There's a small very real chance that Ginger will be moving back to the Peninsula.

My parents have a 1 1/2 parcel with a small unkempt modular on it.  They have offered it to them for no down payment, no strings attatched.

Ginger I've been told cried when she saw it...as she actually saw light at the end of a very very long tunnel.

For her to be only an hour and a half a way...

That would be priceless.

Man, I so pray....

Friends

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
Cant believe the hopes hes granted
Means a chapter in your life is through
But well keep you close as always
It wont even seem youve gone
cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Chorus:
And friends are friends forever
If the lords the lord of them
And a friend will not say never
cause the welcome will not end
Though its hard to let you go
In the fathers hands we know
That a lifetimes not too long to live as friends.

With the faith and love gods given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy youll live in
Is the strength that now you show

But well keep you close as always
It wont even seem youve gone
cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

Remember that song?  80s and 90s.  "The" good-bye song.  I love it.  Because somehow it is true. 

Yeah I know my friends have gone.  But the love is still there.  I got together with Ginger and it was all back.  We laughed hard.  We talked honest.  We came close to tears.  And darn it why does she have to live in Calgary?  

Its all rather ironic that my best friend from high school lives in Calgary, and my best friend from college lives in Manitoba.  (waves at Bluetoban).  Come on now, couldn't I have a best friend that lived close enough we could go to the beach together?

Anyhow life isn't being anymore fair to "Ginger".  But she still has found ways to laugh.  She always has.  And ways to make us laugh.  Oh man.  Apparently she went to a hockey game with her husband and her husbands new boss.   And she made this brillian observation.  "Did you know there's a Niagra Falls in both the U.S. and Canada?"  (She's American--but has lived in Canada for 17 years.)   Her husband said.  "Yes, dear and their both the same falls."

Oh man.

Anyhow I choose to blog the laughter, the funny's because there are so many things going bad.  The good news is they are both working, and there boys are healthy. 

The bad news is is her mom is dying.  Has been for 9 months. 

Her brother is in jail.  Her brother who was her best friend.  *sigh*

They are living in (his) parents basement.  (almost 40 year olds should NOT have to live with there parents she informed me.)

They have no idea when there gonna get out of said basement.

They are starting from scratch thanks to the fire that burnt there house and there dream down last year.

She wants to scream "WHAT THE HECK IS YOUR PLAN GOD?"

And yet she found the way to laugh.

If you think about it pray for her family.  They need some guidance.  

It's gonna be one of THOSE nights.

I was standing at the stove chopping up pork for the pork fried rice.  And managed to burn the rice.

So I ditched that pan.  Rice is cheap I get it in 25 pound bags for $8.

And refilled a different pan.  (The first pan is VERY VERY burnt)

And stood watching the second pan very carefully.

Cause ya know its got to "just" boil and then you turn it down to simmer.

Well I stood there

and stood there.

Only to realize I hadn't turned the burner on.

Dinner's gonna be a bit late tonight.

My best friend from high school is in the area.  I will probably get to see her tomorrow.  She's had a majorly rough year of it.   She lost her house that she'd just moved into use as a boy's home.  They lost EVERYTHING.  Even her purse.   And nothing was insured.  They've struggled to decide where God wants them, and my mom having just talked to her sounds like they've just plain struggled.

So, an opportunity to minister, and to make her laugh.

Its how we minister to each other.  My mom always said I was more willing to do crazy things when I was around her.  We rub off on each other that way somehow. 

Other then that, its a day.  Another basketball game tonight.  And life moves on. 

Good morning--oh wait its 10:30 pm.

I'm greatful for small favors. 

You know like discovering that American Idol was on at 9 tonight.  I just wish I'd realized it at 9, instead of 9:30.   But at least I got to see who was the top 24.  And I fell in love with the Indian boy.  He has the most delicious smile.   And I'm gonna have to learn what his name is huh?  And that's East Indian Indian in case anyone's totally confused.

Anyhow Awana was fun.  I finally managed to scrapbook all my 4-h Dog pictures.  I was also EXTREMELY ruthless in throwing bunches out.  I  had kept way way way too many pictures of the varying dogs I showed.  The worst however was my Guide Dog Puppy I raised.  I didn't want pages and pages of a black lab.  But the feat I accomplished in raising him, and actually getting to go to his graduation...it was so hard to figure out what to document.  I ended up with 3 pages I'm very satisfied with.  Which is quite amazing if you'd seen how many many pictures I had when I started.

My sister-in-law who has actually travelled all the way to New Jersey to take Scrapbooking classes has taught me much about being ruthless while scrapbooking.  I tucked a couple pictures I wasn't quite ready to part with behind the plastic.  And when in ten years I've never looked at them again I'll throw them away.  *snigger*

Anyhow the biggest funny tonight was Jeremiah.  HE always has a few whiney moments towards the end of AWana.  He really does quite well.  He plays with the balls in the gymn, and he runs around, and he climbs up and plays with the drinking fountain.  But its a hour and half past his bedtime by the time we're done.  And he's only 2....so every night there's a few whiney moments.  Tonight he started in on his, and I was desperately trying to clean up my scrapbook mess, and convince him he could entertain himself.

He however just clung to my leg and kept saying over and over.  "I need sumfin"  "Mom, I need sumfin." 

Don't

we

All.

We all get in those moments where we know somethings missing, we don't know what it is, but we know we need sumfin.

So I picked him up, hugged him, blew bubbles on his belly, and rocked him.

He continued to say.  "I need sumfin."

When Lydia (the semi-official cubbies leader came over and handed him a bunch of the Cubbies musical toys).

He was off and whirling.  And I was left saying.

"I need sumfin."

A strange weather day today.  One second sunny, next second pouring.  We have standing water everywhere, and yet it still feels like a nice day.  We walked to the river this morning, and it was just so shiny.

It still amazes me a year later that this is "ours".  That we own this river with all of its beauty.  The big beauty, and the little things.

Jeremiah would live at the river if he could.  It is his favorite place to go.  And he bugs daily, hourly to take another trip to the wiva wiva wiva.  Today he got two.  Daddy couldn't resist the begging.  Throwing rocks in the river and making them splash is just the most exciting thing in the world you know.  And I think he'll probably get a full ride scholarship for discus throwing when he hits high school.  Oh my word that kid has a arm!

Rainee has spent her last 4 visits or so working on this Super Girl Workshop.  Rainee has recently discovered Super Girl and thinks that she looks just like her.   This workshop has a hole, and secret look outs, and inventions.   Of course its not nearly as impressive as she thinks.  But she's worked sooooo hard on it. 

The subtle beauty is the moss growing on all the trees, and the sun shining through it just making it all glow.  

And the little boys playing in the dirt with cars.   Building dirt tracks in the sandbank we have in one spot. 

And then there's Kaylin who was so busy heading to the river she forgot to get out of her pj's.   *silly one*  But I absolutely love how this picture turned out as she played along side the river.   So cool.

It was a nice break, and its amazing that I forget to go down there, and let Rob and the kids go without me.  My goal...to go each time they go.  I need the nature, I need the air, and I need to remember how incredible it is that this is ours.

Good morning

It was a bit of a restless night last night, and both Rob and I are yawning greatly. 

This morning's goal is to read together.  (school).

And to vedge.

Monday's have somehow become the only day that I can breathe, and catch up with normalcy.   So I'm hoping to do that.  Along with some laundry.

The kids have gotten old enough that with minor supervision they are doing their own laundry.   (I remind them to go check washing machine/dryer).   Zeria asked me if they were going to get paid for it, and I informed her "Yes, the payment is clean clothes."  She wasn't entirely impressed.  *snigger*

It actually works quite well.  Rainee takes the clothes out of the dryer.  Kaylin climbs up and removes stuff from the washing machine and hands it to Zeria who puts it in the dryer.  And Zeria is quite old enough to add soap, and start the machines.  For the boys...I start the machines.  I can just imagine how much soap they'd put in if that was left unsupervised.  *giggles*

Anyhow its working, and its nice to not have it hanging.  In regards to our laundry its a family affair.  Whoever walks past when the dryer stops has to change it around.  Sometimes its me, sometimes its them.

I had a bit of a mental turn around this weekend.  And my focus is more back to where it should be.  Nothing major, just easier to think. 

A beautiful blue sky today.  Its funny.  We had such a nasty early winter.  And now February has just been sooooo mild.  We went to the beach this morning and played for several hours.  Its never warm enough to stay at the beach a couple hours in February.   I like small favors.    Today we hiked out to the sea stack in  the picture. 

We explored lots of tide pools, and climbed big rocks.

Some of the sillier ones jumped off of big rocks.

We found LOTs of beautiful beach glass.  Small pieces of jewelry you know

And we just admired God's beauty.  Isn't it amazing that he can even make rocks gorgeous?  Look at all the colors in those rocks.

A few of us even went wading, and played a bit of beach wave tag.

But mostly I just enjoyed sitting in the sun soaking up the rays.  Such a nice way to spend a morning.

Winter Bouquets.  Kaylin put that little thing together and brought it to me yesterday.  Its kinda pretty somehow.   Her and daddy went across the river and built a trail on the other side.  Rob has discovered that Kaylin LOVES to hike, and never quits.  The other kiddos get tired of it, but not Kaylin.  So its fun for them to have something to share.  I was the one who hiked with my dad too....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And a week and a half early the hag aunt flo decided to visit.   At least I know now why I was so weepy the last 3 days.  *growl*  Ah well.at least I have a reason for being moody now.  *snicker*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've bribed my kiddos.  I told them they could watch extra tv if they clean their bedrooms.  Do you think it will work?

Good afternoon

I'm feeling bleh!

I've been trying not to cry for several hours.  No particlar reason just want to.  I'd kind of like to stub my toe so I could just get it over with.

My back has spasming off and on for the last couple days, so thats probably part of the whole crying thing. 

I'm also exasperated because I'm not being able to catch up online.  And now I'm getting poked and I want to poke back.  I'm not not posting on my writing boards cause I'm ornrey.  I'm not posting cause there's not enough hours in the day.

I can't write in the day time when the kids are awake.  And at night time we have basketball games, practice, Awana, etc.  I snuck on and posted on ONE board today, but that's all I will have time for.

Rob has yesterday and today off, which also puts kinks in the works, but we are enjoying having him around.  

We headed in yesterday to do a couple errands and then went to the swimming pool in the evening.  It was quite nice.   I love swimming, and it loosened up my back quite a lot. 

Tomorrow I'm treating myself and getting my hair trimmed, and layered.  I haven't had a hair cut since we moved here.  Its time.  LOL