, but not least, this beautiful girl

finished Middle School!

There's a part of me that wants to keep her little -

like how she's loved after school pick-ups, 

declaring Thursdays to be her favorite day because of it.

Her bubbly entrance into the car 

with stories about her day 

or hoping we could go to the candy store or playground,

made the rides endearing and entertaining.

You add up the years, one by one,

and here you are, Natalie -

responsible, tender, caring and smart -

ready to begin high school.

These few pictures remind me again 

how quickly they grow

and how blessed I am to be their Mimi.