Wednesday, April 27, 2016

The Story Behind the Pictures

It's Wednesday and on Wednesday my nephew Ben comes over to join us for school.  We always do an Art activity and it is usually really fun.  Today we read the story "Miss Rumphius" by Barbara Cooney.  It is a beautiful story about a women who wants to honour her Grandfather by making the world a little more beautiful by planting Lupines.  For our art activity we painted Lupines:

Painting

(Ethan, Hannah, Nathanael, Me, and Ben)


They turned out lovely and even Nathanael enjoyed the process.  But in the interest of a honest disclosure this morning was TERRIBLE.  Hannah spilled my entire mug of tea everywhere.  Thankfully nothing was ruined but it was a big mess.  In my haste to clean up we lost track of the soother and I suspect Nathanael actually hid it somewhere.  Before all this I had Elly just about asleep and now she is completely awake and very unhappy.  We clean up and press on to reading our story.  Nathanael interrupts so many times that I lose count.  He desperately wants some tea and I tell him he needs to wait until the story is finished.  He ignores this and continues to push his cup into my face and Elly's face since she is trying to sleep on my lap.  This causes her to cry.  Nobody can her the story and I am very tempted to take Nathanael's cup and throw it across the room.  Nathanael, Ben, and Hannah are very patient but I am not sure how much of the story they are hearing.

Our art activity actually went pretty smoothly thanks to the baby swing and the highchair.  After art we usually watch a short video on our topic and have snack.  My tablet wasn't working and it took me awhile to figure out the problem.  By the time I got the video working Ben's Grandpa was at the door and the kitchen was a huge mess from the art.  Ben left and I cleaned up.

At this point my head is pounding and decide it is best to take Elly upstairs and leave the other 3 downstairs.  Unfortunately, Nathanael follows me upstairs and won't leave me alone.  I actually told him mommy needed to be alone and he told me "nope nope nope".  He is cute but NOT helpful. 

I am currently guarding Nathanael's door because he will not nap or stay in his room.  I am tired.   





Monday, April 18, 2016

Seven Years Ago (on Thursday)




The sun is shining outside and it is absolutely beautiful.  The fresh light green leaves on one of my trees has finally finished opening.  The newness is breathtaking.  Andrew starts his 4 month sabbatical today and I am excited for what the spring and summer will hold.  My babies are healthy, growing, and learning. I have so much to be thankful for and I am trying to focus on those things.  But this week I find myself hovering 7 years back.  Just typing that is hard, 7 years really?  All I have to do is look a Hannah and see that 7 years pass in the snap of a finger.

We passed a motorcycle accident on the way home from church yesterday and at first I was okay and then I wasn't.  We had lunch with friends from out of town who we had incidentally shared the evening with us the night of Nicholas' accident.  So I feel slightly stuck.  I remind myself that grieving ebbs and flows and that is how it works.  I remember speaking to someone at the funeral who telling my about a loved one of theirs who had died 7 years previous.  I was so irritated that they would compare their pain with mine, it seem like such along time ago.  They should be over their pain and moved on.  I laugh now because I was soooo wrong.

This Thursday my sisters and our entourage are going to the Old Spaghetti Factory for dinner.  I know, we are classy like that!  Amanda suggested it and I think it a great idea since Nick really liked it.  I phoned this afternoon to make a reservation and the man on the phone asked if it was for a birthday party. hehehe

I was poking around in my email for some of the emails I have from Nick and they amuse me so I thought I would share:


---------
From: Kristina Reed <kristinareed@yahoo.com>
Subject: How art thou

Hey Nick,
Your room is so cold and lonely. We miss you. Hows it going? whatcha been doing. Email me
Kristina

response:

email me a decient email first to ndreed@gmail.com
nick

---------
From: Nick Reed <ndreed@gmail.com>
Subject: Dood

Hey K
Its been a while and I miss talking to you. Do you hate me? Are you
mad at me? Awww ? I just wanted to say hi and see how things are
going? Did you get the pictures I sent you?
Laters
nick

response

Hello Nick
No, I don't hate you..duhhhh. well maybe Andrew does......hehehhhee. Yes, I saw your pictures besides being terrible (blurry) your place looks surprisingly like what I imagined. It looked really nice and I am looking forward to seeing it for real. Well I'm sad you were supposed to be here right now. But your not. No worries. We are going to Seoul to commemorate your should have been visit.

So are you going to go to Justins wedding. Moms got your invitation. Are you in Edmonton or at home right now. My kids graduate in 3 weeks then I will have the babies*.
Love
Kristina

note:  * I meant I would be teaching the age 2-3 class in Korea.


----------
From: Nick Reed <ndreed@gmail.com>
Subject: HELLO I AM TYPING BIG CUS YOU ARE IN SOUTH KOREA!
Hey how are you.
Its been a while u still owe me photos. and maybe an email once and a
while. U didn't respond to my last.

Well i am doing fine nothing new really. I am working long days in
bellingham i am living here. I miss you lots.

Have a good week.
nick

response

Hey Nick
I emailed you yesterday. I miss you too. The reason I am so
slow to email really is because I am sick.

This week went by fast, but it is too too hot. 30 and humid.
Sounds like you having a lot of fun despite the work. Mom said
yoiu were coming home tomorrow.
have a good weekend
love
Kristina

response

Hey Kristina,
I am doing just fine. I am still working in Bellingham. 6 days a week and 12 hours a day. Nothing new in my life really. I sent you an email a little while a go you never responded to it. But since then lets see i went and hung out with Jen and Scott and Kori at the apt last weekend. That was fun we watched Hotel Rwanda it was very good movie. Kori and I got a good chance to talk which was nice seeing as I am close friends with her other two sisters. She really wants me to get to know her and her fiancee Robby. I met him a few weeks ago when I when to her house for dinner. So I plan on emailing her soon to chat. Other then that i haven't done much hmm did I tell you that Lacey, Jenn (Lacey's Friend) and myself when to the dikes and walked around for like 3 hours? Hmm what else aw I am planning on hanging out with Lacey tomorrow, I think we are going to have a picnic or something. So pretty much I am trying to make myself a duckhorn lol. That was a joke I am a REED lifer. Unlike some people I know Demoline!!! I think you should Make andy change his name to REED. How is the merrried couple? Looking forward to China? I hope you get better soon. Cus when you get home I want Andrew to teach me to rock climb. Well thats enough I miss you two alot. Can't wait to see you guys. You started looking for a place yet? Here in Canada.
Have a good week hope you feel better.
Lots of Love from you Brother
----------

These emails make me smile.  I didn't make any changes to the emails and I left all the mistakes. We only really emailed while Andrew and I were in Korea otherwise we spoke on the phone or saw each other in person.  I found another email Nick wrote to a friend about and Andrew and I and I nearly died laughing:

I have 45mins to waste. Yeah I phoned Kristina and Andrew when I got back here they were getting ready for dinner. Man I think I am losing my touch, Andy yelled for her help to finish making dinner, like he can't do it him self. LOL she pretty much told me to phone back in 45 mins so yeah so here I am. Its funny I don't think I could be so absent in the kitchen as Andrew I enjoy being part of the process and helping if nothing else, as you well know. But they seem to like the arrangement she cooks and he eats. Oh and I found out that my axe body spray stuff was really strong, sister told me I stunk haha, I can't really smell it so I hope itA wasn't too strong. I know how annoying it can be.


While I was meandering through emails I discovered Nick had a blog.  The very beginnings of a blog since there are only 6 posts. It's called "Nix Life"  have a look http://ndreed.blogspot.ca/.

If you made it this far then thanks for listening to my meandering thoughts.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Crazy Mom



Ethan: Mom sometimes you are a little crabby from your headaches. Actually mom sometimes you are very crazy from your headaches. It's good we went to the doctor the other day. I'm glad Dr. Hyams can fix you for a little while.
This boy kills me sometimes. He is so sweet and caring. I'm glad he cares about his crazy mom who needs fixing every so often. He will make an exceptionally caring husband and father. I love him.

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Happy Birthday Hannah!

7 years blinks in a moment. She was sweet cheeked baby with bright blue eyes and now she is a sweet blue eyed girl who is the oldest daughter and best big sister a family could want.  Here is a fantastically long look from baby to 7 year old (you are for warned).

Happy Birthday Sweet Girl!!





















































































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