Of Birthdays and Ballet

Figment Image Centre

We survived our first dance recital! It was a whirlwind of picture taking, many nights of rehearsal and dress rehearsal with the climax of two performances all while wearing a white leotard with downy white feathers (Zanna, not me). Could she be any cuter? Little girls danced to Swan Lake and twirled and spun around and I got to relive my dancing days like it was yesterday! An opportunity to wear lipstick is a young girls dream and she glowed through it all! Proud parents and grandparents and yes, even big brother cheered her on from the nosebleed seats in the balcony. Surely they were the best group, we all agreed!

All this excitement was followed by THE BIRTHDAY. No small number, this #13. Officially a teenager. Which means we are officially parents of a teenager. 

An awkward age with feet still needing the rest of his body to catch up to, I know his time by my side is growing fewer. Don't get me started or I may start my rendition of "Sunrise, Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof. It won't be pretty. 
Flashback to my 13th birthday? I got tickets to Debbie Gibson. Oh, yeah. It was awesome. I went with my friend Emily Birch so our moms could sit together somewhere else not by us. 

Will started his day with pancakes in the shape of Star Wars figures (on the You are Special today plate). Just humour me - you can make out the basic shapes, right? 
He got to pick the restaurant of his choice for lunch after church and then since we ate lunch later, we did munchies in the evening while watching the Hobbit. Oma and Opa were in town for the occasion and to add to the specialness. 

In other noteworthy news, Rou Rou has finally been retired to the cedar chest. Old Rou Rou I mean. Zanna's had this baby doll since I gave it to her at 14 months. I had been searching for a doll of Asian descent while in China. Impossible. They are all blonde haired and blue eyed. Go figure! So after my global search, I finally found this doll to place in my daughter's embrace and she hasn't let her go since. Rou Rou was named early on by me - Zanna's middle name is Rou taken from her original Chinese name. Her foster mother called her Rou Rou. 

Zanna and Rou Rou have been the best of friends and she has lavished her baby with all the natural nurturing that she is blessed with. She's loved her so hard that Rou Rou has fallen apart. She's been through plenty emergency surgeries! In the beginning, Dr. Daddy would bring her down into his office (aka the basement) and bring her back up mended (with some glue marks as evidence of her trial). It became more desperate as limbs began to dangle and Oma would take a needle and thread to her during her visits. In a last attempt to prolong her life, our excellent provincial healthcare kicked in and she was able to see a specialist - Dr. godmother who sews (among other things) professionally. While we are eternally grateful to all these valiant attempts to save her life, there was nothing more we could do. It was time to pull out "back-up Rou Rou". Having purchased her a bit after the original one, I thought it would be good to have one on the side - in case of loosing her or if never needed, to keep for Zanna's future child? We talked over the pros and cons and since old R.R. was beyond repair and it didn't look as if she'd be done with dolls anytime soon, we made the switch.

Side by side. Old and New. Would it work? It did! I reassured her I did not throw the old one away and that she's somewhere safe. She's been able to make the transition and all is well! 

And finally, just had to share this sweet, little picture! She's a girl after mommy's own heart - a love for books. I caught her reading out on the play structure out back surrounded by a blanket, Rou Rou, a water bottle, her lamp and slippers. Next time I'll be sure to join her! 

Mama's Day

A beautiful prayer put to song by a talented couple!

So grateful for my mom, my mother-in-law, my grandmas, my god-mother and for the opportunity to be a mama!

Happy Mother's Day! 

Slowing Down

We are slowing down. Busy takes on new meaning - busy playing outside, busy reading a book on the porch, busy riding bikes and roller blades ... The weather has been consistently perfect (this side of heaven) for over a week now. It gets harder to study and pay attention and easier to give up trying and take a walk! 

Spring brings one of my favourite times of year - homeschool conference time and curriculum catalogs come in the mail. At this point with Will, I've got only one more year with him by my side and the curriculum is pretty much set. It's the little things now - the last minute things that I want him to know before he leaves. Most of it has nothing to do with math, spelling or history but of the heart and soul - not found in my curriculum catalogs. 

This year our area homeschool conference had Andrew Pudewa from Institute for Excellence in Writing as the keynote speaker. He drew quite a crowd with the number of attendance up significantly! I was super excited to have him come and to listen to him in person. I've been listening to him on mp3 for years - one of my favourite being Fairy Tales and the Moral Imagination. And his talk Freedomship Education Paradigm challenged my conception of what education is. On top of that, Will has been learning from Mr. Pudewa for years - by DVD on my laptop. It's been our writing program and been an absolute miracle for both of us - for me trying to figure out how to teach writing and do it justice and for Will who could have cared less. Mr. Pudewa is a great teacher and hilarious on top of it. So when an opportunity to attend a class of his in person came up for Will, we jumped on it! The day before the conference he was offering several different classes depending previous experience and age. Will was super excited - yes, for a writing class on essays no less! And so was I because I was going to sit in on it:) 

Will also got his autograph. You know your a homeschooler when...

This was also the first homeschool conference that I spoke for. My workshop was titled "Creative Organization" and I had handouts and a Keynote (powerpoint). This was really the first time I've ever done something like this and I was pretty petrified. My sweet husband despite his crazy day managed to make it there in time to set things up and cheer me on in the back row. Actually at one point I think I noticed him starting to doze but to be fair he really did have a busy day so I won't take it too personally .... It was a good experience for me and I'm really glad I did it. Always room for improvement but you can't improve if you don't do it! So there! 

I attended the loveliest of women's retreats on a Saturday. My friend Karen who had gone to Nepal in February to teach and encourage Christian women there, led a similar retreat for the ladies in our churches here! It's title was I Serve God in Whatever Stage of Life He Places Me - in the home, in the community, in the church. Missing nothing, my artist friend and creative Christ follower adorned the luncheon tables herself with some handmade flair!

We have been busy wrapping up the year with Will's string ensemble he's been a part of this school year. He was part of a concert in March put on to raise money for the upcoming school tours. And now in May, we've had one day of school tours with one more day to go. Over the weekend, they had their final end of year recital. The school tour day was exhausting for us all but a blast. Four schools in all areas of the city in one day on a big, yellow school bus is quite the event! Gathered in a grade school gym, kids lined the floors in straight rows (more or less) and listened as the string ensemble played their repertoire. Audience participation included members of the audience getting a chance to "direct" the group. It was a blast! A really great experience! 

And finally, I don't know where she gets it?

I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Our trip to El Paso was brought about by one main reason - Wayne and I were asked by Reid and Brenda to be godparents to Avery. Brenda is a pastor’s kid (aka PK) so she knew that while the baby was due in March - smack dab in the middle of Lent - it was best to plan the baptism for the week after Easter. Good thinking! 

It was a big trip for our whole family to take and was also during the time Wayne was to be in Toronto for pastors’ conference so that’s what brought about having the girls go. Wayne would take Will with him and as it turned out, Will stayed with a pastor’s family in TO while Wayne was in meetings. This helped because Will had something to look forward to and made some new friends out of the whole affair instead of stewing on the fact that we were going to Texas and he was not. Good timing!

And so baptism day arrived on a sunny, warm Texas spring day! I wore a brightly coloured floral dress and cowboy boots to mark the occasion. (Alberta boots, just so it’s clear). The church was still decorated for Easter and the lilies were still in bloom. What a perfect time of year to be “born again of the Spirit”! Having been reminded through our Easter celebration that through our baptism, we are united with him not only in death but “we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection”  (Romans 6:5) -  what is there better than a baptism?!!! 

More noteworthy in the fashion department than what I wore was what Avery wore. She was clothed with the same crocheted dress that my siblings and I wore at our baptisms and what Will wore at his. (Zanna was too big for it by the time we brought her home from China.) 

Brenda’s pastor dad was there not only to visit his newest grandchild but to baptize her during the church service. He had recently traveled to Israel and brought back water from the Jordan to use for the baptism. Not that this makes it any more “holy” but it sure is cool! 

I felt incredibly blessed to be there to hold Avery during the sacrament.  I had expected her to start crying or at least fussing when the water touched her head (I think her parents were waiting for it too!) but she never made a peep. She was such a good baby through the whole thing - the all important “cake eating” with the congregation afterwards and as we reenacted the baptism for picture taking purposes. 

It was definitely emotional for me as she was baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and a reminder of my own baptism and when Will wore the gown last almost 13 years ago! Despite getting teary-eyed, I was thrilled not to loose it in the end and save my mascara from smearing! 

As we left the baptismal font to walk back down the aisle, the music from the grand piano began to play and we heard the congregation sing:

I know that my Redeemer lives; What comfort this sweet sentence gives!

He lives, he lives, who once was dead; He lives, my ever-living Head!

He lives to bless me with his love; He lives to plead for me above.

He lives, my hungry soul to feed; He lives to help in time of need.

He lives to grant me rich supply; He lives to guide me with his eye.

He lives to comfort me when faint; He lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

I exited the worship area with Brenda assuming that she’d want to change Avery out of the dress right away if she thought she was too warm. Instead she muttered the words to me, “This is the song that we sang at my mom’s funeral”, right before she broke down weeping. 

She had lost her Mom to cancer only a few short years ago. I could only imagine her acute awareness of not having her around at the baptism or birth. Mom and I were there to do the best we could but no one can replace your mom and we knew that. Her Dad came out then and they held each other tight and I held Avery tight in my arms rocking her. Brenda called out to no one in particular, “Why? Why does this song have to play right now of all times?”. 

As I looked down at Avery in this moment I saw her in the dress that I wore and her Daddy wore and Auntie Bekah wore and my baby wore on our baptism day - what better picture of grace is there when a helpless infant is brought to faith in Christ through no act or decision or work of their own but solely by the undeserved love of Christ? Where is baby Avery’s grandma today of all days? And it clicked like it had never before. Avery’s grandma may not have been baptized in this same baptismal gown but she too had been clothed in Christ. He is her Redeemer too and it was declared loud and clear at her end! How fitting that this song would play now - at Avery’s beginning! 

It was only afterwards that I noticed the front of the bulletin that day. “I Am the Alpha and the Omega.” Revelation 1:8. The beginning and the end. He the source, the ending he, of all the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see. Evermore and evermore. “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (CW 35). Evermore.  My word of the year. There is no “circle of life” but rather, an infinite span of time. 

In Christ, there is no beginning and no end. Because we have been clothed in his righteousness, we will live eternally with him even though we die. And he knows us even before our parents do. Evermore. 

We did manage to somehow get it together to rejoin the rest of the family in worship but not before my mascara smeared (rats! so close!). And I heard Brenda say before we went back in, “It’s like Mom is here”. And I suppose in a way she was. But most of all, I was moved by what a gift in light of eternity God had given to all of us. I know I had a profound moment of clarity even though the experience was bittersweet. 

The Girls in El Paso

 Last week Zanna and I were in El Paso to visit my brother and sister-in-law and meet my new niece. Our mission was simple: to welcome baby Avery into the family, stand as god-parent at her baptism as she's brought into Christ's family and eat. Mission accomplished. 

 First off, I had such a blast traveling with my girl. She was so agreeable even when waiting hours in an airport for delayed flights.  She was a good listener, she was busy taking care of her baby doll most of the time and she spent hours reading the books she brought with her. As a matter of fact,  I complained more than she did and I required more trips to the bathroom. Go figure. Who was taking care of who? 

 Rou Rou goes everywhere - a faithful friend since Zanna was 14months.  This doll's been stitched back together more times than a Hollywood star. She's dearly loved. Which was good practice for the real thing ....

 The cousins hit it off right away! Avery would gaze up at her face as if to say, "Hey, you're different! You're more my size." It was adorable. 

 But back to the traveling .... this is the cute view I got to watch. 

I'm going to have to break this post up because there's so much.  Consider this the first instalment. It will deal mostly with 2 of the 3 missions. 

 Welcome to the family,baby girl! Here are the girls from left to right - Oma, Tilly, Hosanna and me (who I like to think of as "the fairy god-mother) holding Avery. It was cut-throat I tell you! Mom and I would race to hold her after a feeding and if you stumbled or were distracted - well that was just to bad. You snooze, you loose! 

That's right. Showing how it's done. Baby in one arm, a glass of wine in the other. Who says you can't do it all? 

In between all this baby loving going on, we had to eat. And eat we did! 

Reid made a few meals in-between his role as husband and father. He treated us to a sandwich made famous by his previous business "the Drifter". I also got to sink my teeth into his smoked pork ribs done slowly and carefully on the Big Green Egg. It was just as yummy as I imagined!!!

We had steak at Cattlemen's Ranch where they raise their own cattle. It was good. 'nuff said. 

We had a beer at Rosa's Cantina. 

You know the song? 

On my wish list was a drink 20 years since my last : a cherry limeade from Sonic. Just as good as I remembered it!

Being so close to the Mexican border, we had to go for some authentic Mexican fare. Check and Check. 

We also went to eat at a restaurant owned by Reid and Brenda's friend where I had crawfish mac and cheese. Super yummy. 

While not necessarily the mission, we did explore a bit of the area since we were there. Reid took us to nearby New Mexico where we visited White Sands National Park.

This was a unique natural wonder - white sand as fine as talcum powder formed from gypsum. Sand dunes rise high and are fun to sled down. It was quite the experience. 

Watching my mother attempt to struggle up the sand dune was beyond funny! I was so relieved I had just used the washroom at the visitors centre because I would have for sure peed my pants from laughing so hard at the sight of her. Then there's my dad who wore cowboy boots and you can't very well climb up sand in them, can you? His back was apparently bothering him so he found less of an incline to make his way up to us all. It was super fun sledding down sand and it was beautiful weather while we were out. 

I think that's where I'll leave off for now. Lots more coming! As you can see, we had a great time on our little getaway!!

Signs of Spring

He Is Risen! He Is Risen Indeed!

There's still snow in our part of the woods but the signs of spring are all around us. You know it's spring when .....

The neighbourhood kids come out of hibernation (away from the glare of a screen?) and start playing street hockey again! 

It's time to decorate the Easter eggs! Everyone puts their special touch on theirs. 

Sorry. I don't have a picture of this next sign but ...
The street sweepers have been spotted! This one is unusually exciting. As the snow melts away after months of building up, all that's left is dirt and trash. It's not pretty. The street sweepers come through and magically clean it all away. It's wonderful. 

Another one I don't have a picture of (it may have freaked out the guy) but it's time for the area tradition of shovelling snow off the yard back onto the driveway. I know. It's crazy, right? After months of shovelling it off the driveway, we're now putting it back on?!!! What sense is there in this? Well let me explain. It melts much faster by spreading it out as opposed to leaving the great heaps of dirty, crusty snow to s.l.o.w.l.y. melt. I've been known to do it myself. 

Flowers. They may not have come up yet in my yard but they're alive and well at Costco! They sure brighten things up. 

After keeping the decorating pretty low key and scaled back for Lent, it's refreshing to get out the bright and colourful stuff on Holy Saturday in anticipation for the next day! 

The bird dishes come out. Doesn't everyone have bird dishes? You do if you have a dish fetish. I'm Rachel and I'm addicted to dishes. Nice to meet you. 
By the way - the matching bowls look like little nests. Just sayin'. 

We once again celebrate our Saviour's death and resurrection on our behalf. The rock is rolled back and in it's place is a butterfly! 

Happy Spring!!

Faith of a Child

March 19, 2013
it's geting klosor to Ester wen Jesus dies on the cross to tack away the sins of the world. Jesus was Born on Christmas day. Mary was his mather of Jesus. who wode take away the sins of the world. 

                                                                       taken from Zanna's journal