Ten Things I'm Thankful For ~ a spring rose edition

Yep...I'm definitely awaiting the spring's roses yet to come... Aren't you?

Here are my "Ten Things I'm Thankful For"....

When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,

and you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,

just remember, in the winter,

far beneath the bitter snow,

lies the seed that with the sun's love

in the spring becomes the rose.

(The Rose, sung by Bette Midler)

Well, in the last blog post I did warn all about our strange weather patterns looming before us, and indeed the snow did visit to cover the earth once more, with its (once again) wintry white snowy blanket.

The air grew very damp, and a tornado bounced off a farm an hour away from us. The odd weather offered us more bitter cold for a 48 hour period, and then all began to thaw and warm up again. 

I'm happy to report we have only a little rain today, and the weather forecast to come for the rest of the week, is sun, sun, and more sun! The temperatures will rise, and with a steady increase of 20C+ of thermometer reading blissness, we will - at last, feel the effects of spring in our midst.

- 1 - I'm thankful for the gifts of spring. My husband gifted me with these lovely tulips yesterday. He too, felt the sun rounding the bend ahead.  

I'm happy to report our trees are filling up with tiny buds, a sure sign that we still require patience for spring to finally begin blasting in with full force. 

I am filled with great anticipation for a visible change of season to remain for more than a day, and having experienced one very beautiful day already as a teaser this past weekend, enabling doors open wide, and being able to sit for a bit and soak up the sun's rays while quietly listening to the multitudes of returning birdies, well now, that was so very wonderful.

- 2 - I'm thankful for the many blessings intentionally sought after day to day. Our world and personal circumstances still prove that there is so much to pray for, and still so much to be ever-thankful for. Always. 

There are important family dates filling up our calendar, ones we will highlight in bright yellowy hues, glowing radiant like the sun to provide some blessed excitement ahead. 

On May 19th, our future son-in-law will be baptized and receive his First Holy Communion. We will celebrate his and our daughter's wedding this August, and in both September and November, two more grandbabies (Yes now 2!) will make their welcomed entrances into our family. Other extended family events are dotted in between these ones, milestones for some and delights for others. So blessed!

 

- 3 - I'm thankful for the heart of our home - our kitchen! With Lent now behind us, and the Easter season in our midst, sporadic and impulsive baking moments are present in our kitchen. 

The goodies are becoming a habit, and I hate to spill the beans to one daughter that our traditional "Lenten Pie Sundays" are now over. Two pies this weekend, and happy faces resulting from serving those were quite funny. 

- 4 - I'm thankful that our schooling is rounding the bend, and the light at the end of the tunnel ahead is now (finally) beginning to brightly glow. 

At this time of year, there is a tattling with our teens showing definite preferrences for some subjects over others. The dawdling becomes quite remarkable when a least favorite subject is presented for the week's "catch-up" scheduling mode. Oh, but we all know, those essays, and assignments that they really aren't a fan of will still be there come Monday. Right? 

Seize the day children, for this part of schooling too shall pass...and then there will be many more challenges and learning opportunities ahead throughout your entire life. Real life-schooling never ends! Know that. :)

- 5 - I'm thankful for this old solid oak  "Wilson" piano, the one that is daily adorned with sheet music, or a favorite piano book. It's the one that fingers pass across the ebony keys, offering joyful song and rhythmic tunes enough to fill our home with the sounds of music. 

 

Thank you to our children who still love to play, we love to listen to your efforts, and thank you mom and dad for having it surprisingly dropped off that one day, now so long ago. This is the piano all of my siblings played tunes upon, the one we had in our home growing up.  

All eight of our children have been privy to piano lessons, in the hope that they would learn to especially, and simply love fine music down the road. It is my fondest hope that they all still appreciate having had the opportunity of being introduced to, and playing on this timeless musical instrument. Maybe they won't continue to play in the future, but it will remain here whenever they wish to sit and run the keys again in the future.

- 6 - I'm thankful for the opportunity and pleasure of having guests in our home at Easter, for the very first time since our move to Ontario almost seven years ago now. 

My sister and our friend spent many hours driving here from Cape Cod, arriving late on Good Friday, and not leaving until Easter Monday morning. It was very special to have them here with us, one of those really thankful things in life to have additional family around on a special weekend. Love to you sister!

A highlight was the men's pool table games, so neat to see them enjoy circling around it and having a great time. Our friend used to own his own billiard hall many, many years ago and really enjoyed revisiting that special former hobby of his.

- 7 - I'm thankful for the formal change of winter to spring sports. Our son is playing ball hockey again this year. He's made a move to a new venue, with the biggest change being that this particular new-to-him league is outdoors, snow or shine. 

He was over the moon crazy-happy to be able to grab his favorite number 10 again, one that he's had for most of his ice/ball hockey seasons thus far. 

Though these photos have the sun shining, it was freezing cold out there, hovering around a mere 3C degrees! So cold, the sun didn't even warm a body up, so these boys were wearing layers to keep warm, and working it out there to keep pumping up their circulation.

Team win of 6-1 was a hearty bonus for all the kids on his team, but all were happy to run for warmth as soon as they exited their arenas. 

I'd like to mention the incredible professional flooring they are able to play on, a formal floor used in roller hockey games, so there is a cushioning for joints moving about throughout the season, as opposed to playing in an indoor arena's concrete flooring. Bonus!

- 8 - I'm thankful for attempts at resolving issues with short cuts to cleaning hardwood floors. This "shark steamer" allowed me to make an unexpected happy dance when locating it locally and finding it on sale for almost half the price. Ohhhh, was I ever thankful when the cashier surprised me with that good news, as it was the night before the actual mark down event and she offered it to me early. Yay!

With the recent purchase of this steam cleaner, I worked and worked at cleaning for some additional super shine on our abundance of flooring in this house. My verdict? Perhaps the sales pitch is hailed by many to be fantastic, yes it did clean well, and I'm still thankful for having it, but honestly, I think I'm needing a commercial unit instead to perform for us here. 
  
Though the manufacturer claims it will disinfect at the same time as cleaning, even at its lowest steam setting, I found it left a rather dull streaked flooring as a result of all that abundance of cleaning. I still really like it though, specially on my tile flooring in the hallways, doorways and bathrooms, but one thing was sure - performing the task with such a large amount of flooring required several breaks when the motor obviously became too hot to continue. (Your thoughts, if you own one are most welcomed.)

- 9 - I'm thankful for this white frothy cuppa sweetness! I gave up these and other things for lent, and boy oh boy was I ever thankful for this special and unexpected serving placed before me! Yum! Yum! 

It's a ceremonial thing for me, not to be indulged in too often, but slowly savored when present. Bliss! 

- 10 - I'm thankful for daily cell phone reminders when viewing my newest photo placed on my cell phone's home screen. This was a photo I snapped a while back through my window, one that I love to check out daily that is graced with this window decal, which has become so special to me.

It makes me smile, when every single day my cell phone offers a little reminder not only to see the sunshine in my days, but to also fill my heart with gratitude for the many, many blessings given unto me. 

As this week's Sunday epistle bible reading details;

" Dearly beloved, Every best gift, and every perfect gift is from above: coming down from the Father of lights, with Whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration...."

~ 1 James 1:17

 And once again, ten - only ten out of hundreds of thankful things are offered for just a minor glimpse at some of my simple things in life ~ from me to you.

Grab a pen, grab something to jot down your favorite and thankful things today. Count your blessings and know they really do come down from the Father of lights.

Have a great week everyone! 
Blessings;
Renee 

"People from a planet without flowers would think 

we must be mad with joy the whole time 

to have such things about us."

~Iris Murdoch

An everlasting LOVE...

Yesterday we (like it or not) ushered in Ash Wednesday, the official beginning of Lent. 

 ...For I have loved you with an everlasting love...

~ Jeremiah 31:3

Along with its entry, one couldn't help notably sighting both adults and children, darkly crossed on their foreheads, with visible reminders of "ashes to ashes, and dust to dust". 

With Ash Wednesday falling where it has this year on our calendars, being able to have "St. Valentine's Day" love feasting in our midst the very day next day, make no mistake that (sacrificial) love reminders are warmly embracing us, both spiritually and emotionally, and have never occurred back to back this way, simply by coincidence.

 

"Teach us...

that we may feel the importance of every day,

of every hour, as it passes."  

 

~ Jane Austen

   Week 3 is steadily moving forward for my husband's respiratory rehabilitation. Once again, we have been offered an uncanny and timely reminder, on how this often crushing cross lung disease affects our family. With the timing too comes the occasional reminder to take a momentary step back, to grasp how fleeting our daily moments really are, and to begin taking the next necessary steps ahead - concentrating on keeping one foot pacing along in front of the other...go,go,go.

Perhaps, rather than thinking this cross as an unfathomable burden, I've been really pondering, why not make the attempt to slightly turn it around, and be grateful for this gift of timing instead.

 

It is a love offering option to try, no one said it would be easy, and of course it's lent for a double reminder of sacrifices being made, but think of it... if only we would choose instead to pray for eyes wide open, and for the courage to surrender to all of the wonderful possibilities life can offer us throughout the lenten season ahead.

 

Certainly every individual has their own personal crosses to carry, so may this early entry into Lent once again remind us to mindfully reflect on how we are honestly doing with that important task.  

The decision to re-enter into resp. rehab, wasn't something my hubby wanted to submit to when doctors insisted it to be so, especially the part about having to be away from his family as an inpatient in the confines of a hospital ward, along with some 28 others in his respiratory hospital wing, all of them also making the grueling attempt at working hard to continue battling various types of lung diseases like him. 

 

But, for the love (and begging pleas) of his wife and family, his affirming decision has consequently offered us all, an example of a very real and sacrificial kind of love.  

 

As St. Paul declared in Corinthians 28:19; 

"...real love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. Love never fails." 

There are times when the weight of one's cross quickly becomes much lighter with the love and cheering of family and friends. 
 

Our children have all offered their father (sometimes daily) love within their cheery texting/emailing sentiments;

"Go, Dad, Go!"
"You're my hero"
"Keep up the great work!"
"You can do it!"
 "We love you!"

"You've got this!"

He has never been far from my own heart, and my spontaneous prayer offerings throughout the day, thoughts frequently visiting me over what he might be doing at that present timing, hoping he's breathing okay, praying yet another new round of medical tests don't produce further complications (like two did last week), and attempting all the while to keep up everyone's spirits around here.

 

 "You can't make up time; 
you can only use what's left, better." 

 

~ Oscar G. Darlington  

 

Today, and every day, I continue to cherish and celebrate the love I have for this man, still strong so many years later since that very first "Knights of Columbus" dance where we vividly noticed how cupid's arrows began darting at our hearts. 

 

I eagerly await and trust in the journey ahead, submitting totally to God's will for our lives...because "he loves us with an everlasting love".
 

  

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

"Keep a good heart.  That's the most important thing in life.

It's not how much money you make or what you can acquire.

The art of it is to keep a good heart."

  ~ Joni Mitchell      

All a flutter, quite literally... Lent is here

Week 3 - Respiratory Rehabilitation

all began yesterday..

 

 

While my husband was home attempting his weekend recovery from being an inpatient at the respiratory rehabilitation hospital, almost as suddenly as he arrived after his brutal drive through the highly cautioned winter storm of the year, the following day he was knocked under with some sort of a awful flu bug. 

Interesting to later learn upon his return to be an inpatient again for the third week in a row, two of his fellow roommates had also fallen with a similar bug, both placed into isolation for the weekend. I guess so! But who "irresponsibly" brought it in there in the first place?

What to do with roommates who have come from a far distance away and cannot return home for recovery time on the weekend? You got it, they are sent into isolation, like jail time. sigh...

While my husband's head and body gently weeped through his time of trial that threw him temporarily against the wall, I monitored and placed my own husband into a type of isolation.

 Although he felt so much better before noon on Sunday, he was instructed by everyone to lay low, and to hydrate and nibble back to better health. There were family plans for the weekend, and with or without him now, the show had to go on. But, happy to report by 5am. Monday, he felt just fine, and was given the go ahead to return to the hospital.

His weekend schedule for using his varied breathing apparatus was not attended to per his daily appointed timings, a slight bit distracted by life as it were, but how interesting to get to know a new (life saving) breathing device so simple, and yet so powerful that it can take the place of a percussion vest for lung disease mucus extraction and lung lining/gasping to breathe control. 

It was the best hundred dollars ever spent, and so much more convenient than having to wear, and perform instead within the confines of a percussion vest! 

I've been alerted and will be summoned to visit the hospital several times over the next few weeks to learn proper percussionist cupping, to be performed several times each day for at home care on my husband, one lung at a time as a gentle daily measure. To supplement his routine, this little helpful flutter device has also now become a part of my husband's required daily mucus clearing regime.

What a wonderful and instant-relief type of invention! He's very impressed with it! It works by taking a deep breath, then blowing through the pipe to move around the steel ball inside. Then sound waves begin rolling up and down from the pipe through the depths of the lungs, to loosen up mucus on their linings. It works instantaneously to offer huge relieve and some normalcy.

 The traditional mom/dad and birthday child happened...

 Did I mention we celebrated the traditional birthday breakfast here, just in time, before my hubby fell ill. We also hosted a birthday party on Sunday evening for a newly turned fourteen year old daughter with a few friends, plus, we brought a son's friend home overnight from church who lives quite a distance away, and all the rest who live here were on deck to help ensure the birthday party flew well. Concern for their father had kept their minds and hearts full all day, the party was a great distraction. Believe me!

Yesterday, we all spent the day decompressing. For real. 

I'm sure I won the "crazy neighbor award" again this past weekend, for being a weirdo who had all our doors open wide, fans on, freezing out rooms to kill germs and freshen all up again. 

I actually stood in the front doorway, just absorbing the fresh air for sport. It felt great just to stand there, frozen in my deepest thoughts.
 
Yesterday it began to warm up and rain. Then, it snowed. It squalled too. And we all could hardly care less. There was a little math, english, and animal care performed, then a few found themselves napping, and there was the survival fallout to fend off, from one more stressful wellness moment that could have been life changing and disastrous in every sense of the word.

Sleeping on a couch for two nights has no perks, unless all my aching bones, and foggy brain from hourly waking to check on my hubby possibly count.

Forget the official Ash Wednesday start to Lent tomorrow folks, for it's already been here for some time now in my mind, already so much to offer up toward the many prayer requests promised out there. There are so many we know with difficult health circumstances at this present time, that makes me feel wimpy even daring to complain about my weary body and escalating brain fuzz. 

For these, and all we can offer wholeheartedly at this time ~ we pray to the Lord.

...never was it known, that anyone that fled to thy protection was left unaided... Amen.  

And then, mail call! This arrived at a timing like no other, from my extremely thoughtful, dear sister in law who worked with her loving hands to needle craft and create this special gift just for us. 

Believe it or not, she apologized for having purchased the kits some six years ago, and hadn't had the time to actually complete it until recently. 

As we all know, often our timing is not dictated in our own schedules, and the actual timing of completing and sending this gift via parcel post became the PERFECT timing for us, humbled recipients of this lovely and unexpected personalized gift. 

It's so perfect, and the timing is too! It really is! Thank you! Thank you!

Those are our chairs folks, the water's edge always our preferred place to be, at least for a breathing reprieve on tough humid fallout days, the sand weaving in our toes, the wind gently tossing about our hair, and the cherished (way out there) horizon before us, always manages to represent our deepest desire to just calmly trust and pray for all that is to come.

Onward to Lent then, and keeping our hearts all a flutter for St. Valentine's Day and beyond.

May you be blessed this week folks, with the love of family, hearts filled with good and wonderful lenten intentions, and the grace to carry it all through. 

Hugs! 

Ten Things I'm Thankful For ~ Jan 14, 2013

Aren't you impressed with all the blogging coming along here lately? 

Actually, for the most part, there's plenty to say about having "draft posts" awaiting final editing, ready to go within a few moments final completion. Yay me for getting them from draft to published! :) 

Here's to the number "ten", yes, only another ten things for today's post, none which might make perfect sense to another, just ten personal things in no random order whatsoever. It okay though if I post more than ten photos, right? Yes? I completely agree with you there. 

So, here's to today's TEN! 

 

- 1 - Merry Christmas to US! Yes, two weeks before Christmas, my good old Maytag washing machine literally came to a grinding halt. The Maytag washer/dryer set we've owned, just happened to have been included with this home, the previous brand new set I owned was sold upon our move here. I figured it would be a great set, after all doesn't Maytag offer those commercials of less busy repair men? 

Last summer when our front loading washer machine was making loud noises, I did have a repair man in. His diagnosis was not good, though hopeful to keep on using it. He suggested I run it right down, that the barrel motor was on its way out, and that it would continue to make much louder noises that it would one day sound like it was taking off like a jet plane. That it did. No more laundry in the late evening, or baby woke up. One of the great things about front load washers, is once they go, never will water leak from the barrel drum onto the floor. That was comforting. Sort of anyway. So, of course, it decided to leave us just before Christmas, and a lovely family bonding trip to the laundry mat was in good order. 

I'm a little odd I suppose because I actually don't mind laundry mats. Imagine getting five super large (sheets/towels, etc.) loads rolling all at one time, wow, so fast. And then, within half an hour, off for home we went to use our working still dryer for the duration of the day. It worked for us to complete the laundry this way, and I was willing to wait for after Christmas specials before shopping, but my husband trumped me and decided we should do it right away, you know - "window shop". Ever window shop with a husband? They buy, not shop, because they just want it over and done with. There's that word again;  D-O-N-E!

Mr. Fix-it day. Notice a roof shingle laying here, one that had blown from our roof! 

Our new washer/dryer set (!) were delivered here, placed in the laundry room (you know, after all that spring cleaning one has to perform when the previous washer/dryer gets moved out), and then my husband proceeded to reverse the dryer door around the other way for me. Yay! How wonderfully quiet these both are! It's so great to be able to perform all laundry tasks later in the evening again, specially when the gas and hydro pricing is lower. 

Merry Christmas to us!
 

- 2 - I'm thankful for brighter colored (monopoly kind of) money now in Canada. Seriously, what's with all these security changes? There are just too many people out there who have nothing else better to do than to make counterfeit money? 

And, we are losing our penny this year, with our nickel to follow shortly afterward. Soon, we will be a cashless society no doubt, and life will be filled with even more identity theft than ever before, or something else futuristic perhaps. But, in the meanwhile, I actually like our polymer plastic money. It doesn't rip or tear, and crinkle the way our paper bills do. So, tell me, are you saving one of the older type of bills, or a few pennies, just for fun?

Dead battery discoveries

- 3 - I'm thankful for bulk battery purchases one can make at Costco when having to repurchase many at once. I'm beginning to despise having to budget so much money all of the time for battery bulk buys. Really! 

• First there's the smoke detectors which require a new 9volt square battery yearly. 
• There's the AAA batteries to replace the headsets for the vehicle's DVD player, and other assorted gadgets. 
• There's the very large battery to replace in our security alarm system for use as back up. 
• There's all those bundles of AA batteries for "everything", even though we have rechargeable ones galore to use here instead, I'm finding their shelf life not as long as I had hoped. 
• There are those "C" and "D" sized ones for the odd things like exercise bike panel, baby's music on her crib, flashlights, stereos, etc.. 
• And lest we forget, there are those wee little round ones for watches. Whew. 

I think I need to buy some stocks in some of these companies, because like the first disposable "Bic" shavers, these things are meant to be replaced, and often! 

Thank you to Costco for saving the day every time with huge savings on these must-have items.

- 4 - I'm thankful for having a baker in the family who insists all of her final products are decorated for proper presentation factors. 

She keeps us smiling because we never know what her next little sign will be to greet us in the kitchen after her baking sessions are complete. 

 

- 5 - I'm thankful for family assembly moments when everyone pitches in to make breakfast freezer foods for another day. 

Yes, we are into breakfast sandwiches here these days. With shift workers, and ski slope days, let alone packed lunches for work, there is plenty of goodness in preparing ahead so anyone has a nutritious food fare to grab and go when necessary. 

Whipping up entire meals ahead of time saves time, effort, and makes everyone less grumpy when looking at a (full) fridge, only to announce - there's nothing to eat in this house! (translated into there's nothing edible in a fast food two seconds flat). 

 

 

Crustless mini bacon/veggie/egg quiches, great snacks anytime. They freeze beautifully, and can be grabbed while heading out the door to eat cold. 

(they actually taste really good hot or cold)

Well, we're changing all of that here now. I have pages and pages of make ahead breakfast/brunch ideas on the go in my kitchen, such a great idea all of the time to continue planning.

- 6 - I'm thankful for out of town visitors who come to have a wonderful time together. 

Whether these boys (who live within a span of 2 hours in distance) are using the outdoor ice skating rink, playing hockey to their hearts content, or on the slopes snowboarding, or playing the latest and greatest NHL hockey on a video game system, they are always great to have over. These visits happen so seldom, an entire weekend is devoted to ensuring they have lots ot time together. 

This particular weekend, it was just easier to have them arrive on a Friday, and then bring them all to our church with us, so their parents could pick them up there at Sunday's morning mass. 

- 7 - I'm thankful for scarves! Yes, I've grown accustomed while living in colder climate areas to wear scarves quite a lot. 

This particular one was gifted to me from my mother four years ago, a pashima that's soft and so neutral to wear inside my coat collars. I'm rather loving it again this winter. 

 Baby and Bunny Love

- 8 - I'm thankful for fun little spontaneous moments like this one, when baby meets bunny face to face, and her endearing excitement keeps us all observing what will happen next. 

From her first surprised glance when noticing our daughter's sweet little Floppy bunny, to her following and chasing him about the bar stool area, what squeals came from her mouth, just delighted with him in her company. 

And then, it happened. She stretched way out there, doing the splits of sorts, and touched his nose. Lots of sweet bunny love was evident, and she was so kind and gentle to our bunny, both enjoyed their moments together. 

 

 - 9 - I'm thankful for crazy things that make me laugh, like the scene above, when someone decided placing bags of creamy homemade soup should stand vertically, rather than the common sense way of laying them down horizontally.

Thawing out these ones a few weeks back, all I was hoping for is that they'd fall off gracefully. They did. Bonus! The rack was cleaned while thawed at the same time.

 - 10 - I'm thankful for casual dinners with a priest at our table. Yes, these regular evenings have become very casual, when our priest visits to give catechism lessons to our future son in law, in the privacy of our home, and then knows he's always included at our dinner table later in the evening. 

A perfect end to the day is having his priestly blessing on our family shortly before leaving out the door. 

I'm also thankful for evenings when all are home for dinner, 

I mean all are actually eating at the same time, at the same table, yes, all at the same time! My husband and I weren't ready to eat yet, so all of these wonderful people in our home decided to serve themselves and begin early. 

As I was sitting not too far away, it hit me hard. It won't be long until two more birdies leave our family nest. 

Yes, a mother knows when the time has come for them to try to fly using their own young wings, to fly onward in the direction their own lives are going to take them. I pray daily for them, that with God's graces, they will be able to make good decisions, offering smooth passages towards their lifelong goals and dreams.

It's coming. Am I ready? 
Ready to go from 8-7-6-5-4-3- to 2??? at home? 
Nope. But, it's going to soon become a reality, so I'm preparing my heart for these days ahead.

Okay, another ten, ten good things to dwell on, personal things that is for me to share here with everyone.

Skipping through photos, it was great to finally load all the ones hidden on my iphone, about 600 of them in fact. 

As I sifted through the bunches there, a few obviously stood out, a few above, and definitely the one below I was able to snap while driving.

Um....I know, but I promise I was looking straight ahead, wasn't distracted, just hoping I pressed the right button on my phone. I did. At least I found out when I got all the way home.

How beautiful this evening sky was! A real blessing to be sure...

Be blessed friends...and now, go write down your ten things for today...