One Part Inspiration...

One of the many celebrations we have experienced this year was our 25th anniversary.  I remember attending a few of my Aunts' and Uncles'25th anniversaries - and they were big events - a small hall was rented, there were speeches and dancing and lots of food and drink.  I thought it seemed unreal that these people had been married for more than half their life.  I couldn't imagine it ever happening to me.  And suddenly there it was.  Our Silver Anniversary.  The days of celebrating such a grand occasion with a party as big as your wedding are gone.  Mostly now, these get marked by a casual party - sometimes at the couple's house. We decided to mark it in a couple of ways - a private dinner with my husband and me at a restaurant of my choosing (I had a coupon) - and then the family invited us to a dinner at my  in-law's place a few days later. We enjoyed our meal out.  It happened to be at a restaurant that my husband had designe...

After nineteen years, my husband hung up his coaching boots and Sponge Bob hat.  He is an icon on the soccer field - whether watching his team, or his kids' teams.  His hat was easy to spot.  His boots (what was left of them) had many miles of pacing up and down the field, coaching the kids to  use the gifts God gave them to get the ball into the net. He has the title of coach, but there was so much more to it.  He poured himself into the kids.  He encouraged them, both on and off the field, to be the best they could be.  He helped them pick up the pieces of their lives when things fell apart.  He prayed for them.  He prayed with them.   He even made special trips to their schools to hand-deliver chocolate Valentines.  He took them to Hawaii, he chaperoned trips to the movies and planned Mall Hunts for extra-curricular fun.   There were innumerable nights of practicing out in the rain, driving kids to and from the field,...

Somewhere along the line, the staff at my main job began throwing birthday parties for anyone who had a big birthday. By big birthday, I mean a new decade. We have planned some wonderful celebrations. Usually we meet at someone's house, have a pot luck dinner and then a little bit of a program - with a song honouring the birthday girl, and maybe a skit. There are always some sort of present or presents. There is always lots of food. The atmosphere is just right for visiting and enjoying each other's company, which is something we have to do on the fly, in the workplace. Every celebration has been a unique and enjoyable event. Along with these birthday parties, we have planned retirement parties, and farewell parties. We are the queens of partying. One of my favourite parties was the one they planned for my 40th birthday. They threw me an "Oscar" party. Each person presented me with an 'award' for some 'film' I had been in. They created a red...

It's so quiet in the house. I am all alone. The dog has retreated to her bed, after having walked with me down to the church, to deliver cookies for tomorrow's bus ride for the youth. The bread is rising. The fireplace is roaring. The rain is falling. The fog has taken over the horizon. It's a perfect day. Today is also a very historical day. In less than 25 km, the odometer on the van is set to turn over to 300 000. That means there's been over 180 000 km. travelled safely since we bought the van. It has been a wonderful vehicle. We bought it at a time when we were constantly driving the kids from one thing to another. We have moved several times with the van holding our precious (and not so precious) possessions. The buffet and hutch fit into it without having to leave the back open at all. We have hauled cargo, and children, and groceries, and boxes of all sizes and shapes. It has held our blankets and chairs for us to attend soccer games, volleyball and basketball g...

Remember this????? And remember this? My most brilliant Father's Day gift? Let me refresh your memory. I gave him the gift that builds itself. [insert smile] Well here's a wee update! This was several weeks ago... This was last week... And, this was today... I can almost imagine the front porch swing. I better hone up on my lemonade-making skills.

There was much anticipation as graduation week arrived. It was palpable. Notices came home. More notices were emailed. Protocols were reiterated. Rules were delineated. Expectations were set out. Cheques were cut. Stores were visited. And finally, it was here. My favorite day, was the day of the parade. I took the a holiday to enjoy whatever might happen. I got to sleep in a bit and get a few jobs done around the house, before the graduate and I headed out to do some errands. We spent the day together. It was nice to hang out. We picked up some items. We dropped off others, and finished up "the getting" for the grad outfit. Our list got shorter, and finally we stopped for a celebratory Booster Juice. On our way to pick up the grad's brother from school, we picked up the 'spandex suit' for the parade. Then we went to the group picture place. It was rainy and cold, so we only stayed for a little bit. Then we made our way to the parade...