blessings...

I have been out for a 'run' three days in a row now. That's probably my all-time record. It feels great so far; sore leg muscles and everything. The real test will come tomorrow morning when I plan to rise and shine and run on my own, without my superman husband. I guess then I'll know if I'm going to be an actual runner, who runs even with no one to be accountable to. Except myself. High hopes. Definitely one of my very favourite things to do with my little dayhome friends is taking them for a walk down to play in the creek. Today I had only three little boys, which is a relatively easy bunch. My favourite part was when we waded into the 'deep' water and I swung them around kicking and 'swimming'! Their favourite part was seeing the minnows. This all came out on our chat during the hot dusty  walk up Canyon hill.  I'm sure grateful to have this just down the hill. Thank Heaven for sunny days in the cool water.

Sitting here at the desk in the living room alcove, I can hear the dishwasher humming its way through today's kitchen mess. But above this happy sound, I am listening to the bird outside who is keenly expressing something about which s/he feels pretty enthusiastic. It's the sweetest music. Late in the evening, early in the morning when bed still feels like the best idea, when I'm outside gardening or in the house at the computer- songbirds are always a gift. Thank Heaven for this; the sound of a smile.

It's been almost a year since I last wrote here. I haven't gone anywhere; just gotten distracted. I blame it on my love affair with sourdough bread baking. If I'm at home and out of bed, chances are, I am making bread. Since it takes SO LONG (well worth the wait ;) there's usually some (dough) fermenting or being stretched and folded, or rising, or baking, or cooling. Unsurprisingly, there is almost always flour somewhere on me or on my clothes.  Also, I keep reading voraciously, knitting occasionally, and enjoying little children 45 hours a week! This is a much-appreciated blessing in my life as my own children are growing up at an alarming rate. Jack is happier than he's ever been (and he's always been a pretty happy guy :) serving as a missionary in Adelaide Australia. Mary and Emma are going to live and work in Waterton for the summer holidays, and then Mary will be off to college and Emma back home to 'third-wheel' with Kirby and I. (her words, no...

Twenty years ago I married the man I love. Today, I am blessed and so grateful to still be his wife and to love him more than I then knew I could. Kirby and I fell in love taking long walks around Garneau and Old Strathcona near the U of A in Edmonton. Since then we've walked up and down mountains, along oceans and lakes and rivers and Pincher Creek. (a lot there- home for half our marriage so far!) The first book we read to each other was Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. I wish I'd kept a list of our shared reading since then. (what happens when a couple of English majors fall hard for each other ;) The first couple decades of our life together have been largely devoted to raising our three wonderful children. So far, so good! I can only hope (and trust me, I pray) that the rest of our lives will be spent basking in the light of them and eventually their own families... We have enjoyed cooking and eating countless meals together, and for one another and our fami...

This afternoon I felt a migraine coming on. Oh dread. Counting back to the 20th, which I easily remember (it being my beloved husband's birthday) I had the relief of knowing it had been over the minimum of 72 hours since I last used the prescription meds to treat such a headache- so I was free and clear to take the good stuff right away this time. How many people the world over suffer with migraines and much much worse, without being able to access the medical care and/or afford the medicine to so quickly and easily treat what ails them...? I wish everyone could enjoy the healthcare and pharmaceutical benefits I have.  And I do thank Heaven for this blessing.

This afternoon as one of my dayhome clients was leaving with her children, her daughter suddenly turned back in the doorway to see who had just begun playing such beautiful music on the piano. This little girl takes piano lessons herself; maybe that's why the playing caught her ear like it did. Imagine my delight as I stood aside to let her see it was my youngest daughter who had just come into the living room and sat down at the piano for a moment of refreshment at the end of the day. Sitting here at my desk just now, I caught a moment of my other daughter's angelic voice on the air, floating down casually from her bedroom, where she's studying. This is a pretty frequent occurrence, occasionally leading me to wonder if I live with Disney princesses.  But no, it's even better because this is my real life. And Mary and Emma are my real princesses. Thank Heaven.