Simple pleasures

For the past month, my girls have been having a blast playing in the forts they've been building. First there was the blanket fort at Christmas time -Daddy had a sweet set up for them with the TV and DVD in there so they could snuggle up on the mattress on the floor with their sleeping bags and watch a movie on a lazy afternoon! Seen here in mid-construction...

Then our neighbour dropped off a dishwasher box that he thought the girls might enjoy. They started putting their blankets, teddy's, books, you name it in there, then asked if they could paint it (which they did the week everyone was home sick).

We cut windows out the sides, then brought in a big TV box we had in the garage, adding to their fort. They've joined the two together and asked to have a door cut out of the side of one of the boxes for easier access... they can entertain themselves in there with their lamp, books and toys for hours!

The only problem is that life is so busy during the week with school, homework, skating, piano... that we long for the weekend! We have succeeded in slowing down the pace of our weeks by cutting out a few things since the fall, but still my favourite time in the world are Saturday mornings. No work or school to get to, no lunches to make, no church to rush to. The girls seem so much happier when they're together to play (having missed not having as much playtime in the week), and don't have to rush to go anywhere. I recently read a blog entry by Kelly that I fully resonated with all about those Saturdays at the end of hectic weeks and another by Elisabeth about making our house a home the family can enjoy. Then chatting with my sister the other day... the same idea keeps coming back about needing to slow life down, unscheduling crazy weeks, taking in the simple pleasures with family (forts and all!) as we make our house into the home we all long to spend more time in together.

Here's to more forts and simple pleasures that all the money in the world and non-stop rushing and oversheduling can't bring! Rocky's words still ring in my ears... we increasingly have a society full of experience-rich and relationally-poor kids... I'm appreciating the beauty of a cardboard box and all the fun it can bring to a home and family!

Mom knows best?

My husband starts school on Monday. In 12 months he'll be a paramedic! It's kind of a career change, but not a surprising one... he's worked a lot with youth in camp ministry, in the business world and in the fire service. Bottom line, he loves people, is a problem-solver, has a cool head in a crisis and thrives on that adrenaline rush. My mother-in-law couldn't be happier about this... she says that she's been after him to do this since he was a little boy! I guess moms really do know their kids.

I'm a high school teacher, and I'd have to say that one of the things that angers me the most is when students are told (by whomever - guidance counselors, teachers, parents, coaches...) that they will NEVER be able to do this or that... I grew up with a dad who used to tell me that the world was my stage. That I could do whatever I put my mind to. I vividly remember back in high school when my university applications were due... I had no idea where to apply or what to study. I pleaded with my dad to just tell me what I should do!! But he wouldn't. He said that this was one thing I'd have to figure out on my own... that got me thinking about what I really loved, and learning about the life around me and kids were two of those things - so off I went to study Biology while in the concurrent education program (allowing me to get both my undergraduate and teaching degrees).

I think the reason why I'm so bothered when people come down on kids and teens is because I do think that people can do what they put their minds to. Just take my husband and I for example... I was the straight A high school student... he was far from it... I did okay in university and worked hard... he went back to do an undergraduate degree in the health sciences earlier in our marriage and was way surpassing the majority of my university grades with marks mostly in the 80s and even some in the 90s! If you'd asked his high school teachers if they saw that in him back in the day... they probably would have said NEVER! Just goes to say that we need to believe in our kids. Looking at our own girls, who knows what they'll choose to do with their lives down the road... as much as my 6-year old enjoyed taking out her "doctor's kit" to care for me when I was sick yesterday (with her stethoscope and many needles!), in all honesty, I know that when she faces a crisis and sees any type of blood or trauma, she goes into panic/hysteria mode. So I'm guessing that she might not have her daddy's aptitude for the medical field or emergency services... having said that, I'm not going to start telling her that she could never be a doctor. Who knows how she'll develop and grow and mature over time!? I pray that God gives my girls direction and wisdom as they grow up (Colossians 1:9-14), and in the meantime, we are doing our best to help them to discover and develop their strengths and God-given gifts. The most important thing is that our kids know that we believe in them and that God has a plan for their lives (Jeremiah 29:11-13) then the possibilities are endless... I've seen what otherwise unmotivated students can do when they begin to see that you believe in them. It changes everything.

"Let's tell our young people

that the best books are yet to be written;

the best paintings have not yet been painted;

the best governments are yet to be formed;

the best is yet to be done by them."

- John Erskine

Surprise!

I don't know about your kids (if you have any), but mine don't always jump when I ask them to get dressed in the morning, or to put their jammies on at bedtime, or to come to get their hair and teeth brushed... Don't get me wrong, they're great kids and they listen fairly well and most mornings my 6 year-old is fully dressed by the time she leaves her room and my 3-year old is always eager to be mommy's little helper, but still, sometimes it's just tough to get them going!  One thing seems to get them moving though... now and then just telling them to  "Surprise daddy (or mommy)!" and they're off and running, hiding, giggling, moving as fast as they can to get ready - and no peeking not to ruin the surprise!  

Tonight, the surprise card still seemed to work despite our household being a sickly one for the past week... flus, chest infections, fevers, laryngitis, much coughing and more fevers... I needed some help to get them going tonight because I've been hit with it too and haven't been feeling so great the past few days!!  This morning it was the baby's turn... we're still praying that at least daddy stays healthy!  It's never a fun thing to be sick.  And it's especially difficult to feel so helpless while the kids are sick.  We've had our share of sleepless nights with sick kids the past month...  Needless to say, it was nice to see the girls have enough energy to want to surprise mommy with their jammies tonight!  Here's to a healthier month to come so that we can get out to play in the snow more!

Welcome 2009 - Here's to Living in Transition No More!

Last year was... well... interesting! I was back at work, pregnant, rushing all the time... JD was #1 with the girls in the morning and after school most days not leaving him much time in between to get much done (now he understands!)... we didn't know from one moment to the next if we were moving to another city as my husband seeked out various job opportunities... Our move was looking like it would be shortly after the baby was born and I didn't know when or how I would even think of getting the house packed while teaching full-time, or after with a newborn! In sum, 2008 was a draining year - physically and emotionally! The highlights: my husband and I drew closer together through the roller-coaster ride and we welcomed our third beautiful baby girl into our family... true blessings ;)

Now on maternity leave since the summer... we've made a decision which is carrying on into 2009... We will no longer "live in transition"! What do I mean by that? I've spoken to a few friends recently who know exactly what I'm talking about... living in transition is when you're not sure how long you'll be staying where you are, so you hear yourself say things like "If we stay, we need to do this..." or "When we move, I'd like to do that..." It's always talking about the what might be and so you become paralyzed in the present and stopped from carrying out many things! We had been living in transition for almost 3 years! Since we left Northern Ontario two weeks after the birth of our now 3-year old for my husband's work, we've had two "temporary" moves, at first with the intention of moving back North, then to move to Ottawa...

This past summer, we finally decided to stay put. Funny how a decision to stop living in transition can change life... We put a swing set up in the back yard... finally rearranged the girls' rooms around (I have a very happy 6-year old in a very PINK room! And a baby finally in her crib in her own room)... We finished the basement which remained in a state of demolition for over a year... Deciding to stay put and to no longer "live in transition" means that we're finally settling into our home. Finally sorting through boxes we've been carrying around from move to move for TOO long. Finally finding a place for everything and getting rid of a ton of stuff we don't need. It feels GREAT to be getting organized and to allow ourselves to set some roots.

We love our home, our neighbourhood, our church and my daughter's francophone school. We are very blessed and are glad to not constantly hear ourselves talking about possible moves. Does that mean that we will never move? No. I don't put it past God to have other plans for us! But it does mean that we're not talking about it anymore! If and when the right opportunity comes along, then we'll talk, but for now, we're all about living each day to the fullest as we truly settle into our home and our community. Feels great to be home!

Happy New Year!