First day of summer break

Dad took the kids fishing. It was a bit too windy and far too weedy. But they didn't care. After all, the girls spent the first 15 minutes throwing rocks in the lake. So any fish that may have been in the area were looong gone. They are learning and dad is very patient with them. Which is so fun!

Surprise pictures

Wow, its amazing what you find when you finally download photos!

Here are my cuties!

Putting the father into father's day

How did we celebrate Father's day this year? Did we spoil Wes? Give him the day off to golf?

Well, he doesn't golf and ...

I spent the morning at an after hours clinic getting medicine for strep throat. Gavin had it earlier in the week and my thanks for nursing him back to health was to also get it. And I was very sick.

So Wes spent the day with the kids. Took them to a movie and then fed them and go them to bed. He was Dad-in-charge.

We are blessed to have such a great Daddy (and husband too).

A country mourns

It may seem that the world is going crazy. It may feel that our time is spinning out of control.

Today Canada mourned. Every Canadian I know is sad for our national police and the families of the victims. One bad worm can cause so much rot and destruction.

But... look at the crowds and the Internet response and remember this was one bad worm!

Look at the millions of caring and concerned people. It may not take away the hurt and it doesn't change the loss these families feel, but it can help restore some hope - a kernel.

All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed.

It sneaks up on you

Sometimes I visit and share with other parents who are going through a similar journey as we have with Bronwyn's heart issues. I often say to them, "Don't be surprised if much later on your emotions get the better of you, when you least expect it." I'm not sure why this happens, maybe because you have to deal with what is in front of you so you set aside your emotions for later... I'm not entirely sure... but it does happen.

It happened to me today.

The kids school does an activity with one of the local community associations. It is a duathalon, a bike and run, for a different charity every year.

It is a lovely idea, but one that worries me a bit with Bronwyn. There are a lot of parents at the event but very few of them know about Bronwyn and her heart history, so it freaks me out just a bit.

Last year I didn't send the consent forms in since I didn't really want her doing it, since it was on a day that I had an appointment scheduled. According to one of my friends who was at the school, Bronwyn participated anyhow, she just didn't do the bike portion! I felt OK since there were several moms I know and trust that were there, but still...

So this year I agreed they could participate. I went to watch her.

Bronwyn came in LAST. But she ran the whole way and biked as hard as she could. And I wanted to run and tell her to slow down and walk, but I didn't! I was so proud of her. One of the moms who knows about her heart came and gave her a special bike bell as a prize. She was so out of breath she couldn't even thank her.

They had a watermelon and popsicle station for the participants. So we got her a treat and I asked her to go sit down and rest. Another mom that we have know for a long time congratulated Bronwyn heartily and then said to me (as Bronwyn walked away), "This must be stressful for you."

I suddenly started to cry and said, "You have no idea!" I was so embarrassed to be crying in public like that. But, I had to admit I was barely holding it together.

The tears came because it is stressful not knowing how far she can safely push herself. The tears came from holding in years of anxiety about these situations. The tears came for the other kids with her condition who wouldn't have been able to bike or run. The tears came from pride of my tough girl who will give it her all and be proud of her last place.

It was a mixed bag of tears and I left as swiftly as I could!