I need to take pictures

My apologies, I have been just horrible about taking pictures lately. I hope to get a couple soon and post them. But for now...

Bronwyn had her yearly cardiology check-up yesterday. Everything is great. I suspected there were no problems as we haven't been seeing and worrying symptoms, but it is wonderful to have the confirmation.

We have less than a week left of our summer holiday. Soon we will be back to the routine. I am excited for the kids. Bronwyn can't wait to be back at school. Mari is super excited to start preschool and Gavin, well, he is resentful and not keen to go back. Oh well, two out of three ain't bad I guess.

The girls will both be doing ballet this fall and Gavin will continue with karate. We are taking a break from piano and other activities. We had such a crazy summer, Daddy was so busy that I figure we need to get back into things slowly. Maybe spend some evening time as a family.

August has just zipped by. Not sure I'm ready for school, but here it comes ready or not!

Bronwyn is six

I intended to take a picture of our birthday girl. In fact, she was organizing a photo with her brother and sister when she got knocked in the nose by accident. I took the shot but she was, by the time my finger pressed go, in full cry. Not appropriate for a birthday shot.

Will try to take and post one tomorrow.

I can be easily emotional for any of my kids birthdays. There is so much to be thankful for, so much to remember of our joy when first meeting each one. Bronwyn's birthday has a bit more drama and emotional baggage wrapped up in it. But then we are so keenly aware of God's blessings for the same reason.

All I can say is we continue to be thankful for her. Each year.

Swimming lessons

We are mid swimming lessons. The kids have finished off one week and have one more to go. I am so thrilled with how they are doing. Bronwyn is putting her head full in the water and enjoying it!! Gavin is starting to show signs of early front crawl and backstroke. And Mari, well, Mari agreed that she would stay with her instructor today so she made some strides too. She has no fear and gets a bit bored with the other three year olds in her class and likes to make her own fun. I spoke to her about it and she did so much better today.

We are still having a pretty quiet summer. Taking advantage of playing with friends and hanging around the city. Wes is still working pretty flat out, but hopefully only for a few more weeks! We miss Daddy, but we are so very very proud of him.

Hope you are all having a wonderful summer too. God's blessings.

Sick a bed with my feet out the window

My Grandpa used to say that - no idea what it means, but I have been sick. The whole family got sick. Mari first and then as she got better the rest of us fell. I was last to go and last to recover.

This has created a certain amount of difficulty and well, enlightenment. Mari has been rather unsupervised. And I have figured out who is responsible for 95% of the mess in this house.

I tried to talk Mari into being useful, "You can be our nurse." I coached her. She started grabbing at her sister and trying to pull her out of bed and as Bronwyn refused she yelled, "I'm the nurse, get up now!" Later she came to be and gently stroking my brow she leaned over and looked in my eyes and said in a rather jaunty voice, "How you boy?" As my Mom said, not sure the health system could endure her.

Good news is almost everyone is on the mend. I am hoping I'll be in the pink tomorrow. Rather ticked off that I wasn't fine today actually. Bit of a nuisance this sick stuff.

Oh well. Nothing to be done I suppose. The sooner I'm better the sooner Nurse Mari can retire.

Why I think I'm a farmer

I have long felt like I am a farmer. Well, not a real farmer but a sort of "kindred" farmer. Let me explain.

I have a list of reasons that I think qualify me to be a farmer.

1. I have a killer farmer tan.
2. I prefer to give directions east and west rather than left or right. (I realize that my motives for doing this are different than your average farmer - I personally can't tell my left from right so it is easier for me).
3. I have a little patch of garden - a few peas, tomatoes and beans - which I like to refer to as my crop.
4. I have a problem throwing anything away that might be useful.
5. I know some farmers and I like them so that kind of makes me an honourary farmer, sort of!!
6. I helped my cousin sell carrots at a farmer's market once when I was a wee girl. Was pretty good at it too if I can remember correctly.
7. I can tell the difference between wheat and barley (well not bearded wheat - haven't the foggiest how to tell it from barley).

Well, OK, so I'm not a farmer, I'm as urban as you can get. But... I will confess that I have a huge admiration for our farmers. These people have taken on a job and a lifestyle that has many inherent challenges and why do they do it? Well, they would have to answer for their own personal motivation. But what I do know is that someone has to provide food for the people of the world. It is a noble calling.

When I go to the grocery store and pick out my bread or my produce or my meat I am often unaware of the lives behind these products. People who run great risk of investment, isolation and mercy of the weather to make sure I have food for my children. It is for these people, these families and their choices I give thanks! God bless all our farmers!

Happy Canada Day

9

Schools out

I will try post some pictures soon. Just have been too busy to download any.

Today was our first day of summer vacation. I decided we needed to do a fair bit of relaxing today as we have all been going pretty hard through June.

The weather has suddenly turned sunny and it would seem summer is finally here. Yeah!

I can't write long, Bronwyn needs a snuggle with her mommy. Just wanted to let you know we are still here, even though I haven't found much time to blog lately.

I will say this. I am very proud of how my kids did this year. All of them!

Out of the mouths of babes

Today I was out at my folks house. Mom and Dad were hosting a barbeque and I went out early to help a bit. Mom was fussing around as she does and I suggested she sit down and have some coffee to relax as she was making everyone nervous.

Betty scoffed at this and said to Mari, "Mari, am I making you nervous?"

Mari replied quickly, 'Yes, wittle bit."

Ha ha ha!! What a quirky little girl.

House update

For those of you who follow this blog and not our other "house" blog, here is our latest set of adventures in that regard - The House that Wes built.

Also I have started reading again - dipping  my toe into all sorts of things that just catch my fancy - and if you have to know it is likely 17 or 18 century as that is my favourite period of writing! Not a big fan of the big, deep, depressing and important works that people write now. A bit of reality is sometimes too much!

Here is a very lovely quote I read today from An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde.

"You see, it is a very dangerous thing to listen. If one listens one may be convinced; and a man who allows himself to be convinced by an argument is a thoroughly unreasonable person."

Ha ha. On the lighter side, but still very cute!

It is well with my soul

I wanted to share a couple pictures and a quick thought.

Friday I had the honour to sing that song in an assembly that had gathered to celebrate and mourn a wee precious girl.

By -Horatio Spafford

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

When I was a child, even then, I loved this song. At that age I judged song merely on their musical quality. I loved "athletic" songs. But this song had a melody and tune that resonated with my heart even then.

But now... this song and I have history.

I sang this song as I drove back to Calgary, having just received news that my Grandma was in the hospital having had a stroke.

I sang this song when I got the news of Bronwyn's condition, unaware of what the future would hold for us.

I sang this song when Wes lost his job and the fear of financial worries crowded in.

I sang this song for my best friend when she had to bury a preterm infant.

I sang this song with a crowd gathered to support a dear friend who lost a child to a complicated and scary disease. Friday, I sang it again with the same crowd for the same family.

I sing this song when my spirits are low. I sing this song to bolster myself, to give myself courage, to remind myself of the community I live in and the suffering many others have had to endure.

I know I am not alone. I know that many of you feel the same way about this song. I know this song was a special gift from God.

So sing it! Sing it as loud as you can and know that - it is, indeed, well with my soul (and yours too).

This little Youtube link has the song (not the best rendition I have heard, but if you watch and read it tells the very moving story of the author of this song).

A new invention

I love roasted brussel sprouts and so does Gavin. When the outer leafy bits fall off and roast and crisp in the pan and salt - mmmmmm - so good.

So I decided that I would try pulling apart a couple brussel sprouts so they would be a pile of leaves and then deep frying them. I figured it would give the same roasted effect - if not an even tastier effect. Sort of like really healthy chips.

The did taste very good - greasy - but good.

The problem lay more in the execution of the project. It was frankly, dangerous. Potatoes splatter and splutter in grease. But these popped and exploded, well the leaves didn't explode, the molten hot fat did. I had to throw little handfuls in and shut the lid quickly. It was louder than popcorn. Hot grease was flying everywhere. It is a miracle I didn't sustain a burn on my arms or hands.

Not sure I will try it again. It was an awful lot of work, but it was nice and kind of a fun, albeit not kid friendly, project. And not one I'd recommend you try.

Maybe if I coated them in tempura batter they would be even better? Huh, I wonder...

Sunday evening thoughts

This was a lovely weekend. A lovely sunny, first day of real spring/summer kind of weekend. We enjoyed it so much. The grass is getting greener, the leaves are really starting to pop out and the neighborhood seems to be waking up from hibernation. All weekend long I could here lawn mowers going.

We did however, hear some very bad news pertaining to some friends of ours and our lovely weekend has been tainted with grief.

I am so blessed and tonight I am very keenly conscious of our blessings. My heart hurts, my spirit is heavy and my mind is whirling. And yet, for us life chugs on... and for that we are very grateful.

Part of wisdom is, I think, learning to grieve and share sorrows with others while still managing to celebrate our own joys and gifts. Life is a weird, wonderful and often scary thing, coming to terms with that and staying the course is tricky but necessary.

God bless you all. May God give us all strength to carry our various burdens and to rise to our own struggles. And lets make the road more pleasant by walking together.

My apologies for the lack of cohesiveness in my thoughts tonight. My mind really is a jumble.

Sunday morning rambles

It is Sunday morning. We are preparing to go to church. We don't always go to church. We sometimes meet with other friends and or family in fellowship, more private and intimate. But today we will go.
The kids are all ready. We have been up for, thanks to Gavin, several hours now. Wes slept in. My husband is very tired these days and I rejoice when he can get a wee bit extra rest.
Last week was not a normal week for me. My head just wasn't in the game. I blame it on a very busy weekend. Last weekend I drove to Edmonton to attend a cardiology conference. It amazes me how doing this, while super informative and helpful, also drags me into the world of "what ifs" and the reality of Bronwyn's condition. I cultivate a place for my family where we don't concentrate on this, where we forget. We have the luxury of forgetting.
I also did some reading. We all froze our butts off at soccer and we ran from activity to activity. The house project also had its fair share of drama.
Life's pressures sometimes weigh so hard, sometimes they just seem a bother, other times I'm reminded they are a gift.

We wait and watch while friends struggle through their own battles, several friends, all different, all serious, all well loved.
Family time is precious. We aren't big on outings and family events. This likely starts with me. I hate going places like the zoo. But, we do treasure our time, we just maybe do it differently than many others.
I know this week will be better. I rested this weekend. My head will be far more in the game this week. I'm thankful for that, but I am also thankful for last week. The reflections, the thouhts, the ignoring of all the housework.
Refocus and remember where my path lies and who I have my eyes fixed on.

God is good.

Where does the time go?

I have not posted in quite some time. My intentions have been very good, but my follow through has been rather wretched.

We have been busy. Bronwyn has lost a couple more teeth. Gavin has learned to ride his bike. He is starting to master stopping. Starting is still a problem, but it will come. Mari has been up to mischief. Oh and Bronwyn got her hair cut, I'll have to get a picture - she looks pretty cute!

Wes continues to be super busy with the house and I am busy running around after everyone. Oh and I have decided to start reading again, but I'm on the hunt for funny and engaging books - so if you have any suggestions I am open to hearing them.

Happy Easter

We are still here. I have been shockingly neglectful of the blog. The good news is I took a bunch of pictures yesterday and the kids are all dressed up today so I shall take more. So be patient exciting times ahead!

Lost tooth and my fashion forward girl

A couple pictures of the girls. Bronwyn with the new gap in her smile. And Mari in her own fashion creation. We were just leaving to take Bronwyn to school. She knows how to draw attention.

My cute kids

I decided last night that I needed to do a post and share some of my kids "cutenesses." (And Mom I put it in parenthesis because I know it isn't a word.)

I thought hard to come up with something but still couldn't. I think it is because there are too many things. I can't narrow it down - or I really don't listen to them. Who knows?

Of course, typing that made me think of Mari's latest. If I say I have to think about something she says, "Like my Jo-Jo, fink, fink, fink." She means Winnie the Pooh. She calls him Jo-Jo, thanks to Grandma, its a long story!

Bronwyn lost her first tooth. She lost it at school, so she got to go to the office and get a little tooth shaped container to put it in and a sticker and oohhh boy did she enjoy that. She came running out of the school at home time with a smile so large on her face, I could see the big gap immediately. On the way home she said, "Mom, I am such a big girl now."

Gavin, well, he has been unusually argumentative and for him that is saying a lot. He tried out a karate class last week. So yesterday he said to me, "Don't argue with me Mom I know karate." Wow! Where to start with that eh?

We have a few days of school and then we have our spring break. We are looking forward to the break.

If I can think of more cute things I'll write them down. Fink, fink, fink.

My beautiful toes

Last week was silly busy! Just one thing after another. This week won't be so bad, but we did "spring ahead." So I am expecting the kids to be a bit cranky this week. I'm an optimist!

We are having beautiful weather here and it feels like spring, although I'm not naive and I know it can snow many times more this year. But we are just enjoying it and breathing in the potential of spring. Lovely.

The girls did my toes the other day, notice I didn't say toe nails - I said toes! Oh my feet were so pretty.

We tried to float some boats down the gutter the other day, with the neighbor kids. There was a lot of built up ice in the way, so I gave the kids garden tools to chip it out. Yup, 3 - 7 year olds with rakes, spades, pitch forks and snow shovels. It looked like a scene from a third rate horror movie, I mean except it was bright and sunny and the kids were laughing, but you know if you used your imagination...  No one lost an eye - which is really something of a miracle.

I'm off to bed to try and sleep off the time change.

My nephew is an adult today

My heart is a bit sad and a bit shocked at how much time has passed.

Today is my eldest nephew, Jared's 18th birthday!

I still remember the first time I held him in my arms. He was just over a week old and Jon and I drove to Edmonton to get a glimpse. We had gone out and dropped a stupid amount of money on totally useless clothing (the stuff that is way cute but never gets worn) and off we went.

I couldn't believe how beautiful he was. He has an absolutely perfect head (maybe because he was a c-section baby). I was absolutely smitten! For years I carried pictures Jared, Josh and Kennedy in my wallet and would show them off shamelessly. Ask me if I have pictures of my kids, ahem! My standards have slid a bit. (I was going to scan in a picture of him as a baby, but with all our renos I have no idea what box the old photos are in.)

I happened to be at Tom and Pam's when they left for the hospital to have Joshua. Jared was 2, he had beautiful curly hair and he was BRILLIANT. I remember laying in bed waiting for him to wake up, worried that he would be upset that his Mom wasn't home. I was sure he'd cry and be hard to console. Finally I heard him stirring. I started talking to him before I entered the room, so he'd hear my voice and know it wasn't his Mom. I said, "Jared, your Mommy has gone to get a baby, so its just you and me buddy." By then I was in the room looking down in his crib. He gave me a great big smile and said, "Yeah."

I also remember him saying to me that day, when we were playing ball. "Go get the ball Auntie." I said, "No, you go get it." He came over put his hand on my knee and said in a VERY sweet voice, "Please." Well, I really had no choice at that point did I.

Well, he is no longer a curly haired little cherub, he is a young man! 18 years old. Wow.

So Jared, just know we love you very much and are very proud of you (and your brother and sister too).

On a related note, some of you have asked how Pam is doing.

The reports are that she has made it through her first month or so of the treatment and the doctors were extremely pleased with her success. She has proven to be strong and resilient. She has now entered into the next part of the treatment, which she can administer at home. I now ask for your prayers that this will go well, have the desired results and that the side affects will not be too severe.

Name that tune

On my way home from Langdon tonight. Driving through the darkness, listening to my ipod with three sleeping kids in the van (so in other words I got to pick the music), I reflected on the lovely day and the busy week ahead.
A great song (a super oldie) came on and it starts with one of my all time favourite lines from music (or anywhere else for that matter); "With only fear and good judgement holding us back, we sailed out on the northern sea." Isn't that awesome. Can anyone name the song and the group? I'll give you a virtual high five and you will have the satisfaction of having it known that you are truly a Canadian music aficionado.
Guess?

Last week was a bit of a blur for me. I actually came back from the retreat pretty wiped, and with a bit of a head cold (I blame that on Joan). So it took me quite a while to acclimate myself.
Yesterday we took the kids swimming and had a lot of fun. Today of course the usual mayhem at Grandma and Grandpas.

Good times all round.
So we go into this week - with only fear and good judgement holding us back... HA HA! That should be the Davis motto.

I promise to start taking pictures again soon. I have been a bit negligent lately. My children will wonder what happened to the winter of 2012 - no pictures to prove we lived through it.