All posts in People In My Heart

My Northern Folk (Mom)

by admin on August 13, 2010 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Holiday Messages, People In My Heart with 1 Comment

Dad has always been a rock in my life. He is so strong and loving… My mother to was strong…I am so thankful for the feminine strength and love I always knew in my mother.

(I would not say she is shy but I felt like I had to sneak a lot of pictures of Mom. She was a big reason why our holiday was so lovely so I had to get some proof that she was there.)

Mom always works so hard to make us comfortable and yet is true to her self, her style, her life. You go to her house and you will know what being a northerner is all about. She has a beautifully kept yard, full of her flowers and her and Dad’s gardens. Many of our meals came straight from their garden. Potatoes and veggies barely emerged from the soil and where immediately cleaned, prepared and eaten (oh yum). They work so hard at mowing it all, keeping the trees from taking over and more. Her house is so homey. Warm and welcoming, it speaks the truth that real people live there. She is a meticulous house keeper and lovely cook. We had many a lovely and practical meal during our stay and there was pie, made with HER berries, to enjoy. The night we arrived we where given a piece with some tea and milk to help us relax after our long journey! What a perfect way to be welcomed!

I think more then ever I felt an appreciation for my Mom’s confident and content personality. She is a good example to me on how to be content where you are and with what you have. She works hard and enjoys her world a great deal. You can tell she loves so many things about her home. Her green house makes her beam with pride. Dad made it with mostly used stuff from around the acreage but that doesn’t matter to her at all! It is suited so well to her needs, made by her man and so it is wonderful. She could probably wander around her yard endlessly puttering and be totally happy. When her house needs work you can tell she enjoys fixing and working on it, and isn’t over come with jobs at hand. She loves her man, her home, her world, her Lord and I love that about her!

(We where together so much longer then our usual trips so the kids and their grand folks got to know one another so much better. Nanny loves to swim as much as I, so going to the beach day after day with her was perfect. We took turns watching on the kids while the other floated around in the beautiful water.)
(Thank you for baking with Little Woman, for letting her help you with the kitchen tasks. She really needs that and I am so glad you got to see so much of the real her, super chatty and all! So often when I look at my Little Woman I think of my mom!!)

Hats off to all you do and all the love you share through your good work ethic Mom. We appreciate you so much!

TTFN

My Northern Folk (Dad)

by admin on August 13, 2010 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Holiday Messages, People In My Heart with 1 Comment

Through years of my Mom’s wise instruction I learned to enjoy little things and grew in understanding about how important it is to find contentment in life. Apparently enjoying the little things came from my Dad as well. He is retired now so we got to spend much of the holiday goofing off with him, while Mom was a work. I enjoyed seeing how much fun he gained from doing the littlest things with the kids and I. He had a blast taking us out for McD’s (only my Dad could convince me to eat at THAT place, he he he). The day we drove all the way to town to get the perfect hot dog for a barbecue lunch topped off with many glasses of chocolate milk he was the instigator and we all loved it. Shopping with him was great fun. I love how Dad enjoys life and doesn’t have to take everything serious. After all, not everything is serious! He was totally game when I insisted we all try out the turquoise and pink chairs that I fell in love with at Canadian Tire and he never shys away from a joke or a goofy game with the kids. He is still the hilarious Dad I grew up with! When everyone was rolling their eyes at his latest punny joke I couldn’t help but roll with laughter! I ask you, how can you not laugh when a man is laughing so full of joy at his own joke?

A spur of the moment tea time, put on by Dad, was a pinnacle memory on our trip. Before I knew it Dad had made up a bunch of iddy bitty peanut butter and berry squares of toast, a big pot of tea and a sweetly set table for out tea. It was all followed up with creamsicle ice cream so you must know my kids gained new respect for their grandpa that afternoon.

Spot on Dad, spot on!

We love you so much and greatly appreciated this holiday and all the time we spent with you! You sure know how to make an ordinary day an extraordinary one!

TTFN

Northern Snap Shots (PART ONE The Family Acerage)

by admin on August 11, 2010 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, Holiday Messages, Little Things, People In My Heart with 3 Comments

In the land of lakes, trees and bedrock we spent our time following our noses. Everyone seems to go at a slower pace where my folks are from and it took an adjustment for me but it was exactly what I needed. This was a slow week of doing what ever we felt like at the time.The first morning there was a perfect illustration of how my week went. Baby Boy slept in and so I did as well. I awoke very late and realised the house was very quiet. In my pajamas I walked out to the kitchen and although I could hear chatter and giggles I could find no one around. I went to the big bay window in my parents living room and glancing out at the garden I saw a bit of white amidst Nanny’s berry bushes. Then I noticed some little blond heads and heard my Dad talking with Little Woman. All three of the oldest where out with their grandparents picking berries for their breakfast. They where still in their pjs. It was a quiet, fresh morning and I remember sighing and thinking ‘this will be a break after all’.

Some snap shots of my folks yard (mostly a reflection of all their hard work).

A farm built with sweat and love. Carved amidst the bedrock, wrestled out of the forest and settled with expectation (expectation of years of hard work and years of memories). A place for all of the children and grandchildren to go and relax, feel blessed and most of all feel that northern blood well up inside;) This is my first home!

TTFN

Road Trip (anew an Auntie)

by admin on July 14, 2010 in Bits Of My Personality, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, People In My Heart with 1 Comment

Road trip! South on a two hour drive to meet my nephew. He is my first! It has been raining nieces for some time. Needless to say, my oldest boy is thrilled to have some more guys in the family! My two little men have been the only boy cousins till now.

A brand new little bundle was handed to me right away. Photos where snapped and a big grin came effortlessly to my face. There is an instant joy that envelopes a person every time you meet a new life. I held him and he snuggled so sweetly. Before I knew it I was slumped into the couch with him on my chest and we where both completely at peace with the world. Ahhh, another part about new babies I remember so fondly, the way they can just slow you right down and make you want to stair at them endlessly… it is all so very calming.

I don’t think my heart will ever stop loving, longing for babies. Forever embracing the memories of my own precious four helps…

TTFN

Long-Distance Grand-parenting: What Works for Us

by admin on July 12, 2010 in Marriage Monday, People In My Heart with 8 Comments
Marriage Monday!
Long distance Grand-parenting was NEVER my hope or plan. To this day it is NOT my ideal. For the first five years of being parents we had no grandparents close by. One set was 6 hours north and the other 4 hours south. Everyone needs support and naturally grandparents often fill that role but we became very good at finding and building family relationships with friends in our community so we had physical support. That is what is really missing when grand folks aren’t near by, physical support… thanks to phones and prayer they can still be spiritual and emotional support. We watched other families with their parents involved often daily and we wished for it terribly. We saw the benefits and they who had it often just shared the negatives… the risk of being too involved in one anothers lives I guess was the big one.

We are in a different place now and have grand folks very very close by (blocks away). My husbands mom and dad are readily available and we see the difference it makes in our kids (all good) and the security it adds to our families life.

We have both situations… My parents are still long distance grand parents and that can be hard since parents are very important to a daughter who is now a mom. Seeing this as the way it shall be we have worked at finding things that work. Husband and wife have to get on the same page and decide to make LOTS of effort where the distant grandparents are concerned.

1.

We try to always have our doors open for them. We might not have a perfect set up for guests but we try really really hard to make it work when they need us because we wanted to seize every opportunity of time together with them.
2.
Try to find the money to visit them! Going their way is a good idea! The kids find it magical to visit their far off grandparents and so planning trips well in advance to make it happen is important (even if not easy).
3.
Find a regular story telling service. I BLOG! I have a private family newsletter where I try to put lots of pictures up and lots of info on us as we grow and change as a family. It is excellent for my folks. Phone plans help too! This way the kids can talk with their grandparents and build relationship that way!
4.
Find the time to tell your kids stories about the long distant grand folks. Talk about visits past and future and just tell them about their grandparents lots.
5.
Pray. Prayer bridges the gap a lot. When lonely, when impatient… when ever you need you can pray for your folks and knowing mine pray for us regularly too is a big deal.

I still feel that distance with family really does mean everyone misses out but like many non-ideal parts of this life you have to make it work.

First Monday of every month at Chrysalis

TTFN

Souleio (with friends) !

by admin on June 27, 2010 in Better Check Out Links, People In My Heart with 1 Comment


I have been doing the poker ladies thing for years now and once a year we get together at a nice restaurant. It is always fun to explore fine dining! Souleio was very different and beautiful. It is in an old building in the middle of a forgotten part of down town. You hardly notice it if you don’t know it is there but once you walk in you never forget it. It has market goods too and all sorts of local and organic quality items. Just exploring what they have on their shelves is fun and exciting. I found a jar of apple pickles there last time and chai spiced prunes that I would like to explore by buying and opening the jars. All the preserves get me! They are so unique and inviting!It also has a large menu and offers family meal take out and wine tasting. There is a deli, a selection of cheese and bakery on site.

( I have had this amazing spring salad before, it is a FAVORITE of mine!)
(Mmmmmmm mango pie!)
(We all know what this is! And my sister Mirelle said is was really good!)

The food is as captivating as the building. After looking around you order and sit to eat and then all you can think about is each mouthful!The conversation was also fabulous! I really enjoy getting to go out with such great ladies!

TTFN

Father’s Day!

by admin on June 21, 2010 in Bits Of My Personality, Four Little Eggs In My Nest, My Year of Right Sacrifice-TIME, People In My Heart with 2 Comments
I really like Father’s Day.
Probably because I really like my Dad and my husband.
Probably because I respect my Father in law as a dad and a super grandpa and my brothers and my brother in law as great dads to their girls.
Basically I like father’s day a lot because Dad’s rock and I have so many good examples of that around me.
(Garnet and his brother kicking back while, as you can see in the below picture, Grandpa does the work. Pop is teaching the kids to play boccie.)

Today heard a preacher’s message, of course, about fathers. I was again not surprised at how it was uncomfortable at points… because there is something lurking in our society, an undercurrent that is unafraid to go nuts on the praise for moms but almost feels guilty if they do the same for dad. It can even leak into church… I think it is distasteful to have this oil slick in our society, spreading into all our ideas about Dads.

My Dad rocks. He sacrificed much for us. We where his best pals growing up and he always put us ahead of friends or at least took us with when he occasionally did stuff with friends. HE LOVED including us and could even wear us out with his enthusiasm FOR US. He showed us how to live life like an adventure! He taught us to value people above stuff, and above all else value Jesus Christ. He so clearly loves his kids!My Husband rocks. He gives so much of himself. He has willingly changed and grown to be a deliberately better dad. Garnet understands it is about TIME with the kids! He also doesn’t listen to dad labels. He is his own version based on what he feels the kids need from him. Not old fashioned to the point of putting work above his kids or not valuing the importance of affection and time that a dad must give to his kids to be truly effective… and not too modern to require respect from them and put consequences in play when needed.

(My man and I at the river today.)

God didn’t call himself our Father because they are not as great as Mom’s. Abba Father isn’t meant to be underrated… He knows dads are important and most are awesome and so as I appreciate and adore my Father in Heaven I hope I can show enough appreciation to the dads I know, doing their best, down here:)Women crave appreciation, I sure do, so why not give it to our men!? I know the beautiful moms around me would totally agree!

TTFN

Rhubarb

by admin on June 12, 2010 in Bits Of My Personality, Little Things, People In My Heart with 1 Comment
Fresh rhubarb from my mother in laws yard delivered to my door.
Boiled with water and some organic sugar in my grandmother Katherine’s large pot.
A beautiful stew of rhubarb warm and pink.
Served over vanilla frozen yogurt with a touch of bright organic cinnamon on top.
A moment to my self while I savor it.

I adore rhubarb season:)

TTFN

Hope Is A Warm Rain

by admin on June 3, 2010 in Bits Of My Personality, My Year of Right Sacrifice-TIME, People In My Heart with 1 Comment


We have had what feels like WEEKS of rain… I love rain but it was getting pretty cold and we even had to put the heat on again, grrrr. Two days of warm sunshine and it is raining again… but… this rain is different, it is still pretty warm out so I have the windows open and I am listening to the rain drops and the happy birds. I don’t know why but a warm rain feels comforting to me. If I could find a way to wrap myself up in a warm rain I would.

Rain, two sleeping kids and a beautiful touching song on the radio left me sitting in my van long after I had arrived home. I let the song play out and listened to the rain on the van roof; the babies slept on for a while longer. I felt something break a bit… I felt a shield of anger crack and a bit of hope felt warm in my chest.

One thing I have learned about myself this year is that I use ANGER as my ultimate mask and shield when I am feeling things so strong I am afraid of them. I know better then to let that take over now that I see it for what it is but… well… cranky is a miniature version of the same thing I think…

I had been dealing with a worry of mine by getting cranky, looking for any excuse really, so I could ignore what I was actually feeling and I was good at it! So good that I just thought I was simply cranky. Yesterday I started praying for the crankiness to move along because I felt like I couldn’t budge it on my own. That brings me back to my pause in the van…

Hope, that I could stop being cranky and cynical about all that surrounds this worry, has started to emerge. Cranky, anger, call it what you will, is a new type of numbness for me… ( used to do the no emotions shield till I felt so dried up it hurt).

Hope felt good, it hurt because it came with truth but truth is a good hurt… a healing hurt… it felt like the warm rain and I want to just wrap myself up in hope…

Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
PSALMS 31,24

TTFN

When In Winnipeg

by admin on June 2, 2010 in Adventure and Me, Bits Of My Personality, People In My Heart with 1 Comment
A friend is one of the nicest things you can have, and one of the best things you can be.
~Douglas Pagels

My excuse to travel by train to Winnipeg was this beautiful woman in white! My long time friend, from college days, GOT MARRIED!

Oh such a classy wedding and perfectly her style. Lovely. Planned out but also fun and relaxing.

As I waited for her to be walked down the isle by her dad I wondered if I was going cry the whole way threw or burst with joy, I love weddings! Turned out to be a little of both wedding… I tried not to cry too much because everyone else seemed to be holding themselves together.

First year of college… after a few weeks in school I some how got up enough nerve to ask her, via email (I know, so lame) if she was a … Christian too. I can’t help but smile at how difficult the idea of making friends was for me back then. I must have come across as silly and was so worried about appearing so but she put up with me.

Second year of college… I was so desperate to find someone to stand up for me at my wedding that I asked her even though we certainly weren’t that close yet. Again she put up with me…

Years went by and I left that socially devastated person behind and determined to be available for my adventurous friend. I am SO thankful for how she keeps reappearing in my life. I know she is a blessing straight from God because often she has spoken into my life and been part of good changes in me threw her words.

A gem, someone who I know will not say good bye to me no matter how far away we physically are from one another.

No matter how much we both change we seem to just continue to gel and for this I am thankful!

Much love and CONGRATS to ‘the traveler and her man!
May you have many many years together, blessed with a deep content love!

TTFN

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