blessings...

Yesterday I had time for a real conversation with one of my Dayhome moms... My big kids and niece and nephew had taken several small children to the playground, so we only had to negotiate our grown-up chat around one little person! It was manageable, and the talk was worthwhile :) This afternoon, once again, the big kids had taken the little kids to the playground, leaving me here with one baby who was sleeping in my lap. His mother came in with his three-year old sister to collect him while the others were out, and we had a good visit while her little son continued to slumber in my arms. (Highly enjoyable :) Of course these are rarities, but even just the day-to-day greetings at the front door and the little Facebook interactions over the photos of the children I share for their parents and grandparents are a source of social support and joy. Thank Heaven for the great moms.

The nasty migraine that plagued the past couple days is over, thank Heaven! Still, my head feels pretty tender, but of course I need to be up and doing. Today I am honestly just so grateful that the five little children who are here in my dayhome are the 'older' bunch; they are excellent, creative players!! It's amazing to see and hear their games. They are resourceful and imaginative, and they get along so well. They just gel, and make up such wonderful games. Usually involving animals. Stuffies, and of course, themselves! It's a brilliant gift that today when my head feels a bit bruised and my energy is low, these little ones are so happy to just PLAY!   :)

The great thing here is that it's hard to decide what to write about because I feel so blessed. Yesterday morning I thought it would be the glorious walk I had in the hills with Jasper the dog, under a beautiful winter blue sky and looking out over the rocks, creek, and mountains... It was just so beautiful. Then in the afternoon I decided on the joyful occasion of a baptism I attended. It was so wonderful to see the light and peace felt by loved ones who chose to make promises with God to follow the Lord and receive the best of His blessings forever... I could also focus on the amazing new bathroom Kirby has been building for our daughters, in hall upstairs. He's a perfectionist, which has its downsides, but the plumbing is water-tight and the tiling is pristine... However, in the end I think I will write and tell you how happy I am for Mary's birthday weekend... Friday night when she had asked a few friends to come over, they of course came up with excuses (since the...

Today I am extra-specially grateful for my sweet daughter Mary! She's all heart. Ever since she was a wee little girl herself, she's been showing how much she cares about everyone lucky enough to be close to her. I remember her as a little toddler, about 2 years old, lying by her very plump baby sister and holding her bottle for her. When they were children, how often did Mary carry Emma home piggyback from walks to the park...? She's the first one to help a friend in need, or to share treats, or to break her sweet heart caring for someone she's concerned about. Formidable champion of the underdog, Mary is a fierce foe to anyone who hurts those she loves. She's sensitive, and full of life, intelligent, and passionate. She can sing like an angel, and play like a child, cook like a chef, and write like a poet. She makes me laugh until I'm near tears sometimes with her hilarious 'voices' and improv humor. When I am ill, and one day when I am old and dyi...

At the risk of sounding very frivolous, I must write a second day in a row about the use of a beauty product. (Very happy with the result of the curl-forming by the way ;) In truth, the reason I am grateful tonight for fancy fingernail polish is anything but silly; hidden benefits... Yes, late this evening my dear teenage daughter suggested a nifty manicure idea she'd seen on an online video tutorial. I'd said I wanted to spend some more time together today, and this is what she came up with. So, off we went to the bathroom where we dropped alternating colors into a wee little container of water until they made a pattern like a target. Then she dipped her nail into/ onto it and I q-tipped off the excess. It is rather pretty, and she's immensely pleased with it. Which was the whole point. Except that the very best part was how much she chatted to me while I shaped and polished the other four nails on each of her hands. It was positively glorious! So really, you see, the...

There are these hair curlers I heard about a few years ago through a friend, called curlformers. I ordered them online... They are long bendy mesh tubes slipped over pieces of hair using plastic 'wands' that look like huge crochet hooks. Extremely bright colours ensure that there's no chance of not being spotted from afar, should anyone be so foolish as to think she can slip out for some errands, remaining incognito by staying in the vehicle. (Trust me; I've tried. ) The most accurate description I can give is to say that I look like a LalaLoopsy doll when they are in my hair. Minus the button eyes. Anyway, they work wonders. Once my hair is dry (aka when I wake up in the morning) I slide them out and voila! The best, bounciest curls ever. Smooth, shiny, lasting me for days, and no damage! These curlers can spend long weeks, even months just sitting patiently in their bags, forlorn and neglected. Then I'll remember them and pull them out. Like now. Looking forw...

We woke up to the prettiest snow ever this morning. Barely heavy enough to even fall, it almost floated, hovering above the old snow. Speaking of which, yesterday afternoon I was outside with several little children making several snowmen in the sticky, melting leftover snow. It was so much fun!!! I think the little ones enjoyed it almost as much as I did ;) Today's snow was irresistible. We went out with a few lightweight sleds, and I was amazed and delighted at how brave and fast these sweet and gentle little girls were on the hill!! I sat near the top  with Jasper. (who, incidentally,was super cute; cuddling with me, snuffling and rolling in the snow, watching the tobogganing...  ;) Meanwhile my little friends sped down and trekked up the steep hill countless times. They would usually end their run tumbling off in a cloud of snow. I cheered as if I were watching bull-riders at a rodeo. It was great. Thank Heaven for perfect snow, and skookum little girls :)

I have been down with a migraine since yesterday at lunchtime. The suffering is inevitable, but as the saying goes, misery is optional! And as much as I'd like to say I just choose the higher road, I know very well that living with chronic, very frequent migraines is only as civilized an experience as it is for me because of the kind ones who help... What would I do without Margaret? ...my dear hero of a friend who comes to look after my little dayhome people when I can't... She is an angel to them. And to me. How could I have made it through this long and painful afternoon without my sweet daughter Mary bringing me freshly frozen ice packs to put on my aching head? The relief she delivered with each one was immediate, and lasted as long as the pack stayed cold. She was home sick with a flu herself, but had woken by then and kindly came to my aid in spite of how she herself was feeling! And of course my good husband comes home from a 10-hour day at his very busy job, and bri...

Sometimes winter down here doesn't feel like winter in Alberta, which is fine with me, since Alberta winters aren't on my 'favorite things' list... It's great; the warm winds come in from the mountains in the west and blow away the cold, melting the snow and ice. The skies can be blue and full of gorgeous sunshine. Other times, we have real winter weather. Very cold, with plenty of snow. Pretty, light and fluffy. But it does get in the way! Meanwhile, we have two young missionaries in town this winter; one from Vancouver, and another from southern California. They willingly left their families, school, year-round green grass, etc to come at their own expense and serve where they were called. We invite them for dinner now and then (as I hope others will do for my good son when he's gone on his own mission!  :) This evening they were a couple minutes late arriving, and when we opened the front door to welcome them in from the cold, we discovered why... They...

And today.... I am in the throes of January bills and banking! Sadly, this isn't a short month, like February. It would be ok with me if all the wintry months were short, and we could make up for it with long summer ones. However, as I wasn't consulted on this little matter, I will have to accept it. And I have to accept the back-to-business business that inevitably follows the holidays. Thank Heaven there are only 29 days left in this month :)

Today I have been so blessed to be a part of the wedding of my dear long-time friend to her new, very lucky husband! Passing through town a few days ago, we were at her house just after they became engaged on Christmas Day, and that evening they arranged to marry on New Year's Day!! So, passing back through Calgary yesterday on our way home from a short but sweet visit to our parents in and around Edmonton, my family dropped me off with my lovely friend to help with the whirlwind preparations for their nuptials. They are both highly energetic, highly organized, and highly culinary, so I am pleased they could find enough to do to keep me busy... (They catered their own house-party reception! Thankfully I am remarkably gifted with spinach salad ;) During the simple ceremony at church this afternoon, the Bishop said something about happiness in their 'wedded life', and that little phrase has stuck in my mind. Thank Heaven for marriage, a building block of family life, which ...