Emora's 3rd birthday and a lot of other birthdays

I have 2 cousins (brother and sister) who live here in the Fort with us. They each have families of 5, plus us, family of five, add their sister and parents- an hour's drive from here and there are pretty much birthdays every month through the year. Sheena has a great party house, with lots of room, teenage facilitator and instruments, plus she doesn't mind hosting. So about once a month or every few months, we have a birthday bash. I always wanted to have family parties. There is not so much involved for several reasons... a lot of times, everyone pitches in with parts of it- food or cake or game or pinata in this case and secondly, if we are too lazy to organize, it doesn't matter- the kids all love to see each other and play together anyways.





Emora and Neve are 2 years apart. I realized when I took this picture that with each year, the age gap won't be so noticeable. Maybe they will be close buddies. Then again, Lanelle is only a year older, so Emora likes to play with her too.



All the January birthdays: I noticed they were all parent and daughter.



Jenn asked me what kind of birthday I was doing for Emora and I realized ackk- I should at least make a cake!! I usually do 2 box cakes, but I was missing a super easy chocolate cake recipe that we've made before. It is the most delicious cake, so half of it was that. It's always fun to me to think of a design and decorate it.

Emora was given a card last year that she just loved. It was part card, part puppet, part story. She has been getting me to read it and make the dog talk all year long. I didn't want to just get rid of it, but at the same time, she was about to be 3, so I decided to sew him a body and make him into a real puppet.
I told Emora she could name him and she wanted to name him "Emora". So creative! I convinced her to give him a slightly different name- so on his collar, on his button medalion it reads: "Emory"- our newest puppet.

Trip tales part 12

The final chapter of our trip. OK, so I may have slightly ulterior motives in this. If you are from Abilene and thinking of making the long drive up, this is some of what you get to see (ok, not Brian in the van).

It's long, yes, but it's also flat, straight and dotted with breathtaking beauty. I love, love the light as you get North. I never knew what it was that made me relax (unconciously) the further North we came every time we drove, until one time, at a pit stop, Brian said that the light was weird. Then it hit me- the light felt "right" for that season and time of day, it was a different angle from the sun and it was what I was used to. Culture shock is not just a result of language and customs being different, but so often it's all the little things that add up.



I grew up where there are seasons, extreme seasons. It's part of the joys and the journey to anticipate and glory in each season. Abilene didn't really have seasons and it was one of the first big things I really missed having lived in Canada.

Smells, light, air, tastes, sounds vary depending on so many factors that we can not even calculate, but when you travel you realize- this is different, how exotic and exciting that life could have such a different feel to it in this place.

I like flying for the speed of it, but Brian has always preferred to drive. With a family of five and none of the kids being small enough for a free ticket, I think driving will definitely be our mode of locomotion back and forth. But it's not all bad. Brian likes to drive and I like to read and sleep (in between helping kids with stuff). The kids thought they were in hog heaven watching a billion movies all day long- blah.


Sometimes I made them shut it off and look out the windows. Look at the beauty I'd say! Tell me something gorgeous you see. They'd appease me a few moments, maybe pull out something from their backpack and quickly return to their long drive singsong "Can we watch another movie now!"

I was thinking how times have changed. We used to see animal farms as we drove the countryside and now the kids see wind farms. I found them mesmerizingly beautiful- like art in the sky, but my kids will not find them unique, just a part of life, like dvds and wiis and smart computers in class. I just hope they will remember to look up and breathe deep, find open spaces and drink in the gorgeous of nature, the treasure of friends, the deep benefits of family, the joys of travel and new experiences and memories created on a 2 day drive through open country.

Trip tales part 11

Nearly finished up with our trip tales. It's about time huh? OK, so confession time, I still haven't uploaded pictures off the camera since we got back. I need to though. They are so fun to see on the big screen and then I can share them with you too!


We started our stay and ended our stay in Abilene at the restaurant we loved the most there. SzeChuan. We used to go before it got all fancy, when it was a little hole in the wall restaurant with the best food in town and amazing chefs who cooked behind a glass viewing area. Paula (in red striped shirt) is the person who first took me there.


So, our first night in Abilene we ate there and our last night in Abilene we so happened to get to eat there again! We had never been in the fancy round room, so that was a special treat. The kids loved the round spinning center. I was thinking I need one for the cupboards, but definitely not for my table as the kids kept spinning it and driving me batty.

We got to enjoy several family traditions. Staying at Wynetta's was amazing and she shared her tradition of making cinnamon rolls for breakfast that she used to do with her grandson when he was little. She wanted to pass on the memory to my littles and they sure did love it.

They also remembered our own tradition of Brian making sausage biscuits. I have to boast a bit about a super duper friend ;) Tighe bought and brought us the makings for sausage biscuits twice! I found that God often brings me best friends who are just like my husband- probably so that I can understand him better. She likes meat or protein for breakfast and that's exactly what she wanted as a treat from Starbucks. When I think treat, I'm thinking sweet and (unfortunately) fattening- definitely not sausage!! But oh, the joy it gave them all was priceless. I'm seriously thinking I will have to bite the bullet and a) find ground sausage here and b) pay some outrageous price for it so that the kids and hubby can relive that pure delight in making their morning food.





One of the last people we got to see was Trish. She had a wii game that was kind of broke. It had a disk stuck in it. Well, you should have been here the night the kids were able to fix it! Oh man, there was screaming and dancing and yelling and prancing. So I'm not sure if I should say thanks or ACK!!! since I have another screen tool to kick them off of all the time, but it was nice in -40 when we really couldn't tell them to go play outside. Not to mention that even when it is warm, it still gets dark here early and there is much of the night when they like to play still.

Trip tales part 10

This is called- way too many pictures in one blog post.

This was the last time I got to see Tighe in person, on this trip ;( They say "parting is such sweet sorrow" but sometimes I think it's just sorrow. Especially knowing how much I would miss her and all our other friends. Before when we left, I didn't know how hard it would be to not have people around that I treasured so much and who had become such a vital part of our lives and support system. During our move, I was thinking about the long drive and u-hauling all our stuff and what might await us in Canada. There was none of that this time to shield me from the hurt of saying "goodbye- until we see each other again".

Thankfully there are phones and the internet, so we are not totally disconnected. Can you imagine what it was like for pioneers (my great grandparents) when they left Europe to cross a huge ocean, face the unknown and leave FOREVER their family and friends, to face harsh cold CANADA with barely anyone living close even, few tools and resources, crazy epidemics, without doctors, childbirth without hospitals, no phones, electricity, internet, plumbing, cars, airplanes, facebook... I am SO GLAD I was born now and here and to the family I was born into!! So I'm not going to complain that I miss my friends. It could have been much worse.



and see technology let me keep all these memories on little clear pictures...



what a lovely day, and what lovely times.



and we are adding to our repertoir of friends here, albeit slowly...

I am so so thankful to the Muirheads and the Koops, who immediately welcomed us in and befriended us- it's good to have cousins in town and my favorite memories here have their faces speckled throughout.



We are discovering the charms of small town and of Fort Qu'Appelle and the joys of school and growing and learning and being where we are meant to be.



It's not always easy, but we can cling to our treasure trove of happy days afar and here and know that we are very very blessed people.



The trip gave me lots of perspective adjustements. I realized that while it is way more expensive in Canada, prices shot up some in the States too.


I remembered again that Fort Qu'Appelle is incredible gorgeous and that we need to get out and let the beauty soak into our beings.



I remembered that we made a "fair trade" of insanely hot for insanely cold- maybe Brian and I are just people of extremes ;)

Abilene had a lot of great things to do for cheap or free, but there are things here too, it just took some time to find them.


I realized that while the miles are long, it's so worth the drive. Abilene has a lot of people who have shaped our lives and touched our hearts like no others can, but there are people here doing that too. Best friends are not made in a day, but in years, events and circumstances that mold us together. I am thankful and grateful for all the "best friends" I've had through the years. My cousin told me that I was not allowed to have so many "best" friends. But everywhere I've lived, I had one person who become a "bosom buddy" as Anne would say. I've come to the realization and acceptance that we don't always continue the journey relationally when distance comes into play- those people are still vital to who we are, but the Lover brings others alongside us for the next part of the trip. Somehow this time, I was able to snag at least one best friend along for the long haul. I'll always be thankful to Texas for giving me Brian!! and also perhaps for giving me some life long journeyers, who we can keep sharing our hearts with, who will not fade away in the tapestry of our memories, but continue to shed light in our journey thanks to connections of the heart and phone and internet and miles traveled to meet up over the years.

Trip tales part 9

oh, oh, the trip has long been over now, but I haven't uploaded pics yet since we've been back, so you get more trip pictures. While in Abilene, we got to see my African friends, one of who now has a new business, a store and the family I was closest to who now live in a brand new home built by habitat for humanity. I also got to see Mamie's "new" baby- he was walking around! That's how long we'd been gone!!












We also got to go out to Shane and Marisol's where we have enjoyed many a bbq in the past. Marisol's family kind of adopted us while we lived there. Her brother lived across the street from us and her mom down the street. I actually first met Shane at school there and we were both surprised to see each other on Briarwood st. at a party. Their last name is McLoud. Their daughter battled leukemia most of the years we knew them. They are a beautiful family.

Happy Birthday Emora!

Three years ago today, I entered the hospital with a big belly, my husband and mother at my side. With a little persuasion, Emora came into the world as a new president was sworn in. Our days have never been the same since and we are so thankful for our third bundle of joy. My first thought was that I got a different one! Emora did not look like a triplet to her siblings who 2.5 years apart looked nearly identical at birth. I remember Trish taking care of Ivan and Dominique and was so thankful for her short notice help. I remember them coming to the hospital to see her and I was thankful that for our last baby born, we had a great hospital stay and experience. Our friend and neighbor, Big Buddy was in the same hospital at the time and he got to be one of the first to great our new baby as Brian wheeled us to his room.

Emora constantly cracks us up. She is very fun, except when she is extremely willful and then we are quite amazed and challenged with her incredible strength of perseverence! I am thankful I have another cuddler, even if it means that I am forced to lay down with her each day to get her to nap. It's not a bad thing to be reminded for 10min. (or more) each day to slow down and cherish, hold, marvel at people important to us.

We had a good day today. Emora woke before the crack of dawn, only I didn't know it was her. All I knew was that I was hauling one of my girls into our bed before my time to get up to do my early morning bank clean. I was so convinced it was Dominique, she felt so long and big. I realized it was Emora when I didn't see her in her room. Emora decided that for her birthday she would refuse to talk the first part of the day while she was told well wishes. We saw friends at the Outreach, and the library and went on an impromptu date at a new robin's donuts and 2 for 1 pizza place that opened today for her birthday! We did get a nap, although I still feel like a mac truck hit me. We are all fighting head colds, so we are glad the weekend is her. Tomorrow we will celebrate birthdays with a family party. There are 6 this month, all parent and daughter combos!