Today is the 15th anniversary of the day my husband and I married.  My mother-in-law sent me a journal excerpt from that day. It was interesting to hear about it from her perspective. Obviously my perspective was different due to nervousness, expectations etc.  It was hard to relate to the woman in the ‘story.’   All of it seems so long ago, buried beneath the mileage and challenges! It was so good to be reminded of that day though, and to see how far we have come. Our love has multiplied and now we are ‘ four children later’ plus the little lost ones which I never met.   There have been lots of adventures travelling here and there, the loss of three beloved grandparents, years of homeschooling, a smattering of runs and races, a move from one city to another, and then a move into our first house.  I have learned about my husband’s tender heart, his passion for learning and teaching, and how sacrificially giving he is.  My husband is romantic, sweet, and caring. In a time when so many people discard their marriages because they no longer ‘feel in love’  I am glad to have him by my side through the thick (and often thin!) times in life.  We are not as ‘innocent’ as we used to be and perhaps have some more ‘jaded’ views on life than when we started.  One thing I know for sure though, if I was standing at the altar again knowing all I know now  I would say yes again.  There is no sense saying what I would change and ‘I wish this or that.’  To me that seems a pointless exercise. Try to learn from the past and move on.  In my vows it said ‘for better or worse’ not ‘for better or for better.’  I hope to have many years with my love before one of us is called to a place so glorious that my heart aches for it. A place where we will truly be the people we were made to be! Until that time I am happy to walk hand in hand with my guy and to continue to be used ‘to chip the rough edges’ off of each other.  Love is worth the effort,  I say ‘I do.’

My youngest one is quite outspoken. I’m sure it will be an asset when she is older. For the time being though I am always waiting for someone to tell me her ‘latest’. I know I have done a post on this before, but this is some fresh material my friends.

1. (to a lady at our homeschool group) “You have ALOT of earrings.” (I must admit she does….)

2. ” Why do you have such big lips?” (to my Haitian friend at church, she laughed thankfully.  I told her that I have hardly any lips so obviously my daughter notices anything different than her own experience.  :)

3.  ”Star horse”   translation- Star Wars

4.  (Listening to ‘Sharon, Lois and Bram’)  ” This is rock and roll.”

5.  singing out loud and proud,  ”Go Ye, Go Ye into the world.”  Unfortunately we were singing a different song than that in church  I guess she thinks you can sing ANYTHING you know.

6. Singing again (over and over) ” God made skeletons, God made skeletons, God made skeletons.”  You get the idea.

7.  to a male friend who was visiting,  ” My Papa is stout!”  Isn’t that sweet? Yes, I would be thrilled.

Well, there you have it.  She keeps us on our toes. Hopefully she will learn social graces eventually

I  would say that I have a good sense of humor.  Sometimes I am even willing to laugh at myself.  I must say it is more fun to laugh at others tom foolery though, guess that means I have a healthy dose of pride to contend with! So without further ado I give you a list of  some of my ‘finer’ moments.

1.  I ‘decided’  (or should I say that God ordained it) to be born at home.  This was before the days (like in the present) where midwifery and home-births were popular. At this point in time it was ‘hospital and bottle feeding is the way” I believe.  The hospital was literally down the street but my mom and I did NOT make it there.  My father seeing what was happening demanded she ‘stop doing that’ or ‘stop pushing,’  but what’s a girl to do?  When the baby is coming, it’s coming.  So you can see how things started out from the very beginning……  my mom and I were transported to the hospital and I couldn’t go in with the other cute little babies because I was ‘contaminated’ or something.  Humph, the nerve.

2. When I was a young public school girl I had the opportunity to wear a very cute ‘cultural’ outfit for a school assembly.  Maybe it was a Ukrainian outfit, I forget.  The point wasn’t really supposed to be the outfit but rather learning a line in a different language.  So, I got all dressed up and went by myself to the front of the gymnasium and in front of the WHOLE school. I proceeded to say…..NOTHING.   My teacher had to whisper the line to me and my ‘uncle’ was in the audience, SO embarrassing! Who knows if I had even bothered to learn the line at all or just got a case of the nerves.  Don’t be deceived by fame my friend, don’t let it turn your head.

3. This one is based on ‘fame’ too. I might have delusions of grandeur….. my sister and I were pulling our wagon along on a fine spring day. It was on my Grandfather’s large front lawn (o.k. so he had 100 acres!) We were not too far from the road. A man pulled in the driveway and climbed out of his car. He said, ‘ Can I take your picture for the newspaper?’  or something like that.  I thought it sounded like a great idea.  My sister proceeded to basically cry and started heading for the house and told me not to go over to the car.  I followed after her (because I was embarrassed she was acting that way).  My mom later called the papers and there was no guy out taking pictures for them…… umm, can you say ‘thanks God for blessing me with a smart sister?’  Again my friend, don’t let fame turn your head! ( you might even get abducted)

4.  I used to babysit from time to time. What better way for a young girl to earn money.  I’m afraid I was renowned for things not going well.  This time I had a great job babysitting two boys. Their parents owned a restaurant in our little town and we could order in food for lunch, nice eh?  Well, apparently I had stayed up too late the night before so I fell asleep on their couch after their kids were in bed.  Unfortunately I locked the screen door that night (why?) When the parents got back they obviously couldn’t get in.  They banged on the door, probably windows too and I think might have called on the phone. I was NOT waking up though. Did I mention that their son was also sick with mono……  needless to say, I didn’t get to babysit there again. Too bad.

5.  Two months after I got my license I was out driving on a country road.  I wasn’t supposed to be there and I was driving too fast.  I started to fishtail and panicked. I then proceeded to slam on the brakes and my dad’s truck flipped over into the ditch.  I remember the crunch of gravel, shattering glass and me screaming and thinking ‘I’m not ready to die.’  The only bruise I got was when I undid my seatbelt after the crash and fell down onto the roof.  My parents didn’t kill me fortunately as the vehicle was a write-off and I must say it looked pretty bad.

6.  I was driving with my friend (both of us pregnant?) I forget. Anyhow we were headed from London to Petrolia for a book party.  That evening I  managed to  a. drive on the wrong side of the road  and  b. back up into a sign. There wasn’t any damage thankfully. Can you say ‘pregnancy brain?’

7. I had moved to Hamilton.  My two sons and I were at Walmart.  I got out of the van and managed to lock my keys inside.  The oldest was about four.  The youngest was one.  Obviously I  couldn’t get them out!  My four year old couldn’t get the buckle on his seat undone either. I called CAA or someone for help I think. All I remember is that smashing our window was mentioned and I thought ‘uh, no I don’t think so!’  Guess I’m not a compassionate mother  A nice employee at Walmart jimmied the lock with a hanger. Thank-you Lord!

8.  I have some pepper spray in my house for going on runs with. For big dogs and psycho killers, you know.  I had never used it to see if it worked so I thought I would try it out. Did I mention it was inside the house in our kitchen.  O.k.  so that’s all I’m going to say…….

My husband and I ‘recently’ got back from a long week-end in Boston. While there my parents cared for our children. Let me tell you about the trail of love which followed them even after they left……

We arrived home late at night and the first thing I saw was my mother’s cheerful face to greet me. Once in the door there were three lovely roses sitting on our diningroom table to congratulate me on my run.  Hauling our stuff into our room I saw some ironed shirts  hanging up waiting for my husband to wear to work that week.  Going into the kitchen in the morning it was clean and there was still some food leftover so it wasn’t totally bleak (food that we had not bought).  I lifted off the stove covers to cook something and lo and behold it was white and clean! (from the oven cleaner she used). She left us notes to say good-bye as she had gone home really early to rest her weary head.  I saw bountiful clothes bursting out of the kids rooms for the spring and summer season (clothes we had not bought) and new shoes for my kids to wear instead of the too small or ratty ones they had presently worn out.  When I put away some laundry eventually I saw that my husband’s socks were neatly rolled and re-organized and that my dishtowels and bath towels were folded and put away. It has been like following the ‘yellow brick road,’  each time you think the trail is done it goes on and on. Then of course the children mentioned ‘Grandma made this,  Grandpa played that, we watched this or that with him’ (he was at a disadvantage with a bad cold). They went to the library, went to a drama, went to church, went to the park etc.  It is hard to imagine where my husband and I would be without their love and support.  The list is so incredibly long and I can’t possibly put it all down (nor would my mom and dad want me too as they are selfless givers.)  The Bible says our real reward is in heaven. Let me tell you, they will be casting many crowns at Christ’s feet. I love you mom and dad!

I don’t like using the word ‘awesome’ in a flippant way (just like the word love). But I have to tell you……. when I was running the Boston Marathon this past Monday, I thought how great it was.  The crowds and support, UNBELIEVABLE.  Since there was a heat advisory people had the option to defer until next year. Yeah, like that was going to happen!  I had certain landmarks or towns in my mind such as the start of course, – Hopkinton.  Following that I thought of Ashland, Framingham (where the mass of the race would thin out some), Natick,  the screaming girls of Wellesley College, The 90 degree turn at the Newton fire station, where a series of hills would be (including Heartbreak),  the famous Citgo sign which meant only about 2km to go and then of course Boylston, the finish line.  I had read up on this race.  The elevation at the start is higher and the downhill goes for quite a way.  People go out too fast and don’t save enough juice for the hills and the finish. Well, let me tell you. I ran steady and slower than usual,  I doused myself constantly with water, I consumed three gu packs to keep up my electrolytes.  There were people in costumes (crazy),  little kids handing out freezies, people with ice, licorice, vaseline, oranges, wet wipes.  You name it.  I went into my own ‘zone’ and I stayed there the whole time. It was my own individual race.  The organizers said, ‘due to the heat DO NOT try to get a personal best.  Today will NOT be a race with the heat, it will be an experience.’  Due to my personality this was a freeing statement. I went from wanting to run a faster time (or close) to wanting to be strong, steady and to cross the finish line with a smile on my face. If  I could memorize a time in my mind it would be about the last 10km of the race, seeing the citgo sign in the distance, finally coming up to it, and then turning onto the finish line street.  The people in the city were even more than all the places along the way. Throngs of them clapping and cheering.  I  had passed so many people who were walking instead of running up the hills of Newton, and I passed tonnes in the last kilometers. These were the people who flew by me at the start. I thought to myself, “I’ll see you later when you run out of steam.”  Sure enough I did.  I felt so good, strong and amazing.  I wanted to scream out ‘this is awesome’ so many times. (many people were walking and struggling so I kept it to myself. I kept it as a secret and held it close  I have never been an olympian and I never will be.  But at that moment I truly was one in my own mind.  God blessed me with this awesome experience.  I will hold my head up and say, ‘yes, awesome is the word.’   It wasn’t just ‘nice’ or ‘fun.’   The Boston Marathon was  TOTALLY AWESOME.